IPMA introduces the new standard – IPMA ICB Reference Guide for Planning Competences. Derived from the comprehensive IPMA Individual Competence Baseline (ICB4) it serves as a pivotal resource for Project Planning Professionals. It focuses on equipping them with the competences necessary for their critical role in collaborating with Project Managers to achieve project success. This guide addresses the specific needs of Project Planning Professionals. It offers a pathway to acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities required to excel in their roles, advancing both their careers and the discipline as a whole.

Just like in ICB4, Project Planning competences are structured into 3 competence categories:

• The Perspective competences dealing with the context and the environment of a project
• The People competences dealing with personal behaviours and social topics
• The Practice competences dealing with the construction and management of a project plan

In order to give the opportunity to Project planners to develop their professionalism during their entire career life, Project planning certification includes three levels of certification.

• IPMA® Project Planner – Acting in a moderately complex environment. Responsible in planning a project with moderate complexity within an organisation. All certification and recertification steps and regulations are the same as for IPMA level C Project Managers
• IPMA® Senior Project Planner – Acting in a complex project environment. Responsible for planning a complex project within an organisation. All certification and recertification steps and regulations are the same as for IPMA level B Senior Project Managers.
• IPMA® Strategic Project Planner – Acting on a strategic level within a very complex project environment. Responsible for planning a very complex project which has a strategic impact on the organisation. All certification and recertification steps and regulations are the same as for IPMA level A Project Directors

When Project planners join projects and during the period when they cannot yet qualify for the first level of Project planning certification, IPMA offers the IPMA level D certification so that they acquire enough knowledge about project management.

Learn about the Planning Competences in our ICB Reference Guide for Planning Competences

You can download it for free from IPMA’s e-shop.