Maybe first we should ask the reader if we know the difference between the PMBOK and the PMBOK Guide?
Second, the guide is only a guide. It is not the holy book.
So,
Why many PMP and PMI students feel like the answers to every question lies in the PMBOK Guide? What trigger this post is another post when we mentioned firing someone. The response was "it does not align with the PMBOK Guide". Although this is what triggered this post, there are many situations like this.
For example, before 6th edition, the guide did not talk about benefits management - so does that mean managing projects should not consider this topic?
Also before the latest edition, the guide did not talk about stage gates, does not mean we do not need gates on projects?
The guide does not offer a clear project life cycle, does it mean we do not need life cycles? Or it is ok to confuse the process groups as project phases and the project life cycle? Saving Changes...
Dan BaleanOperations Mgmt.| 2089956 Ontario Inc.Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
Dec 10, 2017 4:14 PM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Dan has a point, ISO is global and ANSI is well "smaller" ;-)
Do you use any ANSI standards in Australia? Just curious. Saving Changes...
Dan BaleanOperations Mgmt.| 2089956 Ontario Inc.Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
To be honest with you... I don't have an answer for you. But Part 2, the Standard, still carries the ANSI stamp.
As I mentioned above, ANSI standards are US standards and do not have jurisdiction globally, unless they were jointly adopted and issued by ISO.
I believe the answer to your question lays in the semantics, a Guide vs. a Standard.
For further reading, you may want to follow the link below:
https://www.trade.gov/td/standards/United%...-%20English.pdf Saving Changes...
I believe "global" standards are ISO standards; ANSI is an American institution. ISO standards have ANSI analogues, but the opposite is not always true.
I am amazed how deep a knowledge of the PMBOK, and guide, you folks have, it is like you are true scholars and quote from it as from the Holy Book.
I am not into IT, where the PMBOK was intended originally to be used, but I do use it as a guideline and reference to streamline and standardize some processes in my line of work.
Dan, well there are companies in Australia that use ANSI if that's what you mean, not least because there are US and non-US companies in Australia selling US products/services that are aligned with ANSI. Far more use ISO for obvious reasons. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Dec 10, 2017 3:48 PM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Actually I do believe the PMBOK (Guide) is the gold standard in PM processes. It is not the be all and end all of PM practices, but it is the best known go-to-guide. The Prince2 methodology is another go to reference, and I am reluctant to call this the silver standard, as they really can't be compared, and my friends in the Prince2 will lynch me if I call it the silver standard. It is indeed the gold standard for PM methodology however.
Sante
thank you for the laugh this morning (my time)
PMBOK Guide is gold standard for PM process
PRINCE2 is gold standard for methodology
I wish I can agree, but in my humble opinion, I think you are equating popularity with value.
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
Dec 11, 2017 3:57 AM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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haha Mounir, popularity reminds me of a quote: "Everybody hates me because I'm so universally liked." Perhaps the PMBOK "guide" suffers from this.
Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Dec 10, 2017 4:12 PM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Mounir, is it because the ANSI standard you refer to is old and outdated? I believe the PMBOK 5th edition is aligned with ANSI/PMI 99-001-2013, the updated PM standard from ANSI. I also believe the PMBOK is also aligned with the ISO standard for project management 21500. But I could be wrong.
Sante
I do not know why but my guess is because people were confusing the PMBOK Guide and thinking that the whole guide was a standard, whereas, in reality, only 40 pages (5th ed) were the standard.
In other words, PMI finally corrected and clarified the matter Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Dec 10, 2017 1:35 PM
Replying to Dan Balean
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I believe "global" standards are ISO standards; ANSI is an American institution. ISO standards have ANSI analogues, but the opposite is not always true.
I am amazed how deep a knowledge of the PMBOK, and guide, you folks have, it is like you are true scholars and quote from it as from the Holy Book.
I am not into IT, where the PMBOK was intended originally to be used, but I do use it as a guideline and reference to streamline and standardize some processes in my line of work.
Dan,
Where did you hear or see a reference that the PMBOK Guide was originally for IT?
The main author of the original guide was from IT but many of the volunteers were non-IT and what helped the guide be popular is because it is generic and not linked to an industry Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Dec 10, 2017 4:12 PM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
...
Mounir, is it because the ANSI standard you refer to is old and outdated? I believe the PMBOK 5th edition is aligned with ANSI/PMI 99-001-2013, the updated PM standard from ANSI. I also believe the PMBOK is also aligned with the ISO standard for project management 21500. But I could be wrong.
Sante
The PMI and ISO guides are mostly aligned now. In the 5th ed PMI added stakeholder to align to ISO 21500 and in the 6th ed they replaced HR with Resource Management to align. However, in the details - it is not 100% alignment.
For example names:
- PMI use knowledge areas ISO use subjects
- PMI use executing - ISO use implementing
- PMI use monitoring and controlling - ISO use controlling
Other differences:
- PMBOK has 49 processes - ISO 21500 has 39 processes
- ISO 21500 has a process for selecting PMT - PMBOK Guide does not
- Other minor changes
Also, in reality, we CANNOT compare ISO 21500 to PMBOK Guide. We should compare ISO to the ANSI standard in the guide (now Part 2)
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
Dec 11, 2017 4:05 AM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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But at least now we are making ground that the PMBOK guide is a little more valued and valuable than perhaps you originally made out. The truth about popularity and value is that they will never meet in the middle, and perhaps just as well, as Oscar Wilde said: "Whatever is popular is wrong."
haha Mounir, popularity reminds me of a quote: "Everybody hates me because I'm so universally liked." Perhaps the PMBOK "guide" suffers from this. Saving Changes...
But at least now we are making ground that the PMBOK guide is a little more valued and valuable than perhaps you originally made out. The truth about popularity and value is that they will never meet in the middle, and perhaps just as well, as Oscar Wilde said: "Whatever is popular is wrong." Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Dec 11, 2017 4:05 AM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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But at least now we are making ground that the PMBOK guide is a little more valued and valuable than perhaps you originally made out. The truth about popularity and value is that they will never meet in the middle, and perhaps just as well, as Oscar Wilde said: "Whatever is popular is wrong."
Sante
"PMBOK guide is a little more valued and valuable than perhaps you originally made out"
I think we have a misunderstanding here or my original statements were not clear.
I always believed that the PMBOK Guide has value, this is why I have been using it since the first consolidated edition in 1996 and contributed to some of the editions. I use the guide and it is the basis for one of the three dimensions in the SUKAD Model CAMMP™ (The Customizable and Adaptable Methodology for Managing Projects™)
So ---
1. PMBOK - as a book - DOES NOT exist
2. PMBOK Guide is good and of EXCELLENT value despite some of its gaps and inconsistencies
3. In my view, PMBOK Guide is not the gold standard --- maybe 14 karat :) because it has gaps and inconsistencies, although the 6th edition fixed some of them.
The above is why, in my work, I use it but I modify it and improve on it. I try to fill the gaps, to the best of my professional abilities.
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
Dec 11, 2017 6:00 AM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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haha Mounir, it didn't even reach 18 karat? I may not give it 24 karat but I would give it 18 ;-)
