COURSE OVERVIEW
Too many projects and programmes fail not because of poor management, but because of weak or missing governance. The Project, Programme and Portfolio Governance Professional (P3GP®) certification changes that.
Based on the globally recognised P3G Guide by Ross Garland and Adrian Morey, this course introduces governance as a discipline distinct from project management, focusing on who makes decisions, when, and on what basis. Participants learn how to establish accountability, align investments with strategy, and enable evidence-based decision-making across projects, programmes, and portfolios.
Structured around the ten core principles of P3G, the course offers a flexible, principles-based framework that works in agile, hybrid, and traditional delivery environments. Case studies and practical exercises bring the learning to life, ensuring participants can apply governance confidently in their organisations.
P3GP® enables you to bridge the strategy–delivery gap and embed governance as a core organisational capability, driving clarity, confidence, and measurable results.
Register today!
Facilitator
ROSS GARLAND
- Duration:
- 3 days
- Type:
- In Person
- What's included:
- E-book & Hardcopy of the P3G Guide
- Official P3GP® Course Materials & Handouts
- 2 P3GP® Exam Vouchers (Online Proctored)
- Lunch & Refreshments at the hotel venue
Meet Your Instructor
President, P3GQA
Ross Garland
Learning Outcomes
Understand the foundations of P3G
Explain its purpose, scope, and benefits for strategic alignment, accountability, and decision-making across organisations.
Differentiate governance across levels
Recognise how governance frameworks apply differently to projects, programmes, and portfolios, and how they adapt to agile, hybrid, and traditional delivery methods.
Master the 10 Principles of P3G
Use the core principles to design, implement, and operate effective governance arrangements.
Establish clear accountability
Ensure single-point accountability is linked to empowered sponsors and supported by high-performing governance boards.
Align investments with strategy
Embed mechanisms to keep change initiatives strategically aligned and benefits-focused.
Enable evidence-based decision-making
Leverage business cases, assurance, and robust reporting to support confident and timely decisions.
Scale governance proportionately
Adapt frameworks to initiative complexity, risk, and organisational maturity, avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy.
Address behavioural and cultural barriers
Drive adoption of governance frameworks through engagement, staged implementation, and performance improvement.
Champion governance excellence
Act as advocates for effective governance, helping organisations bridge the strategy–delivery gap and achieve value for money.
Target Audience and Eligibility For The P3GP® Certification
The P3GP® Certification is designed for professionals involved in governing, assuring, supporting, or sponsoring change initiatives across all levels of project, programme, and portfolio management. Whether you are setting strategy, ensuring accountability, or enabling delivery, P3GP® provides the governance lens needed for success.
There are no formal prerequisites for the P3GP® Certification exam. Candidates are not required to hold prior qualifications or possess a specific level of work experience to sit the exam. The certification is open to professionals from all sectors and disciplines who wish to develop their understanding of project, programme, and portfolio governance.
Board And Governance Leaders
- Board Members & Sub-committees
- Non-Executive Directors (NEDs)
- Company Secretaries
Executive Managers in Delivery & Oversight
- Executive Management Team Members
- Division Heads & Directors
- Business Unit Leaders
Project, Programme & Portfolio Managers
- Project Managers
- Programme Managers
- Portfolio Managers
Project Sponsors & SROs
- Project Sponsors
- Senior Responsible Owners (SROs)
- Delegated SROs
PMO & Governance Enablement Teams
- PMO Directors / Managers
- PMO Consultants
- PMO Specialists (Various Roles)
Assurance Professionals, Capability Assessors and Educators
- Assurance Professionals & Reviewers
- Capability Assessors & Consultants
- Governance Trainers & Educators
Course Outline
Module 0: Welcome & Orientation
Course objectives, learning style, and participant introductions
Overview of global demand for governance capability
P3GP® exam structure, resources, and expectations
Module 1: Introduction to P3G
1.1 Purpose
Why governance matters in change initiatives
Closing the strategy–delivery gap
Reducing failure rates through accountability and oversight
1.2 Target Audience
Who P3G is designed for (sponsors, boards, PMOs, etc.)
How roles differ across projects, programmes, and portfolios
1.3 Organizational Context for P3G
Where P3G sits in the broader governance landscape
Governance as distinct from management
Alignment with corporate governance codes (e.g., OECD, King IV)
1.4 Benefits of Effective and Efficient P3G
Visibility, control, and confidence in decision making
Value for money, optimized investments, improved outcomes
Module 2: What is P3G
2.1 Projects, Programmes and Portfolios – A Brief Introduction
Definitions and relationships between P, Pg, and Pf
Overview of their respective governance needs
2.2 Defining Project, Programme and Portfolio Governance
Governance as a decision-making framework
Integrating roles, rules, and accountability structures
2.3 Delivery Approaches and P3G
Governance in traditional vs agile vs hybrid methods
Key adaptations when applying P3G in iterative delivery
Module 3: Principles of P3G
3.1 Principle 1 – Treat Change Differently from Business as Usual
Why organisational structures fail to govern change
The case for tailored change governance frameworks
3.2 Principle 2 – Ensure a Single Point of Accountability
Sponsor clarity and continuity
Common failure patterns with unclear accountability
3.3 Principle 3 – Business Outcome Accountability Determines Accountability for Change
Outcome ownership as the basis for sponsor selection
How to align strategic accountability with change governance
3.4 Principle 4 – Support the Accountable Person with a Governance Board
Purpose and structure of governance boards
Principles of board composition, decision-making, and support
3.5 Principle 5 – Separate Decision-Making from Stakeholder Engagement
Avoiding decision paralysis
Designing engagement plans that don’t compromise governance
3.6 Principle 6 – Align Investments with Strategic Objectives
Governance’s role in strategic value delivery
Ensuring traceability between strategy and execution
3.7 Principle 7 – Maintain the Business Case
Business cases as evolving governance instruments
Reviewing and updating business cases throughout delivery
3.8 Principle 8 – Design Portfolio Governance to Drive Investment Outcomes
Governance at the portfolio level: centralised vs federated
Establishing portfolio policies, standards, and controls
3.9 Principle 9 – Ensure Consistent and Logical Decision-Making Rights
Mapping decisions across lifecycle stages
Escalation thresholds, tolerances, and delegated authority
3.10 Principle 10 – Enable Evidence-Based Investment Decision-Making
Assurance inputs and reporting frameworks
Designing governance dashboards and performance reporting
Module 4: Application of the principles: Implementation
4.1 Scaling Governance to Fit the Need
Tailoring P3G frameworks for project size, risk, and complexity
Governance Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for agile and fast-track projects
4.2 Establishing New or Enhanced P3G Arrangements
Rollout strategy and change enablement
Common implementation challenges and how to overcome them
4.3 Effective Operation of P3G Arrangements
Ensuring performance, behaviours, and culture align with structure
Governance evaluation, review, and iteration
4.4 Documenting and Communicating P3G Arrangements
Governance handbooks, role charters, and RACI charts
Use of visuals and templates to ensure clarity and adoption
4.5 P3G Implementation and Agile Approaches
Adjusting governance for agile delivery cadences
Role of product owners, delivery teams, and iterative gating
4.6 P3G Maturity
Governance maturity models
Using the P3GQA Maturity Assessment Tool
Continuous improvement plans for governance uplift
Module 5:
- Real-world failures from governance breakdowns
Group exercise: Redesign governance for turnaround scenario
Exam tips, mock question review, and open Q&A
How P3GP Complements Your Existing Certifications
Already certified in project, programme, portfolio management or PMO?
The P3GP certification is the next logical step, not a replacement, but a powerful complement to your existing professional certifications.
Explore the detailed comparison of all major certifications, governance content, and how P3GP adds value.
Want the Full Breakdown?
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Overview
Focus: Managing people, processes, and business priorities across scope, time, cost, and risk.
Governance Coverage: Moderate – touches on strategic alignment and change control, but limited focus on governance design.
P3GP Context
Complementary – PMP focuses on delivery; P3GP adds governance, sponsorship clarity, and strategic oversight.
Program Management Professional (PgMP)
Overview
Focus: Strategic alignment, benefits delivery, stakeholder engagement, and managing complexity.
Governance Coverage: High – defines program boards, decision-making roles, and alignment with portfolio-level oversight.
P3GP Context
Some overlap – PgMP applies governance at programme level; P3GP enhances it by focusing on design, sponsorship, and strategic assurance across P3 layers.
Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)
Overview
Focus: Aligning projects/programs with strategy, optimizing value, managing risk and benefits at the portfolio level
Governance Coverage: Very high – defines governance boards, stage gates, and portfolio-level decision frameworks
P3GP Context
Overlapping but complementary – PfMP covers portfolio governance execution; P3GP adds a principle-based framework across projects, programmes, and portfolios to strengthen strategic accountability and decision-making.
PMI PMO Certified Professional (PMI-PMOCP)
Overview
Focus: Designing and evolving PMOs to support strategy, delivery, and value
Governance Coverage: High – focuses on implementing governance processes, decision rights, and oversight through the PMO
P3GP Context
Strongly complementary – PMO-CP focuses on running governance-support offices; P3GP defines the governance principles and roles those offices support. Together, they enable end-to-end oversight.
Disclaimer: All certification names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners, including PMI, Axelos, and APMG International. Use of these marks does not imply endorsement.
PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments)
Overview
Focus: Structured project control via 7 principles, themes, and processes
Governance Coverage: Moderate – defines project-level governance (Project Board, stage gates, roles), but limited beyond the project scope
P3GP Context
Complementary – PRINCE2 governs individual projects; P3GP connects and standardizes governance across multiple projects, sponsors, and boards at the enterprise level.
Managing Successful Programmes (MSP)
Overview
Focus: Delivering strategic change and benefits through coordinated projects
Governance Coverage: Very high – defines SRO and Programme Board roles, governance themes, and assurance mechanisms linked to strategic oversight
P3GP Context
Complementary – MSP teaches how to manage programme governance; P3GP focuses on designing and evaluating governance structures across all programmes and portfolios using universal principles.
Management of Portfolios (MoP)
Overview
Focus: Selecting, prioritizing, and delivering the right change initiatives to achieve strategic objectives
Governance Coverage: Very high – focuses on enterprise-level governance structures (e.g. Portfolio Boards), decision-making, and alignment across projects and programmes
P3GP Context
Strongly aligned – MoP defines portfolio management structures; P3GP ensures those structures uphold governance principles like accountability, strategic alignment, and decision-right clarity.
Portfolio, Programme, and Project Offices (P3O)
Overview
Focus: Designing PMOs to support governance, assurance, and strategic decision-making
Governance Coverage: Very high – defines structures and services that enable governance across portfolios, programmes, and projects
P3GP Context
Highly complementary – P3O builds governance-support structures; P3GP ensures those structures apply governance principles effectively across roles, decisions, and sponsorship.
Disclaimer: All certification names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners, including PMI, Axelos, and APMG International. Use of these marks does not imply endorsement.
Agile Project Management (AgilePM)
Overview
Focus: Blending agile delivery with structured project control (DSDM framework)
Governance Coverage: Moderate – defines agile project-level roles and controls, but governance is lightweight and limited beyond the project
P3GP Context
Complementary – AgilePM covers project-level governance in agile; P3GP provides the enterprise-wide governance framework that ensures consistency across agile and traditional initiatives.
Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM)
Overview
Focus: Identifying, planning, and tracking benefits to optimize value from change initiatives
Governance Coverage: High – embeds benefit ownership and reporting into governance structures across projects, programmes, and portfolios.
P3GP Context
Complementary – AgilePgM guides agile programme delivery; P3GP ensures governance principles like accountability and gating are maintained, even in agile environments.
Managing Benefits
Overview
Focus: Identifying, planning, and tracking benefits to optimize value from change initiatives
Governance Coverage: High – embeds benefit ownership and reporting into governance structures across projects, programmes, and portfolios
P3GP Context
Complementary – P3GP defines the governance mandate for benefits; Managing Benefits provides the tools and techniques to implement it (e.g. benefit maps, KPIs, reviews).
Managing Portfolios
Overview
Focus: Strategic selection, optimization, and delivery of change initiatives
Governance Coverage: High – defines portfolio boards, roles, and decision-making for aligning investments to strategy
P3GP Context
Complementary – Managing Portfolios explains what to govern; P3GP shows how to govern through universal principles like accountability, assurance, and tiered oversight. Ideal pairing for strategy-driven execution.Disclaimer: All certification names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners, including PMI, Axelos, and APMG International. Use of these marks does not imply endorsement.
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P3GP® Certified Professionals
Atendees reviews
Richard Edwards
Deepening my knowledge of governance to improve advice to major government projects was what attracted me to this course.
A great course that provides a comprehensive and practical guide to achieving good governance across projects, programmes and portfolios.
Richard Edwards
Deepening my knowledge of governance to improve advice to major government projects was what attracted me to this course.
A great course that provides a comprehensive and practical guide to achieving good governance across projects, programmes and portfolios.
Richard Edwards
Deepening my knowledge of governance to improve advice to major government projects was what attracted me to this course.
A great course that provides a comprehensive and practical guide to achieving good governance across projects, programmes and portfolios.
Richard Edwards
Deepening my knowledge of governance to improve advice to major government projects was what attracted me to this course.
A great course that provides a comprehensive and practical guide to achieving good governance across projects, programmes and portfolios.
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