Great question! In fact, I get this one quite a lot and, realistically, there can be enormous differences in the deliverables for both course types. So, here's a stab at an answer:
A course that prepares you to become certified will usually focus almost exclusively on "teaching the book." That book may be the Project Management Institute's (PMI.org ) Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) or any of several equivalent references around the globe.
A key element of these courses is to learn very specific knowledge as comprehensively as possible so that attendees may either qualify to take a test or qualify for a given number of "formal training" hours. (See the requirements for your chosen credential.)
(There is another option out there called a Test Prep course. These sessions focus exclusively on providing strategies and tactics necessary to take [and, preferably] pass a given test.)
A practical course in project management will (possibly) use the same standards text but will be more closely focused on how it's actually applied to the real world. Taking this course, or this series, is not necessarily going to provide you with those highly detailed credential testing scenarios.
Here's how this works with the course I teach at the Workforce Development Center of The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio...
I use the PMI PMBOK as the absolute backbone for the course. In five days, we step through its entirety, reviewing the foundation, process groups, knowledge areas, and processes as detailed in the guide. We cover these in as much depth as time and the attendees can withstand but we ensure that all specific knowledge is covered across the course life cycle.
Next, intermingled within the PMBOK-specific content, I add real world case studies and examples - at whatever level of experience or size/type enterprise needed by the individual attendees. This is tough to deliver because my sessions tend to include both experienced project managers and individuals who have no experience and/or no background education in the field. However, my core deliverable for the course is to put people on the street who not only understand WHAT needs to be done (and in what order) but also WHY it should be done. Next I'm concerned with ensuring that they are as confident as possible in executing procedures across the entire project environment - up to and including providing a range of templates they can use from day one.
Just to keep my life challenging, there are also frequently a few students in each group who are expecting to prep themselves for certification. For them, I have to blend the general focus into very highly targeted materials. These folks require an entirely different approach to content delivery than other attendees.
Realistically, I can't possibly customize the course to every single attendee issue but I can get pretty close. Does this help? If not, let me know & I'll re-phrase.
|
|
Q.) What kind of knowledge of the basics of project management will I need to take back to implement projects in a small (8-9 people) company? How can I minimize the time it takes to get operational while still managing projects effectively? What is the Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge and how can I use it? What is the Project Management Institute?Here's a shocker: Out here in the real world the majority of projects are quick and relatively simple. (But, you already knew that, didn't you?) They are conducted in plain old normal companies in every industry & every country--every day, day-in & day-out. The key project management skills necessary for success at this level are significantly less complex than the ones necessary for those massive projects we all read about in the news.
Read on to find common sense--low cost--answers to these, and other issues that can enable you to enhance your career.
|
|
|
Q.) How do I gain a better understanding of project management methods that I can apply to upcoming projects (on a smaller scale)?
We have provided some basic answers to this question right here--read more. If you want more detail, please let us know.
|
|
|
Q.) I have found that management sometimes
doesn't give the project adequate support. How can the project manager influence executive management to convince them that the
steps being taken to enhance life cycle control of the project are in the right direction?
|
|
|
|
