About the Project Management Profession and PMP®1
People have been planning and managing projects since the dawn of time. Whenever and wherever civilizations took root, there were projects to manage: buildings to erect, roads to build, laws to write.2
Over time, people realized that the techniques for cost control, timeline development, resource procurement and risk management were applicable to a wide range of projects, whether erecting bridges, rotating crops, or developing mines. These early ideas were the precursors to a set of management techniques we now know as "modern project management".
Organizations are finding that project management provides a way to implement strategy while meeting the increased demands of regulatory oversight and corporate compliance. Professional project management has found its place in today's competitive, global business arena and is considered by some to be "Indispensable for Business Results".
Worldwide there are over 200,000 Project Management Professionals (PMPsŪ) who provide project management services in 120 countries. Many corporations require that for individual advancement within the corporation or for employment, the individual have the PMP accreditation.
To be eligible for the PMP certification, a person must first meet specific education and experience requirements and agree to adhere to a code of professional conduct. The final step in becoming a PMP is passing a multiple-choice examination designed to objectively assess and measure project management knowledge. This computer-based examination is administered globally and has ISO 9002 quality assurance certification.
In addition, those who have been granted the PMP accreditation must apply for renewal every 3 years and meet the ongoing education and development criteria prescribed by PMI's Continuing Certification Requirements Program.
1 "PMP" and the PMP logo are certification marks of the Project Management Institute, which are registered in the United States and other nations
2 From the website of the Project Management Institute: www.pmi.org
