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Planning in the IT sector

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Wed, 2005-04-27 15:51
John Smitt
User offline. Last seen 18 years 1 week ago. Offline
Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 38
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
I’m a qualified IT engineer and have been for some time, have all the qualifications you can get but wanted a change from hardcore technical.

My aim is to work on projects and at sometime become a project manager. I feel planning is a good route and have recently done a planning course. I have also recently got a job as a planner which i am happy with and i intennd to do for some time.
The job is not in the desired sector (not IT).

MY question; what do you need in terms of planning skills, planning software, project methods (prince 2) would help me get a job as an IT planner.

Also most of the agents deal with construction and rail etc.. and IT agents don’t do a lot in IT planning, who does?
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Mon, 2005-05-09 10:13
#1
Chris Oggham
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 605
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John,

The organisation I work for uses PRINCE2 as its Project Management Methodology. The vast majority of our projects are IT projects, but PRINCE2 is equally applicable to non-IT projects. Since you have secured a planning job that you are happy with, use the time to build up experience in planning and scheduling before deciding to make the transition to project manager.

As for PRINCE2, there are two stages of qualification.
The first of these is the Foundation qualification, which consists of an intensive one week course followed by a multiple choice exam. A lot of people think that it is going to be a walkover, but you do have to be thoroughly familiar with PRINCE2 basics in order to pass the exam.

The second stage is PRINCE2 Practitioner. Again the course is intensive and demanding and at the end of it is a three hour Practitioners’ Exam. The exam is a narrative exam usually based around a case study and is demanding, but you are allowed to use the PRINCE2 manual to assist you.

PRINCE2 Practitioner status is seen as advantageous for project managers, but again only with those organisations that use the PRINCE2 management methodology. However, if you can ally that with experience in planning and scheduling, then you are in with a chance at a project manager’s job even without direct experience in the role. The good thing about it, though, is that PRINCE2 is not just restricted to IT projects, it can be used to manage any sort of project.

I hope this has been of some help

Chris Oggham
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