Keeping projects on track – AIM Diploma of Project Management

According to John Leijon, course facilitator for the AIM Diploma of Project Management, the nationally accredited AIM Project Management offerings are all strongly linked to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. 

“The Project Management Institute, a highly respected global peak body for project management, is the author of the Body of Knowledge.  All the proprietary project management processes, such as Prince2, that I am aware of, complement the AIM Project Management offerings,” he said.

According to John, participants in the Diploma program typically have a strong interest in project management and a desire to obtain a relevant and robust qualification in a concentrated time frame.

“We have quite a cross section of industry sectors represented and students with qualifications ranging from undergraduate to PhD.  There are some who are very experienced managers of sizable projects and, at the other end of the spectrum, those who have only brief experience, usually in smaller projects.”

When asked to nominate the key challenges to successful project management, John said that common themes from research into unsuccessful projects focus on three principal shortcomings: lack of stakeholder involvement; lack of management support, and lack of a clear scope.  The reasons for failure to finalise projects are similar, with a clear emphasis on the latter.

“Volumes of research on obstacles to finalising projects points to the three principles already mentioned, but in particular focus on ‘lack of a clear scope’,” said John.  “The reason for this is quite straightforward and has often been quoted, ‘If we are unclear about our destination [scope], then we may not know when we have arrived’.”

Scope, time and cost management are all covered comprehensively in the Diploma program and the content also includes management of risk, resources, quality, procurement and communications.  The program also includes practical solutions to achieving the business benefits and getting problem projects back on track.

“When it comes to a project running off the rails, probably the most important ‘must do’ is to encourage a culture that enables early identification of problems without recriminations for those involved,” said John.

“In terms of managing risk, the strategic risks need to be identified very early and, assuming the project goes ahead, ongoing risk analysis is highly recommended.”

And if a project is heading well over budget?  “The earlier that this is reported, the better, because if a project needs to be aborted it becomes much more difficult to do so in practice as the sunk cost increases.”

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