AgilePM Foundation Study & Exam Guidance – Part 1

Introduction

Agile Project Management, everyone is talking about it, everyone wants to do it, so how do we go about ensuring that we can manage these type of engagement’s effectively and in the correct way?

There are a few variations of Agile project management methodologies out there but for the purpose of this article is to discuss the Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) Agile Project Framework which contains the knowledge and information required to complete the APMG International hosted AgilePM 2014 qualification that we are beginning to use in some of our engagements across risual.

The DSDM Agile Project Framework is the leading, proven, Agile approach providing the governance and rigour along with the agility and flexibility organisations demand today.

The DSDM Agile Project Framework can be used either stand-alone or combined with other recognised methods such as PRINCE2®, MSP and PMI. It is also ideal as a wrapper for more limited Agile approaches to ensure that the whole project lifecycle is addressed.

The DSDM Agile Project Framework is a proven ‘battle hardened approach’ and has been responsible for the successful delivery of innumerable projects around the world. Its provenance across both IT and non-IT contexts goes back to 1994 with substantial productivity gains independently verified by the UK Software Metrics Association.

One way of ensuring that you have the relevant knowledge and skills is to achieve the AgilePM 2014 qualification which is broken down into two separate exams, AgilePM 2014 Foundation and AgilePM 2014 Practitioner. In order to successfully achieve the full qualification you must pass both exams, starting with the Foundation exam which is a prerequisite to taking the Practitioner exam.

This article will provide you with advice and guidance to support you in achieving this qualification based on the real life experiences of those that have taken the exams including tips, advice and recommended learning resources to help you along the way.

If you follow the process described in this article I am confident you will be successful in your first attempt at the AgilePM Foundation Exam.

So, how did I pass the Agile 2014 Foundation Exam?

I have recently taken and subsequently passed the AgilePM 2014 Foundation exam provided by APMG International which is the first step towards the full AgilePM 2014 Qualification, so I thought I would share with you how I went about doing it.

My role in the organisation currently is not that of a Project Manager nor has it ever been but I am becoming more and more involved in discussions around Agile and projects that are being run using this methodology that members of my team are involved in, I do have previous involvement in a previous life as a technical project manager but this was not using agile methods, so let me guide you through how a non Project role based individual can gain the required skills and understanding to successfully pass the AgilePM foundation exam.

Check back soon for Part 2 which will be a detailed guide around what to study and some links to useful training material to help you too pass the AgilePM2014 Foundation Exam

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