Interview with Dr. Tyrone Otgaar about the Project Management Concepts course
How did this course and method of learning differ from other formal studies which you’ve done (or which you’re doing right now)?
It was a completely different approach that suited me perfectly. As a trained researcher we are nutured to constantly look for answers and new questions, so the concept of learning for mastery allowed me to utilise these personal traits to the fullest to get a deep and enriched learning experience. Additionally, this has allowed me to develop a deep-rooted understanding and mastery of project management concepts that I aim to instill in my future work.
What Project Management insights that you gained during the course have been most useful to you?
There were numerous insights I gained from the course, but the most useful would be how to read and glean information from Gantt Charts, Network Diagrams and Work Breakdown Structures. In addition, being able to discern the critical path of a project, task dependencies and task constaints have been invaluable.
Have your writing skills improved as a result of the course? If so, in what way?
The course has helped me further refine my ability to condense information into compact and easily readable paragraphs and has definitely improved my business and project management jargon.
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?
3 before and 9 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?
I have definitely become a more organised person where I have now started compiling mini-schedules to help me get the most out of my day. In addition, I am now comfortable utilising project management terms in a conversation and offer more insightful contributions to research project meetings.
What advice do you have for others to prepare for the exam?
The most important piece of advice I can offer is to constantly keep your List of Terms up to date during the Test Series, as the amount of learning and understanding you gain from this activity is incalculable. Furthermore, when compiling your terms try and use multiple sources of information that you coalesce into your own words. In this way it will instill a deeper understanding that will aid you in understanding what the Exam questions are asking.
A final piece of advice would be to do the Exam Preparation tasks multiple times over a week or two as it will help make you comfortable with the Exam settings as well as the nature of how the Exam questions are asked and also helps refine the pace of your answering. Don’t try and memorise all the questions and answers, as the Exam questions are different; rather focus on understanding the questions and applying the knowledge you have mastered over these several months.
How would you describe your overall experience of the Project Management Concepts course?
It was an extremely enjoyable approach to learning as it fostered my thirst for knoweldge. Every time I did not achieve 100% it stimulated to me to go and do extra research to complete my knowledge base. In turn, this additional research would often spark further questions, where I happily immersed myself in a treasure hunt for knowledge that truly broadened my understanding of project management concepts and tools.
At only R3,910, Project Management Concepts is a unique gateway to personal growth in the world of Project Management. Find out more.
