Both DPM Membership and The DPM School are solid resources for digital project managers who want to run projects better and make meaningful connections with other digital project folks.
And yes, as the facilitator of both the course and community, I’m biased. What can I say, I love it here!
Below, I’ll explain what these two popular DPM resources are and how they’re different so you can figure out the best fit for your career goals.
Warning: If you’re interested in standard, theoretical PM courses like exam preps, then this is not the right space for you. Over here, we’re the movers and shakers leading change in how projects are delivered in a digital world.
Right now, our 1,000+ DPM Members are co-creating the playbook for digital project management through our Slack community.
Meanwhile, a cohort of students are mastering the art of writing bullet-proof SOWs for digital projects as part of our expert-led online classes at The DPM School.
Learn about both of these resources below to see how you can join in, and feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
What Is DPM Membership?
DPM Membership is a project management supergroup — it connects project managers with peers and mentors in the digital space to set the new standard for how digital project management should be done. Our members solve challenges, innovate, and drive change in the project management field while sharing knowledge and insights with each other along the way.
The Slack Space
Our Slack workspace is both our water cooler and our knowledge sharing conduit — the centrepiece of our community where members can post topics and discuss challenges with each other and our team of DPM Experts. We’ve covered all sorts of topics our Slack conversations — sharing interesting projects our members have worked on, discussing practical project management tips for implementing agile successfully or managing stakeholder expectations, and celebrating the wins and successes of our fellow members. We even collaborate regularly on Spotify playlists to get you in gear for whatever stage of the project lifecycle you're in!
Mentorship, Live Events, & Networking
Whether you’re looking to network, skill up, or learn from your peers, DPM Membership offers networking opportunities; Mastermind groups; access to an extensive library of DPM project templates, samples, and ebooks; job postings; and enhanced access to our quarterly live events.
These interactive events are put on by the DPM team, feature specific topics or themes for each event, and allow members to ask questions and chat directly with the experts.
DPM Membership Is Great For You If…
- You’re a project manager who wants real-life project advice from peers and experts—the really good stuff you won’t find in any project management books.
- You want to weigh in on the bigger picture of digital projects: innovation in the field, the evolving role of the project manager, and how the digital space is shaping how projects get done.
- You’re looking for a community to connect with and network with.
- You want ongoing access to resources like templates, samples, ebooks, learning sessions, and mini courses to sustain you and keep you motivated on your DPM journey!
The Main Idea
To sum up, DPM membership is an evolving community hub that combines the support of a community with mentorship opportunities, Mastermind groups, and a steady flow of new project resources released every month.
What Is DPM School?
The DPM School is home to our flagship certificate program, Mastering Digital Project Management. The program is a self-paced, hands-on experience that helps students hone the instinct, judgment, and leadership skills needed to successfully deliver complex digital projects.
Each of the 7 learning arcs features a collection of 3-6 multimodal lessons that can be watched, listened to, or read. The course also includes assignments based on real-world project scenarios, group discussions in our exclusive learners community on Slack, direct access to course instructors, and a collection of must-have templates and samples to build your project management practice.
The main topics covered are project management essentials, project initiation, project timelines, project budgets, statements of work, managing projects day-to-day, problem solving and risk management, and project leadership in a digital context.
There’s lots of roles and job descriptions that can benefit from The DPM School, many of which don’t necessarily have “Project Manager” in their title but are still leading projects or teams nonetheless.
DPM School Is Great For…
- Project Managers New To Digital: if you’re a delivery specialist who is now being asked to deliver projects that are digital in nature or to adopt new digital tools, our course will help you navigate the nuances of your new digital context.
- Digital Professionals New To Project Management: If you’re a developer, business analyst, designer, or tester who is beginning to lead digital projects, the DPM School will give you a crash course in the soft skills and PM assets that you’ll need to succeed.
- Account Managers: if you’re a hands-on Account Manager who is more directly involved in digital delivery, this course will get your confidence and process on rails.
- Digital Project Managers: if you’re currently leading projects in the digital space — websites, apps, CRMs, ERPs, and such — the DPM School will give you perspective on the array of best practices in use by DPMs around the world today.
- Junior Project Managers: if you’re just starting out in project management or are in a transition role to project management, the DPM School can fast-track you into your ideal career path.
- Operations Managers: if you’re an Operations Manager who is often involved in setting up project processes and managing change, our course will give you that crucial understanding of digital project management to help you excel at your role.
- Agency Leaders: if you run a small or mid-sized agency, taking the Mastering Digital Project Management course with your team can help add maturity to your processes and increase the value and consistency you deliver to your clients.
The Main Idea
The overall goal of The DPM school is for participants to build essential skills to thrive as digital project managers. You learn the theory and best practice for managing through the entire project lifecycle, paired with hands-on practice with graded assignments.
DPM School vs DPM Membership
Here’s a table comparing DPM School and DPM Membership side-by-side:
| Comparison | DPM School | DPM Membership |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | One-time course that takes most learners 5-8 weeks to complete (and you get access for 1 full year!) | Ongoing subscription delivering events, networking, & training |
| Where? | Online course with web-based access | Online access through the DPM Member’s portal |
| Certification | Option to get a certificate (good for resumes, LinkedIn) | No certification—you’re part of the community! |
| Best For | People new to digital PM, people who need a crash course or need to upskill quickly for a job change. You want to feel confident in your skills and understand the DPM toolkit. | People who are really “into” digital PM who want ongoing access to career resources, crowdsourced solutions to complicated and complex challenges, networking opportunities, and events. You want to innovate with other DPMs. |
| Delivery of Content | Guided, comprehensive overview of fundamental DPM best practices delivered as video, audio, and text lessons. | Self-directed access to a library of resources, our exclusive Slack space, and recorded learning sessions. |
| What You’ll Get Access To |
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Can You Do Both?
Yes, you can absolutely do both! Lots of our members started out as students, then became members, and vice versa. It all comes down to your needs.
If you’re managing projects in a digital context and you’re looking for a community of other project managers to problem-solve and network with, choose DPM membership. In addition to organic ad-hoc conversations, we host quarterly events, and we post value-add content on the regular — so you’ll be hard-pressed to run out of things to learn and do!
On the other hand, The DPM School is great for those who are trying to get (or just got) their first project management role, as well as for those seasoned project managers who want to refine their approach. The DPM School is also best for project managers who want to build their skills and confidence, and those looking for formal but fun project management training.
Next Steps
Thanks for checking out our guide to DPM Membership and The DPM School! Already made your decision? Sign up for your membership here, and enrol in The DPM School here!
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