IPMA PMO study plan

Map the PMO leadership domain into a one-page competency matrix linking PMO roles (head, PMO manager, analyst) to decision rights and escalation paths

Define the IPMA ICB® perspective areas and competence elements in your own words and flag the five you understand least

Compare directive, controlling, supportive and coaching PMO operating models and write a short rationale for which fits a typical mid-size organisation

Draft a stakeholder map for a PMO you know, naming sponsors, delivery leads and audit or assurance contacts

Explain how a PMO head translates organisational strategy into service offerings, service catalogues and governance calendars

Describe the ICB® people competences (self-reflection, personal integrity, communication, leadership, teamwork) with one workplace example each

Analyse a governance scenario where a project manager bypasses PMO gate reviews and decide what a PMO leader should do first, second and third

Practise writing a five-sentence PMO mandate that states authority, scope, and the limits of that authority

Distinguish project, programme and portfolio management purposes and select the right approach for three different initiative types

Explain the IPMA OCB® organisational competence areas and how a PMO influences each one

Outline how a PMO supports benefits realisation rather than only schedule and cost tracking

Draft a portfolio prioritisation method using at least three weighted criteria and test it on five hypothetical initiatives

Interpret the IPMA Project Excellence Baseline® assessment structure, including criteria, scoring and the assessment process

Explain how OCB® governance, structure and culture elements enable or block PMO effectiveness

Plan a self-assessment against PEB® criteria for a real or realistic project, identifying evidence sources

Summarise how a PMO turns PEB® findings into an improvement roadmap with owners and timelines

Describe how a PMO builds organisational project management maturity, including competence development and knowledge management

Analyse a case where the PMO is seen as administrative overhead and design three interventions that shift perception

Apply PEB® excellence thinking to design two measurable KPIs for PMO value delivery

Explain how lessons learned and assurance reviews feed continuous improvement in the OCB® sense

Build a 12-month PMO service roadmap that sequences governance, reporting, assurance and competence development

Design a PEB®-aligned assessment plan for a programme, including assessor roles, evidence collection and scoring calibration

Write a communication plan for reporting PMO performance to executives, sponsors and delivery teams

Rehearse explaining PMO leadership trade-offs such as control versus autonomy in under three minutes

Integrate ICB® and OCB® competences into a single PMO competence framework with proficiency levels

Evaluate how organisational structure, culture and informal power affect PMO adoption and design responses

Draft answers to scenario questions on benefits management, resource allocation conflicts and portfolio rebalancing

Review your week 1 gap list and confirm which gaps remain open with evidence

Consolidate all four domains into a one-page summary sheet of key models, terms and decision rules

Complete a timed mock exam covering all domains and record scores per domain

Analyse weak areas from the mock and write targeted revision actions for each

Rehearse concise answers to PMO leadership and PEB® assessment scenarios under time pressure