Will it help to get PMI-ACP certified when you are PMP certified?

The dynamic business world of today is witnessing a huge shift when it comes to
project management practices. Most organizations in the Information Technology sector are adopting Agile tools and techniques to manage projects more efficiently. High rates of adoption of Agile methodology by an increasing number of businesses testifies to the popularity of the Agile
methodology in project management.

With these developments in the
project management sphere, many project management practitioners are embracing Agile concepts, tools and techniques to deliver successful projects. Under such circumstances, a formal certification can help you upgrade your skills and knowledge in
Agile project methodologies recognized in your organization.

The
PMI-ACP, which stands for Project Management Institute’s Agile Certified Practitioner certification, recognizes the knowledge of Agile principles, practices and tools and techniques across Agile methodologies. The
PMI-ACP certification can vouch for your commitment towards the fast-emerging Agile methodology that your organization already uses or is keen on adopting it for future projects.

PMI-ACP is different from PMP:

The PMP certification offered by PMI sets the standard for best practices in project management. It prepares the managers for managing projects using traditional waterfall model for software engineering. PMP certification focuses on extensive planning right at the beginning and then moving on to development stages.

On the other hand, the PMI-ACP is a relatively recent certification that focuses on the
Agile project management principles. The Agile model of project management lays a greater emphasis on people, collaboration and shared values rather than concrete planning and is therefore thought of as the new way of managing projects in a flexible manner. It is a more adaptive way of project management that is better suited to the rapid changes in the market, technologies or project requirements.

In simpler terms, PMP certification mostly focuses on the knowledge and skills of the project manager to make decisions about the project while the PMI-ACP is concerned more with project practitioners. The hierarchy and the stronghold of a project manager over a project in case of PMP changes to a more transparent, inclusive type of management style in Agile methodology where everybody involved with the project has a say in the working and decisions of the project.

Will it help to get PMI-ACP if you have PMP certification?

With project management becoming one of the top skill sets demanded by organizations from all industry verticals from around the world, formal certifications in project management are more important now than ever before.

While managers certified in project management are seen as committed to their profession and expertise through certifying education, experience and competency, some professionals are not sure if the more recent Agile certification, the PMI-ACP, can add further value to those who are already PMP certified.

It should be noted that most companies around the world, including many Fortune 500 companies have begun embracing
Agile project management methodologies. Therefore, being PMI-ACP certified will surely provide an edge as a project manager skilled in the rapid application development methodologies such as Agile with adaptability as the most outstanding quality.

As an added advantage,
PMP certified managers can look forward to a advantageous position if they are ACP certified, particularly if they are looking to switch their jobs. For those who are about to get their ACP certification, the good news is that Agile is increasingly becoming popular across Europe, America and other parts of the world. Getting an
ACP certification on top of PMP will go on to demonstrate their continued commitment to the best practices in project management and their ability to mold themselves according to the changes in methodologies being followed at the workplace.

With PMP holders not having to fulfill the PMI ACP requirement of the 2,000 hours of general project experience, it might motivate them to add another feather to their cap by going in for the PMI-ACP certification without worrying to furnish their work experience details.

Renewal of the PMP and PMI-ACP:

The process of renewal of the PMP and ACP certifications can become less demanding by making use of the Agile training for the PMI-ACP to claim the PDU for PMP renewal. Getting both the PMP and PMI-ACP renewed can be easy if certified professionals claim PDU for both certifications with the same PDU activities provided that the project management education activity is related to Agile methodologies.

The Bottomline:

It wouldn’t be unjust to conclude that getting a
PMI-ACP certification is not only good for a project management professional’s (PMP) career growth, but also for better suitability according to the organization’s adaptability to the changing business environment. What’s more is that the PMI-ACP training can also contribute to the PDUs that are needed for the renewal of PMP after every three years.