ABSTRACT
Competence is about the demonstrated knowledge and experience of project personnel, sponsor, project manager, and team members, each in their area of work and role. Although competence can be part of normal professional development, it requires a special focus, which is necessary to elevate performance. Proper assessment of competence is done by qualified assessors, on a one-on-one basis. This one-on-one assessment is the approach that International Project Management Association (IPMA) uses to grant the higher-level certifications, through formal assessment and usually by more than one assessor. It is critical not to take the topic of competence for granted or equate it to general professional development. Many organizations, including major global powers, have not yet adopted a competence-based development framework for elevating their staff's performance, at least in the project management domain.
