Association of Project Management

IN SEARCH OF PROJECT SUCCESS

With effective project management becoming increasingly important in both the public and private sector, Miles Shepherd, Chairman of the Association for Project Management (APM), looks at current initiatives and future developments in this exciting area.

There is much talk these days of the need to improve delivery - a theme that central government as well as industry has taken up. The methods being adopted, particularly in the public sector, are based on traditional project-management techniques. We are seeing more and more Centres of Project Excellence being established, yet the track record for project delivery in the public sector hardly seems to improve and all too often the press reports yet another failed government project.

We are frequently told that the answer to this seemingly intractable situation is that our project managers need more training. However, we have been training project managers for years and have seen no apparent improvement, so either the training is faulty, the candidates are unable to absorb the knowledge or there is some other cause for failed public-sector projects.

The Association for Project Management (APM) has been at the forefront of
project-management development and training for many years. We are concerned that the techniques and approaches that have served the private sector so well appear to have failed the public one. Our Accredited Providers have established a sound reputation for developing effective project managers and there should be no reason why public-sector project managers should not be as successful as their counterparts in industry. The APM's view is that competent project managers are needed, not just well-trained ones.

The competent project manager brings to projects a range of skills developed over a substantial period of time. Such skills go beyond the mechanical application of classroom techniques. Acting in a truly professional manner, the competent project manager is able to look beyond the 'golden handcuffs' of time, cost and quality to deliver a project that meets the user's needs. This shift in opinion about project success is important because it highlights the difference between those who commission a project and those who use its output.

For example - recently, Concorde, one of the enduring successes of British engineering, came to the end of its life. Concorde is widely regarded as one of our great engineering projects, but at the time it came into service was widely viewed as a major failure: it was years late in delivery and many millions of pounds over budget. There are many other examples where apparently failed projects have been perceived as successful over time.

This view contrasts with the traditional perception of success because of the much greater time for which the delivered product is in use, compared to its development time. Thus, the scope of project success can be seen as much greater than the scope of project-management success. So perception plays a significant role in determining project success. Perhaps, then, the traditional view of success is flawed and there may be criteria for success other than those of delivering on time and within budget, as well as reaching quality standards.

The APM supports the development of project managers by means of its unique range of qualifications. The base qualification is grounded in rigorous knowledge but the Practitioner and Certificated PM levels demand competence, assessed by peers. Furthermore, in common with other professional societies, the APM demands that its members demonstrate a commitment to continual professional development. We believe that this is the real path to project-management success.

APM qualifications (1): APMP
If you have worked in project-management roles for up to two years, or have recently taken on project-management responsibilities as part of your job, APMP is the qualification that will enable you to demonstrate your fundamental knowledge of what is required to manage a successful project. APMP (IPMA Level D) is a knowledge-based, foundation-level qualification, enabling you to participate in projects ranging from individual assignments to large capital projects. APMP is the benchmark qualification for anyone embarking on a project-management career, or looking to add project management to their portfolio of skills.

Who will benefit?
Anyone with up to two years' project-management experience, including:

. Project office personnel
. Team members
. Recently appointed project officers.

What will you gain?
The APMP qualification allows candidates to demonstrate excellent knowledge of all elements of project management in order to assist in the management of projects.

Candidates awarded this Level D IPMA qualification will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how all the elements of the project process interact. They will also understand how their project fits into the strategic and commercial environment they are working in.

APM qualifications (2): Practitioner
The APM Practitioner qualification is an intermediate qualification for
project-management practitioners who can demonstrate their ability to manage any non-complex project or run a key control function of a large-scale project. The Practitioner qualification (IPMA Level C) is for relatively experienced professionals looking to demonstrate their ability to manage projects successfully.

Who will benefit?
Anyone with more than three years' experience in managing non-complex projects, including:

. Project managers
. Project coordinators
. Team leaders.

What will you gain?
The Practitioner qualification demonstrates the individual's ability to manage projects involving participants from within their organisation or to assist in managing more complex projects.

This IPMA Level C qualification demonstrates candidates' ability to apply their knowledge and experience to deliver the objectives of any non-complex project successfully.

APM qualifications (3): APM-Certificated Project Manager
The APM-Certificated Project Manager is the internationally recognised qualification for senior-project management professionals. Certificated Project Managers (IPMA Level B) have extensive project-management experience and a demonstrable track record in delivering successful business initiatives through projects. This prestigious qualification is for skilled and experienced professionals, adept at managing complex multi-disciplinary projects, who are looking to confirm and promote their expertise in the field of project management and beyond.

Who will benefit?
Anyone with extensive experience in managing complex multi-disciplinary projects, including:

. Project and programme directors
. Programme managers
. Senior project managers.

What will you gain?
Certificated Project Managers will be able to manage complex multi-disciplinary projects with significant interfaces both within their organisation and with external suppliers and stakeholders.

This IPMA Level B qualification will provide added value to any technical or business qualification by demonstrating the ability to manage and deliver any complex project successfully.

You will also be added to the APM's list of Certificated Project Managers, which is made available to organisations looking for project-management services.

Supplied by courtesy of Miles Shepherd, Chairman, the Association of Project Management (APM) and Smith-Grundon Associates