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What should be assessed in an updated APM PMQ based on BoK8

Paul Naybour Paul Naybour

Published: 8th August 2022

What should be assessed in an updated APM PMQ Syllabus

The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete. The Association for Project Management (APM) has started work on updating their 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 project managers and the organisations they work with. Based on feedback from course delegates, we feel that the syllabus could better reflect the day-to-day practice of project managers. In particular, those things that you find help you deliver successful projects. The APM has issued a call for evidence, so we would like your help the collecting evidence to make the revised APM PMQ as practical and relevant as possible. To do this, we ask you to spend 10 minutes completing this survey. If you have more detailed comments or views, please do get in touch at withyoualltheway@parallelprojecttraining.com

Relevance of existing assessment criteria

How relevant are the assessment criteria in the current APM PMQ to your role as a project manager. By relevance we mean how closely does the knowledge in each assessment criteria PMQ inform what you do (or should be doing) and how important are they to the success of your projects. So to be highly relevant they be something that is part of your role and you believe makes an impact on project success. So for example it would be highly relevant to your role as a PM if may put significant time into ‘managing stakeholder expectations’ and believe this makes your project more successful. You might think that ‘differentiating between critical path and critical chain’ is highly irrelevant because you don’t do it and don’t think it would improve your projects delivery. We apologies that this section is so long, but we wanted to collect evidence on the cover the entire APM PMQ syllabus. Hopefully you can get though it quite quickly.
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
Projects and business as usual
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Project management, portfolio management and programme management
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Programmes, projects and strategic change
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Situations where the use of programme management may be appropriate
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Factors which influence and impact projects (including PESTLE, SWOT, and VUCA)
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
Types of permanent and temporary organisation structures
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The way in which an organisational breakdown structure is used to create a responsibility assignment matrix
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The role and key responsibilities of the project manager
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Situations where the use of programme management may be appropriate
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The responsibilities of the project manager and the project sponsor
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Other roles within project management (including users, project team members, the project steering group / board and the product owner).
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Functions and benefits of different types of project office
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Aspects of project management governance are required (such as the use of: policies, regulations, functions, processes, procedures and delegated responsibilities.
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
Differentiate between linear, iterative and hybrid life cycles
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Explain why projects are structured as phases in a linear life cycle
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Explain the differences between a project life cycle and an extended life cycle
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Explain the differences between a project life cycle and an extended life cycle
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The responsibilities of the project manager and the project sponsor
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Knowledge and information management to inform decision making
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Functions and benefits of different types of project office
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Conducting reviews throughout the life cycle (including decision gates, benefits reviews and audits)
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
The benefits, to a project, of a communication plan
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The relationship between stakeholder analysis and an effective communication management plan
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Factors which can positively or negatively affect communication
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Sources of conflict within a project
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Ways in which conflict can be addressed
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
How to plan and conduct negotiations
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
How leadership impacts on team performance and motivation
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Why it may be necessary to change leadership styles
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The characteristics and benefits of effective teams and teamwork
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Factors which impact on the leadership of virtual teams
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Factors which influence the creation, development and leadership of teams
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
How to define scope in terms of outputs, outcomes and benefits
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
How to establish scope through requirements management processes
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
How to manage scope through configuration management processes
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Sources of conflict within a project
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Different stages of a typical change control process
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevantRelevantHighly relevant
What is meant by benefits management
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Investment appraisal techniques used by a project manager
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Information management process
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Factors which would typically be reported on to help ensure successful project outcomes
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The relationship between the deployment baseline and the development of a project management plan in linear and iterative life cycles
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The importance of producing a project management plan
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The typical contents of a project management plan
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The approaches to producing estimates
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The reasons for re-estimating
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The relationship between stakeholder analysis, influence and engagement
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The importance of managing stakeholder expectations to the success of a project
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Why a project manager would use earned value management
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Interpret earned value data
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The benefits of using interpretation of earned value data
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The role of contingency planning in projects
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
Creating and maintaining a project schedule (including critical path and Gantt charts)
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Critical path and critical chain scheduling
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Categorisation of resources
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Smoothing and resource leveling
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Cost planning for iterative and linear life cycles
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
Each stage in a risk management process
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Proactive and reactive responses to risk
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The benefits of risk management
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
The key aspects of issue management
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
What is meant by quality planning
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Differentiate between quality control and quality assurance
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Highly irrelevant to me as a project managerIrrelevant to me as a project managerNeither relevant or irrelevant to me as a project managerRelevant to me as a project managerHighly relevant to me as a project manager
The purpose, typical content and importance of a procurement strategy
Highly irrelevant to me as a project manager
Irrelevant to me as a project manager
Neither relevant or irrelevant to me as a project manager
Relevant to me as a project manager
Highly relevant to me as a project manager
Differentiate between different methods of supplier reimbursement
Highly irrelevant to me as a project manager
Irrelevant to me as a project manager
Neither relevant or irrelevant to me as a project manager
Relevant to me as a project manager
Highly relevant to me as a project manager
Differentiate between different contractual relationships
Highly irrelevant to me as a project manager
Irrelevant to me as a project manager
Neither relevant or irrelevant to me as a project manager
Relevant to me as a project manager
Highly relevant to me as a project manager
Explain a supplier selection process
Highly irrelevant to me as a project manager
Irrelevant to me as a project manager
Neither relevant or irrelevant to me as a project manager
Relevant to me as a project manager
Highly relevant to me as a project manager

New Assement Areas

In this section please indicate any new assessment areas that you might think are relevant to project managers today.
Highly irrelevantIrrelevantNeither relevant or irrelevantRelevantHighly relevant
The challenges of delivering a project as a customer or supplier
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Different lifecycles for suppliers and customers
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Calculating and measureing profitability of the project contract
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Using social media for team communications
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Planning and control using cloud based project control systems
Highly irrelevant
Irrelevant
Neither relevant or irrelevant
Relevant
Highly relevant
Are there any areas of project mangment practice that are not covered by the current APM PMQ syslibus that you think should be added.

Current Assessement Method

What are the advantages / disadvantages of the current assessment method? How could it be improved?
The current assessment method is ten from sixteen questions in three hours and fifteen minutes. Each question requires a two-part mini-essay answer.
The current assessment method is ten from sixteen questions in three hours and fifteen minutes. Each question requires a two-part mini-essay answer.
With this question, the APM is asking what type of future assessment methods should be used in the APM PMQ. For example, options could include a simplified set of questions, a multiple-choice assessment such as the PMI PMP qualification or a case study based assessment as used in the APMG planning and control qualification.

Optional Contact Details

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