Standards Development

Scope

The proposed standard specifies a competency framework for professionals engaged in project, programme, and portfolio management (PPPM), as well as those involved in related governance activities. The proposed standard provides a structured and comprehensive framework of the knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviours, and attributes needed to support effective performance in these roles.

 The proposed standard is aligned with the competency expectations for project personnel as described in ISO 21502, and is consistent with the capability-related guidance provided in ISO 21503, ISO 21504, and ISO 21505. It also aligns with the concepts and practices defined in ISO 21500 series standards. It can serve as a tool for defining, assessing, and developing the competencies necessary to achieve both individual and organizational objectives. Applications of the framework include competency-based recruitment, professional development, performance assessment, and organizational capability building.

The proposed standard is applicable to professionals who participate in the management of the project, programme, and portfolio, and related governance. It is also applicable to any organization, including public, private and charitable, as well as, to any type of project, programme and portfolio, regardless of purpose, delivery approaches, life cycle model used, complexity, size, cost or duration.

Purpose

The capabilities and overall competence of professionals play a crucial role in the success of a project. Their knowledge, skills, and attributes directly influence whether project activities can proceed effectively. The implementation of the ISO 21500 series of standards relies on the involvement of competent professionals. Recognizing this, it’s already on the list of proposed work items (ISO/TC 258 N027) ISO/TC 258 developed in the year it was established. Although the related new work item proposal approved in 2015 didn’t finally work out an international standard, the topic of competency remains a focal point within the PPPM community.

This proposal is specifically dedicated to establishing a framework for individual competence. This focus distinguishes it from the previous work of WG8 and AHG8, which concentrated more on organizational and management competencies—topics now partly being addressed within WG13 (see ISO/AWI 21514 Clause 8). The ISO 21500 standards provide guidance on good practices for various roles and responsibilities in PPPM and related governance; however, a specific standard within the series detailing the professional competencies for these different roles is currently absent. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a competency framework standard for PPPM professionals to address this gap and support the effective application of the ISO 21500 series.

The significant and continuous market demand for project management professional competency evaluation and certification, as evidenced by the activities of organizations like PMI, IPMA, and APM, underscores a strong global need for structured individual competency development in PPPM. Just taking the CSPM certificate, which is based on the Chinese National Standard GB/T 41831-2022, for example, the explosive growth has been witnessed since its introduction in 2023. By September 2025, the number of CSPM certificate holders in China had surpassed 100,000. Given the steady growth in project management training, certification, and the increasing demand for skilled talent, we believe the conditions are now optimal to address this clear market need. With 16 standards published or under development, ISO/TC 258 has established a robust foundation that provides the necessary context and maturity for developing an international standard in individual competency. This proposal is not a repetition of past work but a natural progression in the PPPM standardization journey, responding to the evolving market needs and the enhanced maturity of the standards portfolio.

The necessity of this standard is further strongly indicated by the results of the recent ISO/TC 258 Priority Topics Survey. The topic "PPPM Competencies (Individual and Organizational)" ranked 6th out of 17, with 32 P-member bodies rating it as a medium or high priority. More importantly, a deeper analysis reveals a broad and common concern on PM talent from developing countries, representing three-quarters of ISO’s total membership. Most of the countries chose medium and high priority are developing countries or countries without large economic scale. That means, for those organizations in countries lack of sophisticated project management practices and advanced methodology in management or management system, competency is still a big concern for organizations to carry out a successful project. Developing this standard directly responds to this expressed need and aligns with the ISO Action Plan for Developing Countries, which emphasizes demand-driven, needs-based support to help developing members fully benefit from standardization.

Moreover, with the goals of ISO standards ("Meeting global needs," "ISO standards used everywhere," and "All voices heard."), there is enduring value and effectiveness in developing globally applicable ISO standards in this field, even though organizations, such as PMI, IPMA, and APM, have developed valuable competency frameworks and certification programs.

This proposed standard will align with the ISO 21500 series standards, addressing the current gap in professional capacity building. It intends to build a systematic framework of competencies that individuals in different roles possess when engaging in project, programme, and portfolio management, as well as related governance activities, rather than addressing how to assess or certify whether these competencies are possessed. It supposes to present a comprehensive landscape of individual competencies, enabling organizations to identify, select, and nurture PPPM professionals along clearly defined dimensions. It conveys descriptive information about competency dimensions enabling organizations to implement ISO guidance through competency development, creating a best-practice loop for standard application.