Certification Guidelines
Certified Programme and Portfolio Management Consultant (IPMA® PPMC)
CONTENTS
1.
Introduction ............................................................................................ 4
1.1.
Administration ......................................................................................... 4
2.
Admission to the Certification Process ............................................................ 4
2.1.
Admission Conditions ................................................................................ 4
2.2.
Core Competence .................................................................................... 5
3.
Certification Process ................................................................................. 5
3.1.
Overview of Certification Stages ................................................................... 5
3.2.
Application for Certification .......................................................................... 6
3.3.
Written Examinations on "Project Management" and "PM Consulting" ...................... 7
3.4.
Case Study Report ................................................................................... 8
3.5.
Interview.............................................................................................. 11
3.6.
Completion of the Certification Process ......................................................... 12
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
CERTIFIED PROGRAMME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (IPMA® PPMC)
ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Author
Jean-Pierre Widmann
Classification
VZPM, public
Issued
January 2013
Version
1.0
Supersedes document
---
File name
VZPM_PMC_Leitfaden PPMC_V1.0_ENN
CHANGE HISTORY
Date
Version
13.01.2013
1.0
Author
Changes made
Jean-Pierre Widmann
First version
The head of the certification division is responsible for maintaining this document.
RELATED DOCUMENTS
The documents listed in the table below are required for preparing or registering for certification and are therefore regarded as related documents. The content of these documents supplements the information provided in these Guidelines.
No.
Document
Description
1
Swiss NCB
Swiss National Competence Baseline
2
Swiss NCBC
Swiss National Competence Baseline Consulting
3
Certification Regulations
IPMA® PMC and IPMA® PPMC
Certification regulations
4
Schedule of fees
Schedule of fees
5
IPMA® PPMC Application for Certification
Application for IPMA® PPMC certification
6
Confirmation of Application Letter (template)
Template for letter confirming application details
7
Self-assessment form, NCB Level A, B, C
Self-assessment form for "project management" competences
8
Self-assessment form, NCBC
Self-assessment form for "PM consulting" competences
9
®
IPMA PPMC Case Study Report (template)
Template for case study report
REVIEW AND APPROVAL
Function
Date
Role
Person(s)
Checked
15.08.2012
VZPM management
Members of management
Approved
31.01.2013
Chairman
Jean-Pierre Widmann
Remarks
Any amendments or additions must be approved by VZPM management. This document is approved by the Chairman of the VZPM.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
CERTIFIED PROGRAMME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (IPMA® PPMC)
MOST IMPORTANT ABBREVIATIONS
IPMA®
International Project Management Association
IPMA® PMC
Certified Project Management Consultant
IPMA® PPMC
Certified Programme and Portfolio Management Consultant
PM
Project Management
Swiss NCB
Swiss National Competence Baseline
Swiss NCBC
Swiss National Competence Baseline Consulting
VZPM
Association for Certification of Persons in Management
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
CERTIFIED PROGRAMME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (IPMA® PPMC)
1. INTRODUCTION
The aim of certification is …


to provide a form of recognition for employees in the private and public sectors and selfemployed persons who have acquired corresponding theoretical and practical project
management consulting skills.
to assist companies and administrations in the recruitment of successful and reliable
project management consulting staff.
The present document, aimed at candidates for certification, explains the process for obtaining
certification as a Certified Programme and Portfolio Management Consultant (IPMA ® PPMC),
and also includes information on the current conditions for certification and the requirements
to be met by candidates. Candidates will also need to refer to the following documents in order
to obtain a complete overview of the certification process and the necessary understanding of
the process:



Swiss National Competence Baseline (Swiss NCB)
Swiss National Competence Baseline Consulting (Swiss NCBC)
IPMA® PMC and IPMA® PPMC Certification Regulations
All documents required by certification candidates are provided free of charge for download
from the VZPM website (www.vzpm.ch).
As part of the certification process, candidates will need to provide proof that they have the
required competences, in terms of both knowledge and practical experience. Certificates must
be renewed periodically via the recertification process.
1.1. ADMINISTRATION
The dates for the individual certification stages are set by the VZPM. Two public certification
rounds are usually carried out annually. Certification rounds for individual businesses and further education institutions can be arranged on request. Candidates must submit all required
documentation to the VZPM office by the date and in the form specified.
2. ADMISSION TO THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS
2.1. ADMISSION CONDITIONS
When applying for certification, candidates must provide evidence that they meet the required
conditions for admission:
 In the last eight years, at least five years' experience in project management consulting,
at least two of which must be at IPMA® PPMC level, working at a rate of at least 66% (or
750 days of consulting work in total). The first period of work in a role accepted for the
fulfilment of the admission conditions must date from at least five years before the application date set by the VZPM.
 In the last twenty years, at least three years' project management experience in a responsible leadership function in complex projects (see Swiss NCB, Section 2.5).
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
CERTIFIED PROGRAMME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (IPMA® PPMC)
2.2. CORE COMPETENCE
Candidates must be able to advise companies on strategic project management matters at
management level, including matters relating to organizational and strategic implementation.
The consulting activity involves project portfolios and/or programmes.
Candidates must also fulfil the following requirements:
 You are capable of advising companies on the competence elements described in the
Swiss NCB, and in particular …
 on the development and implementation of in-house project management frameworks,
 on strategic organizational development matters relevant to portfolio, programme
and project management, and
 on cultural change as a corollary of the development and implementation of a project management framework.
You also perform consulting work in an expert adviser and/or process consultant role. If
the need arises, you lead a team of PM consultants.
 You have methodological project management competence and a thorough knowledge of
current consulting methods/instruments and complex intervention methods.
3. CERTIFICATION PROCESS
3.1. OVERVIEW OF CERTIFICATION STAGES
The certification process normally lasts seven to eight months. The table below provides an
overview of the individual certification stages and their approximate duration:
Stage
1
Carried out
by
Approx.
duration
Candidate
By application
deadline
VZPM
1 month
Sit written "Project Management" examination if not already in possession of a valid IPMA Level A, B or C certificate
Candidate
On examination
date
Sit written "PM Consulting" examination
Candidate
Activity
Application for certification
Submit application, including portfolio, programme and project list, details of consulting mandates, references and self-assessments
Review application and notify candidate of admission decision
2
Written examinations on "Project Management" and "PM Consulting"
Mark examinations and notify candidate of results
3
1 month
Candidate
2 months
VZPM
1 month
Candidate
1½ months
VZPM
½ month
Case study report
Write and submit case study report
Mark case study report and notify candidate of result
4
VZPM
Interview
Attend interview
Conduct overall evaluation of certification process and notify candidate
of results
Table 1: Certification Stages
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
CERTIFIED PROGRAMME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (IPMA® PPMC)
After each certification stage, the VZPM will notify the candidates of its decision. The decision
after the first three stages is either to admit the candidate to the next stage or to refuse admission. After the first and third stages, conditions for further progress may be set if need be.
After the interview, candidates will be notified of the VZPM's decision on whether or not to
award the certificate within one month.
3.2. APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION
APPLICATION
By submitting an application, candidates become officially registered for the certification process. The information provided on the application form allows the VZPM office and the head of
the certification division to check that the candidate meets the conditions for admission. The
candidate must submit the following documents:




Fully completed application form
including a list and description of the candidate's consulting mandates
Letter confirming the information provided on the application form
Fully completed self-assessment forms
The candidate must submit the complete application, including all supplementary information,
in the form of a single PDF file. The application template can be downloaded from the VZPM
website and must be used in all cases. The file name should be written as follows:

Lastname_firstname_application
At the same time, the candidate must send a letter to the VZPM office. By signing this letter,
the candidate confirms that he/she …



has completed all the information in the electronically submitted application form truthfully,
acknowledges all regulations pertaining to the certification process and the associated
rights and obligations,
is prepared to comply with the VZPM Code of Ethics (published on its website).
The letter should specify when and to which e-mail address the application documents were
sent. Once in possession of the signed letter, the VZPM has the right to contact the referees
whose details are provided on the application form without notifying the candidate beforehand.
Referees will be contacted on a "spot check" basis. The template for the letter can be downloaded from the VZPM website; this template must be used in all cases.
The candidate must submit each completed self-assessment form as an individual PDF file. The
templates for these documents can be downloaded from the VZPM website; these templates
must be used in all cases. The file names should be written as follows:


Lastname_firstname_SA_PM
Lastname_firstname_SA_PPMC
COMPLETION OF THE CERTIFICATION STAGE
The application for certification submitted by the candidate will be checked for completeness
and compliance with the admission conditions by the head of the certification division.
Candidates who meet the admission conditions will be admitted to the second stage of certification and will receive the following documents from the VZPM:



Confirmation of admission (conditional or unconditional)
Invitation to sit the written examination
Invoice for the second stage of certification
Candidates not admitted to the next certification stage will be notified in writing, stating the
reason and providing information on the candidate's right of appeal.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
CERTIFIED PROGRAMME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (IPMA® PPMC)
3.3. WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS ON "PROJECT MANAGEMENT" AND
"PM CONSULTING"
The written examinations are invigilated by a person authorized by the VZPM. Only candidates
meeting the admission requirements are admitted. The maximum possible number of points
for each question is noted. Examinations are conducted on an "open-book" basis. Candidates
may bring and use any documentation of their choice (including books) and a calculator. Mobile communication devices and other electronic devices containing databases or with internet
capability are not permitted.
WRITTEN "PROJECT MANAGEMENT" EXAMINATION
Not all candidates will need to sit the written "Project Management" examination. The following
rules apply:


Candidates in possession of a valid IPMA Level A®, IPMA Level B® or IPMA Level C® certificate are not required to sit this examination.
Candidates who do not hold one of these certificates, or whose certificate is invalid, are
required to sit this examination.
The written "Project Management" examination is a three-hour examination based around the
46 competence elements described in the Swiss NCB and has the following sections:


60 multiple choice questions covering basic knowledge, comprising …
 36 questions on technical PM competence elements
 12 questions on behavioural PM competences
 12 questions on contextual PM competences
14 text-based tasks (open questions), comprising …
 8 questions on technical PM competence elements
 3 questions on behavioural PM competences
 3 questions on contextual PM competences
In the multiple choice section of the examination, three different types of questions are used:

Type A questions – single choice
 For each question, candidates must select only one of four possible answers.
 One point will be awarded for each correct answer.
 Zero points will be awarded for incorrect answers.

Type B questions – multiple choice

Type C questions – questions requiring decisions
 For each question, candidates must select two of four possible answers.
 One point will be awarded for two correct answers.
 Zero points will be awarded for one correct answer or fewer.




For each question, each of the four answers should be marked as "correct" or "incorrect".
One point will be awarded for four correct answers.
Half a point will be awarded for three correct answers.
Zero points will be awarded for two correct answers or fewer.
To pass the examination, the candidate must achieve ...


at least 60% of the maximum possible number of points and
at least 50% of the maximum possible number of points in each of the three competence ranges ("technical PM competence elements", "behavioural PM competences" and
"contextual PM competences").
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
CERTIFIED PROGRAMME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (IPMA® PPMC)
WRITTEN "PM CONSULTING" EXAMINATION
All candidates are required to sit the "PM Consulting" examination. The content of the examination is based around the consulting area relevant to the certification level and around portfolio and programme management, and encompasses all 14 competence elements described in
the Swiss NCBC as well as the following competence elements from the Swiss NCB:








1.03
1.06
1.16
2.02
2.10
2.12
3.04
3.06
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Project requirements & objectives
Project organisation
Control & reports
Engagement & motivation
Consultation
Conflict & crisis
Project, programme & portfolio implementation
Business
This is a three-hour examination comprising open questions only. It provides an exhaustive
test of the 22 competence elements listed above (14 from the Swiss NCBC and 8 from the
Swiss NCB). To pass the examination, the candidate must achieve at least 60% of the maximum possible number of points.
COMPLETION OF THE CERTIFICATION STAGE
At least one expert authorized by the VZPM will be appointed to assess the candidate's performance in the examination. These experts evaluate the candidate's performance and submit a
decision proposal ("pass" or "fail") to the head of the certification division. The latter will then
make the corresponding decision.
Candidates who pass both the "Project Management" and "PM Consulting" examinations, or
who are not required to sit the "Project Management" examination, are admitted to the third
stage of certification and receive the following documents from the VZPM:



Confirmation of admission to the case study report stage
Invitation to submit a case study report
Invoice for the third stage of certification
Candidates not admitted to the next certification stage will be notified in writing, stating the
reason and providing information on the candidate’s right of appeal.
3.4. CASE STUDY REPORT
AIM OF THE CASE STUDY REPORT
The aim of the case study report is for the candidate to demonstrate his/her knowledge and
experience of consulting using four completed consulting mandates in the field of project management (in justified cases, three or five mandates can also be used).
The four case studies are selected by the candidate and should constitute a representative picture of his/her consulting experience. The consulting mandates/projects used should have reference to strategic aspects of project management, such as portfolio and/or programme management coaching, portfolio and/or programme management method consulting, the introduction of a project management framework at whole company or departmental/divisional level,
or the introduction of a programme management or portfolio management framework.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
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The candidate can use case studies where he/she was employed as an expert adviser and/or
process consultant:


Work as an expert adviser involves task-oriented, directive consulting solicited by the
client. The client seeking the advice has identified their problem and expects the consultant to provide fully developed results or concrete proposals for solutions.
In process consultancy, the aim is to support the client in their own problem-solving.
The consultant will specialize in particular in communication and coaching skills.
The consultant can be an integral part of the project organization, but does not have to be.
Within the framework of the case study report, the candidate should describe and provide critical commentary on the relevant project management and PM consulting elements, and the application of these elements (or lack thereof) over the course of the consulting mandate.
The consultant's task in a consulting mandate is to support the client through the solution development process and/or to propose concrete solutions of their own. These recommendations
for solutions can subsequently be implemented within the context of a project. A consulting
contract does not necessarily have to include an implementation element. By contrast, a project executed within the framework of a consulting mandate always includes a consulting element.
CONTENT OF THE CASE STUDY REPORT
The VZPM provides candidates with a template for the case study report. This document can be
downloaded from the VZPM website and must be used in all cases. Elements included in the
template, such as tables, must be used and completed with the content stipulated.
The case study report should provide a concise and accurately written overview covering the
following topics:







Information on the background and context of the consulting mandate, for example consulting approach, remit and scope of the mandate, client, other relevant stakeholders,
resources and complexity
Goals of the consulting mandate
Project and/or parent organization
Delivery of the consultancy services
Roles and responsibilities of the candidate
Distinguishing features of the consulting mandate
Results and customer satisfaction
The main body of the case study report should provide information relating to specific situations and covering ...


(Project) management challenges and how they were approached and tackled
Reflections on the results of the PM consulting exercise, analysis and lessons learnt
MINIMUM CONTENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CASE STUDY REPORT
The content of the consulting mandates chosen as the subject matter for the case studies must
be representative of the certification level sought by the candidate, in this case "consulting at
the strategic project management level". At the same time, the case studies must touch upon
a minimum number of competence elements:
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
CERTIFIED PROGRAMME AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (IPMA® PPMC)
Evaluation structure
Competence range
Swiss NCBC
Technical competence elements
4
Behavioural competences
3
Contextual competences
3
Technical PM competence elements
7
Behavioural competences
5
Contextual competences
4
Swiss NCB
Number of elements addressed
Table 2: Minimum Number of Required Competence Elements, Case Study Report
FORMAL REQUIREMENTS, CASE STUDY REPORT
In terms of subject matter, the sections in the main body of the case study report should focus
on just a few competence elements. Moreover, the report must meet the following formal requirements:
Scope
 20-25 pages (A4) of text (main body of report)
 At least 4 pages per consulting mandate
 Maximum of 10-15 pages of annexes/appendices
Qualitative elements








Declaration
"I hereby declare that the content of this case study report is my own work,
and has been written without any assistance from third parties."
Submission
PDF file named lastname_firstname_CSR
Cover page
Version
Table of contents
List of abbreviations/glossary
List of figures
Bibliography
References to competence elements
Change history (in the event that a second version is produced)
Table 3: Formal Requirements, Case Study Report
In cases where the main body of the report exceeds the stipulated length, it will be sent back
to the candidate for revision.
COMPLETION OF THE CERTIFICATION STAGE
The case study report is reviewed and assessed by two assessors working independently of
each other. The assessment is based on the requirements set out in the present guidelines, the
sections of the Swiss NCBC dealing with IPMA® PPMC certification, and the Swiss NCB.
In order to be accepted the case study report must …




address all the required topics,
include the required number of competence elements,
meet the minimum requirements as described, and
comply with the formal requirements.
If the case study report is assessed as unsatisfactory (<6 on a scale of 0-10), the candidate
will be given the option to submit a revised version on payment of a fee. The submission deadline for the new version of the report will be agreed upon with the head of the relevant division.
If the case study report is assessed as satisfactory (≥6 on a scale of 0-10), the assessors will
put forward a proposal to the head of the certification division for "conditional or unconditional
admission to the interview stage". The latter will then make the corresponding decision.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
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Candidates whose case study reports receive a mark of ≥6 will be admitted to the fourth stage
of certification and will receive the following documents from the VZPM:


Confirmation of conditional or unconditional admission to interview
Invoice for the fourth stage of certification
Candidates not admitted to the next certification stage will be notified in writing, stating the
reason and providing information on the candidate’s right of appeal.
3.5. INTERVIEW
Once the candidate has been notified of his/her admission to the interview stage, the assessors will contact him/her to arrange an interview date. The interview lasts 1½-2 hours and
leads on to the final assessment of the candidate. It is a technical discussion between the candidate and both assessors which can incorporate the following certification outcomes:


Case study report as basis for interview
Self-assessments on "project management" and "PM Consulting"
The opening questions for the interview are prepared in advance by the assessors and
should …



verify the statements made in the case study report,
give the candidate the opportunity to talk about his/her project management and project management consulting competences, and
provide an insight into the candidate's knowledge and experience (strengths, weaknesses and gaps).
The assessors' opening questions will not be released to the candidates in advance. The interview discussions must cover a minimum number of competence elements:
Evaluation structure
Competence range
Swiss NCBC
Technical competence elements
3
Behavioural competences
2
Contextual competences
2
Technical PM competence elements
4
Behavioural competences
3
Contextual competences
2
Swiss NCB
Number of elements addressed
Table 4: Minimum Number of Required Competence Elements, Interview Stage
COMPLETION OF THE CERTIFICATION STAGE
The assessors will evaluate the candidate's performance at interview and, if the overall assessment outcome is positive, make a recommendation to the head of the relevant division for
the certificate to be awarded. The overall assessment will take into account the results of the
written "PM Consulting" examination as well as the case study report and interview assessments.
The head of the certification division will then make the corresponding decision. The candidate
will be notified of the outcome in writing. If the outcome of the overall assessment is negative
the candidate will be notified in writing, stating the reason and providing information on the
candidate's right of appeal.
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CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES
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3.6. COMPLETION OF THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS
Once the certification process has been successfully completed and all certification fees have
been paid, the candidate will receive his/her certificate. The handover of the certificate to the
candidate marks the end of the certification process. In exceptional cases, the certificate may
be delivered by post.
The certificate is internationally recognized and is valid for five years. For the period of validity
of the certificate, the title of
Certified Programme and Portfolio Management Consultant (IPMA® PPMC)
may be used by the holder.
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