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Special Feature  

Evolution of a PMI Global Standard

 

  


PMI Global Standards are quite simply foundational to the project management profession. How are standards conceived? Through what process are they developed and launched? The input, recommendations and participation of project management practitioners throughout the world are instrumental to the evolution of PMI Global Standards.

The input comes to PMI through diverse channels including PMI Global Congresses; PMI Standards Program Working Sessions; PMI chapters, specific interest groups and colleges; formal and informal networking; written comments on exposure drafts and other correspondence; e-mail messages; survey responses; research; word of mouth and more. The input helps PMI identify when a new standard may be needed and when development of a practice standard is recommended to address a specific type of project activity.

Through the comprehensive and disciplined phase-gate process, PMI evaluates and affirms the need for a new or updated standard and its potential to provide substantial benefit to the profession.

Once a standards project is approved, a charter is developed to define the scope. PMI is accredited by The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a standards developer, and a PMI standards project specialist ensures that the charter aligns with ANSI’s requirements and methodology.

After the charter is signed, PMI selects the project and deputy project managers, forms a core team and calls for team volunteers. Any interested project management practitioner may participate on a standards project team — you need not be a PMI member. Project teams may have hundreds of members from across the globe organized into sub-teams and committees. A PMI standards project specialist works closely with the team throughout the project to facilitate and strongly support the project and ensure it retains alignment with the charter.

Development and drafting of a standard by a project team typically takes about 27 months. Much of the work is conducted through a team Intranet site and via conference calls and e-mail. Meanwhile, if participants in a PMI Standards Program Working Session generate recommendations or ideas, they are shared with the project manager and core team for review and application.

Once the draft standard is ready, it is titled an “exposure draft” and posted on PMI’s website for anywhere from 45 to 60 days depending on the size of the standard. PMI publicizes the availability of the exposure draft and invites and receives public comments. The project team evaluates and adjudicates comments from those who have submitted an Assignment of Copyright. The team replies to the commenter with a final decision that may be accept, accept with modifications, defer or reject.

The comment review period takes about 90 days. The PMI standards specialist tracks the evaluation process and relevant statistics, and encourages the team to accept comments or identify why comments are not accepted (for example, comments could be outside the project scope.)

Comments are integrated and the standard is finalized and sent to the Consensus Body, which is a group of volunteers who serve as a review board and verify that the standards development process was open and fair. Upon Consensus Body approval, the standard is sent to the PMI CEO for approval. It is then published, which takes about 90 days, and released.

The time period for a standard’s inception, development and launch is a flexible five years. Three years are planned for team formation and standards development. One year is allocated for schedule reserve, in case the development time is prolonged. A final year is needed to publicize the availability of the new standard, present it to stakeholders, conduct any needed follow-up research and celebrate the achievements of the standards project team!

Information and input gathered from practitioners across the globe will eventually indicate that a new standard is recommended, and the cycle begins anew. See the roster of completed and current PMI Global Standards projects.

Did you know …

  1. All standards team members are acknowledged in the published standard.
  2. The most widely owned and used PMI Global Standard is A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). The next most widely owned standard based upon sales levels is the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures.
  3. PMI Members may conveniently download all currently published PMI Global Standards through the PMI website Members Area.