CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-04-24 09:11:45 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Can't decide whether to do a PRINCE2 Foundation or Practitioner qualification? This simple guide will give you a better idea of which is right for you - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/prince2-foundation-practitioner-differences/ #projectmanagement  

2013-04-08 09:09:54 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

PRINCE2 techniques can be used when creating a Social Media campaign to make the project more organised and effective. Approaching a campaign in this way will help improve efficiency too - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/social-media-project-management/

2013-03-05 12:33:04 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Managing a successful project is like creating a work of art - both take plenty of time to plan well. The question is, are you ready to create your masterpiece? http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/the-art-of-planning-a-project/

2013-02-20 11:47:45 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 3 +1s)

David Cameron could use PRINCE2 to avoid any more u-turns. See how managing scope creep applies to government as well as business - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/managing-scope-creep-in-politics/

2013-02-15 09:44:32 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Using PRINCE2 to make your holiday run smoothly? Not as strange as you might think. Follow this useful guide and you'll be having a stress-free, fun-filled trip - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/project-manage-your-holiday/

2013-02-04 11:53:11 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Authorising a project is an essential process within a PRINCE2 framework. Make sure you know how to do it the right way - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/authorising-a-project-with-prince2/

2013-01-31 10:31:23 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

When it comes to quality expectations, the customer is (almost) always right. Maintain the required level of quality throughout your project with this guide - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/addressing-quality-in-your-project/

2013-01-17 11:46:33 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Project Management is not all about technical ability. Really great Project Managers have a balance of hard and soft skill. Find out what soft skills are essential here - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/essential-soft-skills-project-managers/

2013-01-15 09:20:09 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 0 +1s)

The Business Case in PRINCE2 is the document against which all decisions are ultimately made. It provides the decision makers (Project Board) in the project with a clear picture of what the project is set to deliver, how much it is all going to cost, how long it will take, and an analysis of when the expected benefits will come on stream.

So why is this any different to any other project that we already undertake?

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/prince2-business-case/

2013-01-14 15:59:33 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Are you guilty of any of these 'Deadly Sins' in Project Management?
http://www.clarizen.com/community/blogs/pm-best-practices-blog/the-7-deadly-sins-of-project-management.html?pid=5008

2013-01-08 16:50:03 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Our PRINCE2 Foundation course is in full swing at the moment, there are only a couple of places left on the next one starting the 28th January

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/prince2-training/prince2-foundation/

2013-01-07 09:41:09 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Can you accept, execute and deliver a Work Package using the PRINCE2 'Managing Product Delivery' process? If not then take a look at this post for everything that you need to know - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/work-packages-in-prince2/

2012-12-21 11:55:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

So another year is nearly done and Silicon Beach are closing for Christmas. 2012 has been great so we thought we'd share some of the stats from the year and our opening times over the festive period.
See you in 2013! http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/christmas-opening-hours/

2012-12-19 16:23:47 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Loads of spare time over Christmas? Get your camera out and enter our 'Movement' Photography Competition!

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/movement-photo-competition/

The grand prize includes:
- 1 day in Brighton Media Centre Studio with the latest equipment and a studio technician on hand.
- Any 2-day public training course at Silicon Beach Training in Brighton.
- 1 high quality, full colour print of your choice.

You still have plenty of time to enter so get snapping and make sure you submit your best work.

Judged by Jean-Luc Brouard.

Click the link to enter and read the terms & conditions.

2012-12-18 12:23:55 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Follow all the Silicon Beach Training accounts for a huge range of topics, or just pick the ones you're interested in!

2012-12-17 09:29:57 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

PRINCE2 isn't just for project managers. Corporate and Programme Management also need to know where they fit within the framework of a PRINCE2 project. Make sure you know how to define their role with this post - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/prince2-corporateprogramme-management-controls/

2012-12-05 09:33:58 (0 comments, 5 reshares, 2 +1s)

Anyone taking a PRINCE2 exam next year? Make sure you're aware of the changes to the Practitioner and Practitioner Re-Registration exam formats. Stay up to date with this post - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/prince2-exam-format-change/

2012-12-03 10:32:51 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Want to win a day in the Brighton Media Centre studio and a Photoshop Course at Silicon Beach Training? Check out our brand new Movement Photo Competition! http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/movement-photo-competition/

2012-11-28 13:17:14 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Due to high demand we have scheduled new PRINCE2 training dates in December:

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/prince2-training/

17-21 Dec in Brighton PRINCE2 Foundation & Practitioner.

All other dates this year are full, and spaces in January 2013 are running out as well. Call 01273622272 to book or to find out availability.

2012-11-26 12:32:25 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

PRINCE2's Quality Trail allows you to keep on top of any issues regarding quality at any stage in a project. Learn how you can apply this process to your project here - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/prince-2-quality-trail/

2012-11-13 09:36:09 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 1 +1s)

Some people assume there is no need to use PRINCE2 for smaller projects, but if anything it is even more important. Make sure you know how to adapt PRINCE2 for a smaller scale - check out this post!
http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/free-resources/prince2-small-projects/

2012-11-12 09:51:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

'BYOD' has brought with it some difficult issues for IT departments to tackle, but the recent release of Windows 8 could change this. With its targeting of multi-platfrom synchronicity, could Windows 8 mean the end for 'BYOD' or will iOS and Android devices prevent a widespread uptake?
http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/windows-8-byod/

2012-11-06 11:22:38 (0 comments, 5 reshares, 0 +1s)

Scope creep is a nightmare for project managers. But how do we define it, and more importantly how to we manage it?

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/managing-scope-creep/

2012-11-05 11:03:03 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

So your world-beating idea is becoming a reality, your business plan is flawless and you've hired the right people. Think that was tough? Well the hardest part is yet to come! Now it’s time to actually begin managing your start-up. Luckily we've laid out this handy guide of management skills to help you get the most out of your new enterprise. 

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/management-tips-start-ups/

2012-11-01 10:04:09 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Which project management skills come naturally? Tonight's BBC Young Apprentice might give us an answer. In the meantime, which skills do you think this year's candidates will have and which skills do you think they should have? Here are our thoughts: 

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/young-apprentice-natural-project-management-skills/

2012-10-10 10:02:55 (0 comments, 7 reshares, 1 +1s)

You mean there’s a better way to organise paperwork?

Have you ever experienced that situation in a meeting when glancing across at a colleague’s collection of paperwork, you notice that they have a later or earlier version of the documentation you have?

If configuration were being managed in your project environment, this situation should not happen.

Find out more about configuration management on the blog - http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/project-configuration-management/

2012-10-08 10:25:31 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

ITIL – A Process-Based Approach

2012-10-04 08:39:58 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Mike runs our PRINCE2 training courses. In this post he asks why projects often go wrong in the workplace when they go right all the time at home.

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/learn-from-domestic-project-management/

2012-09-20 09:14:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Many of us are familiar with fighting fires and dealing with crises when we are managing projects or programmes, but what is the best way of handling them and can they be prevented?

In this blog post our PRINCE2 and MSP trainer Claudine will explain how effective risk management reduces issues during projects and programmes.

2012-09-10 10:32:33 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

From April 2013, health and safety checks will no longer be carried out on ‘low risk’ premises such as shops and bars. These changes come as part of a larger move to cut red tape for businesses and bring back ‘common sense’ in the workplace, but could they end up leading to a lax attitude towards health and safety?

What do you think? Do you agree with the government and business groups that this is a good move towards deregulation? Or do you agree with Bob Crow’s assertion that this is an “all-out attack on safety”?

2012-09-03 08:32:29 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

When you learn how negotiate, you find that you start coming out of negotiations with the odds in your favour. Many of our negotiation skills delegates ask 'is it fair to use these skills to gain the upper hand over others?' We put the question to our negotiation skills trainer Emmet, and here's what he had to say...

2012-08-31 10:12:07 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Change comes about when people behave differently – and therein lays the difficulty in managing change. Deep down many people associate change with loss. This loss may be about comfort zone, learning new skills, career or status issues, or just knowing how things are done now. How can you manage change to alay these fears?

http://www.managementtraining-uk.co.uk/managing-change/

2012-08-31 08:44:39 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Want to know how to change the default calendar in Microsoft Project to reflect your actual working project hours? The Default Calendar is set to an 8 hour day, the Start time being 8:00 am and the finish 5:00 pm, with an hour for lunch. But if your day doesn't work like that (whose does?) then you probably need to change the default hours!

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/free-resources/change-calendar-microsoft-project-2010/

2012-08-30 15:03:41 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 0 +1s)

PRINCE2 allows for product-based planning with a focus on quality and mapping. Because of this, dependencies must be identified – without this step no control over stage boundaries would be achieved, and realistic planning would be impossible.

Read more here: http://www.prince2training-uk.org/dependencies-in-prince2/

2012-08-28 08:40:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

What Is ITIL? Common Sense, Written Down. Who better to explain exactly what ITIL is, and how it can help you and your business, than our lead ITIL trainer Giles?

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/what-is-itil/

2012-08-21 12:52:20 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

We're now 3 weeks into our Summer Photography Competition but there's a still a long way to go. The weather was beautiful in Sussex over the weekend (I even picked up a tan on Sunday!) so you must have some great pictures to share and enter into the comp. 

The prize is a 2-day Photoshop workshop in Brighton worth over £500 - a great prize for any photographer. We're even offering our advanced course for those with some experience.

For full details of the competition and how to enter please visit our blog and please share it with anyone you might think is interested:

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/summer-photo-competition/

2012-08-20 08:40:31 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

When running training it's vital to make a good first impression, or you risk leaving delegates feeling disillusioned from the start. As our trainer Mary says; "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression." This post runs through some of her top tips.

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/training-first-impressions/

2012-08-17 17:37:06 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Don't worry if you or your offspring didn't make the grade this year with A levels 6 out of ten of the richest people in the world didn't either!

2012-08-16 14:18:54 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Here are my top insights for understanding the role of flexibility in PRINCE2:

http://www.prince2training-uk.org/flexible-prince2-project-management/

2012-08-16 08:20:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Commonly used by project managers, Gantt charts are a great way to plan and track projects. But where do they come from? Who was Henry Gantt?

I give you: A Profile of Henry Gantt, the Inventor of the Gantt Chart

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/profile-of-henry-gantt-history-of-gantt-chart/

2012-08-15 16:21:08 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Strong, effective leadership plays a vital role in business and in our personal lives. Some people seem to be born leaders, able to tackle any challenge and others seem to flock to them with little to no effort. So what makes our leaders effective?

2012-08-13 08:17:29 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Different Strokes for Different Folks – How to Be a Better Facilitator!

2012-08-10 13:20:36 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 1 +1s)

Being a great project manager isn't just about learning the PRINCE2 (or other) technique. You need other leadership traits such as strong communication skills for real success.

http://www.prince2training-uk.org/communication-skills-in-project-management/

2012-08-09 14:07:02 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

How do you keep calm when your projects go wrong?

2012-08-06 15:57:34 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Blueprint Design and Delivery in MSP - one of the fundamental Governance Themes.

2012-08-06 08:25:42 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Following on from Project Manage Your Life! comes the next in our series of 'How to Project Manage' blog posts - 'How to Project Manage A Wedding'.

Find out how to plan for every occurrence and build the ultimate project team:

http://www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/wedding-project-management/

2012-08-03 16:12:35 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 2 +1s)

Keep Calm and Project Manage - how to keep your cool when projects go off course.

http://www.prince2training-uk.org/keep-calm-project-management/

2012-07-26 08:14:29 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Coping with early project closure can be demoralising for project managers. But, with the right degree of control, the closure can be taken as a learning opportunity. Here's how.

2012-07-25 11:41:12 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

We talked recently about the Plans theme of PRINCE2, now it's the turn of Quality.

Here's a post by Andy Trainer about how Quality is managed and documented in PRINCE2.

2012-07-24 10:31:30 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Our PRINCE2 Foundation & Practitioner exam pass rates are far above the national average. We achieve this by making sure our delegates understand the theory, of course, but also by consolidating this with real-world case studies & experience.

We also give top tips such as these, which give you that extra bit of insight and confidence!