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Project management training

Wombles

Hi all. I would be interested in hearing if anyone on the spectrum has had problems with project management training? I am trying to do a PRINCE2 course, but I am really struggling to get my head around all the concepts, interconnecting parts and concurrent processes. I have failed my foundation exam and I don't know if it is that I am not trying hard enough (I have done two 12 hour days to try and pass the exam which others on the course have managed).

I don't know if it is something that my brain can't cope with, or if I am just being rubbish as I am normally really good at remembering things.  I would be interested to hear if anyone has had similar experiences.  I am formally diagnosed with ASD level 1.

Parents

  • Hi Wombles, I work as a Project Manager, and did PRINCE2 a few years back. In all honesty, I didn't find it that useful. I passed the exam, but that was because our tutor, at something like Day 4 of a 5 day course, told us all the tricks involved in PRINCE2 exams. So from memory it was things like 'If a question involves a statement with the word never or always in it, it will always be false in a true or false question.' There were lots of other similar things which I forget. So in all honesty the whole thing was an exercise in getting people through the exam, rather than building understanding. Don't be put off, I find quite a lot of autistic people work in project management. 

  • in reply to MartinW

    How did you get your head round it all though?  It is so abstract and I simply can't visualise and understand all the moving parts and what they do in a project.

    I too have managed projects and this whole method just seems hideously overcomplicated for complication's sake.

  • in reply to Wombles

    It's probably not the most helpful answer, but it's an honest one: I didn't really focus on the concepts, I just focused on getting through the exam, put loads of sticky labels all over my manual (marking out the various stages, roles etc), so that I could find them quickly, and concentrated on exam technique. I managed projects before and since - I can't say I did anything different after the course to what I did before it. It was good to have on my CV, though, which was the only reason I did the course. Sorry, I realise that won't help you very much.

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  • in reply to Wombles

    It's probably not the most helpful answer, but it's an honest one: I didn't really focus on the concepts, I just focused on getting through the exam, put loads of sticky labels all over my manual (marking out the various stages, roles etc), so that I could find them quickly, and concentrated on exam technique. I managed projects before and since - I can't say I did anything different after the course to what I did before it. It was good to have on my CV, though, which was the only reason I did the course. Sorry, I realise that won't help you very much.

Children
  • in reply to MartinW

    That does makes absolute sense.  I would love a paper copy of the book to annotate - or even a PDF copy, but it can only be accessed via a clunky, user unfriendly webpage (it is an online course, and I presume the provider doesn't want the PDF to be shared when they can charge hundreds of pounds for the course - they charge about 90 quid just for the manual).

    I have switched off on the course completely - I have told the trainer I will not resit the foundation, nor will I do the practitioner this week (I have 12 months to sit them).  He hasn't been massively helpful, but in fairness to him, I don't think there is a lot he can do to help - he also has a class of around 10 other people to get through both exams in a week.

    My plan is to go over this in slower time in the next couple of months to try and get my head round it - and I am going to try and learn the concepts using a scenario that I understand.  The trainer told me I should understand enough to pass foundation when I have done the practitioner, but having done the first day of practitioner yesterday, I am even more confused.  The mock exam questions might as well be written in ancient Egyptian, because I frankly didn't have a clue what the questions meant, let alone which answer was correct.

    It's very depressing and frustrating.  I think the approach you suggested of just learning with the goal of passing the exam in mind is the best approach.  I can at least use the manual in the practitioner - not that I find the online manual particularly accessible or easy to use.

    Thanks for your advice Martin, it is appreciated.