MIlette,

I'd go with "square peg-round hole" here. The PRINCIPLES and PROCESSES that you learn along your PMP journey will certainly help you with managing research projects. While you might think that the new PMI buzzwords do not have a lot to do with the scientific research, they do. At the end of the day, you still much manage the three basics: Scope, Schedule and Budget; and those are the central theme to any research project.

If you are looking at PMP, I say "go for it." You will learn a lot along the way.

Spoken from a 60-something Ph.D. chemist, former research scientist and laboratory manager now consultant.

Best of luck!

I lead a small research team in a biotech startup. Our "projects" are highly experimental, with more unknown variables than known ones. Failure is a valid data point. My director suggested a PMP to help structure our innovation pipeline and communicate better with investors.

My question is about the mindset. The PMP seems built for defined deliverables and clear scope. Our main deliverable is often "knowledge." Does the new focus on principles like "Navigate Complexity" and "Embrace Adaptability" in the 2026 exam finally create a space for R&D/innovation project leaders? Or am I trying to fit a square peg in a round hole?