P3O Foundation - Course Overview
This P3O® Foundation course is available on SPOCE's open public schedule, or can be held at your own premises.
A P3O® model provides a decision enabling/delivery support structure for all change within an organisation. This may be provided through a single permanent office which may exist under several different names, for example Portfolio Office, Centre of Excellence, Corporate Programme Office. It may otherwise be provided through a linked set of offices (portfolio office, programme offices, project offices). These offices could be permanent and temporary, providing a mix of central and localised services. Whatever the structure, a P3O® is essential for ensuring successful outcomes through the delivery of portfolios, programmes and projects
Who is the course designed for?
- Managers who need a structure for working alongside corporate organisational investments (projects and programmes).
- Individual who wishes to perform as an informed member of a P3O®. This will include individuals newly-appointed to portfolio, programme or project office roles or those wishing to gain a formal qualification after some support office experience.
- Team members employed within or alongside a support office.
- Anybody who needs to know the basics about providing portfolio, programme and project support.
- Programme and Project Managers keen to develop their skills and identify opportunities for further career advancement.
- Any Support offices may be known by a variety of titles such as; Portfolio Office, Centre of Excellence, Enterprise or Corporate Programme Office. This course will also benefit those aspiring to more senior roles.
- Individuals who require the P3O® Foundation certificate.
What are the course objectives?
By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:
- Describe the high level P3O® model and know the differences between portfolio, programme and project Management.
- State the key functions and services of a P3O®.
- Identify which P3O® model is most appropriate to your organisation‟s strategic objectives.
- Know the arguments for establishing a P3O® model and measuring its success.
- Understand and learn to measure the value that a P3O® offers to an organisation.
- Know the roles and responsibilities associated with a P3O® service.
- Describe the tools and techniques used by a P3O®.
- Understand the relationships between strategy, portfolio, programme and project, and how these different relationships affect management issues.
- Learn how to implement or revitalise a P3O®.
What is the course approach?
The P3O® Foundation course is a mixture of input and practical sessions, delivered by an APM Group approved trainer with practical experience of portfolio, programme and project management.
SPOCE's highly acclaimed event preparation is available to everyone attending this event. Delegates should spend approximately 10 hours studying this pre-course material in order to be well prepared for the course.
Due to the intense nature of this course, delegates should plan to commit approximately 1 hour each evening during the course for study and review.
SPOCE's flexible approach to the management of the course means that delegates can attend the whole 5 day Practitioner event or attend the 3 day Foundation event only and return at a later date to complete the Practitioner elements and Exam if they so wish.
What examinations are taken on the P3O Foundation course?
P3O Foundation Exam: 40 minutes multiple choice, closed book. 50 questions with an exam pass mark of 60% (30/50).
What does the P3O Foundation course cover?
This three-day course covers the P3O® Foundation syllabus, including the following topics:
Structured Approach to Managing Projects - Setting the scene for a structured approach to managing all projects; project.
Overview and Principles - Definitions: portfolio, programme, project; elements of a P3O® model; The decision-supporting role and governance responsibility of a P3O®; analysing the effectiveness of the P3O® in assuming this role and these responsibilities; Characteristics of a mature P3O®; The differences between portfolio.programme and project offices.
Business Case for a P3O® - Why invest in a P3O®?; “Doing the right programmes/projects” versus “doing programmes and projects right and the differences between them; P3O® value matrix; KPIs and their measurement.
P3O® Models and Tailoring - Functional areas of a P3O®, including the skills and competences required; Functions and services delivered by a P3O®; Relationships with other corporate function offices; Information assurance, including resource provision by a P3O®; Sizing a P3O®, including different model types; Impact of maturity on P3O® implementation.
Implementation - Components of the permanent P3O® model lifecycle; Definition stage of the permanent P3O lifecycle; Capability maturity, P3O® tools and techniques; Blueprint: information flows and reporting requirement; Temporary versus permanent P3O® model; Key areas of focus of a temporary programme or project office
Tools and Techniques - Utilisation of tools and standard P3O® techniques; CSFs for tools and techniques; Collaborative integrated tools; enterprise tools; Objectives and benefits of: portfolio prioritisation and optimisation; management dashboards; knowledge management; information portal; facilitation – workshop techniques; skills development and maintenance; Knowledge management techniques; Types of facilitated workshops; “Swimlane” models – benefits and use.
Roles - Management, generic and functional-based purpose of P3O® roles.
Delegate Feedback
The following is a list of feedback comments from customers attending recent SPOCE courses.
"Julia was fantastic and went over configuration management again and again until I finally got it!! So thank you ever so much. This will really help me in my daily working life" Rachel Cough
"Excellent Trainer/Course/Hotel Facilities - Great Knowledge and presentation skills of the trainer - very Enjoyable Course" Leanne Preuss
"Richard is a fantastic trainer and I would recommend him to anyone. Thanks!" Res Sembi
"Trainer was faultless, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, thorough etc. I would recommend collagues to attend the course with this trainer in particular" Andrew Willis
"Enjoyed the way the course was delivered with respect to interaction of delegates" Jason Bennett
"Mike was excellent. I think i'd have been worn out by about 10am on Monday if I were him" Sally Ragret
"Richard made a complex subject clear and got us up to speed in 3 days!" Paul Curtis
"The course surpassed my expectations. I'll totally recomend it to my colleagues" Marjuh Hernandez
"The trainer was outstanding, imformative, helpful, well prepared, able to tailor the course to particular requirements, and had a sense of humour!" Saminia Khan