Professional Development Units

All PMI's certifications except the CAPM® requires you to earn a specific amount of PDUs per three-year certification cycle. The requirements differ for each certification, so check the handbook to find out more. For the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®, you’ll need to retake the exam before the end of your five-year certification cycle.

There are several opportunities to earn PDUs through the PMI's PDU advantage program, from the PMI Armenia Chapter and various education providers. In summary, you can earn PDUs by:

• taking a course from PMI R.E.P.s, universities, or your organization
• attending educational activities and events offered by the PMI Armenia Chapter or other organizations
• reading, attending a webinar, or participating in self-directed learning activities
• creating new project management knowledge
• volunteering
• working as a project practitioner

The PDU structure has changed since December 2015 following the "voice of the employers" in relation to the skill-set required by the practitioners. Project Management practitioners "need to be able to deliver consistent, reliable, repeatable and scalable results" and it appears that leadership and strategic business management competencies are essential in today's business environment. The extensive market research and feedback from certification holders and organizations identified a subset of skills which employers require, for project practitioners to deliver improved results. These skills areas are represented in the PMI Talent Triangle. The CCR updates align professional development activities, specifically education activities, with the PMI Talent Triangle to ensure certification holders are focused on the needs of the profession.

Following is a quick overview of how PDU registration will be structure after December 2015:

Cat A -> Education through REP & PMI Components – No limit

Cat B -> Education from other training providers – No limit

Cat C -> Self-Directed Learning – Max 30 PDUs

Cat D -> Creating Project Management Knowledge

Cat E -> Volunteer Service

Cat F -> Work as Professional – Max 15 PDUs

Cat D, E & F all together – Max 45 PDUs

How to report PDUs using the new CCR system

The new CCR system is very simple to use. Try it here. Just click on the Report PDUs link on the left side of your screen and choose the activity category under which your PDUs fall. Follow the single step to insert the details of your activity and hit the submit button at the bottom of the form to report your PDU's. Keep in mind that it is a good practice to keep any certifications, letters of confirmation and other relevant documentation to your activity in case of an audit.

Talent Triangle

While technical skills are core to project and program management, PMI research tells us they’re not enough in today’s increasingly complex and competitive global marketplace. Companies are seeking added skills in leadership and business intelligence — competencies that can support longer-range strategic objectives that contribute to the bottom line. Emotional intelligence appears to be of significant importance to project success.

Through research, the PMI has developed the ideal skill set - the Talent Triangle - which  is a combination of technical, leadership, and strategic and business management expertise. The CCR and PDU advantage programs focus now on this particular triangle of skills.

What this means to project and program talent - what this means to you - is a focus on developing the additional skills you need to meet the evolving demands on your profession. But in doing so, it also means new opportunities to elevate your value as a strategic partner in business.

The PMI Talent Triangle outlines the three skill areas employers need. They are as follows:

Technical Project Management: Knowledge, skills and behaviors related to specific domains of Project, Program and Portfolio Management.

Leadership: Knowledge, skills and behaviors specific to leadership-oriented skills that help an organization achieve its business goals.

Strategic and Business Management: Knowledge of and expertise in the industry or organization that enhances performance and better delivers business outcomes.

It is possible to earn multiple PMI Talent Triangle PDUs for one education activity if the content aligns with all three skill areas (Technical Project Management, Leadership, Strategic and Business Management). For example, if you complete a course that contains content on techniques for project time management and on negotiating with stakeholders, you could claim this Education activity in the skill areas of Technical Project Management (for the project time management portion of the class) and Leadership (for the negotiation portion of the class).