PM² Practitioner Syllabus & Starter Package
1. Certification details
Best Practice context
PM² is a project management methodology developed by the European Commission to enable project managers to deliver solutions and benefits to their organizations. It has been designed with the needs of European Union Institutions and projects in mind but is transferable to any organization.
PM² is a light and easy-to-implement methodology that can be tailored to the specific needs of project teams. It is supported by a comprehensive training programme and an active community.
Certification definition
The PM² Practitioner certification is an advanced level within the PM² Group certification program. Building on the foundational principles established in the PM² Foundation certification, the Practitioner level delves deeper into the application, tailoring, and integration of the PM² methodology into real-world project environments.
Candidates achieving the PM² Practitioner certification have demonstrated not only an in-depth understanding of the PM² methodology but also a proven capability to apply and adapt the methodology to a variety of complex projects. They have showcased their expertise in navigating the challenges of project management, tailoring PM² to specific project needs, and leading project teams towards successful outcomes.
This certification equips professionals with the tools and techniques necessary to manage projects in alignment with the European Commission’s best practices.
Candidates aspiring for the PM² Practitioner certification are expected to have prior foundational knowledge of PM² and real-world project management experience. The certification not only validates their theoretical knowledge but also their practical ability to integrate PM² principles into diverse project scenarios.
Certification requirements
To be eligible for the PM² Practitioner certification, candidates external to the EU Commission must meet the following requirements:
- PM² Foundation Certificate: All aspirants should have successfully completed and obtained the PM² Foundation certificate, indicating foundational knowledge and understanding of the PM² methodology.
- Accredited Course Completion: Candidates must have undertaken and successfully completed an accredited PM² Practitioner course. This ensures they have received consistent and high-quality training aligned with the European Commission’s expectations.
- Case Presentation Assessment: As an integral component of the accredited course, candidates will be required to present a project case. This presentation will be rigorously evaluated by a certified trainer to assess the candidate’s application and understanding of the PM² methodology in real-world scenarios. Only upon passing this assessment will candidates be deemed eligible to proceed.
- PM² Practitioner Exam: After successfully meeting the above requirements, candidates are permitted to sit for the PM² Practitioner exam. Achieving a passing score on this exam is the final step in obtaining the PM² Practitioner certification.
It’s crucial for candidates to understand that the PM² Practitioner certification not only tests theoretical knowledge but also the practical application of the PM² methodology in various project situations. As such, the combination of foundational certification, accredited training, case assessment, and the final exam ensures a comprehensive evaluation of a candidate’s capabilities.
EU staff can become certified by following the internal PM² Practitioner evaluation process of the European Commission’s Centre of Excellence in PM² (CoEPM²).
Validity of the certification
The certification is valid for 3 years.
1. Case Presentation Assessment:
Case presentation format
Candidates have two options for submitting their Case Presentation: an in-classroom oral presentation or a written paper. The in-classroom presentation offers an interactive environment and is structured to last between 10 to 20 minutes. If logistical constraints or other factors make this infeasible, candidates can opt for the written format. The written paper should be concise, with a maximum length of 5 pages, detailing the project’s context and the application or potential application of the PM² methodology. Both formats are designed to equally assess a candidate’s understanding and ability to relay the relevance of PM² in real or hypothetical project scenarios.
Case presentation content
Every submitted case must contain at least the following elements:
- Introduction:
Briefly introduce the project, its context, and objectives. - PM² Application or Potential Application:
If PM² was applied: Detail how the PM² methodology was utilized, emphasizing specific processes or tools.If PM² was not applied: Describe how PM² could have been applied, highlighting specific tools or principles and the potential benefits or challenges they would address. - Challenges & Solutions:
Discuss project-specific challenges faced and how PM² methodology either addressed them or could have potentially addressed them. - Tailoring or Potential Tailoring of PM²:
Describe any modifications or potential tailoring of the PM² methodology to fit the specific needs of the project. - Conclusion:
Summarize the project outcomes, potential benefits of PM², lessons learned, and the overall impact or potential impact of PM² on project success.
Case presentation syllabus
The primary goal of the evaluation is to assess the candidate’s understanding and practical or hypothetical application of the PM² methodology in real-world scenarios. The evaluation is a pass/fail system. Here are the evaluation criteria:
| Category | Evaluation | Level of cognition |
| 1. Understanding of PM²: a) Does the candidate display a comprehensive grasp of the PM² methodology? b) Are the key principles and practices of PM² effectively incorporated or proposed for the project? | Pass/Fail | 3-4 |
| 2. Application and Tailoring: a) Has the candidate demonstrated how they adjusted, tailored, or could adjust or tailor PM² to meet the specific demands of their project? b) Were the modifications or hypothetical modifications effective or potentially effective in achieving the project’s goals? | Pass/Fail | 3-4 |
| 3. Problem-Solving & Challenges: a) How well has the candidate addressed and resolved or proposed resolutions to challenges using PM²? b) Is there evidence of critical thinking, innovative solutions, or potential solutions? | Pass/Fail | 3-4 |
3. Certification exam details
Exam format
The general exam regulations apply to this exam; you can read them here(link).
| Number of questions | 60 questions |
| Passing score | 65 % |
| Exam type | multiple choice case based questions |
| Exam time | 120 minutes |
| Question cognition levels | Bloom level 3-4 |
| Allowed material | open book |
| Base language | Base language: English |
| Attempts per voucher | 1 attempt for the main exam |
| Invigilation | Online recorded invigilation In-person invigilation |
Exam and Case Presentation Syllabus
Candidates must read the Certification Syllabus to get a complete overview of the reference materials for each exam category.
| Category | Weight | Level of cognition |
| 1. Key concepts relating to projects a) The definition and characteristics of a project b) The function of project management and project documentation c) The required knowledge and skills of a project manager d) The relationship between outputs, outcomes, and benefits e) The relationship between projects, programmes, portfolios, and business as usual f) The different ways of organising projects within an organisation and the consequence of each approach | 10% | 3-4 |
| 2. Key concepts relating to PM² 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 f) The house of PM² g) The reason for applying a phased approach to a project h) The goal of each element of the phased approach of PM² i) The swim lane diagram j) The PM² mindsets K) The concept of tailoring at PM² at organisational and project level | 13% | 3-4 |
| 3. The project organization and roles in PM² a) The definition of a stakeholder b) The responsibilities of each of the roles in the pm² model for project governance c) The layers and roles of the project organization d) The difference between the provider and requestor side of a project and how this is reflected in the governance structure e) The specific role of the project steering committee and the required roles partaking f) The function and abbreviations of the (ram) rasci table | 8% | 3-4 |
| 4. Understand the working of the phases of a project a) The activities in each phase of the project b) For each activity i) Its purpose ii) The inputs iii) The guidelines iv) The outputs (artefacts) v) The accountable, responsible, and supporting roles involved vi) How each phase is finalized and how to prepare for this c) How each phase is finalized and how to prepare for this d) The function and composition of the Project Initiation Request, Business Case and the Project Charter in PM² and their relation to other PM² artefacts e) The techniques for supporting the Initiating Phase: i) SWOT Analysis ii) PESTEL Analysis iii) Make or Buy Analysis f) 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 g) The function and composition of the Project-End Report in PM² and its relation to other PM² artefacts h) The techniques for supporting the Closing Phase: i) SWOT Analysis ii) PESTEL Analysis iii) Make or Buy Analysis | 24% | 3-4 |
| 5. Project planning a) The three parts of the project work plan b) The techniques for creating the project work plan, specifically i) Work Breakdown Structure ii) Effort and Cost Estimates iii) Three-Point Estimates iv) Gantt Charts v) Critical Path Method c) Supporting techniques for creating the project work plan, specifically i) Deliverables Breakdown Structure ii) Resource Levelling iii) Critical Chain Method (CCM) | 8% | 3-4 |
| 6. Monitoring and controlling of projects a) The activities of monitor and control b) For each activity i) Its purpose ii) The inputs iii) The guidelines iv) The outputs (artefacts) v) The accountable, responsible, and supporting roles involved c) The checklists provided in pm² for monitor and control d) Describe specifically i) The purpose of transition management ii) The purpose of business implementation iii) The purpose of managing outsourcing | 13% | 3-4 |
| 7. Dealing with risk and issues in projects a) The definition of the concepts of Risk and Issue b) The function and composition of the Risk Management Plan and the Risk Log in PM², including the various risk response strategies. c) The steps that make up the risk management process d) The function and composition of the Issue Management Plan and the Issue and Decision Log in PM² e) The steps that make up the issue management process f) The techniques for managing risks and issues i) PESTEL Analysis ii) Risk Likelihood/Impact Matrix iii) Pareto Analysis iv) Decision Trees | 19% | 3-4 |
| 8. Change, quality, and requirements management a) Understand change, quality, and requirements management b) The function and composition of the Project Change Management Plan and the Change Log in PM² c) The steps that make up the change management process d) The relationship between the quality assurance and management of quality e) The relationship between the management of requirement, project change, and deliverable acceptance f) The function and composition of the Quality Management Plan g) The function and composition of the:
i) Requirements ii) Management Plan iii) Deliverable Acceptance Plan | 3-4 | |
| 9. Reporting, communication, and stakeholder management a) The purpose of managing project stakeholders and information distribution b b) The different PM² reports defined i) Project Status Report ii) Project Progress Report iii) Quality Review Report iv) Contractor Status Report c) The function and composition of the Communication Management Plan and the Project Stakeholder Matrix in PM² d) The techniques for managing stakeholders – Stakeholder Interest/Influence Matrix (SIIM) e) The techniques for reporting – Earned Value Management | 7% | 3-4 |
Literature
The knowledge tested in this exam is based on the following literature. It is advised to study the following materials:
Title: PM² Project management Methodology Guide 3.0.1
Authors: European Commission, Digit Centre of Excellence in Project Management (CoEPM²)
ISBN: 9789276313809