Amber Hickman |
More than 1.5 million people worldwide have received the project management professional (PMP) certification from Project Management Institute (PMI) to date. The accolade demonstrates that they are able to lead campaigns in any industry, but what does it take to become a successful PMP?
John Doran, vice president and portfolio/ programme manager at Mission Essential Group, a provider of intelligence and operations solutions, is a PMP and PMI agile certified practitioner and he believes three core skills are critical to effective project management. “You must know how to develop a structured framework for running projects, establish clear communication with stakeholders, and proactively manage risk and new opportunities,” he says.
Jonathan Sanders, IT project manager for cybersecurity at integrated energy company Entergy, agrees that strong communication and flexibility are key.
“As a project manager I need to be able to clearly and effectively communicate with my teams to make sure we are on the same page and keep stakeholders and sponsors aware of project updates,” he says. “We also need to be flexible to accommodate the potential changes that can arise and know when to adapt or refocus our team.”
Project managers should also keep up to date with new tools and technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to learn how to implement it in their work and capitalise on the new opportunities it provides.
“AI advancements have become an asset in my role, transforming how I plan, automate and execute tasks,” says Doran, who uses various AI tools, including ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to “assist with general writing clarity”. He also uses PMI Infinity, PMI’s AI-powered assistant designed to help project managers throughout their training and work.
“PMI Infinity has become a vital part of my project management toolkit,” says Doran. “For example, I’ve leveraged it for defining project requirements, generating certification-related questions and developing the initial steps of our project processes.”
Meanwhile Sanders is using PMI Infinity to prepare for the PMP exam. “I will ask it to give me a quick quiz of five or ten questions to keep me in the testing mindset throughout my workday,” he explains.
AI also helps Sanders save time in his day-to-day tasks, so he can focus his time to where it’s needed most.
“Another solution that has been a major benefit for me is Tactiq,” he says. “It’s a browser extension that connects to online meeting platforms such as Microsoft Teams and creates a full transcription of my calls. When I am done, the application can then generate a full meeting summary with action items. This not only saves me time, but it also means I don’t have to worry about writing down everything that is said, giving me the freedom to actively participate in the conversation.”
PMI also supports PMPs with a range of resources, such as webinars, online courses and its A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge publication.
“These resources keep me motivated, updated on the current industry best practices and connected with a global network of project professionals,” says Doran.
Project managers who are still working towards their PMP certification also have access to PMI Study Hall, which Sanders says has been an “amazing resource that has made preparing for the PMP easier and less intimidating”.
In addition to using these resources, professionals can also take other proactive steps to further their project management knowledge and skills.
“Networking is essential,” says Doran. “It opens doors to mentorship, knowledge sharing and career growth. I’d advise starting with local PMI chapters, then expanding to regional and global involvement.”
Sanders agrees. “There are so many amazing and knowledgeable project managers out there from whom you can gain so much insight, just by attending a few meetings a year.”
Sanders also emphasises the importance of “being curious with technology”.
“Technology can help us in so many ways, but if you don’t jump in and try it, you will never discover what benefits you could receive from just a little trial and error,” he says.
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