MoP® Management of Portfolios Foundation - Online Classroom (exam included)

Teaching you the fundamental skills needed to be a successful portfolio manager

The Foundation qualification aims to confirm that a candidate has sufficient knowledge and understanding to work as an informed member of a portfolio office or in a range of portfolio management roles.

About the course

The Management of Portfolios (MoP) guidance provides advice and examples of applying principles, practices, and techniques that help optimize an organization’s investment in change alongside its business-as-usual (BAU) work. MoP allows organizations to answer a fundamental question:

Are we sure this investment suits us, and how will it contribute to our strategic objectives?

Investment is the key word because portfolio management is about investing in the correct change initiatives and implementing them correctly. MoP achieves this by ensuring that:

• The programs and projects undertaken are prioritized in terms of their contribution to the organization’s strategic objectives and overall level of risk
• Programmes and projects are managed consistently to ensure efficient and effective delivery
• Benefits realization is maximized to provide the greatest return (in terms of strategic contribution and efficiency savings) from the investment made

This intensive two- or three-day course includes the Management of Portfolios Foundation examination on the final day. This Foundation training will allow participants to understand the principles, practices, techniques, roles, responsibilities, documents, and organizational context within portfolio management operations.

Learning Objectives

The Foundation level qualification measures understanding of the principles, cycles, practices, techniques, roles, responsibilities, documents, and organizational context within portfolio management. Specifically, by the end of the course, you should know and understand the following:

• scope and objectives of portfolio management and how it differs from program and project management
• benefits from applying portfolio management
• context within which it operates
• principles upon which successful portfolio management is based
• approaches to implementation, the factors to consider in maintaining progress, and how to assess the success of portfolio management
• purposes of the portfolio management definition and delivery cycles and their component practices, and relevant techniques applicable to each practice
• purpose and key content of the primary portfolio documents
• scope of crucial portfolio management roles

What is included?

This is an intensive two or three-day course that includes the following:

• All accompanying course material
• The official MoP manual
• The cost of the MoP Foundation examination (the exam is taken on the last day of the course)
• Lunches and refreshments will also be provided throughout your training.

What´s covered?

Introduction

• The purpose and structure of the course
• The format and style of the MoP examination

Introduction to or description of:

• MoP as part of a suite of Best Practices Management products
• Definitions of the terms Project, Programme and Portfolio
• Descriptions of the terms Project, Programme a Portfolio Management
• The differences between Projects, Program and Portfolios
• The principles of MoP and the ‘lite touch techniques
• The two Portfolio cycles and the definition and delivery practices
• The need to tailor the MoP guidance to suit your organization
• The objectives and benefits of a Portfolio Management

Strategic and organizational context

• The relationship between Portfolio Management and the other functions or
• activities with which it must coordinate

Roles and documentation

• MoP roles and responsibilities, documents and the contents

MoP Principles

• Description of the MoP principles and the keys to the success of each
• Implement, sustain, and measure
• The three approaches to the implementation of MoP
• Key factors in implementing and sustaining progress
• Assessing maturity and impact on the organization
• Organisational energy

Definition cycle

• Explanation of the five definition practices

Delivery cycle

• Explanation of the seven delivery practices

MoP Foundation examination technique

• How to approach the MoP examination

MoP Foundation examination simulator

• Featuring timed sample questions in the style of the MoP examination

Exam and Certification

MoP Foundation exam:

• Multiple-choice examination questions
• 50 questions per paper
• 25 marks required to pass (out of 50 available) - 50%
• 40 minutes duration
• Closed book
• Online exam