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Meeting 1

Professional Development

PMI and the professional project manager

As the number of projects swell, the pool of credentialed talent is not keeping pace. Of the 20 million people believed to be participating in projects worldwide, just one million have recognized formal training on how to execute those projects. One thing becomes clear: the demand for skilled project managers is critical.
 
For nearly 40 years, PMI has advocated project management and the advantages, provided by its credentials, to communicate with one common language no matter their industry, geography or whether they manage projects, programs or portfolios. This common language steers organisations towards achieving repeatable, predictable results – critical when $12 trillion is being invested in infrastructure and capital projects worldwide over the next 12 months.
 

Professional Development is more than credentials

Sections of the site under ‘Professional Development’ i.e.
  • professional qualifications (often termed ‘credentials’ in PMI);
  • the award of Professional Development Units (PDUs);
  • PMI’s Global Standards and
  • Education and Training Providers (REPs)

All refer to the knowledge that can be learned and qualifications acquired through PMI’s credentialing programmes. These are augmented by other PMI resources including Seminars World and Global Congresses.

The UK Chapter provides regular meetings throughout the UK to catch up with and share knowledge of news and new developments. These are also opportunities for members to meet, to make new acquaintances and learn more about the project community in the UK, in different industries and across the world.

Professional Development – The Big Picture

The big picture
 
An important PMI standard useful for gaining a more complete understanding of professional development is PMI’s
Project Management Competency Development Framework (PMCDF)
This is available as a book and as a pdf to members on the PMI website (www.pmi.org).
 
This diagram from the Standard depicts five factors of professional development. The standard provides a full competency framework for the three that are highlighted:

 

  • Knowledge Competence – what a project manager knows about the application of processes, tools and techniques for project activities
  • Performance Competence – how the project manager behaves when performing activities within the project environment; their attitudes and core personality characteristics
  • Personal Competence– how a project manager applies project management knowledge to meet project requirements 

Industry Specific Competence and Organisational competence are not developed in this way in the PMCDF. The former refers to the abilities required of a project manager working in a particular enterprise and sector, while the latter – organisational competence refers to a project manager’s ability to understand organisational structures, culture and behaviour and to be equipped to ensure that the necessary social engagement and collaboration occurs.

Chapter 4 of the PMCDF offers advice, methods and formats for use in the development of project managers – individually and for a corporate programme.

ESI Publish paper on Taking your PMO to the next level, read it here PDF file PMO Development

Certifications:

You may be aware that the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) is updated every four years. The Fifth Edition was released in early January 2013.

A period is allowed for the change over to PMI certifications aligned to the PMBOK. PMI will be updating its certification and credential exams mid year 2013. The table below shows which exams will be updated:

PMP® 31 July 2013
CAPM® 1 July 2013
PMI-SP® 31 August 2013
PMI-RMP® 31 August 2013
PgMP® 31 July 2013

Please advise any of your staff that wishes to take the certification based on the current edition that they should book soon and take the exam in very good time. The test is administered at Prometric test centres and mid year is a busy time for Prometric, with other tests they administer.