Greetings!

In the lead up to this month's newsletter focused on higher education in project management, we've touched off debates & healthy discussions, tapping into educated opinion throughout the project management community. All of it revolves around one emerging area within project management – project management degrees.

Tying in with our newest portal, the Higher Education Directory, we've collected viewpoints from the Arras People LinkedIn Group page; responses from our poll at Survey Monkey; and viewpoints at the Association for Project Management discussion we've originated.

It's all in the name of giving project management practitioners, job seekers, students, educators and hiring personnel alike the ability to provide input and feeling for what degrees in project management mean for the marketplace. We'll interpret our discoveries of what you've told us, and determine what project management courses in the UK's universities will mean to the profession as a whole.

We're also back with another edition of Question of the Month, and we gear our readers toward one of our Frequently Asked Questions. In our other running feature, Lindsay Scott again reviews a new book: this time, she tackles Peter Parkes' NLP for Project Managers, with an accompanying announcement of a planned course Parkes will deliver in November. A 10% discount on the course is available to Tipoffs readers - visit www.NLP4PM.com with the code "Arras" to learn more about the course itself and what it can bring to you.

Higher Education v. Experience: All-Out War or Peaceful Co-Existence?

Words: Dan Strayer, Lindsay Scott

Is a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in project or programme management a differentiator in the project marketplace[1]? Does having a degree make you a better project manager? Do employing project managers with degrees mean projects are delivered more successfully than those without? And what place do further education institutions have in the future of the project management profession?

We sought the input of a cross-section of people affiliated with project management, including professors in the subject, those practitioners that have both obtained a project management degree and those who have not. We also solicited the views from the employer angle too.

So what does the project management community think about higher education in project management?

September 2011

Both educator and employer Robert Starinsky lectures on project management at both DePaul University and Robert Morris University’s Bensenville, IL campus. Doubling as an owner of a management consultancy in Greater Chicago, Starinsky is inclined to think that a foundation of familiarity with project management at the educational level will pay dividends to a workforce he feels is destined to work on a project at some point in their lives.

"In my mind not everyone will obtain PMP certification, yet almost everyone will at one time or another work on or even leads, a project within the context of their professional careers," he wrote. "Therefore, employing sound project management practices should be second nature to everyone in our increasingly project driven/project oriented world. For example, Six Sigma and similar quality improvement initiatives are being led by engineers in manufacturing and nursing managers in health care. "As I see it, no matter the profession, project management is a worthy skill to require of all aspiring job market entrants - and that's how I teach it to the business and healthcare students who step into my classroom."

A project management degree can give a solid foundation in project management learning and of course goes way beyond the other accreditations available in the marketplace.

Ralf Finchett Jnr, a practicing PMO Manager adds, "I first passed Prince2 practitioner, then went back to University and did my degree in Project Management, and finally passed MSP practitioner. "Everyone who completes a degree should be proud of themselves, however taking that away, it’s fairly simple; if you learn any topic over 3 years, and then try and learn the same/similar topic in 5 days, surely the learning and how to apply it has to be more advantageous to the 3 year learning. Project Management is no different."

A senior consultant & experienced safety and quality projects manager based in Australia, Dr. Bryce Cassin served as a Senior Lecturer & Course Director at the University of Technology Sydney. For as much time as he put into teaching and instructing the practise, he told us in our discussion that being out with a project allowed him a better appreciation for the fumes of the fire.

"Many capable project leaders have never set foot inside a university to hand over their cash for a postgraduate qualification in PM," he wrote. "This year I returned to industry with a well-run international company, and have learned more through managing projects in the last six months than I did teaching PM for three years."

The debate has raged for some time now about the educated versus the experienced in project management and which camp makes the better project managers.

Chris Walters, business support manager at Vodafone and Chairman at the APM PMOSIG, added what he admitted was a contentious point of view.

"I've seen a number of BSc in project management graduates coming into companies as ‘project managers’ at the age of 21 and dying on their feet," he wrote. "For a couple of reasons:

1. They have no "trade" or common ground with the people on their project, so can talk the language of projects, but not construction or IT or whatever - they cannot gain the leadership recognition that helps lead projects successfully

2. Much project management success comes from the application of experience to the tools of the trade and selecting approaches wisely, especially in the region of the softer skills. A fresh graduate is woefully under-equipped with real leadership and workplace experience. Experienced malevolent or playful team members can easily hoodwink a green project manager into spending time looking for stripy paint!

"I'm very supportive of the teaching of project management, but I actually think that good project managers emerge through adversity and how they deal with adversity. Although you can say that project management in its very purest form is just a process, the reality is that it’s a complex profession that requires experience and knowledge. It's a senior leadership role that to be successful in requires an apprenticeship, good mentoring / coaching and above all, a great attitude - it's hard to learn any of those from textbooks and tutorials."

Current student/business analysis manager Ben Pinches added an opposing view.

"There are a growing number of academic qualifications aimed at project and programme management practitioners, including the MSc in Major Programme Management at Said Business School (University of Oxford) that I am close to completing," he wrote. "This growing number (see Cranfield, Manchester, UCL etc.) are evidence that there is an appetite for 'new thinking' within the PPM space, but I would beware of pushing the "structured approach" too hard - after all the overall success rate for major programmes has remained consistently poor over the last 50 years and yet there have been dozens of ‘structured approaches’ claiming to have the answer.

"Clearly, an inexperienced 21-year-old, whether or not they have a qualification in project management, would be a poor choice to put in charge of a major initiative and should be made to 'pay their dues'. But the world in which 'good project managers emerge through adversity' is not leading to better project management.

"The failure rate is far too high to allow this kind of attitude to continue, especially when you consider the projectification and programmification of the business world and the ever increasing numbers of major programmes swallowing up more and more precious investment. Suck it and see just won't do any more. What's wrong with a middle road, where the best of the academic world is combined with the best from the practitioner community? Surely we all want to see more successful project delivery, not just take entrenched positions?"

One thing that has become clear during our time as recruitment specialists in project management over the last ten years is the lack of readiness of graduates into the project management marketplace. This is especially true of Bachelor and Masters level degree graduates without prior works experience (in project management).

The bottom line for most people opting to undertake such a degree as project management is the ability to take that advanced learning experience and apply it in the real world in exchange for a fair level of remuneration and reward. So how are universities ensuring their graduates are ready for work?

Cassin still holds out hope for higher education but has reservations about preparing for readiness. "My esteem for the principles of university education is robust and unshaken," he wrote. "Perhaps this is why universities are struggling to prepare people for real world activities?

"When universities began in the 12th century they were 'seats' of dialogue providing multiple perspectives on a variety of subject matter with very few tightly defined disciplines and professions. Maybe this is what we have lost in our curriculum driven and professions oriented modern university. Whatever happened to the training of minds and preparation of communities for active and creative engagement with the world? There was no PMBOK either in the medieval university, although you could find a PRINCE or two."

Ady James is a Systems Engineer at University College London, where he has served as Course Director for the MSc in Systems Engineering Management and Co-Director of the UCL Centre for Systems Engineering. His views correspond closely with the need for sound practise, but also says that no course was ever meant to be the "be all, end all" in the first place for sound project management.

He writes: "Three situations exist:

1. Project management as a profession (or activities now labelled as PM at least) seems to be growing; 2. More people than ever are going into higher education; and 3. Higher education is now an open competition and institutes/courses will only survive if it responds to

industry needs.

"In addition to this, not all companies and industries are as pro-active in developing the capabilities they need internally and if a qualification seems to fit what they want on paper they will seek individuals out that have this qualification. HE institutes would then be foolish not to respond to this market need. What the profession has to do is try to ensure that the industry understands that courses can't be the only route to acquiring competency and the HE institutes need to make their courses match industry needs as close as possible."

James put emphasis on getting the balance between experience, training and education just right.

"My impression is that many of these [graduates] are very effective (but I suspect there has been very little robust research on this) and some may not be. People just need to be pragmatic about what the different aspects can and cannot do, a degree in PM will not make you the best PM you can be, mentoring will not make you the best PM you can be, 10 years experience alone will not make you the best PM you can be, soft skills will not make you the best PM you can be. A little of each, at the right time, appreciating the advantages that the others give, might just do the trick."

Richard Watson, a PPM lecturer at Cranfield University and long-time practitioner/consultant in risk management in contract claim engineering, brings a different view.

"I think we need more to consider what is wrong with both roads," he wrote. "In my opinion it is over-emphasis on the defining of the 'right way' to do it [project management]...rather than encouraging the thinking about the problems. "For example, I often hear comments like 'well that's the WBS done!', rather than discussion about what the creation of the WBS is to achieve in the managing of this project... or even if this is the relevant tool to be using."

Not only do the universities need to ensure their degree courses are relevant to industry, they should also be considering the issue of their graduates not being able to demonstrate practical application once they graduate.

Consider the options of gaining a degree whilst working in a project management role.

Scott Sugden commented "I have completed a Foundation Degree in Project Management and about to start the top up year for a full honours degree. The degree has given me an excellent foundation in the theory and practices of PM and the option to study whilst still working full time has been a great combination for me."

Also worth consideration is the development of an apprenticeship in project management from BAe, which is covered in an accompanying blog post.

Dr Caroline Curtis' article on degree graduates in Recruiter magazine from the 17th August explained how government is trending away from university aid and assistance, as evidenced by the tuition rise (the average annual fee has already risen to £8,765, a threefold increase) & the withdrawal of the Educational Maintenance Allowance for lower income families in university. With this change, these students might instead matriculate in the direction of apprenticeships, which the current government favours.

With the lack of practical experience being a major showstopper to graduates in finding jobs post degree it calls into question the time and cost commitment required to do the degree in the first place.

One project management practitioner shares his views about the potential future of degrees in project management. David Sawyer said: "I think you're going to see a move from HE and FE to vocational training over the next few years as fees go up and the standards remain the same. I'm doing an MSc in PM, but wouldn't be doing it if it cost £9k/yr to do it, as it's not 'necessary for my job' - despite it being a massive benefit.

"There has been a rise in the number of degree-educated (a degree in project management) project managers over the last ten years, just has there has been an even bigger increase in accreditations such as PRINCE2. The employers looking for project managers to join their organisation will normally stipulate a degree education; as yet this stipulation is not for a project management degree. Employers are much more likely to ask for industry accreditations and certifications such as PRINCE2, APMP or PMI PMP."

Sugden's experience was telling. "The job market still seems to prefer job seekers to have a Prince 2 or APMP qualification - to the point where I considered doing the APMP rather than top up my Foundation degree."

So is a project management degree a differentiator in the marketplace? Having a project management degree, backed up with an industry accreditation, a commitment to continual learning (CPD) and on-the-job experience (with a proven track record of success) mark some project managers out from others. The key is relevancy – are you relevant to the project management marketplace? Do you have the requisite skills, training, competency, experience and education that your particular sector needs now and in the future?

The project management industry is set to change over the coming decades as the profession continues to mature. The "experienced" practitioners will start to retire and leave the profession and the "project management as a career choice" practitioners with their degrees become a more dominant force. We will know for sure that the project management degree has become a differentiator when the employing organisations make it their top prerequisite for hiring.

[1] In starting the conversation about higher education's more recent devotion & development of the study of project management, we had to tap our social

media valves by, well, starting a few conversations. The breakdown of the response was taken from two central sources - a variety of discussions on the topic

within LinkedIn groups, including the Arras People Group and also from the official Association for Project Management group page; and also a short discussion

we originated in APM website’s official forum.

Diploma image courtesy gadgetdude @ flickr and re-used with permission; strongman image courtesy LOLren @ flickr and re-used with permission.

Dan Strayer is the Marketing Coordinator of Arras People and Editor of Project Management Tipoffs. To read more of his work on project management at How to Manage a Camel, click here. Lindsay Scott has served as Director of Arras People since its inception 10 years ago. To read more of her work on project management at How to Manage a Camel, click here.

Have Your Say – What the Broader Project Management Community Says About Higher Education

Words: Dan Strayer

Taking to the social media spheres at our disposal, including an online poll we’ve conducted and shared below, the thoughts of the wider project management community about higher education and project management seem torn and inconclusive. Amongst the responses of those who’ve either done it or are currently doing it, partakers are glad they have done so.

As for those respondents that haven't, you’ll see a group that equally voluminous and prideful. And not surprisingly, those not amongst the Higher Education crowd skew heavily in the direction of a "you can’t beat first-hand experience" mentality.

To narrow things down, we asked an initial Yes or No question in our survey, Higher Education & PPM: "Have you taken courses of study in project management at a university?"

58 percent responded "No" leaving 42 percent responding "Yes". In comparison with the data from the Project Management Benchmark Report for this year 69% of project practitioners had at least a Bachelors degree in any subject. It was 63% in the previous year’s Report. The project management profession has a highly educated community; however, there is a majority who feel that they don't need to study the subject in which their career is based.

So what about the 42% who have or are studying project management at a higher level?

When asked what motivated them to take a course, the respondents overwhelmingly voiced opinions that suggested it was a great way to go professionally, whilst indicating they had some form of experience to date.

In fact over 70% of those who indicated they have studied project management at degree level had opted for the Masters degree, indicating that they opted to do the degree after working for sometime as a project practitioner.

Here’s a sampling of the motivations for taking the degree:

• "I wanted a more wholesome learning experience and not just learn the latest tool!" • "Formal education to supplement work experience." • "Personal development and a desire to go beyond the limitations of a PRINCE 2 course." • "To learn more than PMBoK." • "I was relatively successful (where others had not been) when promoted into a PM position. This I attributed

to my software design back ground, Joining the AMP raised my awareness of PM in the general sense but I still wanted to know more so I looked for a distance learning course with teaching days included. I've just finished year one out of two."

• "Proposed by employer." • "Career progression, theoretical interest."

We asked the question; "What did you get out of taking a university course?" looking to see what project practitioners felt about their degrees afterwards.

By far the biggest reason for taking a degree in project management was personal improvement and satisfaction at 77%, followed by stronger professional recognition at 59%. Other answers included new work opportunities and expansion of their own professional network.

We then asked the question, "Do you feel that you got a good return on your educational investment?" Over 95% believed their project management degree was worth the investment, although some of the respondents are still studying at the moment. Stand out comments on the ROI included; "I am more confident in my role, which in the LONG TERM will pay dividends," and "the MSc taught me to think critically and challenge the way that I had habitually done things" and finally, "It provides credibility in a world full of self-professed experts who know very little about true professionalism."

We asked both project management degree educated respondents and those who had not undertaken a degree in this field, "Would you consider (taking/taking additional) university courses in project management?"

We wanted to see what the respondents currently without a project management degree felt about the possibility of undertaking this in the future. 44% would consider it, whilst 26% were a definite no. Interesting 73% of those already with a PM degree would consider further courses at the university, perhaps showing they have the learning bug.

Asking all the respondents, "In total, what kind of CPD courses in project management have you partaken in?" we wanted to see not only what was the most popular self-directed learning and development methods were popular

with the project management community, we also looked at the differences between respondents.

By percentage, the respondents who had a PM degree had the upper hand across several mediums of career development: not just for university courses but also in Non-Accredited Training, Conferences, Seminars and Webinars, and even-Self-Directed Learning. Moreover, PM degree respondents are more likely to use accredited training courses (69% to 58%) and in-house corporate package (66% to 47%), and they’re very keen on methods like peer support/coaching (by nearly four times - 56% to 16%) and "relevant experience as a learning tool" (more than double - 56% to 26%).

Those without a PM degree find other ways: this group is heavily self-directed in its learning (three out of four, to be precise, can point to trade magazines and reading/research as a source in their development).

Some legitimate form of CPD is the backbone of unlocking the possibilities in a project practitioner’s career yet PM degree educated practitioners would definitely recommend these courses to their peers. In fact 95 percent would recommend the courses. Paying particular (but not exclusive) attention to the final comment, here’s a look at some of their reasoning behind it:

• "If you spend the majority of your working life in a profession it should be of interest to you to explore the boundaries of that profession."

• "My experience as an engineer was limited to designing & implementing what others told me were needed. Now I have the knowledge to and belief to question what I'm told or see and want to be the one in control."

• "It is definitely good for personal development in terms of developing a critical stance towards the profession. Nobody should follow the PM discourse without reflecting on it.”

• "In some cases, I would recommend it for people with at least 3 years experience in projects, and with some clear background."

• "It is the first step towards true professionalism and the creation of a curriculum for PM education." • "If we are serious about being a profession education in the core subject matter is essential - you can't build a

house without solid foundations!"

• "My course was a distance learning course with The Open University. This involved using practical case studies from my job which meant that I could apply the theory being learnt on my training course. I found this method of learning valuable as I could apply the taught principles immediately into a 'real-life' situation. On the other hand, my PRINCE2 Practitioner training was very much a taught course; there was no real application during the training. I found this less valuable because in real life it is impossible to apply ideal-models. Hence, application of what I learnt took much longer as I had to develop another layer of thinking around how this work in real-life. I would recommend courses which provide practical and hands-on training but simple taught courses I think need more consideration, especially if you are not able to apply the principles directly after the training."

Without promoting one university over another, it’s particularly helpful that the final comment was added with such detail - it points to the possibilities of the engagement within the industry such a course of study could provide. And the respondent does this whilst pointing out how an accreditation doesn’t necessarily give such hands on application. Short courses are all the rage in project management however a well structured and crafted degree course can allow time for real-life, practical application.

Dan Strayer is a Marketing Coordinator of Arras People and editor of Project Management Tipoffs. To read more of his work on project management at How to Manage a Camel, click here.

The Professor Speaks: Dr Sean Dodd on Project Management Degrees

Words: Lindsay Scott, Dan Strayer and Dr Sean Dodd

What is the project management professor’s perspective on the key questions facing the development of the next generation of PPM practitioners? We at Arras People took the time to get that perspective in a lot of different areas this month, including forums and discussions (see above).

We've also gone straight to someone willing to go on the record about it.

Dr Sean Dodd is programme leader for the MSc in project management at the University of East London (UEL) and is also an APM-accredited PRINCE2 trainer. An academic and a practitioner, Dr Dodd regularly presents papers on project management at international conferences. The Master of Science programme at UEL provides PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner training free to all students on the programme, and is also open to members of the public for a fee. The MSc, meanwhile, can be studied full time or part time, and students can start in September or February each year. The programme consists of four modules and a dissertation, and is accredited by the APM.

Recently, Lindsay Scott and Dan Strayer put some questions about a variety of topics to Dr Dodd in an email concerning PPM & Higher Education, ranging from career readiness to training course overlapping to managing PPM degree perceptions. He replied to us with solid detail.

ARRAS PEOPLE: Why do students opt for a PPM related degree courses of study over accreditation based (i.e. PRINCE2) training? DR SEAN DODD: Specialist knowledge can be gained in a variety of areas, in addition to a dissertation which enables students to choose their preferred area of study. The students can network with staff and other students to build relationships which frequently last beyond the length of the programme. Representatives from specialist recruitment agencies such as Arras People are instrumental in helping students to start and progress their careers. At UEL we also have a dedicated employment manager to assist students in their search for suitable employment. We actively encourage the students to network as much as possible, which includes attending the APM annual conference in London and other conferences such as Project Challenge.

AP: What are the perceived benefits? DODD: The students have access to qualified and experienced staff and guest speakers and are able to study a specific area of their choice for the dissertation. The guest speakers are selected for their experience in a range of issues, such as international project management or from working on projects such as Crossrail or sports venues for the London Olympic Games. They gain exposure to the APM via guest speakers who explains its purpose and benefits of membership. Our location in East London allows students to access events and projects which would not be possible elsewhere. For example, the London Olympic venue sites at Stratford.

AP: What can students expect when studying project management at this level? DODD: Students can expect access to qualified and experienced lecturers supported by guest speakers who are practitioners in a variety of senior management roles in industry. Even if students are unable to complete the programme they can still graduate with a certificate or diploma if they have successfully completed two or four modules, respectively. The course is taught in lectures with supporting seminars and training in relevant software. We have a new and dedicated study area exclusively for post graduate students where they can meet to discuss assignments or just relax between lectures. Students are assessed by the submission of individual and group reports and taking part in presentations based on projects of their own choice.

AP: What can/are PPM course providers at universities do(-ing) to sell the readiness of their graduates to corporations, public entities and third sector providers of PPM services? DODD: Competence is assured by combining a theoretical foundation with lectures and research. PRINCE2 training is also provided to support the MSc. We have an extensive list of specialist agencies and project manager employers which students can contact at any time to seek suitable work.

AP: What kind of opportunities do graduates go on to undertake? DODD: A large number of the graduates are in full-time employment when they study while others return to their own countries and continue their employment. Generally these tend to be in the construction or IT sectors.

AP: Do you feel this is directly attributable to the course they have studied? DODD: In many cases students continue the roles they had previously, but many also take up new roles either as an entry position to the industry or a promotion.

AP: For years, practitioners "fell into" project management after being construction, engineering, IT or software professionals. What do you think the PPM course of study will mean for the future of project management? DODD: Our MSc programme is tailored to provide post graduate training for those who want to initiate a career in project management. MSc programmes have only recently become available compared to other more established disciplines. These programmes will provide in-depth knowledge which other courses, such as PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner, do not provide. The accredited courses are based on best practice in the industry and can only lead to an increase in successful projects in the future as the number of graduates increases.

Dan Strayer is the Marketing Coordinator of Arras People and Editor of Project Management Tipoffs. To read more of his work on project management at How to Manage a Camel, click here. Lindsay Scott has served as Director of Arras People since its inception in 2002. To read more of her work on project management at How to Manage a Camel, click here.

FAQ of the Month

Arras People & Project Management Tipoffs

this month welcome you back to a feature

that reveals more about some of the

Frequently Asked Questions we've

answered recently.

This section is here to help you realise where to get help with your most basic and far-reaching questions alike. With just a little

search, you can use the Arras People website to get ahead in your hunt for gainful PPM employment and advice. From time to time, we'll go beyond FAQs with this running feature as well - we're also happy to point you towards the tidbits of information you can do with, be it a handout, a testimonial, or reasons as to why a candidate can turn to Arras People. The main idea is to channel your regularly-asked inquiries into sections of the website that are set up to deal with them in a convenient fashion.

This month's Frequently Asked Question:

• Can I see in-depth information about the project management roles you have?

Image by sarbathory and re-used with permission.

Book Review - "NLP For Project Managers"

Author: Dr Peter Parkes Publisher: British Computer Society Size: 242 pages

Reviewed by Lindsay Scott

NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) for Project Managers in its purest sense is a book for any project practitioner who wants to improve on their behavioural competencies in project management. In other words it is that area of development that often gets neglected or

overlooked in favour of more technical aspects of project management like process and methods.

If you have heard little about NLP yet been put off by the stories of manipulation or its just psycho babble, now is the time to take another look. The book takes a comprehensive look at areas such as communication and interaction with others – all vital parts of the project practitioner’s working day.

Peter’s experience in project management coupled with expertise in NLP makes this book a directly relevant read for a practitioner. He covers the "science" part of NLP before going on to relate the NLP elements to everyday occurrences in the project management world.

The book kicks off with the world of project management – a scene-setting chapter which is equally applicable to seasoned practitioners, as it serves as a reminder of the people aspects in projects, as well as those new to project management.

The second chapter focuses on the world of NLP and starts to introduce the concepts – like presuppositions, meta-programs, representational systems and so on. There is a lot in this chapter that often requires a reread too, not because it is difficult to understand the concepts but rather there is a new "language" to learn. Maybe this was my approach to the book in that I wanted to ensure that I understood the terms and would want to recall them later (I should declare my interest in psychology here, having graduated some years ago in the subject, and NLP is very much about some psychological aspects of people). However, this book can be read without studying as Peter intersperses the concepts with his own personal stories and exercises.

The third chapter brings the two worlds together – project management and NLP.

There are so many great things in this chapter and I suspect it is a chapter that many practitioners will delve into time and time again. Take the area of time management, something all project practitioners have a real sense of. Wouldn't it be interesting to know how all your team members view time management? The meta-program for time looks at "through-time" and "in-time" and a simple visualisation exercise can quickly show you if you are more likely to be aware of deadlines and planning ahead and vice versa - a neat little exercise that would help not only your own work, but also give an indication of how your team views the world. The area of negotiation and persuasion, a top skill for any practitioner, and again dealing with conflict, motivating the team, listening skills, giving feedback, stress

management… the list goes on. So many areas of a project manager’s daily work life are here, with practical, clear tools, exercises and real life examples to making small changes that have a big impact. And that’s the key to this book: its about taking one area at a time and trying it out in real life situations (having a go with friends and family first before rushing into the next project meeting!)

The final part of the book gives a "week in the life of" a project manager using some of the NLP techniques. I think it's a nice touch to the book which really demonstrates that you don’t really need to remember the names of the concepts or even remember the details of the concepts.

My recommendation is that the second and third chapter should be read straight after each other without a break (there was a two-week period between me reading these chapters). Whilst Peter does layout the concepts again more briefly in the third chapter, I had to do a bit of back tracking just to make sure I understood the concept again!

The target audience is very much the project practitioner and I think the book hits the mark perfectly. It has a good balance of theory and practical interpretation through models and tools which should appeal to a project practitioner.

I would struggle to recommend another book that covers the tricky subject of how we become better at the people aspects of project management. I think the mark of any good book is that you find yourself recommending it when in conversation with others, which is what happened just the other day. A friend, who is currently working in a change management environment, was talking about interesting times in her organisation. It was the age-old problem of a few "trouble makers" who are showing resistance to change. I piped up that there are loads of examples and approaches you could take with NLP, and there’s this book I’m reading...

***Peter Parkes' NLP for Project Managers, with an accompanying announcement of a planned course Parkes will deliver in November. A 10% discount on the course is available to Tipoffs readers - visit www.NLP4PM.com with the code "Arras" to learn more about the course itself and what it can bring to you.***

ABOUT THE REVIEWER: Lindsay Scott is a Director of Arras People. To read more of her work on project management at How to Manage a Camel, click here.

DO YOU WANT TO REVIEW A BOOK FOR TIPOFFS? Contact us today.

Q&A

"I'm being made redundant soon, but I'd like to try and use my remaining time with the company to fund some relevant training that can help me when I'm out. I'm thinking of going with either PRINCE2 or the PMP certification. What would you suggest?" – Leanne, London

Gary Holmes of Arras People says: Hi Leanne, deciding on which training course to pursue is often a bit of a mine field. There are that many options out there now that choosing the right one to suit your needs and experience level is critical in terms of providing you with the right level of reward for your investment.

There is no doubt that Prince2 is still the most widely regarded and well-known Project Management qualification out there. The advantages to taking this route are that the process is relatively quick and painless in terms of the exam format (multiple-choice) and it will undoubtedly tick a box with many of the employers currently in the market. The downside to Prince2 is that it is, at the end of the day, a methodology. Not everyone uses it, and those that do tend to only use elements of it. The other problem we have seen a lot of recently is that Prince2 has been viewed by many candidates as the quick fix to getting a Project Management job. However, always be aware that without the experience to back it up, Prince2 will only do so much for you.

The PMP certification on the other hand is a pretty intensive process. Candidates are required to sit a four-hour exam whilst submitting a portfolio of their PM experience (4500 hours worth for graduates) to a review board. The process is relatively cheap but be warned: it is intensive. That said, if you have the right level of experience, this is a rapidly growing accreditation which will provide you with a solid level of respect within the PM fraternity.

Another option to consider is the APMP qualification. This I would say is a good halfway house between Prince2 and PMP and is quickly becoming one of the leading routes to accreditation for PM professionals. The process is, like Prince2 relatively painless (you can sit a week long course which concludes with a 3 hour exam). Unlike Prince2, the exam is not multiple choice and is therefore aimed at candidates who have prior experience to draw upon. The APMP also takes a holistic viewpoint of Project Management, as opposed to Prince2 being a methodology. As such the APMP is developing a bit of a reputation for attracting truly experienced PM’s, whereas Prince2 in many cases it could be argued could be passed by most people who put in a bit of time and effort.

The choice is yours.

If you would like to put a question to Gary or any of our other project management consultants, contact us and it could end up in a future edition of the Tipoffs Q&A. Also, be sure to check out both our Project Management Careers Clinic and also the Project Management Careers Advice pages for more advice related to project management careers.

Got a question for us? Contact us today.

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From Arras People & How to Manage a Camel

• LINKEDiN ARRAS PEOPLE GROUP: Higher Education & PPM Discussion • LINKEDiN APM GROUP: Higher Education & PPM Discussion • LINKEDiN PMOSIG GROUP: Higher Education & PPM Discussion • APM DISCUSSION: Higher Education's role in the development of tomorrow's Project Managers • CAMEL: The Modern Project Management Apprenticeship (Brand New!) • TIPOFFS: Graduating into Project Management (May 2007) • WEBSITE: University Directory (new!) • WEBSITE: Career Changes • CAMEL: Grasping the Opportunities of the Project Management Decade • CAMEL: Dan Reflects on Villanova PM Course (links to previous posts also available) • CAMEL: Ed Wallington Reflects on Villanova PM Course (links to previous posts also available) • CAMEL: Graduate Project Management Careers Advice

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TERMINATION - Tell Your Story

Arras People Director, Lindsay Scott, is currently co-editing a project management book focused on the people aspects of PM. She's looking for your personal views on a chapter focused on employment termination and redundancy. The chapter includes a collection of personal stories from people who work within project management and we're looking to cover different aspects such as; redundancy, voluntary redundancy, forced resignation, discrimination, restructuring, within the probation period and unacceptable performance. We’re looking for personal stories from project managers who have had to fire team members themselves as well as your own personal experiences.

If you would like to contribute please contact Lindsay directly at Lindsay.scott@arraspeople.co.uk, all communications are confidential.

To see current project management job vacancies from Arras People, please visit the Job Board

COMING NEXT MONTH! Arras People Shows Agility

We're looking for the input of professors, employers of project personnel, students and modern project practitioners on the emergence of the Agile approach and its burgeoning "project management method of choice" showdown with PRINCE2. We've got a couple of ways for you to get through to us:

• Take our Agile-specific survey (click the button on the right to take it) • Email us if you're a project manager who has dabbled in Agile in your working experience • Email us if you're a Agile practitioner who has dabbled in project management in

your working experience • Discuss Agile conceptions & misconceptions on the Arras People LinkedIn Group debate

The findings will prove to be of a great benefit to the October issue of Project Management Tipoffs, which - as you've probably already guessed - focuses on Agile as a burgeoning rival to other popular project management methodologies, including the vaunted PRINCE2 practise.

See you next month, and subcribe to the newsletter below if you haven't already.

All we need is your input - so get in touch today!

Project Magazine

Our recent series of white papers in the PPM Insider tackled issues pertaining to the market conditions for project practitioners during the second quarter of 2011. PPM Insider received some well-deserved kudos in the September edition of Project magazine. Learn more about our findings at How to Manage a Camel.

Read more about Lack of Candidate Churn

Discount to Tipoffs Readers

We received the following message recently from our contacts at the upcoming Agile Business Conference, scheduled for 4th-6th October:

We would like to invite you to attend the Agile Business Conference taking place at the Inmarsat Conference Centre in October.

Our theme focuses on the maturity and acceptability of Agile – as evidenced by the recent significant successes and developments across the Public and Private Sectors.

This year the agenda has been extended to 3 days - we invite you to attend 1, 2 or all 3 days.

We have expanded the conference to provide a simple point of entry for an entire Agile audience (emphasis theirs), with the option for pre-registered attendees to attend select Agile Training and Workshops from real-world experts on the first day.

• Meet the experts with real-world experience in delivering Agile across organisations in the Public Sector and to numerous organisations and business areas in the Private Sector.

• Learn how organisations have adopted Agile, how they overcame the challenges and how Agile can work effectively even in highly regulated sectors.

• Discover how successful organisations are reaping the benefits of Agile through improved ROI. • Network with leading Agile Practitioners, learn new skills and discuss their real-world Agile experience.

***Arras People can take advantage of a special 10% discount by using the promotional code:*** AGCOMPDISC02 (emphasis ours)

Further information about the Introductory Day on 4th October and the Conference on 5th & 6th October is available at www.agileconference.org (emphasis theirs)

Those of you planning to attend (more info is available here) should check it out today, and take advantage!