10 most popular Project Management Standards.
There is no single ‘best’ project management standard. The most valuable approach is the one that aligns people, purpose, and action. A Project Manager may commit to one framework or blend several standards, shaping them as needed in the context, to turn intention into reality.
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This research examines the ten project management standards and identifies the key areas that will guide project managers into the next generation.
1. PMBOK® Guide (Project Management Body of Knowledge)
Organisation: Project Management Institute (PMI), USA
Publication: “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)” – 8th Edition (2025)
2. PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments)
Organisation: AXELOS (formerly UK Office of Government Commerce)
Publication: “Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2®” (2023)
3. ISO 21500 Series
Organisation: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Publications:
ISO 21500: Project, programme and portfolio management — Context and concepts
ISO 21502: Project, programme and portfolio management — Guidance on project management TechnologyAdvice (2020)
4. IPMA ICB® (Individual Competence Baseline)
Organisation: International Project Management Association (IPMA)
Publication: “IPMA Individual Competence Baseline, Version 4.0 (ICB4®)” (2015)
5. APM Body of Knowledge (APMBoK)
Organisation: Association for Project Management (APM), UK
Publication: “APM Body of Knowledge, 8th Edition” (2025)
6. P2M (Program & Project Management for Enterprise Innovation)
Organisation: Project Management Association of Japan (PMAJ)
Publication: “A Guidebook of Program and Project Management for Enterprise Innovation (P2M)” – 3rd Edition (2017)
7. AgilePM® (Agile Project Management)
Organisation: Agile Business Consortium (formerly DSDM Consortium)
Publications: “AgilePM® Handbook v3” (2025)
8. PM² (Project Management Squared)
Organisation: European Commission
Publication: “PM² Project Management Methodology Guide v3.1” (December 2023)
9. ICCPM Complex Project Leadership Competency Standards
Organisation: International Centre for Complex Project Management (ICCPM)
Publications: “Complex Project Leadership Competency Standards” (2023)
10. GAPPS (Global Alliance for the Project Professions)
Organisation: Global Alliance for the Project Professions
Publications: Various Tools like Guiding Frameworks
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