09 Mar ISO 21502

What is ISO 21502?

As an update of ISO 21500:2012, ISO 21502:2020 provides guidance that can help project managers and project-based organizations deliver projects successfully. The standard also provides high-level descriptions of practices that are effective in project management.

The guidance provided by ISO 21502 can be applied to any type of organization and all types of projects. Moreover, apart from project managers and executive management, the standard can be used by project sponsors and boards, auditors, and organizations that develop national or organizational standards or practices for project management.

Why is Project Management important for you?

The advent of remote work and project-based companies are expected to increase the demand for skilled project management professionals. Obtaining a professional certification in project management enables you to take advantage of the opportunities in an emerging work market.

At the organizational level, ISO 21502 recommendations can help organizations optimize the use of their resources and while maximizing value creation; thus, achieving their intended outcomes. It also promotes employee collaboration and enhances communication among personnel, suppliers, and customers relevant to the project, which results in stakeholder engagement and customer satisfaction. Moreover, ISO 21502 can lead to better business decisions, including the prioritization of tasks for projects and mitigation of risks.

A career in project management will transform how you plan and undertake activities and tasks within the context of projects. As a trained and certified project manager, you will lead the project team, plan activities for the project, define the project objectives, scope, schedule, and budget, identify, assess, and treat risks, engage and communicate with stakeholders, and manage the overall implementation of the project.

Benefits of ISO 21500 Project Management

By using ISO 21502 guidelines on project management, organizations and project managers will be able to:

  • Transform their ideas into tangible or intangible deliverables
  • Manage and engage stakeholders successfully when developing and implementing projects
  • Initiate, plan, implement, control, and close projects with specific objectives, scope, resources 
  • Control changes to projects
  • Manage organizational and societal changes that impact projects
  • Conduct risk assessments regarding the project and manage identified risks 
  • Learn from project management activities

Changes made from ISO 21500:2012 to ISO 21502:2020

ISO 21502:2020 cancels and replaces ISO 21500:2012. The first edition of ISO 21502 has changed from process-based to practices and narrative-based format. In addition to the introductory clauses, ISO 21502 is made up of four main clauses:

  • Clause 4 Project management concepts
  • Clause 5 Prerequisites for formalizing project management
  • Clause 6 Integrated project management practices
  • Clause 7 Management practices for a project

Beside the structural change, the following aspects have been added to ISO 21502:

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