This two day course is run only by an experienced project management trainer. The course is delivered online across two full days, on Microsoft Teams. The course includes the exam fee and the exam, which will be booked for you and sat at 4pm on day 2 of the training. Our pass rate for the PFQ is exceptionally high, and we expect the vast majority of delegates who sit the exam to pass.
The course is ideal for new project managers or members of project teams who want a better understanding of the processes, tools and language of project management. The key concepts and principles learnt during the PFQ will leave you in good stead to start thinking about the Project Management Qualification (PMQ), and even Chartership (ChPP). The training will incorporate lectures, group work, exercises and written resources to deliver an interactive learning experience.
Here we differentiate projects from non-projects, explore programme and portfolio management and the influence of the business and political context on project success.
Projects may be managed via a range of lifecycles including linear, iterative (such as Agile) and hybrid lifecycles. We will be exploring the different phases of the different lifecycles and their use along with the various roles and responsibilities of the Project Manager, Project Governance, Sponsor, Product Owner, and the Users. Working closely together, these roles will be a powerful force towards the achievement of project success.
This will include understanding the role of a project schedule, the project management plan and information management. The role and purpose of the business case and the development of options will be explored, including the importance of identifying stakeholders and budgeting and cost management.
During this session, we will be clearly defining how the scope for a project is derived, planned, and managed. We will cover the topic of change control as an essential part of preventing ‘scope creep.’
We will discuss estimating techniques for time and cost and use these to help populate the schedule.
The most recognisable aspect of project management is the Gantt chart. During this session, we will look at the construction of a Gantt chart and the logic and process behind the development of one, including critical path and critical chain analysis. We will also cover the need to properly resource a schedule, including procurement.
During this session, we will look at systematic ways to understand, catalogue and deal with risks and discuss adequate mechanisms for the management of quality on a project, including the use of various quality control techniques. Working in teams is a natural and necessary undertaking in most job roles. In a project, it is even more profound, and the need to ‘get up and running’ quickly is paramount. Understanding some basic theory in this respect is valuable for new project managers.
The APM PFQ exam is a one-hour multiple-choice exam. The pass mark is 60%. The exam is invigilated by a remote proctor. They monitor you through a microphone, webcam, and an app on a mobile phone. The APM is issuing detailed guidance on the technology required, but in summary, you need a personal computer with Google Chrome installed, a webcam, a microphone, and a mobile device (phone or tablet). The exam system will not load any software on your computer; they do ask you to add an extension to Google Chrome. This is why Google Chrome is the only supported browser. The APM advises that the exam is unlikely to work on a corporate PC unless you have admin rights. Just like classroom exams, you will need a photo ID.
This training course includes a fantastic learning package with the following components:
The APM PFQ is designed for people who are new to project management or working in a project role. As such it has no pre-requisites. If you are new to project management we recommend you read the study guide and sample the e-learning before the course. In particular, the study guide includes a sample exam which will give you a feel for your knowledge gaps.
We offer multiple options for payment;
1. Credit / Debit Card
2. Payment via invoice. During checkout for your course, select 'Offline Payment'. You will then receive an invoice from which you can pay. If you wish to add a Purchase Order number to your order, please enter this when prompted at checkout.