Alexandre CostaScrum Master| Integer Consulting - Pictet technologiesLoures, Portugal
I can see value in the micro credentials as a course or as self-learning, nevertheless as certifications at the moment is hard to see any impact in the careers or the need of them in the recruitment processes or career progression. On the other hand I see another way of PMI increase is revenues in a commercial perspective, so for now it seems to me more a commercial bet of PMI.
What are your thoughts about this strategy? Saving Changes...
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Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Well, yes, multiple reasons and effects of doing micro credentials.
There seems to be a need in the profession to obtain knowledge just in time, and also a certain trend to small bites of efforts/invests. Also driven by the plethora of agile certifications since 15 or so years. And driven by the perceived faster pace of change.
There is a range of qualifications e.g. from getting a PhD over a master down to a micro certificate. The big ones, call them lighthouses, are indeed better visible in a CV and also better show a career path (=conscious development).
Professionals may jump from lighthouse to lighthouse, maybe 10 years in between, while they also might benefit from a continuous provision of needed knowledge.
PMI strives to become the place to go in all things project management, and at all points in your career. Hence microcerts but also Standards+ and other offerings make sense and support that strategic goal.
The revenue question is true here and elsewhere, like PMI offering more and more (online) training for fees. I have no bad feelings about it but see a danger with that, in market perception, reputation and what to do with all that money for PMI's purpose.
For me it is the balance of being a professional body pursuing a purpose for social good (like a NGO) and commercially acting. It is just easier to follow financial metrics, so you get what you measure. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Alexandre
Very interesting your question
Thanks for sharing
All professionals (with large print) are concerned with evolving and increasing knowledge in order to be able to respond to the challenges that arise on a daily basis.
Do they need a validation of the knowledge they acquire?
Or, to put it another way, how do they validate the knowledge they obtain? I think it's through the results
Regarding your specific question:
- I am convinced that it is for strictly financial reasons
What are the consequences for PMI? Only time will tell us Saving Changes...
On one side, I agree with Thomas's point that micro-certs are a tangible way to demonstrate that some is committed to ongoing learning, especially when the time and financial costs of progressively more advanced "full" certs gets higher and higher.
On the other hand, this is another revenue stream for PMI. I'm not as worried about PMI making a lot of money, but I am concerned that they won't do a good job of satisfying their existing product & service lines while diversifying this quickly. There has already been evidence of that over the past year...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Alexandre
Both Kiron and Thomas point if view are spot on.
We live in a rapidly evolving world with so may specializations these days so the need for industry specifc certifications, courses, micro-credentials is becoming more in demand and PMI are trying to stay ahead of the game.
Some of the courses they offer are rock solid like the Organizational Transformation one. It is outstanding !
There is more to come soon be it in problem solving, construction as Sunil mentioned in this last video and others.
I share Kiron's worry with regards to revenue streams in that with the diversity of offerings, existing products will be left untouched.
RK Saving Changes...
Hubert RobertsonDirector | Project Management Institute of Guyana
Dear All,
I am a current and practicing project professional who passed the 2007 exams using the Third Edition of PMBOK. At that time there were not so many technologies being applied and Agile concepts were not abundant. Fast forward to the present day where software development and other similarly responsive and flexible projects are required, and thus there is a need for every credible PM to have at least a working knowledge of these new approaches. I am aware that a substantial PMP-Agile Certification is being currently offered by PMI, but I I can't afford to re-invest the time and effort required to acquire it. I therefore view the micro-credentials (in this case the Agile Metrics) as a fair option to bring me up to speed. I don't need it for a job search, but the knowledge and increased confidence that I am up to date as a PM. So, I commend the PMI initiative of providing these bite-sized technical learning updates and providing certificates at the end. Saving Changes...
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