Buyer Beware: A Consumer's Guide to PM Certification

Mark Mullaly is president of Interthink Consulting Incorporated, an organizational development and change firm specializing in the creation of effective organizational project management solutions. Since 1990, it has worked with companies throughout North America to develop, enhance and implement effective project management tools, processes, structures and capabilities. Mark was most recently co-lead investigator of the Value of Project Management research project sponsored by PMI. You can read more of his writing at markmullaly.com.

 

In a North American context, the holy grail of project management certification is currently the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation administered by PMI. Whether the quest for the PMP is a noble pursuit or a quixotic fantasy has been the focus of the last three month's columns, as well as generating a great deal of discussion online and in my e-mail inbox. The verdict so far: caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.

While the PMP is a validation of knowledge and experience, it is not a demonstration of competency. While the premise of the PMP is that knowledge and experience will lead to competency, to assume this as a universal rule is a dangerous practice. The PMP designation itself is not an indication of how well someone manages projects, simply a demonstration that they have a standardized level of knowledge and have worked in the field of project management for a period of time.

This month's column sets forth to explore alternative certifications. What are our other choices as consumers? What value do these choices deliver, and do they in any way provide a better measure of the effectiveness and suitability of a project manager to perform their role?

What emerges from this exploration is a surprising array of certification options, some of which are desirable and recommended and others that represent a meandering detour to …

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