P3O® Foundation Certificate

Overview

Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices (P3O^®) is the OGC’s (Office of Government Commerce) guidance for establishing, developing and maintaining appropriate business support structures that will allow improved senior management decision making, better identification and realisation of business outcomes and benefits, and improve the chances of successful project delivery. 

The course is based on the 2008 edition of the P3O Manual and is designed for:

• Senior managers wishing to gain an understanding of possible structures for supporting business change and the type and level of support that can be provided by Portfolio, Programme and Project support offices
• Senior Managers, Programme and Project Managers who require an understanding of how programme offices can add value and enhance the delivery of strategic business change, benefits and capability
• Managers and/or staff who have been tasked to create delivery support structures and mechanisms within their organisation
• Experienced support office managers who need to review, revitalise or tailor current support office provision
• Programme office or programme support staff who need to understand the importance of their role
• Staff responsible for programme/project assurance or audit requiring an understanding of how best practice support is provided.

Prerequisites

• Delegates need to have worked in a project/programme environment and understand the basic principles relating to Programme and Project Management.
• A basic understanding of MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) or a Foundation qualification in MSP would be a benefit for this course

The course fee includes the latest copy of the P3O manual and the examination fee for the Foundation examination. During the course you will asked to provide written permission which enables QA to pass on your pass mark to your employer.

Please note: You must bring signed photo ID with you on any P3O exams (passport, driving licence, student card) as you will be asked to produce it by the invigilator prior to the exam.  You must also be familiar with the APMG Terms and Conditions of Certification which can be found here on the APMG International website.  

Pre-course work

Delegates will be expected to have completed the assigned pre-course study material prior to attending this course.  This work is likely to take delegates 10-12 hours and will be sent to you approximately two weeks before the start of your course. 

If you have not received your pre-course work please contact your account manager or call our team on 0845 757 3888.  Alternatively you can email us on info@qa.com.

The course is intensive and delegates are advised to undertake some revision work in the evenings to prepare for the P3O Foundation examination that is taken at the end of the course.

Delegates will learn how to

• understand how portfolio, programmes and projects relate
• understand why it is important to provide appropriate support at all these levels
• identify a ‘best-in-class’ P3O model
• identify different models for support provision
• recognise the roles within a P3O
• apply the main P3O principles
• identify the tools and techniques that support consistent delivery of functions and services
• prepare for and take the APMG P3O Foundation examination  

Course Outline

Introduction and Overview

• Portfolio, Programmes and Projects
• High level P3O model
• P3O Roles

Why have a P3O
Identifying the value of a ‘best-in-class’ P30 model 

• The value of a P3O
• Adding Value
• Extracting Value
• P3O capability and linked benefits

P3O Models
Identifying the different ways that an organisation could implement Portfolio, Programme and Project offices 

• Different models
• Sizing and Tailoring an appropriate model
• Integrating to P3O in an organisation
• P3O maturity and evolution

P3O Roles
Describing the typical roles and responsibilities within a P3O

• Skills and competencies
• Staffing a P3O office
• Management, generic, and functional roles

Tools and Techniques
Discussing a range of common tools and techniques found within a ‘best-in-class’ P3O model.

• Collaborative and integrated tools
• Tools and techniques – key benefits
• Management dashboards
• Facilitated workshops
• Business process ‘swimlanes’

P3O Implementation
Identifying the lifecycle to implement a new, or revitalise an existing P3O

• Definition Stage and its key activities
• The Blueprint
• P3O information flows

Examinations

The P3O Foundation examination will be taken on the afternoon of day three of the course. The exam is a multiple choice exam consisting of 50 questions that must be answered in 40 minutes. To be successful in this exam the delegate must correctly answer 30 or more questions. Delegates will be informed of their result before they leave the course.

P3O®, MSP®, PRINCE2® and M_o_R® are Registered Trade Marks of the Cabinet Office.