So, not sure how many of you have seen that PMI now has a Program Management Certification but I'm curious as to what others think about this new certification. I haven't seen many job descriptions on the job boards that have this as a requirements. What do y'all think? Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
Andy- what are your thoughts on an evaluation/exam to test the knowledge of a candidate (other than multiple choice questions and mandating a minimum period for experience)? Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
Wayne: I work in an organization that is a champion in methodology and processes who has developed its own processes over a period. But, after doing my PMP (rather undergoing the process of attaining the certification) helped me understand project scenarios other than IT and is assisting me as a framework to create structure out of anonymity- as it uses a common language. Earlier, I had to explain to other what mt internal company methodology was about- now, it has become more easy to realte that to PMI methodology. Any comments? Saving Changes...
Sameer IyerVice President - Salesforce Centre of Excellence| Barclays Bank, Plc.Pune, Maharashtra, India
Though a PMP myself, I personally feel that PMP serves more as a self-marketing tool than really adding value to the organizations in terms of using the PMI methodology. Somehow I feel that PMI has gradually transformed itself into a certificate-issuing authority, instead of being an Institute that works in developing PM standards. I sincerely wish that the PgMP certification is not envisaged as another opportunity to move on to a more lucrative job. Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
Sameer- what do you think PMI should be doing? Saving Changes...
Andy JordanPresident| Roffensian Consulting S.A.Cherry Grove, AB, Canada
Bipin, I don't have an inherent problem with the experience requirements, but personally feel that we should be expected to demonstrate more than an ability to answer multiple choice questions. The PMI has a wonderful network of SIGs / chapters that could be used to judge a formal presentation - project management is about interacting with people after all and I would like to see at the least some scenario based questions with free format answers, maybe even essays in the exam. I realise that accreditation / consistency need to be addressed but there are plenty of other professional bodies that succeed. Going further I would like to see some degree of specialisation within PMI - maybe a set of core modules that you have to pass and then selection of electives - a PM in pharmaceutical research has different skill needs than one in construction or software development and there is opportunity to reflect that in an examination structure. Andy Jordan, President, Roffensian Consulting Inc., www.roffensian.com Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
Andy: good point there on project management specialization focused on multiple disciplines. Thanks. Saving Changes...
What is interesting in reading all the posts to date is that it's almost as if some folks think that PMI exists to train PMs. I don't see that as being the case - A medical doctor goes to medical school for however many years, completes a residency and an internship. Only then does s\he go to their state medical board and take an exam to be a licensed practioner. Their years of schooling give them the MD designation but only taking the multiple choice exam allows them to practice, right? Why would we expect PMs to be different? No one should rely on the PMI to train PMs - I had to go through years of schooling and on the job training\experience to gain the knowledge I have - PMI didn't help with that (except of course on the standards committee that I volunteered for - it was really awesome being around project managers that had 20+ years of experience and I did learn a lot from them). I went to school and THEN I took the PMP exam.
Andy had an interesting comment about the specializations possible - what I'm curious about is why do you think being a pharma PM is different than being an IT PM? I don't mean that question in a bad way - I'm truly curious. The reason is because to my way of thinking when you get right down to it, a project is the same no matter what. You always need (or should have) a scope document that lists exactly what is and is not in scope, project objectives, success criteria, etc. You also need a Project Plan that consists of how to manage risks, issues, changes, quality, resources, training, communications, etc.. Then you need a WBS to break things down to create your schedule - Do certain industries not need certain parts? I really want to understand because you are in the majority - I see it on the job boards all the time - people want PMs with vertical industry experience.
Mark - Do you have any thoughts as to why these particular CIOs knew and cared so much about PMI? Just curious ;)
And lastly, I think I have my answer to the original post - looks like it will be awhile before I have to go get my PgMP... Saving Changes...
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Hi Bethany, re your question, all of the CIOs knew about PMI, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that they cared about PMI. As each of them had a PMO and were instrumental in many aspects of their PMOs including staffing, reporting, funding for applications, tools, training, etc, some kind of knowledge and hopefully appreciation of PMI would be expected. And while I agree with you that a project is a project no matter what, there are those that contend that project manager domain knowledge (be that industry vertical, solution or technology specific, cross-cultural, etc) should not be overlooked as it often may be required to even be able to grasp an understanding of the project not to mention how to manage the project requirements, estimates, risks, etc. Likewise, within the same vendor technology and solution, are the project risks of implementing an application, say a vendor billing system in Chicago, Tokyo, and Jakarta, the same? We have all heard or read the example of whether or not you would hire an SAP project manager to manage a construction project and vice versa. I don't mean to speak for Andy, but perhaps that is what he meant. I, for one, think PMI has done a great job and no organization is perfect or can please everyone. It is not too hard to understand the criticisms of PMI. There are those that think PMI has become a bit too fee-based and commercialized. But, "c'est la vie." Saving Changes...
Andy JordanPresident| Roffensian Consulting S.A.Cherry Grove, AB, Canada
I don't mind you speaking for me Mark - but of course I also have to speak for myself :-). I actually have a slightly different perspective, and I agree with a lot of what Bethany says. I'll explain, but first off I want to make a distinction between the art and science of project management. I believe that any project manager needs to learn the basics of project management - the fundamentals covered in PMBoK for want of a better definition, and I like to think of this as the science. I absolutely agree with Bethany here - the PMI does not have a responsibility to teach this (but they do have accountability to ensure the quality of any training providers that they certify), and these skills should be the same in any company or industry. When it comes to the art of project management, I think it gets more difficult. I see the art as the skills that you develop on top of the fundamentals, and that's where I see the specialization coming in - a project to develop a new drug may be a 10 year initiative, the development of a new software application may need to get to market in a matter of weeks in order to secure market share. These are extremes, but they need very different approaches to managing the project team, applying the structure of project management (I have never been successful sitting down with a team and asking them to build a WBS - you need to position it in terms that the teams can relate to), etc. I really do think that the PMI has some responsibility here - to my mind they have a duty to advance the industry, and this is an area that I think they can do more. I have seen many industries that provide the opportunity to let their professionals choose possible 'paths' to certification - often industries that have specialist roles - banking, investment industry, etc, and I think you can make the argument that the PMI is now at that point - prove ability with the fundamentals and then select your particulary specialty (or specialties). In the long term this may actually prove a better financial model for the PMI - there is nothing to stop certified peofessionals from taking additional electives to enhance their skills / knowledge. Running a consulting firm I can certainly see me encouraging that to extend the appeal of my company's services to more industries. All that said, a good PM in one industry is likely to be a good PM in other industries, but I don't think that the same approach can universally be applied - the structure of us all as PMs is the same, just like as humans we all have the same skeleton, but it is the art on top that makes us individuals just like we are all unique humans over the top of our common skeleton. Andy Jordan, President, Roffensian Consulting Inc., www.roffensian.com Saving Changes...
Bipin Lekshmanan PMPProject Manager| Wipro TechnologiesEdison, Nj, United States
Bethany: In my opinion- for the most motivated individual who is reasonably smart, a cross over from one industry to another as a project manager wouldn't be difficult. But, that would be an exception rather than a rule. But, a PMP certification may not convince a potential recruiter that the switch would be perfect..may be a Harvard MBA would. Even if I hire a PM from construction/civil engineering into IT, I will observe him for a while till I handover a critical project as I need to make sure that he will be a success. If I have two qualified applicants to chose from, the easiest choice is select a manager from the IT industry itself as the risk is low. A very capable individual can change my decision here but I am talking about the rule rather than the exception. Saving Changes...
