ICB IPMA Competence Baseline Version 3.0

1. ICB IPMA Competence BaselineVersion 3.0 Tina Nikou Supervisor: Prof. Eslami

2. Basic terms Competence is the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and/or skills and, where relevant, personal attributes. A certification scheme contains the specific requirements related to particular categories of people to which the same standards and rules and the same procedures apply. The certification process encompasses all activities by which a certification body establishes that a person fulfils specifies competence requirements. The assessment is the mechanism which determines a candidate’s competence by one or more means such as written, verbal, practical and observational. A qualification demonstrates the personal attributes, education, training and/or work experience of the individual.

3. competence Competence is a collection of knowledge, personal attitudes, skills and relevant experience needed to be successful in a certain function. To help assessors to judge a candidate’s competence, the competence is broken down into competence ranges.

4. Competence ranges In the third version of ICB, competent project management is described in three ranges: The technical competence range, containing 20 elements. The behavioral competence range, containing 15 elements. The contextual competence range, containing 11 elements.

5. Competence level IPMA chose to define four levels of competence: Level A: the candidate has demonstrated successful use of the competence elements in the coordination of programs and/or portfolios. Level B: the candidate has demonstrated successful use of the competence elements in complex project situations. Level C: the candidate has demonstrated successful use of the competence elements in project situations with limited complexity. Level D: only knowledge related to the competence elements is assessed.

6. Project, program and portfolio

7. The certification system

8. Element descriptions Technical competences: Project management success interested parties project requirements & objectives risk & opportunities quality project organization teamwork problem resolution project structures scope & deliverables time & project phases resources cost & finance procurement & contract changes control & reports information & documentation communication start-up close-out

9. Behavioral competences Leadership Engagement & motivation Self-control Assertiveness relaxation Openness Creativity Results orientation Efficiency Consultation Negotiation Conflict & crisis Reliability Values appreciation ethics

10. Contextual competences: Project orientation Program orientation Portfolio orientation Project, program & portfolio implementation Permanent organization Business Systems, products & technology Personnel management Health, security, safety and environment Finance legal

11. Technical competences

12. Project management success Is the appreciation of the project management results by the relevant interested parties

13. Possible steps Analyze the project and its context. Develop a PM concept and agree to the PM contract with the customer. Execute and control PM plans and changes, report on PM performance. Collect results achieved and communicate to relevant interested parties Evaluate PM success and failure and apply lessons learnt to future projects.

14. Interested parties Are people or groups, who are interested in the performance and/or success of the project, or who are constrained by the project.

15. Possible steps Identify and prioritize the interested parties’ interests. Communicate to interested parties which of their requirements will be fulfilled or not fulfilled by the project. Include interested parties’ interests and expectations in the requirements, objectives, scope, deliverables, time schedule and costs of the project plan. Ensure the interested parties are satisfied in each project phase Execute, communicate and manage changes in the interested parties’ plan. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

16. Project requirements & objectives Project requirements are derived from customer needs, which are driven by opportunities and threats. The project objectives are the set of targets that the project, program and portfolio managers should attain to provide the expected project benefits to the interested parties

17. Possible process steps Gather, document and get agreement on project requirements. Define project objectives and establish a project plan. Communicate progress and changes. Validate requirements at key points in the project life-cycle. Set up project review process. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

18. Risk & opportunity Qualitative risk & opportunity assessment ranks the risks and opportunities according to their importance, as a function of their impact and probability of assessment. Quantitative risk and opportunity assessment provides a numerical value measuring the effect expected from risks and opportunities

19. Possible process steps Identify and assess risks and opportunities Develop a risk and opportunity response plan and have it approved and communicated. Update the different project plan affected by approved risks and opportunities response plan. Continuously identify new risks, reassess risks, plan responses and modify the project plan. Control the risk and opportunity response plan. Documents lessons learnt and apply to future project.

20. quality Is the degree to which set of inherent characteristics fulfils the project requirements. It ensures long-term business success through customer satisfaction.

21. Possible process steps Develop the quality plan Select, build and test (prototypes/models, versions, documentation) Get approval for, build and test the final version Carry out quality assurance and control Apply corrective actions to eliminate defects Document the lessons learnt and apply to new projects.

22. Project organization Is a group of people and associated infrastructure with an arrangement of, authority, relationships and responsibilities aligned to the business or function’s processes. This competence element covers the design and the maintenance of appropriate roles, organizational structures, responsibilities and capabilities for the project.

23. Possible process steps Determine what sort of project organization and resources are required. Identify all the organizational units that will provide resources to the project. Define the roles, responsibilities, interfaces and levels of authority in the project. Communicate decisions, lead the project organization. Maintain, update and change the project organization during the project life-cycle if needed. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

24. Teamwork Teams are groups of people who work together to realize specific objectives. Teamwork covers the management and leadership of team building, operating in teams and group dynamics.

25. Possible process steps Form=develop a common sense of purpose, belonging and commitment. Storm=assign roles, responsibilities and tasks. Norm=openness in how team members can work together. Perform=develop interdependency to obtain outstanding results. At the conclusion of the project disband the team. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

26. Problem resolution Most of the problems that arise are likely to involve the time-frame, cost, risks or deliverables of the project or an interaction between all four factors. Options to resolve problems may reducing the scope of project deliverables, increasing its time-frame, or providing more resources.

27. Possible process steps Include procedures for detecting problems in the project plan. Analyze the problem and identify its root cause. Apply creative methods to capture ideas to solve the problem. Evaluate the ideas and select a preferred option. implement and review the effectiveness of the selected solution and make adjustments as necessary. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

28. Project structures Projects can be broken down into their constituent parts from different standpoints, e.g. work breakdown, project organization, project cost, information and document structure. The project structures are a key mechanism for creating order within the project.

29. Possible process steps Analyze the portfolio, program or project and define the different structures which are appropriate. Define the requirements for each of the structures and how they will operate. Develop a means of displaying the structures. Elaborate, analyze and select the structures. Communicate and control project structures. Maintain the structures. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

30. Scope and deliverables The project scope defines the boundaries of a project. It embraces the totality of all the deliverables which are included in the project. The deliverables of a project are tangible or intangible assets created by the project for the customer.

31. Possible process steps Define interested parties’ requirements and objectives. Agree appropriate deliverables with the interested parties. Define project scope and control it in all project phases. Update the deliverables and scope when changes are agreed with the interested parties. Control the quality of the deliverables. Formally hand over the deliverables to the interested parties Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

32. Time & project phases Time covers the structuring, sequencing, duration, estimating, and scheduling of activities and/or work packages, including the assignment of resources to activities, establishing project deadlines and monitoring and controlling their timely execution. A project phase is a discrete time period of the project sequence, which is clearly separate from other periods.

33. Possible process steps Define and sequence the activities and/or work packages. Estimate duration. Schedule the project or phase. Allocate and balance resources. Compare target, planned and actual dates and update forecast as necessary/ Control the time schedule with respect to changes. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

34. resources Resource management consists of resource planning, within the identification and allocation of resources with the appropriate capability. It also includes optimizing the way resources are utilized in the time schedule as well as monitoring and control of theses resources.

35. Possible process steps Identify what resources are required. Schedule the resources. Obtain agreement with line management for resource assignments to the project. Control the resources with respect to changes. Modify the resource estimates database at project close-out with figures for the resources actually used. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

36. Cost & finance Project cost management estimates the cost of each work package, the sub-systems and the whole project and establishes the budget for the overall project. Project finance management ensures that in all project phases project manager knows how much financial resource is required for each time interval.

37. Possible cost management process steps Analyze and decide on project cost management system. Estimate and evaluate costs of each work package including overhead costs. Establish monitoring and controlling elements. Define cost objectives. Calculate actual resource usage and costs. Take all changes and claim into account. Analyze variances and causes, compare actual versus planned cost. Forecast cost trends and final costs. Develop and apply corrective actions. Update the cost estimate with respect to changes. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

38. Possible financial management process steps Analyze financing options for project. Negotiate with possible sources of funds and determine conditions attached. Select source of project funding. Allocate budget to cost items, analyze advance payments. Calculate financial resource usage and cash-in and cash-out flows of the project. Establish and control, book-keeping and financial auditing systems. Validate and manage budgets. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

39. Procurement & contract Procurement involves obtaining the best value for money from suppliers of goods or services to the projects. A contract is a legally bonding agreement between two or several parties to perform work or supply goods and services under specified condition.

40. Possible process steps Identify and define what needs to be procured. Put bids` out to tender. Select suppliers. Establish contract administration. Execute contract. Manage changes. Accept contract completion. Close contract. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

41. changes Changes are often necessary in a project due to unanticipated occurrences. Changes must be monitored against the original project goals and objectives .

42. Possible process steps Decide on change management policy and process to be used. Identify all proposed changes. Analyze their consequences to the project. Get changes accepted or rejected. Plan, execute, control and close approved changes. Monitor effect of changes against project baseline. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

43. Control & reports Control measures actual project progress and performance, compares it against the baseline, and takes any necessary remedial action. Reporting provides information and communication about the status of work on the project and forecasts development up until the end of the project.

44. Possible process steps Establish an effective reporting system. Monitor project status and performance on specific dates. Analyze objectives, plans and identify any deviations; run trend forecasts Develop and apply corrective actions. Eventually adjust project objectives. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

45. Information and documentation Information management includes modeling, gathering, selecting, storing and retrieving project data. Documentation includes all the data, information, knowledge and wisdom accrued during the project life-cycle.

46. Possible process steps involved in information Plan the project management information system. Implement the project management information system. Control and audit the use of the project management information system.

47. Possible process steps involved in documentation Develop a documentation management plan Classify documents. Issue documents. Store documents. Control documentation updates and versions. Archive documents.

48. communication Covers the effective exchange and understanding of information between parties.

49. Possible process steps Set out the communication plan. Identify the target population for communication and their location. Determine what needs to be communicated and the context. Choose the place, time, duration and means of communication. Plan the communication process and prepare the material. Check the send/transmit communication. Seed feedback on the effectiveness of the communication. Evaluate and take appropriate action. Document the lessons learnt and apply to future projects.

50. Start-up The start-up workshop focuses on developing the project charter, and preparing the project plan, setting out the team roles and critical path for the project.