Project Business Management
SERIES ARTICLE
By Oliver F. Lehmann
Munich, Germany
“Education is the raw material of the future.”
— Angela Merkel
Summary
This article outlines the top ten most valuable certifications for professionals engaged in project business – a field defined by the complex, cross-corporate nature of projects involving customers, vendors, other contractors, and many more parties. It emphasizes that certification is not just about personal achievement or even vanity but serves as a strategic lever to foster shared understanding, minimize risk, and enhance trust across project networks.
Why Certification Matters in Project Business
Project Business takes place when two or more organizations do a project, often many more. While internal projects are challenging, the cross-corporate nature of project business requires an even higher level of professionalism and risk awareness.
In project business, organizations depend not only on their own teams but also on a network of contractors, subcontractors, and other partners. As these networks become more complex, the question isn’t whether to certify, but which certifications bring the most value. Indeed, companies should select certifications that
-
- signal proficiency
- drive shared understanding
- minimize risk
- create confidence
– both inside the company and across the entire value chain.
Well-developed certifications build a common understanding of approaches, methods, and terminology across corporate borders. They ensure that everyone – regardless of their organization – speaks the same domain lingo, interprets requirements in the same way, and operates according to proven good practices. This clarity significantly reduces miscommunication, streamlines coordination, and helps prevent costly errors.[1]
In addition to these practical benefits, certification gives individuals professional standing and authority. Certified professionals are recognized as experts, both within their own organizations and by clients and partners across the network. Their input is more likely to be heard, valued, and trusted in discussions or disputes as their word carries weight, helping resolve issues and ensuring that sound project management principles guide decisions.
Certification is more than a mark of knowledge; it is a strategic amplifier for performance, compliance, trust, and repeat business in the demanding project business environment.
The following top ten certifications are ordered into four categories:
1. Certifications Concentrating on Managing Project Business
The focus topic of this article series.
Project Business creates a tangled web of critical relationships where professionalism and clear agreements are lifelines to success. The certification in this group signals proficiency in building and sustaining these relationships for mutual benefit.
2. Certifications for Experienced Project Managers
This group features advanced-level certifications that validate leadership, risk, and agility capabilities in managing complex and often cross-organizational project environments.
While they are not specific to Project Business, they signal proficiency and seriousness about the profession.
More…
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Editor’s note: This series of articles is by Oliver Lehmann, author of the book “Project Business Management” (ISBN 9781138197503), published by Auerbach / Taylor & Francis in 2018. See author profile below.
How to cite this article: Lehmann, O.F. (2025). The Top Ten Certifications for Project Business PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue V, May .Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pmwj152-May2025-Lehmann-Top-Ten-Certificatins-for-Project-Business-2.pdf
About the Author
Oliver F. Lehmann
Munich, Germany
Oliver F. Lehmann, MSc, ACE, PMP, is a project management educator, author, consultant, and speaker. In addition, he is the owner of the website Project Business Foundation, a non-profit initiative for professionals and organizations involved in cross-corporate project business.
He studied Linguistics, Literature, and History at the University of Stuttgart and Project Management at the University of Liverpool, UK, where he holds a Master of Science Degree (with Merit). Oliver has trained thousands of project managers in Europe, the USA, and Asia in methodological project management, focusing on certification preparation. In addition, he is a visiting lecturer at the Technical University of Munich.
He has been a member and volunteer at PMI, the Project Management Institute, since 1998 and served as the President of the PMI Southern Germany Chapter from 2013 to 2018. Between 2004 and 2006, he contributed to PMI’s PM Network magazine, for which he provided a monthly editorial on page 1 called “Launch,” analyzing troubled projects around the world.
Oliver believes in three driving forces for personal improvement in project management: formal learning, experience, and observations. He resides in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, and can be contacted at oliver@oliverlehmann.com.
Oliver Lehmann is the author of the books:
- “Situational Project Management: The Dynamics of Success and Failure” (ISBN 9781498722612), published by Auerbach / Taylor & Francis in 2016
- “Project Business Management” (ISBN 9781138197503), published by Auerbach / Taylor & Francis in 2018.
His previous articles and papers for PM World Journal can be found here:
[1] (Lehmann, 2024)
