A Project Management (PM) Manifesto has been published in the United States with the support of a group of leading project and program management leaders in Washington DC and elsewhere. The PM Manifesto, which can now be described as a movement by professional leaders in the project management field, is aimed at promoting PM best practices during implementation of the massive economic stimulus package proposed by new US President Barack Obama. The new PM Manifesto website can be found at http://pmmanifesto.ning.com/.

According to the PM Manifesto website:

"We are a community of project management leaders who are experienced in delivering results. As seasoned professionals, we know that there are three key elements to achieving the successful completion of projects that all Americans want and our country desperately needs. We urge that these elements be part of all projects launched part of all projects launched through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."

The website lists the following three proposed policy stands:

1. Systemic use of a set of proven best practices for project selection, planning, oversight, and reporting.
   


2. Recruitment of experienced, responsible project leaders who are accountable to the American people for project results.
   


3. Selection of project sponsors at Federal, State, County, City and multi-authority levels that will allow strategically sound, transparent accountability at every level.
   

According to Ron Taylor, Principal of the Ron Taylor Group and one of the co-leaders of the PM Manifesto movement, "The combination of enlightened leadership with proven project management practices can allow America to meet the goals of this massive investment much more effectively and efficiently."

According to PM pioneer Russell Archibald, co-founder of the Project Management Institute and co-author of the PM Manifesto, "The US and the world face enormous challenges today. The economic stimulus package now before the US Congress, which is expected to include billions for infrastructure and other projects around the country, should be implemented according to professional project management principles and standards and with full accountability. This is an opportunity to gain the attention of both the new administration and the general public to promote project management best practices for these programs and projects."

Michael O'Brochta, another co-author of the Manifesto and former head of the project management certification program at the CIA, added "By the way - this Manifesto is well aligned with the direction the civilian government workforce is headed as they adopt the new Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM). That certification, which the Federal Acquisition Institute has oversight for, calls for a common set of experience, training, and competency requirements to be met to qualify for the credential."

Project management experts, leaders and practitioners in the USA are encouraged to visit http://pmmanifesto.ning.com/, to become a signatory, and to forward the information to congressional representatives and others to spread the word.

Miles Shepherd, former chair of both the Association for Project Management (APM) in the UK and the International Project Management Association (IPMA), who was also at the expert PM Forum in Washington, DC on 19 December where the PM Manifesto originated, has added, "This should be a global initiative. Billions have now been budgeted by the UK and other governments for programs and projects to stimulate economies. Every country should have its own Project Management Manifesto to encourage governmental leaders to establish best PM practices, accountability and results oriented rules."

Editor's note: The background and startup of the PM Manifesto for America was described in the featured Editorial in the January edition of the PM World Today eJournal, which can be found at http://www.pmforum.org/library/editorials/2009/PDFs/Pells-1-09.pdf.