PMI’s measurement for project management-related continuing education efforts is called a Professional Development Unit (PDU).
Professional Development Units (PDUs) are “one-hour blocks of time that you spend learning, teaching others, or volunteering.”
For all PMI certifications and associated PDU efforts, the measurement of the learning, training others, and/or volunteering is measured in quarter hours:
15 minutes = .25 PDU; 30 minutes = .5 PDU; 45 minutes = .75 PDU; 1 hour = 1 PDU
|
Certification |
Certification Cycle |
Total PDUs Required |
Education Minimum PDUs |
Giving Back Maximum PDUs |
|
PMP |
3 Years |
60 |
35 |
25 |
Once you have earned a passing score for the PMP® exam, there is a 3-year cycle of PDU requirements. A total of 60 PDUs are needed, and for the PMP® certification, a minimum of 35 PDUs for education and a maximum of 25 PDUs for giving back are allowed. A total of 60 PDUs are needed to stay credentialed. For PMI credentialing, record details of your efforts as each PMP® PDU claim for Education must fit within the PMI Talent Triangle®. Know there are limits to what will be accepted as a PMP PDU claim.
For the most current PMI PDU requirements, go to PMI.org. Note the required PDUs and how PMI allows for PMP credential holders to maintain their status through the completion of Education PDUs or with a combination of Giving Back and Education PDUs.
One way PMI encourages engagement in the profession, and the sharing of best practices, is through the Giving Back PDU category:
“Giving Back to the Profession is a unique opportunity for you to expand your knowledge and skills while growing both personally and professionally.”
With the 35 PDU requirement, the education PDU category is where PMP credential holders start and typically focus their initial efforts. PMI shares this insight:
“Continuing education is at the core of your PMI certification…It’s important for you to keep on top of the latest developments to remain relevant in the ever-changing marketplace.”
The Education PDU category is further defined through the PMI® Talent Triangle to ensure a balance of project management skills.
Each PMP PDU claim has a corresponding record in PMI’s Continuing Certification Renewal System (CCRS). It is through the CCRS each PMP PDU claim has a record, where PMP credential holders can get a PDU report, and where the review process of each PMP PDU claim is documented.
You do not need a separate registration to access the CCRS. With the same username and password from your PMI account registration, you can access the CCRS.
In terms of the number submitted in a given period or if you want to exceed the minimum in a PDU category, there are no PMP PDU claim limits. Note there is a PMI review process for PDU claim submissions and not all claims may be approved. For the most current information, use the PMI Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) Handbook.
For work as a Practitioner, as a Volunteer, or for Education work, the PDU claim process is the same. What differs is the information requested to go into each type of claim. All claim types are tracked within the CCRS, and a claim status report can be generated at any time.
Once you submit a PDU claim, PMI will email you that the claim is received. Later, PMI will email you once the claim is rejected or approved. If approved, PDUs will be applied to your account as part of the credential maintenance process. At any time, you can access your PDU report from CCRS.
If PDUs are claimed from a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP), they are automatically approved upon submission. If the PDUs are earned from a non-ATP organization or as part of a self-study activity, it may take up to 5 days to receive notification if it is approved, rejected, or needs more information. Log into the PMI CCRS to check the status of each claim. If a claim is approved, no further action is needed.
For any “Work as a Practitioner” PDU claims, you should have the contact information for someone who can verify the work was performed as described. The claim form requires an employer name, job title, responsibilities, and dates. There are optional fields for URL, contact person, and contact email. If you are going to report work as a practitioner, just as you would with any PDU claim, have all documentation secured.
As with PMP® exam application audits, there are PDU claim audits. PMI recommends keeping all PDU claim documentation for at least 18 months after your CCR cycle has ended. If randomly selected, you must provide documentation for PDU claim submissions. Use our PDU Log to keep track of your claims!
Time management is a critically important skill for all team members, especially if that team is working remotely. As a team lead or project manager, you must plan how to use the time you have available and that of your resources more effectively. This is an important part of managing your projects. Managing time well means that deadlines will be met, the quality of work will improve because work is not being rushed to meet a deadline, you and your team know which activities are a priority and what needs to be worked on when, and you avoid panic and feel more in control of the project. In this article, we wanted to give you several techniques to help improve time management skills among remote teams. However, just like everything else in project management, time management must be tailored to the team and the individuals on the team. Essentially, each team member needs to find the technique that works for them.
Communication is important in any environment but even more so for remote workers. Make sure the following are communicated clearly and often to your team.
· Working Hours – Some organizations expect remote employees to follow a strict schedule, while others may be more flexible. Be explicit about what you expect from your team. Be sure to tell them what shared hours you expect them to be working and available and clarify the expectation as to whether they are to inform you if they need to step away from their computers or if an exception to the schedule needs to be made.
· Team Goals – Ideally, your team will have clearly defined goals that contribute to your organization’s overall mission. Ensure your team is aware of these goals and help them set their own goals and ground rules. Then help them stick to them!
· Project Assignments – During each project team meeting, make sure that there is clarity on who is doing what task and why you are completing the project (project vision and value). It may be beneficial to get feedback from your team on how long they think their tasks will take so that you can estimate the deadline more effectively. You may consider a daily stand up or huddle for each team member to discuss what they are working on and if they need any help with tasks.
· Accountability – Lastly, make sure everyone on your remote team understands how you are tracking progress and the consequences of missing project deadlines. This reduces miscommunications and helps ensure the entire team stays in communication about their contribution to the project.
If there is anything we should take away from the mass-remote corporate workforce in 2020 due to Covid, it is that virtual meeting fatigue is real. This is why when you manage a remote team, you need to help everyone understand how to use meetings and meeting time wisely. When deciding whether a topic is meeting worthy, consider context, duration, and frequency of the meeting. For example, a daily stand-up meeting is great if your team has troubling logging in on time in the mornings. The context of the meeting is necessary, as it will kickstart their productivity. However, if you look at an hour long meeting every single day, it may end up being less productive than you had originally anticipated. Every meeting should have a purpose and should be timeboxed.
Technology is a big part of remote working. As a project manager, you need to tailor the technology to your remote team. Some things to consider include:
· Video Conferencing – You probably already have a virtual meeting solution, but make sure that it fits your team’s needs, and they know how to use it.
· File Sharing – Remote teams need cloud-based file sharing systems like Dropbox or Google Drive. Make sure your team can easily access each other’s critical documents in real-time.
· Instant Communication – Make sure your team has a way to instant message each other. This is much quicker and more efficient than the standard email and makes it easy for team members to ask questions or share files quickly.
· Time Tracking – If you expect your team to report on the hours they spend on each task, then having an easy way to do so is important. Even a shared spreadsheet will make it clear who is doing what and will give you measurable data to use if changes need to be made.
· Project Management Software – It is worth investing in a browser- or app-based project management solution to track everything your team is working on. Microsoft Project, SharePoint, and Teams are all viable options.
· Collaborative Software – Finally, make sure your team can easily collaborate with each other on their specific responsibilities.
We offer customized time management training to you and your team. Chances are, we will never get to 100% productivity, we are only human after all, but this training will help you have more control over your time and produce more results. Successful time management will help you and your team to become more effective in completing project activities so there is more time available for everyone to spend on the things that are most important to them. This course is meant to give you foundational knowledge, tools, and techniques to help you manage your time efficiently and effectively, and if you are a certified project manager, you can earn 4.5 PDUs.
Let us know what we can help you with!
— OR —
You will need to document your experience and training for (we help you through this process in our PMP® Exam Preparation training). Documentation is needed for:
At HealthTech Solutions and Solarity, a division of HealthTech Solutions, we offer more than just classes on project management. We focus on an integrated practices management model providing a complete training solution for our clients. We offer awareness in the basics of project management; understanding of what project management is and what it means to be a certified project manager; proficiency in project management skills; and mastery of those skills in order to pass the rigid PMP® exam for certification. Our trainings go far beyond live and virtual sessions. Our trainers work with you to provide study plans and additional materials; PMP®/CAPM® application assistance and review; tips, tricks, exercises, and practice exams; customized learning management system access; and personal access to an actual trainer to assist you through the certification process.
There is currently a debate between economists as to whether a recession is coming, and if so, how bad it will be. Though it is too soon to predict when or if a recession will hit the U.S., senior economist Kory Kantenga says, “it’s very clear that we’re in an economic slowdown right now.” What results from an economic slowdown? Lost jobs, employers seeking specific skills, and job seekers needing more specialized skills. Economists claim that flexibility, project management, and communication are the most “recession-proof” skills that employers will be looking for in the near future.
Flexibility has been a key skill for many years but has been more important recently during the Covid-19 recession of 2020. Flexibility is shown by navigating different roles and responsibilities throughout an organization, overcoming a problem on an important project, volunteering your time to assist with tasks that are not included within your scope of responsibilities, or collaborating with a new team. As a job seeker, it is important to highlight your ability to “operate in times of uncertainty” when completing your resume. Solarity offers a Time Management course and other leadership courses that can give you the tools to effectively balance your time and prioritize what is urgent and important.
Project managers certified in project management is and will continue to be a highly sought skill, especially as new obstacles will inevitably arise. Employers are looking for potential employees “who can identify new problems, articulate solutions, and drive that plan forward,” according to chief economist Julia Pollak. Solarity is an Authorized Training Partner with the Project Management Institute (PMI) and offers a Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Preparation class. This class prepares you for the PMP Exam which, when passed, gives you a nationally recognized PMP certification. This certification shows current and potential employers that you are well versed in the project management processes.
Clear and effective communication is a critical skill in all industries. Being able to give presentations, feedback, and negotiation are skills that employers are always looking for. While those skills are important, it is crucial for future job seekers to pay attention to the news and follow which industries are making long-term investments in hiring. Costs and benefits of jobs will change during a recession, so it is important to put yourself in a position to succeed through the recession and in the recovery. Solarity offers a Communications Management course that will help you brush up your communication skills and give you tools and techniques that can immediately be put to use back at the workplace.
Log in with Facebook 
Log in with Google 
Log in with LinkedIn