In a bespoke project management training course, it is crucial to ensure that the training programmes are specifically targeted towards meeting the needs of the business. Through the years, we have developed a structured development process that works closely with our corporate clients to deliver training that caters to their unique requirements and delivers measurable […]
There are many components that come together to ensure you are successful as a project manager, from communicating effectively, to managing a schedule, to controlling the budget and handling risks. Nevertheless, most people would agree that an important first step is putting together the best project team. If you don’t have the right […]
he Association for Project Management (APM) has started work on updating its Body of Knowledge from version 7 to 8. This will result in a refresh of the APM qualifications, including the APM Project Management Qualification (APM PMQ). At Parallel, we are very keen to ensure this refreshed qualification meets the practical needs of aspiring […]
In this podcast, we examine the steps involved in developing a project schedule, the advantages and disadvantages of using software tools to develop a project schedule and the different forms of presentation that can be used to display a project schedule. This podcast is part of our APMP project management training course. This includes a […]
Five Benefits of a Project lifecycle are: It provides a structure for project delivery. It improves communication between team members. It enables progress to be tracked across the organisation. It provides for the progressive evolution of the project. It enables structured reviews that support governance. It provides a structure for project delivery. It provides a […]
In the APM Project Management Qualification (APM PMQ) the answer to this question might be: Project Quality Management is the discipline that is applied to ensure that both the outputs of the project and the processes used to deliver the outputs meet the required needs of the stakeholders. Quality is broadly defined as fitness for […]
Communication is always important within project management, but particularly at the beginning of the project. Here we look at what the main communication issues are at the start of a project in more detail. Communication is important in all companies, businesses, organisations and of course, within project management. It is important all the way through […]
5 barriers to communications are: 1. The environment in which the communication takes place is one of the barriers to communication. Work environment such as noise and temperature might affect communications in certain circumstances. The project manager, therefore, must ensure that the work environment is comfortable to everyone and that it will […]
Updated April 2022 Anyone who has worked as a project manager knows that the array of tasks that fall to the project manager is seemingly endless. Risk management, time management, people management, budgeting, motivational and diplomacy skills are just some of what a project manager needs to tackle in order to successfully manage a project. […]
This post was originally written back in 2014 but was updated in April 2022. Fundamental project planning techniques have changed little during that time but many of the tools we now use have changed, and our best-practise knowledge has expanded immeasurably over that time. A project plan is the glue which will hold a project […]
SWOT Analysis is a technique used frequently in project management to assist with decision-making. It is useful for project planning and risk management of complex projects and, as a consequence, it can also help to improve teamwork within a project team. The acronym SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. These terms indicate that […]
What is Hybrid Learning Parallel has over ten years of experience delivering virtual project management training, but for the past two years, we have been providing pure virtual training, and we have learned what works best for the 7th edition of the APM Body of Knowledge. Today we are launching a new flexible hybrid approach […]
There are many different ways to approach managing a project, including hybrid project management. The best approach will partly depend on the type of project, the type of organisation and even the personal attitudes of the project manager. Some organisations will insist on following a formal methodology rigorously, others will allow a PM to adapt […]
The Cost of Drug Development There is some debate about the real cost of drug development but what you can be sure of is that it is a very large number and increasing year on year. The US Journal of Health Economics previously published a figure of US$ 802m as the estimated cost of a […]
A project Management Framework consists of three parts a project lifecycle, a project control cycle and tool and templates to facilitate the execution of the project Standardised Roles With is a framework you will often see standardised roles. They often go beyond the typical project manager and sponsor roles and can include organisation specific roles […]
The different types of project management office (PMO) is one of the new topics introduced as part of the 7th Edition of the APM Body of Knowledge. These different types of PMO can cause confusion for many candidates for the APM qualifications, most specifically the APM Project Management Qualification (APM PMQ). In this post, I […]
Learning the art of good time management is the key to success in any career. But perhaps it is more so for anyone who is involved in project management. As any project manager knows it is easy to fill your schedule with events and tasks, but it is just as easy to be overwhelmed by […]