Is the PMP still relevant?

Question

It seems to me that all these new methodologies (Agile, Scrum, XP) are slowly but surely, making the whole PMBOK methodology, and consequently the PMP exam/certification obsolete.

Additionally, PMI bluntly states that the PMP/PMBOK is about an ideal project management environment that does not exist in the real world.

So, my question is, is the PMP still relevant in this day and age, especially when PMI is admitting that the underlying methodology cannot be applied in real life?

Answer 1

It depends on your perception - if you see PMP as a hiring tool that can get land you a good project manager job with little or no PM experience, then the PMP is still very relevant: most companies (especially companies with a weak PMO) choose PMP project managers because they think that they can do a good job in managing projects.

If you're thinking about its relevancy to how projects are really managed, then I agree with you - the PMP and subsequently the PMO are no longer relevant. In fact, some argue that applying them makes managing projects a bit harder, more complicated, and with a lot of unnecessary overhead.

The PMBOK is being built around wrong ideas - and each year PMI discovers another flaw in the PMBOK's basics - which is not a good thing!

But the question is, will the PMP die? I don't think so, as long as there are companies willing to pay more to hire PMPs, then the PMP is very much alive and kicking.