CITI - partners in change » Project

Advanced Project Management

Paul Ashton — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 10:55:10 +0000

You should have over five years’ experience of managing projects. If you have sufficient experience then you can use the work-based modules on this course to support your application for the APM’s Certificated Project Manager.

This course will give you the insights and techniques to become a professional project manager. Making your personal project performance more predictable and focusing your management actions on making your projects successful.

What are the course objectives?

The course starts by focusing your attention on what success looks like. The purpose of planning is to achieve these outcomes and nothing else. At this level, project management is often as much about power and politics as about plans and process. Consequently stakeholder management is a critical skill and is thoroughly explored. Once the nature of success is understood, the role of project disciplines in achieving that success is examined. It is the advanced application of the key project management disciplines that is at issue, and so the emphasis is on the appropriate use of management control techniques in complex projects. Finally, it is the integrating of all the factors and disciplines together into a coherent project strategy and a set of consistent actions that distinguishes good project managers from great ones. A major cross- functional project is provided – and the problem is to successfully construct and deliver the project. By its end, not only will you be more confident about the techniques, you will be confident about how to apply them in typically complex project environments.

What are the key topics?

What is the course format?

The approach taken is to challenge – making you reflect on how you discharge your responsibilities as an experienced, professional project manager. This course makes use of state-of-the-art simulation tools to facilitate accelerated learning through trial and error. Video is used to illustrate key learning points and prompt debate. Lectures are highly interactive, designed to encourage you to discuss your own issues with team members. Examples, drawn from CITI’s own experience of complex projects, are used to explore advanced project management issues.
The course has two taught modules and one work-based assignment. Run over a 4-6 week period you have the opportunity to use the techniques in the workplace and then to come back and discuss how they worked and what to do next.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

This is a three plus four day two module course.

The price is £2,975 plus VAT. (Accommodation is extra).

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.

PRINCE2® Foundation and Practitioner

Paul Ashton — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:49:40 +0000

If you are a project manager, project support team member or work package manager, and you want to achieve PRINCE2® accreditation, this course is for you!

What are the course objectives?

Following the course you will have a good understanding of PRINCE2® and, subject to successful examination results, a recognised accreditation.

The course is designed to provide you with a working understanding of structured project management as presented in PRINCE2®, to a level where you can use it to manage a project and pass the APMG PRINCE2® Foundation and Practitioner Examinations. The course is accredited by APMG.

What are the key topics?

What is the course format?

In advance of the course, you will be provided with a copy of the PRINCE2® Manual, along with our pre-course study materials and you should plan to do up to eight hours of study on those materials prior to attending the course. Naturally, if you have knowledge and experience of PRINCE2® this time may be lessened for you.

In order to give you the best chance of passing the exam and retaining the knowledge our course is split across two weeks. In week 1 the course is a four-day classroom event which blends formal presentation with practical exercises and focused discussion. Evening work is necessary and your trainer will assess your evening work at the start of each day. The Foundation exam is taken on the fourth day. The rest of the day is dedicated to examination technique and preparation for the Practitioner examination.

After the classroom part of the course there is a study break of one week. During this time you will be expected to undertake further distance learning and revision using the materials that we provide. You then return and take the three-hour Practitioner examination.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

This course is either 4 days with a week break between the course and the exam or 5 days with the exam taking place on the fifth day.

£1,300 plus VAT includes exam fees and manual.

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.

PRINCE2® is a registered trade mark of AXELOS Limited
The Swirl logo™ is a trade mark of AXELOS Limited

PRINCE2® Practitioner re-registration

Paul Ashton — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:13:50 +0000

If you have attended and passed a PRINCE2 Practitioner course the registration expires after 5 years; this course will prepare you to sit the re-registration examination.

What are the course objectives?

The objective of this two day course is to prepare you to sit and pass the PRINCE2 re-registration examination.

What content is covered?

The tutor leads an interactive and focused discussion which covers all key areas or the new manual that could be examined on a practitioner exam. Day 1 covers a review of these key areas, taking into account your particular requirements and any areas or questions you need covering. Day 2 completes the syllabus and then a question paper is attempted and full solution notes are provided; answers are fully discussed. The format of each day is inherently flexible and is tailored by an experienced tutor to your needs.

What are the key topics?

What is the course format?

The course begins with a review of the complete lifecycle model and a detailed explanation on how a PRINCE2 project is run using the 2009 method. The themes are explained and integrated into the process model; a case study is used to show how the method is applied in practice. You are invited to highlight problem areas, or areas in the model that you find confusing. Day 2 is focused around the typical types of exam questions that have been set.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

2 days (including exam)

Cost

£800 plus VAT includes exam fee and manual.

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.

PRINCE2® is a registered trade mark of AXELOS Limited
The Swirl logo™ is a trade mark of AXELOS Limited

PRINCE2® Practitioner

Paul Ashton — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:09:19 +0000

If you are a project manager, project support team member or work package manager, and you want to achieve PRINCE2® accreditation, this course is for you!

What are the course objectives?

Following the course you will have a good understanding of PRINCE2® and, subject to successful examination results, a recognised accreditation.

What content is covered?

What are the key topics?

What is the course format?

The course is a two-day classroom event which blends formal presentation with practical exercises and focused discussion. Evening work is necessary and your trainer will assess your evening work at the start of each day. The Practitioner exam is taken on the second day.

During this time you will be expected to undertake further distance learning and revision using the materials that we provide.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

2 days (including exam)

£800 plus VAT includes exam fee.

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.

PRINCE2® is a registered trade mark of AXELOS Limited
The Swirl logo™ is a trade mark of AXELOS Limited

APMP with prior learning – for PRINCE2 Practitioners

Paul Ashton — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:36:24 +0000

The APMP with prior learning three-day course is for those individuals who are registered PRINCE2® Practitioners and wish to gain the APMP qualification. Suitable candidates are those who are currently registered with the APMG which means that they became a PRINCE2® Practitioner or have re-registered within the last five years. The APM recognises the subjects which were examined by PRINCE2® and so the APMP with prior learning syllabus and examination are reduced accordingly.

What are the course objectives?

The primary purpose of this course is to prepare delegates for the successful completion of the APMP two-hour, closed book, examination. The course covers the shortened syllabus of 25 of the APM body of knowledge (BoK) subject areas and in undertaking this course candidates learn a huge amount in a short time about the theory, techniques and application of project management.

The course is structured around the 25 APM BoK topics, which are determined by the syllabus for the APMP examination. The focus is on providing knowledge, principles and best practices in project management. APMP assesses the candidate’s breadth of knowledge in all areas of project management, from strategic and commercial implications, to the technical, organisational, and people management skills required to participate effectively within a project team. The course is made up of tutor-led sessions with practical examples, group syndicate work, homework, and solution notes. To ensure that candidates are suitably ready for the exam, CITI provides a short mock exam, taken under exam conditions. A week of directed self-study leads to the examination.

What are the key topics?

teaching of the key project management topics defined by the APM Body of Knowledge
rehearsal on examination approach and technique
practical exercises
exam rehearsal
comprehensive learning materials
practise questions with solution notes
analysis of APM BoK specific terminology.

What is the course format?

Each candidate receives a comprehensive workbook and study guide which comprises: lecture slides, APMP syllabus learning outcomes, reference text on the BoK topics, examination questions with solution notes and a revision workbook. Each lecture consists of an interactive presentation of the material, interspersed with practical exercises which are undertaken either in teams or individually. At the end of each lecture candidates will note take in their revision workbook. At the end of the day, homework will be set for the evening which will cover the subjects taught during the day; solution notes will be provided. The afternoon of the third day will entail guidance on examination technique and then a one-hour mock exam. The exam then follows a week later.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

This is a single module course, comprising of three days.

£1,000 plus VAT includes exam fee.

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.

PRINCE2® is a registered trade mark of AXELOS Limited
The Swirl logo™ is a trade mark of AXELOS Limited

Understanding project management

Paul Ashton — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 12:45:02 +0000

Are you affected by projects and the way they are managed? Do you want to learn how to apply core principles of project management to your current job? Are you a work package manager, project office member, business manager or domain expert whose job is changed by projects? Are you new to projects? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions – this course is for you.

What are the course objectives?

By attending this programme you will learn more about how projects are run, how project techniques and approaches can add value to your current role (be it in HR, finance, marketing, operations, etc.) and what factors make project management different from other types of management.

The course highlights the fundamental management, process and resource disciplines that make projects different from business as usual. It introduces the disciplines required in projects, particularly the need to schedule time, measure progress, communicate and handle variations to the plan caused by productivity variations, rework and process performance.

What content is covered?

The basic principles of project management are described and discussed. This is mainly in the context of how and where they differ from line management approaches. Differences between plans and schedules, the iterative planning process, the approaches to adopt when creating estimates for pieces of work, and the need for effective communication and reporting progress are all important topics covered. We also address roles and responsibilities in projects, project organisation and the value of method and its impacts. Product breakdown structures and activity networks are created on the course. Practical exercises will help to make points about scheduled activity, the need for structure, organisation and project control in highly constrained management environments, and what constitutes good project behaviour.

What are the key topics?

What is the course format?

In this short course the style is ‘investigative’ and ‘instructive’ – drawing out what you already know about projects and providing short, sharp inputs of knowledge and approaches via presentations. It also offers opportunities to practice and experiment so your learning can add most value to your current or future project. This approach uses a series of case work exercises and short tutor-led discussions to highlight key learning points. A general business scenario is used for case work allowing you to work together in syndicates, taking turns to be the project manager, in order to define and plan a project.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

This is a 2 day course.

£900 plus VAT

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.

APMP fastrack

Paul Ashton — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:55:44 +0000

The APMP Fastrack is for those individuals who have managed projects for at least a year and wish to gain the APMP qualification.

What are the course objectives?

The primary purpose of this course is to prepare delegates for the successful completion of the APMP three-hour, closed book, examination. However, the course covers the entire syllabus of 37 of the APM Body of Knowledge (APM BoK) subject areas and in undertaking this course candidates learn a huge amount in a short time about the theory, techniques and practice of project management.

What content is covered?

The APMP course is structured around the 37 APM BoK topics which comprise the syllabus for the APMP examination. The focus is on providing knowledge, principles and best practices in project management.

Syllabus, candidate guidance notes and a sample paper are available at these links.

APMP assesses the candidate’s breadth of knowledge in many areas of project management, from strategic and commercial implications, to the technical, organisational, and people management skills required to participate effectively within a project team.

What are the key topics?

teaching of the key project management topics defined by the APM BoK
rehearsal on examination approach and technique
practical exercises
practice questions with solution notes
marked mock examination with feedback
analysis of APM BoK specific terminology.

What is the course format?

Each candidate receives a workbook and study guide which comprises: lecture slides, APMP syllabus, reference text on the BoK topics, examination questions with solution notes and a revision workbook.

Each lecture consists of an interactive presentation of the material, interspersed with practical exercises which are undertaken either in teams or individually.

At the end of the day, homework will be set for the evening which will cover the subjects taught during the day. The next day will begin with comment on the homework and solution notes will be provided and reviewed.

The afternoon of the fourth day will entail guidance on examination technique and then a one-hour mock exam. The marked mock examination will be posted with written feedback.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

5 days over two weeks – 4 days then 1 week break before exam day or 5 days over one week with the exam on the fifth day.

£1,500 plus VAT includes exam fees.

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.

MSc Managing Major Projects and Programmes

Paul Ashton — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:36:00 +0000

If you are actively managing projects or programmes and wish to develop your professional value then the MSc Managing Major Projects and Programmes is for you.

Ideally you will have a good honours degree and at least three years’ experience in leading projects or programmes. If you have considerable, relevant management experience and do not meet the academic requirement, you may still be able to join the course.

Take the MSc eligibility questionnaire to assess if you are eligible at www.citi.co.uk/msc.

What are the course objectives?

The aim of the MSc is to develop professional project and programme managers, qualified to manage the most complex programmes, skilled enough to run cross-discipline business and technical projects, and expert in the politics and processes of the project and programme community. As a graduate of the MSc, you will be one of your organisation’s most capable project and programme managers, understanding how best to apply processes and techniques to solve problems in your management of programmes and major projects.

The part-time MSc is constructed to create a lasting impact on your knowledge, skill levels and approach by challenging your beliefs and behaviours in the execution of projects and programmes.

What content is covered?

The outcome is an authoritative and expert practitioner, who bases decisions and judgments on evidence derived from reliable sources and practical experiences, interpreted through critical reflection.

Your knowledge and understanding is developed through analysis of projects and programmes that have been executed and reviewed by expert peers and judged by history.

Engagement in practical activities is used to create accelerated experiences. This is followed by a rigorous debriefing that analyses the factors impacting the decision processes and implementation, introducing a reflective approach leading to self-appraisal of performance.

What are the key topics?

Business strategy
Translating vision to reality
Business change management
Benefits and the business case
Organising work into portfolios, programmes and projects
Structuring a programme
Stakeholder management
Project mission
Project planning
Leadership and motivation
Working with teams
Visibility
Requirements management
Command and control
Design and delivery management
Risk management
Value management – practical application
Strategic supply chain management
Portfolio structuring and risk diversification
Major and mega projects

What is the course format?

High-impact workshops, case studies, lectures and syndicate exercises are used to provide access to, and input from, tutors who are practising programme and project managers with a passion for teaching. The wealth of experience they bring spans many major industries and government organisations.

They are there to challenge as well as support you, to help develop your professional behaviours and enable you to become a highly valued member of your organisation’s project and programme management community.

The distance learning modules allow you to extend your understanding of key areas and provide the opportunity to fully investigate key concepts and experiences.

Further details of the MSc can be found at www.citi.co.uk/msc.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

We are not currently running this course as an open course available to the general public. However, if you have a minimum of 6 colleagues interested in completing this course please get in touch at opencourses@citi.co.uk.

Stakeholder engagement

Paul Ashton — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:06:17 +0000

Are you responsible for delivering projects or programmes involving a complex range of stakeholders? Do you need to learn to analyse your stakeholder community? Do you require tools that can be used to gain commitment to the way forward? If you have answered yes to any of these questions – this master class is for you!

You will typically have a least two years’ experience in project management and/or will have attended a general project management development course.

What are the course objectives?

Engaging stakeholders is frequently cited as a common reason for the success or failure of projects and programmes. This course will help you apply real discipline and focus to this cornerstone of project and programme success. It will help you to place the objective identification, evaluation, engagement and management of key stakeholders at the centre of your plans.

What content is covered?

A well-planned project, or programme, has key stakeholders as a central focus. This means understanding what success means to them and ensuring that the project or programme delivers against that definition of success.

This one day master class provides a radical and illuminating assessment of all key issues in stakeholder engagement and practical techniques for maximising the potential benefits of correctly aligned stakeholders.

What are the key topics?

Systematic analysis of the concept of ‘stakeholder’
Identifying the role and relevance of various stakeholders
Understanding the importance of stakeholder perspective
Identifying and using different communication styles
Getting stakeholders ‘on board’
Using the hierarchies of power and influence within organisations
Meeting stakeholders’ definitions of success

What is the course format?

The day consists of a series of fast-moving, short lectures punctuated by individual and group exercises. This includes an immersion into a convincing and complex case study of a major change project which will help you test and develop the full range of stakeholder engagement aspects.

This will be complemented by group discussions, encouraging you to ‘buddy up’ with other like minded professionals to share and review each others exercise results.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

This is a 1 day course.

£450 plus VAT.

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.

Project success through people

Paul Ashton — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:05:12 +0000

Project managers and change managers are often involved in complex project environments, where their daily challenges are as much related to stakeholders and ‘politics’ as to technical delivery.

In these cases a process or method-led approach is not sufficient to overcome the obstacles to success. They need to employ an adaptive approach and style of leadership appropriate to the context of their specific project challenges. If this is the type of environment in which you find yourself delivering projects, then then look no further – this master class is for you!

What are the course objectives?

This workshop will help you to develop the vital soft skills required by project managers or those working in a project setting. It also introduces you to leadership principles within the context of project management.

What content is covered?

This master class exposes you to the complex people aspects of managing projects. It examines how you should manage, influence, lead and direct each of the major stakeholder groups and make the most effective use of the people involved with your project through their active engagement in achieving project goals.

This highly interactive and practical learning event addresses the key people-related obstacles encountered by project managers and provides best-practice strategies and tactics for dealing with stakeholders and project teams. It is the development and application of these critical people skills that make the difference between ‘management by process’ and successful, value-focused and professional project management.

Participants reflect on current behaviours and approaches and then explore and apply strategies and practical tools to enhance personal leadership capabilities and leverage the strengths of others to improve project performance.

What are the key topics?

What is the course format?

This master class focuses on directed discussion and exploration of key issues, supported by short lectures, videos, and unique case studies, exercises and role-play drawn from CITI’s own experience of complex projects. Personal questionnaires (including a pre-course leadership-style self-assessment) are used to help each individual identify and reflect on their personal leadership challenges. Time is set aside for planning how to practically apply the principles and concepts of leadership in the work place.

What is the duration and cost of the course?

This is a 2 day master class.

£900 plus VAT.

For further details contact us on 01908 283 600 or opencourses@citi.co.uk.