A posting appears to be the only way to forward the question which has been bothering me (and, I would be free to assume, many others) for at least last 18 years of my practice.
Could we appeal to have the name of Project Management Professional certification changed to something more appropriate, such as Project Management Introduction (or Overview) or Project Management Professional In Training?
Current name of Project Management Professional indicates that the holder is an accomplished and rounded "fully cooked" practitioner, which is not the case. This is only an entrance point to the profession.
I have come in my past years across too many horrifying and damaging examples of PMP holders with utter ignorance (and/or unwillingness to implement) of any of the tenets of PMBoK.
As an example (out of hundreds, thousands, heard every day by very arrogant and confident practitioners, holding PMP, and having 10 or even 15 years of experience leading them to final position of Project Manager, with final nail in the coffin of arrested development being the PMP): -coming across a schedule where none of the activities is connected, and without even any of the usual cheats like enforced constraints. Just sitting there in mid-air. Dumbfounded, you ask the PM what is that. The answer is "When we click F9 (which happens to be the "recalculate" as widely known), it just creates a mess". While your jaw is touching the floor, your mind is trying not to scream over the depth of ignorance, where you can see that this excludes any chance of any planning, communicating, tracking etc. You can just go through PMBOK table of contents and uncheck every single box.
As already written, thousands of such, every day, for decades. By "seasoned" Project Manager or even Project Controllers, where you cannot dispute anything, because they have a seal of approval by PMI, the PMP.
While mentioning the table of contents, I have to say that I have passed the PMP twice, and both times, the all it took was to memorize the structure of the table of contents, run through about a dozen of question examples from any of those $10 e-books, and bring Macs earplugs to the examination. And I am far from being a genius.
That should say something about the certification obtained by the examination. As stated, every respect to PMBOK and the examination, but the scope of validity and competence should be stated, including the very name of the certification.
Project Management Introduction or Project Management Professional In Training are much more appropriate. PMI can then work on developing a real PMP certification, which would be deeper, and more along lines of PRINCE2 or AACEi scope and their detail of the examinations.
PMI should strive to enforce the quality. This way, we just encourage and facilitate incompetence. We should not be surprised at all why such large majority of projects fails (regardless of project-ending spins which rosy-up the picture), when we, the PMI, the champions of quality and consistence, practically turn the blind eye to bad practices beyond lip service.
Yes, it does create lots of work for project management consulting companies, along the lines of futile efforts known from "dead horse project management practices" (those who may have not heard about the term, can easily google it), but it neither improves the projects nor the project management practitioners' lives. It just becomes equivalent of mechanics who, while doing one repair, damage another car part, just to create more work and income for themselves.
We are not like that, and we should not be like that. Let us start with a look at ourselves, and re-assessment followed by improvement, as professed by our own PMBOK.
Please. Pretty please. Decades of suffering in this profession are pleading you to go forward and improve, long past the years of me and our many suffering colleagues. Literally, though sounding as a real battlefield cry, I have seen too many lives ruined, and people even dying, for real, because of bad project managers and badly managed companies and projects, where even dogs in the street could tell many years in advance that pretty much everything was done wrong. Many times with PMP labels around.
You (as distinct from "we" I utilized before) have the clout with corporations and government bodies. Please, act instead of enjoying the self-adoration laurels.
I apologize for any leftover typing errors I may have left in this text. Note that I am a mere mortal, unlike superhumans damaging trillions of dollars worth of projects.
Boris Konrad PMP, PMI-SP, AACEi PSP, AACEi CCP, PE (NY, TX, CA) Saving Changes...
It doesn't matter what the name of the certification is, which seems to be the focus of your opening question. Whatever that name is, the way the PMP performs their role will be judged by the job market, not the certification body. There is no way for PMI to police how good or bad PMP's are, other than those who report misconduct or ethical violations, which is always an option for you to improve the PMP gene pool.
PMI has made the PMP certification the "proof" that someone has a level of competence at project management, but that doesn't mean to say that someone who passes the exam is a good project manager. If the PMP exhibits "horrifying and damaging examples...with utter ignorance", then they won't last in the job. It is not an option to go back to PMI and say they can't do their job properly, but you can say they are not doing their job ethically if that is indeed the case. Ethics is not about competence; again the market will sort the latter issue out.
I am very skeptical of anyone who can pass the PMP after looking at the table of contents (I assume you mean the PMBOK), and answering around 12 sample questions. Without empirical evidence, I just put these stories down to boastful babbling at the local pub, parlayed into urban legend over time. Saving Changes...
Thank you for your insults. I did pass the examination twice exactly the way I described. And everything I stated is true.
It is sure easier to insult than to deal with reality of the matter and do some work. Please, act in professional manner, because your reply belongs to the very environment you mentioned in your insults, the pubs.
Please, act in professional manner.
My plea is honest, and it will elicit some positive reply from practitioners other than you.
Yes, it is a matter of stating the scope and validity of certification through its' very title. Otherwise, it becomes a misrepresentation, which we would like to avoid.
Calling upon labor market to decide is a self-perpetuating effort avoidance. Corporate world goes for PMI because of PMP, and PMI goes for PMP because of corporate world. Munchausen method of flying to the moon.
We have to take more responsibility, along the lines of our own PMBOK and preaching.
I will not be continuing fruitless non-discussion or get into any trading of insults, because I would then demonstrate exactly the same bad practices about which I warned and pleaded for action. Just want to say that the very extent of aggression and demeaning conduct displayed in that first reply to my honest posting shows that there is a problem, and that improvements are needed.
My posting has already been justified. Thank you for that expression of support that you have produced, without intent.
Hopefully, some re-evaluation and improvement will result from this.
PMI will then be able to realize its' mission statement, and continue improving. Saving Changes...
The truth can be insulting sometimes. I do believe however that the market is the very best arbiter of project management competencies after a PMP certification, not PMI. As for the way you say you passed the PMP exam, gosh I wish I could do the same for my PMI exams. I must be at the bottom end of the project manager gene pool, because I need to study the content of what the exam will be testing me on, and unfortunately the table of contents just doesn't do it for me. Saving Changes...
You said: "I am a mere mortal, unlike superhumans damaging trillions of dollars worth of projects." Don't be so hard on yourself. I would say you are superhuman to pass the PMP by only reading the table of contents ;-) Saving Changes...
I am concerned that your extremely aggressive and insulting approach will scare other members to add their comments. I am also concerned that you will be taken as a representative of whole PMI body, just because of your aggressive and demeaning conduct.
Please, do not obstruct the posting comments. Let the members state their opinions without threats, insults and demeaning conduct.
I beg you to start behaving in a professional manner. Do not call for lynching upon first voice of dissent.
Please, start acting in a professional manner. I am acting for the good of our profession. I will not be replying to your further stubborn posts.
Do not scare away the members. We have to look at ourselves in order to improve. We cannot shatter mirrors if the reply to "who is the fairest of them all" is not satisfactory.
Please, be constructive, not constrictive. Please.
You have already blocked the discussion, because members will not want to be entangled.
Again, my posting obviously has merits, and you have proved it, repeatedly. Why such aggression?
You are not helping or defending PMI with your conduct. Instead, you are hurting PMI and tarnishing its image. Remember, improvement is in the mission.
Please, cool down, and enable PMIBOK's open minded improvement approach to function. Saving Changes...
Oh I thought you weren't "continuing fruitless non-discussion"? The truth I am stating is that "the market is the very best arbiter of project management competencies after a PMP certification, not PMI".
I don't know if you passed the PMP exam in the way you described, and being skeptical of that is not an insult. Skepticism by definition is being "not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations". I would hope that skepticism and debate won't render me as someone who is "hurting PMI and tarnishing its image"; it is after all the cornerstone of Western democratic principles.
No one has called for "lynching" nor made "threats". No one is being "extremely aggressive" or trying to "scare away the members". If one follows this thread however, they will quickly discover who needs to cool down.
I am encouraged that you have called for members to "state their opinions". I am doing just that. Saving Changes...
Mahabubur RahmanProject Manager Structures-Bridges| Department of Infrastructure, Government of Nothwest TerritoriesYellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
Now a days, I have rarely seen a person with only PMP certification may qualify for a responsible position like Project Manager. Companies/organizations those hiring Project Managers mostly are asking for minimum 5-10 years progressive experience in the relevant field-which is vital and stating that "PMP certification would be an asset"- which is not a mandatory requirement. After verifying all these competencies for selecting a PM, if a project fails, PMI will not be held responsible or I don't think it would be worthwhile of changing the title as PMP-In-Training. Whatever training you have, you will have to apply your experience and knowledge of the PMBOK in tailoring the processes, tools and techniques........ Saving Changes...
I expected disagreement, but not this level of aggression and insults. Also, expected at least the understanding of the intention, because that is the preaching of PMBOK. The common sense, structured.
I did not expect having to defend myself and further explain myself. Please, read the text. Why such focus on the time it takes someone to prepare for the examination. I was inviting discussion about values, terms and scope of current classification, with a call for an improvement, as a good starting point to facilitate better execution of far too many disastrous projects. All of which could be promoted by a prominent organization with quite a clout.
As for the infamous words about the table of contents, it was not a mystery, and it was not a boast, because nobody boasts with easy tasks. It was just a resigned statement of the facts. Here is the explanation of the obvious:
When I went for it (just because it kept being mentioned in job ads), I have already worked that way, because it is all common sense. Plan, do, act, etc, whichever way anybody may call it.
So, it was just a matter of confirming PMBOK terminology for the same things.That is why passing that examination took only what it took. Should not agitate anybody.
PMI Body of Knowledge talks common sense, and lays out the outline, but without going any deeper, just touching the subjects. Though known, that is not what one would conclude from this certification's title. Sets a course, but does not sail, it is all on dry ground.
Let us make the candidates and the holders aware of it, by naming it appropriately, and developing additional higher tier certification process. Other professions do it.
Candidates also do go for that examination without having worked that way much. So, they cram without substance, just to pass. Courses are offered just to pass the exam, without much, if any, understanding of implementation. The very number of such courses can indicate the proportion of candidates which have to take such path. Quite a bit of money in such courses. Exam passed, nothing much learnt of practice, certification put in drawer or on the wall, with "now I have been told that I know all of this, and who are you to tell me" (exactly the aggressive reaction we have all witnessed right here, which tarnishes PMI).
That blocks further development, and creates stagnation, contrary to PM BOK
Instead of being told exactly what they have. Being told that it is just an introduction, and that they have only been informed about a course, a structured approach that it would be good to take in their work, and develop further. As a side comment, it would perhaps be appropriate to state that holders have declared some sort of commitment and support to such course of action/methods.
Certainly, none of that can be enforced easily, but, please, make it clear that it is just the start, not the finish of education. That is the whole story, as the first step towards further development of PMI certification process.
And, then, or along the way, develop a second certification, which I sacrilegiously labelled a "real PMP", which will confirm that person has been implementing tenets of PMBOK in their work. Instead, we, at best, confirm that person continued being employed by companies in that line of work.
Many professions have such systems, why not Project Management Professionals. Others have to keep proving that they are doing their job the right way (not just that they keep doing their job),while people who manage them do not. Develop and take responsibility. Instead of creating an obviously aggressively defended wall of superiority. Hence the term. PMI is large and influential, and can start working on this process, at least for USA market, within its' legal framework. Followed by path already demonstrated in quality assurance etc, where successful models were replicated in many markets. Nothing new, but it has to be initiated and developed, not ignored or lynched.
Please, consider, and work on it, without having to insult. "Table of contents" story should not take the focus away. There is nothing much in it.
Improvement is the point.
Stated far too many times in my text, but it had to be repeated because it just was not getting through.
Now that everybody has been scared away by the aggressive defensiveness, this posting is pretty much DOA. Did not need to go that way.
I do not think that even the old "eppur si muove" approach would make any difference.
As in Candide, one can just keep working his/her own garden the right way and/or practice what he/she preaches.
Another wasted opportunity, whether it can be attributed to PMI, or to an individual behaving so. Saving Changes...
Well I'm happy you decided to explain further. I wasn't sure if you would since you said in one post: "I will not be continuing fruitless non-discussion" and then in your very next post: "I will not be replying to your further stubborn posts". Foregoing that steely resolve resulted in the very discussion we are having now.
There are many other things that can assist someone to pass the PMP exam, such as experience, intelligence, associated disciplines (ie, math), that doesn't diminish the fact that the PMBOK has many things that cannot be understood from a table of contents and 12 exam text question. Such as ITTO's for example, and the way these interrelate with each knowledge area and process group. This is just one example of what exists almost solely in the PMBOK, but there are many others. And all of these things is what's needed to pass the exam. You now seem to admit that there is indeed more than the table of contents and 12 test questions responsible for mere mortals to pass an exam, because you mention candidates doing courses and learning content but not necessarily practice. This "explanation of the obvious" was not obvious in your first post. So I would agree that additional learning outside the PMBOK is needed, although I would venture to say that each of those candidates looked beyond the table of contents in the PMBOK. What I don't agree with is that someone can only read the table of contents and not these other sources (ie. a course, website, book) and then pass the PMP exam. Unless they were superhuman; mere mortals can't normally achieve this.
I approached two points in your original post: The need to rename the PMP certification along with PMI "developing a real PMP certification", and the second about passing the PMP exam by viewing the table of contents in the PMBOK. The first point, no matter how impassioned or genuine your post was, is just not plausible and I will leave it there. If someone in this forum wants to challenge that notion, I am sure I will be able to count them on one hand. The second point is something that cannot be debated in depth because there is no empirical evidence to analyze, and uncorroborated statements of superhuman feats is not evidence. I am not calling you a liar, you are obviously intelligent and I don't think anyone is questioning that, but my skepticism remains just that. Skepticism is not an insult, threat, demeaning, stubborn, aggressive, unprofessional, constricting, or lynching.
Discussion is never a "wasted opportunity" because the opportunity is in the discussion itself. This discussion has probably run its course, for me at least, so I will end my replies here and you can have the last word (something I rarely permit so I am told by those who know me lol).
We can conclude however on some common ground. I do agree that "improvement is the point".
"We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it - and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again, and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore."
