PMO Certifications from the Association of International PMOs – AIPMO™

IPMO-Foundation

If you are designing, implementing and running one organizational PMO or initiative specific PMOs then take at look the IPMO-F course

IPMO-Practitioner

If you are involved in the running, monitoring and controlling of a PMO take a look at the IPMO-P course

IPMO-Expert

 If you architect the PMO topology across the organization take a look at the IPMO-E course

The Foundation level certification is for PMO team members, project team members and any stakeholders involved in a PMO. It sets the foundational knowledge required to understand the mechanics of projects, programs, portfolios and PMOs, and how to become a competent PMO team member of a project, program, portfolio, and PMO.

-Ideally one year plus experience in projects and/or PMOs

-Educated to degree level or similar

-One year plus of business experience

Pre-Reading: A small amount of pre-reading is required for this course. It is distributed approximately two weeks before the course start.

1 hour, 50 multiple choice questions

Module 1: Introduction

Module 2: Building the Context and Need for PMOs

Module 3: PMO Lifecycle Framework

Module 4: Developing Capabilities and Services within the PMO

Module 5: Run, Monitor and Control Services within a PMO

Module 6: PMO Success, PMO Maturity and their Connection

The Practitioner level certification is for PMO Managers, Directors, Consultants and experienced PMO team members looking to enter a PMO management role. It focuses on the PMO Lifecycle Framework and provides an in-depth understanding of PMO principles and practices including the design, implementation, and operation of organizational or initiative specific PMOs.

-5 years experience in Project, Programme or Portfolio Management

-2 years plus experience in a PMO

-IPMO-F™ Certification, or PMI PMP® or AXELOS Foundation/Practitioner Levels in MSP®, P3O® or MoP®

Pre-Reading: A small amount of pre-reading is required for this course. It is distributed approximately two weeks before the course start.

1 hour 30 minutes, 75 multiple choice questions

Module 1: Introduction

Module 2: Building the Context and Need for PMOs

Module 3: PMO Lifecycle to Build and Run PMOs

Module 4: Organisational Capabilities to Build and Run a PMO

Module 5: Identify / Evaluate / Strategise for a PMO

Module 6: Design and Justification for a PMO

Module 7: Pilot and Implement a PMO

Module 8: Run, Monitor and Control One (Or More) PMOs

Module 9: Transform / Retire PMOs

Module 10: PMO Success and PMO Maturity

The IPMO-Expert Certification is designed for Senior PMO Managers and PMO Directors. This course covers enterprise level PMOs – the most complex structures we see in organizations.

-10 years experience in Project, Programme or Portfolio Management

-2 years plus as a PMO Manager / PMO Director

-IPMO-P™ Certification, or PMI PMP® or AXELOS Practitioner Levels in MSP®, P3O® or MoP®

Pre-Reading: A small amount of pre-reading is required for this course. It is distributed approximately two weeks before the course start.

2 hours, 100 multiple choice questions

Module 1: Building the Context and Need for PMOs

Module 2: PMO Lifecycle to Build and Run PMOs

Module 3: Assessing the Need, Building and/or Extending PMOs

Module 4: Run, Monitor and Control One (Or More) PMOs

Module 5: Transform / Retire PMOs

Module 6: PMO Success and PMO Maturity

Module 7: Capabilities to Build and Run a PMO

Module 8: Eponymous Laws, Theories and Latest Project Management and PMO Research

The AIPMO is a professional association for PMO, Project, Programme, and Portfolio Management Office leaders, managers and staff who define, establish, run or work in PMOs across different industry sectors.

The AIPMO is actively involved in the continuous process of improving the approaches and methods needed in PMOs and promotes the participation of institutions, corporations, academic organisations, associations, professionals, and operators in the field of PMO.

The IPMO certifications from AIPMO are for leaders; managers and core PMO team members in Project, Programme and Portfolio Offices responsible for the business justification, design, set up, running and retirement of PMOs.

AIPMO’s mission is to advance the understanding, design and implementation of high performing single, group and enterprise PMOs, through the certification of proven PMO capabilities based on its IPMO Body of Knowledge.

Still not sure which AIPMO Certification is right for you?

Take a look at our free guide
Request a call with our consultants

Do I have to take the Foundation course to move onto Practitioner and Expert?

You are not required to hold the lower level certificates to complete the advanced certifications as AIPMO certifications are stand alone.

There are prerequisites for the Practitioner and Expert courses – they are based on previous practical experience rather than which training you have already undertaken.

What's the difference between IPMO-P and the IPMO-E Level ?

Both courses (IPMO-P and IPMO-E) follow a similar structure utilizing the PMO lifecycle but the depth of topics is less in the Practitioner level. The Expert course certification covers organizational strategy, senior-level assessments, business case development, competencies, hot spot evaluation, PMO clusters, topologies, PMO governance, principles, and a number of other topics required for Senior PMO Manager / Director levels who architect the PMO topology across the organization. Practitioner level certification emphasis is at a middle management level in terms of one organizational PMO or initiative specific PMOs. The case study is also different at each level of certification.

The IPMO-Expert level also requires different pre-requisites from the IPMO-Practitioner level certification course. This ensures the training course delegates are similarly matched in terms of skill and experience levels.

What's the difference between IPMO-F and the IPMO-P level ?

Both certification courses follow a similar structure utilizing the PMO lifecycle framework but the Foundation course is targeted at the PMO team member or equivalent involved in the running, monitoring and controlling of a PMO. The Foundation course also details the role of a PMO or project team member in the processes needed in the running, monitor and controlling a PMO.

The Practitioner course certification covers more of the PMO lifecycle framework but especially the PMO lifecycle with the business need, identify, evaluate and strategize, design, justification as well as run, monitor and control a PMO. Capabilities are also cover but more specifically those associated with or at the management level of a PMO.

The case study focuses different at Practitioner level than Foundation. The Foundation level certification requires little knowledge of PMOs and project management as a pre-requisites whereas the Practitioner course does require pre-requisites.

What are the differences between the AIPMO and P3O® qualifications?

AIPMO certification courses cover three different levels whereas P3O® covers two levels.

IPMO-Foundation is for those currently working within a PMO; IPMO-Practitioner for those managing a single PMO; and the IPMO-Expert for those managing enterprise level PMOs.

The P3O® courses – Foundation (for those working in a PMO) and Practitioner (those managing PMOs) are both courses which cover the high level overview of PMOs.

AIPMO courses are much more practical, highly interactive and go much deeper into how services are created in the PMO or how different types of PMOs are set up. The course follows a case study to allow learners to develop their thinking in how different techniques and approaches work.

Is the exam after or during the course?

The exam for all AIPMO qualifications are on the last day of the certification course. The exams are taken online and the questions are in a multiple choice format.

Other Questions?

If you have any questions feel free to contact:

Khoren Nalbandyan 

Head – Professional Development Advisory

IPMO Advisory AG
Sihleggstrasse 23 | 8832 Wollerau, Switzerland

T: +41 44 585 2775
M: +41 78 810 3581

E: khoren@ipmoadvisory.com