New Study from ESI International Shows Organizations that Provide Training Have Higher Project Success
Arlington, VA – August 15, 2013 –According to a new study released by ESI International, the world’s leading project management training company, project managers are being trained in fewer skills compared to 2012—by as much as 20%. It was found, however, that organizations committed to applying training on the job and measuring its impact on job performance deliver projects on-time and to-budget more often than organizations without training adoption in place.
“The across-the-board decrease in project management training is a disturbing trend that organizations need to reverse,” said J. LeRoy Ward, PMP, PgMP, CSM, ESI Executive Vice President. “Not only is it detrimental to the professional development of project managers, it has a direct, negative effect on project execution, which impacts an organization’s bottom line and its ability to satisfy its customers.”
ESI’s latest annual benchmarking study, “The Global State of the PMO: An Analysis for 2013,” shows that having a project or program management office (PMO) tasked with training and learning sustainment, among other responsibilities, positively affects training levels and project outcomes. According to the study:
Methodology and Tools Training:
- In 2013, 62% of workers who report up to a PMO said they receive training in using methodology and tools. That is a decrease from 75% in 2012.
- Less than half (47%) of non-PMO managed workers received methodology and tool training in 2013, down from 68% in 2012.
Soft Skills Project Training:
- A very low 30% of PMO-managed workers said they receive soft skills training (e.g., leadership, critical thinking, team building) down from 41% in 2012.
- Only 22% of non-PMO managed workers received soft skills training in 2013, compared with 35% in 2012.
“While these training numbers reveal a decline in project-focused training, the survey underscores the importance of training and its direct correlation to project success,” said Ward. The study found that 56% of respondents who are part of PMOs that are active in measuring training impact and learning sustainment said more than 75% of projects were delivered on time, to budget, within scope and to customer expectations. That number plummets to 39% for those whose PMOs are not active in either.
The Global State of the PMO annual survey seeks to investigate the evolving role of the Project/Program Management Office (PMO) in training and development, its level of maturity and value for the overall business. This year’s survey also examined the role that Agile plays in the PMO. The survey was conducted from March to April 2013 with responses from over 2,300 project management professionals worldwide.
Download a copy of The Global State of the PMO: An Analysis for 2013.”