Demystify the New PMBOK Guide and PMI Certifications

There is lots of confusion with the latest edition of A Guide to The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide).
The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is not satisfying the needs of PMOs.
There is still a divide on whether the focus should be on the PMP or an Agile-related certification.
The PMP certification has lost its sizzle while other emerging certifications have started to penetrate the market. It’s hard to distinguish which certifications still hold weight.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

The PMP certification is still valuable and worth your time.
There are still over a million active PMP-certified individuals worldwide.
PMP can make you more money.

Impact and Result

Study the market trends for certification options as they emerge and evolve.
Go with longstanding, reputable certifications, but be ready to pivot if they are not adding value.
Look at the job market as an indicator of certification demands.
There are a lot of certification options out there, and every day there seems to be a new one that pops up. Wait and see how the market reacts before investing your time and money in a new certification.

Demystify the New PMBOK Guide and PMI Certifications Research & Tools

1. Demystify the New PMBOK and PMI Certifications Storyboard – A guide to validate if the PMP is still valuable. It will also provide clarity related to the updated PMBOK 7th edition.

This publication will validate if the PMP certification is still valuable and worth your time. In addition, you will gain different perspectives related to other PMI and non-PMI certifications. You will gain a better understanding of the evolution of the PMBOK Guide, and the significant changes made from PMBOK 6th edition to the 7th edition.

Demystify the New PMBOK Guide and the PMI Certifications

The PMP certification is still valuable and worth your time.

Analyst Perspective

The PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is still worth your time.

I often get asked, “Is the PMP worth it?” I then proceed with a question of my own: “If it gets you an interview or a foot in the door or bolsters your salary, would it be worth it?” Typically, the answer is a resounding “YES!”

CIO magazine ranked the PMP as the top project management certification in North America because it demonstrates that you have the specific skills employers seek, dedication to excellence, and the capacity to perform at the highest levels.

Given its popularity and the demand in the marketplace, I strongly believe it is still worth your time and investment. The PMP is a globally recognized certification that has dominated for decades. It is hard to overlook the fact that the Project Management Institute (PMI) has more than 1.2 million PMP certification holders worldwide and is still considered the gold standard for project management.

Yes, it’s worth it. It gets you interviews, a foot in the door, and bolsters your salary. Oh, and it makes you a more complete project manager.

Long Dam, PMP, PMI-ACP, PgMP, PfMP

Principal Research Director, Project Portfolio Management Practice
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

There is lots of confusion with the latest A Guide to The Project Management Body of Knowledge (aka PMBOK Guide).
The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is not satisfying the needs of PMOs.
There is still a divide on whether the focus should be on the PMP or an Agile-related certification.

The PMP certification has lost its sizzle while other emerging certifications have started to penetrate the market. It’s hard to distinguish which certification still holds weight.

Common Obstacles

Poor understanding and lack of awareness of other PMI certifications outside of the PMP.
There are too many competing certifications out there, and it’s hard to decipher which ones to choose.
PMI certifications typically take a lot of effort to obtain and maintain.

There are other, less intensive certifications available. It’s unclear what will be popular in the future.

Info-Tech's Approach

Study the market trends for certification options as they emerge and evolve.
Go with longstanding reputable certifications, but be ready to pivot if they are not adding value.
Look at the job market as an indicator for certification demands.

There are a lot of certification options out there, and every day there seems to be a new one that pops up. Wait and see how the market reacts before investing your time and money in a new certification.

Info-Tech Insight

The PMP certification is still valuable and worthy of your time.

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

"Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

Guide Implementation

"Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

Workshop

"We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

Consulting

"Our team does not have the time or knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of the this project."

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options.

The PMP dominated the market for decades and got over 1 million people certified

Total active project management professional holders from December 2021 versus July 2022

Info-Tech Insight

The PMI’s flagship PMP certification numbers have not significantly increased from 2021 to 2022. However, PMP substantially outpaces all competitors with over 1.2 million certified PMPs.

Source: projectmanagement.com

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