Training

As a companion to the CA-PMF, a training program has been developed to help Project Managers and other participants learn more about this resource and how it can add value to their projects and help strengthen their organizations.

The following CA-PMF classes have been developed for project management practitioners:

Links to Classes

For class schedule and registration information, visit the Office of Professional Development (OPD) at: https://cdt.ca.gov/workforce-development/

PM: Foundations of Project Management (PMBOK® & Project Management Framework)

Description: This course will provide a survey of concepts and best practices contained in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®), published by the Project Management Institute (PMI) as an international standard for project management. These concepts form the basis for the State of California’s Project Management Framework (CA-PMF), which provides State-specific guidance for project planning and execution.

During this course, participants will be introduced to standard processes and expectations for use in State of California Information Technology projects. Hands-on practice will be included to become familiar with use of the PMF guide and templates. Additional insight will be provided to support effective use of available tools and how to approach projects that vary in size and complexity.

Duration: 5 days

Target Audience: This five day course is geared towards aspiring and new project managers. Participants will learn traditional skills required for project managers and targeted information for managing a State Information Technology (IT) project.

Topics:

  • Introduction to Project Management, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®)
  • PMBOK® Concepts: Knowledge Areas, Tools and Techniques
  • Introduction to the California Project Management Framework (CA-PMF)
  • Overview and Navigation
  • Concept, Initiating, Planning, Closing Process Phases
  • Monitoring and Controlling
  • Templates and Resources
  • Project Approval Lifecycle as it relates to project management processes
  • State of California standards for project oversight and reporting
  • Goals and Objectives
  • Describe the recommended practices, key roles, processes, activities, tools, and outputs to be produced for State projects
  • Explain what makes a project successful and where projects struggle
  • Apply new concepts by using a sample project.
  • Demonstrate basic navigation of templates and guides and practice completing CA-PMF templates.

CA-PMF Resources & Tools

Description: Participants will be given the resources necessary to successfully manage an IT project in the State. The primary resource for this course is California Project Management Framework (CA-PMF) – a collection of project management best practices, scalable resources, tools, and templates based on the Project Management Institute (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®).

Duration: 1 day

Target Audience: This one day course is designed for experienced project managers by providing practical information for managing state information technology (IT) projects that builds on basic project management concepts.

Topics:

  • Navigate the CA-PMF to understand how to use tools and templates on your next project.
  • Understand the California Department of Technology (CDT) organization and its services available to support project delivery. Topics include an overview of responsibilities for each Division including; IT Project Oversight, California Project Management Office, Project Approval Lifecycle (PAL), and Statewide Technology Procurement Division.
  • Overview of PAL stages to properly plan for your next project.
  • Review top 12 project challenges Departments experience and obtain recommendations and resources available to prepare PM’s for successful project delivery. These common themes for were dubbed “The Dirty Dozen” and include:
    1. Contract management and vendor negotiations
    2. Data conversion and migration
    3. Governance and sponsorship
    4. Interface planning and implementation
    5. Organizational change management
    6. Quality assurance and quality control
    7. Release management
    8. Requirements definition and management
    9. Risks and issues
    10. Schedule
    11. Testing
    12. Architecture planning

Additional Project Management Courses

CDT also contracts with several Project Management education providers including: UC Davis Extension and Sacramento State, among others. Click here to view the current Course Schedule for a list of available training. Examples of courses that are provided include:

  • Communication Skills
  • Managing Effective Project Meetings
  • Project Risk Management
  • Team Leadership

Project Management Leadership Academy (PMLA)

The Project Management Leadership Academy (PMLA) is a program that started in 2017. The vision of the program is to increase the number and competency of IT Project Managers within the state workforce. The academy provides baseline training in critical areas of project management including vendor and state specific training as it relates to projects. The academy also provides an internship opportunity on state projects.

For more information visit the Office of Professional Development (OPD) at: https://cdt.ca.gov/workforce-development/

The Project Approval Lifecycle (PAL) training library can be found under SIMM 19.

CalHR provides YouTube links on their site to past training on various topics that we can leverage as a “resource” for PM soft skills training. A list of YouTube training can be found at:  http://www.calhr.ca.gov/Training/pages/calhr-training-courses-by-alphabetical-order.aspx

The training videos include: