It is sad to report that the Dilbert Mission Statement Generator is no more. However, others have picked up the baton and you can find similar generators out there. Even if you cannot find one, it is easy enough to create your own. Take a series of words and phrases like “synergy”, “leverage”, “core competencies” and “going forward”, blend them with as many superlatives as you like and produce random sentences. It is often difficult to distinguish between real and fake ones.

This is a pity, because giving a bit of thought to vision and mission statements will serve as useful guidance for corporations, programs and even projects.

On this page:

• Understanding Vision and Mission Statements
• Defining Vision and Mission in Project Context
• Vision, Mission, and Project Management
• Agile Methodology and Vision Statement

Understanding Vision and Mission Statements

You will not meet vision and mission statements on any Project Management Professional (PMP)® course. The Project Management Institute reserves these concepts for Program Management Professionals (PgMPs)®. For program managers, it is important to position their programs to align with the corporate vision. But project managers can gain better understanding of their place in the bigger picture by spending some time devising vision and mission statements for their own projects.

Defining Vision and Mission in Project Context

The first step on the way is to understand what vision and mission statements are. First off, they are not the same thing (a mistake many corporations make). The vision statement is where you want to be. It is the goal as you see it now. The mission statement, in contrast, is the high-level strategy: How are we going to achieve the vision?

Vision, Mission, and Project Management

But what has this to do with the PMP® on the ground? As a project manager, you are likely to have experienced a project cancellation – and hopefully, closed out the project properly according to your PMP® training. But did you see it coming? A change in strategy at portfolio (corporate) or program level can mean your project no longer contributes to realizing the vision. In that case, your project is likely to be cancelled.

Agile Methodology and Vision Statement

Fans of agile methods and the Scrum project management methodology in particular, will recall that Scrum projects should define a vision statement. Again, the goal is to anchor the project with a definite purpose. Agile projects (or projects with an adaptive life cycle as you PMPs® might call them) do not have clearly defined scope at the start of the project.

In terms of PMP^® certification, Velopi’s vision is to provide a one-stop-shop for PMP^® students. The mission: By using our Blended Learning Solution, our PMP^® courses provide total support for our PMP^® students, from initial application to preparing for the PMP^® exam itself. Our strategy includes hosting PMP^® courses online in a virtual classroom and providing online, simulated PMP^® exams to provide the best PMP^® exam preparation. For more details, please see our training page or contact us directly.