|
In this issue... |
|
 Hi ,
I think you would agree if I say "Practice makes perfect." Practicing, as learning method is very effective in improving or mastering your skills. This is also true if you want to pass the PMP exam. I suggest you practice all question types to pass the PMP Exam. This week I am sharing an article about this so just read on.
Don't miss my sample exam question and tip of the week. Also, Denrael Snossel shares his experience in taking (and of course "passing") the PMP exam.
Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC
|
| Secure Your Chance to Pass the PMP Exam |
|
Now that you have decided to take the PMP Exam, you must know the required formulas to stand a chance to pass the exam. You need a complete approach that will teach you the PMP formulas, values, and acronyms and give you sample questions to test yourself on. This is where The PMP Exam Formula Study Guide and Cheat Sheet come in.
Take the guesswork out of it - You will never have to ask yourself "Am I studying the right formulas?" again. Get the The PMP Exam Formula Study Guide NOW!
For only $29.97, get the ultimate reference to all the formulas that you need to know in order to pass the PMP Exam.
Here is what one of our many satisfied customers, Srinivas Sharma from United Kingdom has to say:
"The PMP Formula Study Guide gave me very good insight into the type of questions that i would encounter. No matter if we study any PMP prep guide, I have come across questions which werent there in my other books and taking the formula guide was the right thing i did. I would ask people to go for it as it explains the principles and how to apply the formula concepts in different scenarios and that will be helpful for the PMP exam."
Order your copy of The PMP Exam Formula Study Guide here..
|
Practice All Question Types to Pass the PMP Exam
|
 Anyone who has sat for the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam knows that studying the PMBOK Guide and having 35 Contact Hours is just not enough. When you talk to them about the PMP Exam, they will tell you it covers a lot of ground and the questions are not as straightforward as one would hope. Of the ones that have passed the exam, an overwhelming percentage of them will tell you that they used more than just one study method.
Just as a golfer must learn to "drive" and "put" before they ever step onto a 18 hole golf course, the PMP Applicant must also learn the mechanics of taking the exam and what to expect when they arrive on game day. Employing multiple study methods may give you a triangulated understanding of the material as well as illuminating what you do know and what you don't know.
Being able to answer PMP Exam sample questions is crucial to your exam success. Simple? In concept; yes. After all, the PMP exam has only multiple choice questions. However, there are a number of question styles; each has their purpose and caveats, which makes knowing how to get the most of each question exponentially crucial.
Let's jump into the PMP Exam question types:
FORMULA based questions are more than just 'solving for the median' or calculating earned value. There are around 49 PMP exam formulas that you must know backwards and forwards in order to pass the PMP Exam. Understanding them thoroughly down to the importance of each element will give you the decision making criteria to include or exclude the values in the PMP exam question.
SITUATIONAL questions test your ability to apply theoretical know how to real life project management situations. Often, these questions tend to be very long winded. The idea behind this is that in real life you will be handed both relevant and irrelevant information. Your task is to identify what's relevant, ignore what doesn't matter and then act upon the real issues. Be sure to read and accurately identify the actual question being asked of you, so that you can eliminate the useless information.
Often, situational questions will offer two choices which are both reasonably correct, so it's vital that you identify if the question is asking you the BEST choice, or the NEXT choice, or the EXCEPTION, or the ONLY answer.
KNOWLEDGE based questions require you to identify the meaning of the situation based on your understanding of the facts provided. These questions also occasionally ask "What is the exception?"; e.g. 'Group brainstorming encourages all of the following except:'
Knowledge based question may also ask you to identify an example chart or graph, such as recognizing a RACI or Pareto chart.
INTERPRETATIONAL questions test your ability to deduce a situation or condition from the description of a status or problem. For example: "If your project has an SPI and a CPI both greater than 1, how well is your project performing?" To solve this, you will need to know how SPI and CPI relate to the project's performance.
SPECIFIC TECHNIQUE questions will provide a snap shot of a situation, like a network diagram, and ask you to provide an element that's inherent in that diagram such as forward pass or backward pass.
PMBOK GUIDE KNOWLEDGE questions test your familiarity of specific areas, such as "Which of these processes are not part of the Initiating Process Group?" or "What are the inputs to the Create WBS process?
You need to answer dozens of samples from each question type before you will feel ready to tackle the exam. But how and where do you find good PMP mock exams?
There are many free PMP sample questions available just one short Google search away. However, you want to be very careful, because with free mock questions more times than not, the old adage "You get what you pay for" applies.
The best way to practice sample questions is by signing up to an online PMP exam simulator. You can access the questions over the internet from anywhere and on your schedule. Be sure the questions were created based on the most recent version of the PMBOK Guide. The question population should be a good mix of the types as well as cover all PMBOK Guide concepts.
So, there you have it. If you want to pass the PMP exam, you need to learn about the different types of questions that appear on the exam and practice them using a high-quality online PMP Exam simulator. Once you know how to identify the real question being asked from each of these question types, you'll greatly increase the odds of arriving at the correct answer. I know this sounds simplistic, but it is no small task because you'll need to be able to recall and apply all the theoretical knowledge required, combine it with your own project management experience and relate this to the question at hand.
|
|
The PMP Exam is a test of project management practices
|
|
 In order to succeed in the PMP Exam, you should have hands-on experience in project management.
Watch this video we have prepared for you: http://bit.ly/fqYLOe
|
|
Sample PMP Exam Question
|
You are managing a software development project. You have completed 40% work of the project scope. The project approved budget is $10,000. How much you have spent to date on the project if your CPI is 0.8?
A. 5000
B. 4000
C. 5500
D. 4500
Hint : First calculate the EV and then calculate the AC. |
|
Exam Tip:
|
 The Project Management exam is the hottest certifications exam today. It is the most challenging project management certification exams to prepare for. This is because most of those thinking about taking this exam are at the stage of their career when they are already working full time and then they try to find the time to study for their certification.
If you think that the PMP Certification exam is your average college test where you can cram yet still get high marks, then think again. The PMP exam is anything but easy. It is an experience-based exam in a 200-question, four-hour computerized format. When you are studying for the exam, you could answer the sample questions easily enough in the comfort of your own room with no ticking clocks, no distractions and no security cameras pointing at you. However, during the actual examination, you will find yourself in a radically different setting.
Think of it as the battleground and you as the soldier. And any good soldier would create a battle plan before the exam. He knows that planning can spell the difference between passing and failing. You have to formulate strategies in terms of how to answer and review the questions, how to ease the tension from your body and how to replenish your energy. Your battle plan will seve as your guide during the exam and will help you focus on the task ahead of you. With a battle plan, you will be able to breeze through your exams knowing that you have everything under control and and can maximize the time allotted for you to finish the exam within the allowable period.
|
|
Solution
|
|
The correct answer is: A
Reference: PMBOK4 - pg:182
Explanation: EV can be calculated by the formula EV = %complete x BAC = 40% x $10,000 = $4,000. AC can be calculated by the formula AC = EV/CPI = $4,000/0.8 = $5,000. Choice A is the correct answer to this question.
|
|
Lessons Learned from Denrael Snossel
|
Passed the Exam December 5, 2010
Personal Background:
15+ years IT industry experience in managerial roles and project/portfolio management.
Materials Used:
-
Rita's Book
-
Head First
- The PM Prepcast
-
PMBOK
-
5-6 full length exams (including the Rita and HF tests)
Study time:
45 days (2-3 hours per day plus the PMP Prep cast daily during commutes 1 hour each way).
Expectations:
Test was going to be extremely hard. ITTO's and all formulas needed to be known backwards and forwards. EVM was new. Needed to make up Mnemonics for everything on the exam.
Before the exam:
I kept thinking I was scheduled to take the exam on the 12th of December. However, the astute wife checked this out and realized this was on the 18th of December. Not wanting to keep this hanging over my head any longer, scheduled for the next weekend available (December 5th). What was strange was that the Prometric centers available for this test were different than normal Prometric centers. For those of you who are used to the Prometric system, be sure to check out the available test sites during the registration process (my normal center was not available and I had to go across the city to test). Took the advice of everyone and called the test center ahead of time confirming the registration and the center location.
Day of the test:
Showed up at the testing center 45 minutes early. Because it was a computer based test, the center allowed me to start the test early. Everything I brought with me went into the locker. Only allowed to bring in my photo ID. No food or drink allowed in the center. Sat down and created my dump sheet during the tutorial. Test was much easier than I had expected, finished the original 200 questions in 30 minutes. Took a 10 minute stretch the legs and get my head cleared up and go to the restroom. Sat back down and went through all the questions again for another 30 minutes. Decided that if I was going to pass with the amount of effort I put into the studying I was going to pass with the answers already provided. Clicked submit. Had a heart attach. Found out I passed with all marks "Proficient".
Afterthoughts:
-
I think I studied way to much. With the combination of my background and experience, I spent way too much time getting ready for this test. This might not apply to many people, but with the 4500 hours experience required to register for this exam, most people should be able to get through the material relatively easily.
-
Having a brain dump sheet was extremely handy. I kept updating mine as I went through the study materials, and by the time the test came around everything was drilled in there too well.
-
Maybe 5 formula based questions. Very straightforward - not something to be too concerned about. Get them on your dump sheet, understand what they mean, but don't worry too much about them.
-
Everything was much more situational than expected. Coming from the Rita book, there seemed to be a strong emphasis on the ITTO as well as "what happens next". The test was much more situational in nature and the ability to deduce the answers from the readings was apparent. Know your process names though.
-
A few longer than life questions on there. Be sure to read the end of the question, pick over the answers briefly, and if nothing jumps out, go back through and read the whole question.
-
Pick ONE or TWO study materials max and keep with it (if you're using the prepcast pick only ONE other). Too much material is just going to confuse most people, and by the time you've gone through one set of material, the learnings from the new material (and time spent) has a negative return on investment. If you have any outstanding questions or issues, use the internet.
-
Mnemonics are your friend: Is Tom's CQ Helping CRaP - Project Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communication, Risk, Procurement IP E=MC2 - Initiating, Planning, Execution, Monitor and Controlling, Closing
More stories here..
|
|
|
|
