ICS news and events March 2017

Pro

9 March 2017

ICS launches new project management, programme management and analytics courses

Last November, the Irish Computer Society ran a Learning and Development Needs survey to assess the training needs of our members. Since then, we have been busy developing training solutions that directly address the skills gaps we discovered. This year, we will be launching several new courses on topics we are sure will address the challenges identified.

Managing multiple projects and programmes
If you are leading big changes in your organisation, the P3O Foundation and Practitioner certificate will demonstrate how to maintain stability during transitionary periods.

Having a Portfolio, Programme and Project (P3O) in place has great business value in the short-term and beyond. The course is suitable for those who have either adopted a P3O model or who need to understand the terminology and concepts underpinning a P3O. This includes:

Structures that support business change
How P3O can add value for strategic change, benefits and capability
Managers who need to review their current knowledge of P3O practices
Staff responsible for programme/ project assurance

Two exams are taken on the third and final day. For more information on the course, please visit www.ics.ie/training

Next, we have the course in Managing Successful Projects (MSP). This is ideal for project/ team managers, programme office staff, or those advising on any aspect of a programme (a group of related projects). It will teach participants about global best practice in programme management and will allow them to better organise programme resources and align project outcomes with overall business goals. Coursework involves a mixture of learning sessions, group exercises and practical work. There are two separate exams for foundation and practitioner segments of the course.

Next course: 3 – 7 April

Lean_Six_Sigma_logo

Making the most of resources – Lean Six Sigma

If you want to increase your organisation’s productivity and overall efficiency, Lean Six Sigma courses are an excellent option. The name “Lean Six Sigma” comes from a popular manufacturing philosophy in Japan. It strives for minimal waste in any production process with a commitment to eliminating 99.95% of wasteful business practices.

The Yellow Belt Certificate is an introductory 2-day course aimed at those who want an overview of the concepts, tools and methodologies of Lean and Six Sigma, and how they can be differentiated and evaluated. The course also provides an educational path to Black Belt, allowing you to manage larger projects.

Next course: 5 April

The Green Belt Certificate (6-day course) will show you how to deploy Six Sigma and use it to lead small-scale improvement projects within your respective areas. It is suitable for managers, internal consultants, project managers, and many similar roles. Green Belt users will often support Black Belts in larger projects.

Next course: 20 March

The Black Belt Certificate will run over 5 months (April – September) and is suitable for those who are tasked with leading large scale business improvements and mentoring those involved in the improvement programme. Participants must have identified an improvement project they would like to implement over the duration of the course. The Black belt also includes options for international accreditations such as IASSC and ASQ (American Society of Quality).

Further details about these courses can be found on www.ics.ie/training

Are you checking for trap doors?

Whatever the organisation, risk is a big factor in a business’s success. This could be the risk of a project phase being delayed, the risk from competitors, or the risk of a data breach. Regardless of its size or scope, knowing how to manage and mitigate potential risks (“trap doors”) is essential.

The Management of Risk (M_O_R) Foundation and Practitioner course is aimed at individuals who are responsible for making decisions that involve risk of varying degrees including managers, team leaders, business owners or support staff. The course combines theory with practical examples, using group exercises to reinforce key strategies for risk reduction, mitigation and management. Participants will be able to form more effective strategies, be more proactive in their approach to risks, and respond more quickly when problems arise.

The biggest benefit of this course is its broad applicability. Risk is not something to fear, but something that can be quantified for better response procedures. This is true in every team and every department, not just in IT.

As with previous courses, an exam is taken at the end. More information can be found on

Next course: 8 – 12 May

How do we use the data we have?

Data Analysis is becoming a must-have skill for IT professionals. The issue for many in an era of big data is how to effectively organise and use the data they collect to push strategic business objectives. Our Foundation and Advanced-level courses in Data Analysis will teach you all about data analysis as a field, the methodology, the main tools and tests and how to use them optimally. On completion of the course, you will able to better use data analysis techniques to derive valuable insights, to help with reporting and decision-making and to avoid unnecessary errors. You will also learn how to

The Foundation level is recommended for beginners to the topic, while the Advanced level is for those looking to work through to more advanced topics.

Next course: 29 May – 2 June

Courses and Events

Courses

20 March – DPEO Data Protection Essentials – Study Live Online

23 March – DevOps Foundation Certification

29 March – IT Asset Management Foundation Certification (ITAMF)

11 April – ECDPO 1 – Preparing for the EU General Data Protection Regulation (Mayo)

12 April – CDPP Certified Data Protection Practitioner – 3-day (Mayo)

20 April – NCI Certificate in Business Analysis (QQI level 8)

Events

22 March – itSMF Event – Service Oriented Strategy Execution

19 May – Business Analysts Association of Ireland Annual Conference