PMC’s Agile Project Management training courses target project managers and their teams as well as groups of people seeking to develop their skills and competency levels in Agile Project Management; adaptive value-driven approaches to deliver projects in an iterative, incremental, and interactive manner.

Our courses cover a wide range of Agile practices, tools and techniques including Agile Introduction, Scrum, Lean, Kanban, XP, SAFe®, prioritization, planning, estimating, and coaching techniques.

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Please note that our trainings are only for organizations and groups of people and not for individuals.

ADAPT TO INNOVATION WITH AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

1 DAY

This comprehensive one-day course guides participants in the application of Agile Project Management in innovative, complex, and high uncertainty projects. Agile values and comparisons to traditional project management practices are defined as well as key factors influencing the successful adoption of Agile Project Management.

Course Code: AK401

Duration: 1 day

Credits: 7 CEUs / 7 PDUs

Individuals who will benefit from this course include executives, business sponsors, portfolio managers, program managers, product managers, project managers, project team leaders, project team members, project subject matter experts, project management office staff, and anyone interested in learning more about Agile Project Management.

  • Introduce Agile concepts, values and principles.
  • Differentiate between traditional and Agile project management approaches and adoption factors.
  • Learn to leverage Agile project management techniques and practices.

Module 1: Introduction to Agile Project Management

  • PM history and evolution
  • Traditional Project Management
  • Agile Project Management
  • Agile PM vs. Traditional PM

Module 4: Agile Techniques

  • Timebox
  • Iteration
  • Daily Stand-up Meeting
  • Backlogs/Task Board
  • Retrospective

Module 2: Agile Mindset

  • Agile Values
  • Agile Principles

Module 5: Agile Practices

  • Scrum Overview
  • Kanban Overview

Module 3: Agile Adoption

  • Adoption Overview
  • Drivers
  • Concerns
  • Failure Causes

SPRINT TO PROJECT SUCCESS WITH AGILE SCRUM

1 DAY

This comprehensive one-day course guides participants in the application of the best-practiced Agile framework and practice of Scrum to increase project performance and success. Participants will learn and apply key Scrum roles, artifacts, and events in interactive class discussions and group workshops.

Course Code: AA402

Duration: 1 day

Credits: 7 CEUs / 7 PDUs

Individuals who will benefit from this course include executives, business sponsors, portfolio managers, program managers, product managers, project managers, project team leaders, project team members, project subject matter experts, project management office staff, and anyone interested in learning more about leveraging and applying Agile Scrum.

  • Introduce the Scrum framework including key Scrum roles, artifacts, and events.
  • Get hands-on experience in applying the Scrum framework in a team environment.

Module 1: Scrum Introduction

  • Scrum Definitions
  • Scrum History
  • Scrum Framework
  • Product Backlog Grooming
  • Exercise: Group discussion on applying Scrum in projects

Module 4: Sprint Closure

  • Sprint Review
  • Sprint Retrospective
  • Exercise: Group workshops on Sprint review/retrospective

Module 2: Sprint Preparation

  • Sprint Definition and Perception
  • Sprint Guidelines
  • Sprint Workflow
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Sprint Planning
  • Exercise: Group workshops on Sprint planning

Module 3: Sprint Execution

  • Sprint Swarming
  • Daily Scrum
  • Team Velocity and Burndown Chart
  • Sprint Cancellation
  • Scrum of Scrums
  • Exercise: Group workshops on Sprint execution

START AND FINISH ON TARGET WITH AGILE USER STORIES AND RETROSPECTIVES

1 DAY

This comprehensive one-day course guides participants on how to effectively initiate and complete projects by applying Agile best-practices to manage project requirements and lessons learned.

Course Code: AK403

Duration: 1 day

Credits: 7 CEUs / 7 PDUs

Individuals who will benefit from this course include executives, business sponsors, portfolio managers, program managers, product managers, project managers, project team leaders, project team members, project subject matter experts, project management office staff, and anyone interested in learning more about leveraging best practiced Agile user story and retrospectives techniques.

  • Agile requirements management, types, perception and challenges
  • Agile user story definitions, benefits, roles, and personas
  • Applying user story best practices to achieve smart requirements
  • Definition, benefits, and challenges involved in conducting Agile retrospectives
  • Key steps and tips involved in an Agile Retrospective framework
  • Various techniques in conducting efficient Agile Retrospectives

Module 1: Agile Requirements Overview

  • User Stories
  • Features
  • Enhancements
  • Defects and Errors
  • Non-Functional Requirements
  • Technical Debt
  • Exercise: Class discussion on how effective agile requirements promote project success

Module 4: Agile Retrospective Framework

  • Planning and Logistics
  • Setting the Stage
  • Gathering Data
  • Generating Insights

Module 2: User Story Best Practices

  • Definitions and Benefits
  • Roles and Personas
  • Components and Lifecycle
  • Requirements Gathering Techniques and Prioritization
  • User Story Format and Acceptance Criteria
  • INVEST Model and the Definition of Done
  • Exercise: Group workshop on applying user-story best practices

Module 3: Retrospective Introduction

  • Definitions and Perspective
  • Prime Directive
  • Benefits and Supporting Agile Principles
  • Differences to Other Project Closing Activities
  • Exercise: Learning from project mistakes

OPTIMIZE PROJECT SCHEDULE AND RISK WITH AGILE ESTIMATION

1 DAY

This comprehensive one-day course guides participants on how to create optimal iterative risk tolerant project schedules by applying the learned best-practiced Agile estimating and risk management techniques.

Course Code: AK404

Duration: 1 day

Credits: 7 CEUs / 7 PDUs

Individuals who will benefit from this course include executives, business sponsors, portfolio managers, program managers, product managers, project managers, project team leaders, project team members, project subject matter experts, project management office staff, and anyone interested in learning more about leveraging best-practiced Agile estimating and risk management techniques.

  • Defining Agile project planning concepts
  • Learning and applying proven Agile estimating and risk management techniques

Module 1: Agile Project Planning

  • Product Vision and Roadmap
  • Releases, Themes, and Epics
  • Iteration Planning with User Stories
  • Exercise: Group workshop on applying agile planning best practices

Module 4: Agile Risk Practices

  • Risk Practices Overview
  • Impediments List
  • Risk Register and Risk Matrix
  • Risk Census and Burn-down chart
  • Risks in Agile project initiation/closure
  • Minimal Viable Product (MVP)
  • Exercise: Group workshop on applying agile risk practices

Module 2: Agile Estimation in Practice

  • Agile Estimation Techniques
  • Relative Sizing and Story Points
  • Planning Poker
  • Exercise: Group workshop on applying agile planning best practices

Module 3: Risk Introduction

  • Risk concepts and factors
  • Cone of Uncertainty
  • Organic and Overt Risk Management
  • Exercise: Class discussion on risk factors that threaten project success

CREATE HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS WITH THE AGILE 3Cs

1 DAY

This comprehensive one-day course guides participants on how to maximize Agile team performance in complex innovative project environments by leveraging the Agile 3 Cs: communication, collaboration and coaching.

Course Code: AH405

Duration: 1 day

Credits: 7 CEUs / 7 PDUs

Individuals who will benefit from this course include executives, business sponsors, portfolio managers, program managers, product managers, project managers, project team leaders, project team members, project subject matter experts, project management office staff, and anyone interested in learning more about leveraging best practiced Agile communication, collaboration, and coaching techniques.

  • Agile communication and collaboration concepts in Agile
  • Best practiced visual controls used in Agile
  • Agile Coaching roles and techniques

Module 1: Agile Communication

  • Agile Communication Values and Principles
  • Communication Models and Channels
  • Osmotic Communication
  • Caves and commons
  • Constructive Feedback
  • Active Listening
  • Exercise: Individual exercise self-assessing active listening

Module 2: Agile Collaboration

  • Agile Collaboration Values and Principles
  • Agile Practices and Roles
  • Agile Meetings and Information
  • Team Velocity and Capacity
  • Information Radiators
  • Exercise: Group workshop on interpreting information radiators

Module 3: Agile Coaching

  • Agile Coaching Values and Principles
  • Servant Leadership
  • Agile Coaching Competency Framework
  • Agile-Lean Practitioner
  • Teaching/Mentoring
  • Professional Coaching/Facilitating
  • Mastery (Technical/Business/Transformation)
  • Exercise: Live coaching session

PRODUCT OWNER ESSENTIALS

2 DAYS

This comprehensive two-day course emphasizes the essentials of the Product Owner role for organizations to deliver new or improved products and solutions that address customer needs, commercial demands, and market competition.

Most agile courses present the Product Owner (PO) role limited to the basic Scrum Guide definitions and activities whereas this course introduces the importance of shifting focus to a product mindset and product-oriented organization by strategically introducing and emphasizing the PO as an essential role in business value creation and product delivery.

Through interactive group workshops and class discussions supported by individual activities, participants get hands-on experience in communicating a customer-centric product vision, in effectively managing a prioritized product backlog containing well-defined and estimated product user stories in an established product roadmap and release planning.

Course Code: AA406

Duration: 2 days

Credits: 14 CEUs / 14 PDUs

Individuals who will benefit from this course include Product Owners/Managers, business sponsors/analysts, IT Managers, Portfolio/Program/Project Managers, project team leaders/members, technical subject matter experts, and anyone interested in learning more about the important essentials of the Product Owner role.

  • Shifting focus from a project mindset to a product mindset.
  • Understanding the importance of the Product Owner role.
  • Communicating a value-driven customer-centric product vision.
  • Creating, prioritizing, and refining items in a Product Backlog.
  • Defining and estimating clear and concise product user stories.
  • Establishing a product roadmap and performing release planning.

Module 1: Product Focus

  • Project vs. Product Mindset
  • Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
  • Shifting Focus to Product-Orientation

Module 2: Product Owner (PO)

  • PO Introduction
  • PO Guidelines and Traits
  • PO Activities in Scrum Events

Module 3: Product Vision

  • Product Purpose and Vision
  • Customer-Centric Design Thinking
  • Value Proposition Canvas

Module 4: Product Backlog Management

  • Product Backlog Items (PBIs)
  • Product Backlog Prioritization
  • Product Backlog Refinement

Module 5: Product User Stories

  • User Story Components
  • User Story Splitting Techniques
  • User Story Estimating Techniques

Module 6: Product Roadmap and Release Planning

  • Product Roadmap
  • Product Release Planning
  • Definition of Done (DoD)

INTRODUCTION TO THE KANBAN METHOD

1 DAY

This comprehensive one-day course guides participants to the introduction of the basic principles of Kanban and how it can be used in managing projects. They will better understand the benefits of this method for tracking work including those derived from using a “pulled flow” approach and low levels of work in progress.

Course Code: AK407

Duration: 1 day

Credits: 7 CEUs / 7 PDUs

This course is intended for project managers, team members and anyone interested in learning more about the operation and application of the Kanban method.

  • Learn how to create various types of Kanban boards
  • Understand the operating rules of the drawn workflow
  • Assimilate the benefits linked to the low level of work in progress and its impact on cycle times

Module 1: Introduction to the Kanban method

  • Origins of the Kanban method
  • Objectives
  • Definitions: Board, Cards, Classes 

Module 4 : Kanban metrics

  • Workshop: Performance measures
  • Cycle time and lead time
  • Little’s Law
  • Workflow efficiency 
  • Pace

Module 2: Kanban and workflow

  • “Pushed” vs. “Pulled” workflows 
  • Work in progress (WIP) levels vs. cycle time
  • Benefits of short cycle times and low WIP
  • Workshop: Simulating “pushed” vs. “pulled” flows

Module 3 : Usage of Kanban 

  • How to read a Kanban
  • How to use Kanban effectively 
  • Designing a Kanban 
  • Managing issues and blockages

A MANAGER'S GUIDE FOR REMOTE WORKERS

1/2 DAY

This workshop will help leaders and managers recognize remote work challenges and benefits. Participants will also learn how to leverage proven tactics and techniques to support and motivate remote workers. Individual exercises combined with interactive group discussions will guide participants to apply learnt skills to engage and motivate remote workers. 

Course Code: CH319

Duration: 1/2 day

This course is intended for managers, team leaders and anyone interested in learning how to manage their remote workers.

  • Recognize remote work challenges and trends
  • Understand the benefits of remote work and reference associated findings
  • Leverage proven tactics, techniques, and strategies in actively supporting and motivating remote workers
  • Identify practical tips for managing remote workers

Module 1: Course Introduction 

  • Objectives
  • Logistics

Module 4 : Supporting and Motivating Remote Workers

  • Proven Tactics
  • Staying Productive/Dealing with Distractions
  • Pomodoro Technique
  • Supporting and Motivating Remote Workers

Module 2: Remote Work Challenges and Trends 

  • Common Challenges
  • Common Questions
  • Managing Remote Work Challenges
  • Work/Life Balance
  • Remote Work Trends

Module 5: Tips for Managing Remote Workers 

  • Tips for Remote Team Leaders
  • Tips on Management/Leadership skills applied
  • Tips to Evaluate Remote Teams

Module 3 : Remote Work Benefits and Findings 

  • Attract/Retain Talent
  • Higher Engagement/Increased Productivity
  • Cost Savings for Employee/Employer
  • Environment/Health

Module 6 : Presentation Closure

  • Additional Reading Sources
  • Recap
  • Questions/Answers

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Frequently Asked Questions

In which languages are your course offered?

All our courses are offered in English and French, but as some of our clients have offices all over the world, we can also offer them in your language if the need arises.

Are your courses offered in person or in virtual format?

Our training is available in both “in person” and virtual formats, but always with a real instructor!

Are your courses open to the public?

We currently only offer our training in group format and in companies or organizations. However, if you and at least 2 of your colleagues are interested, we can also organize private groups.

Is it possible to customize a course to my organization’s projects?

We can adapt our training to your context by incorporating a case study specific to your field or by including some of the tools that you use. A customization fee may then be added to the cost of the training.

For in person training, do you have training facilities?

We can travel to your offices, welcome you to our offices in Montreal or deliver our training in a rented room at a location that suits you.