Does PMP certification impact project success?

Posted by lward on Jul 22, 2022 in PMChat Bloggers, Uncategorized | Comments Off

In the United States legal system, when a person is being tried for a criminal offense, in order to be found guilty, the standard of proof is “beyond any reasonable doubt.” In a civil case, the proof is “by a preponderance of the evidence,” a lower standard (and for good reason). When people ask me, and they do all the time, if PMP certification (or any PM certification for tha matter) impacts project success, I’m very careful in how I respond. I first say that I have never come across any study or claim by any one person or group that categorically states that PMP certification positively impacts project success. However, I’ve come across some information lately that suggests that there is a link between the PMP and better project outcomes; namely, A 2006 PriceWaterhouseCoopers survey found that “higher performing projects are significantly more likely to be staffed with certified PMs” PMP Pulse of the Profession Report 2012 found that organizations who have over 35% of their PMs certified have a 72% project success rate (compared to 64% success generally) IBM, which has the greatest number of PMPs than any other organization (approx. 15,000), reports that although they don’t link certifications with better project outcomes, certified PMs have higher rankings on performance reviews and their projects turn out better. While these data points don’t even rise to the “by a preponderance of the evidence” standard, they do provide some directional information regarding the PMP and project success. My view is that organizations that support the PMP also support many of the other components we know need to be in place to improve project management: training, tools, process, and a culture that supports projects

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Does PMP certification impact project success?