THE INFLUENCE OF THE CZECH ASSOCIATION FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT TRAINING AND BENEFITS FOR BUSSINES OF EDUCATIONAL COMPANIES Jaromír Pitaš, Michael Motal, Josef Hajkr, Petr Chlupatý Keywords: life cycle, education, National Standard Competences of Project Management, certification, recertification, certification process, IPMA, project management, project manager, training scheme Summary: In 2009, following the successful implementation of ICB v.3.0, the Czech national Project Management Association, o.s. fine-tuned the life cycle of project management training and certification. A process of continuous upgrading of the certification process was also launched into operation. Linking the life cycle of project management training with the certification process and its maintenance has helped to raise the quality of knowledge and skills among project managers. Organizations were able to benefit from the resulting answers to the questions Which training should project managers get (what and how)? and Who is a suitable candidate for providing training in project management?. The first field experience and the benefits of the model of the educational life cycle and certification are evidenced by data from the written examination undertaken within the certification process as well as by feedback from educational companies and companies wishing to enhance the abilities of their project management staff. Benefits for companies providing training for project managers are achieved through accredited training provided by these companies and involving them in certification process maintenance. Introduction By mid-2010, three years have elapsed since the process of implementing the new IPMA Competence Baseline ver.3.0 (ICB ver.3.0) standard had been started and two years since a project focusing in accredited training had been launched. The paper gives a summary of both successful projects. It explains the current certification conditions set by the Certification Body of the Czech Project Management Association. It mentions potential sources of threat and presents direction the certification process is to follow in the future. It points out links among certification, recertification and accredited training as well as opportunities this arrangement offers to education companies in the Czech Republic. How ICB ver. 3.0 implementation succeeded The assessors workshop held on the occasion of the IPMA congress in Cracow in June 2007 proved a milestone which helped to define the problem to be addressed: the failure to start implementing ICB ver.3.0 into the certification process in the Czech Republic as requested by IPMA. As soon as in July an internal project of the Czech national Project Management Association was initiated, under the title ICB ver.3.0 Implementation Developing Czech National Standard Competences of Project Management (CzNCB v.3.0). The goal of the project was to update the certification process in line with ICB ver.3.0 before 30 April
2008. The benefits of the project involved achieving a higher quality of certificate holders and winning more respect for the certification process in the Czech Republic. The project was undertaken between 2 July 2007 and 25 April 2008 and was successful in terms of both content and timing. The members of the project team were Jaromír Pitaš, Josef Hajkr, Michael Motal, Pavel Máchal, and Zdenko Staníček. The strategy of the project included the decision to base the national implementation of ICB ver.3.0 on the following principles: There is only one quality project management. There is no point in strictly separating IPMA (the competences approach), PMI and PRINCE2 (the process approach). It can be assumed that these standards are most likely to get even closer to one another in the future. Project management concepts, tools and techniques need to be reasonably compatible. In order for the certification exam to be difficult enough and of high standards, a good survey of concepts, tools and techniques is needed as well as information about the details of the IPMA exam in other EU countries. Adherence to the Czech standard ČSN ISO 10 006 Quality Management Systems Guidelines for Quality Management in Projects. The requirement of competing compulsory training prior to the certification itself (30 hours for Level D, 36 hours for Level C and 45 hours for Level B). The project of ICB ver.3.0 implementation has succeeded and the project goal has been met. But what are the impacts of the project? (Have the planned benefits been achieved?) The answer to this question can be formulated as follows: Concepts, tools and techniques forming the knowledge base to the profession of a project manager in the Czech Republic have been clearly defined and have been tested within IPMA certification. Relevant literature (both basic and supplementary) has been selected for IPMA certification applicants to draw on and for education companies to base their training schemes on. The literature addressing the individual competences has become an integral part of the national standard (CzNBC ver.3.0). Certification applicants therefore know in detail what they are expected to know (e.g. which tools and techniques), which sources they can study from and which scope of knowledge will be required. Education providing institutions can gradually adjust their training schemes and demonstrate the degree to which they cover CzNCB v.3.0 to the market. Good test questions can be developed (the first database of test questions has already been created) and overall improvement of the certification process is possible. Each question draws on basic literature and the glossary included in CzNCB ver.3.0. The requirement of compulsory training has had a positive effect on the whole market with project management courses (broadened offer, increased quality). Preparation of training accreditation can be launched (see a self-contained project available at http://www.ipma.cz/web/vzdelavani/akreditace.php) Towards the end of ICB ver.3.0 implementation a new problem was defined the efficiency of the certification process did not reflect the needs of the certification body and, also, the content of the certification process needed its own maintenance system. The problem led, shortly after the successful completion of the original ICB ver.3.0 implementation, to the need to launch a second project, Finishing off the certification process FoCP, with the goal of making the certification process more efficient and creating conditions for its successful development. The benefits of the FoCP project include concerting assessors approach to evaluation of the individual phases of the certification process and efficient maintenance of the existing questions for the written exam including new questions development. This project was undertaken between 19 September 2008 and 30 April 2009. It was sponsored by Jaromír Pitaš and the extended project team had the following members: Josef Hajkr, Jan Havlík, Pavel Máchal, Michael Motal, Igor Novák, and Zdenko
Staníček. The project goals have been achieved again. What is worth mentioning is the overall work expenditure: the project lasting less than a year involved nearly 200 man-days of the team s work. The project was documented and publicized (see viz http://www.ipma.cz/web/akce/projekty-spr/dcp.php). Its implementation has led to the following key outputs: The process of test question and CzNCB maintenance (including security policies) has been defined. CzNCB has been updated to produce version 3.1 (which appeared in print in March 2010). Sets of test questions for all certification levels have been corrected and extended (the database of test questions has been revised and extended). The examining styles of assessors responsible for the written part of the exam have been concerted. Documentation concerning certification applicants has been brought in line with CzNCB and NCRG. Two successful workshops have been held beyond the planned scope of the project: Assessors workshop, held in Prague on 5 March 2009, focused on concerting assessors approach to the written part of the exam. Accreditation workshop for educational companies was held in Zlín on 26 March 2009. Now the time has come to answer the question, Which impacts has this second project had beyond those of the first project? The answer can be formulated as follows: Sets of test question for all certification levels have been optimized as to question difficulty and wording. The whole certification process has been optimized. This has been reflected especially in the harmonized content and difficulty assessment requirements applied by individual assessors. Applicants for IPMA certification can draw on higher-quality information available online (see the specialized web page http://www.ipma.cz/ web/certifikace/jak-se-efektivne-pripravit-ke-zkousceipma.php). Organizations can implement the improved IPMA competences model including a high-quality Czech- English and English-Czech glossary of terms. Certification of educational programmes The project Certification of Educational Programmes was launched in 2008. It was instigated by frequent queries by certification applicants. The PM Association was often approached by certification applicants with pleas for recommendations regarding project management training schemes and companies providing this kind of training. We however lacked enough relevant information about training schemes (their content and quality) and companies offering them. An analysis revealed that the project management education market featured a great number of companies the quality of whose training varied considerably as to content and quality. The problems thus seemed to consist in the not always sufficient quality of project management courses offered in the Czech Republic. Based on the queries by certification applicants and the analysis made by us, we defined, for the sake of the Czech national Project Management Association, IPMA certification and training applicants as well as companies offering project management training in line with IPMA. The benefits for educational companies can be seen in increasing the level of competition in the market with project management education and increasing their share on educating project managers in the Czech Republic. These benefits are achieved through: Obtaining credit owing to the Czech Project Management Association through training programme accreditation in order to win jobs with companies interested in offering training to their employees as well as other individual candidates.
Promoting and recommending education companies and their accredited training on the web pages of the Czech national PMA through project management training and preparation for the certification process. A clear market focus of educational companies by offering project management education and training for persons interested in project management education and training according to internationally recognized standards (IPMA and CzNCB ver.3.0) in the Czech Republic. The Czech national PMA supporting education companies in updating the syllabi of their training schemes in connection with requirements implied by the certification process (what, to which extent and how should be taught). The benefit enjoyed by the Czech PMA is the increased standard of certification candidates and consequently also project managers in the Czech Republic. This benefit is achieved through: Educational companies (offering accredited training) promoting the international IPMA standard, certification along the lines set out by IPMA and the Czech PMA, with the result of an increased number of applicants for IPMA certification. The benefit for certification applicants is the possibility to choose from among training schemes with clearly defined content in line with CzNCB ver.3.0 (now CzNCB ver.3.1). The goal of the project was to develop a system of accrediting training schemes in line with CzNCB ver.3.0 and accredit training schemes of at least 4 education companies to be then recommended to applicants for IPMA certification of Levels D to B. The main starting point for the project was CzNCB ver. 3.0 (now CzNCB ver. 3.1) which defined WHAT the content of the written exam is (including definitions of relevant tools and techniques). The second starting point was the varying quality and content of training schemes offered by the key educational companies operating in the Czech Republic. The main prerequisite for accrediting a training scheme is guarantees provided by a specific number of (IPMA ) certified persons. These guarantees are to guarantee the quality of the training scheme, for which reason requirements for expert warrantors and lecturers have been specified. Expert warrantors of training for D and C Levels must have certified as Certified Project Managers (IPMA Level C ) and expert warrantors of training for Level B must have certified as Certified Senior Project Managers (IPMA Level B ). Persons acting as lecturers must have certified based on one of the internationally recognized standards (IPMA, PMI, PRINCE2 ). In 2009, six Czech companies have succeeded in accrediting their training schemes, which we have recommended to applicants for IPMA certification since then. In February 2010 a workshop was held where these companies obtained information on their share on training project managers proceeding to certify and the success rate of their candidates compared with the non-accredited training provided by other education companies.
MARKET SHARE others 34% accredited compa companies 66% Graph 1: Shares of accredited and non-accredited training schemes offered by companies to address needs of certification applicants (1 May 2009 1 June 2010; after implementation of revised test question sets) Analysis of candidate success has shown that the success rate of candidates prepared by companies offering accredited training have at the written exam was by 3% higher (failure rate 33%) than the success rate of those prepared by companies offering non-accredited training (failure rate 36%). More detailed data (beyond the scope of this paper) also show that the companies which were among the first to certify had a higher success rate. The best of them had only a 14% failure rate among candidates who prepared with this company. The existence of project management training accreditation was recognized not only by persons interested in this training and certification but also by organizations seeking project management training to offer to their employees. This was reflected among other things by the first tender for delivery of training and subsequent IPMA certification announced by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, in which only companies offering accredited training could participate. The tender was announced within a project co-funded from EU structural funds, Training Project Managers for State Administration and Their IPMA Certification at Level D Certified Project Management Associate. It is a groundbreaking project as far as the recognition of IPMA standards and certification recognition by national state administration in the Czech Republic are concerned. About 240 state administration employees are expected to certify within 3 years. Summary and outlooks for the future The year 2008 was characterized by the start of development of the new certification process and a launch of certification processes optimization. The considerable length of certification processes at the individual levels and bad communication were the main problems hindering the processes and dissuading potential applicants.
Their gradual optimization led to a significant growth in numbers of persons who underwent the certification process. The year 2009 saw the launch of the recertification process in line with ICB ver.3.0 (CzNCB ver.3.0). The clear definition of Level C and B requirements enhanced the significance of Level C and B certification. The certification process achieved the desired respect and difficulty in 2009 (palpable differences between levels D, C and B at the written exam), which had an unequivocal effect on how potential applicants, candidates and especially organizations viewed them. The launch of the process of accreditation of training in line with CzNCB v.3.0 and promoting IPMA certification have played an important role, too. The numbers of certification applicants stabilized, including applicants from among university students. What is positive is especially the growing interest in Level D certification among university students. Tomas Bata University in Zlín; Czech Technical University in Prague; and the Academic Centre for Students Activities at Brno University of Technologies in cooperation with Young Project Management Group (Czech PMA division) have been instrumental in this process. Candidate success statistics for 2009 The basic statistical data for 2009 (1 May 2009 1 June 2010; from the implementation of revised test question sets) are shown in the following tables. attempts total 202 fails 70 % fails 34.65% D-attempts total 134 D-fails 45 % fails 33,58% C-attempts total 48 C-fails 17 % fails 35.42% B-attempts total 20 B-fails 8 % fails 40.00% Table 1: Summary data for the written exam as a whole What are the current parameters of the certification process? The introduction of the requirement of compulsory training has meant a significant improvement in the level of preparedness of certification candidates, especially at the written exam. The certification process itself is being subjected to improvement by specific developmental projects or implemented processes continuously. Regular monitoring of candidate success is regarded as they key to further quality improvement. The Certification Body has closely been monitoring success rates in the individual parts of the certification process and can thus identify weaknesses in typical areas where candidates fail as well as shortcomings of the certification process itself. The team of the Finishing Off the Certification Process project convenes at regular intervals and guarantees workshops for assessors and education companies (see Picture 2). The content and focus of the workshops are the following: Assessors participating in the workshops discuss areas presenting assessment problems and concert their methods of candidate assessment.
outcome Representatives of education companies are informed of the areas which pose candidates with greatest difficulties. Moreover, in a part of the workshop with limited access, accredited companies get direct feedback as to what and how they should adjust in the training they offer to increase the success rate of their candidates. Last but not least, the companies are informed of the overall success rate of candidates who have trained with them and of their share on the market (of candidates undergoing/successful in the certification process). Unaccredited Education/ Self Education Certification Of Skills/ Competences Accredited Education Theory Transfer in Work Experience Figure 1: Project manager life cycle Shora podle hodinových ručiček: Non-accredited training/self-education Accredited training Theory transfer in work experience Certification of skills/competences Non-accredited Education Companies comparing Accredited Education Companies Previous training is required for certification Certification Process improvement i by development projects Quality of certification process and project managers requirementsfor training adjustment Workshops for assessors and accredited education companies maintaining and improvement of certification process PM feedback r egular assessment of outputs Assessment of success and insufficiencies in competencies of candidates Figure 2: Improvement process within certification
Conclusion We believe the recent three years provide evidence of meaningfulness of the invested effort. We have implemented the certification process in line with ICB ver.3.0. We have helped improve project management training in the Czech Republic. We have created new opportunities for educational companies. This is however not where the work stops. What shall we concentrate on next? We will go on monitoring the quality of test questions and new question sets will be developed (the database of test questions will be extended). We will go on monitoring assessors as well as educational companies offering accredited training and organize specialized workshops for them. CzNCB ver.3.1 and companies offering accredited training will be used to promote the IPMA standard as an applied competences model which can be put to full use in project management training development in the Czech Republic. We will support as close as possible cooperation especially among IPMA, PMI and PRINCE2, with the aim of coordinating the efforts especially in legislative issues. References: PITAŠ, Jaromír, STANÍČEK, Zdenko, MOTAL, Michael a kol. Národní standard kompetencí projektového řízení verze 3.1. Brno: VUT v Brně ve spolupráci se Společností pro projektové řízení, o.s. 2010, 314 p. ISBN 978-80-214-4058-6.