As a undertaking supervisor, we’re continually monitoring actions, dangers, points, and extra – these are the bread-and-butter actions for undertaking managers to maintain the undertaking on observe. However have you ever ever discovered how you can use a RAID log correctly?
I hadn’t. It was one thing touched on in numerous training courses I’d completed over the 12 months, however I’d by no means had coaching on the ‘how’ of RAID logs. Till now. I took the RAID Log Practitioner coaching and it was surprisingly price it!
On this RAID Log Practitioner course evaluation, I’ll share:
- Why it’s price doing a course particularly about RAID logs
- Why it’s particularly good for early profession undertaking managers
- Find out how to get the certificates.
I’ve used RAID logs in my undertaking administration follow for over 20 years, and I discovered issues on this course – the stack rank constraint priorities train was an actual eye-opener and one thing I can undoubtedly use with my stakeholders.
What’s a RAID log?
I’ve a super-detailed article on what’s a RAID log (the quick reply is that RAID is an acronym of Dangers, Actions/Assumptions, Points, Choices/Dependencies, and it’s a device that undertaking managers use to maintain on prime of their undertaking work).
RAIDLOG is the corporate that runs the Practitioner course.
Why do a course on RAID?
I do know, I had the identical thought: is it actually price spending 4 hours studying what to place right into a spreadsheet? What actually do it’s a must to find out about that? Particularly as there are many good articles and movies about it on-line already.
Nevertheless, I used to be shocked at how deep the course went. We dove deep into danger administration and different areas, in addition to the worth of historic logging – and the way this could prevent!
I used to be skeptical about whether or not it was price doing a complete course on this. However it turned out to be an excellent use of my time, greater than only a refresher. So many nuggets of data!


Who’s the RAID Log Practitioner course for?
On account of doing the course, I can say that it’s aimed toward undertaking managers who wish to, or who do, use RAID logs for the every day work administration. It is going to assist to have some information of what they’re and the way you wish to use them, however the coaching began with the fundamentals so that you don’t want any prior information.
I assumed the course was good for individuals who have had ‘common’ undertaking administration coaching, however who haven’t had any ‘how do I truly do that’ coaching.
This course is nice for:
- Individuals who wish to work as a undertaking/PMO analyst who would have accountability for updating logs of their day job.
- Early profession undertaking managers who need the boldness that they’re specializing in the precise issues that can hold the undertaking transferring ahead.
- Undertaking managers who wish to guarantee they’re monitoring work and staying as organized as they’ll.
- Undertaking managers who must get PDUs and wish to do an attention-grabbing course! This coaching will give you 4 PDUs and a certification.
66% of individuals surveyed (information shared within the coaching) stated that RAID logs assist hold them organized, and I actually really feel that’s the case for me.
Different advantages shared within the coaching have been speaking with stakeholders (51%), keeping the project Green and being a helpful automobile for overlaying your bottom and holding a document of what has occurred.
In regards to the course and construction
The coaching is made up of 4 components. These are:
- Introduction to RAID logs
- RAID fundamentals
- Utilizing your RAID log
- Past RAID
Intro to RAID logs
This was a really quick overview part, adopted by a fast break. It checked out what RAID is, why we must always use it, the historical past of this device and the coach shared experiences of what occurred in a undertaking that didn’t have a log.
RAID fundamentals
The majority of the coaching time, I’d say about 50%, was spent on reviewing the several types of objects saved in a RAID log.
This a part of the coaching checked out risk management, issue management, decision making and monitoring, change requests, dependencies, lessons learned, action tracking and a few of the different issues you may embrace in log tabs.
We went into quite a lot of element corresponding to chance and influence scales, several types of classes, motion planning to handle objects, belief bricks and much more.


Utilizing your RAID log
This part lined how you can use the record for communication and administration, sharing it with stakeholders. We discovered about utilizing the log as an alternative of assembly minutes and how you can consolidate dangers and so forth at portfolio stage, how you can use it for undertaking restoration.
Past RAID
This was the part I used to be most trying ahead to because it lined the usage of AI, integrations and the way forward for the RAIDLOG software program. It was the shortest a part of the coaching general.
Meet your coach
My coach was Kim Essendrup,
His model was simple, the slides have been good, he bought the viewers to work together with the fabric. Kim clearly is aware of his stufff and included examples, quotes, tales and so forth to make it an attractive course.
How lengthy does the RAID log coaching take?
It’s a dwell coaching course that takes 4 hours. There are (very quick) breaks.
How the evaluation works
There’s a graded quiz on the finish of the coaching. There are 10 questions. I didn’t discover it very exhausting and there’s the chance to retake if you happen to want it.


What certificates do you get?
You get a downloadable PDF certificates, and a shareable LinkedIn badge. The certificates is ‘revealed’ in which you could share a hyperlink in order that others can confirm your achievement. You possibly can see mine here.


You possibly can submit your PDUs whether or not you cross the check or not. For those who do cross, the system will routinely submit the PDUs for you – simply be certain your PMI ID is on the document.
Execs
The advantages of doing this coaching are:
- It’s a good way to get into element of a sensible device that can actually assist hold your undertaking on observe and transferring ahead in the precise means.
- You might be inspired to create dangers, points and so forth throughout the coaching so you will get sensible expertise of how greatest to phrase and doc objects.
- It’s a dwell coaching, so you may ask questions.
The coaching just isn’t tool-specific, so when you might use RAIDLOG to start out monitoring your actions (and also you get 6 months skilled license included in the price of the coaching), you would merely use a spreadsheet or no matter your PMO mandates for undertaking administration software program.
Cons
The disadvantages that I discovered are as follows.
- 4 hours on Zoom is a very long time. We did have breaks, nevertheless it made me notice that I’ve to battle to remain engaged.
- Typically utilizing the software program to debate the characteristic felt a bit lengthy, like coming into set off dates and displaying how you can kind by these.
- I’m jealous that I don’t have the software program – warmth maps and the sliders are actually good, and also you simply can’t get that simply in Excel.
Lastly, it’s price mentioning that the corporate delivering the coaching additionally sells a undertaking administration software program device designed to handle your RAID log. The coaching was NOT a delicate pitch for the device, however they did use the device for workouts throughout the coaching. For those who assume your delegates could be very delicate to something that may really feel like ‘gross sales’ you then would possibly wish to allow them to know that’s how the course goes to be.


Advice: Must you purchase this course?
If you’re apprehensive about work operating away from you, then it’s price investing on this coaching as a result of it’s going to provide help to in a really sensible means.
It covers matters like danger urge for food, danger tolerance and danger thresholds, plus deep dives into choice making, difficulty administration processes and extra. These could be new for you, and even if you happen to assume they’re going to be a recap it’s price it.
I discovered issues on this coaching, regardless of having completed the job for a few years. It’s solely going to take you a day and also you’ll come away feeling like you will have a renewed curiosity in making your RAID log give you the results you want.
I used to be given the chance to take the RAID Log Practitioner Certification course in October 2024 by the coaching firm – thanks!