APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)

This is a knowledge based qualification covering the 12 core elements of project management. By the end of the course you will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how these elements interact and how your projects fit into your strategic and commercial environment. The nationally and internationally recognised PMQ gives you a qualification that can be carried from one job to another or from one industry to another.

Target Audience

The PMQ qualification is the perfect choice for those wishing to achieve a broad level of project management knowledge sufficient to participate in projects from individual assignments through to large capital projects. It would be beneficial to have been working in a project environment for 2 years or more.

This course is most suitable for the following roles:

• Project sponsor
• Project manager
• Team manager
• Project assurance
• Business analyst
• Test manager
• Any others for whom projects represent a significant proportion of their activity.

If your role is not on the list above but you would like a career in project management, then please consider attending our PFQ course prior to the PMQ. It would also be of benefit to gain some work experience in project management before you undertake the PMQ. If you would like to discuss your circumstances then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Should you take the PMQ or PFQ?

If you have significant experience working in a project environment then the PMQ option may be at the right level for you. With little or no experience, it will be of benefit to attend our  PFQ first.

Facts about the PMQ course.

Still unsure, take a PMQ Assessment check. Download and complete our PMQ self assessment spreadsheet. Attempt all questions, scoring your answer with either 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  If your overall average score is greater than or equal to 2.5 it would indicate you’re ready to undertake this project management qualification. It’s a guide for you, and if you have any questions please contact us.

The PMQ exam

There will be homework each night with questions relating to the topics covered during the  day. Please set aside enough time to answer the questions in the time you’ve been given. The 3 hour PMQ exam answers need to be handwritten, therefore, it is a good idea to start writing again in preparation! One tip is to re-write the APM book of definitions. For more detailed tips about the exam please go to our PMQ exam tips and advice pages.

• PMQ exam page 1
• PMQ exam page 2

A typical PMQ course

Our courses are structured but informal. Dress code is smart casual. During the course you will be encouraged to ask questions and join in discussions – the more you are involved the more you will gain.

Course Aims

•  To understand the APM’s 12 core topics outlined in the course content
•  To prepare for the PMQ exam

Course Objectives

By the end of this course you will be able to:

•  Apply knowledge of project management techniques in your projects
•  Demonstrate an understanding of how projects fit within the organisation’s operations
•  Understand the impact of the organisation’s structure on your projects
•  Help plan a complex project
•  Apply techniques such as risk analysis and quality control on your projects
•  Recognise appropriate ways of leading, motivating and dealing with people in the project team
•  Balance the required level of control against the need for efficiency

Organisation and project structures

• types of organisation structures
• organisational breakdown structure
• role and key responsibilities of the project manager
• responsibilities of the project manager and project sponsor throughout the project life cycle
• users, project team members and the project steering group/board
• different types of project office (project support office, enterprise project management office, project services or centres of excellence)

Listen to a summary of this topic: Organisations_Structures

Project life cycles

• project life cycle and project life cycle phases
• projects structured as phases (end of phase reviews, go/no-go decisions and high level planning)
• project life cycle and extended life cycle
• processes for sharing knowledge and lessons learned
• reviews throughout the project life cycle (project evaluation reviews, gate reviews, post project reviews, peer reviews, benefits reviews and audits)

Listen to a summary of this topic: Lifecycles

Contexts and environments

• projects and business as usual {BAU}
• project management, portfolio and programme management
• programme management and strategic change
• challenges a project manager may face working within a programme
• use of portfolio management
• environmental factors affecting projects (sector, geography and regulation)
• tools and techniques used to assess a project’s context (PESTLE, SWOT)
• legislation applicable to projects (health and safety, environmental, employment, contract, data protection, freedom of information)

Listen to a summary of this topic: Contexts Environments

Governance and structured methodologies

• governance of project management (policies, regulations, functions, processes, procedures and responsibilities)
• project management methodologies supporting the governance structure
• standard project management methodologies across an organisation

Listen to a summary of this topic: Organisation Governance

Communication

• contents of a project communication plan
• benefits of a project communication plan
• effective communication in managing different stakeholders
• factors affecting communication
• conflict within the project life cycle (Blake and Mouton, Thomas/Kilmann and Pruitt)
• negotiations (formal, informal, competitive and collaborative)

Listen to a summary of this topic: Communication

Leadership and teamwork

• leadership qualities
• principles and importance of motivation
• impact of leadership on team performance and motivation (Maslow, Herzberg and McGregor)
• styles of leadership within a project (situational leadership, action centred leadership)
• effective teams and teamwork
• creation, development and management of teams (Belbin, Margerison-McCann, Myers- Briggs, Tuckman, Katzenbach and Smith)

Listen to a summary of this topic: Leadership Teamwork

Planning for success

• a business case and its importance during the project life cycle
• authorship and approval of the business case
• benefits management (success criteria, key performance indicators)
• payback, Internal Rate of Return and Net Present Value as investment appraisal techniques.
• information management system (collection, analysis, storage, dissemination, archiving, destruction of information)
• a project reporting cycle including the gathering of data and dissemination of reports and the principles of reporting by exception
• project management plans and their importance throughout the project life cycle
• contents of a project management plan
• authorship, approval and audience of a project management plan
• estimating techniques (analytical, comparative, parametric, three-point, PERT formulae)
• re-estimating through the project life cycle and the concept of the estimating funnel
• stakeholder management processes
• managing stakeholders expectations
• earned value management
• earned value calculations and interpret earned value data

Listen to a summary of this topic: Planning For Success

Scope Management

• scope in terms of outputs, outcomes and benefits (product breakdown and work breakdown structures)
• manage scope through:
  • requirements management processes (capture, analysis, justifying requirements, baseline needs)
  • configuration management processes (planning, identification, control, status accounting, audit and verification)
• stages of change control (request, review, assessment, decision, implementation)
• change control and configuration management, and the concept of change freeze
• a change control process

Listen to a summary of this topic: Scope Management

Schedule and resource management

• creating and maintaining a schedule
• techniques depicting a schedule (network diagrams, critical path analysis, Gantt chart, milestone chart)
• software scheduling tools
• categories and types of resources (human resources, consumable and re-usable equipment, materials, space)
• resources and schedules
• resource smoothing and resource levelling
• budgeting and cost control

Listen to a summary of this topic: Schedules Resources

Procurement

• a procurement strategy
• supplier reimbursement (fixed price, cost plus fee, per unit quantity, target cost)
• contractual relationships
• supplier selection process

Listen to a summary of this topic: Procurement

Risk and issue management

• a risk management process (initiate, identify, assess, plan and implement responses)
• risk as a threat or opportunity (avoid, reduce, transfer or accept and exploit, enhance, share or reject)
• project risk management
• risks and issues
• risk and issue escalation

Listen to a summary of this topic: Risk Issue Management

Quality management

• quality management
• quality planning, quality assurance, quality control and continual improvement
• quality management process

Listen to a summary of this topic: Quality Management

More about APM exams

Video about the APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)

Link to Full Membership of the APM: https://www.apm.org.uk/membership/full-member/