Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Many changes have taken place in PMI over the past 2 years - Brand and stationary - Chapters - PMBOK Guide - ATP's instead of REP's and all associated measures "package" - CAPM and PMP certification exam (content and form) - Brightline Initiative - Disciplined Agile - Citizen Developer - PMIstandards+ - kickoff - Replacement of the 4 annual ProjectManagement.com events (cost and respective badges) by the Virtual Experience Series
And others I didn't mention in this list or that went unnoticed
1. What is your opinion about the changes that have taken place 2. How, in your opinion, were these changes managed? Saving Changes...
As a member, I do feel that there's a lot more PMI has to offer than there was before. The quality of the offerings vary and their usefulness to me, but it is good to see that there's lots being provided for our membership dues.
Like many organizations, PMI had to adapt to the pandemic and as part of that adaptation it provided the opportunity to stop offering certain services or products which they had done previously.
With regards to the specific changes you've mentioned, I was a fan of the re-branding/theming when it was done prior to their anniversary. I also am generally positive about the new direction for the PMBOK Guide and the content for the PMP and CAPM exams, and am hopeful about PMIstandards+. I'm very positive about the DA & Flex acquisition and the potential opportunity it provides for PMI. As an instructor, I'm less keen on the ATP (compared with the old REP). I'm still scratching my head over Citizen Development in terms of its relevance to PMI's North Star. Finally, I have no opinion about Brightline, Kickoff or the Projectmanagement.com events.
When it comes to change management, that is a different story. Overall, given the high volume of initiatives which PMI has taken on, change management hasn't been great, both from a member and a partner perspective.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Luis
Spot on question, thank you.
Generally speaking, I am so excited about all the changes PMI did and is still doing. It feels refreshing although I don’t necessarily agree with everything but overall, as a member and volunteer of PMI, I am satisfied with the direction PMI is taking.
PMI are developing a set of valuable micro-credentials that, for now, they call specializations:
1) Agile Hybrid Pro 2) Citizen Development (4 Levels) 3) Organizational Transformation (3 Levels) 4) E&C Built Environment (Construction) - Several courses and MCs 5) Kick-Off
I’ve taken many of those courses either after they were released or participated in Beta testing for some of them. They are all truly impressive be it with the course content or structure.
I like the new branding, PMI+Standards, DA was a great addition to the suite of certifications and knowledge library. Brightline is amazing especially if you are involved in Transformation.
In terms of certifications, changes were good except I wasn’t really excited about the change in the application related to the experience part that they’ve done. One would think they should make the application more rigorous, not easier. I see many, and I mean many, including people who post here after taking the PMP exam, mentioning they have no experience and ask what are their next steps. This in my opinion might diminish the credibility of this certification over time.
ATP Program, I am neutral about it as I haven’t participated in it now or in the past.
Last, but not least, the pm.com events, I like how it was previously. I felt it changed from a community based event to a revenue generating business model. The sessions and content is still of course as valuable but the overall structure and feel is different.
At the end, you won’t find anyone who will like or agree with everything but as professionals, we should always welcome change with an open mind.
RK Saving Changes...
Phil AkinwaleProject Management & Leadership Speaker, Coach, Trainer & Author| PRAIZIONMesa, Az, United States
PMI is definitely a laggard when it comes to implementing their own awesome project management, change management and Agile Practice Guide content, which is such a shame.
Change and transition seems to be managed at a very pedestrian level with very little analytical thought or empathy. Members expect better change process, decision inclusivity (as other member-driven non-profits do these days) and stakeholder engagement.
1. Brand and stationery:
Change was very poorly managed.
I thought this could have been handled better with CHANGE MANAGEMENT in mind. It should have had some better stakeholder involvement with some options given and a simple voting process on social media, especially with the "digital transformation buzz" at PMI. All the important concepts in the Models section of 7th Edition (ADKAR, FPIMS, Kotter, William Bridges etc), PMI did not practice. Also what their "Managing Change in Organizations" advocates was not practiced. I voiced my surprise:
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDtK54e5FpQ * https://youtu.be/iySo4wH6JOk
2. Chapters
Change was very poorly managed although the grace-period given to REPS to transition out was gracious enough.
(Sad that many chapters are now excluded pretty much automatically from those training programs they used to have due to ATP restrictions)
3. PMBOK Guide
Change was very awfully managed and is still being awfully managed.
Their poor change management negates a lot of the great additions eventually revealed. Were they practicing these great models for Change in the Seventh Edition? Definitely not!
Awful. Poor stakeholder involvement and draconian behaviors. "Your opinions do not matter." That was the message.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmk2fqVJ4tk
4. ATP's instead of REP's and all associated measures "package"
This was "Exclusion by design" "Shylock behaviors". Only 30% of original REPs if that signed up for the program. Instead of building up and exceeding their foot-soldiers, PMI cut them down.
5. - CAPM and PMP certification exam (content and form)
- It is what it is...confusion despite the long lead time. We saw it coming but 2 years later, it is still confusion.
- An inordinate amount of Agile (not really 50-50 as many will tell you). There is imbalance and confusion about what to study.
- The ATP study guide added more confusion and so did the PMI "free" online course and the paid Study Hall.
People-Process-Business vs. Technical-Strategic & Business & Leadership, vs. Knowledge Areas, Vs. process groups, vs. new domains, vs. Principles. It is an unbalanced mess those on the training frontlines continue to sort out in the confused minds of unfortunate test-takers.
6. Brightline Initiative
A great topic but (Physician heal thyself? They've done a poor job with this topic and are not such a great role-model)
7. - Disciplined Agile (I am not sure what they were thinking. Many certifications they have either died a sad death (OPM3) or have been stagnant barely moving. This adds more confusion to ACP vs. PMP plus the gazillion micro certification spin-offs.
PMI is doing too many new things without perfecting their existing certifications. They are all over the place!
Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqvm9KKpMf4
8. - Citizen Developer (A needed topic that should be handled with care so as not to exclude stakeholders).
9. - PMIstandards+ (BRILLIANT! A++ Great initiative but poorly advertised. More significant than a lot of other initiatives and will give tremendous value)
10. - kickoff (Brilliant addition. Should be revamped to keep the dialog fresh and exciting)
11. - Replacement of the 4 annual ProjectManagement.com events (cost and respective badges) by the Virtual Experience Series (It is what it is). Saving Changes...
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