Topic module

Functional Areas and Services

Strategic planning or portfolio support, delivery support and centre-of-excellence functions and services.

Long-form learning

Concept to Risk to Memory to Check-up

Secure the PPM and office boundaries first, then connect business justification with model selection, implementation, operations, tools and roles.

Core concepts

Concept 1

Strategic planning or portfolio support improves enterprise-level selection, prioritization, balancing and oversight.

Exam cue: Identify the service purpose before assigning its functional area.

Concept 2

Delivery support helps programmes and projects with planning, control, information, risk, issue, resource and administrative needs.

Exam cue: Allow emphasis to vary by office level while maintaining coherent standards and information.

Concept 3

A centre of excellence develops methods, standards, capability, knowledge and professional practice.

Risk pitfalls and guardrails

Assuming all services belong in one central team.

Guardrail: Do not select a fashionable office structure or tool before establishing the stakeholder problem and service need.

Confusing a centre of excellence with routine project administration.

Guardrail: Do not select a fashionable office structure or tool before establishing the stakeholder problem and service need.

Memory anchors

Portfolio support

Services that enable strategic selection, prioritization, balancing and oversight.

Delivery support

Practical coordination and control services for programmes and projects.

Centre of excellence

Capability, methods, standards and knowledge services that improve practice.

Checkpoint rule

Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.

Knowledge Check (after reading)

Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.

1-2 question checkpoint

Which service belongs primarily to strategic planning or portfolio support?

Which service is typical of delivery support?

Which activity is characteristic of a centre of excellence?

Answer all questions to submit.

Next step personalized recommendations

Move forward only after this module is stable.

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