MSP® Foundation

The standard for programme management
Overview

This Foundation course is the start on your Programme Management journey.  Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) is an internationally recognised best practice programme management method, which can be tailored to suit any type of working culture and any size or type of programme. MSP is also the de facto standard developed by the UK government for delivering change programmes in the UK.

A copy of ‘MSP Managing Successful Programmes 2011’ Book will be given to you on day 1 of the course.

Course Code
MSP3FOUN
Duration
3 Days
Delivery Style
Classroom
Course Type
Public or Private
Max Delegates
12
Special Instructions
Photographic ID is required to sit the examination.
Available as Nutshell
No

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Purpose of this course

Large, complex deliveries are often broken down into manageable, inter-related projects. For those managing this overall delivery the principles of programme management are key to delivering on time and within budget. This course offers you that and is the 3 day approach to gaining the Foundation qualification.

Who is this course for

This course is ideal for any staff involved in programme management roles and wish to gain a qualification, for example: Programme leaders; Programme office staff members; Business Change Managers; Business Consultants; and Operations staff involved in change programmes.

You will learn how to
  • Apply the OGC programme management approach
  • Understand the language of MSP and how the framework can be used to support programme management
  • Appreciate the roles involved in making programme management a collaborative effort
  • Appreciate the different perspectives of strategy, operations and projects
     
Benefits for your organisation

Attendees should gain a good appreciation of the advantages of using a programme management framework such as MSP. They ought to appreciate the importance of stakeholder engagement, the integration of business roles such as the Business Change Manager into the programme, and to understand the rigour that claimed benefits ought to be subjected to before a programme commences and during its journey.

Benefits for you as an individual

The course prepares you for the MSP Foundation exam; this qualification is widely-recognised in all industry sectors. You will understand the MSP programme framework, be confident in the use of MSP terms and appreciate the importance of benefits realisation management.

Identification Programme
  • Detailed review of techniques to take a programme from concept to feasibility and a Programme Brief
Definition Programme
  • Development of future business models and planning and application to a case study
Managing the Tranche
  • Steps and mechanisms used to enable the programme to flex to external events and keep the programme under control
Realising Benefits
  • Application of steps and activities required to take the capabilities delivered by the projects to release the benefits.
Delivering Capability
  • Design of case study project portfolio to ensure that they deliver the required capabilities to the change programme.
Closing a Programme
  • Steps in a structured Closure to ensure that the defeat is not snatched from the jaws of victory.
Benefits Management
  • Identifying and defining, from the case study of a benefits strategy, followed by profiling and modelling their delivery.
Organisation and Governance
  • Design an organisational structure for a programme, identifying responsibilities and additional roles that could be required.
Vision and Blueprint
  • Establishing a viable Vision on which the programme should be based, and developing an optimal end game Blueprint that steers the programme
Risk and Issue Management
  • Apply the 4 levels of Risk to the scenario, develop mitigation strategies and a process for resolution of issues
Planning and Control
  • Define the contents of a Programme Plan and identify how the programme will be controlled, with associated responsibilities and tools
Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership
  • Identify and analyse the stakeholders, profile and map their interests and issues and develop the Communications Plan
Business Case
  • Look at the challenges for the Business Case in the case study scenario and its use as a control tool
Quality Management
  • Design a Quality Management Strategy for a programme and the issues associated with implementation
Prerequisites

Pre-requisites for this course are covered by completing the pre-course workbook and reading. Experience of working in a Programme environment is also desirable.

Pre-course work required

15 hours of pre-course preparation work is required, along with some evening work during the course. Pre-Course material will be sent to you 4-6 weeks before the start of the course.

Pre-course reading and post-course support on Quanta Learn.

More about the exam

The exam is 60 minutes long, containing 75 questions of which 35 correct answers or more are required to pass, and 5 of which are trial questions with no marks.  The exam is closed-book.

This course is eligible for the PeopleCert Take2 scheme, please discuss at point of booking if this is of interest to you.
 
If taken as online proctored exam there is an additional £25 fee payable per exam

About the Lead Trainer

Toby Pulford

Toby is a Project, Programme and Risk Management trainer with over twenty years’ experience in both public and private sector delivery. An accountant by profession, he is a rare breed in that he does indeed have a sense of humour. Very much a family man, if you meet him, no doubt you will hear about the ‘Boos’ in his attempt to bring aspects of the subject to life.