Syllabus for Level D Exam

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1. Overview
This syllabus is intended to help candidates prepare for IPMA-USA’s Level D exam. It is also intended to help trainers who wish
to assist candidates with their preparation.
The exam is designed to assess the candidate’s knowledge of key project management concepts as described in Chapter 4 of
IPMA’s Individual Competence Baseline (ICB). The ICB can be downloaded here:
http://www.ipma-usa.org/standards/the-ipma-individual-competence-baseline
The syllabus has been organized according to the structure of the ICB.
All questions are about project management generally rather than about project management in any one domain or application
area. For example, the meaning of the term work package differs in construction and in defense contracting. As a result, there
are no questions about what a work package is.
Section 2 provides a link to the discipline’s most widely used glossary, and Section 3 provides a list of additional reading
material that may be useful to both candidates and course developers.
The core content of the syllabus is presented in the form of learning objectives.

2. Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

Project management terminology can often be confusing. For example, some define an activity as a collection of tasks, some
define a task as a collection of activities, and others treat the two terms as synonyms. Rather than add to the confusion, we
have chosen to use the online version of the Wideman Comparative Glossary of Project Management Terms as our basic
glossary:
http://www.maxwideman.com/pmglossary/
The Wideman glossary often presents multiple definitions for the same term. Where the definitions are similar (e.g., Activity on
Node), the meaning should be clear. Where the definitions are in conflict (e.g. activity), assume that the Editor’s Choice (shown
by a red checkmark) will be used.

3. Suggested Reading
The following list of project management books is provided without endorsement. Exam questions are derived from these and
other sources as well. Reviewing one or more of these books should help the candidate develop a broad perspective of project
management that will be useful in taking the exam.
Each of the following volumes is available in several editions. For purposes of exam preparation, any edition will do.
 Cleland, David and Ireland, Lewis, Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation, McGraw-Hill
 Larson, Erik and Gray, Clifford, Project Management: The Managerial Process, McGraw-Hill
 Meredith, Jack R. and Mantel, Samuel J., Project Management: A Managerial Approach, Wiley
 Pinto, Jeffrey K., Project Management: Achieving Competitive Advantage, Prentice Hall
Only the 4th edition of the following is relevant. In addition, most of the Special Topics sections are not relevant for Level D.
 Hermarij, John, Better Practices of Project Management: Based on ICB Competences, Van Haren

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 Reference: Chapter 4 of IPMA’s Individual Competence Baseline (ICB)
4.3 Perspective Competence Elements
Competence Element
4.3.1 Strategy
4.3.2 Governance, structures, and
processes
4.3.3 Compliance, standards and
regulations
4.3.4 Power and interest
4.3.5 Culture and values
4.4 Personal Competence Elements
Competence Element
4.4.1 Self-reflection and self-
management
4.4.2 Personal integrity and
reliability
4.4.3 Personal communication
4.4.4 Relations and engagement
4.4.5 Leadership
Learning Objectives for Level D
 Describe criteria likely to be used to prioritize projects
 Describe the elements of a business case
 Define project and project management
 Define program and program management
 Define the benefits of program management and portfolio management
 Differentiate between projects and operations (business-as-usual)
 Describe the typical responsibilities of a project manager
 Describe the relationship between the product life-cycle and the project life-cycle
 Describe the responsibilities of a project manager regarding legal compliance
 Describe how personal ambitions and interests can affect the project
 Describe how personalities and working styles can affect the project
 Describe how the culture and values of society can affect the project
 Describe how the culture and values of the organization can affect the project
Learning Objectives for Level D
 Describe effective self-control behaviors
 Describe how one’s own values and experiences can affect the project
 Describe approaches to personal learning and development
 Describe ethical behaviors
 Describe behaviors that demonstrate reliability
 Describe ways to promote sustainability
 Describe different forms and styles of communication
 Describe methods of ensuring that meetings are effective
 Describe common barriers to communications
 Describe how to promote open communication
 Describe behaviors that affect engagement and motivation
 Describe the difference between motivation and hygiene as described in Herzberg’s
Two-Factor Theory
 Describe the relevance of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
 Describe effective leadership behaviors
 Describe behaviors that demonstrate ownership and commitment
 Describe approaches to coaching and mentoring
 Describe the difference between power and influence
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4.4 Personal Competence Elements
Competence Element
4.4.6 Teamwork
4.4.7 Conflict and crisis
4.4.8 Resourcefulness
4.4.9 Negotiation
4.4.10 Results orientation
4.5 Practice Competence Elements
Competence Element
4.5.1 Project design
4.5.2 Requirements, objectives,
and benefits
4.5.3 Scope
4.5.4 Time
4.5.5 Organization and
information
4.5.6 Quality
Learning Objectives for Level D
 Describe the difference between a team and a work group
 Identify factors that may interfere with effective teamwork
 Describe Tuckman’s model of the stages of team development
 Describe how to promote cooperation among team members
 Describe common elements of delegation models
 Describe effective conflict and crisis management behaviors
 Describe how to mediate and resolve conflicts and crises and their impact
 Describe the steps required to solve problems effectively
 Explain root-cause analysis
 Describe effective negotiation behaviors
 Describe the characteristics of a win-win result
 Describe the differences between interests and positions
 Describe approaches to prioritize conflicting project objectives
 Describe effective assertiveness behaviors
Learning Objectives for Level D
 Describe the activities involved in project startup
 Describe the activities involved in project closeout
 Describe the activities involved in capturing and applying lessons learned
 Define project (product and project management) success criteria
 Describe when and how project success criteria are used
 Describe S.M.A.R.T. objectives
 Describe how to develop requirements and acceptance criteria
 Describe how to develop and use a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
 Describe the impact of poor scope definition
 Describe the purpose of a project life-cycle
 Define critical path and total float
 Describe the difference between a Gantt chart (bar chart) and a network logic
diagram
 Calculate schedule variances (without or without earned value)
 Describe common approaches to monitoring schedule performance
 Describe fast tracking and crashing
 Describe an Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)
 Describe typical roles and responsibilities within a project
 Describe the difference between quality and grade
 Describe the typical elements of a quality management plan for a project
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4.5 Practice Competence Elements
Competence Element
4.5.7 Finance
4.5.8 Resources
4.5.9 Procurement
4.5.10 Plan and control
4.5.11 Risk and opportunity
4.5.12 Stakeholders
4.5.13 Change and transformation
Learning Objectives for Level D
 Define and differentiate estimate, budget, and actual
 Describe the challenges of estimating costs early in the project life-cycle
 Define and describe bottom-up, top-down, parametric, and range estimating
 Describe common approaches to monitoring cost performance
 Calculate cost variances (without or without earned value)
 Identify the major categories of project resources (i.e., money, staff, time, materials,
and equipment)
 Describe common approaches to estimating resource requirements
 Describe the typical steps in the procurement process
 List the four characteristics of a legal contract
 Explain the differences between fixed price (lump sum), cost reimbursable, and unit
price (re-measureable) contracts
 Explain the differences between cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee
contracts
 Define the 3 basic values used in Earned Value Management (EVM)
 Describe the major steps in a typical change control process
 Describe the major steps in project risk management
 Explain the use of a probability-impact matrix to prioritize risks
 Explain the use of expected monetary value to prioritize risks
 Describe common responses to threats, i.e., avoid, reduce, transfer, and accept
 Define stakeholder
 Identify major steps in managing stakeholder relationships
 Describe approaches to stakeholder analysis
Note: this competence element addresses organizational change management; change
control is addressed in 4.5.10, Plan and Control
 Describe approaches to organizational change
 Describe obstacles to organizational change
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