Overview

PM Blazer™ is a comprehensive 5-day program that will assist individuals in their preparation for taking the Project Management Institute (PMI)®’s PMP® or CAPM® certification exam, based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)®—Fifth Edition.

Program Objectives

PM Blazer™ is a comprehensive program that assists individuals in their preparation for taking the Project Management Institute (PMI)®’s PMP® or CAPM® certification exam, based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)®—Fifth Edition. Our 5-day PM Blazer™ program qualifies participants for 35 contact hours/Professional Development Units (PDUs). Individuals will require additional self-study time following the course in preparation for taking the exam.

Participants will learn:

• PMI^®’s perspective on Project Management.
• PMI^®’s collection of processes and Knowledge Areas.
• Related project management tools, techniques, and practices.
• The structure of the PMP^® exam.
• Strategies for successfully answering exam questions.
• In which knowledge area(s) they are strong and in which areas they need to focus their study.

In addition to receiving a comprehensive 1,000 page 5-volume program manual, participants will receive a full practice exam featuring 200 questions designed to simulate the experience of the four-hour exam. This practice exam will help define what topics each individual participant should focus their study. Participants are also supplied with a supplemental PMP^® Study Guide that includes additional full practice exams.

Benefits

As a PMP®, you can work in virtually any industry, with any methodology and in any location. Additionally, the PMP^® credential:

• Provides a significant advantage when it comes to salary and earning potential. Among survey respondents to PMI^®’s Earning Power Salary Survey, those with a PMP^® certification garner a higher salary (20% higher on average) than those without a PMP^® certification.*
• Prepares you for expanded job responsibilities and has the potential to lead to new career opportunities and advancement.
• Signifies that you speak and understand the global language of project management.
• Connects you to an international community of professionals, organizations, and experts.
• Recognizes your knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Employers benefit as well. When more than one-third of their project managers are PMP^®-certified, organizations complete more of their projects on time, on budget and meeting original goals. (Pulse of the Profession® study, PMI^®, 2015.)

*Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey Ninth Edition.

Training Methods

This program is designed to help participants prepare to successfully pass the PMP® exam (Project Management Professional credential from PMI^®) and is aligned with PMI^®’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)—Fifth Edition. Additional published materials are referenced as well tutorials on best practices ensuring that participants understand PMI^®’s framework in the context of real world application. This contextualization enables participants to think through questions, as opposed to rote memorization. This method has proven extremely effective in preparing participants for a successful PMP^® exam experience. PM Blazer™ follows the structure of PMI^®’s PMP^® exam and covers each section of the PMBOK® Guide and other important reference materials.

Each section of PM Blazer™ is presented in seminar/workshop format and includes workshop studies plus a sample exam at the end of each section to help solidify learnings. This program also provides participants with 10 scores, one for each of the 10 Knowledge Areas. At the end of the program, participants are provided with a customized post training study action plan based on their 10 scores. This action will help drive each participants’ independent study in the time leading up to writing the exam. PM Blazer™ has been designed, developed, and is facilitated by certified Project Management Professionals who bring a wealth of practical information to the program.

PM Blazer™ content is continually connected back to the participant’s own environment (and terminology) to enhance understanding and learning of the PMBOK® Guide, better preparing them for the exam.

Audience

PM Blazer™ is designed for those who are seeking to obtain their PMP® or CAPM® credential. This includes individuals working in a project management capacity as well as key staff members who are working in project oriented environments, spanning various organizations and industries. We recommend that PM Blazer™ participants should be prepared to take the exam within three months of completing the program.

Other individuals who can benefit from obtaining their PMP® credential include:

• Managers of large and medium sized branches
• Call Centre Managers and Team Leaders
• Managers of Operations and Processing Departments (i.e. Treasury Operations, Share Settlement, IPO Operations, and Trade Operations)
• Managers of Administrative Support Functions (i.e. HR, Finance/Accounting)
• Business Analysts
• Systems Analysts
• Members of Six Sigma and TQM Project Teams
• Quality and MIS Specialists

Content Outline

Module 1 – Introduction

• Defines and explains key project management terms.
• Explains the relationship of project management to other management disciplines.
• Provides overview of framework approach, including the 10 Knowledge Areas.

Module 2 – Organizational Influences and Project Life Cycle 

The goal is to establish that projects and project management operate in a larger organizational context than the project itself. Topics covered include:

• Project Phases and the Project Life Cycle
• Project vs. Operational Work
• Organizational Influences and Structures
• Environmental Factors Influencing Projects
• Project Stakeholders

Module 3 – Project Management Processes

• Establishes the concept of project management as a network of interlinked processes.
• Defines and explains the ways in which the processes are grouped and executed. Topics covered include:
  – Project Management Knowledge Areas
  – Project Management Processes
  – Process Groups
  – Process Interactions
  – Customizing Process Interactions
  – Mapping of Project Management Processes

Module 4 – Project Integration Management

• The goal of Project Integration Management is to ensure that the various elements of the project are properly coordinated.
• Processes: Develop Project Charter, Develop Project Management Plan, Direct and Manage Project Work, Monitor and Control Project Work, Perform Integrated Change Control, Close Project or Phase.

Module 5 – Project Scope Management

• The purpose of Project Scope Management is the definition and control of what work is necessary for successful completion of the project, and what work is not. The required work is the project scope, as opposed to the product scope, which consists of the features and functions of the final service or product.
• Processes: Plan Scope Management, Collect Requirements, Define Scope, Create WBS, Validate Scope, Control Scope.

Module 6 – Project Time Management

• The goal of project time management is to complete the project on or before a specific date. The processes usually take place at least once in every project and in one or more project life-cycle phase. Although some of these processes are often viewed as one, they are defined and explained separately.
• Processes: Plan Schedule Management, Define Activities, Sequence Activities, Estimate Activity Resources, Estimate Activity Durations, Develop Schedule, Control Schedule.

Module 7 – Project Cost Management

• The purpose of project cost management is to complete the project within budget constraints. While cost of resources is the focus, a broader, life-cycle costing view is examined. Care should also be given to the way different stakeholders measure project costs.
• Processes: Plan Cost Management, Estimate Costs, Determine Budget, Control Costs.

Module 8 – Project Quality Management

• The aim of project quality management is to ensure the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken. Quality is the totality of characteristics of an entity that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs. In order to fulfill these needs, they must be clearly stated through project scope management. Quality must be distinguished from grade.
• Processes: Plan Quality Management, Perform Quality Assurance, Control Quality.

Module 9 – Project Human Resource Management

• The purpose of project human resource management is the effective use of all project stakeholders in achieving the objective of the project. While skills such as leadership, team building, and motivation are applicable to both project management and an operational context, there are issues that are unique to the project environment.
• Processes: Plan Human Resource Management, Acquire Project Team, Develop Project Team, Manage Project Team.

Module 10 – Project Communications Management

• The goal of project communications management is the accurate and timely collection, dissemination, and storage of project information. Effective communication is key to effective management of the overall project. As in project human resource management, there is a broader body of knowledge in a non-project management specific context.
• Processes: Plan Communications Management, Manage Communications, Control Communications.

Module 11 – Project Risk Management

• The purpose of project risk management is to reduce the consequences of negative events and increase those of positive events. This is achieved through a series of processes that include identification, analysis, and response to risk.
• Processes: Plan Risk Management, Identify Risks, Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis, Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis, Plan Risk Responses, Control Risks.

Module 12 – Project Procurement Management

• The goal of project procurement management is to manage the purchase of goods and services from outside the performing organization. It describes the overall acquisition and contract management elements included in project procurement. This type of management is discussed from the point of view of the buyer when considering the buyer-seller relationship.
• Processes: Plan Procurement Management, Conduct Procurements, Control Procurements, Close Procurements.

Module 13 – Project Stakeholder Management

• The purpose of project stakeholder management is to manage the stakeholders involved in the project. This has developed as a key success criteria for managing projects. Stakeholder is a very broad term the covers those involved directly in the project (project team, sponsor, client, etc.) as well as those who are impacted by the project. Managing them involves identify who they are, analyzing and defining a management strategy.
• Processes: Identify Stakeholders, Plan Stakeholder Management, Manage Stakeholder Engagement, Control Stakeholder Engagement.

Module 14 – Wrap-Up and Sample Exam

In the final module of PM Blazer™, participants can view their knowledge in a broader context of project management practices. An overview of the Knowledge Areas refreshes and reinforces key issues learned throughout the program.

Exam-writing skills are almost as important for success as mastery of the material. In this module, participants learn valuable strategies for exam taking. A full 200 question practice exam is provided for further preparation. Being familiar with the format and type of questions on the PMP® exam will allow participants to walk into the exam prepared to succeed.

The sample exam replicates the PMI^® exam, participants are given 2 full 200 question sample exams (one paper based, one electronic) to complete as self-study. Once complete, the participants will have an overall score as well as a break down by knowledge area enabling them to identify the areas they need to focus additional study in preparation for the actual exam. Rational for the right answers are provided for select questions in both the knowledge area questions as well as the 200 sample questions giving participants insight into why an answer is correct. Follow-up study support is available from our instructors giving students the opportunity to review any questions or concepts that they are struggling with. Students are welcomed and encouraged to sign up for these additional support webinars as they prepare to take the exam, regardless of how long ago they attended the course.