# Presentation: 661197

## Information Technology Project Management Certification

- Office of the CIO
- Roderic Witschey
- 6/29/04

## Agenda

- IT PM Certification Driver
- IT PM Certification Owner
- Development Methodology
- Strategy
- Status
- Pros and Cons
- Lessons Learned

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## IT PM Certification Driver

- FY 04 OMB Budget Pass-back directed that all major investments must be led by a “qualified” project manager or risk loss of funding.

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## IT PM Certification Owner

- Capital Planning and Investment Control
- The DOE IT Reporting for Budget Submission, (Exhibit 300) submission process categorizes the investment level.
- Exhibit 300 submission review process validates project manager certification status.
- Quarterly Exhibit 300 Control Review process monitors project manager progress towards certification.

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## Development Methodology

- Researched private industry.
- E.g., Project Management Institute (PMI), ESI International, Management Concepts, George Washington University, and American University
- Researched other Federal Agencies.
- E.g., NASA, USDA, DOJ, HUD, GSA (STAR program), OPM, Federal CIO Council, and National Defense University
- Researched DOE’s Project Management Career Development Program (PMCPD).

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## Development Methodology (continued)

- The Office of the CIO partnered with the Office of Engineering and Construction Management to establish a certification process similar to the PMCDP but specifically responsive to IT requirements.
- The IT PM Certification process utilizes existing PMCDP training courses whenever possible.

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## Strategy

- Determine “universe”
- Determine “qualified”
- Plan to get “universe” to “qualified”
- Meet 1 October 2003 deadline

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## Strategy (continued)

- Three-levels of IT investments:
_**Level 1**_: targeted at directors of infrastructure/legacy type systems, maintenance, modification of existing systems, single function, single office, and/or low policy impact, less than $2M.
_**Level 2**_**: **targeted at directors of more complex systems, multiple-DOE components, multi-function, political, high policy impact, inter-departmental, inter-program, inter-agency, mission critical, financial, new development, and/or multi-year, greater than $2M.
_**Level 3**_: targeted at directors of portfolio investments of Level 2 and Level 1 systems investments.

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## Strategy (continued)

- For Level 1 certification the candidate must have:
- PM Essentials Module 1 or equivalent (be a certified PM from the Project Management Institute or score a passing grade on the PM assessment);
- COR/COTR training;
- Earned Value Management System (EVMS) training; and
-  3 years project management experience.

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## Strategy (continued)

- For Level 2 certification the candidate must have:
- The IT Level 1 Certification;
- Advanced Concepts in Project Management;
- Risk Management training; and
- 5 years of project management experience.

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## Strategy (continued)

- For Level 3 certification the candidate must have:
- The IT Level 2 Certification;
- Project Management & Portfolio Analysis Simulation;
- Federal Budget Process training; and
- 7 years of project management experience.

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## Status

- The majority of IT investments are classified as Level 1 or 2.
- Some over-arching Exhibit 300 IT investments have been identified as Level 3, e.g., I-Manage; Consolidated Infrastructure, Office Automation, and Telecommunications Program; Enterprise Architecture; and ASCI.

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## Status (continued)

- Program is being adopted by other Agencies and Departments.
- Federal CIO Council’s Federal IT Project Manager Initiative may impact certification process.  The OCIO provided DOE comments to the Federal CIO Council on the draft initiative.

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## Status (continued)

- 61 Project Managers have been certified at Level 1 since FY 03.
- 5 Project Managers have been certified at Level 2 since FY 03.
- 4 Project Managers require Level 1 certification by end of FY 04.

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## Pros and Cons

- Pros:
- Meets the OMB requirements for “qualified” project manager.
- Provides consistent certification standards.
- Cons:
- Changing playing field – OMB changes requirements, e.g., EVMS moved from Level 2 to Level 1 requirements.
- Governance issue – who should own, such as training/certification program.

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## Lessons Learned

- Resolve governance early.
- Assessment test provide an independent control for determining a candidates competency.
- Continuing education recommended.
- Be Flexible.
- Use what is already available.
- Web site provides visibility.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate.

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## Web Site

- _[http://cio.doe.gov/ITReform/Planning/ITPMCertification](http://cio.doe.gov/ITReform/Planning/ITPMCertification)_
- This presentation may be downloaded from the web at:
- _[http://cio.doe.gov/ITReform/Planning/ITPMCertification/PMCertifiedBackground.htm](http://cio.doe.gov/ITReform/Planning/ITPMCertification/PMCertifiedBackground.htm)_

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