®

BRMP
Business Relationship Management Professional®
Foundation Syllabus February 2014

Version 1.0 Page 0 Owner: Chief Examiner

Aligned to Version 1.1 of the Syllabus Standard
© The APM Group Ltd 2014 This document is not to be reproduced or re-sold without express permission from The APM
Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
1. Introduction
® ®
Business Relationship Management Professional (BRMP ) training and certification program is
intended for the entry-level to intermediate Business Relationship Manager (BRM), with the
®
training and certification designed to provide a solid baseline level of knowledge. BRMP training
is available online or as an instructor-led class.
®
BRMP training introduces the candidate to the six major competency groups defined in the BRM
DNA™ competency model for the BRM.

®
The primary purpose of this syllabus is to provide a basis for the BRMP Foundation Level
certificate. It documents the learning outcomes related to the BRM role and discipline and
describes the requirements a candidate is expected to meet to demonstrate that these learning
outcomes have been achieved at the Foundation Level.

The target audience for this document is:

 Exam Board
 Exam Panel
 APMG Assessment Team
 Accredited Training Organizations

This syllabus informs the design of the exam and provides Accredited Training Organizations with
a detailed breakdown of what the exam will assess. Details on the exam structure and content
®
are documented in the BRMP Foundation Design.

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© The APM Group Ltd 2014 This document is not to be reproduced or re-sold without express permission from The APM
Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
2. BRMP® Foundation Qualification

2.1 Purpose of the BRMP® Foundation Qualification

The purpose of the Foundation qualification is to measure whether a candidate has sufficient
knowledge and understanding of the Business Relationship Management (BRM) role and
organizational capability to be able to create awareness of the role with their business partners
and senior provider management; assess the current state of their business-provider
relationships, business demand maturity and provider supply maturity with the objective of
scoping what aspects of the BRM role would be appropriate to implement, or, where already
implemented, which aspects need to be adjusted. The Foundation qualification is a pre-
requisite for the following training and certificate courses:


®
Business Relationship Management Professional Assessor Training and Certificate

®
Certified Business Relationship Manager Training and Certificate
 Business Relationship Management Implementation™ Training (Practitioner qualification)

®
Certified Business Relationship Manager Assessor Training and Certificate

2.2 Target Audience for the BRMP® Foundation Level Training and Certificate
This qualification is aimed at Business Management, Provider Management, those with a
Business Relationship Management role or position and Consultants looking to gain an insight
into Business Relationship Management and looking to be certified as a Business Relationship
Manager, Implementer or Assessor.

2.3 High Level Performance Definition of a Successful Foundation Candidate

The candidate should understand the key principles, techniques, tools and processes central to
the BRM role and discipline. Specifically, the candidate should know and understand:

 The characteristics of the BRM role.

 What it means to perform as a strategic partner, contributing to business strategy
formulation and shaping business demand for the provider’s services.
 How Portfolio Management disciplines and techniques are used to maximize realized
business value.
 Business Transition Management and the conditions for successful change programs
that minimize “value leakage”.
 The BRM role in Service Management and how to align services and service levels with
business needs.
 How to communicate effectively and persuasively.

3. Learning Outcomes Assessment Model

A classification widely used when designing assessments for certification and education is the
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. This classifies learning objectives into six
ascending learning levels, each defining a higher degree of competencies and skills (Bloom et al,
1956, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives).

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© The APM Group Ltd 2014 This document is not to be reproduced or re-sold without express permission from The APM
Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
 APMG has incorporated this into a Learning Outcomes Assessment Model that is used to provide
a simple and systematic means for assessing and classifying the learning outcomes for APMG
qualifications.

This structured approach helps to ensure:

 A clear delineation in learning level content between different qualification levels

 Learning outcomes are documented consistently across different areas of the guidance
 Exam questions and papers are consistent and are created to a similar level of difficulty.
®
The BRMP Foundation qualification examines learning outcomes at levels 1 (knowledge) and 2
(Comprehension).
®
3.1 BRMP Learning Outcomes Assessment Model

®
BRMP Learning Outcomes Assessment Model

1.Knowledge 2. Comprehension 3. Application 4. Analysis

Generic Know key facts, Understand key Be able to apply key Be able analyze and
Definition terms and concepts concepts from the concepts relating to the distinguish between
from APMG from the manual/guidance syllabus area for a appropriate and
Learning manual/guidance given scenario inappropriate use of
Outcomes the method/
Assessment guidance for a given
Model scenario situation

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Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
 ®
BRMP Know facts, Understand the Be able to: Be able to analyze
Learning including terms, concepts, principles, and distinguish
(i) Justify a case to
Outcome concepts, processes, themes, between appropriate
develop a BRM
Assessment principles, model organizational and inappropriate
capability;
Model types and factors and roles use of the guidance
components, tools, and can explain how (ii) Use appropriate through appraisal of
techniques, roles these are applied to information and the justification,
and responsibilities ensure an effective techniques to planning, design,
from the BRMI BRM capability. identify and implementation and
Interactive Body of implement the operation of a BRM
Knowledge. correct BRM model capability model for
for an organization a given scenario.
(iii) Use tools and
techniques
appropriately
(iv) Identify the
functions and
services to be
provided by a BRM
capability and the
correct roles to
implement them for
a given scenario.

4. Syllabus Presentation
The syllabus is presented by syllabus areas. This is the unit of learning, which may relate to a
page or pages from the BRM Interactive Body of Knowledge or several concepts commonly
grouped together in a training course module.

For each syllabus area learning outcomes for each learning level are identified. Each learning
outcome is then supported by a description of the requirements that a candidate is expected to
meet to demonstrate that the learning outcome has been achieved at the qualification level
indicated. These are shown as syllabus topics.
®
All Foundation level requirements must be met before a candidate can move to the CBRM
and Assessor training and certificate program. Foundation level knowledge and understanding
may not be repeated in more advanced courses but can be used when demonstrating application
and analysis learning outcomes.

Each of the syllabus areas is presented in a similar format as follows:

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© The APM Group Ltd 2014 This document is not to be reproduced or re-sold without express permission from The APM
Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
 Syllabus Syllabus Area :

Practitioner
Foundation

References
Area Code

Primary
QUAL Syllabus Area (XX) Theme [1]
PG [2]

Level Topic
Know fact, terms and concepts relating to the syllabus area. [3]
Specifically to recall:
01 01 [6] [8]
[7]
[4] [5]
01 02

Key to the Syllabus Area table

1. Syllabus Area Unit of learning, e.g. chapter of the BRM I BOK.

2. Syllabus Area Code A unique 2-character code identifying the syllabus area.
3. Learning Outcome A statement of what a candidate will be expected to know,
understand or do.
(topic header shown in bold)
4. Level Classification of the learning outcome against the APMG OTE
Learning Outcomes Assessment Model.
5. Topic Reference Number of the topic within the learning level.
6. Topic Description Description of what is required of the candidate to demonstrate
that a learning outcome has been achieved at the qualification
level indicated.
7. Foundation/Practitioner Shows at which qualification level the topic is assessed.
8. Primary Reference The main BRM I BOK reference supporting the topic.

5. Syllabus Areas

Syllabus Area Syllabus Area Title

Code

OV Overview
SP Strategic Partnering
BI Business IQ
PF Portfolio Management
BT Business Transition Management
PD Provider Domain
PC Powerful Communications

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Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
 6. Syllabus Exclusions
None.

7. BRMP® Syllabus

Syllabus Syllabus Area:

Practitioner
Foundation

Reference
BRMiBOK
Area Code Overview

Primary
OV

Level Topic
Know facts, terms and concepts relating to Business Relationship Management
and Business-Provider Maturity Model.
Specifically to recall the:
01 01 Definition of Business Relationship Management (BRM)  Concepts/BRM
Overview
Concepts/Introduction
to the BRM Role
01 02 Elements of the House of BRM including the four Core Disciplines and  Concepts/BRM
Overview Concepts
the six Competencies
/House of BRM
01 03 Service standards related to the Business Relationship Manager role  Concepts
/BRM Overview
Concepts/BRM-Related
Standards
01 04 Need for clarity of the BRM role in the context of the provider Strategy  Concepts
/BRM Overview
and Operating Model
Concepts/Strategy and
Operating Model
Components and
Linkages
01 05 Four common ways BRMs align to business partners  Concepts/BRM
Overview Concepts
/Common BRM
Reporting and
Organization Structures
Understand terms and concepts relating to the Business Relationship Management
context.
Specifically to identify the:
02 01 Three Business Relationship Management Metaphors  Concepts/BRM
Overview
Concepts/BRM
Metaphors
02 02 Elements of the Provider Capability Model that will be impacted by the  BOK Frameworks
/Framework for the
Business Relationship Manager role
BRMI Provider
Capability Model
02 03 Typical Business Relationship Management activities in the Provider  Concepts/ Overview
Concepts/Introduction
Capability Model
to the BRM role
02 04 Business-Provider Maturity Model:  Concepts

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Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
  Supply maturity /Strategic Partnering
Concepts/Business-
 Demand maturity Provider Maturity Model
 Supply maturity relationship to strategic vs. tactical Business
Relationship Management
02 05 Characteristics of the five levels of the Business Relationship Maturity  Business Relationship
Maturity Model
Model
1. Ad Hoc
2. Order Taker
3. Service Partner
4. Trusted Advisor
5. Strategic Partner
02 06 Differences between Strategic and Tactical BRM role  Concepts/BRM
Overview
Concepts/Strategic
versus Tactical BRM
Syllabus Area Syllabus Area:
Code Strategic Partnering

SP

Know facts, terms and concepts relating to Demand Shaping (Demand

Management).
Specifically to recall the:
01 01 Definition and goal of Demand Shaping (Demand Management)  Concepts/Strategic
Partnering Concepts/
/Demand Shaping
01 02 Key elements of credibility  Concepts/BRM
Overview
Concepts/The BRM
Role in Practice
Understand facts, terms, concepts and techniques relating to Strategic Partnering.
Specifically to identify the:
02 01 Relationships between the four elements of the Business-Provider  Concepts/Strategic
Partnering Concepts
Alignment Model /Business-Provider
Alignment
02 02 Characteristics of Strategic Partnering at Level 5 Business Relationship  Business Relationship
Maturity Model
Maturity
02 03 Business Partner’s Decision Cycle and its relationship with Business  Concepts/Strategic
Partnering Concepts
Relationship Maturity /Business Partner’s
Decision Cycle
02 04 Five Major Stages in the Strategic Relationship Management process  Concepts/Strategic
Partnering Concepts/
Strategic Relationship
Management
02 05 Purpose and use of the Linking Business Drivers with Technology  Techniques/Business
IQ Techniques
technique
/Linking Business
Drivers With
Technology
02 06 Purpose and use of the Building Customer Value Hierarchy technique  Techniques/Strategic
Partnering Techniques
/Building a Customer
Value Hierarchy
02 07 Purpose and use of the Diagnosing Relationship Quality technique  Techniques/Strategic
Partnering Techniques
/Diagnosing

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Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
 Relationship Quality
02 08 Purpose and use of the Relationship Value Mapping technique  Techniques/Strategic
Partnering Techniques
/Relationship Value
Mapping
02 09 Purpose and use of the Relationship Improvement Planning technique  Techniques/Strategic
Partnering Techniques
/Building a Relationship
Improvement Plan
02 10 Purpose and use of the Relationship Strategy on a Page technique  Techniques/Strategic
Partnering Techniques
/Building a Relationship
Strategy on a Page
02 11 Methods to repair a damaged relationships  Techniques/Strategic
Partnering
Techniques/Repairing
Broken Business
Partner Relationships
Syllabus Area Syllabus Area:
Code Business IQ

BI

Know facts, terms and concepts relating to Business Capability and Value
Management.
Specifically to recall the:
01 01 Definition of Business Capability  Techniques/Business
IQ Techniques/
/Business Capability
Roadmapping
01 02 Definition of Value Management  Concepts/Business IQ
Concepts/
/Value Management
01 03 Major sources of Value Leakage  Concepts/Business IQ
Concepts
/Business Value
Leakage
01 04 When to apply Value Management  Concepts/Business IQ
Concepts
/Value Management
Understand facts, terms, concepts and techniques relating to Business Capability
Roadmapping and Business Value Management.
Specifically to identify:
02 01 The purpose and use of the Business Capability Roadmapping  Techniques/Business
IQ Techniques
Technique /Business Capability
Roadmapping
02 02 How the barriers in the Business-Provider Alignment Model lead to  Concepts/Business IQ
Concepts
Value Leakage
/Business Value
Leakage
02 03 What the Business Relationship Manager should do to minimize Value Concepts/Business IQ
Concepts
Leakage
/Business Value
Leakage
02 04 The responsibilities for business value optimization  Concepts/BRM
Overview Concepts/
The BRM Role in
Practice
02 05 The components of the Value Management Framework  Concepts/Business IQ
Concepts

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Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
 /Value Management
02 06 The Value Management Process stages and the purpose of the  Concepts/Business IQ
Concepts
deliverables /Value Management
02 07 The characteristics of Business Outcomes (SMART goals)  Concepts/Business IQ
Concepts
/Business Outcomes
Syllabus Area Syllabus Area:
Code Portfolio Management

PF

Know facts, terms and concepts relating to Portfolio Management.

Specifically to recall the:
01 01 Definition of Portfolio Management  Concepts/Portfolio
Management Concepts
/Portfolio Management
Explained
01 02 Purpose and use of Portfolio Balancing  Techniques/Portfolio
Management
Techniques
/Portfolio Balancing
Understand facts, terms, concepts and techniques relating to Portfolio
Management and Business-IT Governance.
Specifically to identify the:
02 01 Difference between Project, Program and Portfolio Management  Concepts
/Portfolio Management
Concepts/Portfolio
Management Explained
02 02 Flow of information between Business Planning, Portfolio and Program  Concepts
/Portfolio Management
Management
Concepts/Portfolio
Management Explained
02 03 Scope of Portfolio Management in the context of the Investment Life  Concepts
/Portfolio Management
Cycle
Concepts/Portfolio
Management Explained
02 04 Weill/Broadbent definition of Infrastructure  Techniques/
/Portfolio Management
Techniques/Portfolio
Classification
02 05 Objectives of the four Weill/Broadbent investments classes  Techniques
/Portfolio Management
Techniques/Portfolio
Classification
02 06 Identify the purpose, scope, objectives, domains and causes of failure  Concepts/Strategic
Partnering Concepts
in Business-IT Governance /Business-IT
Governance
02 07 Purpose and use of a RACI Chart  Techniques/Business
IQ Techniques
/RACI Charting
Syllabus Area Syllabus Area:
Code Business Transition Management

BT

Know facts, terms and concepts relating to Business Transition Management

(BTM).

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Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
Specifically to recall the:
01 01 Four ways that pain drives change  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
Concepts
/The Myth and Realities
of Business Transition
Understand facts, terms, concepts and techniques relating to Business Transition
Management (BTM).
Specifically to identify the:
02 01 Definition of BTM  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
Concepts
/Business Transition
Management Explained
02 02 Role of the Business Relationship Manager in BTM  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
/Business Transition
Management Explained
02 03 Conditions for change success based upon the formula  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
(U x V x FS) > R Concepts
/The Myth and Realities
of Business Transition
02 04 Purposes of the Demand Governance capabilities within the BTM  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
Capability Model, specifically: Concepts
1. Build Urgency for Change /Business Transition
2. Align Transition Portfolio Capacity Management Capability
3. Engage Business Transition Network Model
02 05 Five key roles in BTM  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
Concepts/
/Business Transition
Management Capability
Model
02 06 Principles of Change Leadership  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
Concepts
/Business Transition
Capability Model
02 07 Ways to drive clarity around a business transition  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
Concepts
/Business Transition
Management Capability
Model
02 08 Ways to build urgency for a business transition  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
Concepts
/Business Transition
Management Capability
Model
02 09 Causes of a ‘black hole’ when trying to achieve a business transition  Concepts/Business
Transition Management
Concepts
/Business Transition
Management Capability
Model

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Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
Syllabus Area Syllabus Area:
Code Provider Domain

PD

Know facts, terms and concepts relating to Service Management.

Specifically to recall the:
01 01 Definition of a Service  Concepts/Provider
Domain Knowledge
Concepts
/Service Management
Understand facts, terms, concepts and techniques relating to Service Management.
Specifically to identify the:
02 01 Key differences between a product and a service  Concepts/Provider
Domain Knowledge
Concepts
/Service Management
02 02 Characteristics of Service Value  Concepts/Provider
Domain Knowledge
Concepts
/Service Management
02 03 Key elements of Service Definition  Concepts/Provider
Domain Knowledge
Concepts
/Service Management
02 04 Two components of Service Value  Concepts/Provider
Domain Knowledge
Concepts
/Service Management
Syllabus Area Syllabus Area:
Code Powerful Communications

PC

Know facts, terms and concepts relating to Effective Communications, Specifically

to recall the:
01 01 Percentage of total communication impact that is conveyed through  Concepts
/Powerful
non-verbal means
Communications
Concepts/The Art of
Body Language
01 02 Emotional Intelligence competencies defined by Travis Bradberry and  Concepts
/Powerful
Jean Greaves Communications
Concepts/The Art of
Emotional Intelligence
Understand facts, terms, concepts and techniques relating to Effective
Communications.
Specifically to identify:
02 01 Why listening is an important communications skill  Concepts
/Powerful
Communications
Concepts/The Art of
Listening
02 02 The three proofs of persuasive communication  Concepts
/Powerful
Communications
Concepts/The Art of
Rhetoric and

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Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.
 Persuasion
02 03 The six key principles in the Science of Influence by Cialdini  Concepts
/Powerful
Communications
Concepts/The Art of
Rhetoric and
Persuasion
02 04 The purpose and use of the Influence Process technique  Techniques/Powerful
Communications
Techniques
/Influencing and
Persuading
02 05 How to frame your message so as to be heard  Techniques/Powerful
Communications
Techniques
/Influencing and
Persuading
02 06 The purpose and use of the Influence Diagnostic technique  Techniques/Business
Transition Management
Techniques/
/Diagnosing Resistance
or Influence Issues
02 07 How to express a Unique Value Proposition  Techniques/Powerful
Communications
Techniques
/Expressing a Unique
Value Proposition

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© The APM Group Ltd 2014 This document is not to be reproduced or re-sold without express permission from The APM
Group Ltd. BRMP® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
CBRM® is a Registered Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute, Inc.
Business Relationship Management Implementation™ is a Trade Mark of Business Relationship Management Institute,
Inc.