Learning Paths
This course is designed to be taken sequentially. Each module builds on the previous one, and the DHGS case study accumulates artefacts across modules in the same way a real project would.
That said, you can use the course non-linearly if you are already working in data migration and want to deepen your knowledge of specific topics:
- Coming from IT, new to data migration - start from the beginning; Module 01 is essential context for everything that follows
- Experienced in data migration, new to PDM - Modules 01 and 02 quickly establish the PDM framing; you can then move to whichever analytical or governance module is most relevant to your current work
- Looking for a specific artefact or technique - jump to the relevant module, then use Module 08 for the full case study context
Lesson Formats
Lessons are marked with their format:
- Video - designed to be presented with slides; the written content here is a companion script and reference
- Text - standalone reference material; read and work through at your own pace
- Mixed - a combination of explanatory text and practical exercises
The DHGS Case Study
Deep Hole Gravel Services Plc (DHGS) is the running case study for this course. It appears throughout the analytical modules (03–05) as a worked example of each PDM artefact.
DHGS is migrating seven or more legacy systems - covering equipment, vehicles, finance, HR, sales, and CRM - onto a single ERP platform. The migration is complex enough to illustrate real challenges, but small enough to be comprehensible within a course.
Module 08 is a capstone that walks through the entire DHGS project from strategy to decommissioning. It is most useful once you have worked through Modules 01–07.
Quizzes
Each module has a quiz file (XX-quiz.md). Questions are adapted from the original PDM training materials and cover:
- Fill-in-the-blank definitions
- Multiple choice
- True/false
- Short answers
Quizzes are configured in Thinkific as graded assessments. You do not need to score 100% to progress, but reviewing incorrect answers is strongly recommended - the quiz questions are drawn from the most commonly misunderstood concepts in each module.
Downloads
Templates and tools referenced in lessons are available as downloadable resources. These include:
- DQR form template
- LDS list template
- Migration Strategy Guide template
- System Retirement Plan template
- Mapping template
- Release document template
Look for the Downloads section at the bottom of relevant lessons.
A Word on Certification
Completing this course provides a grounding in the PDM methodology. Formal PDM certification (offered separately through Iergo Ltd, the PDM licensee) requires additional assessment and examination.
If you are working toward PDM certification, this course covers the full body of knowledge you will be examined on. The quiz questions in each module are indicative of the style and difficulty of the formal assessment.
First lesson: 01.01 - Why Data Migrations Fail