The Hard-Nosed Project Manager

IPMA C/B/A or PgMP

In my last few post I’ve discussed issues of certification and competence.  Lately I’ve also been interested in standards-based project, programme, and portfolio management and researching what is currently out there. 

Two of the approaches I’ve been comparing are the IPMA C/B/A and the PgMP.  One aspect I like in the IPMA C/B/A is peer reviews.  Basically a board constituted of your (prospective) peers has to accept you into the fold.  The PgMP just doesn’t have that; instead it relies of a 360 degree type of review which in my opinion would be way too easy to “game”.  If I decided to pursue a more advanced certification I think that I’d go for the IPMA C.

What do you think?  As always questions and comments are welcome.

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The emperor has no clothes…

I’m in the middle of listening to a PMI Agile CoP webinar on “The Merits and Limits of Certification”.  It is basically a debate between James Shore and Alistair Cockburn.  James Shore took a tack that certification is evil, causes stagnation, does not prove that you know something, etc. Some of this is true and I agrre with those but some of his arguments sounded like James Shore vs "The Man"

Alistair Cockburn then asked Shore if he offers certificates to which Shore answered yes.  The emperor has no clothes…

What do you think?  As always questions and comments are welcome.

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The PMP designation and PM competency

I never believed that holding a PMP designation was proof of a project manager’s competency but I must say I am growing disenchanted with what I see these days on various PM related web sites, LinkedIn groups, and in my professional life.  A few examples:

• PM sticks tasks into his schedules based on duration only.  No attempt at setting the level of effort of individual resources for those tasks.  Wonders why he can’t level his schedule.
• PM does not know what WBS means.
• PM can’t read a schedule.  What is a predecessor or successor, what is started, etc.

We are not talking here of a lack of familiarity with specific tools but rather with basic project management concepts.  These shortcomings could be excused and even understood in the case of an accidental PM but not in the case of someone who, prior to getting tested for the PMP, had to document “Minimum three years/36 months unique non-overlapping professional project management experience during which at least 4,500 hours were spent leading and directing project tasks”.  Even worse; the examples listed above do not relate to a single individual.

Something is seriously wrong here…

What do you think?  As always questions and comments are welcome.

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Global project management standard

If a global project management standard emerged would you want it to be solely informative or would you want it to have a normative component?

Personally I’d go for a competency based normative standard which in my opinion could lead to a globally recognized credential.  Individual practitioners and/or organizations would be subject to reviews and auditing to improve the public perception of the PM field and most likely improve the outcome of project, programmes, and portfolios.

What do you think?  As always questions and comments are welcome.

Connect with me on LinkedIn.  I am a LinkedIn Open Networker (LION); you can use “Friend” to add me to your network, please mention the blog in your request.