Key Project Management Observations

Where can I find information about project management courses?

There are thousands of places to find training all around the world, including in-classroom, online, DVDs etc. A good resource to consult is PMI’s Registered Education Provider Registry, which is a searchable list of PMI-accredited training providers. Of course at Key Consulting, we have our own project management courses.

Is it appropriate to apply for a program management position with project management related work experience?

In the PMI world, a program is a collection of projects that all have a common objective, and a program manager is therefore coordinating the projects across the whole program.  A project manager manages individual projects.  However, some organizations use the term program management, when they mean project management.

Whereas “project management” has a fairly common definition these days, “program management” often means different things to different people. In your particular situation, I would look at the job description carefully, and if your skills and experience are appropriate, I’d apply.

There are millions of nonprofits around the world, and these nonprofits initiate, plan, execute, and manage projects every day.  Now you can help your favorite charity manage its projects more efficiently and effectively with a free project management resource for non-profits.

The Project Management Nonprofit Practicum is a twelve hour workshop-training program for nonprofit organizations, which includes an instructor manual with notes and templates. The workshop was developed by developed by Millersville’s Nonprofit Resource Network (NRN) with grant funding from the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF) and can be downloaded for no cost from the PMIEF website.

The PMIEF is a foundation committed to providing project management training for non-profits around the world. Through grants, programs, scholarships, and educational resources the PMI Educational Foundation brings the benefits and the power of project management to local communities and to the farthest reaches of the world for social good.

It’s a fact: today’s organizations are more likely to pursue PMI-certified project managers.  PMI credentials are valued by organizations for three major reasons:

• Recognition and Prestige. PMI credentials are used as a measure of competency when competing for new business opportunities. Because the credentials are global, an organization can enhance its reputation as an international player, which it might not otherwise have been able to accomplish.  For example: Global engineering firm CH2M HILL cites the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential and the PMBOK Guide as contributors to them winning the contract to enhance the Panama Canal. In 2014, Panama will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening with a newly completed third set of locks, expanding the canal’s size and capacity.
• The Power to Attract the Best of the Best. Certifications are indicative of an organization’s devotion to and investment in that profession. When there are more qualified people in the labor pool, such as in our current economy, companies can choose to hire only the most qualified individuals. Since 2003, Standish Group has been tracking the number of employers who require PMI certifications or their equivalent. Between 2003 and 2010, this figure has increased from 11% to 42%. In just this past year alone the figure has increased from 31% to 42%!
• A Way to Attract Younger Professionals. Organizations are examining how to capture Millenials (a.k.a. Generation Y: those born between 1982 and 2000) to build and propel corporate growth. Almost 3 out of 4 Millenials expect to seek a post-graduate degree or certification.

In general, PMI credentials increase an organization’s confidence that employees have a consistent understanding of project management. In turn, they increase customer confidence by showing that employees meet set standards and are consistent in their practice.

While credentials are only one element of a career development plan, they also help with retention by providing an opportunity for professional development, advancement and recognition.

PMI was the first organization to offer credentials specifically for project managers. Today, their certification program remains the global standard, and their certifications are a pre-requisite for a significant number of positions. Right now (based on PMI data):

• Approximately 20% of the worlds GDP is spent on projects.
• Approximately 20 million people practice project management.
• 80% of high performing projects use a credentialed project manager.
• There are over 400,000 PMI credential holders in 170 countries, compared with fewer than 10,000 in 1997, mostly in North America.

PMI’s two most popular certifications are the PMP (Project Management Professional) and CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management). PMI credentials provide:

• Flexibility: PMI credentials are not based on one specific methodology, making them flexible and adaptable. Those who hold PMI credentials can easily transfer them between industries, market segments or geographic locations.
• Applicability: PMI continually conducts in-depth studies to ensure that the credentials actually reflect the current skills, knowledge and best practices needed to succeed in today’s business world.
• Commitment: PMI’s credential maintenance program requires credential holders to continually develop skills and stay current by requiring a specific number of professional development units (PDUs) for each credential.
• Earning Potential: Project Management Professional (PMP) credential holders earn up to 10% higher salaries than non-credential holders, according to the PMI Salary Survey — Sixth Edition, 2009.
• Instant Recognition: Tremendous marketability comes from the prestige of PMI credentials. PMI has provided project management certifications for over 25 years, and the PMP credential was the first one designed specifically for project managers.

LPM is basically still in its infancy and that currently there is a ‘fuzzy’ distinction between what lawyers consider case management, and what lawyers need to change in order to accomplish Legal Project Management. Subtle though it might seem on paper, MacEwan went on to say that the law firms that figure out that distinction and are the first to act and explain the value of LPM will be at a serious competitive advantage over their peer firms.

An excerpt from Greg Lambert’s very interesting writeup of a LexisNexis webinar discussing Legal Project Management – an area of project management that seems poised for tremendous growth in coming years.

Through convergence programs, RFPs and value-based alternative fee arrangements (AFAs), many general counsel are significantly altering the balance of power between client and law firm. Among law firms that understand the implications of this sea change, there has been a rush to embrace legal project management (LPM) as a discipline to manage legal tasks efficiently, consistently and predictably –and deliver on the promises they are making to clients in their AFAs.

Properly implemented, LPM is a discipline that yields efficiently planned and delivered legal services and permits more accurate costing and budgeting. However, many law firms still regard LPM primarily as an internal approach to work process management, quality assurance and cost control. They resist the idea that LPM can create a powerful bridge to better communication and better relationships with their clients.

Read the whole article by Pamela H. Woldow of Altman Weil Inc. at www.law.com

Amid a global economic climate plagued by high unemployment and a continued lack of organizational resources, the Project Management Institute (PMI) has good news for job seekers and organizations alike. According to the PMI® Project Management Salary Survey—Sixth Edition project managers, instead of suffering income losses like so many other professionals, are actually earning more than they were two years ago, before the worst of the recession hit.

How much more depends on location, experience, and certification level. Of the nearly 35,000 project manager practitioners who responded to the survey, 51 percent reported an increase in their total compensation, with the global median salary reaching $90,260 USD. Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential holders earn upwards of $10,000 USD more in certain countries than non-credential holders, with median salaries in the United States, Australia and Germany now exceeding $100,000 USD.

(PMI members can search for region-specific salary information via a query function on www.pmi.org)

Read the whole press release.

One thing you don’t learn in nursing school is project management. Or do you? Although nurses may not receive formal training on business topics, there are many skills you do learn that can help you conceive and manage projects in the workplace.

In fact, the nursing process provides an ideal background for using project management techniques. The nursing process incorporates a systematic method of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Project management encompasses similar procedures for successful results.  Read more…

Overgaard, Penny Morgan BSN, RN, FAHCEP
June 2010 – Volume 41 – Issue 6 – p 53–54