Agile Programme Management Certification

The world of project and programme management has been evolving over recent years with agile methods and practices become increasingly popular as organizations seek to respond faster and more effectively to ever-increasing change initiatives.

This is particularly true of project management and our AgilePM certifications are proving particularly popular. But what about programme management, or large-scale change initiatives? What guidance and certifications are available for programme managers wishing to demonstrate their agile credentials?

APMG International has partnered with the Agile Business Consortium to create AgilePgM – guidance and a supporting training and certification scheme for agile programme management.

The guidance – much like the sister project management guidance – draws heavily on the content of the Consortium's Agile Project Framework – a long established, internationally recognized framework for agile project delivery.

AgilePgM provides programme managers with a disciplined but flexible agile approach to the management of transformational organizational change, allowing for iterative and incremental delivery of outputs and benefits. The governance model, contained within the guidance, ensures a programme will capture its vision, whilst empowering teams to work without undue interference. Built on firm foundations, the programme can evolve and react to business change in our increasingly dynamic world.

AgilePgM guidance and training courses:

• Lay the foundations for successful agile programmes
• Explain how an agile programme can be planned and managed
• Clarify the different management styles needed for successful agile programmes (compared to 'traditional' programmes)
• Provide integration with Managing Successful Programmes

This qualification provides those involved in large-scale change initiatives with the tools they need to adopt an agile approach to programmes. It equips them to be able to scale agile and to incorporate agile and non-agile initiatives into a programme. It also provides a full Programme Management framework that can easily fit with existing programme management methods or it can be used in its own right.

• Develop a more advanced, applied level of knowledge to gain an understanding of agile methods; gain the ability to apply relevant programme management methods, leading to successful agile programmes.
• Clarify different management styles needed for successful agile programmes compared to traditional programmes and be able to tailor these to the situation.
• Actively promote trust and close co-operation between all stakeholders and provide ongoing visibility into what is happening.
• Combine knowledge of more traditional management methodologies with agile methods to ensure continuous alignment to a changing business environment.
• Ensure incremental and iterative realisation of benefits by encouraging active stakeholder involvement, feedback and effective controls.

The organization will have a standard approach to executing agile programmes, incorporating agile and non-agile projects and activities.

• Deliver transformational change faster, at a lower cost and with lower risk by continuous realization of benefits and validation of programme goals against business strategy
• Complements and works with existing corporate methodologies (e.g. PRINCE2®, MSP, Agile Project Management) and quality and audit processes.
• Improves rigour and visibility around programme management, leading to a proven track record of successful programme outcomes in a corporate environment.
• Simply adopt a tried and tested approach rather than developing and integrating a company-specific agile programme management process.
• Achieve better communication and control over programmes and just in time planning without disrupting the programme budget, timescale and vision.
• Develop professionalism in employees and include agile certification in employee professional development schemes.

Exam Format

• Multiple Choice
• 50 questions per paper
• 25 marks required to pass (out of 50 available) – 50%
• 40 minutes duration
• Closed-book