Get a thorough introduction to the PM² Methodology along with an overview of all the core PM² elements and plans.
Appreciate the benefits of using a consistent and easy-to-use project management methodology, be more effective at managing (or participating in) projects, and get familiar with the PM² Governance model and its roles, responsibilities, processes, templates and mindsets.
Completing the PM² Essentials course, you will be able to start implementing some of the most essential project management best practices, tools and techniques. Practice with several exercises and workshops on core project management tools, techniques and key PM² templates
You will also be able to certify with PM² Essentials designation.
Participants of our PM² Essentials course earn special discount to exam fees.
What is PM²
PM² is a Project Management Methodology developed by the European Commission. It is available to the public in the form of the “PM² Guide—Open Edition”. Edition 3.0 was published under an open source license in December 2018.
PM² enables Project Managers to deliver solutions and benefits to their organisations through the effective management of project work.
PM² is a light and easy-to-use methodology which incorporates elements from a wide range of globally accepted project management best practices described in standards and methodologies such as PMBOK, PRINCE2, IPMA-ICB. It also captures operational experience from projects run within the European Institutions.
Who offers PM² Certifications?
PM² Alliance is the organization that promotes the PM² Certifications. PM² Alliance is an international member-driven and volunteered non-profit organization, founded by PM² certified practitioners.
- 16 training hours with PM² certified and accredited trainers
- Τhe PM² Guide—Open Edition (free download from the EU Bookstore)
- A Project Governance Model (i.e. roles & responsibilities)
- A Project Lifecycle (i.e. project phases)
- A set of Processes (i.e. project management activities and guidelines)
- A set of Project Artefacts (i.e. templates and guidelines)
- A set of Mindsets (i.e. effective beliefs and behaviours)
- A link to agile practices (Agile PM²)
- Workbook
- Sample questions
- Exam voucher with up to 20% discount. Exam fees are paid directly to PM2 Alliance
Having completed this workshop, you will appreciate the benefits of using a project management methodology, be more effective at managing (or participating in) projects, and be familiar with the PM² Governance model and its roles, responsibilities, processes, templates and mindsets. You will be in a position to start implementing some of the most essential Project Management best practices, tools and techniques.
Free material: Free download of the following study material
- Project managers and projectteam members
- Project owners, sponsors and stakeholders
- Portfolio Managers
- PMO officers
- Project contractors
- Participants of EU funded projects
- Project management trainers and consultants
- University students
This seminar is designed for Project Team Members or Project Managers who would like to learn more about the PM² Project Management Methodology, adopt an easy to use project methodology for their organization or projects. This seminar is open to all. Prior experience in project management or working in projects is useful but not required.
This seminar is ideal for those who want to work for EU funded projects and companies who are collaborating with the EC. Having in your CV the acknowledgement of attending a PM2 workshop showcases your familiarity with the PM2 methodology and your commitment to project management excellence.
PM2 Essentials Exam Prerequisites. There are no formal prerequisites for the PM² Essentials Certification exam.
Introduction Project Management as a Project Management method
• Projects, Programs, Portfolios and PM Methodologies
• The project objectives and the triple constraint
• Project success vs project failure
• The project stakeholders
• Project deliverables vs project management deliverables
• Project outputs, outcomes and business implementation
Introduction to the PM² Methodology
• The PM² focus on outputs, outcomes and business implementation
• The PM² Governance model and its roles & responsibilities
• The PM² mindsets and professional virtues
• The PM² Project lifecycle - Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitor & Control, Closing
• PM² management processes, key tools, core techniques
Project Management Initiation & Planning
• Key PM² templates
• The Business Case: justifying the project
• Critical Success Criteria
• The four PM² Logs and the Stakeholder Matrix
• Project Charter
• Project Handbook
• Critical Success Factors (CSFs)
Project Work Plan
• Work Breakdown
• Effort and duration estimates
• Scheduling
• Budget
Project Governance
• The PM² Governance Model
• Roles & Responsibilities: The RASCI model
• Stakeholders analysis and the Stakeholders Matrix
• The Communications Management Plan
Monitoring and Controlling Coordination and communication
• Managing change
• Managing risks
• Project logs
• PM² checklists
• Quality assurance and control
• Monitoring the execution of the project
• Control schedule and costs
• Project reporting
Closing
• Project-end review meeting
• Lessons learned, recommendations
• Project acceptance
• Administrative closure
Participants speak
This seminar gives you the basic principles on how to craft a project management mindset Senior Project Manager, Space Hellas
Very well organized training that can be easily applied on the job. Project Manager, Eurolife
An excellent course for those who want to keep moving forward and develop technical skills in project management. The trainer has also excellent technical and soft skills. Program & process Improvement Manager
Very enlighting seminar. Programme Manager, Algosystems
Excellent instructor. Highy recommended. Quality Consultant, Trasys
Very good structure and presentations. Consultant, Sympraxis
Dr. Katsagounos has twenty-five years of experience in personnel development, team building, and operational capacity enhancement, and is a fervid advocate of the “lateral thinking” approa ...
Learn moreCertify with PM2
This course is also ideal for those who want to work for EU funded projects and companies who are collaborating with the EC. Having in your CV the acknowledgment of attending a PM² workshop showcases your familiarity with the PM² methodology and your commitment to project management excellence.
How do I register for the course?
How do I register for the exam?
Register online through the PM2 Alliance.
PM2 exams are online proctored exams.
You may take the exam at any time.
Our course participants may earn up to 20% discount on exam fees.
Attention: Exam fees are paid directly to PM2 Alliance
Learning through Blackboard
Blackboard is a web-based e-learning platform, compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android, that allows users to meet and attend classes online. Blackboard is an e-learning platform used by by thousands of Universities and Training insitutions worldwide. Blackboard Collaborate is a real-time video conferencing tool integrated into every Blackboard course that lets you add files, share applications, and use a virtual whiteboard to interact. Collaborate opens right in your Chrome or Firefox browser, so you don’t have to install any software to join a session. It will work on phones and tablets without needing an additional app. We will send you a step-by-step guide once you register. If you use your PC or laptop you will also need a webcam, microphone, and speaker. Most computers have a microphone and speaker, but you can also use a headset with a microphone for better sound quality.
Why certify with PM2
According to a recent European Commission Survey (2019), 98% would recommend the PM2 Certification and 95% agree that PM2 contributes to project success.
PM2 Essentials is a Level-2 Certification targeted to anyone who wants to adopt an easy to use project management methodology and perform project management tasks. It is a more friendly certification compared to others in the field, since it is less expensive, and it is based on open source materials.
This certification is ideal for professionals working in projects that do not have the time to study materials and body of knowledge books with a wide variety of project management methodologies, tools and techniques, where most these they will probably never use in their every day project work.
It is also ideal for university graduates, who want to start a career in project management, and for professionals working in EU projects.
Can this course be delivered as an in-house solution?
The seminar can be organized exclusively for your company, if there is a group of people who wishes to attend. The content, dates, and schedule will be tailored to your employees' needs.
Why follow PM² methodology in my projects?
The PM² methodology (read P-M-squared) is a project management methodology developed, supported and employed by the European Commission. It is also used by numerous European institutions, as well as large and smaller organizations in the private sector.
- PM² is a simple and easy-to-use methodology which combines well-known best practices derived from the experience of European Institutions in managing thousands of programs, projects and grants (EU Grants).
- Twelve years after its successful implementation within the EU, PM² is the methodology most European institutions which apply strict election criteria, have chosen (ECB, EIB Council, Parliament, etc). Thanks to itsease of use and the documentation tools (artefact templates) it provides, the methodology quickly spread to the private sector, where it is even been applied in non-EU-funded projects. In order words, it is a European Success Story.
- It does not reject or contradict any methodologies, models or processes supported by other bodies (PMI©, IPMA etc.). On the contrary, PM² incorporates elements of a range of globally-accepted project management best practices, standards and methodologies (including Agile).
- It is a simple but comprehensive methodology. Although it proposes both classic and novel management activities, its strength lies in the way it integrates good project management practices and makes them available to its users.
- Less is more! The proven usability of the PM² Guide (80 pages) is one of the strongest points of the PM² methodology. PM² has deliberately avoided becoming yet another "encyclopedia" of everything you ever wanted to know about project management. Instead, PM² has been written with its users in mind, from their perspective and addressing their needs.
- Its simplicity encourages users to apply it directly to their projects, and it can be applied to any type of organization or project.
- It includes a clear assignment of roles and responsibilities to the operational hierarchy (within the project). This mitigates conflict by transferring power and decision-making to within the project’s own governance, making PM² the ideal methodology for managing projects within organizations in matrix structures.
- PM² offers a holistic approach to project management which covers the governance structure of the project, the mindsets of the Project Manager and stakeholders, and the transition to PM² and its implementation in any organization or project.
- The methodology guide and available standard documents (artefacts) are open and free to the public (open-source license—they are also available in Greek).
- PM² Alliance certifications are high-quality and accessible to the general public. All you need to do is study; once you know the methodology, you can take the exams quickly and conveniently from your own computer (Online Proctored Certification Exam Centre), avoiding time-consuming and costly registration procedures.
There are plenty of project management methodologies and standards out there. Why develop PM²?
According to Mr. Nicos Kourounakis, Co-Author of the PM² Methodology (2012, 2016, 2018), the Agile PM² Guide (2014), the PfM² Portfolio Management Guide (2019), and CEO of the PM² Alliance,“Anyone who has ever been involved in setting up a Project Management Office (PMO) and rolling out methodologies within organizations knows all too well that selecting and tailoring a third-party proprietary methodology can prove cumbersome, complicated and quite political (particularly in an environment such as that of the EC). This is even more true in organizations with a large number of stakeholders from different sub-organizations, business domains and backgrounds (e.g. policy, IT, grants management).
It was these difficulties, plus an internal survey involving a broad and varied sample of EC staff and consultants, that informed the decision taken a decade or so ago to develop a methodology customised to the specific needs, culture and constraints of EU Institutions and Public Administrations.
Since then, PM² has evolved into the methodology it is today by integrating lessons from the EC and other EU Institutions, along with globally recognised best practices, into a single lean publication entitled the PM² Methodology Guide. The result is a simple and intuitive but powerful methodology suitable for any type of organisation or project.”