About The Course

Prerequisites

Contents

MoP® Foundation and Practitioner Virtual

Name: MoP® Foundation and Practitioner Virtual (Eastern Canada)
Start: 2024-10-01T08:30:00-04:00
End: 2024-10-11T16:30:00-04:00
Location: Virtual Eastern Canada

Why should I take the Management of Portfolios Foundation and Practitioner Virtual classroom course?

You should attend Management of Portfolios training if you are working in project portfolio management. Project portfolio management ensures that your organization selects and manages the projects and programs which make the best contribution to your corporate objectives. MoP does this by establishing a clear line of sight between strategy and delivery of the portfolio. This Practitioner level course gives you the ability to analyze portfolio situations and apply best practice to make decisions using the MoP method. It is, therefore, suitable for senior managers responsible for the delivery of the corporate change portfolio.

Virtual classroom training allows you to benefit from real-time teaching in the comfort of your home or office. You get the same interactions as an on site course and will be able to ask questions to the instructor. Since the exams are not done on paper during the class but online, you will also benefit with time to study and prepare until you are ready to get the certification.

Who should attend this class?

Typical job roles include

C-level executives including: CFO, CAO, COO, CIO and Executive / Senior VP
Senior managers responsible for long term planning and strategy
Portfolio / Program Office staff who manage portfolio delivery or enable portfolio level decision making
Portfolio, Program and Senior Project Managers responsible for delivering change initiatives in the portfolio

What is included:

The course includes:

- 5-days virtual classroom from a MoP Accredited Trainer
- Official manual: “Management of Portfolios” (Hard copy)
- Accredited course material including sample exam questions
- MoP Foundation and Practitioner online exams 24/7 (webcam required) + ebook
- 39 PDUs if you are a PMP

What will I learn:

Prioritize projects and programs according to strategic needs
Balance the competing needs of change management and business as usual
Create a Portfolio Strategy and Delivery Plan to align with corporate objectives
Apply portfolio management techniques such as decision conferencing and multi-criteria analysis
Improve management control of the portfolio using stage gates and management by exception
Reduce overall risk by establishing dependencies between projects and programs
Provide an energized change culture to ensure people are engaged and focused on delivering change.

What are the course prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites for this course. You should be working in or have a good knowledge of project portfolio management or be a senior project manager. You need to complete some study before the course. We’ll provide all the reading materials you need so you will be well prepared before you come to class.

What are the course contents:

This is the full PEOPLECERT International MoP course. It covers the MoP syllabus to Practitioner level.

Key Learning Points:

What is Portfolio Management

Background & Definitions
Portfolio Management Models
Benefits of Portfolio Management & some misconceptions

Strategic and Organizational context

Portfolio Management vs. Business as Usual
Portfolio Management and strategic & business planning
Portfolio Management and budgeting and resource allocation
Portfolio Management and Programme and Project Management
Portfolio Management and performance management
Portfolio Management and Corporate Governance
Portfolio Management and corporate functions

5 Principles of Portfolio Management

Senior Management commitment
Governance alignment
Strategy alignment
Portfolio Office
Energized change culture

Portfolio Management Cycles

Implementing & Sustaining Portfolio Management
Using organizational energy
Portfolio Definition & Delivery cycles

Portfolio definition cycle

Understand
Categorize
Prioritize
Balance
Plan

Portfolio delivery cycle

Management control
Benefits management
Financial management
Risk management
Stakeholder engagement
Organizational governance
Resource management

Portfolio Analysis Techniques

Driver based contribution assessment
Three-point estimating
Multi criteria analysis
Decision conferencing
Staged release of funding
Financial analysis of the Portfolio

Exam:

Which exams are included in this course?

This course includes the MoP Foundation and Practitioner exams.

MoP Foundation exam

This is your first exam designed to test your knowledge and understanding of MoP

50 multiple choice questions with 1 mark for each question
Closed book exam
40 minutes duration
50% needed to pass so a score of 25 / 50 is required

MoP Practitioner Exam

Your second exam tests your ability to apply the MoP guidance to a realistic scenario. You are required to show that you can analyze situations and make decisions using the standard appropriately. You must pass the Foundation exam to sit the Practitioner.

4 Objective Testing style questions with 20 points per question. A total of 80 marks are available
Questions are in different formats including classic multiple choice, matching, sequencing and assertion / reason
Open book exam, but only the official MoP manual can be used
3-hours duration
50% needed to pass so a score of 40 / 80 is required

When are the exams taken?

On day 1 of the virtual course, we will send you a prepaid voucher for the exam authority PeopleCert. You will be able to schedule the exams in the portal anytime you want 24/7. You can change the time of the exam as you please. However, if you change the date 48hrs prior to start time, PeopleCert will charge a fee. A webcam is required to identify yourself to the proctor with a photographic ID and then you can do the exam online from home.

What are the technical requirements for the online exam?

A personal computer is recommended to avoid any technical issues. If you are using an office computer, make sure you have the access rights or IT support at the time of the exam. For the online proctored exam an interface needs to be installed. Administrative rights are therefore essential. Exams can be taken on a recent MAC or PC with Windows. A webcam and working microphone (internal or external) are required. The online exam is not available on a tablet (Ipad) or Cellular phone at the moment.

How does the course prepare me for the MoP Foundation and Practitioner exams?

The course follows the official MoP Foundation and Practitioner exam syllabus. The accredited training materials are cross referenced to areas of the exam so that you are fully prepared. During the course, you practice with the latest exam papers from PeopleCert International. Day 4-5 of the course are dedicated to practicing for your Practitioner exam and our expert trainer will guide you through a series of exercises and discussions to get you ready for the exam itself.

Do I need ID for the MoP exams?

You must have a photographic ID with you. A driver’s license or passport is fine. A work ID, with photograph, is also acceptable.

English is not my native tongue?

For exams done in another language than your native tongue, you will be attributed 25% more time. We can also make arrangements to help with dyslexia or medical issues regarding exams if you submit a doctor’s note in advance.

How long does my MoP qualification last?

The MoP certificates are valid 3 years.
You can join the MyAXELOS membership for a small fee, maintain your digital badge and certification by recording 20 points of continuous development per year. Otherwise retaking the exam(s) after 3 years will be costly.

Candidates who do not renew will still be included on the Successful Candidates Register (SCR) and the Candidate Verification Service, but a note will be added to their record to indicate that their certification needs to be renewed to align with current certification requirements.

What happens if I don’t pass an exam?

If you don’t pass an exam, you can do a re-sit. We will send you a new voucher code for an additional fee. If you feel insecure, it is possible to purchase a re-sit insurance from PeopleCert up to 15 minutes prior to taking the exam. This will provide you a second attempt, if necessary, within the following 6 months.

FAQs:

What are the class hours?

Start time for the Western classes is usually 8h30 a.m. or 9h00 a.m. Central time zone, and for Eastern classes 8h30 a.m. or 9h00 a.m. Eastern time zone. You can check our schedule for more details.

How do I prepare for MoP training?

You have about 3 hours of preparation to do before you attend the MoP Foundation course. Before the class, we will send you the official MoP manual: “Management of Portfolios” as well as a reading list and sample exam questions. During the pre-course, you read key chapters of the manual and answer exam questions to test your knowledge and understanding. It seems a lot at first but the more work you can do in advance of the course, the better. Even if you don’t 100% understand things before you come along – don’t worry. If you’ve done the work, our trainers are experts in MoP. We’ll get you understanding the method in no time at all.

How does the virtual class work?

You connect to the online platform (Zoom) and the instructor will deliver the course to you wherever you are. We ask that you keep your camera open as much as possible so that the trainer can get a good sense of how learning is evolving. Some time periods will be allocated for questions, interactive exercises, lunch and breaks.

Which is best for me – MoP Foundation or MoP Practitioner?

You should take the MoP Foundation course if you need a detailed understanding of project portfolio management. The course gives you an excellent introduction to the MoP method and enables you to work in the MoP portfolio management environment. If you have responsibility for delivering the portfolio or you need to make decisions and analyze portfolio management situations you should qualify at the Practitioner level.

What is the difference between portfolio management and project/program management?

Portfolio management is about managing the right projects and programmes. Portfolio management helps you run the right change initiatives according to strategic needs and available resources. Project and programme management methods, such as PRINCE2 or MSP, help managers plan, monitor and execute individual projects and programmes.

Do I need to be a project or programme manager to attend this class?

This course is designed for senior management and their colleagues who are responsible for a portfolio of projects and programmes. Portfolio management teams co-ordinate and monitor projects and programs, but they don’t manage them directly. It is helpful if you have some knowledge of project / programme management, but it is not essential. MoP is a course for senior managers working at the strategic level.

Is this course about financial portfolio management?

No. Financial portfolio, or investment management is about managing securities, such as stocks and bonds, or assets, such as real estate, to meet financial targets for investors. MoP is about project portfolio management: managing projects and programmes to achieve strategic objectives for your organization. These objectives could be financial, but they could also be legislative or strategic and MoP uses multiple criteria to rank projects and programs. MoP does use some financial metrics, such as NPV or Payback, and you will cover these during the course.

Can exams be taken on paper?

No. As of February 1^st, 2022, the exam authority PeopleCert has eliminated paper exams in favor of online.

I am not sure my computer is up to date for the online exam?

You can use the contact form to send us a message in advance. We will be able to verify if your computer meets the technical requirements.

What is the process for a proctored exam?

The exam authority has a strict procedure for online exams to ensure the security of the session. Some of them are: You will be asked to be alone in a well-lit room with no background noise. The proctor will ask you to rotate your webcam in order to verify the area. Your desk must be clean of papers, books or notes. Glass walls and/or doors are prohibited unless they are covered. You will be asked to position yourself in a way that doors are behind you and visible to the proctor through the webcam. You can use the contact form to send us a message in advance if you wish to obtain more information on the remote proctoring process.

How many PDUs do I get for this course?

PMPs can claim 39 PDUs at the PMI for the MoP Foundation and Practitioner virtual course. (9 Ways of working, 15 Power skills, 15 Business acumen).

MoP® is a registered trademark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved. The Swirl logo™ is a trademark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved. This MoP® course is offered through ATO OKAZY Consulting.

MoP® Foundation and Practitioner Virtual

May 2024

May 27 @ 8:30 am - June 7 @ 4:30 pm