Is Certification Losing Value?
From the Strategic Project Management Blog
by Ty Kiisel
I was reading the PapercutPM's blog last week and came across his article titled Is the PMP Losing its Value. Citing other articles written by Kareem Shaker and Derek Huether, Geoff suggest that there are some "certified" project managers who shouldn't really be anywhere near a project. I have to agree, I've known a few project managers (certified and otherwise), who shouldn't be managing projects myself.
However, I don't think I'm ready to say the PMI's certification is irrelevant quite yet.
Regardless of the industry, certification doesn't necessarily indicate proficiency in the discipline, but rather a successful completion of a particular course of study, followed by the completion of a test. I've known very successful college graduates that don't have a "real" understanding of what they've learned until they've had some experience in the workforce. I wonder if the same could be said for the PMI's certification.
I've known very capable PMI certified project managers—but I know just as many "accidental" project managers, who are incredible project leaders. Certification is not a guarantee that your newly hired project manager will be the "perfect" project manager for your organization, anymore than an engineering degree from the local University will guarantee that your newly hired engineer will be up to the job either.
Should certification be the determining factor when interviewing a potential project manager for hire? I don't think so. However, that's not to say that it shouldn't be a consideration.
I'm a believer that any capable leader can learn how to successfully manage project-based work. That being said, would the training required to earn the PMI's certification provide value to a project manager? Possibly.
Geoff brings up a number of questions regarding the PMI and other "for profit" organizations that provide certification, and questions whether certification provides any appreciable value. However, I believe the burden of demonstrating the value of any certification rests within the certification body, in this case the PMI. For those of us who would like to see the professional status of project managers increase (and I would assume the PMI would want to be included in the group), I would like to see the PMI publicly demonstrate how their certification provides value to our profession and what they are doing within the industry to promote the professional image of project managers to industry.
Feel free to share your thoughts.
Posted on: July 27, 2010 10:11 AM |
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Comments (9)
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marlodel servo
Systems Analyst| National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation
Pasig City, Philippines
Certification is the completion of a test, yes.
Should it not test and capture the skills necessary for one to become successful PM''s?
It should at least guarantee that the certificate holders have got what it takes to achieve success.
A number of factors affect performance,
but a certified pm should have the disposition necessary to overcome such hindrances.
How are the tests constructed? Does it measure what it is supposed to measure?
Take the psycho tests for example.
Doctors just make you draw sketches and things,
and they will tell you if you are on the brink of insanity.
Maybe the pm tests are outdated or does not cater to the needs of the current clientele.
I think that the performance of certified project managers should be studied further
to provide a certain extent of predictive validity of the tests.
 | Anonymous |
As an 'accidental' project manager, I've felt that the certification may have been useful when I got started but after 10+ yrs does not seem very useful except to get the tag. I have gone through the PMBOK and all while running at the back of my mind is - 'know this, done it'.
I do know of quite some folks who have been certified but no where in their work is it evident that they could have learned something and are interested in applying the knowledge.
| sbpammi |
Certification is not loosing value. In my opinion is too much importance is given to certification to determine what can a person do or cannot do. I have experienced it and seen many other situations when persons capabilities and skills were not recognized pre-certification.
Sunilkumar Elisetty
Project Management and Six Sigma Process Consultant
Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
I don't think certification is loosing it value despite the fact that PMs having PMP credential are not better PMs than who doesn't have it. PMP credential is testing ones knowledge on the PMIs project management book of knowledge however the organization culture, policies, project management approach, environmental factors, lessons learned etc would decide the capacity of a PM to perform and demonstrate and make the project managers capable.
I agree to the point and would want PMI to demonstrate as to how their certification provides value to project management profession.
| SFControl |
Where companies sponsor the certification of their employees, I think that the responsibility of ensuring its value should to some extent rest with them. I have rarely witnessed any managers who have any form of follow-up plans after training or certification sponsorship. This is an investment in personnel that should reap a benefit and, like a project, those benefits should be assessed in advance and tracked afterwards to ensure that they are being met. If it is truly being done to enhance skill-sets and capabilities, then a strategy for reviewing the before and after position should be vital. Unless, of course the only reason for putting people through the certification is for for reputational purposes to sell the organisation.
However, I think it is also important to recognise the type of certification that you are going for. For example, how many times have you seen people shout about how their teams are all Prince 2 practitioners, yet none of them really apply the majority of principles in practice as the organisation hasn't recognised the importance of establishing their own tools and templates to enable them to effectively run their projects based on the Prince 2 methodology?
In terms of raising awareness of project management as a profession, APM in the UK has a campaign going to achieve Chartered Project Manager status, which (over here at least) would provide a benchmark of competence against those in other professions like accountancy. It will be a long journey for APM so we'll have to watch this space to see how that particular credential/certification/award (I'm not sure what it is going to be) evolves.
I don't think the credential is losing its value. I do a agree that it's not a guarantee of perfect performance, and I'm not sure that's what it's meant to be. I see a credential as more like a grading or ranking. If you're a foodie, the credential is like a health department grade in the restaurant window, or on a traveling food truck. Some testing has been done, some minimum standards have been met. Whether or not the food is good is for the customer to decide.
Paola Granados
Project Manager/Management of Change/Black Belt| HP
Goicoechea, San Jose, Costa Rica
I think in this area, is like customer service or SNPS the promoters don´t go and post articles about how wonderful the service was, but the detractors go blogging about it. Exception do not make the rule and should be understood for what they represent.
On a world were what gets more twitted and not what has stronger scientific back up is what people consume, then a project manager most rightly portray her or his qualifications accordingly to make sure is paving the path of her or his career development. Like strong brands that get impacted by cheap copies that look just the same is that we should build the brand and make every effort to build the path for other fellow proffesionals.
A well experience Project Manager that has a certification is the industry standard and It´s up to each accreditation holder to make that message loud and clear.
Luis Branco
CEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, Ldª
Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Ty
Interesting your reflection on the topic: "Is Certification Losing Value?"
Thanks for sharing
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