The more the merrier. Just as our quest is insatiable so are the expectations. Try meeting a hiring head or a business investor and you will be questioned more about your skillset. Yes! Your primary skills are a given. While the focus on primary skills is paramount, the stress is always about developing additional abilities considered vital in competitive analysis. Those interested in your profile would want to know ‘more’. It’s the additional information that elicits more interest. A quintessential professional is versatile – like a player on the field ready to be placed in any position. So possessing the technical skill (read primary skill) wouldn’t provide that edge over peers, rather when supplemented and complimented with strategic and leadership traits places you in a formidable position clearly pushing your boundary further. With business needs growing with greater unpredictability and technology advancement defying expectation through groundbreaking innovations, the landscape seems to be shifting perpetually, and hence there is admittedly a paradigm shift from the professional perspective without an exception. With time Individual assessment has changed. The organization is looking to fill the slot as Musterberg stated “finding the best possible man, how to produce the best possible work, and how to secure the best possible effects”. What it takes to become top performer with top potential. Potential is the possibility of an individual to do more than current contribution. Aon Hewitt defines potential as the assessment of an employee’s ability to rise to and succeed in a more senior or expanded role. Potential considers individuals’ performance, character, capability and motivation. Today, the critical talent is evaluated in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities. The PMI Talent Triangle™ clearly lays emphasis on ‘more than’ technical skills by subscribing to Leadership and strategic & Business Management As inferred from the PMI’s ‘Pulse of the Profession 2016’, the most successful organizations seek added skills in leadership and business—competencies that support and sustain long-range strategic objectives. The ideal skill set—a combination of technical, leadership, and strategic and business management expertise—is embodied in the PMI Talent Triangle™. When organizations focus on all three skill sets, 40 percent more of their projects meet goals and original business intent. As one of the leading educational powerhouse enabling to become professionally trained and certified, especially PMP®, PRINCE2, ITIL, Six Sigma, we interact with professionals on a daily basis. They are the folks wanting to stand out in their sphere of work. And we regularly hear how ‘Certification’ validates competency and enables your candidature as ‘eligible’. What is the value add You bring to the table? Your bona fide already vetted, increased scrutiny would be on the ‘what else’ as the key differentiator. It’s always about ‘what more do I get’ and it applies to one and all. With the raw aggression witnessed like never before, it will be hard sell in promoting your profile given the spiraling number of applicants competing alongside and here is where ‘the more you have’ makes you leapfrog into the short list – a short one. So dear Professional, what makes you so elite and eligible? Is the spotlight on you to single out in a crowded room? How do you distinguish yourself to differentiate? We, at iCert Global, besides the benchmarked certification courses also offer career counseling whereby our expert panel will engage with you to chalk out the future course of action to steer ahead the crowd and cacophony. We conduct exciting programs that shape your personality and profile to become more competitive and complete . Follow the link http://www.icertglobal.com/all-courses.php to get a glimpse of our offering and feel free to schedule a call with us. Together We Win!

Did you know the average annual salary can go up to $81,000 USD? It’s exciting to study the top 10 countries with the highest median annual salaries for project practitioners. Your resume gets only 6 seconds to strike an impression. The threshold is that small a window. The initial credibility has to be telling to take the conversation forward. The door opener ought to be something valuable. As testified by Project Managers in a survey published in techrepublic online journal, many accounted PMP® certification as ‘the compelling factor’ in being counted. Else they won’t consider your CV. So the counsel is a PMP-packed profile will surely get past the screening process. Experience can further be strengthened with education. The PMP® certification is more about the science of project management in delivering successful projects. Certification is a clear indicator that you possess the relevant knowledge and expertise. Research undertaken by PMI® shows that Organizations that fully understand the value of project management and place a high priority in creating a culture that recognizes its importance report 71 percent of projects meeting original goals and business intent versus 52 percent that place a low priority on it. Besides, chances that one can clear the checks and balances created by PMI are favorably presumed to be equipped with expertise and proficient in their profession. Does a PMP® certificate make a Project Manager more successful in managing project with time, scope and budget? There is a business value to every deal signed. What’s the assurance the Project manager will deliver? Study reveals that a certified Project Manager, when weighed from all distinguishing parameters, has a better shot at success. And more often delivers. For that kind of competence, the PMP® professional commands an attractive compensation as compared to their non-certified counterparts. The ninth edition of PMI’s Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey states that “those with a PMP certification garner a higher salary (20% higher on average) than those without a PMP certification.” Before we arrive at why salaries surge for certified PMPs as compared to the non-certified, let’s first deliberate why certifications count at all. Statistics reveal seven out of 10 projects fail. So what’s the best bet that a certified professional will perform? The PMI's 2008 Pulse of the Profession research found "that having project managers without PMP certification results in a lower percent of projects coming in on time and on budget—especially when less than 10 percent of the project managers in the company are PMPs. Organizations with less than 10 percent of project managers who are PMPs are also much less likely to indicate an increase in projects successfully meeting the goals and business intent." This is not to drive home that certification alone is the clincher as there are other factors that do impact project completion, but one cannot downplay or undermine the significance certification lends to success. That’s the point. The grind in getting a PMP certification is certainly rigorous given the prerequisite of practical experience and the hours invested in preparation to earn the credential. And the paycheck as well. The informed insights as published in PMI’s Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey In the United States, keyed out project managers in the pharmaceuticals industry reported the highest median salary ($125,500), followed by those working in agriculture, mining and natural resources ($120,640) and consulting ($120,000). Other industries posting high median U.S. salaries include aerospace ($115,000), engineering ($112,000), utility ($110,425), government ($110,000) and information technology ($110,000). The median salary of U.S.-based respondents holding a PMP certification was $111,000 versus a median salary of $91,000 for participants without PMP certification. Interestingly, the median salary was based on a number of key demographic factors, especially the Country of employment, PMP status, and years of project management experience, project team size and budget. Some of the salient highlights listed below for your immediate attention: 

More often parroted of any other virtues and clichéd by now, the strength and success behind every organization is always attributed to its assets – human assets. And corporate capitalize on their human capital. It’s only a natural corollary in terms of objectives and accomplishment for every organization to get its recruitment process right. Skill and strength go together. Given the backdrop does Certification count? We will come to it soon…. ‘ whatever carried you this far won’t take you no forward’ – is well worn by now but that’s the truth of the matter. Someone who wish to be employed or already employed needs to hone skills; keep sharpening the axe and as much a software is updated with frequent release, the software professional is expected to shop for more soft skills. Technical competence is the cornerstone on which the career is built. Scenarios wherein recruitment would routinely involve the rigor of clearing an online test was ensured without refrain. ‘Online’ exams which came free, without cost was clearly the challenge in the candidature being shortlisted for the successive round. Certification from a reputed governing body was a clear indicator about caliber and still some selection process did involve sitting for an unscheduled test. Didn’t Certification count? Present times poses perplexing pathways to steer past peers without nudging or edging but succeed through outshining others in advancing one’s own career path. Could be chaotic and would it send alarm bells rings given the competitive spirit of the market? Education is paid its due respect; experience is rewarded but the proof of the pudding about your expertise and experience can be coalesced in certification. Let’s elaborate: a PMP certified professional stands for someone with stipulated education and substantiated experience without which the eligibility criteria will fall short. Certification is met with instant recognition. Still second thoughts about certification? Yes and No. We will help you cast your doubts aside. Will your mentioning about your competency on a piece of paper and pass as Resume advance as compared to an Accredited Governing Body attesting your proficiency as a ‘professional’. Certificate, too, is a piece of paper – with a difference. Incredible difference. It’s all about recognition and reward follows. Not the other way around. Yes, there is the acid test one must endure to prove proficiency and experience is baptism by fire. As a prelude to the final performance, we at ICert conduct online exams for you to self-assess your standing, and if you successfully pass our exam then a Certificate is awarded in your name recording the grade as well. http://www.icertglobal.com/free-resource.php Try cracking the exam. And check for yourself the ‘value-add’ of our certification. The results will speak for itself. While you are at it, we at iCert wish you the very best in your endeavors. Get Certified; Get Recognized.

When the clock chimed 12, and crackers burst open ushering the new year , greetings galore and goodies strewn around, it was a moment to reflect about the past and look right ahead with renewed hope. How did we fare in 2015 and what’s the forecast for 2016? This probably is deliberation of many a minds both from a personal and professional perspective. 2015 witnessed some great happenings which will make a geek beam with pride – gadgets, gizmos, apps and what not. India observed with heightened expectation the numerous startups, the growing number of entrepreneurs, the surpassing rise in technology as never was the adage ‘happening today, history tomorrow’ proved so plausible. And in all these, the overriding factor and dire demand proved to be the digital presence and exceptional soft skills. Just as we are increasingly online and extremely mobile, the medium and means have changed dramatically. As much as technology is becoming the key differentiator, technologists are the game-changers. 2015 was more about delivering technology at doorstep. Brick and mortar gave way to online offerings and our niche product offerings to professionals saw a surge in Live Virtual Class and e-Learning with corporate accounts in our clientele. In all it was a successful year, having posted results close to the projections. So the ride was bumpy sometimes and smooth as well. Farewell 2015. The road ahead is full of opportunities if one knows how to count and capitalize. There is going to be exciting and engaging times . ‘Education never ends’ – it’s for a lifetime. Knowledge is the key and Technology-enabled services will be the touchstone. Today there is a surplus in headcount if supply is anything to go by, but do they really meet the demand? That’s a million-dollar question. There is indeed a growing gap – from both the employers and employees standpoint. The fitment is really a hard-find. Hence, grooming the greatest asset – human capital – is the critical need as exponential growth in technological developments makes it mandate to embrace existing and emerging technologies. It’s the innovation in serving the digital experience that holds the key to unlock the fortune. More than reaching out to the customer, much will rest on customizing. The blended training is a tested approach and going forward we need to try other practices with technology leading from the front. We will have to rejig our offering by stacking with latest learning and impart to the niche segment. The focus will be on Big Data, Cloud Computing, Digital Marketing, SalesForce and list is expected to grow. 2016 – Welcome!

What if, there is no Project Manager for the project? At times, people often ponder 'why do we need Project Manager as they neither code nor do QA validation and their effort is of no use to the delivery'. Assume there is a team of 10 in which 6 are developers and 3 QA engineers and 1 Development Lead and all are exceptionally good technically and functionally. They are all aware how to efficiently code and of course all QA engineers are experts in Automation. So in that case do you think we need Project Manager to handle the project? The point is, rather than getting into a debate on whether we need Project Manager, its worth discussing on whether people in the team can take care of required project management activities. In general Project Manager is related to Captain for the Project which means he/she has clear vision & direction for the project. One should know the objective of the project, and who are the primary stakeholders and secondary stakeholders; When we should reach where (Milestone details with target dates) and its dependencies and its owners. Another focus area will be communication. Communicating right things to right people and at right time - which includes Risk Management (Dependencies, Issues, & Risks) tracking with right people at right time apart from the Status reporting. When we mention status reporting, people at times think status of the project deliverable, though this is one aspect of the status reporting, but more than that project status should get the visibility on Planned Budget/Effort/Project Scope Vs Spent Amount/Spent Effort/Delivered Scope. This in turn fixes the spotlights on the entity called Project Manager to get the visibility of high level and detailed level also to the respective stake holder. People in the top hierarchy should get the visibility on Budget Spent Vs Ready Scope. The crew might be exceptionally competent in their sphere of work but beyond the call of work is an unfair expectation as it might hamper productivity and thats why and when a Project Manager is pressed into service. In nutshell, Project Manager helps to get predictability of the project all times with relevant information to the relevant stake holders….

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Agile doesn’t trade places with traditional project management which is centered around water-fall methodology. Hence Agile doesn’t counter against PMI®, long known for its project management credentials through PMP, rather it complements… Let’s get the insight on why do we recommend Agile. It is to be noted that PMI features PMI-ACP® as one of its flagship certification which is fast gaining grounds, if the traction is any indicator. We are one of the leading lights in knowledge and certification of PMI-ACP® and regularly conduct training and workshops on key locations around the globe. Let’s move on to the narrative. 

I am in the middle management and certainly at the crossroad when in conflict with customer and colleagues. This is not made up but picked right from one of the conversation, no, a heated discussion when a team member protested “aren't you supposed to stand by us?” averting their desperate look, I swivelled my chair and stared hard at the table with my eyes focus nowhere in particular but mind probing endless paradoxes and possibilities. Stand by whom? We will have to get educated not to take things personal but when someone slams ‘your idea makes no sense’, how can you detach and differentiate ‘it’s not me that’s criticized but my idea? So that means they are both different? Isn't my thought born out of me and interpreting as impersonal and remain impassive?” Impasse. Don’t dismiss that as banal, as everyone without an exception, at some point in time have introspected on similar lines. “Is it an individual’s interest or collective that matters? Should I have to prove standing by you? Client’s interest precedes and prevails above everything”, the hush in the room was so audible and I knew of touching a raw nerve, and their grievance wasn’t without ground. But if we start listening to such calls and concede ground on behalf of the crew, then there will be no option but pull the shutters down. Clients run the business – we manage. Attitude is all that counts. But a demoralized crew is more dangerous than a deadly weapon, and slighting their service will be huge let-down. So I counsel with an admission “agreed not all calls are fair but we should learn to overlook few just the same way they have accommodated our careless mistakes as ‘oversight’. Eventually business is about give and take, and no need to take things personally. It’s strictly professional. Alright, here is the call: prove them wrong by laying out the outline for closure and I will even it out.” Their eyes lit up. “Wait. What if we fail to deliver?” they sank into their seats. One developer took it up with me “WE WILL DELIVER”. That’s the spirit. I wanted to hear that and those words only. Management are sometime like middlemen who speak for both the side without letting the other down. Not fence sitters, but firmly on the ground. Project Managers must engage stakeholders, who are keen about the bottom line, while also ensuring the team’ morale never suffers at any cost nor become a casualty. It’s difficult to please everyone and unwise to even attempt or aspire. Set the priorities and take calculated risks. It’s not like one’s interest should be affected in order to meet another – that’s a compromise. Make it a win-win for all. Successful Managers are those who factor both the interest – commerce and camaraderie and maintain to sustain a long standing relationship that’s rich in its yield [revenue from client and retention of employees]. The subject is dealt very well in Project Management Certification course, especially in Stakeholder Management, Human Resource Management. You might want to visit know more about our offering http://goo.gl/VljmtT

Risks Vs. Opportunities 

The iron triangle of project management has scope+ time+ cost and at the core rests the Quality. Meaning none of the axes can be compromised, which consequently impact Quality adversely. So what’s about Quality? Well, everything boils down to Quality. Standards are Quality measure. High standards attributes to High Quality. Well, when thoughts transcend from personal experience as Project Manager, I always ensured the quality team has the final word on everything shipped much to the chagrin of the development team. They often sparred as to ‘who called the shots?’ and I will put my best foot forward “I do” to the eerie silence of the team. A team is a bunch of individuals with their own talent, and that’s why we refer recruitment more as Talent Acquisition. No matter the nomenclature associated, no two individuals are going to be the same. Like-minded perhaps, but unlikely twins in thoughts. So it’s a mixed pool. Fundamentally its still the make, sell, support, and the Quality team falls under the support bucket while developers act as the breadwinners in the ‘make’ stream, and hence feel privileged and even entitled. At the inception of the project, when the Developers roll up the sleeves and get busy writing Unit Cases, testers too are full of activity preparing test cases. So the any claim of entitlement is very juvenile in judgement and I dare say never to expect anything additional other than the allocated. One incident always enlivens and worth narrating. He was a super-duper geek that touching his code is deemed an insult. It’s like rinsed with Listerine mouth freshener every five minutes that the teeth are sparkling white and fragrant. One should marvel at the pride taken in their work that they come down to challenge “check my code and any bug, I am toasted else you are roasted”. I found a demure girl, belying her age, walking up to the rock star “I am sorry but there seems to be a bug”. A volcano just erupted. When the pride is pricked, what else can you expect? Fireworks. I was observing the exchange from a distance but didn't intervene. They are professionals and ought to conduct like one. A dent to his dignity, he mounts a ferocious attack justifying every nook and corner while the tester patiently hears him out. After a full fifteen minutes of explanation, the girl calmly states “I understand but it’s a bug”. The developer slams his forehead and unloads a heap of curses in which one expletive burst out unbeknown. Now discipline and decorum can never be conceded at any cost. Since the unfortunate exchange happened on the floor, the shrill pitch made heads turn around. The lady was unmoved and strangely didn't emote at all but retained her composure. The developer, in sharp contrast, was belligerent and a nervous wreck. However sharp you might be, team play takes prominence and position. Both approached my desk and my silence spelled ANGER. My glare at nowhere but all ears, I wanted to hear one word ‘sorry’ instead he defied everything that’s sacrosanct and conduct hardly propriety. I demanded ‘Apologize. Now’. It was not a counsel but a command, and reluctantly he budged and muttered the apology. He might be a rock star but that lady’s attitude made her much taller and he dwarfed in stature. I then requested the tester to walk through the bug and she clearly made her case which was watertight. Confounded with the bug and confused as how his code can be cracked, the developer was at his wits ends and close to tears. Passion is different to taking things personal. After all to err is human. Managing people is far too different and difficult than project. My call still remained unaltered ‘the tester will have the final word’ and pausing “if the client finds fault in the UAT [User Acceptance Testing], it will the tester who will be taken to task”. Even that developer smiled. Much rests on the shoulders of the tester who are gate-keepers. Nothing can or should slip or creep between their legs. With an eye for details and investigating instincts to sniff something unusual, they treat every test case as a suspect and once convinced of merits pass it for clearance. That tester demonstrated typical traits expected – the poise, politeness, profound knowledge, patience, perseverance, while the other (Developer) displayed pettiness. Her signature statement was bereft of sentiment but well stated “I am more concerned about the Quality of the Project just as you are about the principles of Project Management.” Well said! Quality Management is a key knowledge area in PMP® Certification exam. For more details visit http://goo.gl/U4Rtez

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Many of us are familiar with AI [Artificial Intelligence] but what is Emotional Intelligence? And its relevance in Management, especially people management? One respondent quipped ‘ego’. Though not entirely off the mark, it addresses just an aspect. Look before you leap; right. Do you think before acting? Emotional intelligence (EI) is a term used to describe the ability of an individual to recognize their own and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour [courtesy: wiki]. The term EI gained recognition in 1995 and thereafter evolved as a model, namely ability and trait model. So far we have studied human behaviour, but seldom self-behaviour consciously. As individuals, we often introspect about our actions, and those who dig deeper to understand emotions and then associate with actions to adjust and adapt are better as decision-makers states studies. How effective as Managers? More than anything and anywhere, Emotional Intelligence most needed when negotiating with a colleague or peer or team or superior. Man exhibits myriad emotions. To handle and navigate needs successful soft skills for our decision ought to be rationale, objective and holistic. In a chaotic world with its cacophony like – snarls created after caught in traffic jams or embroiled in a heated exchange - it can be anything trivial to most trying of circumstance. Conflict is common occurrence but the choice to respond rest with us. Calm, collected and composed even in the wake of a storm can’t be seen in everyone. It’s a calling at a very high level and hence those who EI is way above are really adept in adjusting response/reaction and revel at interpersonal relations. The ability to recognize, relate, identify, empathize with others plight, connecting with others, commendable communication and control crisis are typical traits. In other words, high Emotional intelligence (EI) proves very effective in man-Management. Emotionally intelligent leadership are recognized by strong sense of self-awareness whereby that can detect one’s emotion and direct appropriate response mechanism. That call is critical. As highlighted above how we choose to respond is always our choice. Failure to manage might prove to fatal to one and all involved. Develop skills to be aware and evaluate the emotions of others, so as to react suitably to the situation. Leaders’ hallmark lies in this reception/response that has a direct impact on gaining confidence enhance performance, Employee retention to total satisfaction. They speak less and listen a lot. Not hear but listen to understand the underlying emotions. The tone, tenor, language, gestures gives scope to study and gauge emotions. Leaders always choose the words and measure before delivery – again in the right tone and tenor. These are exceptional skills to anticipate and in some case pre-empt – emotional intelligence is all about this and such Leaders prove to be remarkable in management. It might sound new to some or even niche, but make no mistake - only the fittest survive. Emotional intelligence is treated as a critical factor in assessing your management skills complementing human capital [education, certification] and fitness aspects. Yes, very much! Project Managers are expected to have a high emotional intelligence, as important and credible as the Project Management certification. One is a testament about your psyche and other about education, expertise and experience. Please visit our http://goo.gl/IRCmJz to know more of our offerings.

One of my close associate failed to show up for work – very unusual given his propensity to be punctual and as the days dragged on, strangely there was no sign of him. His mobile wasn’t reachable. His absence made me shiver with apprehension. A week later, he did report – to quit and be gone for good. I slumped on my desk and the lump in my throat just choked me. Why? Why? “My health mate. Docs scanned, said this and that, none of which I understood other than surgery”. As an act of solidarity “what can we do to help you?” He wasn’t himself. With that tired look, unenthusiastic and awful body language “pray if you can. I have to meet the HR”. After the meeting he came straight to me “HR is asking to serve the notice period. I have to board the train by noon. I came to hand over my papers and walk out and all he is concerned is about notice period‟.” His agony and anguish, in the given circumstances, was unquestionably understandable but for the time served he hardly understood or got to know better of HR. I am very close to HR as we discuss everything under the sun and sometimes the stars and galaxies too. He is a good-hearted guy but with a stoic face that betrays emotions or rather he hardly expresses and reserves a smile especially dealing with official matter. So when my close chum came out disheartened and disconsolate, little did he know that the HR empathized with his plight personally but discharged his duties professionally? The HR would later confide with me “I feel sorry for that guy, but if I came across as cold-hearted, I just can’t help it. I am paid to win heads and meet your needs. It’s strictly business.” What a character! His benevolence is blanked out like that thick fog on a wintry morning and what comes to the fore is akin to a policeman on a beat - Strict and stocky. This is not to be dismissed as delusion because dealing with humans can be far more complex and conversations, if gone haywire, can become catastrophic. I, serving in any capacity, always advocated promoting a culture where everyone can question and be questioned. “Give them what they want and get what you want‟- will avert grudges and grumbling within. There is discord and discontent, as disturbing, could prove detrimental and that’s where HR has a larger role to play in leveling the play area. Of course, I have been fortunate to mix and mingle with some fabulous HR personnel. And continue to do so……. PROJECT HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT is one of the 10 knowledge areas in area in PMP® Certification exam. For more details visit http://goo.gl/U4Rtez

It’s a generic question but with specific answers. It can be a half-baked cake or badly-burnt dish or unfinished construction or a software gone haywire. Whilst the main reasons attributed are scope, schedule, execution or implementation, the causal analysis always reveals that the failure in capturing the business requirement is the root cause of all failures. It’s not that vendors are to be blamed; sometimes clients themselves can’t define precisely the requirements and hence find Agile handy to tweak requirements and vendors too believe it’s the best way to earn the client’s confidence and all stakeholders are on the same page. It’s all hunky dory and everyone goes home happy. Fact can’t be far off from fallacy. At every sprint if the scope is touched, it constitutes a creep. Waterfall will readily admit it as a change request but Agile will accommodate. It’s a subject in itself to deliberate about waterfall and Agile methodology but for now let’s get back to the topic: why do Project Fail? Communication Gap. The Business Requirement Document from the client is the feed which is passed and a complementary Software Requirement Specification document mapping each and every requirement is prepared by the vendor. If proper scrutiny and vetting is done at this stage, there would be no need of Gap Analysis document, which inevitably would be scripted sooner and the Impact Analysis document as well. Why is the need for these documents when BRS should suffice? Firstly BRS suffices? In most of the cases, the answer is a resounding NO. Is it possible putting to print all the finer details when only the outline can be conceived and then dwell deeper to mine information and incorporate into the document? Corporates spend much time in identifying the need before the solution, and it’s a disaster when the cart is put in front of the horse when a solution is sought before the need, with its nuances, can be transcribed. We have seen constructions completely demolished and rebuilt because the plan doesn’t match with the work-under progress and hence scrapped and sketch is revisited. The million-dollar question would be is it possible to put everything on the paper before releasing as Project requirement? Yes and no. It would call for a tremendous vision to envisage the final product, and usually thought-through and prototypes built as per the sketches. And despite that vendors fail on their part to deliver – as committed at cost on time for reasons as enumerated above. While the blame-game can be played all day, if only the communication was open, clear and concise, much ado about mishaps and mismanagement can be mitigated or methodically brought to closure. You might be interested in checking out our PMP or PRINCE2 courses to know more about managing a project.

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Coercive Style – This style in Project Management is possible when the Project Manager is technically and functionally knowledgeable enough to give detailed direction to the team. Though there is not much risk to the project in this style as the Project Manager has all the details to the last very point, many may not agree with this style. As the solution is provided by Project Manager, team may lose interest after some time with this kind of practice. In this style of project management, there is no or less chances for innovation. This style will fit in some mission critical projects in water fall methodologies, however this may not go well with Agile methodology as everyone should own the responsibility and accountability of the delivery made by the project team. Authoritative Style: In this style, Project Manager gives the direction to the team however team has space to come up with the solution and implement the same. Project Manager has complete vision of the project and helps the project team to understand the vision and let them to execute the same. In this style, project team gets assistance and guidance. In this case project Manager needs to have very good functional and some technical expertise to exercise this type of management style. Affiliate Style: In this style Project Manager is more friendly with the project team and also takes care of the needs including the career goals and personal needs. In most cases, when the team has right set of technical and functional skills where the team needs very less guidance from the manager on the project delivery this style will fit aptly. Democratic Style: In this style everyone in the team has a say in the project execution and planning. In this case, to arrive at the proper project plan, it takes longer time as everyone in the team involves in the planning and at times its very hard to come to a conclusion when more than one people have different opinion. Coaching Style: Any Project Manager is required to play the role of coaching at some point in time of the project execution. This too comes along with democratic style where project manager encourages the project team even in their times of failure. This skill/style is more required when the project team is inexperienced and needs more hand holding. We have gone through the different styles of project management, and its clearly visible that we may need to exercise different styles at different phases or times of projects. Depending on the complexity, maturity of the team, stakeholders, we have to decide what type of style would best suit the need of the hour.

Here I would like to share some of the project management styles that would be effective in certain environments. We can consider some of the common project environments and what type of project management style will go well with those situations 

Customer Satisfaction comes with top quality and on-time delivery as captured/defined in the Scope. Customer Delight is something which has to be earned with right customer engagement skills or knowledge to further their interest and here are some of the key areas we may need to focus to reach the level of Customer Delight. 1. Understand customer’s expectation – not many understand the context of understanding expectation. It’s really difficult to know for sure what exactly is their expectation. It’s not the Business Requirement Document that lays down the expectation of the client. It’s the requirement of the project. To know better their expectation, one must engage closely and get to know how exactly the project would be put to use to maximize returns or increase ROI. Our task is to increase the turnaround time to accelerate the time to market, but once that’s done what happens? Many vendors stop the buck once the UAT is through, instead look beyond the obvious and seek to serve to further client’ interest. 2. Know the Business Model (Revenue Model): One should know the customer’s business model to serve them better. We should know their customer base, their mission/vision on the business and pertaining details to better understand the scope on their perspective. Many times projects fail because we go with what is there in the paper (Scope definition) rather we should understand what it means to the customer and their value that they want to arrive out of the project. 3. Customer’s Market Space: It’s very important to know their customer base where they plan to use the delivery of the project. And if there is anything we should be aware based on the region (legal or regulatory compliances of the respective regions), then learn first-hand and don’t expect customer to inform us, rather as vendors it should be our responsibility to take care of legal compliances. 4. Know your customer’s requirements: One to be successful has to understand what customer wants and what their pain points with their customers or end-users are and how best to fix it at the earliest. It’s walking that additional mile to accommodate ad-hoc changes which will earn the trust and value of the client. A small act goes a long way, and if you are mindful to address the pain points, the client’s perspective about your potential will be exceedingly positive as a ‘reliant and dependent’ partner. 5. Always offer more. Satisfied customer is more precious than a new customer. Repeat orders are the ones that helps to sustain business. While new prospects or customers move the needle with regard to revenue, it’s the repeat orders that provides consistency and constant inflow. The mushrooming promotion platforms notwithstanding, it’s still the word of the mouth that the powerful source of advertisement and a customer vouching for your credibility will in fact be passed on to another. So always do more than what is required. These are some of our thoughts we wished to share and in subsequent post we will deliberate more about exceeding expectation. Do drop in a line as a comment.

images courtesy: goo.gl/ewth2X

Most likely the answer is No except few exceptional cases. What are the factors that causes the delay? It could be a sum factor of many. 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal” – and equality is evident at birth alone. With growth, we grow with the notion that justice is not the same as equality. One should not confuse entitlement with rights. Your CEO is entitled to park the car in the reserved slot while in your position you can’t park. Simple. Should you want to park, the only way is to become the CEO! “The promise of equality is not the same as true equality” as quoted by Sheryl Sandburg. All men are born equal and let’s draw a line there please for thenceforth you have to prove your worth. Wait a minute! Does the law state ‘no man is above law and no man is below’? Ah! That’s justice and its blind to the person – be it commoner or millionaire. Alright, so where are we heading? Tow links arrested my attention Encryption policy poorly worded by officer: Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad France tells Google to remove search results globally, or ... There are much talk of e-governance and mobile governance and yet the nation witnessed unprecedented internet shut down to counter the crisis that came out of nowhere and though not a knee-jerk reach but counter action as so to control domestic disturbance. It was warranted. But shutting IT won’t paralyze small industries, affect the common man and business community that are heavily dependent on internet? If it can happen in a neighbouring state, what’s the assurance that the recurrence won’t be in the state occupied. We have identified space and technology and with that we also are combating cyber wars. The digital age has transformed in many dimensions that were far beyond imagination years when we studies in black board classroom as compared to the modern day smart board. for sure, and that too unimaginable a decade before. Why can the same technology put in use to pull out defence mechanism instead of pulling down the shutters. Where is the right to information and can the privacy of information insulated from infringement? We are not talking about friendly fire but hostile attacks. What exactly is NASA snooping about? http://time.com/2945037/nsa-surveillance-193-countries/ Big Brother attitude? And is that legal. Many countries have cried foul and the European union isn't amused in the breach of trust by the most powerful nation of the world? “Four countries that had signed a no-spying agreement with the U.S. — Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — were declared off-limits by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the Washington Post reports, but the court approved a list of 193 countries where the NSA could legally conduct surveillance.” – time magazine extract. Back in our land, a press release that was later retracted imposed that data to be kept alive for a certain duration by the user and the provider, and as a reprieve the user was unsaddled but held the platform accountable – incredulously in this digital age?! [refer the link above] France cautions a social network not to publish but expunge /erase details at the request of their citizen not only in their country alone but worldwide. The surprised and shocked social media company took up the case against the worldwide ban in the international court and the verdict so far for them is vexing. Now imagine if every citizen stands up in the arms with similar demand wonder what would be the fate of the ‘major power’ in social media. This article was deeply influenced by https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/india-heading-nsa-way-rishabh-mehta and our fear about the freedom expression and clampdown of critical infrastructures with catastrophic consequences highlighted. Our callousness for inaction till the situation becomes endemic or pandemic is a known problem. Hope this will be an eye-opener. iCert Global' business is heavily reliant on the internet as we are a Globally Trusted Education provider connecting the nook and corner of the globe. So a day of internet shut down will affect out bottom-line and persistent recurrence can adversely impact our livelihood. Your highly respected opinions please….

#Task Tracking/Up to date Project Plan:

PMP Certification is very much relevant to all those who are into Project Management irrespective of the fields specialized. Contrary to popular belief that PMP is related to IT/Software Project Managers, it is very much relevant indeed to people who are managing the projects in the fields of Civil, Production or any other domain or industry. That is one of the reasons why people from any field who want to run/execute the project in organized way, want to be training and certifying in PMI-PMP. 

PMI Preparatory Course equips the project manager aspirants/professionals not only for PMP exam but also helps them acquire very good insight on Project Management principles. Professionals who have not gone through the learning process are at a distinct disadvantage as compared to those who have undergone PMP preparatory course. In my personal experience, I was a Project Manager even before I enrolled for the preparatory course. However the experience which I got through this learning and exam process was tremendous which I would like to share it for the benefit of the wannabe professionals. How Planning is critical in the area of Project Management? This training helped me to realize that the success of the project delivery/product delivery depends on how good/accurate is the planning. When you are able to plan 80% or more of your defined tasks, it means you are clear as much about scope. Good planning can be done only when your scope is clear Clear Scope à Well Defined Plan à Success of the Project Periodical review of the plan also is critical to ensure that success of the plan and the project. Unplanned tasks should be minimal as much as possible. Plan helps us to track 100% of the project and all its dependencies as well. Sharing the plan to all the stakeholders make it possible to communicate about the progress/status of the project up to date. In nutshell plan helps to have better predictability / visibility of the project at any given point of time. Communication is key success for the Project Delivery. Plan without communication is of no use, hence sharing the plan to the right people at the right time brings lot of value to the project. All early warnings are communicated to all the stakeholders and if required there can be changes on scope/cost/schedule. Good Communication brings open culture to the work environment thereby project execution is transparent across the stakeholders. Good Plan and effective communication are the two important factors for the success of the project delivery with respect to Project Manager. There are other factors like Quality/Cost which are dependent on delivery teams under the watchful eyes of Project Managers. Project Managers – Plan, Communication (& Risk Management); Delivery Teams – Quality, Schedule, Effort. Bottom line, Project Manager is responsible. The key question that an agnostic Project Manager might pose will be ‘why the PMI enroll for preparatory course when I can manage the Project?’ Agnostic PMs aren't conversant with all the facets of the Project Management and dependency on the crew, especially architect, to Developers to testers is quite high. Besides, the PMI preparatory Course prepares the candidate to crack the PMP at the first attempt thereby imparting the science behind the Management – from studying all the 10 knowledge areas to equip and prepare with the knowledge required to handle projects independently by studying requirement to initiate necessary action. From a firsthand experience, I didn't focus much on stakeholder or procurement management given the emphasis on Scope, Time, Cost, Quality and Risk. It was during the PMP Preparatory course that I learnt that there existed other key modules like Integration, Human Resources and Professional and Social Responsibility, which took me by surprise and elevated my learning to a new level and coupled with the prep or mock exams, I was well prepared and all set to go. I cracked my PMP exam at the very first attempt. Hope this blog helps those who are aspiring or appearing. We also conduct ‘refreshing course’ for PMP certification. For further details, please visit http://goo.gl/gjkV2N

Ah! That’s an interesting poser and a twisted one too. I was engrossed in a status update with a developer, and looking at the data on the table the achievements trailed way behind the projection. Puzzled, I probed “how will you manage to close the gap, even it means biting hard the weekend? My friend, it is still 24-hour day!” 

It’s an interesting pointer that can be deliberated but never decided with a Boolean yes/no response. Waterfall is the conventional methodology and given Agile’s merits it’s too attractive to make an immediate shift but one should reason with the ramification by balancing the pros and cons as agile may not be an ideal fitment for every project. Accepted Agile has made great strides but has it replaced waterfall altogether is subjective if we are mindful of the consequences. We learn by experience and the takeaway in the form of teaching is to beware and be cautious of concerns. Usually technical heads mull over the decision by studying requirements again and again to arrive at a conclusion. They are both project management methodologies and the applicability rest on many factors. Just because waterfall has been around for long doesn't make it indispensable and agile emerging much later is the most happening either. That’s why approach adopted should be strictly on merits. It’s a no-brainer the discussion about this subject would entail into PMP® or PRINCE2 certification. Waterfall methodology is most easily identified with PMP® certification program, while PRINCE2 follows Agile. Both these approaches are very different and hence the deliberation before deciding on picking the best suiting the needs. Waterfall is a typical plan – build – test –deliver stages, where the final version is envisioned in the planning phase rendering the requirement study and scope as very critical and any change addressed through change requirement and the customer gets to have a feel at the UAT stage only, when all is done and set to go. Agile is very modular, implemented through scrum, wherein the client acts as one of the stakeholders and can know first-hand the output of a phase technically referred as ‘sprint’ and every requirement is detailed as a story card with scrum-master manning the post. The individual accountability is very high. The sprint demo can be shown to client for feedback and changes incorporated and hence the process is iterative. This flexibility is found wanting in waterfall methodology. Lets study the popular or most searched words using Google Trends, and though a ballpark and not a scientific proposition, it does offer a a bird’s view.perspective as to where the world is heading towards. The PMP® certification seems to have picked up and peaked and gradually slides down with the forecast trending upwards, while Agile at one stage seems to have spiked over PMP® and continued to ascent, and the forecast too is favorable. The certification aspect witnessed PMP® on the rise and peaking only to slip down and forecast is forward, while Agile is steady with not much of growth nor stunted and the forecast is trending upwards. The charts are based on ‘keyword’ search and need not necessarily endorse any claim not be evident of any outcome. Like stressed earlier they present a picture of the trends and such PMP® is still quite popular, and Agile is holding on and growing. So what do you think is the trend? Do let us know…

This is very dicey. What about technology-agnostic managers? Don’t they become good Managers? How much of a value-add is thrown-in with the ‘technical’ tag. End of the day its Management - be it technical or non-technical. Some of you might agree or disagree – which is your entitlement. From a holistic view, Management is totally different ball game compared to pure technical role played in IT industry. Management role is very dynamic wherein one should know where to reach and how to achieve the same. For anyone to be a successful Manager at senior level, build a team having right composition of skill; more than that, the next-level line managers will be instrumental in executing the decision. Hence much depends on Manager. Of course, the Manager needs to have big picture and good clarity on the vision to give the right direction to the next- level , however that’s not enough for the success.. Manager should have right people to execute the same vision and position at the right place. But how does one identify ‘right’. Call it acumen or something gained from experience or inner calling or instincts – or sum of all. Subjective as ‘right’ might be, it does prove critical for the success of the Manager in any organization.

Risk Management is an art in the area of Project Management and Project Manager is to be intuitive enough to identify the risks right from project inception, elaboration, construction till transition phases of project life cycle. Dependencies & Assumptions has direct impact on the risks of the projects. As priority and criticality varies from phase to phase, the skills of Risk Management too varies accordingly, hence its critical to illustrate the risk management during various phases of project life cycle 

Risk Mitigation is to pre-empt and be prepared to respond to unexpected or anticipated issues that might spring up in course of development. Risk mitigation is not about developing the solution for anticipated issues all the time and at times, it also depends on how we would respond to an issue to reduce the impact of the same. Another perspective is to identify as to who needs to respond and how to respond in mitigating the issue. Who should respond? The person who will be owning the Risk. This is what we classify as transfer of Risk. There are times we will not be able to respond to all the issue and we may need to direct to the right person. Alternatively, identifying the dependencies is also another way of mitigating risks Identifying Dependencies è Risk Transfer è Risk Mitigation How to respond? There are 2 types of risks we may come across 1. Issues which we need to address with solution 2. Issues for which we may not have solution with us So how do we respond the above 2 scenarios. In the first case, we have 2 options Identify the solution è Reduce the impact (Risk still exists with less impact) Identify the solution è Remove the impact (Risk is nullified) In the second case Accept the Risks è Plan for the impact ð Adapt the impact in the scope/plan (Plan for the Risk impact) Avoid the Risk è Change the scope to exclude the risk ð Change the scope in such a way the risk is excluded Transfer the Risk è Identify the right owner of the issue ð Assign the responsibility/ownership to the right person When to respond? In general, risks and its impacts ought to be reviewed/assessed periodically with the respective mitigation plan which may necessitate changes which have to be factored and plan updated accordingly. Depending on the duration, impact also may vary. Example, during the planning phase, we might have identified the Dependency of external platform as a Risk. If that exists even during Design phase, impact will be more as right after development we may need the access to the external platform to do the validation. Learn more about Risk Mitigation by enrolling in our PMP® Training. For more details, do click http://goo.gl/MPBy1r

‘When dealing with people remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic but creatures of emotions – Dale Carnegie'

There are currently 658,523 active PMP certified individuals. In the year 2010, there were roughly about 360000 plus. So in 5 years the number almost has doubled. Surely the demand in the market too has surged with projects on the rise and technology taking off to unknown horizons. Mobile is the device now – clearly wasn’t so 5 years back. Tabs just touched the table [iPad was released in 2010] and became a novelty. A PMP certification was certainly niche a decade ago. Experience was given more weightage and with that the accrued skills and services. When the need for quality managers proved to be vital and critical, recognition of some sorts that underpins one’s prowess professionally became the most sought out factor in filtering the fine from the grainer like sifting stones from wheat. Positions high up in the ladder are few and far in between and hence in the rat-race to reach to the top, there is a scurry amongst qualified to find a seat in the front. And by virtue of? Apparently, meeting the requirement for the Job – vide education, and experience [as applicable]. In the context of Project Manager, many aspirants couldn’t just sneak through or gate-crash but cut teeth in the grinding many project before positing a claim for the position. A justification for the coronation ought to be proved by data points. And it was conventional wisdom that weighs experience prima facie in plucking the ripe fruit in filling a slot, and never the low hanging ones. As the number of PMPs soared in numbers, the de facto certification in Project Management seems, experience proved vital a component to be COMPLEMENTED. To be fair, PMP is no walk in the park. To appear for a PMP exam, it mandates both education and experience as prerequisite on top of which 35 Professional Development Units (PDU) is imposed. The PDUs cover the 10 knowledge areas especially scope, cost, time and other core management of risk, human resources, communication, stakeholders. It’s a complete nine-yard drill packed with ‘all you need to know about project management’ with scintillating depth. Thus passing the exam proves the possession of collective wisdom. Thus PMP exam equates education, experience and expertise. More so, the Project Managers with hands-on experience gain to understand the science behind the learning making them more ‘informed and learned’. Well, if the odds are so heavy and certification makes you the elite amongst the eligible, does the rise in certified professionals raises your eyebrows? Admirably the numbers lends credibility to the claim. With more certification as supply, the demand too is growing steady as forecasts reveal. The perk associated with the certification is the key differentiator amongst the crowd to make your profile stand out. Besides, HR uses sophisticated software in filtering to weed out potential candidates without certification based on key words, namely PMP. So non-PMP holders are denied an opportunity to be short-listed and decided at face value as ‘knowledge deficit’ (contentious one right?). And it’s been proved more than once the PMP holders are ‘pick of the lot’ as PMI raises the bar in clearing the certification which by now is the benchmark. The question posed to the professionals is: Do you have IT? We would love to listen to your comments…..

This is a very common question heard in the corridors tread too often by the Information Technology professionals, to be the most significant, while other verticals and domains are following suit. And the common answer heard or offered would be: Enrol for Project Management Professional (PMP) with a reputed education provider to earn 35 Contact Hours which is mandatory as prerequisite for taking up the PMP exam. The 4-day program will enable you to become proficient with the Principles of Project Management, mainly the 47 project management processes and 10 knowledge areas – this will be the curriculum or syllabus. The trainer, at best, can take you through the topics by apportioning time required to spend on modules as careful analysis has defined the hours to be dedicated to a particular module and they greatly differ from one to another. The basic training must be supplemented through self-study by diving deep into the 10 knowledge areas as detailed in ‘PMBOK Guide- A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge’ as key reference and the course materials provided by the education provider. It’s to be noted that PMBOK will be offered by the PMI (Project Management Institute). as part of your registration exam fees as a soft copy. How the 4-day training can be taken is matter of choice and convenience, be it classroom or virtual classroom or e-Learning. End of the day, much depends about your competency and capability in cracking the PMP certification examination. So far the answer is academic. Now from a practical perspective, your performance in the final exam boils down to the preparation. The better prepared you are, best are chances of making it big at the first attempt. Every institution’s bet is to equip their participants to pass PMP, and this is the differentiator for iCertGlobal to be one of the most sought after destination in preparing for professional certification. We offer, in addition to the well-planned and well-structured schedule classroom or LVC training, other notables that prove to be the key ingredients to our immense success and popularity: Exemplary course materials prepared by Industry experts who are PMP certified with hands-on experience in project management and training. Hence they bring tremendous inputs in terms of experience and expertise in carving out the course related resources like Books, Quiz, Practice Questionnaire, Case Studies, and real-time scenario analysis. Exam Simulator with more than 6000 questions. The questions are created in the same complexity as it would be in the final PMP exam. The pattern and population of questions drawn for various modules will be of the same density as expected in the PMP exam. Refreshing sessions are for those, on request, to brush up the lessons already learnt to brace for the final race. Participants are encouraged to stay in touch and maintain contact through the 24x7 support to enhance improved communication. Create as many opportunities at every turn to learn in as many forms to sharpen the skills in gaining the edge. A repository of resources is available for online access anytime, more as a supplementary link. Moreover, we follow-up with every participant to sense their progress understand and offer services wherever struggle is detected or discovered. Of course, the growing testimonies speak for itself!!

There seems to be some misconception or misleading news in the market about the changes announced by PMI with regard to PMP and PMI-ACP. First, the date as published by some REPs is not 1 November 2015. Its 11 January 2016. Second, the changes are particularly in Exam Outline. The Domain still follows the Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and controlling, Closing and the changes injected are the inclusion of tasks in these domains.

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These days HR personnel are having a field day handling grievance redressal, conflict management, anger management, talent retention, attrition control, morale and welfare of the workforce like never before. HR in the heydays used to be about hiring [No Firing, which was considered as a last resort when all avenues and alternatives have been exhausted because the cost of hire is always high; besides a new hire is an asset, be it a green horn or groomed one with so much investment in terms of intellectual property through training and knowledge transfer. It would be a colossal loss to let go of someone equipped with the expertise at the expense of company as exit results in their entire endeavor going down the drain. So HR, contrary to the misconception of being trigger-happy to fire anyone in the range, possess the acumen to weed out the best from the worst and hence posted at the gate.] Today it’s a different scenario with its own sets of demand that justifies almost anything. My former CEO would chide if employees are referred as ‘Resources’. “Can we please address them as staff or colleagues or team? I don’t ever want them to be addressed as Resources.” It wasn’t a counsel but command. He will sermonize ‘Mind is at premium. Not machines. Remember it’s the brain that churns the logic to create algorithms and formulae to make those chips and programs. Learn to assign priority and the nomenclature while naming. Never should I hear my men and women of workforce as Resources.’ A mild dressing down but will live in memory as a cardinal rule. People management is as difficult, if not, worse than Project Management. Set aside the hardware and software, its humans at work without whom what good will it serve to have these ‘Resources’. Wondered why do the HR personnel need to spend a significant time in Managing Human affairs as their main responsibility, apart from appraisal, hike, promotion and other related engagements? Because each and every one of us carry our baggage of ego. “Why should I?” is perhaps an explosive poser that doesn’t dress your ego, instead it brings it to center stage demanding attention and clutches on to the cog of the wheel controlling its spin. And of course, dealing with some ‘prime-Donna’ employees known for their tour de force with bloated ego wanting instant gratification in the form of appreciation, accolades or simply ‘you are the best’ compliment is always a sore wound that’s often scratched. And there are bruised egos biding the time for retribution to settle scores. As humans, we are all self-righteous and sanctimonious. What we do appears to be right; else we won’t be doing it at all, right? Besides, some of us are the biggest bigot, unacceptably intolerant to others views. “I am always right”, too busy expressing our views opinions and hardly ever listening. Forget others; I studied my own behavioral aspects to understand what makes me so egoistic. I can be extremely humble to excruciatingly haughty and all it takes to set me off would be a word, look, gesture or ignorance. It’s the pride or vanity that has to vanish. Anyone to claim immunity to ego is hollow and hoodwinking. ‘You will never be free until you free yourself from the prison of your own false thoughts.’ And that false notion is your unworthy self-importance. When pride is pricked, it poisons our mind purging rationale out of our behavior and that’s when I become vindictive. Anyone in agreement is friend and disagreement decidedly foe. Recently I took a stroll with my HR and a colleague and on the way had a difference of opinion over a subject, which soon snowballed and escalated into a heated exchange. When tempers soared, the HR intervened by directing the colleague to ‘go to office’, and stayed put with me for a while without uttering a word. Though two were involved, HR absolved the other person of any misdemeanor, while I was pulled up with a scalding statement ‘I expected better from you. Apparently your ego got the better of you’. A casual chat can inadvertently ignite into a crisis and set the self on fire. Ego is dangerous and destructive. One must be humble in victory and gracious in defeat, but then we tend to take things too personally that even a joke turns out to be a jibe. Professionals are adept in getting rid of ego by containing emotion and restraining response. There is a choice to react to any disagreement – if only we can be judicious. Dealing with human emotion is complex, caustic and can prove catastrophic. One wrong move or a misstep, the blame will be squarely on the ‘incompetent’ handling of the HR professional, and once the storm has blown over and dust settles, charges will be dropped and HR cleared of any wrong doings. What about the unfair accusation and unwarranted hardship endured for no reason or rhyme. Oh! please, let’s not talk about 'who said life is fair'. Try being at the receiving end and you would know what I am trying to say. Now the most important aspect – won’t the HR personnel suffer from the same ego issues after all they aren’t Aliens. Human Resources management is usually touchy. It’s complicated and complex and extremely sensitive. From compliments to cursing, the HR would have heard it all. But isn’t the HR human as well to emote, react, respond or even allowed to be rude? NO. That aint HR then. Do they really smile or just wear one? Very business-like in demeanor and diplomatic in response, it’s very hard to figure out their face. I am very blunt in my response – unedited and unadulterated and paid for the consequence but admittedly it’s a liberty on part of my portfolio which a HR is deprived. They are advised and expected to contain emotion, refrain from reacting like being boxed and closed from emoting. The glorified lot of the HR know exactly when to speak what, how to conduct in the given circumstances demonstrate dazzling presence of mind in curating the content before uttering. Some of the HR professionals have taken me by sheer surprise as I marveled at their composure to stay absolutely still in the wake of a storm. They aren’t easily ruffled and can’t be roughed up. Something that makes them stand apart and sifted from sea of faces. The glorified ones. Now I have begun to understand the HR actually manage to keep the company’s [read employees] ego in check and balance, always with an emphasis ‘if anything, it’s not the employee but the EGO that has to go!!

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PMPCertification Training Course with 100% Money Back Assurance in India at iCertGlobal | PMPTraining | PMP Classroom Course with 100% Money Back Assurance | PMP Boot CampWorkshop Training, India | Get trained on the latest PMBOK 5th edition by our industry-renowned trainers, who are veterans in their own right with years of working experience in the industry & training PMP aspirants. We are a Global Registered professional certification organization in the areas of Project Management [PMI®, PRINCE2, MSP], Service management [ITIL Foundation, Intermediate, MALC and Expert Track], Quality Management [Six Sigma Green Belt & Lean Six Sigma Black Belt], Agile & Scrum [CSM, PMI-ACP, CSPO], Citrix, Cisco and Emerging Technologies. 

Sounds good? It’s just the sound. Wish we all, as professionals, can conduct like one. My friend with that swagger would brag ‘the moment I enter the office, I remove my personal suit and don the professional blazer’ like a jersey by a footballer ready to play ball. I bought that line for he was very convincing given his long hours, confidence, competence, career path strewn with glowing accolades from clients and colleagues. Besides, he was my buddy. Well, I for one, in the corporate context was the turncoat. I was like Tommy Lee Jones in the movie ‘Fugitive’ – even in the call of duty he will stress “Yes, it’s personal ‘. To me, as well, “everything was personal. There is nothing professional even in the ‘line of work’” an aphorism my friend abhorred, thrashing me time and again as ‘conduct unbecoming’. I couldn’t care any less as I wore the way and carried myself as it suited – call me professional or petty, I dusted it off my shoulders. The definition of Professional/professionalism, especially the academic ones are galore if you glance Google. So my interest is more from ‘what exactly we know to be a professional?’ I sure don’t wear two suits, besides the claim to split personalities like scissoring a piece of cloth is unacceptable – even clinically. When you have a sick spouse at home who needs your attention and a deep crisis in the project which you are leading – you stay at home nursing or report to work firefighting? It’s a moral call, and truly professional and personal. Many of us, from my own experience, will select someone at home to park in your place and rush to office because there is no one to replace. It boils down to the most significant aspect of ‘dispensability’. In terms of priority, both are equally important, so while you HAVE TO BE PRESENT at work, the SPOUSE CAN’T BE SIDELINED and hence the phone is abuzz with feeds about progress from home. Multitasking? Now this is not a specific scenario for a particular individual? Check the pulse in the professional arena and you will hear scream and shouts of “I second”. Like a log of wood lit on fire at both ends and left to deal with the unforeseen, wondering which to fend first, is that a moral dilemma or a professional predicament? Won’t you agree, any which ways, it becomes very personal? We are humans made up of flesh and bones, not robots programmed to ‘respond’ to a request. And emotions always run high. If you are devoid, either you are an exceptional person or exceedingly good at camouflaging. Bottom line – as my good friend quipped “what do you mean by being Professional?”, very valid as we are so used to using that word without knowing its definition because everyone employs it – be it vernacular or scholarly speech. I tried with the amateur turned pro line because in sports a ‘pro’ is one who plays for pay while amateur pursues as pastime, besides the skill level is a far cry from a seasoned player. A clear distinction but then we aren’t seated in a stadium but sharing space in an office separated by cubicles. So what makes one a professional in the corporate circle? Professionalism, as most perceive as well-groomed, neatly-attired, impeccable manners, which indeed are important and inclusive. Is it limited with these attributes? Setting aside the heavy-duty business jargons the quintessential aspect is being truthful and transparent when your ‘yes’ is a ‘YES’ and ‘No’ is ‘NO’; when you have the courage and conviction to call a spade a spade. The litmus test will be the integrity and excellence, and we are a mixed bag. It’s not a thin line but a fine one that tugs your conscience in addressing the call of your child when you are stuck deep in a deadlock in the project working hard to iron out the impasse. Be critical; don’t criticize How often we ridicule a suggestion as silly or stupid? My brother after graduating from IIT was hired by an amazing fortune 500 company and whatever he shared was enlightening that we should emulate. During their brainstorming session, which usually is a small circle of people of the middle and senior management, everyone has to propose an idea failing which treat the folks assembled for Pizza. Scurrying to avoid a burnt hole in the pocket, everyone would pitch something or other – forget it making sense or not, but say something and usually the least of all is voted as the best. Well, that’s the moment of epiphany in Brainstorming. Rather than stifle and suppress by silence for the fear of mockery from the many, the management eggs you to “give it a go as you never know”. Perfect. How will you know unless you have tried? As a green horn, at the start of my career, I did have the audacity to ask and even [ashamed to admit] be cynical about the comments. My reporting manager wouldn’t even flinch, instead will be focused on my eyes reading my thoughts. While appreciating my candor, he would caution “listen, it’s not me but this white board you are riling. It’s never me but my idea. Let’s be clear about that.” Point taken, but you step out of the room deriding the person with disparaging remarks “the guy is stupid”. Juvenile thought? I am not contesting. ‘How can you separate the dance from the dancer’ logic? Pretty dumb in hindsight and that’s why I was so naïve and nonchalant. While you can be critical, don’t ever criticize for you just don’t discredit but damage the faculty and impair from functioning forever. The criticism, far from constructive, is destructive damaging beyond repair, shattering the confidence of the battered individual who will be very reluctant or hesitant even to spell out should the need arise. The mouth should not be muzzled just because few didn’t agree or accept to appreciate the merit. Better be belittled as dumb or dimwit so long the word is heard loud and clear. Call it nice or names. Unfortunately, not everyone sport that an attitude and wear on their sleeves. Be vocal; not vicious Another attribute that puts an individual to a great sense of discomfort would be the viciousness when voice amplifies as vociferous. We victimize by making it a vendetta when difference of opinions should be aired without offending the sense and sentiment. Words can wound and enslave; sting and scald; Vitriolic and vengeful. Seasoned professional have their own way in making it sound so ‘personal’ and still communicate the message professionally. An incident is worth narrating: We worked in agile methodology where the day begins with a ‘stand-up meeting’ and latecomers are strongly discouraged without resorting to reprimand. It was another team at work and the team lead was charismatic and quite a contender in leadership. With arms folded, he greeted the team members as they stepped, and once the watch clicked ‘time’, the latecomers were greeted with a wider grin “check the clock, and count the heads. We will pass on our flavor of ice-cream” and true to the words, the team was treated to ice-cream. Within a week, the team was clocking ‘on-time’ arrival. Brilliant! “They are mature enough to own up their act, and pay for it as well. Don’t think they need to be told. They know” was his response to me when queried why no disciplinary action was initiated. “We did. There is discipline. Studied silence has its own share of success”. It doesn’t get better than that – you win a battle without shooting a bullet or shedding a drop of blood and yet there is a battle. Baffling! When professional, be professional. The toughest of all is ‘to be professional’. I wish to recall my father’s advice “detached attachment. Learn to express your love without mollycoddling. The care will become a curse. Safeguard your sanity.” A man of very few words, he always spoke to us in Silence – that stern glare said it all. But we do have to reconcile to the fact that spending 10 plus hours in a common space with co-workers makes office as THE HOME and colleagues more as family. I did my math and the actual waking hours at home were so less my five fingers proved too many. So you make sure office is as good as home, if not better start treating like one. Not lethargic but responsible. ‘Distance lends enchantment to the view’, so ‘close’ doesn’t have a personal connotation, rather its resembles the sync in ideology, the same wave of frequency, common grounds, our communion in word and deed, and remember there is always this invisible wall impregnable erected for our good lest we fail and fall on moral values. We need to strike the right balance and govern by a code of conduct – not by a rule book as our guideline but the very conscience. In conclusion, I still stand by my ‘personal’ stance and strive as much to conduct professionally. We are not mercenaries on a mission, but mortals with our own strength and shortcoming. The workplace should be treated fairly with the admission and accommodation of ‘personal’ needs that extends beyond our immediate family. When professional, may we be professional - It’s not desire, but directive. ~Alice

First day at office is always a day to remember and memories are still fresh in me about the day I reported to work on day one in my previous engagements. Reaching home, sounding anxious, my wife would ask me “how was the day in new office, iCert? Exciting?”. It was a casual remark “hey, it resembles more like college, most of the crew at an average age of 24 with both the Management Executives in their twenties and single. I stood out – more like a faculty.

Second day was “colorful”.

Ten days later I would rename it as ‘carnival’.

Not all days are Sundays. True. When the colleague seated behind would slam her forehead “gawd, I just called this guy thrice. Incredible, but he was so polite to a fault excusing as always ‘it’s alright madam. I understand’”. I would empathize her predicament “it happens when you key-in the excel sheet that a number can be misread and redialed – again and again.” Halting my bike at 8pm in my portico, sometimes my wife still at office and son seated in tuition class next door, in the stillness of silence, I often introspect about the unfolding of the day, and that one was grilling and grueling. Try calling number after number, and the reception from the other end can range from nice to nasty. I heard one caller being so rude and that too to a woman. Uncouth, and uncivilized. Instantly I asked her to redial and give me the phone, which she politely declined stating ‘we have heard it before and will hear again. Life is like that…..’ that resigned look said it all. Doing the same task makes it mundane and the monotony can drive you to madness. It’s the lighter moments on the floor which is a welcome relief else we will go crazy…..nuts…..loony…

When the HR ushered me to the conference room, it was the curiosity that got better in me wondering the fuss about the commotion, and there up in the front of the conference table stood two employees – a gentleman and lady – both a bit jaded and jittery, whilst most of those assembled eyed the cake and the coke bottle. HR broke the ice “congratulation for completing 1 year of active service in iCert Global”. I was very new then and their names didn’t register but their faces I would never forget. And the audacity of that guy who chose to question the Director “sir, it marvels me as how you manage to muster such effort”, and the response was repaid in the same currency “motivated from guys like you.” Completing one year in IT industry is no big deal, especially ‘freshers’ and there would be one too many cakes to cut in that case, but putting up one year here makes you a ‘veteran’. And it’s so appropriate for us to assemble and applaud.


Life is full of events and hence called ‘eventful’? One incident in the morning is worth mentioning. You will have to bear my anecdotes as I rant as a raconteur but can’t expect the same in everyone. Two colleagues were in front of my desk and I was busy studying some information when their pitch made me look up. A fair, tall guy questioning one his team member “I have targets to achieve and might miss the boat“ to which the team member protested vehemently “sir, even the sun and star take break every day and you deny us of the same. Please be considerate”. Wait a minute!. wasn’t he the same guy who cut the cake and another name I learnt to respect. What a presence of mind to quote the sun and stars to drive home the message of ‘we aren’t machines but mortals. So have a heart!’. Awesome!

In any company, balancing professional and personal lives is gonna be a pain point. Something very hard to negotiate like maneuvering in the crowded streets of Bangalore during peak hours. As professionals we are known to be solid like rocks, but also admit that at times we too are fragile like a flower and from bold bottled down to brittle. A colleague sitting next to me complained to the system administrator about her system ‘ is not working’, and he was busy in some other chore that seemed more important. Half an hour later, the patience severely tested, she complains more audibly “it’s been 30 minutes since I escalated to your attention’ and the sys admin erupts “what do you think I am doing? Huh? There are other people also. You aren’t the only one with issue. Wait for your turn.” It was a royal snub. Exchanges like these are routine in the professional road. Some choose to unload, some prefer to lock it in themselves. But I was more keen about the aftermath of the altercation. How the sys admin would handle the situation as the snubbed ‘lady’ is akin to a wounded tigress who was baying for blood. Sulking in her seat and muttering something that was incoherent and inaudible, she was staring at the blank monitor when the sys admin appeared from nowhere with a genuine apology and won my heart. Man! That’s THE way to handle. ”sorry, I flew off the handle. Thing sort of got out of hands and I wronged you for no fault. I would fix it in a minute” and they were buddies back again. This, people, is the defining moment. The character to acknowledge one’ own mistake and apologize and make due amends. Hats off to you mate!!


But that said, all is not hunky dory. In my career path, courtesy is never to be compromised and one should always praise in public and punish in private. That’s the maxim of my theory of management. At times of aggravation, a guy I adore , remarks “mate, life is like a chess board. We cannot get into a white square without crossing the black”. Pearls of wisdom from all the corners of this place that enlighten me and continue to do so. The HR, in a casual tone complimented, my cuff and collar shirt – something I didn’t know and my wife was taken aback ‘oh come on, for goodness sake, we have been shopping at the same showroom for the past 5 years and you don’t this term?’ She was both right and wrong. We shopped – that’s true, but it was for her 90% and 10% for my son. I have enough of my own through gifts [I hate these goodies as gifts. Only my brother knows my true gift which I treasure , true to Abraham Lincoln’ quote “my best friend will present me a book that I have never read”]. So these guys become my teacher and I will remain an avid student all my life, trying to know as many words possible.

The purpose in penning this long prose is to tap the potential in every team member. There can be number of eminent ‘thinkers’ whose mind still harbor those words and I say ‘let it sail and Bon voyage’. You are an author in your right and might. During the secret Santa ‘talent parade’, many took me by surprise and frightening shock. The ensemble had amazing artist who could dance, sing and act – all impromptu. Not a line or move was rehearsed and yet it was breathtaking. A female co-worker’s gracious moves and rhythmic steps was mind blowing that my wife remarked ‘is she a professional?’ and I corrected ‘classical’, and another colleague's dance left me in a daze that I questioned later “you participated in your college culturals, right?” Every employee was sporting enough to participate and perform with fun and fanfare, and I would have never known about their prowess – rather potential. One lady sang so melodiously that it was music to my ears, and I hail her as the ‘nightingale of iCert’. Any time our spirits sink due to stress. We do request to sing a song which she readily obliges.

The most incredible and impressive aspect in this employment is the opportunities provided for the “Differently-abled’ people. I shook hands with that new face and question about his native and he replied “I have hearing problem and speech too” and for a moment I stood there transfixed. I warmly shook his hands welcoming with a “pleasure meeting you’ and never miss to greet whenever and wherever I meet him. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) or professional benevolence, iCert Global proved that you don’t have to be enlisted in the fortune 500 or rake in millions as turnover. In a small way, we still can contribute to the society through people who are ‘specially-abled’ qualify to be recruited. To me this wasn’t just munificence or CSR, but very noble and responsible. An individual career path is carved and can carry oneself with pride as being ‘specially and significantly’ abled. You don’t have to big shot in business – just a big heart will do. Awesome!!!

Long way to go iCert!! In a gentle way, you can shake the world!! Making the Mahatma proud!

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Why do we fear failures? because it draws flak? That people are highly opinionated and evaluate our performance only to condemn and crucify and finally culminate with character assassination. “He is a misfit”, “doesn’t know how to handle pressure”, “ill-equipped and lack the faculty in the functioning of an enterprise”, “doesn’t have it in him in becoming capable of carving a career". Comments as these sure aren’t a shot in the arm, neither does it set your adrenalin rising, but dampens your enthusiasm and deepens into depression. You start licking your wounds in self-pity or incriminate yourself in self-condemnation. Do you know why? Because you took it personally. Recently I was watching a program on the television with my family and there was this toothpaste advertisement. The dentist visits the school and makes every student undertake the gum test and one boy fails. Sneered by his bus mates, he sits alone and aloof near a window when his best friend wraps his shoulder around him and assures” hey chum, chin up! Remember, you didn’t fail. Your toothpaste failed. Change your toothpaste. Simple”. I was reclining till then, but this advertisement struck me hard that I sat upright. What a message through school kids. That’s why I insist the message is important than the medium. After that I didn’t view that program but read the message in that advertisement which kept replaying in my mind. To me, the ad made more sense to drive home the point that it’s not the person but the engagement that failed. Professionals will face failures – but it’s not they failed rather the venture failed, or, it was a bad idea or the execution was poor. Whatever be it, even in failure, we stand to gain – and that’s experience. “Good Judgment comes from experience and Experience comes from bad Judgments..!” For a professional, failure is not about giving up, but it’s about finding new ways to make it work. People are entitled to their opinion, and you can’t seal every lip that speaks against but let it not disturb your sense of balance. If you have the maturity to respond to adversity and prosperity likewise, then you will realize that you have bettered yourself as a human. More often not, we tend to take the results personally. When successful we gloat and blow our trumpet, and in debacle get into depression. Triumph and tragedy are two impostors to be treated alike. Steel unless tested with fire cannot be stronger. If you can overcome the setbacks and still steer through the hardships by enduring, trust me, you will be empowered as there is no better a teacher than failure. If failures are the stepping stones of success, it’s when you really savor the taste of success. Dare to defy – and that includes fear of failure. You should overcome, overpower and overtake. Outperformers are those who are smart enough to flush out the fear that inhibits or impedes initiatives. For me aspirants are like those athletes who see the hurdles on the track not as obstacles but as launch pads that provides them an opportunity to take a leap.


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"education is empowerment" ‘Organizations need to adapt and provide both conventional & technology enabled training’ – one of my contacts emphasized with a brute force to reiterate the corporate expectation of ‘we want a knowledge center, and expect the workforce to be fully equipped, and armed to engage in professional combat.’ The certification is no assurance of a ‘job in waiting with wings spread wide’. Surely and certainly, PMP® does equip you with the knowledge considered essential and emboldens with a positive spirit to take the ‘corporate bull by its horn’. Given a choice would you want to flaunt your certification or your crazy pay check with incredible numbers? My take? Simple: a judicious mix of both. It’s left to the discretion of the individual in the given circumstances to highlight which but there have been compelling circumstances with dire straits in trying to cloak the pay over post. Market sentiments reek stronger of the smell that emanates when one reads headline as like ‘Certified PMPs earn 25% more than non-PMPs’. It can be dismissed as subjective bereft of substance but the market seems to buy by gorging the plate dirt clean with no leftover. Such is the frenzy with respondents react in this space that any such comparison is lapped up and when numeric data are inserted to drive home the message, the market feeds on it and never dumps. Possessing a certification is not just a cosmetic facelift; it’s all about cognizance. It stamps your understanding of PMP concept in measurable data good enough for interpretation and thereby allows validation of your profile that’s close to correct. Globally recognized and demanded, the PMP® certification course as an accreditation clearly demonstrates your experience, education, competence and confidence to lead, manage and direct projects. PMP is a definite differentiating factor to distinguish you from peers. Very seldom an advertisement these days is placed without mentioning PMP as a mandate of skill and talent acquisition. A certified professional, on an average earns 10k per more year dollars as compared to an uncertified one. You are better with it than without. In this blog of ‘What’s about PMP Certification’, let’s begin with the lifecycle of project process groups on a high level Initiating Defining the scope of a new project, or upgrade that of an existing or ongoing project. Planning (Plan) Confirming scope, identifying objectives, plan the course of action by setting up milestones Executing Completing the project as per the specification in satisfying all the stakeholders involved. Monitoring and Controlling Tracking, reviewing, monitoring, fixing and regulating the performance in ensuring the success of the project. Closing Handing over the project to Client in a completed state after sanitizing from any bugs and get set for the support phase. In all, there are 5 Process Groups, 10 Knowledge Areas, and 47 Processes. The lifecycle of project can be broken down into five distinct phases or process groups. These five PMBOK Process Groups describe and organize the project from start to finish. So how do you get trained and clear the coast as PMP can be a School of Hard Knocks? Think iCertGlobal If you are willing to give what it takes, you must enroll in a knowledge center that embodies your spirit of giving everything in getting out a PMP certified professional out of you, and here is the juncture where you pause in your path in selecting THE center that will complement your profile and complete with the sought certification. Enroll in iCert Global LLC. But why iCert Global LLC? Why not some other name in the business? Well, that’s fair to ask as to why we zero on iCert. In an unbiased analysis, giving equal weightage on various factor with the competitors, iCert emerged as a favorite amongst its peers with its · Vantage Point: Head office in US, and strategically located all over the world, iCertGlobal is the professional center that better understands YOUR needs and accordingly advises on further course of action. · Customized approach in coaching – the tutor assesses the class profile before picking on the case studies and examples best suiting as the ‘ideal sample’. · Course material prepared by our expert and experienced trainer, who was a panel member and contributed to the contents in rolling out the fifth edition of PMBOK. · Consistent pass rate of 98% - deemed high in industry standards, batch after batch we have maintained this pass rate and so far created 100,000 PMI certified professionals thereby addressing the salient feature of identification - the psychological need for most people is recognition. And that’s how the engagement shifts from a ‘YOU’ to a collective ‘we’ [read you and iCert Global]. It’s not just all about certification – care for a closer scrutiny – and it’s all about YOU qualifying as a certified professional!

ITIL® Foundation The Foundation Level is the entry level qualification which offers candidates a general awareness of the key elements, concepts and terminology used in the ITIL® Service Lifecycle, including the linkages between Lifecycle stages, the processes used and their contribution to Service Management practices. Why should I take ITIL® Foundation? Upon successful completion of the education and examination components related to this qualification, candidates can expect to gain a general overview, and basic knowledge and understanding of ITIL®. qualification also fulfils the prerequisite entry criteria for the next level of study within the ITIL® qualifications scheme, the ITIL® Intermediate Level . Is it right for me? This qualification is primarily aimed towards: those who require a basic understanding of the ITIL® framework; those who need understanding of how ITIL® can be used to enhance the quality of IT service management within an organization; IT professionals or others working within an organization that has adopted and adapted ITIL® who need to be informed about, or contribute to an ongoing service improvement programme. The ITIL® qualification is open to any individuals who may have an interest in the subject. The ITIL® Foundation qualification is not intended to enable the holders of the qualification to apply the ITIL® practices for Service Management without further guidance. For more information and register for ITIL Foundation courset Please click on below register button.

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Want to get certified in first attempt in ITIL Foundation certification exam? Well then, how do you prepare for the exam? This article will walk you through some insights considered critical and vital to successfully crack the exam. ITIL is considered as the best-practice service management framework across the industry, especially for IT service and governance. If your field of interest and area of expertise happens to center around IT services management, and serious about shaping a career, then we strongly recommend you to take up ITIL® certification. The certification will accelerate your career path and professional advancement. Now that you are sure of your interest and inclination, the stepping stone towards the ITIL® certification is the ITIL Foundation. Start your research Before enrolling to ITIL Foundation course, do a bit of research to gain a basic understanding about ITIL Foundation. This will help you to assess and analyze the knowledge gap as some topics might be familiar, which is a shot in the arm and makes you more confident. It presents an idea of your own appetite as well. Scout for a good learning providerExtend your research to check the available learning academies in and around your place. Alternatively, check and confirm if other modes of learning like instructor-led online class or e-learning can take the place of physical classroom. If your employment comes in the way of attending regular classroom training, other options should be open for consideration. So factor these aspects in your search ad don’t prioritize based on just proximity hoping to catch up on shortfall later. It should be well searched and informed decision before you can make your move. Sign up Once you screen and settle on a service provider, sign up after checking your calendar to ensure there are no planned events that might impact or interfere with your training dates. A dedicated effort always calls for a detailed plan. A systematic approach and meticulous plan and good balance bring in the much desired discipline. Make sure everything in its place before the course begins. There are tons of literatures available in the public domain. Read and upgrade. Study The relentless pursuit of learning leaves you rich and rewarding. So scratching the surface won’t suffice, instead dig deep and deeper and find roots. Study every chapter and summarize your learning. The Foundation course will be more about terminology, core concepts, process, lifecycles stages and links within. The course summary for every chapter will help you in identifying the learned and missed. If required, start all over again until you are satisfied and confident to close. Always question and seek greater clarity through illustration and examples. Try to reinforce learning through workplace experience and scenarios. After the completion of every chapter, attempt without fail the chapter test as this exercise will help you close the gaps that may exist and provide you the opportunity to assess your own standing based on the test outcome. Self-study Classroom study must be supplemented with self-study. The chapter tests taken in classroom can be replicated through tests available online. Today, the internet presents a wealth of information and poses hundreds of questions to test your skills and strength and as part of self-study, attempt as many as you can in the time available – that’s why the need for the systematic study and meticulous plan to apportion time accordingly. Usually, candidates are provided some time after the course completion to schedule the exam. Use this time effectively. Self-assessment The mock-exam or final test will be a comprehensive question papers simulating the severity of the Certification exam. You must endeavor to take as many as possible. Further, the official site hosts mock exam for participants to prepare themselves. Become conversant with course by scoring more than 90% in your mock exam. The ITIL Foundation is an objective-type 40 questions, and its possible to get all 40 correct. Your score above 90 must become a pattern from the series of mock exam attended. The score is a clear indicator of your learning and in case the score dips below 90, then restart by revisiting the chapters where the marks went missing. It’s plugging the holes and closing gaps that one scales. It’s very much possible and, with effort, achievable. Sit for the examination With the kind of strenuous preparation, just keep your cool and calmly appear for the exam. Make sure you read all the answers and most importantly understand the answers from the perspective of the question, and not misunderstand with your professional experience. Often candidates confuse the questions with scenarios experience in their professional front and as a result get sidetracked and struggle to find our way back. The percentage of pass is 65% which is answering 26 question correctly out of 40. The insistence in scoring 90 and above successively in a series of mock exam is to make oneself fluent and assure a safe passage to the subsequent level of certification exam, namely ITIL Intermediate. Wish you well in your endeavors. As the next step in your professional ITIL certification, you can either opt for Intermediate-Lifecycle modules for those wanting to pursue managerial openings or Intermediate-Capability modules for those who wish to involve with process or mix of both Lifecycle and Capability. About ITIL® ITIL®, an acronym of Information Technology Infrastructure Library, is a collection of best practice in IT service management. ITIL is considered as the best-practice service management framework across the industry, especially for IT service and governance. If your area field of interest and area of expertise happens to center around IT services management, then we strongly recommend you to take up ITIL certification. There are currently six levels for the ITIL® Qualification Scheme (ITIL® Certification): § ITIL® Foundation Level § ITIL® Practitioner (newly added in 2016) § ITIL® Intermediate Level (Lifecycle Stream / Capability Stream) § ITIL® Managing Across the Lifecycle § ITIL® Expert § ITIL® Master The ITIL certification is a platform independent, vendor neutral and non-prescriptive credential, that’s widely accepted and recognized across the industry with regard to IT management and service advancement initiatives.

(A personal account of the perils of scope creep) As Jobs puts it ‘we can only connect the dots afterwards’. That’s the benefit of hindsight? Well, if you have that as foresight, it makes you a visionary. Las Vegas was just a desert till one guy redrew the map toasting success on the sand dunes, and Vegas couldn’t have been just conjecture then. When I took over the reins, the project looked promising. Communications were open and the client very forthcoming in comments. One look at the team composition and my hopes were inflated: a trusted hand, a familiar figure and a total stranger, rest of the crew comprised of tester, Us Ex, web developer. The lead developer is more of a man-Friday as we have engaged in couple of projects and hence a tried and tested chap. It looked good and should have soared to great. We could spot the shore. If wishes were horses then beggars would ride! We prepared the plan, sized the effort, scoped the requirement, and swung into action. The progress too was pretty much in line. We built a good rapport with the client and the stinkers were sporadic. The plan and progress almost matched with some slippage. A qualified tester got onboard and it was a shot in the arm. I had several sessions with the team and joint calls with client in understanding the requirement. The long evenings, late nights, brainstorming sessions, soaring rhetoric and sizzling arguments, and not to miss the cat-fights, we saw it all as a team. The phone would suddenly scream followed by a volley of questions growing in decibel, and my team mate would politely hush her husband ‘I will be leaving in 5 minutes’. Remarkably, she taught me what I can never achieve no matter how much ever I aspire – that patience and politeness in answering an agitated call. Perplexingly the problems and posers kept piling, and from then on, we prioritized issues as critical, major and minor with color red, yellow and orange respectively. An open document was created and shared with client. And the bug count closely monitored with status reports both at start and end of day. The fixes left me vexed; flummoxed by failure after failure as I knew for sure that the bugs will be reopened. I chewed my finger nails all the way to my knuckles and went bone dry when the count refused to climb down. We dragged out weary souls and worn-out soles day-in and day-after licking defeat in the hope that ‘we lost the battle but will win the war’. The client is not to be blamed completely as for the team goofed up pretty bad inmanaging the scope. A little here and a little there and the result wasn’t scope creep but a bloated scope with too many ‘bells and whistles’. It wasn’t the foot in my mouth but the whole leg. Chewed more than we could swallow? It wasn’t time to wallow in self-pity. But I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the team; for myself and then DH Lawrence hit me hard where it hurts the most ‘I have never known a wild animal feel sorry for itself’. May be I am ‘domestic’ – heck, man is a social animal, if it can be used as a disclaimer. The client squeezing hard and the management make it clear about the climbing cost, the noose was tightening. The stakeholders had a simple mandate – the timeline. Problems and philosophy are a pair.When you muck-up big time, be prepared for your back to be blackened.But as they say if the progress is as per the plan, then there is something wrong with the plan. Then why plan? [we will discuss as a different thread] Tell me something, only Results count? Is it? I checked this quote by Jacoob Riis who, it seems, coined it for me. When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before - Jacob Riis. Results count but efforts can’t be discounted. We narrowed down the action-items as in-scope’ and passed it around, armed ourselves with facts and figures as counterweight. We managed to complete the project but not in the prospect and promise we had pinned our hopes, rather it was mixed-feeling of bitter-sweet that the final handover happened. Post the delivery, when we did the causal analysis, the scope creep sank our boat. Expectedly CRs (Change Request) were raised but they were either counted in as ‘courtesy’ or ‘cost-free’ who didn’t treat it binding as billable. It was a lesson learnt about clearly recording your scope and securing a sign-off on the deliverables and we became more conscious and cautious about the creep in succeeding projects. It was indeed a slippery slope! For more detail visit: http://www.icertglobal.com/

PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential is the most important industry-recognized certification for project managers. Globally recognized and demanded, the PMP® demonstrates that you have the experience, education and competency to lead and direct projects. PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential is the most important industry-recognized certification for project managers. Recently I went for a PMP prep course by the training provider you have mentioned, Instructer was too good and I passed with relative ease. Looking forwards to apply what I learned in PMP classes in my company.

Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a set of globally recognized best practices for IT Service Management that can be tailored to any organization. ITIL provides the foundation for quality IT Service Management through documented, proven processes that cover the entire Service Lifecycle. It is easy for organizations to learn, tailor, and implement ITIL to suit their environment. A complete ITIL philosophy has grown around the guidance contained within the ITIL books and the supporting certification and qualification scheme. ITIL is the most widely adopted approach for IT Service Management in the world. It provides a practical, no-nonsense framework for identifying, planning, delivering and supporting IT services to the business. The ITIL Foundation Course is an entry-level certification. It introduces the Lifecycle of managing IT Services to deliver to business expectations and provides an approach to learning the core disciplines of ITIL best practices. The ITIL Foundation Course is a stepping-stone for everyone who is interested in learning more about ITIL best practices. The audience includes all IT professionals who work in or plan to work in an ITIL supported environment as well as in key business areas.

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Enroll for ITIL training in Bangalore..!!! Contact info@icertglobal.com with your Name and Phone Number.. Hurry UP ..Limited Slots.. Enroll for ITIL training in Bangalore..!!! Contact info@icertglobal.com with your Name and Phone Number.. Hurry UP ..Limited dates..

The Service Strategy module is one of the ITIL Service Lifecycle modules, and will be of interest to candidates looking to focus on the use of process and practice elements used, and the management capabilities needed to deliver quality Service Management practices. Is it right for me? As with any of the Intermediate modules, it is recommended that candidates have exposure to basic concepts in IT and at least two years professional experience working in IT Service Management. The Service Strategy qualification would suit candidates in the following IT professions or areas: IT Management IT Finance Manager Supplier Relationship Management We have provided this list as a guide only, and choices will depend on the candidate's individual career goals and objectives.

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ITIL Service Operation Purpose of Service Operation: Purpose of Service Operation is to make sure services are delivered at agreed levels. Its purpose is to also manage the technology, infrastructure and applications implemented in organization in order to meet customers' needs. In fact this is the the stage in the whole life cycle where services basically deliver the value to the business because from business point of view this stage has the highest visibility. It is Service Operation staff responsibility to ensure that the value to the business is delivered. At this stage there may be some conflicting goals appear and it is important to know how to balance this. Some examples are: - technological, internal IT perception versus external business point of view. - stability versus responsiveness. - quality versus time to deliver versus cost of service. - reactive attitude to support services versus proactive activities. All the conflicts mentioned above are just examples. In practice there are much more of them and each one has to be balanced and maintained by the Service Operation staff. Excessive focus on one side without balancing another side will result in poor service.

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CMMI is a proven approach to performance management with decades of results showing it works. Organizations using CMMI have predictable cost, schedule, and quality—business results that serve as discriminators among their competitors. CMMI is built with practices and goals seen in thousands of real organizations worldwide. Use these practices and goals to evaluate your own performance and decide what to improve for your own business reasons.