How competent are you?
Posted by ElizabethHave you seen the APM Competence Framework?
It’s a framework of competencies for project managers covering technical, behavioural and contextual domains.
Technical competence covers areas like:
- Risk management
- Estimating
- Stakeholder and resource management
- Planning
- Configuration management
- Benefits management
- Change control
- Budgeting
Behavioural competencies are the softer skills of project management, things like:
- Conflict management
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Negotiation
- Learning and development
Finally, the contextual domain covers competencies such as:
- Legal awareness
- Governance
- Sponsorship
- Organisational roles and structure
- Project life cycles
- Health and safety
It’s actually a neat way to split up the three areas of project management skill and ability, and is a particularly useful tool if you are looking at where you should be focusing to improve your skills.
For each competency area, the APM Framework has developed a indicator scoring matrix which you can use to establish if it is something you are already good at, or whether you need more development. Essentially, it looks at your knowledge of an area and your experience in doing it. For example, you may know all about earned value management, having studied it for your certification, but do you actually use it in practice?
You can buy the competence Framework and complete the self-assessment. But you could also self-score yourself against the elements that you identify as key to being a good project manager. Start with the list above, add some competencies of your own and ask a colleague to do the same. If you really draw a blank, have a look at the sample pages of the competency Framework and assess yourself against the headings on there. Or better still, ask a colleague or friend to assess you, and you can return the favour.
On a project it’s often difficult to find the time to reflect about your professional development, but it is worth taking the time to identify areas where you want or need to improve. So sit down with a pen and paper now and set your priorities for summer!
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Dr. Paul Giammalvo says:
Hi Elizabeth,
Are you familiar with the Global Alliance for Project Performance Standards (GAPPS) http://www.globalpmstandards.org?
A group of highly regarded and well respected professionals have put together project and program manager competency standards that are TOTALLY INDEPENDENT of any Body of Knowledge or Methodology. But more importantly, we have put these into the “public domain” under “open source” or “creative commons” licensing. (See page 2 for the copyright agreement)http://www.globalpmstandards.org/project-manager-standards/general/download-latest-update/
Hope this helps you?
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia
Elizabeth says:
Hi Paul
Yes, I have seen the GAPPS website before. It’s something I need to dig around in a bit more, but I like the idea of non-methodology linked standards. However, I don’t feel that there will be wide take-up: employers tend to like certificates to “prove” competency and compliance, and an open source framework won’t meet those needs. What do you think?
Elizabeth
Pradeep Bhanot says:
You may have covered this in leadership as a behavioural competence, but persuasiveness is a key skill if you want to really motivate a team. Good judgement is also a key skill, as it is usually the the project manager who makes the decision to escalate a risk for executive review.
Pradeep Bhanot, Product Marketing Director, CA Clarity, CA
Project management Certification says:
You may possibly have covered this in leadership as a behavioral aptitude, but expression is a key skill if you want to really encourage a group. Good decision is also a key expertise, as it is usually the project manager who makes the decision to escalate a risk for management review.