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Grant says I have a nerd crush on UML. Well, let’s just say UML and I go way back.  :)

The reason I took the IBM cert is because I think that the OMG UML cert has some shortcomings, not the least of which is lack of training materials. Although memorization games are certainly a problem, you can't just specify some general topic areas that the applicant must know. Take a look at the pitiful amount of information posted by the OMG on their UML Cert home page. At least the Microsoft certs include a detailed topic analysis which allows people to put together resources like Tim's Code Clinic and Jason Row’s 70-330 study guide.

The PMP exam, and the PMP (Project Management Professional) designation in general, are very highly regarded.  The key I think with that is the experience portion of the application. In fact, I think technical certifications could learn a lot from the PMP cert. There are pretty significant certification requirements like:

• 7500 hours of qualified project management experience,
• Experience dates back at least 5 years and no more than 8 (no squatting on your cert!),
• Must have worked in a project management role in at least 60 months,
• Summary of project deliverables across all included projects,
• Completed 35 hours of project management training.

There are also continuing certification requirements where you have to continue doing qualifying activities to retain your cert. This is the kind of stuff I think would boost the perceived benefit in technical certification. But then again, the PMP is the one cert for project managers. We could not have these stiff requirements for all technical certs; nobody would be able to keep up and certs would lose their meaning.

This is very similar to IEEE’s Certified Software Development Professional. I like the idea in general. One problem I have with the certification is that the curriculum is only available to members, so it seems like a way to generate training revenue and book sales for those in the “group”. You have to get in the clique to be able to provide training resources, and then you get to share the wealth. Oligopoly anyone?

Anyone have any other ideas?