The USA has set a high standard for the profession of project management globally with the passing into law of the Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act (PMIAA). The PMIAA reforms USA federal program management policy in four important ways:
- Creating a formal job series and career path for program managers in the federal government.
- Developing a standards-based program management policy across the federal government.
- Recognizing the essential role of executive sponsorship and engagement by designating a senior executive in federal agencies to be responsible for program management policy and strategy.
- Sharing knowledge of successful approaches to program management through an interagency council on program management.
This means that any government agency that is required to have a CFO are mandated to appoint a Program Management Improvement Officer. This officer is responsible for developing a five-year strategy to improve program manager roles within their agencies, as well as implementing all associated policies.
The profession of project management is still in its infancy compared to other professions. To be truly called a profession it must be enshrined in legislation which defines expectations and responsibilities. The PMIAA is an important step globally that other governments can follow as we move towards defining the profession to ensure it keeps up with the demands placed upon it.
