Summary
Project management certification has significant value for individuals, organizations, customer, professional societies, the project management community, and the public. Each gains when project management programs are established and administered to assist in the professional growth of project management. The cost to individuals and organizations is more than returned through quality workmanship, more informed decisions, and capability to deliver better, faster, less expensive products and services.
Knowledge-based professional certifications provide value to the community in terms of exposure to relevant knowledge and use of a common technical language. Competence-based professional certifications give greater confidence that the person can actually perform the requisite project management roles. Both certifications have their place. However, in addition to meeting the standards for recalling knowledge and recounting experiential exposure, competence-based certification provides a more intense assessment of the individual's ability to perform at a given level, skill, and attitude.
For the individual, certification in project management gives you the hunting license. When you look for work within your profession, what type of "hunting license" do you want? Is it a hunting license for "small game" or "big game"?
The right certification lets prospective employers, customers, and peers know whether you are hunting mice, rabbit, deer, moose, bear or elephant!
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Value
of Knowledge-Based versus Competence-Based Certification