Comments on: January PMP Numbers Up Over 6000 In One Month http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/03/01/january-pmp-numbers-up-over-6000-in-one-month/ Free Project Management Information, Advice, and Templates Sun, 20 May 2012 12:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Derek Huether http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/03/01/january-pmp-numbers-up-over-6000-in-one-month/comment-page-1/#comment-1478 Derek Huether Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:16:54 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2285#comment-1478 Jeff, my first exposure to the PMP was several years ago when I was dealing with a stakeholder over at National Institutes of Health (NIH). I remember seeing she had this "PMP" at the end of her name and I also recall how she was horrible to deal with. She exhibited no control over what she did and didn't follow the PMBoK at all. At the time, all I had were soft skills. So, I studied and studied, with the hope of becoming a disciplined PM. So, here is one of the disconnects I've seen. She was one of those people that wanted to game the system. She didn't want to actually learn anything or to help others. She just wanted to say she was a PMP. That is what I see happening with a lot of people. I would go into more detail but this now has me wanting to write a full blown blog post. Jeff, my first exposure to the PMP was several years ago when I was dealing with a stakeholder over at National Institutes of Health (NIH). I remember seeing she had this “PMP” at the end of her name and I also recall how she was horrible to deal with. She exhibited no control over what she did and didn’t follow the PMBoK at all. At the time, all I had were soft skills. So, I studied and studied, with the hope of becoming a disciplined PM. So, here is one of the disconnects I’ve seen. She was one of those people that wanted to game the system. She didn’t want to actually learn anything or to help others. She just wanted to say she was a PMP. That is what I see happening with a lot of people. I would go into more detail but this now has me wanting to write a full blown blog post.

]]> By: Derek Huether http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/03/01/january-pmp-numbers-up-over-6000-in-one-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3084 Derek Huether Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:16:00 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2285#comment-3084 Jeff, my first exposure to the PMP was several years ago when I was dealing with a stakeholder over at National Institutes of Health (NIH). I remember seeing she had this "PMP" at the end of her name and I also recall how she was horrible to deal with. She exhibited no control over what she did and didn't follow the PMBoK at all. At the time, all I had were soft skills. So, I studied and studied, with the hope of becoming a disciplined PM. So, here is one of the disconnects I've seen. She was one of those people that wanted to game the system. She didn't want to actually learn anything or to help others. She just wanted to say she was a PMP. That is what I see happening with a lot of people. I would go into more detail but this now has me wanting to write a full blown blog post. Jeff, my first exposure to the PMP was several years ago when I was dealing with a stakeholder over at National Institutes of Health (NIH). I remember seeing she had this “PMP” at the end of her name and I also recall how she was horrible to deal with. She exhibited no control over what she did and didn’t follow the PMBoK at all. At the time, all I had were soft skills. So, I studied and studied, with the hope of becoming a disciplined PM. So, here is one of the disconnects I’ve seen. She was one of those people that wanted to game the system. She didn’t want to actually learn anything or to help others. She just wanted to say she was a PMP. That is what I see happening with a lot of people. I would go into more detail but this now has me wanting to write a full blown blog post.

]]> By: Geoff Crane http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/03/01/january-pmp-numbers-up-over-6000-in-one-month/comment-page-1/#comment-1477 Geoff Crane Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:52:32 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2285#comment-1477 I think there is value in the PMP. I don't have one, but I must say that knowing and understanding project theory certainly can't hurt a project. Indeed, the contents of the study material are distilled knowledge amassed from thousands of people who have learned from their mistakes. That can only be beneficial. But the PMP doesn't address things like soft skills effectively, and for the most part, glosses over them (I did study the PMBOK as part of my work at IBM so I'm familiar with the contents). I think that's it's big weakness. Projects are now, and always have been, about people. Granted, it's tough to include all the sociological aspects of projects as study fodder and still expect students to pass an exam. But that doesn't mean they're not equally as essential as project theory. My only concern with the PMP is the hype it's gotten among stakeholders and hiring managers that suggests a PMP is a prerequisite to being able to manage a project. Having seen some appalling PMs holding the PMP credential, I think the PMI should be a little more responsible with its marketing. That's my two cents on it, anyway. :-) .-= Geoff Crane´s last blog ..<a href="http://edge.papercutpm.com/2010/03/i-second-that-emotion/" rel="nofollow">I Second That Emotion</a> =-. I think there is value in the PMP. I don’t have one, but I must say that knowing and understanding project theory certainly can’t hurt a project. Indeed, the contents of the study material are distilled knowledge amassed from thousands of people who have learned from their mistakes. That can only be beneficial.

But the PMP doesn’t address things like soft skills effectively, and for the most part, glosses over them (I did study the PMBOK as part of my work at IBM so I’m familiar with the contents). I think that’s it’s big weakness. Projects are now, and always have been, about people. Granted, it’s tough to include all the sociological aspects of projects as study fodder and still expect students to pass an exam. But that doesn’t mean they’re not equally as essential as project theory.

My only concern with the PMP is the hype it’s gotten among stakeholders and hiring managers that suggests a PMP is a prerequisite to being able to manage a project. Having seen some appalling PMs holding the PMP credential, I think the PMI should be a little more responsible with its marketing. That’s my two cents on it, anyway. :-)
.-= Geoff Crane´s last blog ..I Second That Emotion =-.

]]> By: Geoff Crane http://thecriticalpath.info/2010/03/01/january-pmp-numbers-up-over-6000-in-one-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3083 Geoff Crane Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:52:00 +0000 http://thecriticalpath.info/?p=2285#comment-3083 I think there is value in the PMP. I don't have one, but I must say that knowing and understanding project theory certainly can't hurt a project. Indeed, the contents of the study material are distilled knowledge amassed from thousands of people who have learned from their mistakes. That can only be beneficial. But the PMP doesn't address things like soft skills effectively, and for the most part, glosses over them (I did study the PMBOK as part of my work at IBM so I'm familiar with the contents). I think that's it's big weakness. Projects are now, and always have been, about people. Granted, it's tough to include all the sociological aspects of projects as study fodder and still expect students to pass an exam. But that doesn't mean they're not equally as essential as project theory. My only concern with the PMP is the hype it's gotten among stakeholders and hiring managers that suggests a PMP is a prerequisite to being able to manage a project. Having seen some appalling PMs holding the PMP credential, I think the PMI should be a little more responsible with its marketing. That's my two cents on it, anyway. :-) .-= Geoff Crane´s last blog ..<a href="http://edge.papercutpm.com/2010/03/i-second-that-emotion/" rel="nofollow">I Second That Emotion</a> =-. I think there is value in the PMP. I don’t have one, but I must say that knowing and understanding project theory certainly can’t hurt a project. Indeed, the contents of the study material are distilled knowledge amassed from thousands of people who have learned from their mistakes. That can only be beneficial.

But the PMP doesn’t address things like soft skills effectively, and for the most part, glosses over them (I did study the PMBOK as part of my work at IBM so I’m familiar with the contents). I think that’s it’s big weakness. Projects are now, and always have been, about people. Granted, it’s tough to include all the sociological aspects of projects as study fodder and still expect students to pass an exam. But that doesn’t mean they’re not equally as essential as project theory.

My only concern with the PMP is the hype it’s gotten among stakeholders and hiring managers that suggests a PMP is a prerequisite to being able to manage a project. Having seen some appalling PMs holding the PMP credential, I think the PMI should be a little more responsible with its marketing. That’s my two cents on it, anyway. :-)
.-= Geoff Crane´s last blog ..I Second That Emotion =-.

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