IT Governance Blog on IT governance, risk management, compliance and information security.

With an uncertain economic outlook and a need for belt-tightening in most organisations, e-learning is now presenting a cost-effective alternative to conventional classroom training. The IT Governance E-Learning Academy brings together a leading range of e-learning courses that cover each and every aspect IT Governance. Whether you are looking for an ITIL, PRINCE2, PCI DSS or even a CEH course, you are sure to find the right e-learning course here. With all of our courses being accredited or officially endorsed, you can be assured of their relevance and quality.

We have a very comprehensive range of project management courses including:

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Give your career a boost this summer by passing the PRINCE2 Foundation Exam. When you purchase the PRINCE2 2009 Foundation Computer Based Training Course before the end of July 2010, we’ll send you two key resources absolutely free!

PRINCE2 2009 Foundation Computer Based Training includes:

The PRINCE2 2009 Foundation CD-ROM training course – CD Includes PRINCE2 Case Study and Examination Simulator Our PRINCE2 trainers supply dedicated, global email and telephone support, and they can answer any PRINCE2 questions you might have The PRINCE2 Manual – Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 – 2009 Edition The Passing the PRINCE2 Exam Hints and Tips Book – 2009 Edition The PRINCE2 Process Model Wall Chart – PRINCE2:2009 Edition PRINCE2 Foundation Exam Fee – valid in the UK only.

FREE! PRINCE2 Foundation Exam Primer – 2009 Edition		FREE! Passing the PRINCE2 Exams – 2009 Edition
Get the Exam Primer and Passing the PRINCE2 Exams study guide FREE!

Whether you just want an introduction to PRINCE2, or plan to go to advanced Practitioner training, this course provides a perfect platform to ‘fast-start’ your knowledge.

Take advantage of this offer today >>

The holiday season is under way and if you are taking a break you should use it as an opportunity to keep on top of your game with the help of a distance learning package.

If you are qualified to PRINCE2 Foundation Level and want to demonstrate your commitment to your employer, or would like to be considered for promotion or simply want to keep your job, you can stand head-and-shoulders above your colleagues by simply returning to work ready to take the Practitioner Exam.

Our distance learning packages will help you achieve this and they are specifically tailored to enable you to learn at a time, place and pace that works best for you.

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Project Management Professional (PMP) is a credential offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). As of 31 March 2010, there were 375,959 active PMP certified individuals worldwide.

You can now purchase the Project Management Professional distance learning course from our website which will enable you to pass your exam first time!

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An essential tool for anyone whose job it is to deliver high quality results on time and to budget!

Agile approaches are business practices with a proven track record for helping organisations to achieve greater efficiency, higher quality outputs and increased customer satisfaction. The basic concept behind Agile is that organisations must adapt to change. Agile principles, therefore, encourage staff to produce high quality business outputs at regular intervals, basing ongoing financial and resource commitments on the delivered outcomes. In this way, they enable organisations to avoid the trappings of extensive up-front planning and up-front budget commitments.

Agile Principles Unleashed is available for pre-purchase shows how you can use Agile principles to improve productivity, quality and customer satisfaction, whatever your organisation. Written in non-technical language that will appeal to business professionals, the book is an essential tool for anyone whose job it is to deliver high quality results on time and to budget.
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There are many benefits to achieving the PRINCE2 practitioner certificate. A listing on the PRINCE2 Successful Candidate Register, for example, will show current and future employers, and/or clients, that you are a professional in your field and you will be able to demand a higher wage for your work. Achieving the practitioner certificate is also a great way to stand out from the crowd if you work within a large organisation and want to be noticed.

Buy our PRINCE2 2009 Practitioner Distance Learning Package before the end of June and receive a free Exam Primer to ensure you pass the exam first time!

PRINCE2 2009 Practitioner Silver Package – CD-ROM & Classroom Based and Includes the Practitioner ExamIf you have already achieved your PRINCE2® Foundation certificate and now want to gain the Practitioner certificate via a flexible and cost-effective route then this is the package you need!

This course combines e-Learning with a classroom-based course in order to facilitate study to PRINCE2 Practitioner level. Upon completion of the training you will be able to take the PRINCE2 Practitioner 2009 exam which is included in this package.
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Distance Learning has proven to be very popular at this time of year for people interested in PRINCE2™. It’s probably due to the flexibility it allows and given that the appeal of being stuck in a hot classroom for days on end isn’t exactly inspiring, distance learning is increasingly the ‘preferred’ route to study.

Our range of PRINCE2:2009 Distance Learning Packages contain PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner levels, and combine packages with the exam, or without, so whatever your situation, we have the most cost effective solution for you.

Below, are two of our best selling packages from the PRINCE2:2009 Distance Learning range:

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There has been a huge uptake in USA based organizations adopting the PRINCE2™ methodology for their projects. The latest updates to the method were made in 2009 and all the core publications were re-launched reflecting the improvements.

You can now get all of the core PRINCE2:2009 books in one go by purchasing the The Official PRINCE2:2009 Book Bundle.All of the advice and guidance within these manuals is fully aligned with the latest version of PRINCE2. Meaning that by purchasing this set you are receiving the most up-to-date information on the PRINCE2 methodology.

Included in the Book bundle are:
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Project Assurance and Quality Assurance

An incredible number of people confuse Project Assurance with quality assurance, so let’s make the difference clear.

Project Assurance is a PRINCE2 term (hence the capital initial letters). Each member of the Project Board has assurance responsibilities, which they may choose to delegate. The person or group to whom these responsibilities are delegated is given the title ‘Project Assurance’. Quality assurance is company-wide, not within a project. It is usually a group, charged with creating and maintaining the company’s quality management system and ensuring that its standards are used properly throughout the company’s work. It is this last part that may bring about an overlap of the two roles. In pursuit of its overall check on use of the standards, quality assurance will require to check that a project is using the relevant standards correctly – and that the standards are effective. The Senior User and Senior Supplier may, therefore, decide to appoint a member of their respective quality assurance groups to perform all or part of their Project Assurance role. But if you are talking about a PRINCE2 role, it is Project Assurance, not quality assurance.

Check back next week for part 4 of the Art of PRINCE2 Survival.
Colin Bentley – Author of: The Art of PRINCE2 Survival – PRINCE2 2009 Edition

Designing and Appointing the Project Management Team

You read the phrase, “Designing and appoint the project management team”, in a few seconds. “Yes”, you say to yourself, “I understand that.” OK, let’s dig a bit deeper and look at a couple of questions you might have to ask in order to do this.

A PRINCE2 Practitioner exam concerned the creation of a company brochure for customers. Products required included glossy paper and professional photographs. The project also needed a quote from the local Post Office for bulk mailing. It was amazing how many candidates came back and suggested that the stationer, photographer and Post Office manager would share the Senior Supplier role. Can you imagine them attending end stage assessments? Even worse was a suggestion by some that the stationer, who was a “dynamic individual”, would be the Senior Supplier and represent the Post Office and photographer. What chance of his being able to make commitments on behalf of the other two?

One error that I often find among candidates answering an examination question about what a project’s organisation should be is that they will appoint someone because “they are enthusiastic” or “know a lot about the subject”. These are not reasons to appoint someone to a Project Board role. A Project Board role is all about decision-making and commitment. If the person cannot commit the required resources, he or she is not a candidate for a Project Board role.

Check back next week for part 3 of the Art of PRINCE2 Survival.
Colin Bentley – Author of: The Art of PRINCE2 Survival – PRINCE2 2009 Edition