Do Virtual PMP Bootcamps Work?

Following 20 years at a large Canadian telecommunications firm, Bruce established the project management consulting firm Solutions Management Inc (SMI). Since 1999, he has provided contract project/program management services, been a source for project management support personnel and created/delivered courses to over 7,000 participants in Canada, the United States and England.

  Career Development   Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)  

One early December, the person responsible for contracting me to deliver project management courses for her company advised me I was needed to deliver a PMP bootcamp.  As readers of my PMP exam preparation series knew, I was already scheduled to deliver a bootcamp in North America’s east coast that December.  Given it was nearly the end of the year, I assumed it was a situation where some year-end training was required and I was going to be delivering back-to-back in-class bootcamps. 

My assumption was flawed.  It was a virtual class!  I was going to be hosting 30 individuals from across North America.  They were located as far east as the Virgin Islands and as far west as California.  I had delivered this course online previously, but this one was unique.  It was running until 7p.m. eastern each night, and was to finish the Friday before the Christmas holidays. 

I really enjoy the uniqueness of virtual classes.  I’m not telling if I’m dressed in a suit or wearing my man jammies.  Likewise, I don’t know if participants are in their offices or sitting in front of a fire with a glass of wine!  You see, people don’t like using webcams on these courses.

To be honest, however, I asked myself how I was going to keep their attention during the week when their colleagues were …

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