This is the second in our line of archived Question & Answer columns ripped from Project Management Tipoffs. The entirety of the article is available here. Though this Thursday’s February 2011 edition of Tipoffs takes on a special edition feel (without the usual tidbits including Q&A), subscribe to Tipoffs today to get the proper feel for the questions affecting everyday project people like yourself. Please note that certain things may have changed in project management since then – be sure to consult other sections of the Arras People website to keep it up to date and abreast of what’s going on – in this case, with certifications.
I have been working as a project manager for the last four years, I would like to step up to the next tier (senior level), however I do not have any formal qualifications in project management. Can you suggest a good all rounder, I have been previously advised to study PRINCE2 but some feel it is lengthy and can drag out a project. Obviously the qualification needs to be recognised nationally or internationally. Wayne
Wow, that’s a pretty big Pandora’s Box you’ve opened up there! This is probably one of the hottest topics floating around in the PM community at the moment, and it’s fair to say that everyone has a different opinion about whether one course is better than another.
PRINCE2 is obviously the most recognised PM qualification, and as a methodology does give you an excellent awareness of Project Management tools and techniques, as well as management of the lifecycle. I do find it a tad annoying however that PRINCE2 has become synonymous with the profession. It almost seems as though some companies use it as a failsafe measure to judge a persons PM credentials. There are a large number of PINO (PRINCE2 in Name Only) organisations out there and I think a lot of people would benefit from remembering that there was Project Management before PRINCE2.
If you have used PRINCE2 in a practical context but don’t have the formal qualification, I would suggest that you go ahead and obtain it…
Read the rest of the response in our July 2009 issue, which also features some reflections on the then-current recruitment patterns in project management and the general mood of project managers.
