Which is better PMP or ACP?

Confusion we all face

Are you a project manager who is confused right now? Are you someone who is looking for options for certification? Are you someone who is now confused given the number of options you have while choosing them? If you fall in any of the above mentioned categories, you must have come across two pioneer certifications in project management ; namely, PMP, that is, Project Management Professional and ACP, that is, Agile Certified Practitioners. And at this point you are probably a little confused about which one to choose. It is completely normal to get confused here. Worry not however. We are here to guide you. Which is better PMP or ACP?

Difference between PMP and ACP

Both PMP and ACP are offered by PMI, , that is, Project Management Institute, which is a global body owning the rights to both PMP and ACP. At this point you must naturally be asking yourself what is the difference between the two? PMP has a much wider scope than ACP. PMP has a wider horizon whereas ACP focuses more towards agility. Consider it this way, PMP is like working out in the gym and ACP is like eating protein. That is how it goes. ACP acts as a supplement to your PMP certification. It will enhance your Project management career further.

Which one to go for

At this point you must be thinking whether to get PMP first or ACP? Or whether to go to gym and work out first or start eating right first. You could also be asking whether having either of the two suffices. What if you just get PMP certification or just get ACP certification. You need generalist knowledge to get ahead in project management career and you need agile knowledge to speed up even further. ACP is like cherry on top of cake. But first you need to get the cake that is PMP. When choosing you should not focus on short term but the long term as your future and career depends on it.

Factors while choosing

What is this long term perspective I am talking about you could be asking yourself? There are couple of factors that you need to consider while choosing between waterfall project management and Agile, namely:

Future long term goals- if you are seeing yourself as a project manager in the future then PMP is for you. If you just want to be part of projects in other jobs an ACP would suffice.
Current company requirements- What company are you currently in? And what job do you perform, that would also give you a good idea. Do you see yourself working in this company and at this position for a long period of time?
Learning scope-PMP is clearly the winner here as it has a far wider scope and will cover depth of project management which ACP will not. Thus this is a strong point for PMP. However if you are sorted out in life about what you want to become then go for ACP, no problem. But always think long term growth.
Your mind set- Do you enjoy managing projects? Or are you a person who likes to lead a team into battle during project. If you are into managing then go for agile. But if you are leading and want to remain a leader definitely go for PMP.
Market is ever changing- One thing that is always constant is change. With the technological influx the world is more dynamic than it has ever been. We don’t know what might happen in 5 years’ time. But the best bet would be to get into something with wider scope. Being a generalist is a better thing. So another point for PMP.

For more information on which is better PMP or ACP; get in touch with us at +91-987-123-7360 or email us at info@learningmudra.com

Difference in eligibility criteria

Another difference between the two is eligibility criteria. PMP suggests that a imnimumof 4500 hours of project leading experience is needed if you have bachelor’s degree of complete 4 years. Whileone needs 7500 hours for people in case of a high school diploma. Plus minimum 35 hours of training. In case of ACP things are different and easier even. 2000 hours of general experience in project management could suffice for all of you ACP aspirants, which is far lesser than PMP. On top of that you will also need 21 hours of training in agile practices. So yes, the eligibility criteria are different.

Final decision

Your final decision could also be affected by your eligibility. If you are an aspiring PMP but fail to meet eligibility criteria going for ACP is a good option. And in case you do not have agile project experience then you cannot take ACP exam. Then going for PMP is your option. If you are eligible for both go for PMP first and then ACP. ACP will act has a supplement for you after you have gotten your PMP. Now the choice is yours. It is time for you to evaluate which one is better for you.

Offering guidance

However, if you still have any confusion, we at Learning Mudra are there for your support. We will also guide you on the way to deciding which one to choose between PMP and ACP. We at Learning Mudra pride ourselves in providing the best PMP solution Schedule a call with us to get guidance while choosing between the two.

The Author : Learning Mudra

Learning Mudra is one of the world’s authoritative providers of online training for Project Management, Data Science, Software Development, Digital Marketing, Cloud Computing, , IT, and many other budding technologies.

Visit Learning Mudra’s Corporate Training page to know more about core trainings for enterprises, enabling the employees in the field of project management.

Which is better PMP or ACP?