Tools for Success

 

The information given here, reflects the conditions at the time it has been written. For the latest information, please visit PMI’s Certifications section.

 

Certifications offered by the PMI can be important tools for professionals in project management who want to:

• Gain a greater understanding of the tools available in the field and their specific use in order to improve their professional performance;
• Show that their experience and knowledge in project management are certified by international standards;
• Demonstrate their interest in project management and comply with its practices;
• Distinguish themselves from other candidates on job application, recruitment and promotion processes.

 

The PMI offers eight different certifications to professionals with many different experiences, interests and needs. None of the certification requires the validation of others beforehand.

 

Did you know that PMI-Montréal offers preparatory courses for PMI certifications since 1990? For more information on the different courses offered by PMI-Montréal, please visit our Training section.

 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL (PMP)®

 

PMP^® is considered to be the main reference in project management in the world. It is the most exhaustive certification as it does not focus on one specific type of methodology or field in project management. The PMP^® certification is for experienced professionals, who have led project teams and have been responsible for all the different aspects of a project delivery.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to take the PMP^® exam, candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Hold university degree;
• Have 4,500 working hours in leading and directing projects;
• Have completed a 35 hours training in project management.

OR

• Hold a CPD or high school diploma (or equivalent);
• Have 7,500 working hours in leading and directing projects;
• Have completed 35 hours of training in project management.

 

Application process

Candidates must submit an online application showing the experience and training in project management they have gained over the past 8 years. PMI then evaluates and confirms the eligibility of the candidates to take the exam. Half of the files are chosen randomly for further verification. If an application is chosen to be audited, the candidate is notified and has 90 days to show the documents and evidence needed. After receiving a confirmation, candidates’ professional experience will be assessed by a panel of experts that will decide whether they can register to take the exam at the regional Prometric center. For more information, please visit PMI’s PMP^® website.

 

Exam fees (2018)

• PMI member: US$ 405.00
• Non-member: US$ 555.00 

 

Maintaining the certification

The PMP^® title must be renewed every 3 years. During that period of time, holders of the title must gather 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs).

 

PMI-Montréal offers to review one’s application to the PMP exam. In order to take advantage of this service, please visit Coaching Services section.

 

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL (PgMP)®

 

As a project manager has gained enough experience to deal with several related projects coordinately in order to further the strategic and business objectives of her organization, he/she can think about obtaining the Program Management Professional (PgMP)^® certification.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to take the PgMP^® exam, candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Hold university degree;
• Have 6,000 working hours in project management;
• Have 6,000 working hours in program management.

OR

• Hold a CPD or high school diploma (or equivalent);
• Have 6,000 working hours in project management;
• Have 10,500 working hours in program management.

 

Application process

Candidates must submit an online application showing their experience in project and program management over the past 4 to 8 years. PMI then evaluates and confirms the eligibility of the candidates to take the exam. Half of the files are chosen randomly for further verification. If an application is chosen to be audited, the candidate is notified and has 90 days to show the documents and evidence needed. After receiving a confirmation, candidates’ professional experience will be assessed by a panel of experts that will decide whether they can register to take the exam at the regional Prometric center. For more information, please visit PMI’s PgMP^® website.

 

Exam fees (2018)

• PMI member: US$ 800.00 
• Non-member: US$ 1,000.00

 

Maintaining the certification

The PgMP^® title must be renewed every 3 years. During that period of time, holders of the title must gain 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs).

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL (PfMP)®

 

Whether you are a senior practitioner or a board member managing a portfolio of projects and programs that have been selected to successfully contribute to the strategy of your organisation, you can consider obtaining the Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)^® certification.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to take PfMP^® exam, candidates must have at least 8 years of experience in business and meet the following conditions:

• Hold 4-year university degree;
• Have 6,000 working hours in portfolio management.

OR

• Hold a CPD or high school diploma (or equivalent);
• Have 10,500 working hours in portfolio management.

 

Application process

Candidates must submit an online application showing their experience in business for 8 years minimum, and in portfolio management over the past 4 to 8 years. PMI then evaluates and confirms the eligibility of the candidates to take the exam. Half of the files are chosen randomly for further verification. If an application is chosen to be audited, the candidate is notified and has 90 days to show the documents and evidence needed. After receiving a confirmation, candidates’ professional experience will be assessed by a panel of experts that will decide whether they can register to take the exam at the regional Prometric center. For more information, please visit PMI’s PfMP^® website.

 

Exam fees (2018)

• PMI member: US$ 800.00 
• Non-member: US$ 1,000.00

 

Maintaining the certification

The PfMP^® title must be renewed every 3 years. During that period of time, holders of the title must gain 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs).

 

CERTIFIED ASSOCIATE PROJECT MANAGER (CAPM)®

 

CAPM^® is designed for beginners in the project management field, as well as for members of project teams and students with little to no experience. There is little conditions and students can submit one application form to join PMI as a student member and take the CAPM exam at the member discount rate.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to take the CAPM^® exam, candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Hold CPD or high school diploma (or equivalent);
• Have 1,500 working hours in project management.

OR

• Have completed 23 hours of training in project management.

 

Application process

Candidates must submit an online application showing either their experience, or trainings in project management over the past years. PMI then evaluates and confirms the eligibility of the candidates to take the exam. Half of the files are chosen randomly for further verification. If an application is chosen to be audited, the candidate is notified and has 90 days to show the documents and evidence needed. After receiving a confirmation, candidates’ professional experience will be assessed by a panel of experts that will decide whether they can register to take the exam at the regional Prometric center. For more information, please visit PMI’s CAPM^® website.

 

Exam fees (2018)

• PMI member: US$ 225.00 
• Non-member: US$ 300.00 

 

Maintaining the certification

The CAPM^® title must be renewed every 5 years. To do so, holders must retake the exam.

 

PMI PROFESSIONAL IN BUSINESS ANALYSIS (PMI-PBA)®

 

Business analytics is becoming an increasingly important skill in project management. Thanks to the PMI-PBA^® certification, your expertise in business analytics will be emphasized. It helps to demonstrate your abilities in defining the operational requirements, delivering project outcomes and producing successful business results.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to take the PMI-PBA^® exam, candidates must not only have a minimum of 2,000 working hours among project management teams but also meet the following conditions:

• Hold 4-year university degree;
• Have 4,500 working hours in business analytics;
• Have completed 35 hours of training in business analytics.

OR

• Hold a CPD or high school diploma (or equivalent);
• Have 7,500 working hours in business analytics;
• Have completed 35 hours of training in business analytics.

 

Application process

Candidates must submit an online application showing their experience in business analytics over the past 8 years. PMI then evaluates and confirms the eligibility of the candidates to take the exam. Half of the files are chosen randomly for further verification. If an application is chosen to be audited, the candidate is notified and has 90 days to show the documents and evidence needed. After receiving a confirmation, candidates’ professional experience will be assessed by a panel of experts that will decide whether they can register to take the exam at the regional Prometric center. For more information, please visit PMI’s PMI-PBA^® website.

 

Exam fees (2018)

• PMI member: US$ 405.00
• Non-member: US$ 555.00 

 

Maintaining the certification

The PMI-PBA^® title must be renewed every 3 years. During that period of time, holders of the title must gather 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) in the business analytics field.

 

PMI AGILE CERTIFIED PRACTITIONER (PMI-ACP)®

 

If you are an experienced user of Agile methods and you would like to strengthen your versatility, PMI-ACP^® certification was designed to validate your skills.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to take the PMI-ACP^® exam, candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Hold at least 2,000 working hours in project management over the past 5 years. If you already hold a PMP^® or PgMP^® certification, your experience is automatically approved by the PMI;
• Have a minimum of 1,500 hours of experience in Agile project management over the past 3 years;
• Have completed a training of 21 hours in Agile practices.

 

Application process

Candidates must submit an online application showing their experience in project management, and Agile projects in particular, over the past 5 years. The PMI then evaluates and confirms the eligibility of the candidates to take the exam. Half of the files are chosen randomly for further verification. If an application is chosen to be audited, the candidate is notified and has 90 days to show the documents and evidence needed. After receiving a confirmation, candidates’ professional experience will be assessed by a panel of experts that will decide whether they can register to take the exam at the regional Prometric center. For more information, please visit PMI’s PMI-ACP^® website.

 

Exam fees (2018)

• PMI member: US$ 435.00 
• Non-member: US$ 495.00 

 

Maintaining the certification

The PMI-ACP^® title must be renewed every 3 years. During that period of time, holders of the title must gain 30 Professional Development Units (PDUs) on topics related to Agile methodologies.

 

PMI RISK MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL (PMI-RMP)®

 

With projects’ globalization and their increasing complexity, a manager who can effectively deal with risks becomes an important asset for any organization. The PMI-RMP^® certification acknowledges your expertise and skills in identifying and evaluating projects’ risks, and in designing strategies to limit the threats and take advantage of the opportunities.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to take the PMI-RMP^®, exam, candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Hold 4-year university degree;
• Have 3,000 working hours in project management;
• Have completed 30 hours of training in risk management.

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• Hold CPD or high school diploma (or equivalent);
• Have 4,500 working hours in project management;
• Have completed 40 hours of training in risk management.

 

Application process

Candidates must submit an online application showing their experience in risk management over the past 5 years. PMI then evaluates and confirms the eligibility of the candidates to take the exam. Half of the files are chosen randomly for further verification. If an application is chosen to be audited, the candidate is notified and has 90 days to show the documents and evidence needed. After receiving a confirmation, candidates’ professional experience will be assessed by a panel of experts that will decide whether they can register to take the exam at the regional Prometric center. For more information, please visit PMI’s PMI-RMP® website.

 

Exam fees (2018)

• PMI member: US$ 520.00 
• Non-member: US$ 670.00 

 

Maintaining the certification

The PMI-RMP^® title must be renewed every 3 years. During that period of time, holders of the title must gather 30 Professional Development Units (PDUs) in the specific field of risk management.

 

PMI SCHEDULING PROFESSIONAL (PMI-SP)®

 

Project schedules are a major aspect of project management. Nowadays, projects (and teams) are increasingly globalized and virtual, and, as such, the establishment of a schedule is a key element to manage activities, resources, dependencies and eventually the result of a project. The PMI-SP^® certification acknowledges your expertise and skills in effectively dealing with project timelines.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to take the PMI-SP^® exam, candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Hold 4-year university degree;
• Have 3,500 working hours in project scheduling;
• Have completed 30 hours of training on the topic of project scheduling.

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• Hold CPD or high school diploma (or equivalent);
• Have 5,000 working hours in project scheduling;
• Have completed 40 hours of training on the topic of project scheduling.

 

Application process

Candidates must submit an online application showing their experience in project timelines management over the past 5 years. PMI then evaluates and confirms the eligibility of the candidates to take the exam. Half of the files are chosen randomly for further verification. If an application is chosen to be audited, the candidate is notified and has 90 days to show the documents and evidence needed. After receiving a confirmation, candidates’ professional experience will be assessed by a panel of experts that will decide whether they can register to take the exam at the regional Prometric center. For more information, please visit PMI’s PMI-SP^® website.

 

Exam fees (2018)

• PMI member: US$ 520.00 
• Non-member: US$ 670.00 

 

Maintaining the certification

The PMI-RMP^® title must be renewed every 3 years. During that period of time, holders of the title must gather 30 Professional Development Units (PDUs) in the specific field of project scheduling.

 

As we have seen in previous sections, all project management professionals who have obtained a certification (except the CAPM^®) must declare their PDUs (Professional Development Units) to the PMI every 3 years to keep it valid. Each unit refers to an hour of professional development activity.

 

The following table gives a brief overview of all the certifications that require the acquisition of new PDUs, showing how many are required for each of them and the constraints regarding each specific field, according to PMI’s Continuing Certifications Requirements:

 

 

PDU		Category		Skill	Min.	Max.	Notes
PMP® PgMP® PfMP® PMI-PBA®	60 PDUs	Give back to the community	25 PDUsmax.	Working as a professional	0	8	Work as a project manager in your field
				Creating knowledge	0	25
				Volunteering	0	25
		Education	35 PDUs min.	Technical project management	8	No limit	You can earn all your 60 PDUs in this field
				Leadership	8	No limit
				Strategic and business management	8	No limit
PMI-ACP® PMI-RMP® PMI-SP®	30 PDUs	Give back to the community	12 PDUs max.	Working as a professional	0	4	Work as a project manager in your field
				Creating knowledge	0	12
				Volunteering	0	12
		Education	18 PDUs min.	Technical	4	No limit	You can earn all your 30 PDUs in this field
				Leadership	4	No limit
				Strategic and business management	4	No limit

For an infographic version of this table, please visit PMI’s website.

 

Earning PDUs is the process adopted by the PMI to ensure that you actively work on maintaining your knowledge, and that you contribute effectively to the project management community. The number of PDUs required to renew your certifications every 3 years can be easily obtained.

 

PMI-Montréal offers several activities to encourage its members keep their certifications, such as the Symposium and PMI Morning Conferences (“Education”), as well as many opportunities to volunteer and give conferences (“Give back to the community”). For more information on PMI-Montréal’s activities, please visit this Guide’s section named “Being part of the project management community”. [add link]

 

PMI have two different categories of PDUs. Although you must always obtain some PDUs in the “Education” category, earning them in “Give back to the community” category is not mandatory.

 

In “Give back to the community”, there are several ways to obtain PDUs:

• By working as a professional in the field;
• By creating and sharing knowledge (books, articles, presentations, webinars, blogs, etc.);
• By presenting at an event on project management;
• By volunteering at activities organized by the PMI (and PMI-Montréal in particular).

 

In “Education”, there are also several ways to earn PDUs. However, it is worth noting that it is now mandatory to obtain at least 8 units in each of the following skills category, as defined by the PMI Talent Triangle^®:

• Technical project management;
• Leadership;
• Strategic and business management.

 

Other units needed to meet the minimum requirements can be obtained in any of these skills. There is no limit regarding the number of PDUs that can be earned in this category, and the following activities are possible ways of doing so:

• Course or training given preferably by one of the PMI’s registered education providers (R.E.P.). More information related to R.E.P. partners that are recognized by the PMI in Quebec, please visit the R.E.P. section.
• Professional development events related to your field of work. PMI and PMI-Montréal organize many activities throughout the year – such as the annual Symposium;
• Online and digital media offer a lot of learning materials that can help you progress at your own pace. One of your main providers should be the com platform. If you are a PMI member, every PDU earned will be registered automatically;
• Reading books, articles, blogs, white papers and other resources related to project management. You must keep track of and register your reading activities;
• Informal learning such as sharing knowledge, information and more structured discussions with other professionals.

 

For more information on how to maintain PMI certifications, please visit the PDU section.

 

For a complete information on the PMI’s Continuous Certification Requirements (CCR) and Professional Development Units (PDUs), please read PMI’s official handbook.

As other fields, project management is in constant evolution. For that matter, it is paramount for a project manager to stay in touch with the latest tools and methods. A good way to learn new strategies and skills, is to read books on the topic.

 

Creating a list of the best books on project management is not easy. Firstly, there is a huge variety of book helping project managers to improve their skills. Secondly, the idea of what makes a good, insightful read is very subjective. How to choose and where to start? What matters first is to select books that are adapted to your level of expertise, your field of activity and your own experience in project management.

 

In order to list some essential books, we have asked recommendations from experienced project managers and conducted researches on specialized websites. The following list is not exhaustive but gives a good idea of where to start from. The following 25 mentioned titles are written in their original language and are in no specific order.

 

	Title	Author(s)	Overview
1	PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition	Project Management Institute	●      The most recommended book by experienced project managers. ●      The most important source of reference if you want to take the PMP exam. ●      Available in several languages.
2	Project Management for Non-Project Managers	Jack Ferraro	●      Great book for managers who do not necessarily have experience in project management but would like to learn more on the topic.
3	Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager	Kory Kogon, Suzette Blakemore and James Wood	●      Very quick and concise read. ●      Like the previous book, this one is suitable for anyone who must manage a project without really having the exact title.
4	Réussir vos projets — 20 pratiques gagnantes en gestion de projets d’affaires	Pierre Boivin	●      Excellent practical guide written in French. ●      This book gathers many suggestions, advices, tips, techniques, tools and other practical and approved means.
5	Le guide du PCO	Fabienne Polonovski, Amirouche Sellam and Sebastien Halil	●      An essential one for everyone who wants to deepen their knowledge in project controlling. ●      Through the story of three different characters, you will discover the roles and responsibilities of three project controllers or PCOs.
6	The Project Management Answer Book	Jeff Furman	●      The author has more than 15 years of experience in IT projects management; so, you can be sure that he knows a thing or two on the topic. ●      This book focuses primarily on the main principles of project management, with a lot of relevant examples.
7	Project Management: Absolute Beginner’s Guide (4th Edition)	Greg Horine	●      This guide aims at providing new professionals in the field with a faster, more affordable and more accessible way of managing projects. ●      It is a lighter and easier-to-read version of the PMBOK® Guide.
8	Making Things Happen: Mastering Project Management	Scott Berkun	●      Essays collection based on the author’s experience as a program manager for Microsoft. ●      It covers fundamental principles such as effective communication, decision-making, planning and problem-solving.
9	Strategic Project Management Made Simple – Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams	Terry Schmidt	●      A quick, inspiring and practical read. ●      It gives you effective tips to avoid or correct deficient projects.
10	L’essentiel de la gestion de projet	Roger Aïm	●      The first part is mainly an analysis of the concept of “project” and its historical and economical evolution. ●      The second part looks at different methods of project management and organization, including handling risks, conducting a meeting and setting up a dashboard.
11	The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management	Eric Verzuh	●      This book is for beginners as well as for those who already have some experience but want to consolidate their knowledge. ●      It is an exhaustive book that is often used in addition to the PMBOK® Guide in many academic contexts.
12	Brilliant Project Management (Brilliant Business) 3rd Revised Edition	Stephen Barker et Rob Cole	●      This book is for experienced project directors. ●      Both authors together have 40 years of experience and share lessons they learned the hard way. ●      It is a good book to read if you are managing a team of project managers.
13	Gestion de projet agile, avec scrum, lean, extreme programming — 4e édition	Véronique Messager-Rota	●      If you want to start using Agile methodologies, this book is made for you. ●      These methods are increasingly used and valued, notably for their flexibility and their focus on the client’s needs and requirements.
14	Agile Change Management: A Practical Framework for Successful Change Planning and Implementation	Melanie Franklin	●      Another great book on the Agile methodology. This one was written in English.
15	Essential Scrum, A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process	Kenneth S. Rubin	●      This book gathers everything you need to know about the Scrum methodology.
16	Pratiques de management de projet — 46 outils et techniques pour prendre la bonne décision	Vincent Drecq	●      This book is for project managers of all levels. ●      It helps you improve your skills in project management, by showing you all the necessary tools to run a project efficiently. ●      These techniques can be adapted to all types of projects and allow everyone to increase the chances of success of their project.
17	The Phoenix Project, A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win	Gene Kim, Kevin Behr and George Spafford	·         Best for IT project managers. ·         This bestseller teaches project management principles, through a fictional story. ·         Considered a must in the technology world.
18	Construction Management JumpStart: The Best First Step Toward a Career in Construction Management 2nd Edition	Barbara J. Jackson	·         For project managers in the construction sector. ·         Written by an expert who has gained 20 years of experience as a licensed contractor. ·         This book will teach you topics such as sustainable projects and Building Information Modeling (BIM).
19	Project Management JumpStart	Kim Heldman	·         This book offers a clear and practical introduction to the complex world of the project management. ·         Fully revised to align with the sixth edition of the PMBOK® Guide.
20	Interactive Project Management, Pixels, People, and Process	Nancy Lyons and Meghan Wilker	·         This book is intended for digital project management, marketing and advertising. ·         The methods illustrated in this book are different because the digital industry is relatively new.
21	Managing the PMO Lifecycle — 2nd Edition	Waffa Karkukly	·         This book presents different steps to organize and set up a Project Management Office (PMO). ·         If you have to establish or maintain a PMO or if you want to measure its benefits on business strategies, this book is for you.
22	Project Management for Small Business	Joseph Phillips	·         This book is for project managers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ·         It is easy to understand, based on practical experience, and simplifies the concepts behind the project management philosophy.
23	Alpha Project Managers, What the Top 2% Know That Everyone Else Does Not	Andy Crowe	·         This well-researched book provides insight into what distinguishes these best project leaders from us and how we can bridge the gap. ·         Very good insight on how to succeed in project management.
24	Project Management for You: How to Turn Your Ideas Into Reality, Deliver On Your Promises, and Get Things Done	Cesar Abeid	·         Book that includes personal examples and stories that facilitate the understanding of project management best practices. ·         Excellent reading to apply project management principles in all areas of life.
25	Rescue the Problem Project: A Complete Guide to Identifying, Preventing, and Recovering from Project Failure	Todd C. Williams	·         This book is a very good resource for identifying problems on projects and applicable approaches to solve them. ·         It includes tips on how to manage problematic projects and use objective data.

 

REFERENCES FOR THIS SECTION

 

Aston, Ben (Dec. 6, 2016). Project Management Books: 20 Best Books for Project Managers, on the website The Digital Project Manager. Retrieved on Apr. 2018.

https://thedigitalprojectmanager.com/project-management-books-20-best-books-for-project-managers/

 

5 meilleurs livres de gestion de projet (no date), on the site Sirius Conseils. Retrieved on Apr. 2018.

http://www.siriusconseils.com/fr/livres/5-meilleurs-livres

 

Galiana, David (Dec. 5, 2017). 6 livres incontournables sur la gestion de projet, on the Planzone website. Retrieved on Apr. 2018.

https://www.planzone.fr/blog/livres-incontournables-gestion-projet

 

Macchi, Tim (May 1^st, 2017). 13 Best Project Management Books for All Types of Project Managers, on the TeamGantt site. Retrieved in Apr. 2018.

https://www.teamgantt.com/blog/project-management-books

 

Nieuwland, Jackson (June 16, 2017). 27 Best Project Management Books To Read in 2018, on the Workzone site. Retrieved on Apr. 2018.

https://www.workzone.com/blog/project-management-books/