A Modest Proposal: Redefining Project Management Certification

A Modest Proposal: Redefining Project Management Certification Mark Mullaly, PMP August 7, 2002

Project Management Program Management Office Project Management in Practice

In last month's column, I explored the real and perceived value of the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation administered by the Project Management Institute. Clearly, certification of project managers is important--and is something that the marketplace is actively seeking.

The problem with the way that the PMP is marketed today is that the perception of what it means and the reality of what it delivers are two very different things: While the marketplace is looking for a measure of demonstrated ability in managing projects, what the certification actually offers is an assessment of understanding against a common knowledge base. Although there is an experience requirement as part of the certification, demonstrating this experience is (at best) a clerical and administrative exercise and in no way assesses the quality with which someone's projects were delivered.

Given the inherent flaws that currently exist, what should an effective project management certification process look like? Is it possible to go beyond a basic understanding of theoretical knowledge? Is it appropriate for companies to expect that certification means an ability to effectively deliver on this knowledge? And most importantly, should a certification imply an endorsement of proficiency as well?

Most conversations about the certification of project managers quickly compare the differences between the PMP and the certification process for other professions--engineering, medicine and law being a few examples.