SAFe® for Government: In-House Training Transitioning to Lean-Agile practices for building technology-based capabilities is especially challenging in the government context. But issues of legacy governance, contracting, and organizational barriers can be overcome with the right information and strategies. During this course, attendees will learn the principles and practices of the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®), how to execute and release value through Agile Release Trains, and what it means to lead a Lean-Agile transformation of a program inside a government agency. Attendees gain an understanding of the Lean-Agile mindset and why it's an essential foundation for transformation. They'll also get practical advice on building high-performing, multi-vendor Agile teams and programs, managing technology investments in Lean flow, acquiring solutions with Agile contracting, launching the program, and planning and delivering value using SAFe®. Attendees also learn how specific leadership behaviors can drive successful organizational change in government. What you will Learn To perform the role of a SAFe® for Government leader, you should be able to: Transition government programs from traditional software and systems development models to Lean-Agile and DevOps mindsets, principles, and practices using SAFe® Adapt technology strategy, budgeting and forecasting, acquisition, compliance, and governance processes to flow-based practices using emerging government guidelines Organize government programs into one or more Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and execute in Program Increments (PIs) Explore Large Solution coordination in a government and multi-vendor environment Identify and internalize the mindset and leader behaviors essential to successful Lean-Agile transformation Follow success patterns for SAFe® implementations adapted to the government context Build a preliminary outline of next steps to begin and / or accelerate the SAFe® implementation in your program or agency Advancing Lean-Agile in government Embracing a Lean-Agile mindset Understanding SAFe® Principles Creating high-performing Agile teams and programs Planning with cadence and synchronization Delivering value in Program Increments Mapping the path to agency and program agility Leading successful change
SAFe® for Government Transitioning to Lean-Agile practices for building technology-based capabilities is especially challenging in the government context. But issues of legacy governance, contracting, and organizational barriers can be overcome with the right information and strategies. During this course, attendees will learn the principles and practices of the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®), how to execute and release value through Agile Release Trains, and what it means to lead a Lean-Agile transformation of a program inside a government agency. Attendees gain an understanding of the Lean-Agile mindset and why it's an essential foundation for transformation. They'll also get practical advice on building high-performing, multi-vendor Agile teams and programs, managing technology investments in Lean flow, acquiring solutions with Agile contracting, launching the program, and planning and delivering value using SAFe®. Attendees also learn how specific leadership behaviors can drive successful organizational change in government. What you will Learn To perform the role of a SAFe® for Government leader, you should be able to: Transition government programs from traditional software and systems development models to Lean-Agile and DevOps mindsets, principles, and practices using SAFe® Adapt technology strategy, budgeting and forecasting, acquisition, compliance, and governance processes to flow-based practices using emerging government guidelines Organize government programs into one or more Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and execute in Program Increments (PIs) Explore Large Solution coordination in a government and multi-vendor environment Identify and internalize the mindset and leader behaviors essential to successful Lean-Agile transformation Follow success patterns for SAFe® implementations adapted to the government context Build a preliminary outline of next steps to begin and / or accelerate the SAFe® implementation in your program or agency Advancing Lean-Agile in government Embracing a Lean-Agile mindset Understanding SAFe® Principles Creating high-performing Agile teams and programs Planning with cadence and synchronization Delivering value in Program Increments Mapping the path to agency and program agility Leading successful change
Portfolio Management Skills: In-House Training The main purpose of this workshop is to equip and enable people in a portfolio management office and PMO to effectively and efficiently support the Executive Leadership and Operational Management to plan, implement, manage, and evolve portfolio management in their organization. There is a deliberate focus on preparing you to become a strong and effective change advocate for meaningful portfolio management that delivers objective measurements of benefit contribution towards the strategic objectives to lead, manage, and continuously improve portfolio management governance, processes, and frameworks with and through the direction of a portfolio practice, principles, and delivery boards. What you Will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Articulate the benefits of portfolio management Link the initiatives in an organization with its strategic objectives Participate in the introduction of portfolio management in an organization Create or improve the portfolio governance structure Lead the inventory of ongoing and new initiatives Assist the executives in the prioritization of initiatives through the use of Multi-criteria Analysis and other selection tools Support the executives in balancing the portfolio based on the optimal use of resources and priorities Create a portfolio delivery plan Define thresholds and variance reporting criteria Assist the executives and the financial team in the definition of Stage Gate Funding Lead the Stage Gate reviews Analyze the benefits that are being realized by the initiatives Foundation Concepts Definitions Benefits of Portfolio Management Objectives of Portfolio Management Portfolio Life Cycles Governing the Portfolio Portfolio Governance structure Roles and responsibilities Initial activities when starting portfolio management Prioritizing Initiatives Prioritize purpose Multi-Criteria Analysis Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) Strategic alignment Balancing the Portfolio Allocating resources and budgets Communicating decisions of initiatives status Planning the Portfolio Planning review cycles Using Stage Gate Funding Setting thresholds and variance reporting Tool examples Managing the Portfolio Delivery Project and Program Life Cycles Stage Gate Reviews Loop back to Prioritize, Balance and Plan Interaction with the Portfolio Delivery Board Project, Program and Functional Managers' roles and responsibilities
Project Contract Management Skills: In-House Training Contracts are a critical part of most large or strategic projects/programs. As such, it is imperative that Project and Program Managers be well versed on basic implications of a contract as well as best practices in contract management. While not as critical a need, anyone involved in projects that involve external relationships should have a healthy appreciation for the power of good contract management. The overall goal of the course is to provide knowledge to manage complex contracts in a global environment. What You Will Learn After this program, you will be able to: Explain overall project procurement process from a buyer and seller perspective Recognize the importance of key contractual terms and how they affect projects Evaluate and contribute to the pre-contract documents and processes Identify and mitigate common pitfalls throughout the procurement process Utilize techniques to administer contracts Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Foundation Concepts The Importance of Contract Management Terms and Definitions Contract Management Process Legal Systems Codes of Conduct Planning Business Analysis Procurement Management Plan Procurement Statement of Work (SOW) Common Pitfalls Solicit Contract Market Analysis Bid documents Sellers' Proposals Pitfalls Execute Contract Evaluate and Award Contract Negotiate Contract Execute Contract Common Pitfalls Deliver the Contract Preparing to Deliver Project Plan Risk Management Common Pitfalls Administer Contract Enabling Contract Management Contract Performance Monitoring and Control Change Management Financial Management / Payment Dispute Management & Resolution Contract Completion and Closure
Leading Cross-Cultural Virtual Teams: In-House Training High-performing teams are a must in this world of intense competition and higher expectations. Global virtual teaming has become a necessity as organizations become increasingly distributed and suppliers and clients actively engage in joint projects. Teams work across geographical and organizational boundaries to deliver solutions and services to global users where distance and differences, both geographic and cultural, amplify the effect of issues and factors that are relatively straightforward when managing a team of people in the same location. This course delivers practical concepts and techniques that participants will start using immediately on their global projects. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Define relationships among foundational concepts (leadership and three dimensions of diversity) and explain their potential impacts on project performance Describe key components of successful project leadership and build selected Transformational Leadership skills Prepare to convert project challenges stemming from personal or cultural diversity into potential competitive advantage Implement selected best practices to meet key challenges facing virtual project teams Foster and grow an environment that supports continued success for CCVTs Foundation Concepts Basic definitions Critical success factors for leading cross-cultural virtual teams (CCVTs) A roadmap to success for leading CCVTs Leadership Excellence in Any Project Environment Leading effectively in a global environment Transformational leadership The four components of Transformational Leadership Leveraging Personal Diversity Overview of personal diversity Mind styles The theory of multiple intelligences Connecting Transformational Leadership and personal diversity Embracing Cultural Diversity Introduction to cultural intelligence The impact of culture Cultural Dimensions Theory The Culture Map Managing Virtual Diversity Overview of virtual diversity Virtual time management Virtual processes and technology Virtual leadership Creating an Environment for Success Supporting a cross-cultural virtual-team (CCVT-) friendly environment Building a foundation of trust Developing a team charter Recap and review Summary and Next Steps Personal action plan
Leading Cross-Cultural Virtual Teams (In-Person) High-performing teams are a must in this world of intense competition and higher expectations. Global virtual teaming has become a necessity as organizations become increasingly distributed and suppliers and clients actively engage in joint projects. Teams work across geographical and organizational boundaries to deliver solutions and services to global users where distance and differences, both geographic and cultural, amplify the effect of issues and factors that are relatively straightforward when managing a team of people in the same location. This course delivers practical concepts and techniques that participants will start using immediately on their global projects. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Define relationships among foundational concepts (leadership and three dimensions of diversity) and explain their potential impacts on project performance Describe key components of successful project leadership and build selected Transformational Leadership skills Prepare to convert project challenges stemming from personal or cultural diversity into potential competitive advantage Implement selected best practices to meet key challenges facing virtual project teams Foster and grow an environment that supports continued success for CCVTs Getting Started Foundation Concepts Basic definitions Critical success factors for leading cross-cultural virtual teams (CCVTs) A roadmap to success for leading CCVTs Leadership Excellence in Any Project Environment Leading effectively in a global environment Transformational leadership The four components of Transformational Leadership Leveraging Personal Diversity Overview of personal diversity Mind styles The theory of multiple intelligences Connecting Transformational Leadership and personal diversity Embracing Cultural Diversity Introduction to cultural intelligence The impact of culture Cultural Dimensions Theory The Culture Map Managing Virtual Diversity Overview of virtual diversity Virtual time management Virtual processes and technology Virtual leadership Creating an Environment for Success Supporting a cross-cultural virtual-team (CCVT-) friendly environment Building a foundation of trust Developing a team charter Recap and review Summary and Next Steps Personal action plan
Leading People through Change (In-Person) Research shows that 70% of change initiatives fail in large organizations. The largest factor contributing to this failure rate is leadership - the inability to plan and lead people through change. In many change situations, tremendous focus is put on strategy, processes, and systems, while the issue of changing people's behavior is assumed it will 'just happen'. In this interactive course, you will learn why the people side of change is crucial. We will begin by understanding why and how people resist change, and how important it is to become strong and effective change champions. Next, we will focus on critical change management practices - creating our vision of the future state, planning for acceptance in our change audience and stakeholders, mitigating threats, and capitalizing on opportunities. We will use metrics to plan, show progress, and confirm success. Lastly, we will focus on the need to reinforce and sustain change, and to prevent relapse to old ways and methods. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Realize the nature of change and describe how resistance manifests in people Compare prevalent change models and categorize their similarities Identify and rate the skills, traits, and behaviors of effective change champions Envision the future state and assess stakeholders Plan for change communication, training, and risks Evaluate change effectiveness using feedback and metrics Develop reinforcement practices for benefits and communication Getting Started Foundation Concepts What is Change? Resistance to Change Common Change Management Theories Becoming a Change Champion Plan Envisioning the future state Planning for people Change management plan Do Change communication Training Piloting Risks Study Feedback Metrics Variance analysis Act Benefits realization Change sustainment Reinforcement messaging and communications Summary and Next Steps
CHANGE YOUR LIFE IN JUST 36 HOURS 3 DAYS PACKED FULL OF FUN, CHALLENGE, INSPIRATION, INSIGHTS AND MOTIVATION. THIS 3- DAY EVENT MIMICS ASPECTS OF YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE THROUGH CHALLENGES, EXERCISES AND TASKS. IT HELPS YOU SHIFT FROM FEELING STRESSED, STUCK, SEARCHING TO ENERGISED, ELEVATED AND ENGAGED.
PMI-ACP® Exam Prep This course builds on the candidates' practical experience of Agile in the workplace to equip them with the broad range of knowledge and skills required for the PMI® Agile Certification exam. It will follow the PMI® requirements and reference the suggested reading list, including the Agile Practice Guide, but will not be limited to those areas. Within the profession and discipline of project management, Agile continues to develop as a significant and important aspect of bringing change to an organization. Where the products of change must be delivered to the business 'on time,' Agile is often the chosen methodology. In addition to equipping candidates for the PMI® Agile Certification examination, this course will also support candidates in taking a more informed and effective role in Agile projects. It will also enable them to take a significant role in encouraging and enabling the organization to become or develop as an Agile environment. What you will Learn You will learn how to: Appreciate the wider aspects of Agile project management tools and techniques Integrate various disciplines within Agile Tailor / customize Agile to suit the needs of different projects Prepare yourself for the PMI® Agile Certification examination Getting Started Introductions Agenda Expectations Foundation Concepts Defining 'Traditional' Project Management Project management parameters The 'traditional' approach to the parameters Strengths and weaknesses of the traditional approach Defining 'Agile' Project Management Project management parameters revisited The 'agile' approach to the parameters Strengths and weaknesses of agile Managing projects with traditional and agile methods Can the two approaches co-exist? Leveraging the benefits of both methods Options for using both methods on a project Avoiding the elephant traps Key aspects of the PMI® Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® Handbook Overview Eligibility requirements Exam information Exam Blueprint Continuing certification requirements Key aspects of the PMI Agile Certification Examination Content Outline Introduction Agile exam content outline Tools and techniques Knowledge and skills Domains and tasks (not examined) An Introduction to Agile and Implementing Agile Definable work vs. high-uncertainty work Project factors that influence tailoring The Agile Manifesto and 12 Principles Agile mindset Agile domains and tasks Agile Tools and Techniques Related to PM 'Hard Skills' Planning, monitoring, and adapting The need for planning, monitoring, and adapting The Agile approach to planning and plans The Agile planning tools and techniques The Agile monitoring tools and techniques The Agile approach to adapting Product quality A definition of 'product quality' Setting the standard for product quality Agile tools and techniques for achieving product quality Risk management A definition of 'risk' What is 'at risk'? The acceptability of risks The Agile tools and techniques for managing risks Agile Tools and Techniques Related to PM 'Soft Skills' The difference between PM 'hard and soft' skills Communications The importance of communications Forms of agile communications Communications within the project Communications from the project Communications to the project Making communications the cultural norm Interpersonal Skills Defining and understanding management Defining and understanding leadership Defining and understanding servant leadership Delegating vs. empowering Playing to people's strengths Overcoming the roadblocks Core Agile Tools and Techniques The philosophy of core Agile tools and techniques Agile estimation Will traditional forms of estimating work for agile? The relationship between estimating and guessing The relationship between estimating and sizing The where, who, and how of agile estimating Agile analysis and design Product analysis and design from a user point of view Product analysis and design from a supplier point of view Product analysis and design from an agile project point of view Value-Based Agile Tools and Techniques The role of value-based tools and techniques in bridging traditional PM with Agile Value-based prioritization Value-based prioritization and agile projects Investment appraisal methods Regulatory driven Customer driven Ranking methods (MMF, MoSCoW) Metrics What should we measure / track? Methods of measuring / tracking Adding value with metrics Process Improvement Value-stream analysis Value-stream mapping Agile Knowledge and Skills Context of Agile Knowledge and Skills vis-Ã -vis Agile Tools and Techniques Agile Knowledge and Skills Process focused People focused Product focused Project focused Exam Preparation and Course Closure The application process - where are you now? The 'Exam-Focused Journal' - what you still have to do Further preparation - self-study schedule Exam topic review Practice exam Practice exam debrief Course closure
PMI-ACP® Exam Prep: In-House Training This course builds on the candidates' practical experience of Agile in the workplace to equip them with the broad range of knowledge and skills required for the PMI® Agile Certification exam. It will follow the PMI® requirements and reference the suggested reading list, including the Agile Practice Guide, but will not be limited to those areas. Within the profession and discipline of project management, Agile continues to develop as a significant and important aspect of bringing change to an organization. Where the products of change must be delivered to the business 'on time,' Agile is often the chosen methodology. In addition to equipping candidates for the PMI® Agile Certification examination, this course will also support candidates in taking a more informed and effective role in Agile projects. It will also enable them to take a significant role in encouraging and enabling the organization to become or develop as an Agile environment. What you will Learn You will learn how to: Appreciate the wider aspects of Agile project management tools and techniques Integrate various disciplines within Agile Tailor / customize Agile to suit the needs of different projects Prepare yourself for the PMI® Agile Certification examination Getting Started Introductions Agenda Expectations Foundation Concepts Defining 'Traditional' Project Management Project management parameters The 'traditional' approach to the parameters Strengths and weaknesses of the traditional approach Defining 'Agile' Project Management Project management parameters revisited The 'agile' approach to the parameters Strengths and weaknesses of agile Managing projects with traditional and agile methods Can the two approaches co-exist? Leveraging the benefits of both methods Options for using both methods on a project Avoiding the elephant traps Key aspects of the PMI® Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® Handbook Overview Eligibility requirements Exam information Exam Blueprint Continuing certification requirements Key aspects of the PMI Agile Certification Examination Content Outline Introduction Agile exam content outline Tools and techniques Knowledge and skills Domains and tasks (not examined) An Introduction to Agile and Implementing Agile Definable work vs. high-uncertainty work Project factors that influence tailoring The Agile Manifesto and 12 Principles Agile mindset Agile domains and tasks Agile Tools and Techniques Related to PM 'Hard Skills' Planning, monitoring, and adapting The need for planning, monitoring, and adapting The Agile approach to planning and plans The Agile planning tools and techniques The Agile monitoring tools and techniques The Agile approach to adapting Product quality A definition of 'product quality' Setting the standard for product quality Agile tools and techniques for achieving product quality Risk management A definition of 'risk' What is 'at risk'? The acceptability of risks The Agile tools and techniques for managing risks Agile Tools and Techniques Related to PM 'Soft Skills' The difference between PM 'hard and soft' skills Communications The importance of communications Forms of agile communications Communications within the project Communications from the project Communications to the project Making communications the cultural norm Interpersonal Skills Defining and understanding management Defining and understanding leadership Defining and understanding servant leadership Delegating vs. empowering Playing to people's strengths Overcoming the roadblocks Core Agile Tools and Techniques The philosophy of core Agile tools and techniques Agile estimation Will traditional forms of estimating work for agile? The relationship between estimating and guessing The relationship between estimating and sizing The where, who, and how of agile estimating Agile analysis and design Product analysis and design from a user point of view Product analysis and design from a supplier point of view Product analysis and design from an agile project point of view Value-Based Agile Tools and Techniques The role of value-based tools and techniques in bridging traditional PM with Agile Value-based prioritization Value-based prioritization and agile projects Investment appraisal methods Regulatory driven Customer driven Ranking methods (MMF, MoSCoW) Metrics What should we measure / track? Methods of measuring / tracking Adding value with metrics Process Improvement Value-stream analysis Value-stream mapping Agile Knowledge and Skills Context of Agile Knowledge and Skills vis-Ã -vis Agile Tools and Techniques Agile Knowledge and Skills Process focused People focused Product focused Project focused Exam Preparation and Course Closure The application process - where are you now? The 'Exam-Focused Journal' - what you still have to do Further preparation - self-study schedule Exam topic review Practice exam Practice exam debrief Course closure