The Certified Planning Engineer.PREVIEW.pdf

The Certified Planning Engineer
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 : THE CERTIFIED PLANNING ENGINEER
CHAPTER 2 : PROJECT MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 3 : PROJECT GOVERNANCE
CHAPTER 4 : PROJECT STAKEHOLDER
CHAPTER 5 : STEERING COMMITTEE ROLES AND FUNCTIONS
CHAPTER 6 : PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE
CHAPTER 7 : INITIATING THE PROJECT
CHAPTER 8 : PROJECT PLANNING
CHAPTER 9 : EXECUTING THE PROJECT
CHAPTER 10 : CONTROLLING THE PROJECT
CHAPTER 11 : CLOSING THE PROJECT
CHAPTER 12 : LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 13 : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
GLOSSARY
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Copyright © 2020 Zulk Shamsuddin, PhD / GAFM ACADEMY
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-7948-2013-5

INTRODUCTION
The Certified Planning Engineer ™ (CPE) is a gold-standard certification issued
by The American Academy of Project Management ®. Earning this designation
demonstrates that you have skills and experience in delivering projects within the
timeline by developing strategies, determining material and labor costs, monitoring
staff performance, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. Other
skills include interpreting data, compiling reports, and delivering presentations to
project stakeholders.
It forms the basis of the assessment that applicants must pass to gain the Certified
Planning Engineer (CPE) status and inclusion in the Register of The American
Academy of Project Management ® AAPM Certified / Chartered Professionals.
Stand out above the rest with the world’s famous Certified Planning Engineer
certification and get noticed by top recruiters.
Benefits of becoming a Certified Planning Engineer
• recognized credibility
• International recognition.
• on-going continuous professional development
• greater employment prospects across the globe
• use the designation to your name, on business cards, CV.
• get recognition of your skills and competencies as specified on the accredited
training certificate.
• use the certification card to establish professional relationship during social
networking, events, et cetera
• get listed in the Directory of Certified/Chartered Professionals
• enhanced CV to stand out in the job market.

• a framework for the development of your career.
• assurance for clients of high standards and ethical practice.
Importance of Certification
Certificates and certifications, the names for these credentials sound confusingly
similar. But there are important differences. Here’s what you need to know about these
resume-enhancing options and how they might advance your career.
What Is a Certificate?
Earning a certificate is about education. Certificates are academic credentials
awarded by colleges, universities, or other educational institutions. Students in
certificate programs learn new knowledge in a specific subject or discipline and earn a
certificate by successfully completing the coursework. “An ideal student for a
certificate program is someone who is willing to go through the experience of growing
their own skillset, being real about what they want to learn, and working with others,”
says Jennifer Diamond, an instructor for the UW Certificate in Project Management.
Many certificate programs have few, if any, admission requirements, making them an
excellent option if you want to move forward in your career. The programs are usually
noncredit and take less time to complete than a degree. Certificates are commonly
listed on resumes as education, and some meet education requirements for first-time or
renewed certifications.
What Is a Certification?
When you have the professional knowledge you need, a certification allows you to
prove it. Certifications indicate mastery of skills or standards. Professional
certifications are granted by industry groups or career-related organizations. These

groups assess your qualifications, usually through an exam or application process.
Many certifications include the privilege to use a related designation following your
professional title. Certification differs from a license, which permits you to work in a
certain profession and is usually issued by a government or regulatory agencies.
The Value of Certification
• Certification helps in learning new technologies, skills, and abilities for a
specific promotion. Earning a new certification or an advanced certification in
a particular area of expertise can help in advancing your career.
• Professional certification shows consumers and potential employers that you
are committed to your profession and are well-trained. It gives them
confidence in your abilities and knowledge. Certification makes you more
valuable to employers, so you can expect to earn more than someone without
certification.
• Certifications can give you the chance to learn needed skills, and be a quick
way to show employers you have those skills. On the other hand, certifications
can require studying or coursework, and cost up to several hundred dollars to
take.
Skills and Competencies

Chapter 1 : THE CERTIFIED PLANNING ENGINEER
A Certified Planning Engineer ™ CPE is an experienced Planning Engineer who
has earned the gold-standard planning engineer certification from The American
Academy of Project Management ® (AAPM®). This credential is offered to the
individual with several years of experience specifically in project planning and
scheduling and project management within the context of engineering projects. This
credential is open to individual with position that includes project planner, planning
engineer, planning manager, project engineer, and anyone with planning and
scheduling background.
PLANNING ENGINEER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Planning engineers decide and develop the most appropriate economic models and
engineering methods for projects. They work in a variety of fields such as civil
engineering or construction. Planning engineers are normally onsite during an
engineering project to supervise all stages of work and provide solutions. Most
planning engineers work full-time alongside a wide number of teammates, such as site
managers, surveyors, and engineers, to ensure a project runs on schedule and that
materials are sufficient. Successful planning engineers are comfortable working in fast-
paced environments. Although a planning engineer’s day-to-day duties and
responsibilities are determined by where they work, there are many core tasks
associated with the role.
CREATE PROJECT EXECUTION PLANS
Deciding on proper engineering techniques and milestone sequences for each
project stage is the most important role of a planning engineer. They set targets for
activities based on each phase of a project plan and ensure it meets client’s

specifications. Planning engineers make estimations for timescales and costs using
specialized design software packages.
PROJECT MONITORING AND REPORTING
Planning engineers monitor day-to-day work progress for a project and provide
accurate weekly and monthly reports by swiftly communicating potential progress
delays or project slippages. Tracking and analyzing field results is another key
responsibility. Planning engineers continually make comparisons between planned
progress and actual progress and report any differences to their lead project manager.
They also study the impact of alternative approaches.
PERFORM PROJECT COORDINATION
Planning engineers analyze expenses and identify opportunities to save cost. They
make sure complex projects are handled on time and on budget by overseeing the
project planning, inventory services, cost control, team leadership, and project
management.
MANAGE STAKEHOLDER AND TEAM COMMUNICATION
A planning engineer works closely with others involved in a project and directs the
daily workload of subordinate team members. They attend crucial meetings and
provide current status updates to vendors, supervisors, and other stakeholders.
DRIVE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
Driving continuous improvement by working with leadership teams is a key duty
for planning engineers. They identify gaps in key performance areas and plan activities
to increase overall project efficiency. Planning engineers provide guidance and deliver
schedules to facilitate project execution strategy.

PLANNING ENGINEER SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
Planning Engineers determine and develop the most suitable and economically
viable construction and engineering methods for projects. They are involved throughout
the development stages, and are present on site during the build to oversee procedures.
Planning, scheduling is an important part of the construction management. Planning
and scheduling of construction activities helps engineers to complete the project in time
and within the budget. Thus, management of resources such as men, materials,
machinery requires effective planning and scheduling of each activity.
Day-to-day responsibilities include drawing up work schedules and budgets,
delegating tasks, analyzing project specifications and finding cost-effective ways to
meet them, liaising with contractors and suppliers, managing resources, and
communicating with surveyors, managers, and other engineers. You should be able to
analyze data, write reports, and deliver presentations to various stakeholders. To be
successful as a Planning Engineer, you should demonstrate sound knowledge of the
relevant Engineering discipline and be able to anticipate problems. Outstanding
Planning Engineers should have great attention to detail and be able to handle stress
well.

PLANNING ENGINEER RESPONSIBILITIES
• Understanding project specifications and developing time schedules and
budgets that meet them.
• Negotiating with vendors and contractors to secure the best prices.
• Observing existing processes, analyzing staff performance, and addressing
deficiencies accordingly.
• Monitoring and tracking project progress, and writing up reports.
• Attending and scheduling meetings as required.
• Delegating tasks and ensuring workers receive feedback.
• Understanding and meeting all contract requirements.
• Communicating with managers, supervisors, and the rest of the team.
• Analyzing technical drawings and providing material and cost estimates.
• Ensuring all projects are completed on time and within budgets.
Planning engineers should be self-motivated, extremely organized, and have strong
communication and project management aptitude. Employers typically seek candidates
with a bachelor’s degree, an engineering certification, and the following skills:
• Engineering skills – planning engineers need a strong understanding of technical
engineering principles to predict future problems and find solutions for them
• Project Scheduling – the primary job of planning engineers is determining the
necessary path for a project to get completed on time

• Project management – understanding how to scope a project and create work
schedules to ensure completion within the timeframe and budget allotted is a key
duty of planning engineers
• Teamwork – planning engineers interact effectively with cross-functional team
members and external stakeholders at various levels of responsibility
• Analytical skills – high levels of analytical problem-solving skills are critical to
the performance of this role
• Communication skills – planning engineers need strong verbal and written skills
to provide reports to clients and stakeholders as well as articulate complex project
plans to team members
• Computer skills – planning engineers use specialized computer software for
engineering and project management purposes, and also to produce visual
presentations, using bar charts and graphs to explain work schedules
Planning engineers generally need a bachelor’s degree in engineering, project
management, or some other related discipline. Employers typically seek a minimum of
three years of professional engineering experience and technical knowledge of
computers. Candidates with a Certified Planning Engineer™ license are especially
attractive.

Chapter 2 : PROJECT MANAGEMENT
This chapter provides an overview of project management, its characteristics, the
organization and the people behind a project, the project management life cycle and a
summary of the five phases of initiation, planning, execution, control, and closing. We
will also examine the project management competency areas that will be applied during
the various stages of the life cycle processes. The information you will learn in this
chapter not only will help you to succeed toward passing the online examination, but
also to guide you in managing a project regardless of your project experience. This
study notes have been prepared from the perspective of professional industry experts in
the field of project management.
Knowledge in project management is essential to become a successful planning
engineer. A planning engineer need to know the full life cycle of managing a project
from inception to completion. Although the primary responsibility of a project rest with
the project manager, the successful delivery of a project is the effort from all members
of the project team including project planning engineer.
WHAT IS A PROJECT?
A project involves a group of inter-related activities that are planned and then
executed in a certain sequence to create a unique product or service within a specific
timeframe to achieve benefits. Projects are often critical components of an
organization’s business strategy. Projects vary in size or complexity.
A project usually starts with a conceptual design of a product. An architect built
the design of the finished product (a model) that represent how the finished product
looks like after completion of the project.
For example, they may:
• Involve changes to existing systems, policies, legislation and/or procedures
• Entail organizational change

• Involve a single person or many people
• Involve a single unit of one organization, or may span cross organizational
boundaries
• Involve engagement and management of external resources
• Require less than 100 hours, or take several years
PROJECTS VERSUS OPERATIONS
In some organizations, everything is a project. In other organizations, projects are
rare exercises in change. There's a fine line between projects and operations, and often
these entities overlap in function. Consider the following points shared by projects and
operations:
• Both involve employees
• Both typically have limited resources: people, money, or both
• Both are hopefully designed, executed, and managed by someone in charge
So, what is a project-and how do you know if you are managing one?
A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or
service.'
Temporary means that the project has an end date.
Unique means that the project's end result is different than the results of other
functions of the organization.
Often projects are confused with general business duties: marketing, sales,
manufacturing, and so on. The tell-tale sign of a project is that is has an end date and
that it's unique from other activities within the organization.
Some examples of projects include:
• Designing a new product or service
• Converting from one computer application to another
• Building a new warehouse
• Moving from one building to another
• Organizing a political campaign
• Designing and building a new airplane
The output of projects can result in operations. For example, imagine a company
creating a new airplane. This new airplane will be a small personal plane that would
allow people to fly to different destinations with the same freedom they use in driving
their car. The project team will have to design an airplane from scratch that may be
similar to a car. This project, to create a personal plane, is temporary, but not
necessarily short term. It may take years to go from concept to completion but the
project does have an end date. A project of this magnitude may require hundreds of
prototypes before a working model are ready for the marketplace. Besides, there are
countless regulations, safety issues, and quality control issues that must be pacified
before completion.

Once the initial plane is designed, built, and approved, the output of the project is
business operations. As the company creates a new vehicle, it would follow through
with their design by manufacturing, marketing, selling, supporting, and improving their
product. The initial design of the airplane is the project-the business of manufacturing
it, supporting sold units, and marketing the product constitutes the ongoing operations
part of business.
Operations are the day-to-day work that goes on in the organization. A
manufacturer manufactures things, scientists’ complete research and development, and
businesses provide goods and services. Operations are the heart of organizations.
Projects, on the other hand, are short-term endeavors that fall outside of the normal
day-to-day operations an organization offers.
Once the project is completed, the project team moves along to other projects and
activities. The people who are actually building the airplanes on the assembly line
however have no end date in sight, and will continue to create airplanes as longs as
there is a demand for the product.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
Project management is the supervision and control of the work required to
complete the project vision. The project team carries out the work needed to complete
the project, while the project manager schedules, monitors, and controls the various
project tasks. Projects, being the temporary and unique things that they are, require the
project manager to be actively involved with the project implementation. They are not
self-propelled.
Project management is comprised of the following ten knowledge management
areas:
• Integration Management include includes unification, consolidation,
communication, and the integrative actions to control project execution, to manage
stakeholder expectations, and to meet project requirements.
• Scope Management include the process of creating the project scope document
that describe the scope of the project and the scope of the product. The key benefit
of this process is that it provides guidance and direction on how scope will be
managed throughout the project.
• Time Management deals with the ability to plan and finish the project in a
timely manner. It involved defining project activities, estimating the resources
required to perform the work, estimating the duration of activities, scheduling
activities and ensuring adherence to the project schedule.
• Cost Management include the processes that establish the policies, procedures,
and documentation for planning, managing, expending, and controlling project
costs. The key benefit of this process is that it provides guidance and direction on
how the project costs will be managed throughout the project.
• Quality Management is to ensure that the project outputs are delivered fit-for-
purpose. If outputs are not fit-for-purpose there is a possibility that planned project
benefits will not be realized, or realized to a much lesser extent. It can be achieved
by developing quality criteria for the outputs themselves and by ensuring that all
project management processes are conducted in a quality manner.

• Human Resource Management involve planning for managing the people,
finances, and physical and information resources required to perform the project
activities is vital, no matter what the project size or complexity. For small projects,
this planning may not be documented, but for large and/or more complex projects,
detailed documentation will enable better management of the resources, as well as
transparency for the Key Stakeholders.
• Communications Management includes the processes involved in developing an
appropriate approach and plan for project communications based on stakeholder’s
information needs and requirements, and available organizational assets.
• Stakeholder Management involve the identification of people or organizations
that have an interest in the project processes, outputs, outcomes or benefits, and
planning for how their involvement will be managed on an ongoing basis. It may
be done very quickly for a small project, whereas a large and/or more complex
project will require a formal stakeholder analysis, a Stakeholder Management Plan
as part of the Project Business Plan and ongoing monitoring and review of
progress. Stakeholder Management is closely related to communication strategy
and planning.
• Risk Management describe the processes concerned with identifying, analyzing
and responding to project risk. It consists of risk identification, risk analysis, risk
evaluation and risk treatment. The processes are iterative throughout the life of the
project and should be built into the project management planning and activities.
For small projects, a brief scan and ongoing monitoring may be all that is required.
For large and/or more complex projects, a formalized system for analyzing,
managing and reporting should be established, including the use of a Risk Register.
• Procurement Management include the processes associated with contract
management and change control processes required to develop and administer
contracts or purchase orders issued by authorized project team members;
administer any contract issued by an outside organization (the buyer) that is
acquiring deliverables from the project.
THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
One common attribute of all projects is that they eventually end. Think back to one
of your favorite projects. The project started with a desire to change something within
an organization. The idea to change this 'something' was mulled around, kicked around,
and researched until someone with power deemed it a good idea to move forward and
implement the project. As the project progressed towards completion there were some
very visible phases within the project life. Each phase within the life of the project
created a deliverable. For example, consider a project to build a new warehouse. The
construction company has some pretty clear phases within this project: research,
blueprints, approvals and permits, breaking ground, laying the foundation, and so on.
Each phase, big or small, results in some accomplishment that everyone can look to and
say, 'Hey! We're making progress!' Eventually the project is completed and the
warehouse is put into production.
At the beginning of the project, through planning, research, experience, and expert
judgment, the project manager and the project team will plot out when each phase
should begin, when it should end, and the related deliverable that will come from each

phase. Often, the deliverable of each phase is called a milestone. The milestone is a
significant point in the schedule that allows the stakeholders to see how far the project
has progressed-and how far the project has to go to reach completion.
EXAMINING THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
By now, you're more than familiar with the concept of a project's life cycle. You
also know each project is different and that there are some attributes common across all
project life cycles. For example, the concept of breaking the project apart into
manageable phases to move towards completion is typical across most projects. As
we've discussed, at the completion of a project phase, an inspection or audit is usually
completed. This inspection confirms the project is in alignment with the requirements
and expectations of the customer. If the results of the audit or briefing are not in
alignment, then rework can happen, new expectations may be formulated, or the project
may be killed.
WORKING THROUGH THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
Project life cycles, comprised of phases, move the project along. Project life cycles
allow a project manager to determine several things about the project, such as:
• What work will be completed in each phase of the project?
• What resources, people, equipment, and facilities will be needed within each
phase?
• What are the expected deliverables of each phase?
• What is the expected cost to complete a project phase?
• Which phases contain the highest amount of risk?
Armed with the appropriate information for each project phase, the project
manager can plan for cost, schedules, resource availability, risk management, and other
project management activities to ensure that the project progresses successfully.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROJECT
Most projects have similar characteristics, such as the following:
They Are Demanding
The stakeholders, the people with a vested interested in the project, are all going to
have different expectations, needs, and requests of the project deliverables. No doubt
there will be conflict between the stakeholders.
They Have Clear Requirements
Projects should have a clearly defined set of requirements. These requirements will
set the bar for the actual product or service created by the project, the quality of the
project, and the timeliness of the project's completion.
They Come with Assumptions
Projects also have assumptions. Assumptions are beliefs held to be true, but that
haven't been proven. For example, the project may be operating under the assumption

that the project team will have access to do the work at any time during the workday,
rather than only in the evenings or weekends.
Constraints Are Imposed
Within every project there is a driving force for the project. You've probably
experienced some force first-hand. For example, ever had a project that had to be done
by an exact date or you'd face fines and fees? This is a schedule constraint. Or a project
that could not go over its set budget? This is a financial constraint. Or what about a
project that had to hit an exact level of quality regardless of how long the project took?
This is scope constraint. All are forces that tend to be in competition with each other.
PROJECT CONSTRAINTS
Project constraints influence practically all areas of the project process. Consider
constraints as a ruling requirement over the project. Common constraints you'll
encounter are time constraints in the form of deadlines and the availability of resources.
Specifically, there are four major constraints that a project manager will encounter:
SCOPE
The scope of the project constitutes the parameters of what the project will, and will
not, include. As the project progresses, the stakeholders may try to change the project
scope to include more requirements than what was originally planned for (commonly
called scope creep). Of course, if you change the project scope to include more
deliverables, the project will likely need more time and/or money to be completed.

SCHEDULE
This is the expected time when the project will be completed. Realistic schedules
don't come easily. As you may have experienced, some projects require a definite end
date rather than, or in addition to, a definite budget. For example, imagine a
manufacturer creating a new product for a tradeshow. The tradeshow is not going to
change the start date of the show just because the manufacturer is running late with their
production schedule.
COST
Budgets, monies, greenbacks, whatever you want to call it-the cost of completing
the project is always high on everyone's list of questions. The project manager must find
a method to accurately predict the cost of completing the project within a given timeline,
and then control the project to stay within the given budget.
QUALITY
What good is a project if it is finished on time and on budget, but the quality of the
deliverable is so poor it is unusable? Some projects have a set level of quality that allows
the project team to aim for. Other projects follow the organization's Quality Assurance
Program such as ISO 9000. And, unfortunately, some projects have a general, vague
idea of what an acceptable level of quality is. Without a specific target for quality,
trouble can ensue. The project manager and project team may spend more time and
monies to hit an extremely high level of quality when a lower, expected level of quality
would suffice for the project.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
On a project, any project, there are fundamental activities that must happen before
the work begins. The rules, management principles, planning, and general guidelines
for a project are the project management framework. The project management
framework is the skeleton of projects. And, just like a house, even though every project
has a general framing, the end results are typically different. The management of a
project, the day-to-day activities, is the bones of successful project management. A
project manager must monitor, maintain, and control the work of the project to ensure
timeliness, accountability, quality, and success. Just as you wouldn't randomly build a
home without plans and a level of control, a project requires a level of detail and
management to guarantee completion and acceptability.
The five processes of a project are initiation, planning, execution, control, and
closure. The five processes interact with one another and allow the project manager, the
project sponsor, the project team, and even the stakeholders to witness the progress,
success, and, sometimes, failure of a project. These processes are cyclic, iterative,
progressively elaborated, documentation, and project manager participation.
WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESS?
A process is a set of interrelated actions and activities performed to create a
specific product, service, or result. Each Process is characterized by its inputs, the tools
and techniques that can be applied, and the resulting outputs. Each process has several
Tasks or Activities. Resources will be assigned to each Task.

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