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PM² Foundation Syllabus & Starter Package

1. Introduction

The PM² certification qualification is aimed at project managers and aspiring project managers. It is also relevant to other key staff involved in the design, development and delivery of projects, including project board members (e.g. senior responsible owners), team managers (e.g. product delivery managers), project assurance (e.g. business change analysts), project support (e.g. Project and Programme Office personnel), and operational line managers/staff.

2. Exam overview
Material
allowed
NoneThis is a ‘closed book’ exam. The Project Management Methodology, Guide
3.01, should be used for study, but is NOT permitted to be used in the exam.
Exam
duration
75 minutes
Number of
marks
100 marksThere are 100 questions, each worth 1 mark. There is no negative marking.
Pass mark70 marksYou will need to get 70 questions correct (70%) to pass the exam.
Level of thinkingBloom’s levels 1&2“Bloom’s level” describes the type of thinking needed to answer the question. For Bloom’s level 1 questions, you need to recall information about the PM² method. For Bloom’s 2 questions, you need to show understanding of these concepts.
Question typesClassic and Missing wordThe questions are all ‘multiple choice’.
For the ‘classic’ questions, you have a question and four answer options.
For the ‘missing word’ questions, there is a sentence with a word missing and you have to select the missing word from four options.

3. Syllabus

The tables below summarise the concepts that candidates are expected to master at the learning level specified to qualify for the PM² certification. For each learning objective one or more assessment criteria have been specified. The document reference describes in which part of the PM² guide these are described.

3.1.1. Learning outcome 1 – Understand key concepts relating to projects 

Assessment Criteria Document reference Bloom’s level Marks 
1.1 Recall
a) The definition and characteristics of a project
b) The function of project management and project documentation
c) At a high level the required knowledge and skills of a project manager (excluding ipma, table of competences)
2.1, 2.2,
2.3.2
14
1.2 Describe
a) The relationship between outputs, outcomes, and benefits
b) The relationship between projects, programmes, portfolios, and business as usual
c) The different ways of organising projects within an organisation and the consequence of each approach
2.1, 2.2,
2.3.1
26

3.1.2. Learning outcome 2 – Understand key concepts relating to PM² 

Assessment Criteria Document referenceBloom’s level Marks 
2.1 Recall

a) The PM² project phases and gates
b) What makes a project a PM² project?
c) The Agile approach to projects and its key characteristics
d) How PM² supports programme and portfolio management
e) The purpose of monitor and control

3.2, 3.3, 3.4,
3.5, 3.7, D.1,
D.2 (intro
only), D.3 (intro only)
14
2.2 Describe
a) The house of PM²
b) The reason of applying a phased approach to a project
c)The goal of each element of the phased approach of PM²
d)The swim lane diagram (fig 3.8)
e) The PM² mindsets
f)The concept of tailoring at PM² at organisational and project level
3.1, 3.2, 3.3,
3.5, 3.6
27

3.1.3. Learning outcome 3 – Understand the project organisation and roles in PM²  

Assessment Criteria Document reference Bloom’s level Marks 
3.1 Recall
a) The definition of a stakeholder
b) The responsibilities of each of the roles in the pm² model for project governance
4.1, 4.3-
4.11
12
3.2 Describe
a) The layers and roles of the project organisation
b) The difference between the provider and requestor side of a project and how this is reflected in the governance structure
c) The specific role of the project steering committee and the required roles partaking
d) The function and abbreviations of the (ram) rasci table
4.2, 4.12,
App. E
24

3.1.4. Learning outcome 4 – Understand the working of the phases of a project 

Assessment Criteria Document reference Bloom’s level Marks 
4.1 Recall
a) The activities in each phase of the project
b) For each activity

  • Its purpose
  • The inputs
  • The guidelines
  • The outputs (artefacts)
  • The accountable, responsible, and supporting roles involved

c) How each phase is finalized and how to prepare for this
How each phase is finalized and how to prepare for this

5, 5.1 – 5.5
6, 6.1 – 6.9
7, 7.1 – 7.6
8, 8.1 – 8.4
110
4.2 Describe
a) The function and composition of the Project Initiation Request, Business Case and the Project Charter in PM² and their relation to other PM² artefacts
b) The techniques for supporting the Initiating Phase:

  • SWOT Analysis
  • PESTEL Analysis
  • Make or Buy Analysis
5.2 – 5.4, Fig
5.3
Glossary
Appendix
C.1 – C.2
Templates
24
4.3 Describe
a) The composition of the Project Handbook in PM² and its relation to other PM² artefacts, specifically the 6 artefacts that describe the various project management processes
6.2
Templates
19
4.4 Describe
a) The function and composition of the Project-End Report in PM² and its relation to other PM² artefacts
b) The techniques for supporting the Closing Phase:

  • SWOT Analysis
  • PESTEL Analysis
  • Make or Buy Analysis
8.3
Template
Appendix C.17
22

3.1.5. Learning outcome 5 – Understand project planning  

Assessment Criteria Document reference Bloom’s level Marks 
5.1 Describe
a) The three parts of the project work planb) The techniques for creating the project work plan, specifically

  • Work Breakdown Structure
  • Effort and Cost Estimates
  • Three-Point Estimates
  • Gantt Charts
  • Critical Path Method
6.4
Appendix C.5,  C.7  –
C.8, C.10,
C.12 – C.13
Templates
24
5.2 Recall
a) Supporting techniques for creating the project work plan, specifically

  • Deliverables Breakdown Structure
  • Resource Levelling
  • Critical Chain Method (CCM)
Appendix C.6, C.111

3.1.6. Learning outcome 6 – Understand the monitoring and controlling of projects 

Assessment Criteria Document reference Bloom’s level Marks 
6.1 Recall
a) The activities of monitor and control
b) For each activity

  • Its purpose
  • The inputs
  • The guidelines
  • The outputs (artefacts)
  • The accountable, responsible, and supporting roles involved

c) The checklists provided in pm² for monitor and control

 9, 9.1 – 9.1317
6.2 Describe specifically
a) The purpose of transition management
b) The purpose of business implementation
c) The purpose of managing outsourcing
9.11
9.12
9.13
14

3.1.7. Learning outcome 7 – Understand risks and issues in projects 

Assessment Criteria Document reference Bloom’s level Marks 
7.1 Recall
a) The definition of the concepts of Risk and Issue
Glossary14
7.2 Describe
a) The function and composition of the Risk Management Plan and the Risk Log in PM² including the various risk response strategies.
b) The steps that make up the risk management process
9.7
Appendix
B.3, B.8
Templates
26
7.3 Describe
a) The function and composition of the Issue Management Plan and the Issue and Decision Log in PM²
b) The steps that make up the issue management process
9.8,
Appendix
B.4, B.9, B.10
Templates
27
7.4 Recall
a) The techniques for managing risks and issues

  • PESTEL Analysis
  • Risk Likelihood/Impact Matrix
  • Pareto Analysis
  • Decision Trees
Appendix
C.1, C.4, C.9, C.16
13

3.1.8. Learning outcome 8 – Understand change, quality, and requirements management 

Assessment Criteria Document reference Bloom’s level Marks 
8.1 Recall
a) The definition of Requirements and Change (Requests)
Glossary1
8.2 Describe

  • The function and composition of the Project Change Management Plan and the Change Log in PM²

a) The steps that make up the change management process

9.6
Appendix B.2, B.7
25
8.3 Describe
a) The relationship between the quality assurance and management of quality
b) The relationship between the management of requirement, project change and deliverable acceptance
c) The function and composition of the Quality Management Plan
7.3, 9.9
9.10
Appendix B.5
22
8.4 Describe
a) The function and composition of the:

  • Requirements Management Plan
  • Deliverable Acceptance Plan
6.6, 9.5,
9.10
Appendix B.1
1

3.1.9. Learning outcome 9 – Understand reporting, communication and stakeholder management 

Assessment Criteria Document reference Bloom’s level Marks 
9.1 Recall
a) The purpose of managing project stakeholders and information distribution
b) The different PM² reports defined

  • Project Status Report
  • Project Progress Report
  • Quality Review Report
  • Contractor Status Report
7.4 – 7.5, 9.412
9.2 Describe
a) The function and composition of the Communication Management Plan and the Project Stakeholder Matrix in PM²
b) The techniques for managing stakeholders

  • Stakeholder Interest/Influence Matrix (SIIM)

c) The techniques for reporting

  • Earned Value Management
6.3
Appendix B.6
Appendix C.3, C.15
25

 

4. Example of mappings

Which role (or roles) are Responsible (RASCI:R) for the activity of Manage Transition?
a) Project Steering Committee (PSC).
b) Project Manager (PM) and Project Owner (PO).
c) Project Owner (PO) or the Appropriate Governance Body (AGB).
d) Project Manager (PM).

This question is related to Learning outcome 6, Assessment criterium 6.1b. The question is at Bloom level 1 (recall), Guide reference 9.11

Which of the following is NOT one of the PM² Management Plans?
a) The Risk Management Plan.
b) The Communications Management Plan.
c) The Data Security Management Plan.
d) The Quality Management Plan.

This question is related to Learning outcome 4, Assessment criterium 4.4a. The question is at Bloom level 1 (recall), Guide reference 6.2.2

The inputs that are necessary to monitor the project performance and determine whether the project is advancing satisfactorily are (select the best answer):
a) Risk Log; Decision Log; Project Change Log; Minutes of Meetings (MoMs from past meetings); and Project Handbook.
b) Project Work Plan (baselined); Decision Log; Project Change Log.
c) Project Handbook; Project Work Plan (baselined); Project Logs; Quality Checklists; Minutes of Meetings (from past meetings); Input from the Contractor’s Project Manager (if applicable).
d) Project Initiation Request; Business Case; Project Charter.

This question is related to Learning outcome 4, Assessment criterium 4.4a. The question is at Bloom level 1 (recall), Guide reference 6.2.2.

The main purpose of the Business Case is to:
a) Ensure that the project fits in the Work Plan of the organisation.
b) Justify why the project is worth being funded.
c) Ensure that the project will be adequately resourced.
d) Ensure that a SWOT analysis is done before planning the project.

This question is related to Learning outcome 4, Assessment criterium 4.3a. The question is at Bloom level 2 (recall), Guide reference 5.3.