Project Management Institute

Overview

The PMI provides services including the development of standards, research, education, publication, networking-opportunities in local chapters, hosting conferences and training seminars, and providing accreditation in project management.

PMI has recruited volunteers to create industry standards, such as "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge", which has been recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). In 2012 ISO adapted the project management processes from the PMBOK Guide 4th edition.

History

In the 1960s project management as such began to be used in the aerospace, construction and defense industries. The Project Management Institute was founded by Ned Engman (McDonnel Douglas Automation), James Snyder and Susan Gallagher (SmithKline & French Laboratories), Eric Jenett (Brown & Root) and J Gordon Davis (Georgia Institute of Technology) at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1969 as a nonprofit organization. It was incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania in the same year. PMI described its objectives in 1975 as to "foster recognition of the need for professionalism in project management; provide a forum for the free exchange of project management problems, solutions and applications; coordinate industrial and academic research efforts; develop common terminology and techniques to improve communications; provide interface between users and suppliers of hardware and software systems; and to provide guidelines for instruction and career development in the field of project management."

In the 1970s standardization efforts represented 10 to 15 percent of the Institute's efforts. The functions were performed through the Professional Liaison Committee which called on and coordinated with the Technology, Research Policy and Education Committees. The institute participated in national activities through the American National Standards Committee XK 36.3 and internationally, through liaison with an appointed observer to Europe's International Project Management Association, by then called INTERNET. PMI did not deal with the US Federal Government directly; a number of members were Federal employees in agencies involved with project management.

In the 1980s, efforts were made to standardize project management procedures and approaches. The PMI produced the first Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) in 1996.

In the late 1990s Virgil R. Carter became president of the PMI. During his incumbency the number of members tripled to 90,000 members from 120 countries around the globe. In 2002 Carter was succeeded by Gregory Balestrero, who directed the Institute into the next decade. The current president is Mark Langley.The number of members tripled again to 260,000 members from 150 countries in 2008. The membership in 2015 exceeds 467,000 in 204 countries.

Credentialing and certification

Launched in 1984, PMI's first credential was the PMP. It has since become a de facto standard certification, along with the PRINCE2 certification, in project management. In 2007 it earned the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). As of 2016 over 710,000 people held the PMP credential.

PMI later introduced many other credentials and a certification. Credential holders do not have to be members of PMI.

To initially obtain a PMI credential, candidates must first document that they have met required education and experience requirements. They must then pass an examination consisting of multiple choice questions. To maintain most PMI credentials, holders must earn Professional Development Units (PDUs), which can be earned in a variety of ways such as taking classes, attending PMI global congresses, contributing to professional research or writing and publishing papers on the subject. Most credentials must be renewed every three years. These are the certifications and credentials offered by PMI (there is an up-to-date list at the PMI web site):

Credentials:

Certification:

Standards

The standards PMI develop and publish fall into three main categories:

Here is a list of the standards belonging to each category:

Foundational Standards

Practice Standards and Frameworks

PMI Standards Extensions

Combined Standards Glossary

PMI publishes a combined glossary listing acronyms, terms and definitions:

According to PMI, standards are developed by volunteers in an open, consensus-based process including a public exposure draft process that allows the standard draft to be viewed and changes suggested.

Awards

PMI honors project management excellence in various categories, i.e.: project professionals, organizations, scholars, authors and continuing professional education providers. Awards are granted during PMI North America Congress each year in November.