A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) Sixth Edition: What’s Changing and When

The sixth edition of PMI®’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) is currently in draft mode and undergoing review. The expected publication date is sometime in Q3 of 2017. Updated versions of related exams, including the PMP and CAPM, are planned to go into effect in Q1 of 2018.

Anyone with a username and password on pmi.org may participate in the review process. If you’re interested in sharing your thoughts about the PMBOK with the people who develop it, this is your opportunity to weigh in. See PMI.org for information.

A major emphasis of the updates pertains to the addition of agile and other adaptive practices. An appendix is being added to address adaptive practices, and details are being added to each Knowledge Area to be inclusive of projects using an adaptive approach.

Another change will include a chapter on the role of the project manager with emphasis on skills related to strategic and business management. This will complement the discussion of technical and leadership skills to more fully round out presentation of the skills required of a PM as described in the PMI Talent Triangle™.

Other standards, including The Standard for Program Management and The Standard for Portfolio Management will be undergoing review later this year, likely in Q3. Publishing dates for updated versions of those standards is currently planned for the second half of 2017.

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