Certifying Organization
This raises a question: Who sets the certification standards by which individuals qualify to receive a specific knowledge or competence professional designation?
In the context of certifying that one meets established standards, an organization—acting independent of outside influence—authenticates that someone meets the established standards of the program. This is done through rigorous testing, examining, and reviewing of a candidate’s knowledge, attitude, experiences, and skills.
The match between what the consumer needs and what an organization offers in certification provides one means of measuring value. A close match between a customer’s requirements for project management knowledge or competence and the qualifications of the professional designation provides significant value that can contribute to organizational effectiveness.
On the other hand, artificial standards or requirements unrelated to individual performance in a certification program detract from the value of certification. In either case, the profession needs to validate the criteria used in the certification process: I.e. must have content validity.
Value of Knowledge-Based versus Competence-Based Certification
The basic difference between these two certification approaches is that knowledge is measured against a knowledge-based standard and and Competence-based certification is an evaluation of how effectively the competence is actually applied in the workplace.
Knowledge is defined in a body of knowledge and the standard is applied using a test. Competence is a broader standard that encompasses knowledge of the subject, skills (the ability to apply knowledge), and attitude.
Competence-based assessment may include a sample of a candidate’s experience. Compared to knowledge-based certification, performance-based certification gives everyone a greater degree of assurance that a certified individual will be able to perform to the given standard.
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A knowledge examination measures a candidate’s understanding of the vocabulary, the body of knowledge, and some practices. The ability to perform to an acceptable level of proficiency is assumed by many customers.
Candidates taking knowledge based certification exams depend primarily on knowledge recall. On the other hand, reliability and validity is easier to maintain in written exams
Competence-based certification, however, infers a candidate’s ability to perform project management tasks at a given level.
Thus the relative value of Competence-based certification is significantly greater than knowledge-based certification.
Summary
Project management certification has significant value for individuals, organizations, customer, professional societies, the project management community, and the public. Each gains when project management programs are established and administered to assist in the professional growth of project management.
The cost to individuals and organizations is more than returned through quality workmanship, more informed decsions, and capability to deliver better, faster, less expensive products and services.
Knowledge-based professional certifications provide value to the community; Competence-based professional certifications give greater confidence that the person can perform the roles assigned.
Both certifications have their place, but the Competence-based certification provides more intense assessment of the individual's ability to perform at a given level, in addition to meeting the standards for knowledge, skills, and attitude.
Certification in project management gives you the hunting license. When you look for work within your profession, what type of “hunting license” do you have? Is it a “hunting license for small game or is it big game?
The right certification lets prospective employers, customers, and peers know whether you are hunting mice, rabbit, deer, moose, bear, or elephant. |
