Project Management Institute-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI ACP) is a certification course that the Project Management Institute provides; hence, the name.

The ACP course will help you understand, learn, and implement the agile methodologies along with its tools, techniques, and principles.

What is Agile?

The process of managing a project by separating it into smaller divisions or stages to ensure continuous improvement, along with reiteration while having regular interaction and discussion with the stakeholders in all of its processing, is known as Agile. It’s the process where the product isn’t delivered to the client after its total completion. Instead, it’s delivered in parts to be applied and experimented with to see if it fits the requirement or needs modification.

The agile methodology's basic principle is to understand what the client's expectations and requirements are for the product and working together towards the end goal of the project accordingly.

The agile methodology process's key ingredient is the continuous collaboration between the team members of the project and the stakeholders of the project. This ensures that there is a clear understanding of what's happening, being able to make well-informed decisions. It’s a cycle of planning, executing, and evaluating the entire process to reach the outcome, leading to a possibility of having a changed end result that might better match the customer’s requirement than planned earlier.

What are the core concepts of Agile methodology?

There are four basic principles of Agile methodology, and they are:
  • Instead of tools and processes, Individuals and interactions are given preference
  • Comprehensive documentation replaced by Working software
  • Contract negotiation instead of Customer collaboration
  • Response to change as opposed to following a plan
It’s a manifesto for Agile Software Development. This manifesto concept was developed and written in 2001 by a team of seventeen members who emphasized the importance of intercommunication between the client and the project team to deliver value. 

Who can apply for the PMI ACP certification course?

People working in the IT and the technology industry as project managers, associate managers, managers, team leads, project executives, agile team members, software developers, and any other professionals who wish to become project managers in the future, would benefit from this professional certification course of PMI ACP.

However, one needs to meet its criterion to apply for the course. Have a secondary degree or a higher degree is a prerequisite for the individual who wishes to apply for the course. Along with it, one will also need 2000 hours of experience within the last five years and 1500 hours of experience within the last three years in general project management and agile project teams, respectively.


What are the Benefits of Completing the PMI-ACP Certification Course?

The benefits of attaining the PMI-ACP certificate after completing the course are immense. It helps one move up the career ladder faster. A few of the benefits among many others are:-
  • The agile certification one gets after clearing the Agile certification course from the Project Management Institute (PMI) is recognized globally. Thus, increasing your range of one’s opportunity.
  • On completion of the certification course with regards to Agile principles and methodologies, one’s skills are enhanced, giving better project handling power.
  • The certification helps in validating and showcasing an individual’s knowledge, expertise, and experience on agile methodologies, principles, techniques, and tools to the various potential employers.
  • Agile Project Management Methodology is essential in the Software development industry, which is booming. If one has the PMI-ACP certification, then there is no looking back. One can build an impressive career in the agile project management methodology with the help of the PMI-ACP Certification.

How to Apply for the Course?

  • One needs to register and obtain a membership in the Project Management Institute (PMI).
  • Complete the Exam Preparation Course for PMI-ACP, which requires a knowledge training of 21 contact hours (PDUs). One PDU is equivalent to one hour of training in project management.
  • Upon completion of the twenty-one hours of training, one needs to fill up the application and pay the fee for the examination through the website of the Project Management Institute.
  • Once the application is accepted, you can appear for the exam anytime with a year's time.
  • You can appear for the exam thrice (maximum) within this stipulated time.
  • The PMI-ACP certificate is valid for three years and needs renewal after the completion of three years.