PrintDURATION: 2 days |
| TIME: 09:00 to 17:00 GMT |
The APM Project Fundamentals Qualification is a 2 day course aimed at those planning to start a career in Project Management and is the first of four APM qualifications. IPSO FACTO is based at Fareham, between Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK. However, this course can be delivered live online or onsite across the UK.
APM Project Fundamentals Qualification offers a basic awareness of project management terminology. It’s for those wishing to gain a broad understanding of the principles of the profession. No prior knowledge or experience is required for this qualification, which will offer you the knowledge to make a positive contribution to any project.
The range of qualifications developed by APM, the chartered body for the project profession, offers a progressive structure for your career development, from courses offering the fundamentals’ of project management through to ‘management’ and ‘professional’ levels of understanding. APM qualifications offer a clear route to becoming a Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), recognising the competence and success of project professionals.
If you are considering joining this course please complete the assessment form.
All training will be conducted online using Microsoft Teams. Your training will be live and interactive with questions and discussions. There will be regular breaks in the morning, for lunch and the afternoon will allowing you to stay fresh and remain in the learning mode.
Please read and carry out the tests “What to expect with an APM online exam”
Watch the video about the online APM PFQ exam.
Your APM PFQ exam will be taken online using Surpass. We will book your online exam to take place starting between 15:00 and 16:00 on day two of your course. The exam will be booked by IPSO FACTO seven days before the exam date, where you will be sent an email invitation from Surpass to test your equipment. This will allow you plenty of time to test your equipment, identify and resolve any issues.
Its important that you carry out the tests straight away, as you will be charged by the APM to make alterations to your exam booking within five days of your exam. Its also important to carry out the tests on the equipment you’ll be using for the exam.
An email invitation to take the exam will be sent 3 days before your exam date. If you are expecting an email to test your equipment or take the exam please check you spam. Contact the APM or IPSO FACTO if you have any concerns.
By the end of this level you will be able to:
1.2 state the differences between a project and business as usual
1.3 define the term ‘project management’
1.4 state the key purpose of project management
1.5 define the terms ‘programme management’ and ‘portfolio management’ and their relationship with project management
1.6 describe why PESTLE analysis might be used by a project manager
2.1 state the phases of a typical linear project life cycle
2.2 state the phases of a typical iterative project life cycle
2.3 define the term ‘hybrid life cycle’
2.4 define the term ‘extended project life cycle’
3.1 outline project management roles and responsibilities (including the project sponsor, project manager, project governance, project team members, end users, product owner and the project management office)
4.1 define the term ‘deployment baseline’
4.2 state how deployment baselines differ between linear and iterative life cycles
4.3 outline the stakeholders of a project management plan
4.4 outline the purpose and typical content of a business case
4.5 explain the role of a project sponsor and project manager in relation to developing a business case
4.6 explain how a stakeholder analysis supports effective stakeholder engagement
4.7 define the term ‘benefits management’
4.8 state typical estimating methods (including analytical, analogous, parametric)
4.9 outline the purpose of the estimating funnel
4.10 explain why establishing success criteria is important at the start, during, and at the handover of a project
4.11 outline the purpose and benefits of project progress reporting
5.1 define the term ‘scope management’
5.2 differentiate between scope management within linear projects and scope management within iterative projects
5.3 describe how product breakdown structures (PBS) and work breakdown structures (WBS) are used to illustrate the required scope of work
5.4 outline how a project manager would use cost breakdown structures (CBS), organisational breakdown structures (OBS) and the responsibility assignment matrix (RAM)
5.5 define the terms ‘configuration management’ and ‘change control’ in the context of scope management
5.6 explain the relationship between change control and configuration management
5.7 outline the stages in a typical change control process
5.8 outline the activities in a typical configuration management process (including planning, identification, control, status accounting and verification audit)
6.1 state the purpose of scheduling
6.2 state the purpose of critical path analysis
6.3 state the purpose of milestones
6.4 define the term ‘time boxing’
6.5 outline options for resource optimisation (including resource leveling and resource smoothing)
6.6 define the term ‘procurement strategy’
7.1 define the term ‘risk’
7.2 explain the purpose of risk management
7.3 outline the stages of a typical risk management process (including identification, analysis, response and closure)
7.4 describe the use of risk registers
7.5 define the term ‘issue’
7.6 outline the purpose of ‘issue management’
7.7 differentiate between an issue and a risk
7.8 state the stages of an issue resolution process
8.1 define the term ‘quality’
8.2 outline the purpose of ‘quality management’
8.3 define the term ‘quality planning’
8.4 define the term ‘quality control’
8.5 outline the purpose of ‘quality assurance’
8.6 state the purpose of: decision gates, post project reviews, benefit reviews and project audits
9.1 define the term ‘communication’
9.2 outline the advantages of different communication methods (including face to face, physical and virtual)
9.3 outline the disadvantages of different communication methods (including face to face, physical and virtual)
9.4 outline the contents of a communication plan
9.5 explain the benefits, to a project manager, of a communication plan
10.1 define the term ‘leadership’
10.2 explain how a project team leader can influence team performance
10.3 outline the challenges to a project manager when developing and leading a project team
10.4 outline how a project manager can use models to assist team development (including Belbin and Tuckman)
