NOTE: This article is reprinted from the July 2009 edition of Project Management Tipoffs from our Q&A section. In this section of Tipoffs, Arras People solicits and answers questions related to project management issues for this section each month in Tipoffs. If you have a question for our Q&A experts, email us at this address, and be sure to subscribe to PM Tipoffs to read our responses by clicking here.
Q: 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 B-R
A: 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. If you are looking to move into a more senior role in the near future you should also look at the Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), another methodology from the OGC suite of products like PRINCE2.
There are other qualifications out there that will give you a genuine advantage based on your sector experience. You should look into the Association of Project Management qualifications which are recogised nationally and of course, the Project Management Institute, it’s PMP accreditations are internationally recognised. These two options are project management skills based qualifications, not just method training like PRINCE2 and require existing experience in project management before you can commence. Both APM (the Practitioner level) and PMI also require that you stay qualified through Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Wayne, I noticed that you are a Project Engineer. Have you considered Primavera? As a planning tool this is very much THE tool in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. You should consider training in areas that you specialise in within project management too as this ensures your formal training is rounded
It’s taken as a given today that professional project managers should be demonstrating both professional experience and skills learnt on the job, backed up with recognised qualifications. It’s also seen as advantageous to yourself and a future employer that you take an active interest in your profession and community and demonstrate your willingness to carry on learning. You should consider being active in your community through attendance at seminars, conferences and networking events as well as keeping up to date with industry journals, blogs and podcasts. All these activities certainly help you to assess which learning method and courses are going to suit your personal situation the best.
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