PRINCE2 Project, Programme, Portfolio Office Management Foundation (P3O®) 3 days ⎹ P3O® Foundation Certification exam & Take2 included

Course & Learning Objectives

Course Outline

1. Understanding P3O and its organisational context

• Portfolio, programme and project management: definitions, objectives and relationships.
• Balancing business-as-usual activities with organisational change.
• P3O as a structure for decision support and delivery support.
• The main components: organisation portfolio office, hub portfolio office, programme office, project office and Centre of Excellence.
• Relationships with governance bodies and other business functions.

2. Justifying a P3O and demonstrating its value

• Business problems a P3O can help address.
• Linking P3O capabilities to organisational outcomes and benefits.
• Identifying stakeholders and securing senior management support.
• Using the P3O value matrix and maturity assessments to identify improvement needs.
• The purpose and content of the P3O business case.
• Measuring success through relevant KPIs.
• Common barriers, constraints and critical success factors.

3. P3O models, functions and tailoring

• The three functional areas: strategic planning and portfolio support, delivery support, and Centre of Excellence services.
• Permanent and temporary offices.
• Different P3O structures and reporting arrangements.
• Factors influencing the model: organisational needs, maturity, size, complexity and geographical spread.
• Tailoring functions and services throughout portfolio, programme and project lifecycles.
• Interfaces with corporate functions and independent assurance.

4. Implementing or re-energising a P3O

• The permanent P3O implementation lifecycle: identify, define, deliver and close.
• Defining the vision and future operating model through a P3O blueprint.
• Processes, organisational structure, technology, and information requirements.
• Planning implementation, stakeholder engagement and the delivery of benefits.
• Establishing, operating and closing a temporary programme or project office.
• Transferring knowledge and reusing processes, tools and lessons learned.

5. Operating a P3O: tools and techniques

• The purpose, benefits and success factors of standard tools and techniques.
• Portfolio prioritisation, optimisation and complexity modelling.
• Management dashboards and decision-support reporting.
• Knowledge management and P3O information portals.
• Workshop facilitation.
• Skills development and business-process swimlanes.
• Resource capacity planning.
• Assurance, gated reviews and health checks.

6. P3O roles and responsibilities

• Management roles: P3O sponsor, head of P3O, and head of programme or project office.
• Generic roles: portfolio analyst, programme or project specialist, and programme or project officer.
• Functional roles supporting areas such as benefits, finance, planning, risk, information and stakeholder engagement.
• Skills, competencies and relationships needed for an effective P3O team.

Exam preparation

• Review of key terminology and concepts.
• Practice questions and discussion of answer rationales.
• Guidance on the Foundation examination format.

Who should attend?

• PMO managers, analysts, coordinators and team members.
• Professionals joining a portfolio, programme or project office.
• Project, programme and portfolio managers who work with PMO services.
• Consultants and improvement professionals seeking a structured understanding of P3O.

Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites. Familiarity with project or programme management is helpful but is not required.

About the P3O Foundation Examination

Participants will receive a voucher to take their exam online at a date and time of your choice. Vouchers are valid for 1 year.

• Take the exam when you feel ready
• From home or your office
• Online proctoring by PeopleCert
• Can’t take the exam at home or in the office? Book an appointment with us to take it at our offices.

Exam format

• The exam is a closed-book format
• The total duration of the exam is 60-minutes (+ extra time for non-native English speakers)
• The exam consists of 70 multiple choice questions with one mark available per question
• You need to score 35 marks out of 70 (50%) to pass the exam

If you fail the exam, a second attempt is available via the Take2 option. This resit exam will be taken online with remote supervision by PeopleCert (online proctored exam) at a date and time of your choice within 6 months of your first attempt. This option is included for our scheduled courses and is optional for in-house training or e-learning courses.

Training Materials

Participants receive a set of digital training materials, including:

• Official P3O Manual in eBook format;
• Official Training Materials with exercises and quizzes;
• Quick Reference Guide, available in electronic and print formats as a reference guide;
• 2 mock exams and their answer keys to test your knowledge.

Do you need training for your teams? We can organise this training at your premises. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for a personalised quote.