QRP is pleased to announce its Advisory Board to help develop the activities of the company. This board is composed of Carl Lenaerts, Guy Ballantine and Andrea Franco. The Advisory Board's mandate is clear: to provide strategic guidance, offer insights and recommendations on key business decisions and review and assess new initiatives and opportunities. With their collective expertise, we are confident that the Advisory Board will inspire QRP to grow reaching new heights of success. At QRP we welcome this new addition to our team and now it is time to introduce our advisers that will help us develop professionals to facilitate changes. Before reading their interviews on our Best Practices blog, we have prepared three teasers for you to enjoy below! Stay tuned and excited…

Carl Lenaerts

Carl Lenaerts has worked for one of the biggest Belgian banks. In 2009, his banking career ended there as a MidCorp and a corporate banker. Then, he joined as country Operation Manager of a cinema chain called Kinepolis. In 2023, after an 18-month experience at Standaard Boekhandel, he became the CEO of Plopsa. It is one of the most leading family theme parks in Europe that also includes aqua parks, indoor parks, hotels and villas.

Our favourite quote from his interview: “Being part of a team is to be able to explain something difficult in a simple way”.

Read his interview from 23 April onwards.

Guy Ballantine

Guy is a CEO, COO and board adviser who transforms businesses through operational improvement, data-driven growth strategies and M&A. He has experience across Private Equity, Public Limited Company and Limited Liability Partnership businesses in multiple sectors, including HR Tech, Education and Business & Professional Services. Besides his executive roles, Guy also enjoys combining his advisory and commercial skills by being a board advisor to help other senior leaders.

Our favourite quote from his interview: “If we listen to each other we can find the answers and solutions to most challenges.”

Read his interview from 7 May onwards.

Andrea Franco

Andrea Franco began his career in 1987 at Fiat Auto SBA, working both in his hometown of Turin and internationally, particularly managing start-up projects for new plants. He then worked at Case New Holland, Iveco and Fiat Group Purchasing, before returning to FiatChrysler Automobiles. After a short experience in Datalogic, he joined Marelli in 2019, where he currently holds key roles in production, quality, purchasing and management of the Grid Technology Solutions division.

Our favourite quote from his interview: “The project manager is the captain, he/she is that figure to whom all corporate functions must refer in order to accomplish the mission.”

Read his interview from 21 May onwards.   The formation of QRP's new Advisory Board represents a significant milestone in our journey towards continued growth and evolution. We are confident that the collective expertise and leadership of our board members will lead to greater success.

Today, we're thrilled to unveil our revamped logo. The changes to our logo design capture the essence of QRP’s core values, blending modern aesthetics with a touch of tradition. It reflects our dedication to continuous innovation and excellence.

A New Chapter for QRP International

This logo marks a new chapter for QRP International, and we're excited to embark on this journey with a refreshed visual identity. In 2023 QRP International celebrated its 20 Years in Business. The modernised logo should represent our promise of being a trustable partner in continuous learning to our clients.

Developing Professionals to Facilitate Changes

At QRP we work continuously to help professionals improve their skills and support both organisations as individuals throughout their learning journey. We want to improve your way of working. Our training courses can help unlock individual potential and achieve a higher level of structure and efficiency in the organisation, leading to an increased productivity. Join QRP International in celebrating this exciting milestone. Do you know who is behind QRP? Meet our team!

PRINCE2®, the world’s leading project management method, has evolved to meet the needs of the future. The method has been updated to reflect the modern realities of managing successful projects in the 21st century, incorporating the latest processus, tools and technologies to stay ahead of the curve. All changes come together in the latest edition, PRINCE2 7. From April 2024, QRP International offers PRINCE2 7 training not only in English, but now also in French. PRINCE2 has been the gold standard for global project management practices since 1996. It is a flexible and adaptable method that can be tailored to any project, regardless of size, purpose or industry. PRINCE2 7, the latest version, addresses the changes in the project management sector and adapts to evolving working practices and technologies.

PRINCE2® 7 enhances Project Management

With PRINCE2 7, project management is brought up to speed with the current business environment and it is enhanced in the following ways:

• Emphasising People: PRINCE2 7 recognizes the vital role of individuals in project success, incorporating a human element into its methodology.
• Sustainability in Project Performance: PRINCE2 7 introduces Sustainability as a critical aspect of project performance, aligning projects with environmental and social responsibility goals.
• Digital & Data Management: It incorporates a digital and data management framework to meet evolving project management needs.
• Enhanced Adaptability: PRINCE2 7 offers greater adaptability for customization to specific project contexts, empowering managers to align projects with strategic goals.
• Integration with Agile, Lean and ITIL: It provides guidance on not only integrating Agile and other Best Practices, but also on digital transformation projects, fostering collaboration and responsiveness.
• Designed for all professionals: including aspiring or experienced project managers, using simplified language and content which makes it more accessible to all.

PRINCE2 7 meets modern project demands, equipping managers and teams with refined tools for complexity management and excellence. Its significance is bridging the gap between structured project management and the dynamic demands of today’s business environment.

PRINCE2 7 Training and Certification

The new edition of the PRINCE2 method has been officially launched early September 2023. QRP International has been offering courses in English since that moment. As PeopleCert recently also launched the translations of the PRINCE2 7 method, QRP International will offer PRINCE2 7 Training also in French from April 2024 onwards. QRP International has made sure all our trainers are certified in PRINCE2 7 and are ready to train you and your team too. We provide the PRINCE2 7 Foundation, Practitioner and Combi training both as classroom and virtual training in English and French. All planned training sessions from April onward shall use the PRINCE2 7 version. Our PRINCE2 E-Learning in English and French are based on PRINCE2 7. Our PRINCE2 7 certification training courses also include complimentary Take2, which is one free exam resit should you fail on the first attempt at the examination. For more information, feel free to contact us via email or call. In collaboration with PeopleCert, QRP International organised a webinar to talk you through the latest update and explain why now is the best time to get PRINCE2 7 certified. Furthermore, you can also read our blog: “What’s new in PRINCE2 7?”

After our Linkedin launch in 2023, now QRP Luxembourg is also kicking off its own Best Practices Blog. We proudly announce our new blog dedicated to delivering high-quality content in the field of project, programme and portfolio management, as well as Agile, IT governance & service management, and change management. Our blog aims to be a go-to resource for industry enthusiasts in Luxembourg, offering a wealth of information through news updates, industry insights, tips and exclusive interviews. Whether you're a seasoned project, programme or portfolio manager, an Agile enthusiast, or navigating the complex world of IT governance, the blog caters to professionals seeking to stay ahead in their fields.

Key Features of the QRP Luxembourg Blog

• Project Management and IT Governance & Service Management Insights: from the latest industry news to in-depth articles, the blog ensures a 360-degree coverage of project management and IT-related topics.
• Expert Interviews and Tips: Gain valuable insights from interviews with industry experts, providing readers with real-world perspectives and advice.
• Best Practices Glossary and FAQ: Access a curated collection of articles that explain your frequently asked questions with regards to project, programme and portfolio management, as well as IT Governance, Agile and Change Management.This includes templates, guides, training and exam tips.
• Agile Insights: Stay informed on fast changing Agile methodologies with dedicated content to help your teams adapt and thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
• Change Management Corner: Navigate organizational transformations effectively with specialized change management strategies.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to stay informed, inspired, and connected. Follow us on Linkedin and stay informed on our new blog articles!

From the 13th to the 27th November 2023 we offer you a 25% discount on all our E-learning courses! Have a look at our E-Learning Offer:

6 Reasons to choose an E-Learning Training

1. Explanatory videos: our experts created a series of clear and interactive videos to teach you the method, help you pass your exam(s), and apply it to your projects
2. Interactive readings: the interactive readings go deeper into some key concepts; so you can refer to these readings if you would like to learn more about the recommended actions when applying the method
3. Mock exam questions: in each lesson you will find a number of multiple choice questions to simulate the real exam experience
4. 12 months access minimum: take the time you need to study as you will have access to the online learning platform for 12 months, so within this time frame you can set your own schedule and divide the workload as you like
5. MemoTrainer: QRP uses the MemoTrainer™ system designed to challenge learners by selective repetition and smart exercises to activate knowledge and stimulate long term memory
6. Expert Support Line: our E-learning solution is based on an easy structure and meant to be self explanatory, however for any questions you might have you can contact your tutor about the lessons you just covered. You will receive an answer within 48 hours (working days).

The offer is valid from the 13th to the 27th of November and is limited to 3 E-learning packages per company. Book your E-learning now!   For any questions; feel free to contact us.

If PRINCE2 teaches us that "everything can be managed as a project," then why not organize holidays systematically and think of them as a project? This will surely help to arrive with more serenity to this much discussed period of relaxation. Thanks to impeccable organisation everyone will be able to enjoy the holidays even more. In this article we understand how this can be put into practice thanks to several principles, best practices and concepts!

Establishing Tolerances

Another fundamental element is to understand what the tolerances are for the main elements for organising a trip, which can be identified by:

• Dates
• Budget
• Location

These are the 3 main elements for organising a holiday. Establishing the tolerances for each of them is fundamental to completing the project.

Lessons Learned

This will not be applicable the first year you are organising holidays in this manner, so the first step is to take a look at the experience of the past years: what went well? What could have gone better? What really didn't work? Putting into practice what you have learnt from past experiences and previous projects is one of the first principles of working successfully on a project.

Involving Stakeholders and Defining Roles and Responsibilities

When going on holiday as a group, it is right to utilise the skills of each member who will be taking part in the trip and to assign tasks in such a way that responsibilities are spread. Because everyone is involved in decisions, this is a more strategic way to distribute the 'tension' over several people. In addition, this method also helps to keep everyone up-to-date on the unfolding sequence of events. The progress of the planning is followed and awareness among the group about the activities during the trip is created. By dividing the responsibilities, the pressure of the organisation is not placed on just one member of the group, but it is shared by everyone. Key factors in this step are:

• Creating efficient workflows

(establishing a precise itinerary and place of arrival, as well as booking the hotel and cars to rent, etc.)

• Ensuring smooth communication

among those in charge of the different aspects of the holiday

• Managing tolerances efficiently

Advancing iteratively

One of the ITIL principles is precisely to proceed in projects in an iterative manner, i.e. to break a project down into smaller, manageable sections by steps:

• Destination
• Route
• Flight
• Accommodation
• Car hire

These and many others are some of the sub-projects into which the organisation of your holiday in the broadest sense can be divided.

Organising Brainstorming Sessions

The whole team must be able to express their preferences regarding the fundamental elements of the holiday (destination, itinerary, dates, method of travel, attractions to be visited, ...) and be constantly updated on the progress of the organisation (what has already been decided, what has been booked and what is still being defined). This certainly helps to prevent last-minute problems (e.g. we have rented cars but there is too much luggage) and to avoid stress or tension during what should be well-deserved days of relaxation.

Being Agile

Everyone knows that problems or moments of crisis happen even in the best organised and structured projects. In the event that accidents or problems of any kind happen during your holidays, maintaining an Agile mindset is crucial: being able to adapt to evolving situations and understanding how to act is the best solution.

Conclusion

This type of organisation will help you to better manage your holiday planning and stem any problems as much as possible. Combining the best practices of different methodologies so that you can implement those that best suit your situation and needs is very important in cases like this. Once you have organised the perfect holiday, you just have to enjoy it!