The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the authority in the area of Project Management (PM) and has created the leading standards on PM including the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). PMBOK is an internationally IEEE recognized standard and it is the standard used in establishing the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
If the above paragraph doesn't make your head spin, just look into the requirements for PMP certification. I've been reading numerous articles and blog posts about whether such certification is necessary and worth the investment. One PMP holder suggests that the cost for certification can reach up to $5000 plus a huge investment in time!
I think of the PM's I have worked with over the years and none (including myself) are PMP certified. Yet, many articles I've read seem to indicate that PMP certification is starting to become very important in the marketplace. I quote one author who says, "The exam tests you on PMI's terminology, processes, and process boundaries. What the PMP does not demonstrate is our competency as project managers or our skills in applying our competencies in real-world situations."1 This, however, can be said of most certifications I believe.
I've read a few articles that make the case for PMP certification. These mostly have to do with personal, professional advancement. One author presents common excuses, my favorite of which was this, "PMP sounds too much like "p1mp," and I don't condone e$_cort services." (Note: I've purposefully changed the text hoping it will prevent any offensive AdSense ads).
Anyway, what I'm wondering, and intend to research, is this question. How important is having PMP certified staff in software development /consulting organizations that provide the entire development team to its clients?
More later.