MCM Project Management Debuts a Suite of Self-Paced, e-Learning Classes on Savvy-U.com

There is a buzz throughout the Pacific Northwest professional community. Today MCM Project Management, a longtime PMI Global Registered Education Provider (REP #: 1809) and National Management Association (NMA) recognized training partner, debuted their first two self-paced, e-learning project management courses on Savvy-U.com.

 This much awaited debut to their suite of 17 Project Management Institute (PMI) and National Management Association (NMA) credited self-paced, e-learning courses has been eagerly anticipated by the local professional development community.

“Our focus has been on taking the next step in providing our fellow professionals with a convenient, efficient and affordable alternative to costly traditional courses,” said course instructor and PMAdvocate (www.pmadvocate.com) featured writer Brian S. Maddox, PMP. “No more expensive travel, per diem, or time away from the office. We now bring the training to your fingertips, at your convenience, and at an affordable price.”

As part of MCM’s debut with Savvy-U.com, MCM will be offering a 20% course introductory discount, for the first fifty class registrants for each new class.

Based upon the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK ® Guide) 4^th Edition, the suite of self-paced, e-learning courses will guide participants through PMI-based standards, tools and techniques.

The self-paced, e-learning courses debuting online today include:

• “Principles of Project Management” (4-hours/4 PDUs/.4 CEUs – pending). In this class, participants are introduced to PMI-based standards, tools and techniques as they are interactively guided through the project management life cycle. Participants will examine all forty-two (42) processes (22 in depth) and will receive fourteen (14) templates that will allow them to efficiently and effectively manage and deliver projects of all sizes within scope, on time and within budget; and
• “Essentials of Project Management” (8-hours/8 PDUs/.8 CEUs – pending). In this class, participants are introduced to PMI based standards, tools and techniques as they are interactively guided through the project management life cycle. Participants will examine all forty-two (42) processes in depth, and will receive twenty-eight (28) templates that will allow them to efficiently and effectively manage and deliver projects of all sizes within scope, on time and within budget.

“I’ve taken many other self-paced, e-learning courses throughout my professional career and the quality and value of these courses supersedes any classes that I have taken in the past,” said course co-developer and trainingadvocate.com featured writer Nick Maddox, PMP. “We took a concentrated effort to separate this course from anything else that is out there by providing the attendee with practical, easily understood instructions and tools that can be immediately applied to their projects.”

Over the course of the next several weeks, MCM will debut additional self-paced, e-learning courses on initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing projects, as well as additional courses that cover each of the nine PMI recognized knowledge areas; integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk and procurement.

“MCM takes pride in the ability of listening to the needs of our constituency and turning those findings into benefits for that constituency. When MCM was conducting traditional classroom style courses, we utilized course survey feedback to develop new and intriguing courses. The same thing holds true for our suite of self-paced, e-learning courses. MCM listened to the needs of our constituency and heard that they were looking for training that was more convenient, efficient and affordable then the options that they were currently being presented. MCM listened, and as a result, MCM has developed a suite of courses that they will range in length from about one hour to about four hours and will target specific project management areas. This allows that professional that is looking for just one or two more credits, in order to either qualify for the PMP exam or to maintain their PMP credential, the opportunity to take exactly the class they need, for the exact number of credits they need, at a price that is affordable, and a location that is convenient. You can’t get anymore convenient then bringing it to their fingertips,” said course instructor Brian Maddox, PMP.

Considering all of the projects you have worked on in the past three years, how long do they last, on average, from initial planning to completion? The results found that:

- 43% worked on projects that were less than two months long;
- 36% worked on projects that were more than a year long;
- 14% worked on projects that were six months to a year;
- 7% worked on projects two to six months.

The following year, another survey conducted by PM Network magazine asked the following question of its takers:

What length of project do you most enjoy and/or find most workable?

- 56% enjoyed projects that were six months to a year in length;
- 28% enjoyed projects that were two to six months;
- 16% enjoyed projects that were longer then a year;
- 0% enjoyed projects less than two months.

These studies indicate that the largest percentage of projects that are worked on (43%), last less then two months long and nobody enjoys managing them. Additionally, over one-third of the projects lasted longer than one year, and less then a fifth of the project managers surveyed (16%) enjoyed managing those.

If these studies are correct, only a very small portion (16%) of the project management community enjoys managing a majority (79%) of the projects of the duration that they are being asked to manage.

Does this give the project an unhappy aura to start with, and can this have an impact on the project, its team and the overall project culture?