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In this issue... |
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One factor above all that helps people pass the PMP Exams is preparation. What better way to prepare for the PMP exams than practicing in a realistic PMP exam environment. There's a lot of awesome PMP Exam study tools available - one of which is the PMP exam simulator.
In this week's issue allow me to share my thoughts on what are the Top 10 features of a great PMP Exam Simulator.
Last week, I told you that the current PMP exam is all about an in-depth understanding of applying project management concepts and principles from the PMBOK Guide as well as general management knowledge from other sources to project situations. Read on as Steve Pantazis, PMP confirms this and learn more as to how he passed the PMP exam.
Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC
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Top 10 Features of a Great PMP Exam Simulator
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 You've read the PMBOK Guide, you've studied hard and you feel that you are ready to take the PMP exam. But understanding the topics isn't the only thing you'll need to make a success of the exam. Wouldn't it be great to have the chance to take some sample questions, so you really know what the exam is going to be like?
You can use a PMP exam simulator to give you an insight into what sort of questions you'll face during the exam. Here are 10 things to look for when choosing which PMP exam simulator to use:
1. Does it have full exam mode?
Choose a simulator that offers full exam mode. This will show you what the PMP exam is really like. With full exam mode, you can take a complete practice exam in your own home or office. It's very realistic, and taking practice exams like this will help you understand what to expect on the day.
2. Does it have lots of questions?
You don't want to be sitting at the computer after a day of studying and find that the same questions appear on the screen time and time again. Choose a PMP exam simulator that has lots of questions, preferably over 1,500. This will give you plenty of variety. Varied questions are more challenging, more interesting for you, and make your experience of the simulator more realistic.
3. Are the questions presented in the same proportion as in the exam?
Having lots of questions is only half the story: you also need to make sure that the questions presented on screen are shown in the same proportion as in the PMP exam itself. For example, in the real exam, 13% of the questions will come from Initiating a Project. If your PMP exam simulator shows too few or too many questions from this section, you won't get a realistic view of what you'll be presented with on your exam day.
4. Is the vendor a PMI Registered Education Provider?
A Registered Education Provider (R.E.P) is an organization approved by PMI to issue PDUs for its training materials. You might not have your PMP certification yet, but get into good habits now and make sure that you use a PMP exam simulator from a reputable, PMI approved company.
5. Who wrote the questions?
You want to know who is behind all these questions, don't you? Try to find a PMP exam simulator that has questions written by a group of PMPs. That way, you know that behind the scenes the question writers have adapted a variety of styles, debated over the answers and the phrasing, and peer reviewed each others' work.
6. Is there a 'mark for review' feature?
In the real exam, you'll see the 'mark for review' feature. This enables you to put a question to one side for the moment and return to it at the end. Don't let a difficult question take up all of your time. In the real exam, you'll want to skip it and complete as many of the questions as possible, then go back to the ones you have marked for review. A good PMP exam simulator will let you do the same.
7. Does it have a learning mode?
There's more to PMP exam preparation than just taking practice exams. You can also use a PMP simulator to help you learn. In learning mode, you can get hints for the questions, or you can see the answer to the question. This is useful if you want to consolidate what you have learned so far.
8. Does it explain why you got questions wrong?
You also need to know why you got questions wrong! It's very frustrating to just see 'Wrong' on the screen without an explanation or a reference back to other materials so that you can revise your understanding of that concept. A good PMP exam simulator will explain the rationale and help you understand why you made a mistake.
9. Is it based on the most recent PMBOK Guide?
This is an obvious one: you need to choose a simulator to help with your PMP exam prep that is based on the most recent PMBOK Guide! If it isn't, you can't guarantee the relevance of the questions or the accuracy of the answers.
10. Will it let you take the tests multiple times?
A great simulator won't limit the amount of times you can take the tests. Repeating the tests (especially if you got some of the answers wrong) is a good way to gain confidence and improve your exam results. Look for a PMP exam simulator that allows you to retake the tests as many times as you like.
Last but not least, your PMP exam simulator will not only help you prepare properly for the exam, but it will also help you approach the exam environment confidently. You'll know what to expect, and prior knowledge is a great stress reliever! A great PMP simulator will give you an important edge in passing that all-important exam.
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| Read, Read, Read & Practice, Practice, Practice |
 Passing the PMP Exam requires hardwork, a lot of reading and practicing simulated exams.
Watch this video we have prepared for you: http://bit.ly/ifPPal
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Sample PMP Exam Question
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You are managing an amusement park development project. You have received the following estimates for site excavation and area development activity that is critical to the success of your project.
The most likely estimate is $100,000, the optimistic estimate is $90,000, and the pessimistic estimate is $120,000. What is the variance of this data?
A. 25000000
B. 5000
C. 30000
D. 105000
Hint: Calculate the standard deviation using the PERT method and then calculate variance from it.
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Exam Tip: Schedule your PMP Exam as early as possible
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 One of the more important steps in preparing for the PMP exam is to schedule you exam date as soon as you meet all the eligibility requirements. This will give you a specific date toward which you can work. Now you have deadline - a big red "X" on your calendar - and this will motivate you in your studies. If you don't have the date scheduled you can always find excuses for not studying and delaying things. But having the date in your mind and calendar will drive you to study regularly.
Now that you see your exam approaching, here are a few good study activities:
Read the PMBOK. Read it twice. Because the PMP exam is largely based on the PMBOK contents, it makes sense to know what it says. However, the PMP exam requires far more than just recounting facts. You can't just memorize the PMBOK and pass the exam. You must understand how each of the Pod MBOK's processes, along with their inputs, outputs, and tools and techniques would be applied in real live project situations. So a good way to enhance your studies is to apply the concepts you learn from the PMBOK Guide on your projects right away.
Next, read the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and as with the PMBOK, read it at least twice. Think of project scenarios for each topic that will be more meaningful and help you remember the concepts as you study the Code. Learn how each section in the Code is different and why each one is necessary for the project management profession.
And lastly, don't forget to discuss project management topics with others to really learn the material. Find a local or online study group and meet with them as you study for the exam.
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Solution
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 The correct answer is: A
Reference: PMP Study Guide 5ed - Sybex - pg:170
Explanation: Standard deviation can be calculated as (Pessimistic - Optimistic) / 6. Variance can be calculated by squaring the standard deviation. For the given data, the variance is $25,000,000 and the standard deviation is $5,000. Hence choice A is the correct answer.
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Lessons Learned from Steve Pantazis
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I passed my PMP certification exam today!
After three months of studying, it's finally over. Here's how I succeeded, and how you can too.
I) Studying
I studied about an hour each morning during the work week and about 4 hours each weekend, over a three-month period. Toward the end, I added evenings and other spare time to the mix. The key was to comprehend the information, not just memorize it. Here's what I did:
- Watched The PM PrepCast videos (an excellent product, by the way; thank you Cornelius!)
- Read Joseph Phillips' Project Management Professional Study Guide twice and took all the chapter-end, self test questions twice; opinion: great source of foundation material (concepts and processes), but slightly lacking on the ITTO front
- Skimmed through parts of the PMBOK guide, as needed, to address areas not fully covered in Phillips' guide
- Downloaded the PMP Exam eFlashCards I purchased (thanks again, Cornelius!) onto my smartphone and studied during lunches
- Performed a 15-minute "memory dump" every other morning the second month into my studying, then every morning the two weeks leading up to the exam date; my memory dump consisted of the following:
- All the formulas (3-Pt, PERT, variance, float, PV/FV, # communication channels, and EVM formulas like EAC, CPI and TCPI)
- Sigma 1,2,3 and 6 values
- HR theories (Maslow, McClellan, Hertzberg, McGregor X & Y, Ouichi Z, Expetancy)
- All 42 PM processes, exactly as they are laid out on pg 43 of the PMBOK guide
Note: I didn't memorize the ITTO's, but had a general understanding of the flow of inputs and outputs, as well as the tools and techniques required for the PM processes
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