This presentation covers project management certifications, their values and limitations. It does not list all certifications but touches on some of the most common, such as PMP, PRINCE2, CCC, and others.

1. Project Management
Certifications
Value, Limitations, and Challenges

2. Topics for discussion
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Overview
and value
Challenges
and
Limitations
Professional
Associations

4. Overview of professional credentials
 Professional credentials are certifications
granted by professional societies
 Some of these credentials are highly
recognized and valued
 Each association might typically offer more than
one credential
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5. Values to individuals
 Expedites professional advancement
 Increases value to employer
 Provides framework for standardized project
management practices
 Provides professional/personal recognition
 Creates job growth/opportunities
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6. ©2004-2014SUKADGroup|February2014
Potential values to organizations
 Improves project success rate
 Improvement in productivity
 Consistency in project execution results
 Effective employee competency-based
development (standard for assessment)
 Aligned with international standards
 Validates PM knowledge
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7. ©2004-2014SUKADGroup|February2014
Why potential value?
 Because project management is an applied domain
 Best way to learn it is on the job
 If the organization does not have project
management processes – then:
 Learning is not directly linked to practices
 Learners are often not empowered to change the
system or practices
 Learning is lost over time = opportunity lost
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9. Challenges to become certified
 Certification is not mandatory prerequisite to
practice in the project management field
 Certifications is
 Important and obtaining a globally recognized
credential is valuable
 However, it is not an easy task … and
 Require significant self-study time
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10. More challenges
 Individuals and organizations under estimate the
effort required for the certification exams
 Some certificates require 100 to 500 hours of
preparation time
 Language is a significant issue
 Ability to be able to read and understand English fast
and under pressure
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11. Even more challenges
• Not a real objective (i.e. management mandate
without enough incentives)
• Lack of developed tools & techniques for the
benefit of team, division, or overall organization
• “We want it!”
• “But we are too busy!”
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12. Limitations
• Some certifications are over-valued or
misunderstood
• Certifications are often based on standards that are
“common practices”
• Certifications may be knowledge based or
competence based
• Certifications do not always lead to enhanced
organizational performance
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14. Professional associations (Partial List)
 Project Management Institute(PMI®)
 International PM Association (IPMA®)
 The Association for the Advancement of Cost
Engineering (AACE)
 Association of Project Management (APM Group)
 SAVE International
 UK Institute of Risk Management (IRM)
 American Society for Quality(ASQ)
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15. ©2004-2014SUKADGroup|February2014
PMI® current credentials
PMI
PMP
CAPM
PgMP
PMI-
SP
PMI-
RMP
PMI-
ACP
PtMP
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16. Professional certifications
Assoc. Certifications
PMI® Project Management Professional (PMP®)
Certified Associate in Project Management
(CAPM®)
Program Management Certification (PgMP® )
PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI‐SP)SM
credential
PMI Risk Management (PMI‐RMP)SM
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI‐ACP)
Portfolio Management Professional (PtMP)
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17. Professional certifications
Assoc. Certifications
IPMA Level D: Certified PM Associate
Level C: Certified Project Manager
Level B: Certified Senior PM
Level A: Certified Projects Director
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18. Professional certifications
Assoc. Certifications
APMG – UK PRINCE2
• Foundation
• Practitioner
Managing Successful Programs
Others
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19. Professional certifications
Assoc. Certifications
SAVE
International
Certified Value Specialist (CVS)
Associate Value Specialist (AVS)
Value Methodology Practitioner
(VMP)
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20. Professional certifications
Assoc. Certifications
AACE  Certified Cost Consultants (CCC)
 Certified Cost Engineers (CCE)
 Certified Cost Technician (CCT)
 Planning and Scheduling Professionals (PSP)
 Earned Value Professionals (EVP)
 Certified Portfolio, Program, & Project
Managers (C3PM)
 Certified Forensic Claims Consultants (CFCC)
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21. Professional certifications
Assoc. Certifications
IRM IRM ® Certificate in Risk Management
ASQ  Quality Auditor (CQA)
 Quality Engineer (CQE)
 Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB)
 Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB)
 Manager of Quality/Organizational
Excellence (CMQ/OE)
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22. Other certifications related to PM
 Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma
 Yellow Belt
 Green Belt
 Black Belt
 Master Black Belt
 MS Project Certification
 Green Project Management (more than one)
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23. Closing comments – 1
 Certifications is important – but not essential
 Certifications have value but also limitations
 Most certificates require significant effort
 Higher value if training and certification are linked to
the organizational project management system
(policies, processes, methodology …)
 Understand the value and limitations BEFORE you
invest money and time
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24. Closing comments – 2
 Some associations do a good job in screening their
candidates – other do not
 Leading to good value and trust for those who screen well
 But mistrust in the certificate holder/certification for the
other associations
 A few certifications are marketed heavily using
misleading tactics, even using untruthful language
 Bottom line, if you are a hiring manager go beyond
the 3 or 4 letters; investigate person holding them
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