Agile-Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)^® Exam Prep One-on-One Coaching

Duration: 5 sessions of 1.5-2 hours each

Description: Are you looking for an Agile certification that shows your ability to lead Agile projects using a variety of methodologies? PMI’s Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® certification demonstrates this ability by requiring certification holders to demonstrate knowledge of a wide variety of methodologies and proven experience on Agile projects. If you want to obtain your PMI-ACP® certification but need help with preparing for the exam, RefineM's one-on-one coaching is for you.

RefineM's Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® Exam Prep One-on-One coaching helps you develop the key skills and knowledge areas of Agile to help you prepare for the exam. You will learn from an experienced and Agile-certified instructor who knows what it takes to pass the PMI-ACP Exam. You will leave this coaching better prepared to take the PMI-ACP® exam, earn your PMI-ACP certification, and utilize Agile principles, tools and techniques in your career.

Course Objectives: After completing the course, you will be able to

• Develop better/increased understanding of Agile Fundamentals.
• Have a better understanding of the PMI-ACP exam course material and topics.
• Know tips and tricks for passing the PMI-ACP exam.
• Be prepared to take the PMI-ACP exam.

Who Should Attend: This coaching is primarily designed for anyone who is planning to get PMI-ACP certification and needs one-on-one coaching.

PDUs: Up to 10 PDUs (Strategic: 1, Leadership: 1, Technical: 8)

Course Delivery: Variable

Course Material: Attendees will receive the following course material:

• The PMI-ACP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, by Andy Crowe, electronic version (iBooks only).
• 1 month free subscription to RefineM's Agile Fundamentals videos.
• PMI-ACP handouts.
• Any other necessary training course material.

About RefineM's Instructors: RefineM's instructors are experienced and certified in project management and Agile and bring real-world experience to their instruction. Our instructors not only teach concepts, we also provide insights and hands-on experience. And we don’t waste time. Our training is focused and hard-hitting. We offer practical targeted training in just the key topics that will make the most impact.

First Steps Toward Agility:
Incorporating Agile Practices in a Waterfall Environment

Duration: 2 days

Description: Both traditional (Waterfall) methodology and Agile methodology have pros and cons and can be effective ways to structure a project. For teams that are not practicing Agile, there are still Agile practices that can benefit them. Daily standups, retrospectives, and many other key Agile practices and ceremonies can benefit even a Waterfall team.

For many, the most arduous part of transitioning to Agile in a waterfall environment happens at the beginning—in the uncertainty of how to put the initiative into motion. In this course, strategies and best practices to begin incorporating Agile practices are revealed. Real-world experiences working with existing project teams to begin incorporating Agile practices and ceremonies are shared. By initiating practices, teams start to understand Agile principles and mindset and become better prepared to take the next steps on their Agile journey. Specific Agile practices, and how to adapt each one to a traditional environment, are covered.

Agile Leadership

Duration: 1 day

Description: Agile projects are known for constant change. When the conditions can change overnight on an Agile project, those in leadership roles need to be able to adjust their leadership approach at the same pace in order to keep their teams poised for success. In RefineM's Agile Leadership course, attendees will learn the differences between leading in Agile and Waterfall environments. They will learn the unique environments and needs of Agile teams and how to adjust their leadership style to meet ever-changing needs. Attendees will leave this course with the skills to successfully lead Agile teams to success.

Successful Implementation of a PMO

Duration: 2 days

Description: Whether you’ve just started a Program Management Office (PMO) or you’re on your way to building a Strategic Project Office, this seminar is for PMO Directors and PMO Program Managers, to learn ways to advance your PMO, take your PMO to the next level–to a mature, stable and strategic PMO. PMOs today are utilized in many ways: in implementing a project/program/portfolio management methodology, leading organizational changes in promoting a project management culture, institutionalizing organizational processes and methodologies, managing programs and projects at enterprise-level, and in improving the organization's overall performance.

This seminar will cover starting a PMO, successful PMO implementation techniques, program and portfolio management methodologies, and advancing your PMO to a strategic level. Other ways to utilize the PMO, e.g., in portfolio management, in enterprise agile transformation will also be explored in providing PMO Directors with avenues in advancing the PMO—taking your PMO to the next level.

Microsoft Project Basic

Duration: 1 day in person or over the Web

Description: RefineM’s Microsoft Project Basic course is designed to introduce you to key elements of Microsoft Project, Microsoft's popular project management tool. This course will provide an overview of the navigation tool bar, working with different views supported by Microsoft Project, creating and updating tasks, performing resource management, and finalizing the project schedule. It will also include discussion of updates from the latest version, including new customizable report options (including burndown charts) and task path tracing.

Course Objectives: After completing the course, you will be able to

• Develop project schedules for small- to medium-size projects.
• Navigate through MS Project menu bars.
• Work with different views and switching between different views.
• Create, modify, rearrange, and format tasks.
• Create summary tasks.
• Create project and resource calendars.
• Manage resources for the project.
• Develop a project schedule and optimize by refining the critical path.

Who Should Attend: This course is ideal for project/program managers, portfolio managers, PMO leaders, project team members, business/systems analysts and other project stakeholders. This course is very useful for project managers who are new to MS Project and need help getting started with the tool.

PDUs: 7 PDUs (Strategic: 0, Leadership: 0, Technical: 7)

Course Delivery: Variable

Course Material: RefineM will prepare and provide the necessary training course material for all attendees.

About RefineM's Instructors: RefineM's instructors are experienced and certified in project management and Agile and bring real-world experience to their instruction. Our instructors not only teach concepts, we also provide insights and hands-on experience. And we don’t waste time. Our training is focused and hard-hitting. We offer practical targeted training in just the key topics that will make the most impact.

Contact us about future dates or to arrange for this training to be delivered in your organization or city.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Fundamentals / UAT 101

Duration: 2 days

Description: RefineM’s UAT Fundamentals course is a two-day training that introduces attendees to the fundamentals of User Acceptance Testing (UAT). Attendees will learn how to plan for UAT, execute test scenarios and track testing results. In addition, they will learn that UAT is business, not IT, focused and is a vital step in ensuring system requirements have met business needs. This course will allow attendees, through discussion and hands on activities, to gain an understanding of UAT so that they feel confident about participating in the testing process.

Business Analysis Fundamentals

Duration: 2 days

Description: Are you a new business analyst looking for ways to develop your business analysis and requirements gathering skills? Or, are you an experienced business analyst looking to increase your business analysis skills? Look no further than RefineM’s Business Analysis Fundamentals course.

RefineM’s 2-day Business Analysis Fundamentals public course introduces you to critical topics in business analysis. You will learn how to gather and elicit requirements in a traditional PM environment, and will receive an overview of how to gather / elicit requirements in an Agile environment. You will learn how to verify requirements, identify gaps, and provide solutions. You will leave the course with the foundation to proceed further in your business analysis career.

Business Requirements for Agile Projects

Description: Requirements are more susceptible to change in Agile projects. These requirements help in increasing customer satisfaction by responding to their needs quickly but they can also present many challenges like breaking larger requirements (EPICs) into smaller chunks (User Stories) and still keeping them meaningful to the customer and deployable by the team, grooming them in time for development team to consume and more.

In RefineM’s course, attendees will learn how to effectively gather business requirements on Agile projects. They will be exposed to techniques including brainstorming, focus group techniques, and many other. They will leave the course ready to gather business requirements for Agile projects.

Business Requirements for Agile Projects

Duration: 1 day

Description: In Agile projects, requirements are more susceptible to change. This difference between Agile and traditional project management can help increase customer satisfaction, but also presents many challenges including identifying all stakeholders, setting up frequent meetings, and many more.

In RefineM’s course, attendees will learn how to effectively gather business requirements on Agile projects. They will be exposed to techniques including brainstorming, focus group techniques, and many others. They will leave the course ready to gather business requirements for Agile projects.

Project Management Fundamentals / PM 101

Duration: 2 days

Description: Are you a project manager or project team member looking for a course that will help you develop a good understanding of the basics of project management? Have you heard about the benefits of project management and are looking for a way to harness them for you or your organization? If so, you will likely benefit from RefineM’s Project Management Fundamentals course.

RefineM’s Project Management Fundamentals training course covers basic topics in Project Management. This course is aligned to A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) Sixth Edition to help attendees become familiar with the framework and terminology. You will have opportunities to work on project examples and/or case studies that will allow you to have hands-on experience to apply the concepts.

Course Objectives: After completing the course, you will be able to

• Understand and describe the benefits of project management.
• Differentiate between a project and business process.
• Differentiate among processes in the five project management process groups.
• Relate the impact and dynamics of the organization’s culture/behavior on their projects.
• Describe the role of a project manager and the roles of others associated with the project.
• Utilize basic project management practices to improve their project delivery capability.

Who Should Attend: This course is ideal for anyone who is responsible for project delivery but never went through formal training on project management. Anyone working on a project, such as a project manager, project coordinator, project lead, team lead, senior project manager, or PMO director, will also benefit from this course.

In addition, organizations that want to adopt consistent project management practices should also benefit from sending their project managers to this formal training.

PDUs: 14 PDUs / Contact Hours per day of instruction (Strategic: 0, Leadership: 0, Technical: 14)

Course Delivery: Variable

Course Material: RefineM will prepare and provide the necessary training course material for all attendees.

About RefineM's Instructors: RefineM's instructors are experienced and certified in project management and Agile and bring real-world experience to their instruction. Our instructors not only teach concepts, we also provide insights and hands-on experience. And we don’t waste time. Our training is focused and hard-hitting. We offer practical targeted training in just the key topics that will make the most impact.

Contact us about future dates or to arrange for this training to be delivered in your organization or city.