(ANSI: New York) -- The International Organization for Standardization today announced that the development process has begun on ISO 21500, a new international standard for project management.

The first meeting of the project committee, ISO PC 236—“Project management,” drew fifty delegates to London to begin work on the document. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) holds the secretariat for PC 236, and the committee is chaired by Dr. Jim Gordon of the United Kingdom.

According to Gordon, initial phases of the work are expected to be completed in 2010. PC 236’s three working groups will address terminology, processes, and informative guidance.

Building on existing standards, ISO 21500 is intended to provide generic guidance, explaining the core practices and principles of project management. The standard will apply to organizations of all sizes and from all industry sectors, and will be useful for newcomers and experienced project management practitioners.

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