About ISO 21500-Guidance on Project Management

ISO 21500:2012 is based on PMBOK framework. The project management processes group covers the 5 stages of the project lifecycle: Initiating, Planning, Implementing, Controlling and Closing.

 

ISO 21500:2012 provides guidance for project management and can be used by any type of organization, including public, private or community organizations, and for any type of project, irrespective of complexity, size or duration.

 

ISO 21500 provides high-level description of concepts and processes that are considered to form good practice in project management.

 

The standard is intended to:

  • Take account of latest developments in International Project Management;
  • Reflect the best that we all have to offer;
  • Address most projects most of the time;
  • Not nullify or negate existing standards;
  • Identify potential future standards;
  • Flexible enough to support differences;
  • Process oriented: "What", not "How"

 

 

Main Highlights

ISO 21500 defines a project as “a unique set of processes consisting of coordinated and controlled activities with start and finish dates, undertaken to achieve an objective”.

 

All ISO 21500 management standard covered: Integration, Stakeholder, Resource, Scope, Time, Cost, Risk, Quality, Procurement and Communication.

 

The ISO 21500 will provide a better understanding on the best principles and practices of the project management to facilitate on providing an appropriate support and guidance to the project managers and project team members. The organization can have a common base of comparison on their project standards and practices to maintain and elevate the competitiveness.

 

 

Brief about the ISO standard

Adapted from the ISO standard: ISO 215000:2012

 

The ISO 21500 is the recognition of a profession that has been developed within the last four decades. It concentrates, into nearly 40 pages, all the knowledge that can be accepted as standard on project management.

 

It is been accurately developed by the international community with volunteers from more than 40 countries, with no commercial intention. ISO 21500 is the umbrella over all the rest of the project management bodies of knowledge and methods. It is important because in a globalized world, where anyone can be asked to lead a project in any location, one needs to apply the worldwide accepted International Standard project management framework.

 

  • doodles

    The ISO 21500 guide will encourage transfer of knowledge within the organization concerned levels between projects and organizations for improved project delivery.

  • doodles

    The standard will facilitate efficient tendering processes through the use of consistent project management terminologies.

  • doodles

    It will enable the flexibility of project management employees and their ability to work on international projects.

  • doodles

    The ISO standard will provide and promote the universal project management principles and processes.

  • doodles

    The new standard will provide the following key benefits to the project management community.

  • doodles

    The standard will aid the transfer of knowledge between projects and organizations resulting in improved project delivery.

  • doodles

    It will enable multi-national organizations to coordinate their project management processes and systems.

  • doodles

    The standards will facilitate the organizations mobility of project management personnel and their ability to work on international projects.

  • doodles

    It can provide a framework to the organization for which can be used as the basis for mapping of certification programs globally/internationally and therefore assist in their reciprocity.

  • doodles

    It will provide a framework for project management generic principles and processes that could be built upon for the advancement of the project management profession.


BAS 4P methodology is the way of standardizing the client process and procedure in a systematic way. The 4P enables BAS and client to go through a series of activities that leads to certifications. The 4P methodology deeply analyze and reviews the process and procedure within the organization and improves overall performance of the organization and finally get certified. 
BAS implements the following activities.

 

bas-methodology

 

PREPARE

Understand the context

  • Capture and review business goals to understand the context and client.
  • Determine goals of the assessment of the client by questionnaire, interviews etc.
  • Identify key stakeholders.
  • Determine the scope (functional areas, geographical coverage etc) and timeline.
  • Finalize scope, timeline and resource needs.
  • Confirm approach and seek client commitment.
  • Mobilize the Assessment project team.
  • Schedule interviews.
  • Hold a kick-off meeting.
  •  

PERFORM

Gather Data

  • Gather and Analyze/Review existing documentation, portals, past audit reports, forms, metrics, data etc and understand how the operations is compliance with standards.
  • Conduct interviews and workshops.
  • Document survey results and preliminary ratings if any.
  • Document preliminary findings.
  • Assess environment and, gaining evidentiary support from interviews and documents.
  • Identify key issues and challenges and seek agreements from stakeholders
  • Implement and improve process and procedures

 

PRESENT

Develop Recommendations

  • Identify opportunities to overcome identified issues and/or reach maturity levels.
  • Prioritize alternatives.
  • Develop recommendations and near-term timeline.
  • Prepare final report.
  • Preview final report with stakeholders and update as required.
  • Present final report.

 

PURSUE

Continual Improvement 

  • Follow up with the organization and analyze the how the organization is compliance with the standards
  • Check with the organization that the standards are being implemented and maintained.
  • Evaluate the continual fulfillment and improvement of all the required and relevant documents.

 

Certification Details

 

BAS is a versatile ISO certification body, with various industrial expertise and strong exposures in the field of Quality, Health, Safety and Environmental, Service Management and Information Security Management. We provide reliable services in the UK, Middle East, India and Other countries.

 

We at BAS with our veteran assessors provide you with certification which provides value for your management system. Many clients around the world have greatly benefited through our exemplary service. 

 

The following are the steps in this phase we do as part of certification

 

Contract signature

BAS representative sends out an application which is a questionnaire to the organization which is the applicant for the Certification.

Once BAS receives the filled in application, the BAS representative sends an official quote to the applicant for approval.

 

Pre-audit (optional):

Gap analysis and diagnosis of your systems current position against requirements of the standard - A pre-certification audit is a high level evaluation indicating where your company currently stands in compliance with specific standards before the main certification audit. 

 

Audit Stage 1- Initial Visit: to verify the establishment and implementation of the basic structure of your Management System

 

BAS will carry out a Document review Assessment of the clients Management System according to the requirements of  Standard in order to establish to what extent the System addresses the requirements of the standard and if a subsequent Initial Assessment for Accredited Certificate is likely to result in successful certification at an early stage, by which usually companies take the necessary corrective/preventive actions as appropriate and prior to the Initial Assessment. The Pre-audit should not be considered as a Consultancy Service

 

Audit Stage 2 - Certification audit (certificate issued after successful certification audit)

 

The principal purpose of the Initial Assessment is to audit the Companys Management Systems for compliance with the the standard. Please note that Initial Assessment is the obligatory service.   In this phase if there are any opportunities for improvements identified BAS auditors would report them in the interest of the organization.  

 

Surveillance audits to follow the continual improvement

 

It is also an obligatory service; BAS will perform Surveillance Visit approximately after every year i.e. a total of 3 Surveillance Visits will be performed every year during the 3 years validation period of the Certificate. Such routine surveillance Visits are performed to ensure the continuous compliance of your Management System to the requirements of  Standards.

 

Re-certification after 3 years through full audit or continual assessment.

What we do?

  • BAS can assist your organization to acquire any relevant ISO certifications in UAE which is well-known internationally. It will generate additional business opportunities, exhibit the organizations compliance and commitment to the best-practices in any industries in order to be more competitive in todays market.
  • We at BAS with our veteran assessors provide you with certification which provides value for your management system. Many clients around the world have greatly benefited through our exemplary service.
  • When you choose BAS as your certification partner you stand to gain monetarily in your business by our straight forward assessment. The overall aim of certification is to give confidence to all parties that a management system fulfills specified requirements. The value of certification is the degree of public confidence and trust that is established by an Impartial and competent assessment by a third party. 
  • With BAS, you will have the capability to deliver on the promises you make this helps you to enhance your     reputation, creates confidence in your capabilities, substantiates claims and differentiates your     organization; 
  • With BAS,  Obtains the full tangible benefits and value of your management systems this helps you to     link assessment system benefits to financial performance or improvements in effectiveness     and efficiency that help drive your business forward in  measurable and verifiable ways; and develops your capability to better manage a range of non-financial risks. 
  • As an integral part of this process, BAS will evaluate the relevance of the quality objectives against the analysis of stakeholder expectations and strategic goals of the company. We will assess the capability of the management system in controlling the defined processes. We will assess the effectiveness of the management decision making in respect to this data and, on the basis of this assessment, we will help senior management identify any changes required to support continual improvement. 
  • Providing more opportunities for improvements than just performing a compliance audit against the standards requirements.  
  • Understand the local culture and working patterns of the clients will facilitate better communication and understanding between BAS and the clients.
  • BAS possesses resources who have the knowledge and skills of multiple standards such as ISO 20000, ISO 27001, SKEA for eg., in Abu Dhabi for Business Excellence programs etc.,. This greatly helps the clients to have better inputs as the standards can be applied in an integrated way and the auditors can provide a holistic feedback. 
  • BAS has offices around the world and the auditors  have access to the knowledge from all around the global parts which will be helpful to the clients as they can have a better understanding and more practical suggestions from BAS auditors.
  • BAS location advantage within the Emirates on the following: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, Sharja, Ajman, Ras Al Kaimah and Fujairah (We have successfully completed many and different projects locally and also internationally).
  • BAS strongly promotes and implements the facilitations on the relevant Management System not only for the sake of certification but to really make a difference in the processes and procedures that will be implemented throughout any organization.
  • BAS consist of some project members which are also EFQM International Assessors this can add value to the assignment as Abu Dhabi government is highly recommending Organizational Excellence program across Abu Dhabi Emirate (and UAE).

Back to Top