Below is everything to watch out for and some helpful tips to help you prepare for your online assessment. You will receive the technical requirements of everything you’ll need to complete the assessment. To ensure you can focus on your assessment on the day, we encourage you to look over these steps and complete them well in advance of your assessment.

Before You Book

Check out the technical requirements
– Using a work laptop? Check firewalls or security policies with your I.T. team
– Check your computer can support the online assessment – do you have the latest version of Google Chrome, a microphone and a webcam?
– Start planning your assessment location and ensure it has a steady internet connection.
– practice completing the sample exam papers so you’re prepared for the format of the questions.
– Watch the online instructional video so you are familiar with the BTL Surpass platform.

1 Week Before your Assessment

-We’ll be sending you a system check email from e-assessment@apm.org.uk to ensure your computer can support our Google Chrome extensions and your webcam, microphone and laptop are compatible. Complete this as early as possible.
– Use this time to configure your room, your phone will act as a second camera to view you from the side. You may need to move some furniture to allow this.

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3 Days Before Your Assessment

– The launch test email from e-assessment@apm.org.uk is on its way. Keep this safe when it arrives.

Day of The Exam

Remember
– You may only have water during your exam; no food or other drink
– You must be in the room on your own; no other person should be present
– You may only have a blank piece or pad of paper for notes No other study or guidance material.
– You may not leave the room once the assessment has started.

One hour before the exam
– Check you have:
– Launch test email
– Your equipment set up

You will gain access to our e-Learning System for six months, but if you need to extend the access for a further six months at any time the please do get in touch. There is no time limit on you taking the exam for this project management qualification, although we may ask for a small additional payment to cover any change in the exam fees.

You will be told who your tutor is prior to the session, you can find out more about our tutors on our Parallel Trainers page. All of our trainers are highly experienced in virtual delivery and will make sure you get online and get engaged as quickly as possible.

The course will run over 2 days and include 7 x 1-hour webinars during that period. The webinars will be highly interactive, using PowerPoint slides, quizzes and discussion boards to engage you throughout. There will also be plenty of breaks and periods where you complete activities offline. Adobe Connect allows you to enter questions visible to the whole group to encourage discussion and collaboration, or send them privately to the tutor for personal feedback.

The exam will be run online at the end of the course at 4pm.

The exam is undertaken online through the Surpass service and we advise you to test your system using the online guidance available from the Association for Project Management.

All Adobe Connect sessions are recorded and are accessible after the event.

All exams are based on the 7th edition of the Body of Knowledge. The APM has now withdrawn the project management qualification based on the 6th edition of the BoK and the qualification is now solely based on the 7th edition of the BoK.

All of our virtual courses require Adobe Connect, which is free to use trusted software often accepted through firewalls. However, in organisations with high security measures in place, you might need to use your personal computer or mobile device. Therefore, you will need:

• A laptop/PC/MAC/iPad/ or mobile phone
• A good internet connection (preferably wired)
• Headphones

Your course tutor will send you a link to the Abode Connect session and you can enter the virtual room at any time to check it works. We’ve also created step by step instructions on how to setup Adobe Connect.

Our e-Learning system will support the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer 9+, Microsoft Edge, Safari and Safari on iPhone iOS 8+ (iPhone 4s through current), Safari on iPads with iOS 8+ (iPad 2 through current) and Chrome on Android. We do not support IE8 which is no longer supported by Microsoft. For the exam you will need a web cam as well.

In simple terms, if you can play the sample videos on this page then our e-Learning will work on your system, as they use the same streaming technology. The requirements for the online exam (including a testing link) can be found here: https://ondemand.questionmark.eu/601315/ext/candidate

Download the full Online Exam user guide here ➤

Find out more about how the APM exams work online here ➤

Find information for corporate IT teams here ➤

The world of business is continuously changing with the ever-increasing innovations that are taking place in the business world. Project management matters because it helps businesses with all the changes they need to handle. While there are many start-up businesses who are striving to find project managers capable of bringing their visions to life there are others hearing the words project management and wondering exactly what it entails.

The fundamental issue is if project management is important for the development process or simply a concept likely to waste money and time. Many businesses have, mistakenly, adopted the belief that project management is not worth the investment. However, a project manager is responsible for much more than the development process of a project. A good project manager has the skills to keep on top of the workload, and any unexpected issues that might come up with a project. Shifting deadlines, communicating with team members and stakeholders, managing risk, deadlines and budgets are all part of their skillset.

It might appear that a project professional could be quite an expense, but someone with the prior knowledge or experience and the qualifications to pull your project together and spot those issues that could really be costly. What a good project manager might cost you could easily be made up for by the savings that they will make for you, keeping your project on target and ensuring that you really don’t go over budget, and that if you do it is by the smallest amount possible.

If you are still not convinced about the value that you will get from having a project professionally managed than why not take a look at the following advantages that you could gain from someone with a broad understanding of the principles of the profession.

Project management looks easy, until you give it a go

What is project management? One essential part of project management is the ability to oversee a team who all possess different skills and talents on a range of levels. The project team are responsible for not only the planning but also the execution of the objectives of the project. Each project should follow a set of guidelines in order to successfully reach the desired end goal. The right project plan will mean the difference between the project being a success or unfortunately a failure.

Having the skills to keep not only the team in check but also juggle communication with stakeholders and suppliers as well takes a great deal of organisation. A project manager is able to think on their feet and when they are faced with an unexpected problem that might mean a delay or an extra cost to the project budget they are able to find a quick and efficient solution.

While some of the skills needed to manage a project might be instinctive, there are others that really need to be honed through training for project managers . Of course they also need plenty of experience that can really only be gained by doing the job, and learning from their mistakes and errors.

Learning the skills to understand the plan that any project should follow can be difficult to master however it is well worth taking the time to ensure that you learn everything that you need. A good PM never stops learning, and every new project offers the opportunity to sharpen those existing skills while learning new ones. That being said, here are some of the steps that you will need to consider along the way.

Setting out a plan

Projects, no matter how organised you think they are, are naturally chaotic and it is very important to define a plan that will ensure that the chaos is as organised as possible. The main goal of project management is having the ability to organise and plan the project in such a way that this natural chaos is tamed and controlled as much as possible. A clear path should be mapped out that clearly indicates a route from start to finish of the project. It is important to make sure that the outcome is a positive one that meets the goals set out in the project at the very beginning. A good PM will be able to come up with a plan that considers the task and any factors that may influence it, which means potential issues will be identified and planned for, making for a smoother process.

Create a schedule

A project that does not have a proper schedule and plan is doomed to failure from the beginning. If there is no schedule to follow then it is all too easy for the members of the team to stray from any approximate timeframes that have been set out for individual elements of the project and this could lead to delays which may well mean that your costs will overrun. If you want to give your project the best shot possible at having a positive outcome, then you need someone who can create a sound schedule that can help you to achieve this.

Encourage teamwork

A project professional has the ability to bring people together. Often these are people with a wide range of different skills who are brought together to work on a project where their individual skills will be beneficial to the project as a whole. While some of them may have worked together on projects before, there is a good chance that there will be some new team members who have not worked with each other before, or who are new to the whole idea of project management. When it comes to effective project management and planning, collaboration is the cornerstone and a project professional can help you achieve this.

Maximise resources

Whether you are thinking about the human or financial resources involved in your project they are an expensive commodity. A good project manager is able to enforce the disciplines of project management in order to ensure that all of the resources involved are used economically and efficiently. The disciplines that a project professional might use would include risk management and project tracking. This will give them the opportunity to see any issues that arise before they really have a significant impact on the project. They can then take steps to amend their plan in order to get the project back on track.

Manage integration

Projects do not just happen on their own, they need to be integrated into the other systems and business processes of the organisation and they need someone to help achieve this. You would not be able to build a sales system that did not have the capability of integrating with your other sales processes and the sales organisation. There would be very little value to such a move. When it comes to project value integration is usually key.  Project management plays a huge part in identifying and managing integration.

Controlling costs

There are projects that cost relatively little and others that have a significant amount of money available on their budget. Whether you are working to a small or large budget it is really important to ensure that budget performance is on track. When project management strategies are used there is a far greater chance that your project will not overrun its budget. Planning the entire project from start to finish will give the experienced project manager the scope to know where there are parts of the budget that can afford to be tweaked in the event of unexpected costs occurring or deadlines being missed. Not only that, but a good PM could help to bring a project in under budget, as they may have good negotiating skills and contacts that could provide services at a lower price than you are able to source alone.

Managing changes

The project management environment is full of things that can change. There really is very little that is constant except from the changes that may occur. It is a difficult and complex task managing the changes that can occur and it takes a good degree of skill, knowledge, and the ability to think on your feet. The role of a project manager is very simple; that is to manage change. This is a huge part of the job and is certainly not something that is optional.

Managing quality

Quality refers to the value of the item or items that you produce. The role of the project professional is to identify, control and manage quality. When this is done correctly this will result in a product or a service that is high quality and hopefully a client who is happy with the outcome. Whether you’re producing digital services or physical products, the required outcome is the same; something the client is happy to recommend you for, and something you can be proud of as a business.

Using knowledge gained in previous projects

Whether a project is in a field your project manager has already worked in or one that is completely new to them they will be able to use their knowledge of previous projects to help make the project run more smoothly. What knowledge they will gain from a new project is considered by most businesses to represent a significant asset.

Allows learning from failure

Unfortunately, no matter how well a project is planned, no matter how great the budget or how skilled the members of the project team, sometimes projects fail. This is unfortunately part of the project management cycle, however there is always something new to learn even from a failed project. Project management makes sure that there is always learning to be done whether it comes from a project success or a project failure.

To sum up… why project management matters

These are just a few of the reasons why so many companies make the decision to employ individuals who have project management qualifications and skills. If you been wondering whether to start searching for a project manager for your business, or even make the move to project management then now might just be the time to do it. The demand for project professionals is on the increase. More and more companies are beginning to realise that employing someone with the right skillset may not actually be as expensive as they first believed. With an experienced and qualified project manager to drive their project forward not only will they have a better chance of getting the results that they are looking for but will also have someone who understand exactly what measures need to be taken when problems arise.

A good PM does more than just set a plan for the project that will work to the budget they have been given. They will keep track of how the work is going, communicating with the members of the team on a regular basis to ensure that they are constantly updated. If something unexpected comes up that could alter the timescales and affect the budget, they will be aware of this promptly. This will offer them the best opportunity possible to find a solution that will allow the project to continue as closely as possible to its agreed deadlines and budget rather than jeopardising the project entirely, which could be vital for business success.

We all know that good communication is essential for a project manager, but knowing what we should be doing and actually doing it can be different things. We know that excellent communication skills can make or break a project and yet, over time or when we are under stress, we can forget to implement the skills we have already learnt.

But learning doesn’t stop when we leave school or university or when we finish a professional training course. There is always room to learn more and grow more in your career, which is why CPD (Continuing Professional Development) is so important for a project manager or, indeed, any professional. More than ever, in today’s fast-paced, high-tech world we need to keep up with all the latest developments that affect how we work.

Here are some potential communication issues to avoid:

Not Reporting a Problem

Have you ever come across a problem in a project and hoped you could sort it out before anyone senior found out? (Be honest). Obviously you need to use your judgement and determine how serious the problem is, and how easy it will be to resolve it quickly, but once it is identified as serious then you should inform the client, senior management and other stakeholders. Clearly explain what the issue is together with suggested solutions and timeframes for a resolution. If there are team members affected by the problem you should also explain the situation to them because they are likely to have ideas on how to fix it.

Failing to Apologise

One of the skills of a great project manager is being a strong leader, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t accept when you have made a mistake. I’m sure we all know people who think that apologising is a sign of weakness but, quite the opposite; it is a sign of strength and confidence in our own abilities but understanding that we all make mistakes. So accept when an apology is needed and make it a genuine one.

Keeping Back Information

We all know the importance of regular updates on the project status and keeping everyone informed of serious issues but some project managers have a tendency to keep some information to themselves. They might think they are avoiding bothering others with issues that have no relevance to them, but everyone on a project should be kept in the loop. Failing to keep team members fully informed, in particular, can simply lead to a de-motivated, unenthusiastic team if they don’t understand the implications of what they are doing and why.

Not Talking

Have you ever avoided picking up the phone when there is bad news to deliver? Or even when there is good news to deliver? Communication isn’t just about status reports, documentation, email and meetings. Make a point of picking up the phone and talking to people who are not in the same location as you – talking in person can be a far better way to ride out crises or come up with solutions to problems than the written word, which can so easily be misinterpreted. Don’t put off contacting someone just because you haven’t scheduled a call or video conference; you may be surprised at what you can learn and what you can impart during an impromptu conversation.

The ability to create a project schedule that is realistic is one of the greatest challenges you will face as a project manager, on any project that you undertake. Whilst there might be some common issues with scheduling that you can anticipate and, therefore prevent, there are others that can prove more complicated.

What is project scheduling?

Before you begin work on any project is it important to create a schedule. This is the route that you will follow in order to complete the work that is required for the project and to, hopefully, produce a successful outcome.

There are three important things that you should consider before you start scheduling; these are:

• When does the project need to be completed by?
• What needs to be done?
• Who will do the work?

These answers are vital in allowing you to create the best schedule possible for your project, and will allow you to follow the steps needed to do this:

1. Create a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure)
2. Work out the relationship between tasks
3. Assign each task to a person
4. Assign the relevant resources to each task
5. Work out, approximately, how long each task will take
6. Identify where you have made assumptions and there are other variables and unknowns
7. Identify the critical path – this is those tasks which are the least flexible, and which delaying may result in issues for the rest of the project
8. Check, and check everything again to ensure you haven’t missed anything

Common obstacles

Even the most impressive and detailed project schedule can only do so much. Whilst everything might look perfect on paper with the right contacts set up for the consumables you need for your project, the perfect project team assigned to the most appropriate tasks and plenty of time to complete the project, the slightest thing can often send your project off track. Whilst using good project software will certainly help you to keep track on your projects progress there are always unexpected things that can go wrong meaning that you will need to revisit your original schedule in order to make the necessary alterations to compensate.

You may suddenly find your team short of a member through no fault of your own. They may move onto another company, be required by another team within the company or suddenly find themselves on long term sick, leaving you with a gap in your team that needs to be filled urgently to cope with the workload.

If the price of one, or more, of the components that you need for your project increase in price, or if there is an issue with the supplier you are using then you will need to find a way to work with this obstacle as well. It may mean that you need an increase in budget or that you need to find a new supplier. This can cost you time as well as money. Using your existing  project management skills (and developing new ones) will help you to overcome the obstacles that you encounter on your project.