Developing Global Professional Standards

Shanker Gopalkrishnan, CMC, FIMC

Chair, Global Professional Standards Committee, ICMCI

IMCI National Convention, March 2006

Definitions

Professional Management Consultant Is a management consultant who views management

consulting as a profession, who strives for self-improvement in the process of both management and management consulting and who subscribes to the code of ethics of a professional body of management.

Certified Management Consultant Is a professional management consultant who meets

relevant requirements of character, qualifications, experience, competence and independence established by the professional body issuing certification.

The CMC mark is Competency Based

Personal qualities required of a Certified Management Consultant

objectivity, impartiality and independence knowledge of management organisation and techniques consulting competencies practical experience technical expertise

Supported by the ICMCI Competency Framework, which is based on the Common Body Of Knowledge (CBK)

Acting Communicating Thinking (Like a consultant)

THE COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK

MANAGEMENTPRACTICE

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

CONSULTING

FUNCTIONAL/ TECHNICAL

INDUSTRY

P E S T L E

PRACTICE MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

Ethics

And/or

Not Mandatory For CMC

Specialist Competencies

Assessing Competency

Requires a formal & objective assessment Professional record Assignment study Presentation & interview Client references Formal assessment

Carried out by accredited assessors

Based on externally validated international standards (quality assurance)

Common ICMCI Competency Standards

The objectives are to

Crate the concept of “Universe” and “CMC core” The

universe will be common competencies that a consultant

needs to possess

Create a set of core competency unit standards which are

accepted by each country and are essential for certification

Create an integrated international framework for

certification

Facilitate continuing professional development - CPD

Align consulting education and training to the competency

framework and CBK

Common Standards aim to

Bring together the variety of standards already in existence

Provide a structure to which new competencies can be added

Ensure that all existing and new national standards meet the accepted quality requirements

Standards Generation

ICMCI generate unit standards

Update and review unit standards

Recommend “core unit” competency standards to member countries

Countries may add “country specific units” to reflect local needs

Qualifications are at the discretion of the member countries

Quality Assurance – Assessment Process

Common framework to evaluate assessment process

Statement of equivalence, examination of documents

Visits by assessors

In depth examination, including sample interviews of CMCs

Review and process amendments

Approval by Membership Quality Assurance Committee

Certificate of assessment

Triennial assessments

Quality Assurance – Training

Ensure quality of learning programs

Provide moderation and accreditation of assessors

Accredit training providers

Note : ICMCI’s framework for training is in progress – many IMCs have framed their own systems

The process….

CBK Knowledge

Competency Framework

Competency units

Quality Assurance

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Process

Assessors Guidelines

Certification process

Training

Training providers

Verification process

ICMCI Assessors

Global Professional Standards Committee

Process of building standards

Why do we need a professional standard ? Who wants it ? Who will use it ? Who will provide the service ? Is the service amenable to standardisation ? Can we benchmark against other professional standards ? What should be the components ? Who will be the authority to grant the standard ? Who assess the authority ? What are the safeguards ? Who will hold the IPR ?

PSC : Tasks & Implementation

Strategy Mission, Objectives, Structure

Documentation Website, protocol

CMC standard CMC competency model framework, syllabus, reference reading list

CBK Update – framework & content

ACP Large practices

MQAC Standardisation of assessment procedures

ISO Standards alignment

Education & Training Effective practices

Thank youThank you