Services and Capabilities (SC-IPMO®)

Course Description

The Service and Capabilities master class certification course utilizes AIPMO’s Service Lifecycle framework and incorporates various techniques throughout.

This certification course focuses on a pragmatic and practical approach to deliver a series of service principles, concepts, and AIPMO’s Service Lifecycle framework. These are used to develop your organization’s or client’s service topology and service capabilities, offering unique insights into a service-oriented view of enterprise-wide PMOs.

The course aims to equip participants with a clear method to understand the topic deeply, enabling them to maximize their value to their organization and create an enterprise-wide PMO Service strategy with underlying services. It covers piloting, implementing, running, and, when necessary, transforming or retiring services within AIPMO’s PMO Services Lifecycle framework.

AIPMO’s integrated frameworks will be covered to ensure contextual positioning of PMO Services, especially at the enterprise level.

This course provides insights that have never been shared before and are part of AIPMO’s book “PMO Services and Capabilities.” Attendees will be able to build their own PMO services strategy and services, a crucial step in ensuring their PMO is agile and has agility in terms of services offered to clients.

Key Takeaways

Understand how to develop your own PMO service strategy

Know how to apply the AIPMO PMO services lifecycle framework

Understand how to design an enterprise-wide PMO services topology

Understand the link between services-oriented PMOs and PMO success

Spot the traits and determine root causes of poorly structured PMOs

Understand the impact a PMO services and capabilities expert can have on PMO success

Who should attend?

PMO managers, PMO team members, and project managers wishing to understand how to create PMO services following AIPMO’s PMO Service Lifecycle framework
PMO directors needing to understand how to create the PMO enterprise-wide service offer, which is a part of the AIPMO’s Strategic framework (also contains the Enterprise PMO Topology)
Any senior project stakeholder wishing or needing to be part of a project team and understand/take the lead on supporting the development of PMO services
Consultants and other professionals who need to deepen their knowledge
PMO sponsors, who would like to learn more about how to increase the value of their PMOs and directly benefit their role and their peers’ in the organization

Prerequisites

1 year plus experience in project and/or program management
Ideally a formal PM/PMO certification such as IPMO-F, IPMO-P, PMI’s CAPM®, PMP®, APM PMQ, or Prince 2 Practitioner
Attendees should have a good working knowledge of project management processes, tools, and techniques
Educated to degree level or similar

Exam

The online exam is run by AIPMO, and moderated by a proctor from AIPMO at the end of the course.
Open book exam, 50 multiple choice questions
Duration: 1 hour
Attendees are notified by email of the results of the exam

Our Training Approach

The training approach includes

Lecture

Team Exercise

Group Discussion

Case Study

Personal Coaching

Exam

Modules

Module 0: Welcome & Introduction to the Course

Module 1: Importance to be an Expert in Services and Capabilities

Module 2: PMO Service Lifecyle Framework

Module 3: PMO Service Strategy

Module 4: PMO Service Design

Module 5: PMO Service Pilot & implementation

Module 6: PMO Service Operations

Module 7: PMO Service Management Improvement

Module 8: PMO Service - Transform or Retire

Module 9: Revision & Certification Exam

Introductions
AIPMO
Course outline, guidelines, and training approach
Questions posed by PMO stakeholders

Project failure and consequences
Typical reasons why projects fail
Project management – foundational facts
PMO success
PMO maturity
PMO structural flaws
PMO metaphors
Mapping PMO services/capability experts to PMO metaphors

Introduction to the strategic PMO lifecycle framework
PMO lifecycle framework
Organizational strategy and environmental factors
Governance
Management (PMO)
Continuous improvement
Adaptive alignment
Capabilities underpinning the PMO lifecycle framework
PMO services lifecycle framework
Definitions
Phases of PMO services cycle
Service domains
Service groups
Services

PMO service strategy questions and challenges
Key documentation
PMO service strategy and triggers
Key activities
PMO service economics and service domains/service groups
PMO service types - main and related services
PMO service documentation plan, services catalog, and service roles
Governance
Organizational considerations
Technology and data considerations
Service level agreements

Service design context
Service design objectives
Design challenges
Design and architectural questions
PMO services design architecture framework
Resources and roles
Service communications and record keeping
PMO service requirements gathering

Develop processes and procedures
Select and deploy tools and techniques
PMO service pilot and implementation framework
Assessing readiness for roll-out

PMO topology and service topologies
Service orientation
Service operations activities
PMO services

Differences between service operations, service management, and governance
Common service delivery mistakes
PMO hazards
Service performance measurement
Continuous service improvement
Service improvement model

Service transition and retirement
Retirement steps

Revision and exam

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Testimonials

What Professionals Are Saying

It was immensely helpful to complete the IPMO-P and IPMO-E within three weeks while everything was still fresh in my mind. Massively beneficial. The case study was a standout element, bringing the concepts to life through practical application.

Robert Corbett

Global Director, PMO & Launch, DP World

The IPMO course was very useful and full of information. I am looking forward to implement this in my organization and will recommend it to my colleagues in the field.

Walid Taweli

Executive Manager, QooT

I will try to implement all the techniques and tools I have learned in the IPMO-P course. The case studies helped a lot in solving real life PMO challenges I had in my position.

Anthony Hallet

EPMO Consultanti, FocusHQ

An eye-opening IPMO-P course with excellent training by Robert. It helped me understand just how broad and impactful the PMO profession and its scope truly are.

Dr. David Hermida

Officer, AEW&C Mission Systems PMO, NATO

The CF course liberated my thinking on frameworks and their application in the business and research fields. It allowed me to contextualise business problems in different scenarios by trying options customised for the problem.

Wesley Bridgemohansingh

Project Management Consultant, Piaus and Associates Services Ltd

Thanks to the IPMO-P course, I now understand how to design, establish and evaluate the PMOs. Hopefully I will use all the knowledge gained in the PMO I am working currently. I am now better equipped to identify areas for improvement in my PMO.

Hussain Eid

Head of the Project Management Office, Wadi Jeddah

Get the official IPMO-P brochure

What You Get in the Brochure:

Full certification breakdown

Course dates, formats, & locations

Learning outcomes & benefits

Personalized course recommendations

Info about IPMO levels

Pricing & discount information

Frequently Asked Questions

You Ask, We Answer

What is the difference between Core, Specialist, and Master Class certifications?

Each of the certification categories serves a different purpose. The first category, “PMO Core Certifications,” shows that you have the competencies to design and build a service-orientated PMO with services that are needed by your project community. At the top-level (Expert) certification, you must show that you have the competencies to design and build one or more PMOs (called PMO topologies) within an integrated PMO Services topology. The second category of certifications is called the “Specialist” certifications because they directly relate to the ability to offer PMO services. If a PMO service is planned, then the PMO needs to have the capability to provide it. There are over 20 specialist courses at the time of writing. Project team members also need these courses. The third category of courses, called “Master Class” certifications, comprises three certifications that everyone needs, regardless of whether you are a PMO, project team member, or a PM/O director. These courses are the techniques and tools of a trade, so everyone, including project professionals, needs them.

What makes the SC-IPMO® course unique compared to other PMO certifications?

The SC-IPMO® course is the first certification to focus entirely on PMO services and capabilities, using AIPMO’s Service Lifecycle framework. Unlike traditional PMO training that emphasizes governance or methodology, this course takes a service-oriented approach—teaching participants how to design, pilot, implement, run, transform, or retire PMO services. It provides enterprise-level insights drawn from AIPMO’s groundbreaking book PMO Services and Capabilities, enabling professionals to build a tailored PMO service strategy and service topology. By linking service design directly to PMO success, the course empowers participants to maximize organizational value while ensuring PMOs remain agile and adaptable.

I don't know which certification is right for me. How do I choose?

For now, it is best to ask one of our professionals. You can either call or chat online. They can provide you with expert advice on planning and advancing your career.

Are there any discounts if I take more than one course?

The short answer is yes. Bundles are shown on the website, but you can also call to ask if you can get a special discount. This will also be considered if you join the course as a group.

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