The Project DPro Story
PMD Pro – Project DPro – DPro Suite
Developed by the sector, for the sector, and owned by the sector.
The Challenge
NGOs excel at designing important, life-changing projects. Yet without the tools to manage them properly, some projects fail to deliver promised results. How can we respond as a sector to do the right projects in the right way?
Partnering
Donors, NGOs, and communities increasingly collaborate on projects that require new communication tools and frameworks.
Transparency
Donors and communities require transparency about project outcomes and other key metrics.
Accountability
NGOs and their partners are increasingly more accountable to deliver projects on-time and on-budget.
The Solution
Project DPro (PMD Pro) – Project Management for Development Professionals – is a best practice guide and certification that provides project managers the skills needed to deliver effective, transparent results to donors and communities.
Appropriate
Project DPro (PMD Pro) provides a common and contextualized vocabulary and framework specifically for managing development projects.
Affordable
The Project DPro Guide (PMD Pro) and DPro Starters are free learning resource for the development community. The Foundation Exam is also affordable.
Accessible
With guides in several languages, Project DPro reaches professionals wherever they work. Over 77% of those certified are from developing countries.
Developed by and for NGOs, Project DPro (PMD Pro) is a global standard for project management that has reached over 30,000 development professionals.
The story behind PM4NGOs and Project DPro
PMD Pro writing and exam pilot
LINGOs began to work with a group of international NGOs in 2007 to collectively define principles and best practices in project management in the development sector. That early group included Catholic Relief Services, Habitat for Humanity, World Vision, Save the Children, Oxfam and others as well as representatives from the Project Management Institute. The work of that group laid out a framework for the Project Management in Development curriculum which was developed and field tested by over 200 practitioners from 15 organizations in 20 countries.
Project DPro (PMD Pro) is launched
With feedback from that initial testing, the PMD Pro Guide and PMD Pro Certification scheme were developed and launched in 2010 in Johannesburg and Zambia.
PM4NGOs became Project DPro guardian
In 2011, the ownership of the PMD Pro Guide and certification were turned over to a new organization PM4NGOs to maintain and expand the standard.
At that time, LINGOs began to offer training and consulting services to organizations and individuals interested in adopting PMD Pro tools and techniques. In order to more rapidly spread the PMD Pro methodology, LINGOs has also trained several organizations to deliver the PMD Pro courses and have provided materials for trainers at no cost to anyone interested in conducting PMD Pro certification preparation classes.
Reaching professionals around the world
In just 5 years 10 thousand professionals achieved their certification in 150 countries, in 8 different languages.
Strengthening connections with trainers
PM4NGOs launches the Training Partners Program to provide better support to companies and organizations offering Project DPro training courses. The Hubs Program is also launched to empower and recognize volunteers who represent PM4NGOs around the world.
Program DPro is launched
Attending a demand from the community of trainers and learners, the Program DPro guide is developed in partnership with over 20 organizations and the program level certification exam is launched.
PMD Pro review is started
In 2018, PM4NGOs started to review and rewrite the PMD Pro Guide. Over 10 years, PMD Pro has reached 30 thousand professionals, working at 1,250 organizations, in 167 countries.
Connecting with practitioners
The practitioner community (which later becomes the DPro+ platform) is launched allowing to consult practitioners about the improvements and changes on PMD Pro 2nd edition.
PMD Pro becomes Project DPro
Launched in March, 2020, the Project DPro Guide (PMD Pro 2nd Edition) reflects years of learning, feedback from hundreds of development professionals, and a two-year development process. It also aligns with Program DPro Guide.
Finance DPro
The FMD Pro Guide and certification (originally launched on May 2017) are handed over PM4NGOs on April 2020 by Humentum and the FMD Pro Development Advisory Group.
New exam system
In 2021 PM4NGOs launches a new exam system, allowing the adoption of new exam features, types of questions, and rapidly increasing the available languages and DPros.
MEAL DPro
On April 2022, Catholic Relief Services, the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, Humentum, and PM4NGOs have joined resources and efforts to host the MEAL DPro guide and certification (originally published on January 2019), continuously improving it and share it through the development and humanitarian sectors.
DPro Suite around the world
Looking back at the beginning, it has been incredibly rewarding to hear stories of the difference that improved project management practice has made to people’s lives: PMD Pro has made their lives easier – providing simple and adaptable tools and techniques that help them do more with less and in many cases, do it better.
Now… Project, MEAL, Program, and Finance DPro reach over 43 thousand professionals in 176 countries. Over 32 thousand candidates have successfully passed the exam. 76% of these professionals are based in developing countries.
Impact where it matters most: 76% of DPro professionals work in a developing country.
The Benefits
On Time
NGOs using Project DPro report reduced delays because Project DPro tools help development staff define project risks and goals, assess progress, and efficiently delegate work.
On Budget
NGOs using Project DPro report improved cost management, enhanced donor reporting, and more confident project and program staff.
Proven Results
Project stakeholders report benefits from increased transparency, common vocabulary and improved project outcomes.
“If we don’t do project management right, nothing else is possible. PMD Pro and Mercy Corps’ own Program Management at Mercy Corps Initiative are finally giving us a common language that has been missing for many years”.
—Craig Redmond, Senior Vice President of Programs, Mercy Corps
Case Studies
Heifer International
“We now have the space to look at wider issues, at project growth or future initiatives, without compromising the logical delivery of the project.” — Adriana Garcia-DeVun America’s Director of Program
Catholic Relief Services
“I recommend PMD Pro because it really helps staff to understand where to focus their efforts. It also benefits their team, who can sometimes feel overwhelmed at the beginning of a project.” — Jennifer Overton Deputy Regional Director, East Africa
World Vision
“PMD Pro is the best thing to have happened to project management. It is the reason why kids in Zambia have clean water, why clinics are built on time, and why a poor farmer is able to harvest”. — Clement Chipokolo World Vision International, Zambia
Disclaimer: the Project DPro Story is brought to you by LINGOs. This story (including images) was developed and published by LINGOS with free license to replicate and distribute. LINGOs is the organization that wrote and published the PMD Pro 1st Edition (Project DPro). If you believe that a reference to your organization, logo, or any image should not been published by LINGOs and should not be on our website, please contact our team at info@pm4ngos.org and we will remove it.
