Which program management certification to pursue?

Which program management certification to pursue?. I got this question from one of my contacts. As of now we do not have many options to choose from. We just have a couple of them. The PgMP from PMI, USA and MSP (Managing successful programs)  by APMG International . Both helps to elevate the outlook from a project perspective to Business strategy, project portfolio, shift from time, cost and scope to benefits, and the practical steps to manage programs. The knowledge these two programs impart is invaluable when one enters the program management spectrum from a project manager's role. 

Both PgMP, and MSP are good and unfortunately / fortunately there is a one to one mapping of the good practices among these bodies of knowledge. Even the cost of ownership of the credential is by and large equal, MSP being slightly more expensive. If I compare products from PMI and APMG, the best analogy would be Android Vs IOS. One is very open, where as the other one is very closed, and both serves the same purpose. I am a chronic Android user, and still uses an ipad. PMIs products are more open hence have wider acceptance / penetration. In India the PMP credential holders is much more than the PRINCE2 credential holders. I have both these credentials and I must say that I got zero returns from PRINCE2 where as PMP gave me lot of value and returns. 

India being the outsourcing hub of the world, one must look at the client base he/she is going to serve, before investing lot of money on credentials. While the PMI's offerings have acceptance world over, the APMG offerings are confined to the European Union. The other side of the coin is the fact that the number of PMI credential holders are many, where as the APMG credential holders number is smaller. Being part of a larger community Vs smaller community has its own advantages and disadvantages. 

Having said all these. If I have to choose, I will go with PgMP.


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