By Robert Stewart, CVS-Life, FSAVE, PMP, PMI-RMP – Director of Education, SAVE International
SAVE International is in the process of developing a comprehensive Value Methodology Body of Knowledge (VMBoK). Provided below is an overview of the background, purpose, objectives, references, members, reporting and decision process. The first step in the development of the VMBoK is establishing a definitive glossary of terms on which a full VMBoK is based on. Toward this end, the VMBoK Committee, in cooperation with the SAVE Certification Board, SAVE Board of Directors, and the Miles Value Foundation, has prepared a revised glossary and proposed table of contents (TOC) that will serve as the foundation and structure of the VMBoK. Members have until October 5 to review this content and provide your direct feedback to the VMBoK Committee.
The VMBoK Committee will review and consider all feedback and will be the final arbiter of the content. Once this has been completed, the VMBoK Committee will continue on to the development of chapters identified in the proposed TOC. The SAVE International Function Analysis Guide will be largely incorporated into the VMBoK with minor edits and clarifications. The draft VMBoK will be circulated to members again in 2019 for review.
Instructions to Review the VMBoK Glossary and TOC:
To review and comment on the revised glossary entries, please use this Glossary feedback form. Each glossary entry has a box for you to write your comments. Please remember that this is a members-only feedback, so it is required that you write your name and SAVE membership number when you start the feedback process. There are no anonymous replies allowed. (If you do not know your membership number, please email the SAVE business office at info@value-eng.org.)
You will also find the Guide’s new Table of Contents published HERE. Please share any comments to the Technical Committee VMBoK Guide at tc@collaborativeve.org.
Background and Purpose:
SAVE International, the first society created for Value Methodology (VM) Professionals, has existed since its founding in 1959 without a formal Body of Knowledge (BoK) Guide developed and owned exclusively by its members.
Although there have been elements that have been developed that could be considered parts of a VMBoK Guide, these are not all in alignment with each other and are the result of various independent efforts over many decades. The lack of a cohesive, foundational VMBoK Guide has created numerous, significant problems for SAVE. The development of a definitive VMBoK Guide will result in:
- Broad agreement of the meaning of fundamental concepts such as “value” and “function,” with alignment of terms, meanings, and interpretations.
- A single, comprehensive reference for the purposes of education, training, and certification.
- Consistency in pedagogy relative to the theory and application of VM by its practitioners and trainers.
- A well-articulated message as to what VM is.
- A clear identity and the ability of the profession to effectively market itself behind a strong, cohesive brand.
The presence such of a document will enhance and bolster the value of the methodology and the profession. It is critical that this opportunity be addressed soon and in a manner that is respectful of the opinions and contributions of its membership.
Objective:
The objective of this effort is to develop a professional Value Methodology Body of Knowledge (VMBoK) Guide. The VMBoK Guide shall be defined as follows:
The VMBoK Guide is intended to be a subset of the Value Methodology body of knowledge that is generally recognized as effective practice. ‘Generally recognized’ means the knowledge and practices described are applicable to most projects, products and processes most of the time and there is a consensus about their value and usefulness. Effective practice’ means there is a general agreement that the application of the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques can improve value if applied in a timely, and conscientious manner. Therefore, it is not intended to be a repository of all information that could be considered part of the Value Methodology body of knowledge in its entirety.
References:
There are many references to support the development of the VMBoK Guide. The following list represents recent, key documents that form a basis for the creation of a VMBoK Guide. The technical committee recognizes and acknowledges that this is only a small portion of the Value Methodology body of knowledge.
- Value Methodology Standard, 2015
- Function Analysis Guide, 2017
- Core Competency Education Objectives, 2017
- Value Methodology Pocket Guide, 2018
Members:
Reporting Structure:
The following reporting structure and deliverables are as follows:
- Technical Committee to provide draft iterations to SAVE membership for review and comment.
- The Technical Committee will review all member feedback, discuss its relevance to the VMBoK Guide, and make decisions concerning the disposition of this feedback.
Decision Process:
Decisions will be made by consensus of the members who are present, in person or via teleconference, at each meeting. All are responsible for the effective use of resources and maintaining a collaborative environment.
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