ITSM Project Management

A few weeks back I wrote a DITY about the top five questions of ITIL V3. While ITIL® V3 training provides IT organizations with the knowledge and skills to successfully adopt the best practices outlined in the IT Infrastructure Library® (ITIL), additional training helps ensure a successful outcome of that adoption.

The following DITY is the first of a four-part series that outlines the additional training areas IT organizations should consider when adopting ITSM as the basis for the delivery of quality IT services.

1. What is Project Management?

According to Wikipedia, the 1950s marked the beginning of the modern Project Management era, which formally recognized Project management as a distinct discipline arising from the management discipline.

In the United States prior to the 1950s, projects were managed on an ad hoc basis using mostly Gantt Charts, and informal techniques and tools.

At that time, two mathematical project-scheduling models were developed and quickly spread into many private enterprises. The Critical Path Method (CPM) was developed as a joint venture between DuPont Corporation and Remington Rand Corporation for managing plant maintenance projects. The Program Evaluation and Review Technique, or PERT, was developed by Booz-Allen & Hamilton as part of the U.S. Navy's (in conjunction with the Lockheed Corporation) Polaris missile submarine program.

At the same time as the development of project-scheduling models, technology for project cost estimating, cost management, and engineering economics was evolving, with pioneering work by Hans Lang and others. In 1956, the American Association of Cost Engineers (now AACE International, the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering) was formed by early practitioners of project management and the associated specialties of planning and scheduling, cost estimating, and cost/schedule control (project control). AACE continued its pioneering work and in 2006 released the first integrated process for portfolio, program and project management (Total Cost Management Framework).

In 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) was formed in the USA. PMI publishes A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) that describes project management practices that are common to "most projects, most of the time." PMI also offers multiple certifications.

2. Which Project Management training and certifications should an ITSM organization pursue?

Project Management training and certification programs provide IT Professionals with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage an ITSM program along with the follow-on projects being developed for each lifecycle area. Having members of your IT organization trained and certified in Project Management methods will dramatically increase your chances of ITSM success.

Certification Programs Include:

Non-Certification Programs Include:

3. What options are available for students to take the PMP® certification exams?

The process for becoming a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) involves a review of prior education and work experience followed by a written examination. Each student must fill out an application on the PMI® site that details his or her educational background, project management experience and project management education before becoming eligible to sit for the exam.

Once qualified, students can take the 200-question, four-hour, closed-book, multiple-choice examination at a convenient Prometric testing center.

Eligibility requirements include:

OR

Holders of the certification may use the designation "PMP" after their names in professional correspondence and publication. Each holder of the certification must adhere to a formal code of professional conduct and accumulate a certain minimum amount of relevant experience over a period of three years starting January 1 after successfully completing the examination process.

4. Which project management training programs will enable the ITSM Practitioner to bring more value to an ITSM program?

ITIL Service Transition Team

RoleRecommended Project Management Training & Certifications
ITIL Change Management SpecialistRisk Management
ITIL Release & Deployment Management SpecialistRisk Management
ITIL Transition Management Practice ManagerRisk Management
Intro to Project Management
PMP Certification

ITIL Service Design Team

RoleRecommended Project Management Training & Certifications
ITIL Service Level Management SpecialistRisk Management
Scope & Requirement Management
Cost & Schedule Management
ITIL Service Capacity & Continuity SpecialistRisk Management
Scope & Requirement Management
Cost & Schedule Management
ITIL Service Catalog & Supplier Management SpecialistQuality Management
ITIL Service Design Practice ManagerRisk Management
Scope& Requirement Management
Cost & Schedule Management

ITIL Service Strategy & Continual Service Improvement Teams

RoleRecommended Project Management Training & Certifications
ITIL Service Portfolio Management SpecialistRisk Management
Scope & Requirement Management
Cost & Schedule Management
ITIL Service Quality Management SpecialistQuality Management
ITIL Strategy & CSI Practice ManagerPMP Certification
Risk Management
Scope & Requirement Management
Cost & Schedule Management
Quality Management

ITIL Expert Mentors

RoleRecommended Project Management Training & Certifications
ITIL Lifecycle ExpertPMP Certification
Scope& Requirement Management
Cost & Schedule Management
Quality Management
ITIL Capability ExpertQuality Management
Hybrid Expert #1: Mid-Level Manager Customer RelationsQuality Management
Hybrid Expert #2: Mid-Level Manager IT Quality AssuranceQuality Management
Hybrid Expert #3: Mid-Level Manager IT OperationsQuality Management
Hybrid Expert #4 : Mid-Level Manager IT Planning & ArchitecturePMP Certification
Scope & Requirement Management
Cost & Schedule Management
Quality Management

5. Why will Project Management training & certification improve my chances for a job or promotion?

Having one or multiples of the above certifications will improve your chances of not only landing a job or promotion but also position you as one of the early adopters in a space that is destined to be one of the high growth areas for 2010 and beyond as stated in a recently published Search CIO article.

Summary

Hopefully you will find the above information useful as you and your company enters and begins to experience the value of the exciting new world of ITIL Version 3.

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