PMP Cert... what would make it more relevant and accepted?
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dear friends, what would make the PMP 1) more relevant and accepted as a professional credential, 2) more accepted as an indicator of project manager skill and capability, and 3) more attractive as a goal for every project manager to want to achieve? Positive responses and constructive criticism is preferred, but if there are issues or negative feelings surrounding the PMP, by all means, please comment accordingly. Thanks in advance. -- Mark Perry, VP of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
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PMP cert should be more aligned to the PM profession, not just a PMBOK test. PMP cert should include at least a high level knowledge of other models and techniques (RUP, Agile, Prince2, Six Sigma, etc.) There should also be a requirement to have successully managed 5 projects of 6 months or longer as attested to by the project sponsor and head of IT/project management. This will make the PMP more relevant and meaningful. Critics may oppose the length of time this would take, but this should be a professional credential not an exam program. My 2 cents. Saving Changes...
If it was my call, I would 1st require a college degree to sit for the test, and yes demand more PM experience as the previous poster indicated, not just being part of a project team, and finally move the test away from those construction management questions the test seems to be based on. Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
I know the about a couple of guys who are now PMP certified with little or very less real management experience.From that perspective, PMP must have ingrained much more project management practices into these recipients than before but they may lack the real world experience in dealing with multiple facets of real world business problems. In analogy, this will comapre to someone with an MBA with no management experience- he/she will be a class apart from someone who has MBA and a few years of knowledge/experience. You cannot compare both with the same yardstick. Saving Changes...
Somone posted that the test should include more knowledge of RUP, Agile, Prince2, Six Sigma, etc. That is one of my pet peeves. There is a difference between project management and software development lifecycles! It amazes me that a Project Manager does not know this. It's bad enough that companies get it mixed up but come on - if you are a PM, you should know that already. In addition, it assumes all PMPs are in IT. That is simply not the case. PMs come from all phases; construction, IT, biotech, media, Policy, etc... To include IT specific questions to a generic PMP exam would not help. At least, that is my opinion. However, perhaps there could be different exams based on what verticcal you are coming from? I do agree with another poster about requiring more hours not just as a team member but as the actual project manager. Lastly, go back to the basics - when managing a project, what is one of the first things you do? Understand what the requirements are of the project - threfore, why not go to the businesses and ask them what they would like to see the PMP represent instead of asking the PMs themselves? Saving Changes...
I forgot one last thing. At the end of the day, having your PMP certification does not mean you are a good project manager. It is the same for doctors. You can have MD after your name but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you cut me open or treat me. I know PMs that are the most amazing PMs and have managed very large complex, high risk projects who do not have their PMPs and I have met PMPs that don't know how to spell project management. Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
I 100% agree with the last 2 posts. Project management is an art as well. Saving Changes...
In every project you manage, you have two cycles happening at the same time. 1st, the underlying software development methodology with 2nd the project management methodology on top. If you're in IT, working in product development, then you also have the product development cycle (analysis, plan and execute) . The vast majority of PMPs are in IT, b/c that's where the market is for this cert. Just go to Monster.Com search key word "PMP" and see what you get...a good 90% of the results are in IT. Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
Agree that mostly It professionals are going for PMP. But, as a descipline, a PM in one industry can move to another as a PM at least theoretically. I know about many instances in which the opposite has happened- managers from other industries migrating to IT. As you nedd managers with industry knowledge in IT, that explains it. The reverse trend may not be probable as the other industries may not welcome IT managers with "industry-IT" experience. Saving Changes...
