Project management training is a key component of any successful business. All businesses run projects, in one form or another, and having individuals with the skills and qualifications to run these projects successfully will be of great benefit to the organisation as a whole. By ensuring everyone is ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’ by choosing effective project management courses, such as the APM PFQ and APM PMQ (previously know as the APMP), you can begin to develop a framework for project management within the organisation which will serve to organise and monitor progress throughout the project.
As well as developing a method for managing the timescales and goals of the project, APM PMQ trained project managers will also have a critical framework for allocating resources and for analysing and minimising risk factors within the projects. By investing in sound project management qualifications such as the APM PMQ, the organisation can expect to harvest a range of key benefits for the future.
- Increased productivity
Properly trained project managers will be able to organise their own time, and the time of their teams much more effectively. Because they will understand how to plan projects properly, they will be able to allocate resources such as people, time and budget to various tasks along the road to completion, ensuring they are always in a position of having enough of everything to get the job done. Because competent project management naturally relies on good organisation and monitoring of the tasks, project managers will spend less time pulling together figures for monthly reports and team meetings, and more time completing project work.
- Better client relationships
With no clear project strategy and no project management training, companies often have to ‘guestimate’ the timescales and delivery dates for projects. Often this results in deadlines being missed or pushed back, which is not only detrimental to client relationships, it is also damaging to the esteem of the project team and the professional appearance of the company as a whole.
- Minimised risks
Often criteria and scenarios within projects change without warning, and things like changes in brief from the client, sickness amongst team members and alterations to the budget can frequently throw projects into disarray. With APM PMQ training, project managers can build in contingency plans for these risks, and can effectively manage changes and challenges without the whole project team falling into a state of panic.
- Increased confidence
Large and important projects are going to instil some nervousness in even the most experienced project manager. However, with the training and knowledge of how to manage a project, the project manager can focus their attention on taking positive action to organise the project timetable, rather than being left to worry or unnecessarily fiddle with the minor details as a way of avoiding the big issues. Confidence in the project manager will instil a sense of confidence in the project team too, leading to better organised projects, more confident teams and a group of people who are ready to take bold actions to ensure the project is delivered on time.
Personally I have found the APMP has assisted me in becoming a more effective PM – better at managing and organising the project work but also at working well with my team and communicating with senior management. It has given me the confidence to stand my ground over issues that are important to the project and to be able to explain why those issues are important.