The Program Management Office (PMO) – The Strategy Execution Arm | Free Online Course

Overview

Learn to create a value-driven way of working that is hybrid and focused on the fitting context for program teams’ success. Explore the project management methodologies and skills needed to build risk-based, light governance for making fast, quality decisions; and how the PMO drives resource allocation and creates the enterprise learning engine for guiding continual program delivery improvements.

About this course

Organizations and stakeholders are having to simplify, break molds, and remove resistance to delivering faster at scale. Program Management Office (PMO) is the entity that can bring this leadership and provide ownership. The type of PMO affects what success looks like strategically for the enterprise.

In order to reach a 10X organization, leaders who understand the business and operational models and what enhancements they require are vital.

• The pressure to reach a 10X plus organization is requiring leaders who understand the business and operational models and what enhancements are vital by using value-driven roadmaps;
• Studies have shown that 95% of the decisions we make are the result of an intuitive approach and not of rational logic. Addressing program biases and enhancing experimentation will contribute to our sustained relevance of program management in the marketplace.

In this course, you will learn how organizations are having to simplify, break molds, use meaningful templates, and remove resistance to deliver programs faster at scale. Focusing on project performance and getting the PMO to take the lead in maintaining standards and enhancing the quality of our investment decisions and the proper cascading of those choices are critical successful execution measures. The portfolio management view will provide you with critical risk-based governance skills and a practical understanding of how to build hybrid program teams. Change management and transformation initiatives solve complex issues and you will learn how to contribute to building and driving learning and continuously improving future organizations.

Associated skills: 

Project Management Office (PMO), Leadership, Resource Allocation, Strategy Execution, Portfolio Management, Investment Decisions, Change Management, Governance, Risk-Based Testing, Project Management, Program Management, Project Performance

What you’ll learn

• How to make the value of execution excellence an ongoing organizational priority
• How do you develop the value mindset and the benefits management muscles of the program teams?
• The understanding of co-creating within project teams and why in project planning and execution, moving to a hybrid way of working allows us to get the most out of the program life cycle and the choices teams make to be organized and work.
• How do you design risk-based program governance around business goals, explore the risk appetite, and cascade the risk management strategy across the portfolios of programs and projects?
• How does a supportive PMO use risk-based governance to provide meaningful and faster decisions to ensure programs/projects’ success?
• What are the building blocks for a successful strategic project management office (PMO) that drives strategic planning and is the learning engine for the enterprise, enhances the flow of value across programs, and guides continuous improvement?

Free online courses from University System of Maryland

USM

The University System of Maryland (USM) is Maryland’s system of public higher education. Its members include all public universities in the state, with the exception of Morgan State University and St. Mary’s College. In addition to its 12 degree-granting universities, the USM includes one research institution and three regional higher education centers. Our 12 institutions offer more than 1,400 academic programs to more than 176,000 students at multiple sites throughout the state and worldwide.

USMx

​Since its inception, the Kirwan Center has been supporting USM institutions in making strategic forays into online learning. “Online learning” in this context is defined as any learning environment that makes substantive use of a web-based component that enables collaboration and access to content beyond the classroom. Online learning strategies across the USM range from fully online degree/certificate programs, to MOOCs, to hybrid and “flipped” courses.

To advance this work, the Kirwan Center has launched USMx to help institutions leverage the affordances of online learning to give students the flexibility to interact with content, faculty, and learning communities in the ways that best meet their needs.

The USMx mission is to provide both access to innovative e-learning technologies as well as the resources, support, and planning necessary for strategic implementation of online learning. This, in turn, helps our institutions achieve their mission of providing access to high quality, affordable higher education to a diverse student body both in Maryland and across the globe.

USMx Institutions

• Bowie State University
• Coppin State University
• Frostburg State University
• Salisbury University
• Towson University
• University of Baltimore
• University of Maryland, Baltimore
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of Maryland Eastern Shore
• University of Maryland Global Campus

University System of Maryland MOOCs

Browse free online courses in a variety of subjects. University System of Maryland courses found below can be audited free or students can choose to receive a verified certificate for a small fee.

Syllabus

1. Welcome to Program Manager, Incomplete section
   1. Welcome Program Managers!, Incomplete
   2. Get Started with Goals, Incomplete
   3. Go Further with A Degree!, Incomplete
   4. Help Section?, Incomplete
2. Week 1 – Value-driven Programs, Incomplete section
   1. 1.1 Value-driven Way of Working, Incomplete
   2. 1.2 The Value Mindset, Incomplete
   3. 1.3 Benefits Management Matters, Incomplete
   4. 1.4 Initiatives Success, Incomplete
   5. 1.5 Imbedding the Value Focus, Incomplete
   6. 1.6 References and Citations, Incomplete
   7. 1.7 Week 1 Quiz, IncompleteQuizzes due Oct 18, 2023, 11:37 AM GMT+2
   8. Week 1 Takeaways and Feedback, Incomplete
   9. Verify Your Knowledge and Skills!, Incomplete
3. Week 2 – Hybrid Work, Incomplete section
   1. 2.1 The Hybrid Way of Working, Incomplete
   2. 2.2 Co-creating the Program Approach, Incomplete
   3. 2.3 Value of Flexible Delivery, Incomplete
   4. 2.4 Program Life Cycle Choices, Incomplete
   5. 2.5 Organizing Teams for Fit, Incomplete
   6. 2.6 References and Citations, Incomplete
   7. 2.7 Week 2 Quiz, IncompleteQuizzes due Oct 22, 2023, 11:37 AM GMT+2
   8. Week 2 Takeaways and Feedback, Incomplete
   9. Verify Your Knowledge and Skills!, Incomplete
4. Week 3 – Risk-based Governance, Incomplete section
   1. 3.1 Why Risk-based Program Governance Matters?, Incomplete
   2. 3.2 The Cascading Effect of the Risk Appetite, Incomplete
   3. 3.3 Decision-making Speed, Incomplete
   4. 3.4 Integration with Learning, Incomplete
   5. 3.5 Maturing Program Management Practice, Incomplete
   6. 3.6 References and Citations, Incomplete
   7. 3.7 Week 3 Quiz, IncompleteQuizzes due Oct 26, 2023, 11:37 AM GMT+2
   8. Week 3 Takeaways and Feedback, Incomplete
   9. Verify Your Knowledge and Skills!, Incomplete
5. Week 4 – Learning Engine, Incomplete section
   1. 4.1 The Enterprise Learning Muscles, Incomplete
   2. 4.2 Developing Role of the PMO, Incomplete
   3. 4.3 Creating the Learning Culture, Incomplete
   4. 4.4 Criticality of Cross-Programs Alignment, Incomplete
   5. 4.5 Guided Continuous Improvement, Incomplete
   6. 4.6 References and Citations, Incomplete
   7. 4.7 Week 4 Quiz, IncompleteQuizzes due Oct 30, 2023, 11:37 AM GMT+2
   8. Week 4 Takeaways and Feedback, Incomplete
   9. Verify Your Knowledge and Skills!, Incomplete
6. Course Final (Verified Only), Incomplete section
   1. Course Final, IncompleteFinal due Nov 3, 2023, 11:37 AM GMT+2
7. Congratulations! Now Go Learn Fast and Win!, Incomplete section
   1. Thank You! And That’s A Wrap!, Incomplete
   2. Go Further with A Degree, Incomplete
   3. Help Section?

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