All You Need To Know About PDUs Under PMI Talent Triangle™
10005- by KnowledgeHut
- 18th Mar, 2019
- Last updated on 22nd May, 2019
Earning a PMP® certification is a big step in your professional growth. But that’s not the end of your PMP® certification journey. You need to renew your credentials every three years in order to continue being PMP® certified by meeting the PDU requirements under PMI’s Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR).
The increasingly competitive and complex global market demands more than technical skills from you. Companies seek added skills in business intelligence and leadership to meet long-term strategic objectives. The PMI Talent Triangle™ involves the ideal skill set and is a combination of technical, leadership, and strategic and business management expertise. You must develop these employer-demanded skills to stay relevant and competitive in the current market scenario.
This blog will discuss how you can maintain the required PDUs under the CCR program by acquiring all the competencies mentioned under the PMI Talent Triangle™.
PMI Talent Triangle™ and PDUs
PMI continuously tries to keep its project management certifications relevant to the industry and organisation needs. And in order to do so, it takes inputs from industry veterans to keep updating the content and pattern of exams. The Project Management Institute (PMI) developed and announced its Talent Triangle™ in the year 2015. PMI clearly declared the areas of competence that a current-day project manager needs to consider.
The combination of skills valued by employers as highlighted by the PMI Talent Triangle™ are technical, leadership, and strategic and business management. This framework plays a pivotal role in your ongoing professional development.
The competencies can be defined as follows:
1. Technical: This competency comprises of knowledge, skills, and behaviours related to the specific domains of program, project, and portfolio management. It involves the technical aspects of performing your job or role.
2. Leadership: This competency comprises of the knowledge, behaviours, and skills involved in the ability to motivate, guide, and direct others to achieve a goal.
3. Strategic and Business Management: This competency comprises of the knowledge and expertise within the organisation which helps you to align your team in a way that enhances performance and ensures better delivery of business outcomes.
You must renew your PMP® certification after a period of every 3 years. Project Management Institute (PMI) simplifies this process by awarding Professional Development Units (PDUs) which you need to claim by continuing education and giving back to the profession.
The Professional Development Units (PDUs) are one-hour blocks of time which you need to claim by learning, teaching others or volunteering. You can maintain your certification status with PMI by accumulating these PDUs over a period of 3 years.
You can claim the PDUs for renewing your credentials in two ways, namely, education and giving back to the profession. The PDUs under these categories are as follows:
| Category | PDUs |
|---|---|
| Education | 35 |
| Giving back to the profession | 25 |
The activities and courses included under the three components of the PMI Talent Triangle™ are as follows:
| Technical | Leadership | Business & Strategic Management |
|---|---|---|
| Life Cycle Management | Coaching & Mentoring | Customer relationship & satisfaction |
| Time, Scope, Risk Management | Problem Solving | Benefits Realisation |
| Estimation | Team Building | Legal & Regulatory compliance |
| Agile Practices | Emotional Intelligence | Strategic planning & analysis |
| Governance | Conflict Management | Operational Functions |
| Data gathering and modeling | Brainstorming | Business acumen |
| Earned value management | Influencing | Competitive analysis |
| Performance Management | Listening | Market awareness |
| Interpersonal skills | Business models and structures |
There are numerous options available under education and giving back to the profession which allows you to earn the required PDUs to meet the CCR program confirmed by PMI:
| CCR Claim Category | Activity Details |
|---|---|
| Education | Attend Course or Training (Physical Classroom/online) |
| Education | Organisation Meetings (Max 2 PDUs) |
| Education | Online or Digital Media |
| Education | Online or Digital Media Self-Read - Reading Project Management |
| Education | Informal learning |
| Giving Back | Work as a Practitioner - Working in your certified role (Max 8 PDUs) |
| Giving Back | Create content - Creating new knowledge resources |
| Giving Back | Giving presentations |
| Giving Back | Share Knowledge - Mentoring, Teaching, Allying Knowledge |
| Giving Back | Volunteer - At PMI or other not for profit organisation |
The educational activities are aligned with the areas under the PMI Talent Triangle™ by spending at least 8 hours of effort or claim 8 PDUs for each one of Technical, leadership, and strategic areas. Do you need more clarification on the PDUs distributed across all the three areas?
The following chart will give you more clarity:
| Activities in Giving Back | PDUs to maintain your PMP® certification |
|---|---|
| Create Content - Creating new knowledge resources, giving presentation, and share knowledge | 25 (Maximum) |
| Volunteer - At PMI or other not for profit organisation | 25 (Maximum) |
| Work as a Practitioner - Working in your certified role | 8 (Maximum) |
| Total PDUs for giving back | 25 |
Ways to earn PDUs through Education
You can earn PDUs under the CCR program by choosing from numerous opportunities and ways provided by PMI. They are:
1. Course or training: You can earn PDUs by participating in educational training courses, which is a traditional and effective way to continue your learning. Earn 1 PDU by attending 1 hour of course or training and you need to report each course separately.
2. Organisation meetings: PMI chapters and other third parties host professional meetings throughout the year on a local basis. These meetings include educational components and provide you with the opportunity to learn and network. PDUs which you can earn by participating in the organisational meetings are typically limited to 1 to 2.
3. Online or digital media: There are numerous online educational webinars, videos, and other types of digital content which are available online and on demand. Technology allows you to customise your learning and educational opportunities according to your schedule and needs. Every hour of learning is equivalent to 1 PDU.
4. Read: You can stay informed and support your ongoing professional development by reading books, articles, whitepapers, or blogs. Reading is a valuable component of learning and you can find countless reading materials related to PMP® certification. You earn 1 PDU with every hour of learning.
5. Informal learning: Engage yourself in professional discussions with other PMP® professionals and earn PDUs while getting mentored or participating in a “lunch and learn” session with your organisation. 1 hour of learning is equivalent to 1 PDU.
Ways to earn PDUs by giving back to the profession
In order to meet the required PDUs under the CCR program, you need to choose from one of the following ways or opportunities offered by PMI under the category of giving back to the profession:
1. Work as a Practitioner: You can apply your knowledge and skills in a practical setting and use these competencies actively in order to contribute towards sustaining and growing the profession. You can earn a maximum of 8 PDUs which can be claimed per cycle.
2. Create Content: You can create new content by authoring books, blogs or articles, or creating webinars or presentations to share your knowledge and insight with others and contribute to ongoing learning. You can earn 1 PDU by spending 1 hour creating the content.
3. Give a Presentation: There are numerous occasions which would allow you to give a formal presentation to others, and share knowledge that relates to your PMP® certification. You can earn 1 PDU every hour which you spend giving presentation.
4. Share Knowledge: Were you aware that you can gain 1 PDU with every hour which you spend sharing knowledge? You grow the profession and enhance the practices that are essential to your certified role by sharing your skills with others. You will benefit others with your experience and perspective by choosing to mentor, teaching, or applying your subject matter knowledge towards an activity. With every hour that you spend sharing knowledge, you can earn 1 PDU.
5. Volunteer: You can serve as a volunteer on a PMI committee or team and support the institute and the profession in a wide range of roles. You can also volunteer your domain-related services to other non-profit organisations. With each hour of volunteer service, you can earn 1 PDU.
Report your PDUs using CCRS
The most efficient way to record your PDUs is by using the Continuing Certification Requirement System (CCRS). It is your responsibility to record your PDU activities as they occur. In order to maintain your active certification status, you must record PDUs and complete the renewal process before your CCR cycle ends. Your certification will be suspended if you do not earn and record the required PDUs within your CCR cycle.
CCR Process
Do you want to know, how the CCR process works? There are a few key steps that encompass the process of participation in the CCR program. They are:
| Step 1 | Earn a PMI certification Your CCR cycle begins on the day you pass your PMP® exam and lasts for 3 years. |
| Step 2 | Participate in professional development activities You need to take part in professional development activities in order to earn PDUs. |
| Step 3 | Record and report PDUs You need to submit your PDU claims for your certification through the CCR system (CCRS). |
| Step 4 | Fulfill CCR requirements You need to earn enough PDUs in order to meet the CCR requirements for your certification. |
| Step 5 | Complete CCR application and pay renewal fee You’ll receive information from PMI for renewal and provide payment |
| Step 6 | CCR Renewal Complete You need to follow guidelines in order to continue maintaining your certification. |
To wrap it up
As a PMP® certified professional, you must understand that PMI wants to ensure that PMP® exam is an accurate reflection of the knowledge, tasks, and skills that project management professionals actually need to perform on a daily basis. Further, 20 to 25% of the 200 questions are driven from the new outline changes that come into the picture through the PMI Talent Triangle™. It focuses on aligning the exam questions with the latest project management practices in the market.
The Continuing Certification Requirement (CCR) program allows you to maintain your PMP® certification by earning a specific number of PDUs fixed by PMI. You need to fulfill the requirements by undergoing activities and courses under the two categories, namely, education and giving back to the profession. Moreover, you need to align your 35 PDU requirements with the three skill areas under the PMI Talent Triangle™, namely, technical, leadership, and business and strategic management.
KnowledgeHut
KnowledgeHut is a fast growing Management Consulting and Training firm that is a source of Intelligent Information support for businesses and professionals across the globe.
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PRINCE2® was published in 1996, having been contributed to by an association of some 150 European organisations.PRINCE2® was released in the year 1996 as a common project management method.Since then, it has gained increasing popularity, and now it is a de-facto standard for project management in many UK Government departments and across the United Nations systems as well.After being revised again in the year 2009, the acronym was changed, this time to ‘PRojects IN a Controlled Environment’.Ever since PRINCE2® was launched (1996), it has undergone two significant revisions:‘PRINCE2®:2009 Refresh’ in the year 2009‘PRINCE2® 2017’ Update in 2017Which are the most popular regions for PRINCE2®?As you came to know in the section above, PRINCE2® was born in the UK, and later on, this methodology took many regions of the world by storm. Its simple, yet effective themes, processes, and terminologies have brought a new perspective in the world of project management.Till date, the UK has more PRINCE2® certificate holders than any other country across the globe. But now, there are more certificate holders across the rest of the world.According to the Axelos 2016 report:88% of PRINCE2® certificate holders said it had been valuable to their career85% of practitioners stated that PRINCE2® certification has been useful current roleOver 80% of professionals surveyed see the value of working in an agile way.Meanwhile, along with the massive global presence and momentum of PRINCE2®, there are already many established countries that adopted PRINCE2® .Here are the most traditionally popular PRINCE2® regions:UKThe NetherlandsAustraliaEastern and Western Europe – Poland, Denmark, GermanyIt has been some years now, and PRINCE2® has really strengthened its grip in the economic market of superpowers like India and China. 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Trainers must be re-accredited once in every 3 years and undergo a surveillance check once every year.However, PRINCE2® examinations are either undergone:As a part of a PRINCE2® accredited training course through your PRINCE2® training providerOnlineAt a public PRINCE2® examination centre.Whichever option you select, the PRINCE2® examinations you appear for will have the same style and structure.There are four levels of certification for PRINCE2®:1. PRINCE2® 2017 Foundation: This level of certification confirms that the holder has adequate knowledge and understanding of the method of PRINCE2® and is qualified to work in a project management team using the very method.If you opt for this, then you must be able to:Describe the motive and major content of all roles, the seven principles, the seven themes, and the seven processes.State which management products considered as input or output by using the seven processes.State the main purpose and key contents of the major management products.State the relationships between processes, deliverables, roles, and the management dimensions of a project.2. PRINCE2® 2017 Practitioner: This level of certification confirms that the holder has developed an adequate understanding of the way the concepts of PRINCE2® can be applied in a certain given scenario and will be able to apply the same in a real project scenario under proper guidance. However, qualified PRINCE2® Practitioners who pursue the APMP qualification of the Association for Project Management (APM), are not eligible to attend certain topics of the syllabus, ones that are covered in PRINCE2® Practitioner qualification. If you go for this, then you must be able to:Produce detailed explanations of all principles, themes, and processes and worked examples of all PRINCE2® products as they might be applied to address the particular circumstances of a given project scenario.Show that you comprehend the relationships between principles, themes, and processes and PRINCE2® products and can apply this understanding.Demonstrate that you understand the reasons behind the principles, themes, and processes of PRINCE2® and that you understand the principles underpinning these elements.Demonstrate your ability to tune PRINCE2® to different project circumstances.The examinees are strongly advised to read the book and review the test exams time and time again.3. PRINCE2® Agile Foundation:This level of certification was released in June 2018 and establishes the fact that the holder has sufficient knowledge and understanding of PRINCE2® and the Agile way of working and is able to work in a project management team by combining the concepts of both.4. PRINCE2® Agile Practitioner: This level of certification identifies the holder as being able to implement the principles of PRINCE2® in project management and apply the concepts of Agile, such as Scrum and Kanban.So, in a brief, to get PRINCE2® Agile Foundation or Agile Practitioner certification, you need to:Show that you understand the basic concepts of the common agile ways of workingShow that you understand the purpose and context for combining PRINCE2® and the agile way of workingDemonstrate your ability to fix and flex the six aspects of a project in an agile contextDemonstrate the ability to tailor the PRINCE2® principles, themes, processes and management products to a project in an agile context.You can visit our link to know more about PRINCE2® Foundation and Practitioner Certification TrainingWhat is the process of Examination?Although you were informed about the four levels of certification in the previous section, the examination format varies accordingly.We will provide you with a brief insight on each format and the prerequisites so that you get a general idea about the same before selecting a course with us.So, here are the four examination formats.The PRINCE2® Foundation Examination format:The duration of examination is 60 minutes.There will be a total of 60 questions.It will be a closed-book examination.You will need to have at least 33 out of 60 questions correct, that is, a pass mark of 55%.Prerequisites: There are no specific pre-conditions for the Foundation level certification.You may study this on your own or as take it as a prerequisite to the PRINCE2® Practitioner course.However, with respect to the PRINCE2® Certification Requirements, while it is not mandatory, having a basic knowledge of managing projects is always preferred.The PRINCE2® Practitioner Examination format:The duration of examination is 60 minutes.There will be a total of 68 questionsYou will need to have at least 38 out of 68 questions correct, that is, a pass mark of 55%.It will be an open-book exam (official PRINCE2® manual only).However, if you take the examination in your native language, then the duration of the same will be for 150 minutes. If not, it will be for 188 minutes. The distribution of the questions will be as follows:35 questions from the theme25 questions from the processesAnd 8 questions from the principles.Prerequisites:In order to appear for the PRINCE2® Practitioner examination, you must be able to provide a proof of passing one of the following exams:PRINCE2® FoundationProject Management Professional (PMP)Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)IPMA Level A (Certified Projects Director)IPMA Level B (Certified Senior Project Manager)IPMA Level C (Certified Project Manager)IPMA Level D (Certified Project Management Associate).The PRINCE2® Agile Examination format:It will be an objective test.There will be 50 questions, each worth one mark.You will need a score at least 30 marks to pass (out of 50 available), that is, 60%.The test duration will be of two-and-a-half hours (150 minutes), no additional reading time.It will be an open-book exam (official PRINCE2® Agile guide only)What are the Prerequisites?In order to sit for the PRINCE2® Agile examination, you must have a Registered PRINCE2® Practitioner status (i.e. hold a current PRINCE2® Practitioner certificate).But why should I get PRINCE2® Certified?There are many reasons why it is recommended to study PRINCE2®.The most notable of them are:It is the industry standardIf you are looking to work in project management, then your search ends at PRINCE2®.PRINCE2® is a qualification that is recognised worldwide, one that is approved by the UK government as a best practice for project management. It has turned into an important benchmark of capability within the industry, and is considered an important requirement for those looking to further their project management careers.It helps in gaining First Class Project Management SkillsPRINCE2® offers the skills that will make you confident about managing projects with success. The key element it follows is using a common language, systems, and procedures. What results is you being able to govern resources and risks with fewer mistakes, but the incidents will teach you and your team how to learn from the same mistakes.Irrespective of the type of project, organisation, or industry one is involved with, PRINCE2® is adaptable enough to be seamlessly adjusted, not to forget the immense amount of time, money, and effort it saves.The time taken for you to qualify will not take longIt will not take you long to complete all the certifications of PRINCE2®. Their duration is from 20 to 50 hours for the entry-level PRINCE2® Foundation level, two to three days for the PRINCE2® Practitioner and Professional levels.The first level can be studied online. You can take your own time in scheduling your studies according to the time table. However, if you desire to finish your qualifications at a quicker pace, then there are a host of bundled packages having different classifications together.It assists you in shaping your career by getting better jobsHaving a PRINCE2® certification adds credibility to your CV. It is a renowned international product which has the quality method for managing any project. According to Arras People's 2011 survey, half of the people who opted for the same have certifications in PRINCE2®. This clearly explains why so many companies are hiring candidates who are certified in PRINCE2®.The 2016 AXELOS PRINCE2® survey shows that a majority of the surveyees, particularly from Germany and the Netherlands, felt that PRINCE2® certification is essential for a better career growth. The ones to opine otherwise stood at less than 10% of the total votes.A better future is accomplished by continuously being equipped with the best of the upgrades available and a PRINCE2® certification is one of those top-tier choices.It will qualify you to earn more moneyMany companies worldwide offer an average annual salary of around $42,380 to PRINCE2® Foundation certified candidates. Potential candidates could earn up to $66,206 after they complete their PRINCE2® Practitioner certification,So, being PRINCE2® certified helps you secure your financial benefits and career on a long-term basis.You will be open to more opportunities globallyIt is a fact. PRINCE2® qualifications are recognised and acclaimed globally. So, there is no doubt that it creates more opportunities for you globally.Did you ever dream of working abroad? If yes, then project management could be the ideal choice.What is the cost of the components of the certification?Whether it is PRINCE2® Foundation or PRINCE2® Practitioner, the total cost is split into various segments and varies from country to country and from one accredited training organisation to another. All the fees mentioned here have approximate values and may be subjected to change depending on the region.The components involved in the PRINCE2® certification cost are:PRINCE2® TrainingPRINCE2® examCost of Sample Examination papersStudy GuideMembership fee.Well, opting for a PRINCE2® course online means that the cost of your training component in PRINCE2® could be as low as under $300, considering that you go for a PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Certification examinations bundle. Choosing this combination will give you access to the entire course lasting for a year. Some training providers offer such courses for just $60, provided you want to complete the same within a month. Generally, the Foundation examination could cost around $900 but you automatically would end up paying much less on the PRINCE2® certification if you get one of those bundled courses including both PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Certification examinations.However, in case you think about attending a classroom training, then you may have to pay around $1000 for your PRINCE2® certification. A few of these PRINCE2® courses cover the cost of the PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Certification examinations. So keep the cost of the PRINCE2® certification in mind if you are planning to go for PRINCE2® training. Moreover, take time to pay attention to the extent of course coverage, flexibility and the bundled services that are provided. This will help you cut down on the cost of PRINCE2® certification.PRINCE2® course onlineIf you go for a PRINCE2® course online, you will save a lot of money on the PRINCE2® examination cost. PRINCE2® course online for the Foundation level may cost you €450 or more, but the classroom session may cost €1000 or more. Speaking of PRINCE2® examination cost, you will be able to save quite a lot of money by going for the online course.And what about the future of PRINCE2® professionals?To determine if the PRINCE2® certifications are worth going for, you will need to have a look at the average salaries of the jobs targeted at PRINCE2® certified Project Managers.The average salary of PRINCE2® certified employees is around $85,000 to $90,000. A number of studies and surveys demonstrate the fact that PRINCE2® certified professionals earn more than their non-certified peers.You may start with the job role of a coordinator or an administrator, but you can rise up to a director’s position with the aid of a PRINCE2® certification.With the help of a PRINCE2® certification, you also become skilled in handling project delivery successfully, thus becoming an invaluable asset to your company.A PRINCE2® certification imparts knowledge on how to manage your resources on the project effectively. Moreover, you will be able to effectively take care of risks and hence aid businesses more.Axelos survey revealed that individuals feel that PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Certification is an invaluable asset for them irrespective of their position.In a nutshell, if you compare the PRINCE2® foundation exam costs, your salary should range from $33,000 to $ 93,000. Hence you can justify the costs of learning PRINCE2® with the staggering salary. Like we mentioned at the beginning of this article, PRINCE2® certified professionals are in high demand in the major companies throughout the world.You will be a sought-after person when your peers and organisation become aware of your skills in project management.ConclusionAll the information and discussion shared above is just the tip of the iceberg of information about PRINCE2®. There are more to follow in our subsequent articles having every useful information that will help you choose your career options, especially when you are standing at the crossroads of selecting the appropriate one for your future.We wish you all the best on your journey to pursuing excellence!
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- by KnowledgeHut
- 03 Apr 2019
- 20 mins read
PRINCE2® is one of the methodologies which will l... Read More
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