Description

Management of Portfolios (MoP) provides advice and examples of how to apply principles, practices, and techniques that together enable the most effective balance of organisational change and business as usual. Delivered by fully accredited trainers and industry leading experts with extensive experience of portfolio management, the course engages with the students to ensure that theory is embedded and delegates feel confident in the practical application of MoP.

Learning Objectives

The objective of the course is to prepare students for both the MoP Foundation and Practitioner level examinations. To confirm understanding of the MoP principles, cycles, practices, techniques, roles and documentation. This will enable them to work as an informed member of a Portfolio Office or in a range of Portfolio Management roles. Specifically they will know and understand the:

• Scope and objectives of portfolio management and how it differs from programme and project management
• Benefits from applying portfolio management
• Context within which it operates
• Principles upon which successful portfolio management is based
• Approaches to implementation, the factors to consider in maintaining progress, and how to assess the success of portfolio management
• Purposes of the portfolio management definition and delivery cycles and their component practices, and relevant techniques applicable to each practice
• Purpose and key content of the major portfolio documents
• Scope of key portfolio management roles

Prerequisites

A successful Practitioner delegate should be able to apply and understand how to tailor MoP effectively. And, with suitable support, be able to advise on the implementation of appropriate practices, techniques, and apply the method to a live portfolio. Specifically candidates should be able to demonstrate their ability to:

• Define the business case to get senior management approval for portfolio management
• Plan the implementation of portfolio management
• Select and adapt MoP principles, practices and techniques to suit different organisational environments
• Evaluate examples of MoP information (including documents and role descriptions)
• Analyze the solutions adopted in relation to a given scenario

Additional work will be required during evenings consisting of consolidation reading and a mock examination. This evening work is an integral part of the course and delegates should expect to spend 2 hours each evening on these activities.

Who Should Attend

The MoP Practitioner qualification is aimed at those involved in a range of formal and informal portfolio management roles encompassing investment decision making, project and programme delivery, and benefits realisation. It is relevant to all those involved in the selection and delivery of business change initiatives including:

• Members of management boards and Directors of Change
• Senior Responsible Owners (SROs)
• Portfolio, Programme, Project, Business Change, and Benefits Managers
• Business Case writers and project appraisers.

Course Outline

Module 1 Overview

• The definitions of portfolio and portfolio management
• The portfolio management model and the relationship between the principles, cycles, practices and relevant techniques
• The differences between portfolios and portfolio management on the one hand, and projects/project management and programmes/programme management on the other
• The local circumstances that will affect how the MoP principles and practices will be adapted and how cost effective approaches can be adopted
• The objectives and benefits of portfolio management

Module 2 Implement, sustain and measure

• The three broad approaches to implementing portfolio management; when each approach to implementation is most relevant, the advantages of planned approaches to implementation
• The benefits of assessing the impact of portfolio management
• Seven steps (and their benefits) in a staged implementation of portfolio management
• The factors to consider in sustaining progress
• Approaches to assessing portfolio management maturity

Module 3 Strategic and organizational context

The 6 key functions/activities that portfolio management needs to coordinate with to achieve strategic objectives
Identify how portfolio management can:

• Coordinate with Business As Usual, strategic planning, resource allocation and budgeting, project and programme management, performance management to deliver strategic objectives
• Support effective corporate governance

Module 4 Portfolio management principles

The 5 principles upon which effective portfolio management is based

• Senior management commitment
• Governance alignment
• Strategy alignment
• Portfolio office
• Energised change culture

Module 5 Portfolio definition cycle

The portfolio definition practices:

• Understand
• Categorize
• Prioritize
• Balance
• Plan
• Understand the terms and concepts relating to the portfolio definition cycle.

The techniques of:

• Three point estimating and reference class forecasting
• Driver-based strategic contribution analysis
• Multi-criteria analysis
• Decision conferencing
• Clear line of sight
• What is involved and the keys to success.

Module 6 Portfolio delivery cycle

The portfolio delivery practices:

• Management control
• Benefits management
• Financial management
• Risk management
• Stakeholder engagement
• Organizational governance
• Resource management

The techniques of:

• Management by exception
• One version of the truth
• Staged release of funding
• Clear line of sight reporting
• Champion-challenger model
• What is involved, the main elements, and keys to success.

Module 7 Roles and documentation

• The purposes and responsibilities of the main portfolio management roles identified in MoP
• The purposes of the main portfolio management documentation

Module 8 Practitioner Examination Overview

• An overview of the MoP Practitioner exam – length, number and type of questions, etc

Module 9 Implement, sustain and measure

• Identify appropriate approaches when implementing, sustaining, and measuring portfolio management for a given scenario
• Analyse whether recommended approaches to implementing, sustaining, and measuring portfolio management have been undertaken appropriately in the context of a given scenario, with reasons

Module 10 Portfolio definition cycle

• Apply and tailor the practices and techniques of the portfolio definition cycle to a scenario
• Identify appropriate practices and techniques within the portfolio definition cycle
• Identify, analyse and distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate application of portfolio definition practices and techniques to a scenario

Module 11 Portfolio delivery cycle

• Apply and tailor the practices, techniques and responsibilities of the portfolio delivery cycle to a scenario
• Identify appropriate practices and techniques within the portfolio delivery cycle
• Identify, analyse and distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate application of portfolio delivery practices to a scenario
• Analyse whether the approaches adopted are appropriate, with reasons, in a given scenario

Module 12 Roles and documentation

• Apply and tailor MoP to a scenario.
• Identify appropriate application of the main portfolio management roles identified in MoP
• Identify, analyse and distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate application of the syllabus area to a scenario.
• Analyse whether, the specified roles have been involved appropriately, with reasons
• Identify appropriate information, using typical contents, for inclusion in the relevant portfolio documentation
• Analyse whether the portfolio documentation is fit for purpose, with reason

Examinations

All delegates will be given the opportunity to sit the MoP Foundation examination in the late afternoon of the third day of the course. The MoP Foundation exam consists of:

• 50 multiple choice questions
• 40 minutes
• Closed-book
• Candidates require a minimum of 25 correct answers (50%) to pass.

The Foundation exam is marked and provisional results are given to all candidates before the end of the third day.
Successful Foundation candidates will be given the opportunity to sit the MoP practitioner examination in the morning of the last day of the course. The MoP practitioner exam consists of:

• 80 multiple choice questions
• 3 hours
• open-book
• Candidates require a minimum of 40 correct answers (50%) to pass.

The Practitioner paper is marked by the BCS with results normally release two weeks afters

Photographic ID for exams

You must bring photographic identification on exam days (passport, driving license or student card) as it is an examination requirement to produce it for the invigilator prior to the exam. Failure to produce a valid form of photographic identification may result in a candidate not being able to sit the exams. For any questions about what form of identification is acceptable, please contact your Account Manager