Halvar Rautenbach talks about Project Management Concepts
Halvar Rautenbach is the Manager Global Sourcing Projects at Bell Equipment. Halvar signed up his team for the online Project Management Concepts course to establish the context, thinking skills and common language needed to take their Project Management to the next level. As an active co-participant along with this team, Halvar did everything he expected of his subordinates, including tests and assignments and writing the exam. Afterwards, we asked him the same questions we’d ask any other participant.
What Project Management insights that you gained during the course have been most useful to you?
Having spent more than 14 years in weak matrix project environments where the PMBoK approach and CPM was sworn by it was enlightening to learn more about the other standards and methodologies, especially PRINCE2. I also enjoyed brushing up on the PM vocabulary.
Have your writing skills improved as a result of the course? If so, in what way?
I entered the course straight of the back of an MBA and thus the room for improvement was quite limited.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how comfortable were you with reading basic schedule information* before the course and by the end of the course?
10 before and 10 by the end.
* Schedule information refers to plans drawn up in project scheduling software such as Microsoft Project, using the Critical Path Method (employing a network diagram), and Gantt charts.
What personal changes have you made as a result of the course?
My personal development was centered around journeying with my team and to see them grow while I kept my distance to let them do their thing. “Allow everyone the space to make the contribution they have to make” — This is something that I believe project managers should learn sooner rather than later.
What advice do you have for others to prepare for the exam?
My advice is very simple:
“Trust the process”
Do the Study Group Forum posts as the daily tests go by and review the feedback you get thoroughly.
How would you describe your overall experience of the Project Management Concepts course?
Pleasant hybrid learning experience.
How did this course and method of learning differ from other formal studies which you’ve done (or which you’re doing right now)?
The fact that no course content is provided is probably the biggest difference. Not even a video or a slideshow. That means you have to be resourceful to find accurate information on things you usually have to pay for.
At only R3,910, Project Management Concepts is a unique gateway to personal growth in the world of Project Management. Find out more.
