Even if your role does not include the words "Project Manager" in the title, Project Management is a skill needed by most (if not all) eDiscovery professionals. Survey respondents from the Women in eDiscovery 2019 Salary Survey indicated that project management was the top task performed across job titles, yet only 5% reported holding a formal project management certification.
This post examines the following:
Many eDiscovery roles do not require a project management certification, yet managing aspects of a project fall within the scope of the day-to-day responsibilities. Project Management, when applied in eDiscovery, often varies from the traditional project management taught in these certificate programs, yet knowledge of these processes can be a valuable resource and applied to eDiscovery projects.
Here are the pros for pursuing a Project Management Certification:
The PMP Certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) is often recognized as the most "in-demand" project management certificate. But let's not forget to mention that this exam is hard. It consists of 200 multiple questions and has strict experience prerequisites. The prerequisites for the PMP Certification are:
After qualifying for the PMP, you need to pass a 200-question multiple choice exam and maintain 60 hours of professional development every 3 years.
PMP Resources: The Project Management Institute website has a ton of great resources, here are some to get you started.
The PMP exam is notoriously difficult and dry. And don't be surprised if the content you are required to study in preparation for the exam is not what you use in your day-to-day eDiscovery PM role. There are other certifications and study materials outside of the PMP that can add value in your pursuit of project management skills:
Most of the project management study material seems abstract and dry when simply reading about it. I recommend studying/reading up on the project management phases and then actively applying the frameworks and processes to a current project you are working on. Don't force yourself to apply all of the frameworks and processes, try and see what works and makes the most sense for your project. Practice makes progress!
Peace, love, and eDiscovery
Heather