IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification Program
Move beyond reporting the work. Learn to see what’s really getting in the way, make stronger recommendations, and help leaders determine what happens next.
The IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification Program is live, hands-on training to help you figure out what your PMO needs and what to do next.
We’ll work through all six stages of the IMPACT Engine together. You’ll apply the concepts to our case study, which covers the challenges PMO teams deal with every day, and get feedback from me and your peers on the decisions you make along the way.
LIVE TRAINING
DECEMBER 2, 4, 9 and 11, 2026
9 AM to 1 PM ET | 2 to 6 PM GMT
Four virtual half-days across two weeks.
Early Bird tuition: $1,750 per person through October 15, 2026.
Regular tuition is $1,997 beginning October 16.
Prefer monthly payments? Choose two payments of $899 ($1,798 total) through October 15.
Enrollment closes November 20, 2026.
You may know how to deliver projects, report status, run governance, engage stakeholders, or support change.
But that does not automatically tell you:
Many capable PMO professionals were never taught how to examine the full situation, look beneath the visible symptoms, and determine the right next move.
You are not supposed to know all of this already.
The IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification Program teaches you how to see the bigger picture, apply a practical system, and make stronger decisions about what to do next.
So you can spend less time second-guessing, chasing decisions, and rescuing work, and more time leading the conversations that shape priorities, outcomes, and measurable IMPACT.
“The combination of practical tools, real-world insights, and peer accountability makes it much easier to move beyond reporting and position the PMO as a true strategic partner to the business.”
Willetta, Director of Project Management
1
See when delivery progress isn’t creating business value, then make the value story clear to leaders.
2
Make the trade-off when demand exceeds capacity: what moves, what waits, and what stops.
3
Build a recommendation leaders can act on, then defend your thinking and get coached on it.
Train your team to look beyond activity, connect the work to business outcomes, and bring leaders recommendations instead of status updates.
You do not need a particular title or every answer.
The program is where you learn what may be missing, practice using the methods, and grow into the clear, confident PMO leader your organization needs.
You need enough organizational context to recognize that projects, priorities, stakeholders, or the PMO itself are not working as well as they could.
We will help you build the way of thinking, practical tools, and judgment to approach those challenges differently.
Imagine being able to:
You’ll leave better prepared to help leaders understand what matters, make stronger decisions, and move the right work forward.
“Practitioner helped me think differently about how we define and deliver the outcomes business leaders actually want. It strengthened how I talk about value and how I help teams shift the focus from delivering outputs to delivering meaningful business outcomes.”
Teresa, Director Portfolio Enablement
In 1999, I was asked to build my first PMO with no playbook.
I listened to executives, identified the problems they actually cared about, and built only what helped the organization move forward.
As the industry matured, I studied every standard, methodology, framework, and best practice I could.
But the more we implemented what PMOs were “supposed” to do, the more resistance we sometimes created.
We were doing more project management without necessarily creating more business value.
That brought me back to four questions:
Over three decades, those lessons became the IMPACT Engine System™.
I created this program so we can work through all six stages of the IMPACT Engine together. You’ll practice applying the concepts to our case study and get feedback from me and your peers, so you can feel more confident about what to do next in your own organization.
Laura Barnard
Creator of the IMPACT Engine System™
Author of The IMPACT Engine
Become the Strategy Navigator who leads with outcomes, value, partnership, and measurable IMPACT.
Understand organizational reality and stakeholder needs before prescribing solutions.
Separate visible symptoms from probable causes and clarify the right problems, outcomes, and value.
Sequence the IMPACT journey and create a focused, credible path forward.
Lead change, engage stakeholders, create progress, and demonstrate value.
Measure what matters, learn from the results, and adapt as the organization changes.
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
STAGE 4
STAGE 5
STAGE 6
“You will NOT find another program like this that gives you real value to build, maintain, or rescue a PMO. The stages line up with the real-life barriers you are experiencing and empower you to be the catalyst for your next move.”
Joan, Project and Performance Manager
As you work through the program, you will strengthen the mindset and judgment of an IMPACT Driver, a PMO professional who puts business needs, outcomes, value, and partnership at the center of the work to drive measurable IMPACT.
You will practice how to:
You’ll apply the concepts to our case study, which covers the challenges PMO teams deal with every day. We’ll talk through your decisions, and you’ll get feedback from me and your peers along the way.
That practice will help you feel more confident about what to do next and how to explain your recommendations when you’re back at work.
9 AM to 1 PM ET | 2 to 6 PM GMT
Four virtual half-days across two weeks.
Every element is designed to help you move from understanding the system to using it with greater judgment, confidence, and credibility.
Four highly interactive half-day sessions led by Laura Barnard, creator of the IMPACT Engine System, with instructor guidance, peer discussion, and collaborative learning.
Apply the concepts to our case study, which covers typical PMO challenges, using the PMO Health Assessment, practical exercises, and program tools. Get feedback from me and your peers on the decisions you make.
A printed workbook, autographed hardcover of The IMPACT Engine, study support tools, online supplemental resources, and a focused IMPACT Action Plan.
Already own the book? Laura will sign it for you to share with a colleague or your boss!
Complete a 50-question proctored online assessment designed to evaluate your understanding and application of the IMPACT Engine System.
After successful completion, earn the Certified IMPACT Engine Practitioner™ credential.
“Practitioner helped me revisit familiar concepts from a different perspective, deepen my understanding, and strengthen my ability to apply the techniques in real situations.”
Jeanick, PMO Executive
Everyone who enrolls receives the Executive Buy-In Toolkit, with language, examples, and guidance to help you prepare for conversations about value, funding, and executive support.
INCLUDED IN THE TOOLKIT
Connect your recommendation to business outcomes, organizational consequences, and the reasons leaders should care.
INCLUDED IN THE TOOLKIT
Communicate PMO needs using language centered on decisions, value, risk, capacity, and business IMPACT.
INCLUDED IN THE TOOLKIT
Organize complex thinking into a clear, concise, leadership-ready format.
INCLUDED IN THE TOOLKIT
Prepare for common objections and respond strategically without becoming defensive or reverting to PMO jargon.
BONUS FOR THE FIRST 20 SIGN-UPS
The first 20 people who enroll also receive a free Coaching Kickstart Session with a PMO Strategies Success Coach to help clarify their focus and prepare for the training.
“Practitioner gave me the resources and mindset to recognize the value I bring as a leader and change how I show up at work. I left better equipped to shift my thinking and behavior toward stronger business outcomes. Give yourself permission to own your leadership trajectory. This program is worth the time, energy, and investment.”
Donne, Director of Projects
$1,997
$1,750
Early Bird tuition: $1,750 per person through October 15, 2026.
Prefer monthly payments? Choose two payments of $899 ($1,798 total) through October 15.
Enrollment closes November 20, 2026.
Use the customizable Support Request Letter to explain the IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification Program, its capabilities, credential, business relevance, and professional-development value to your leader.
The book introduces the concepts. In the program, we’ll work through all six stages of the IMPACT Engine together and apply the concepts to our case study. You’ll talk through your decisions, ask questions, and get feedback from me and your peers. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn your Certified IMPACT Engine Practitioner™ credential.
You’ll practice assessing what’s happening, identifying what the organization needs, and deciding what the PMO should do next. You can use that practice to examine how you approach familiar problems and get feedback on your decisions.
You do not need a particular title. You need enough organizational context to recognize where projects, priorities, stakeholders, or the PMO itself are getting stuck.
Our case study covers typical challenges PMO teams face. You’ll practice applying the concepts, work through your decisions with feedback from me and your peers, and think about how to use what you learn in your own organization.
The IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification Program includes four live half-day sessions. We’ll work through all six stages of the IMPACT Engine, apply the concepts to our case study, and talk through your decisions with feedback from me and your peers. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn your Certified IMPACT Engine Practitioner™ credential.
The IMPACT Engine System program goes deeper into implementation in your organization, with training and support over 90 days.
You’ll learn the concepts, apply them to our case study, and get feedback from me and your peers on your decisions. You can use that learning in your own organization. Organization-specific consulting and the separate IMPACT Engine System implementation program are outside the scope of this certification program.
The program includes four live half-day sessions, totaling approximately 16 hours. Live attendance in all four sessions is required for certification eligibility, and recordings are not distributed.
Enrollment is nonrefundable due to the live nature of the program and the materials and resources sent to you. You may transfer your enrollment one time to the next available program cohort, subject to availability. Alternatively, you can use the amount paid as a credit toward the IMPACT Engine System or IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind.
Attend all four live sessions and complete the 50-question proctored online assessment. After successful completion, you will earn the Certified IMPACT Engine Practitioner™ credential.
Physical materials are shipped after your enrollment is paid in full and in time for the cohort, based on fulfillment and delivery timelines. International delivery times may vary.
The IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification Program changes more than what participants know. It changes how they see the work, how they communicate with leaders, and how confidently they step into their role as PMO leaders and IMPACT Drivers.
“The IMPACT Driver Mindset changed how I approach enterprise challenges. I was able to identify systemic patterns creating friction across functions and frame the issue in a way that immediately resonated at the executive level. That clarity made alignment easier, conversations more productive, and the path forward much easier.”
Diane, AVP Enterprise Transformation & Value Realization
“The case studies gave me the opportunity to actually apply the IMPACT Engine principles, both individually and with others, while getting guidance along the way. I left Practitioner with much more confidence in my ability to use the system in my workplace than I had from reading the book alone.”
Shilo, Projects and Change Management Leader
“Practitioner helped me see that once you learn to lead with alignment, value, and IMPACT, that capability goes with you. It isn’t limited to one PMO, role, or organization. It becomes part of how you think and lead wherever you go.”
Molly, PMO Leader
You are not investing only in information.
You are building a way of seeing, thinking, communicating, and leading that you can carry into every strategy delivery challenge and role that follows.
The program helps you strengthen your judgment, lead more credible conversations, and become the strategic partner you know you are capable of being.
The program cannot give you authority another leader controls. It strengthens what you can control: how you see the system, the questions you ask, the language you use, the decisions you influence, and the credibility you build.
Four focused half-days are spread across two weeks, so you can keep work moving without stepping away for full days.
What you learn can break the cycle of late nights, weekend catch-up, and living in rescue mode, so you can lead at the level you're capable of.
Yes. You’ll apply the concepts to our case study, which covers typical PMO challenges, and get feedback from me and your peers on your decisions. You’ll practice working through those decisions during the program so you can take that thinking back to your own PMO.
Dear IMPACT Driver,
The perfect time is not coming.
You do not need every answer before you begin. You need the willingness to learn, practice, apply what you learn, and question the assumptions holding you back.
That is how readiness is built.
This program gives you tools and practice, with feedback from me and your peers on your decisions, so you can approach PMO challenges with more confidence.
You do not become ready and then do the work.
You become ready by doing the work.
Stop waiting to feel ready. Start building the capability that will make you ready.
Join us.
We’ve got your back.
Founder and Chief IMPACT Driver
Creator of the IMPACT Engine System™
Author of The IMPACT Engine
2021 World PMO Influencer of the Year
Work through all six stages of the IMPACT Engine, apply the concepts to our case study, and get feedback from me and your peers. Build more confidence in what to do next and how to explain your recommendations to leaders.
IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification Program
DECEMBER 2, 4, 9 and 11, 2026
9 AM to 1 PM ET | 2 to 6 PM GMT
Four virtual half-days across two weeks.
Early Bird tuition: $1,750 per person through October 15, 2026.
Regular tuition is $1,997 beginning October 16.
Prefer monthly payments? Choose two payments of $899 ($1,798 total) through October 15.
Enrollment closes November 20, 2026.
