When time of renewing the PMP certification comes, one checks how many PDU were earned and realizes they were not enough.
Anyway, it is time to put together the "project plan" to earn the required PDU, one must balance cost, time, quality … the usual triple constraint ;-)
Out of the 60 PDU required, half of them are easy to earn, basically, it is just a matter or claiming properly to PMI.
If you have been working as Project Manager since you have gotten the PMP certification, you can earn up to 15 PDU in the category of “Practitioner of project and/or program management services for more than 1,500 project hours per calendar year “. Claim gets earned automatically, not even checked by PMI Customer Care. Should you think you have not been working as Project Manager, just think it again; it is very unlikely that your work can not be packed as a project and the role you played named as project manager.
There is another pack of 15 PDU easy to earn, the category of “Self- Directed learning activities are individualized learning projects involving personally conducted research or study. Learning may include informal activities such as discussions, coaching sessions with colleagues, co-workers, clients or consultants”. Again, should think you have not done this task, just think it again, every project manager does some research or study, even, inadvertently.
Well, at this point you must have 30 PDU easily earned, you are just half way.
Now, it is time to assess and value the best next step.
One can go for online training, I found some courses at www.iil.com for 850 $, earning 12 PDU in 12 hours, which is basically 70 $/PDU.
Another option is to go for a congress, for instance, the SeminarsWorld organized by PMI, let’s say the return ticket costs 600$, the hotel is around 175$ per night and the seminars themselves are 2.400$, earning 28 PDU, it makes all together 3.900 $, which means, 139$/PDU, well, it is twice as much as the online training option but you stay for one week somewhere in the USA like Naples, Florida ....
