As project management has become a more widely recognised management approach, governments, individuals, and both public and private sector organisations have become interested in frameworks and standards that describe levels of acceptable workplace performance for project personnel.

The Global Alliance for Project Performance Standards (GAPPS), formerly known as the Global Performance Standards for Project Management Personnel Initiative, is a volunteer organisation working to create such frameworks and standards by providing a forum for stakeholders from differing systems, backgrounds, and operating contexts to work together to address the needs of the global project management community.

These frameworks are intended to support the development and recognition of local standards and to provide a sound basis for mutual recognition and transferability of project management qualifications.

The GAPPS frameworks are intended to be used by businesses, academic institutions, training providers, professional associations, and government standards and qualifications bodies globally. Frameworks may be used “as is” to speed the development of local standards, or they may be adapted to local needs.

This document is the first of several. Future documents may address program managers, project sponsors, project team members, project management consultants, project management trainers, or other levels of project managers.