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In this issue... |
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 Hello ,
Want to know a secret? This week we will not just let you in a secret but 4 secrets that you need to know to pass the PMP exam. Read this week's article to know more.
Also read this week's PMP Exam tips: Interpersonal Skills a PMP Needs: 2. Team building, sample Q and A taken from the Free PMP Exam Simulator and lastly, learn the easiest way to study for the PMP exam.
Enjoy!
Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC
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Recommended Study Materials
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 Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep: Rapid Learning to Pass PMI's PMP Exam - On Your First Try (Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate) is one of the top books recommended for project managers who want to pass the PMP Exam. Written by one of the most-respected authors in the field, this is perhaps the go-to PMP-preparation guide.
Based on The PMBOK Guide, it contains a wealth of information on project management and the PMP exam, including questions, exercises and tips that focus on real-life issues - all designed to help you pass the exam the first time.
The first three chapters introduce the reader to the PMP exam. The succeeding nine chapters are dedicated for each Knowledge Area of project management. The 13th chapter tackles the Professional and Social Responsibility. In short, the book covers everything you need to know to succeed and earn your PMP certification!
This well-known and respected PMP prep book, sometimes fondly referred to as "Rita's book", is very easy to read and understand. It is well written with illustrations of project management processes that make it all the more engaging and definitely not boring.
This exceptional book will help you learn quickly and achieve your goal of passing PMP Exam on the first try!
For more information on how you can get a copy of PMP Exam: Rapid Learning to Pass PMI's PMP Exam - On your First Try, click here!
Full Disclosure: PMP Exam Prep: Rapid Learning to Pass PMI's PMP Exam - On Your First Try is an affiliate product. If you click and choose to purchase the book, we will earn a commission.
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The 4 Secret Ingredients to Passing the PMP Exam |
The Project Management Professional (PMP) exam is developed and administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) to measure and assess an individual's ability to apply project management skills in six different domains. Initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, closing the project, as well as professional and social responsibility are evaluated. Don't be intimidated! While the material may seem overwhelming, there are a few important factors to consider when preparing to successfully earn your PMP certificate. Experience, understanding of project management principles, developing a solid study plan and reliably sticking to it, as well as practicing exam-taking strategies are essential ingredients for PMP exam success.
Secret Ingredient #1: Project Management Experience
Perhaps one of the most solid foundations for successful completion of the PMP exam is actual project management experience. Learning on-the-job with specific situations that develop a wide array of project management skills is an excellent way to retain information and far superior to rote memorization or passive reading. PMP test takers with project management experience are able to draw upon a database of information that is relevant and often easier to retrieve due to its personal nature. Recalling the small details of that last-minute project at work that your supervisor needed yesterday makes all of those grueling hours a worthwhile investment.
Before applying to take the PMP exam, PMI certification requires at least 4500 hours of experience in project management and 35 hours of documented training. This ensures that test-takers have the required skills to be successful and maintains the credibility of the certification.
Secret Ingredient #2: Understanding of Project Management Principles
Specific principles addressed in the PMP exam include communication, cost management, human resources, integration, procurement, quality, risk, scope, and time management. Each of these topics is covered in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). You must understand them individually and how they work together to ensure overall successful project management. It is essential to use the most current version of the PMBOK Guide for studying and review.
Secret Ingredient #3: Having a solid plan to study for the exam & sticking to it
As with all standardized examinations, the PMP covers a wide variety of material in a relatively short period of time. Don't be discouraged! Remember that careful planning and structure are essential to your exam success. It is important to develop a PMP Exam Study Plan to reduce the amount of intimidating material into manageable portions. People often find they work well with a structured exam preparation course that provides focused instruction over a specific timeline. One of the requirements of the PMP examination (35 hours of project management instruction) can be met with an online or in-person class. If you select an online course, ensure the class provides an "end of course assessment" and gives you written certification of participation and completion of required instruction hours.
The number ant type of questions on the exam are: initiating the project (11%), planning the project (23%), executing the project (27%), monitoring and controlling the project (21%), closing the project (9%), and professional and social responsibility (9%). Many people often divide up their study time in a similar manner, giving more hours to those topics that are tested more heavily. Others take practice exams and note specific weak areas in their knowledge, choosing to focus more review time on those topics. Your plan of attack will be personal and best suited to your own strengths, weaknesses, and timeline.
Most resources recommend spending one to two hours each day for four to eight weeks in preparation. Some people will require more time and others will require less. Work out a schedule with a manageable amount of material to cover each day. Be realistic in how much can be covered in one to two hours so that the schedule can be followed closely and certain areas don't slip, get skipped, or left out completely. Remember that most of us can't afford to neglect our day job during this study period and still have external commitments and responsibilities. Set weekly goals and regularly take practice exams to chart your progress. It's also very important not to forget to take refreshing breaks to do something you enjoy.
Secret Ingredient #4: PMP Exam-Taking Strategy
The PMP exam is made up of 200 multiple choice questions conducted on a computer at a Prometric testing center during normal business hours from Monday to Saturday. Test-takers are given a 15-minute tutorial and four hours to complete the exam. 25 pre-test questions remain ungraded, as they are used for future exam purposes. Inside the examination center, test takers are provided with rough sheets of paper and pencils. If needed, there are a variety of translation materials available upon request as the exam is only administered in English.
Mock questions and simulation exams are available from a variety of test preparation websites. Practice exams help future test-takers become familiar with the style and format of questions and enhance the endurance required for four-hour exams. It is commonly recommended that consistently scoring above 80% on mock exams is a strong indicator of success on the real thing. Gauge your progress on a weekly basis and determine how comfortable you feel with each topic area. Arriving on exam day with confidence means half the battle is already won.
Specific tips for test day strategies include sleeping well the night before, eating a healthy breakfast, wearing comfortable clothing, and arriving early. Before beginning the exam, many test-takers like to utilize the provided rough sheet to write out things like formula, lists of processes with their inputs and outputs, as well as tools and techniques that will be useful throughout the exam. Consider taking two breaks spaced evenly throughout the exam. Don't waste too much time on a single question; mark it for review and move on.
Applying these four simple steps thoroughly and intelligently will ensure that the valuable time and money spent on the PMP exam is not wasted. Successful completion of the PMP depends on a test-takers ability to put their project management experience to work, to understand and apply project management principle, to thoroughly prepare with a solid study plan, and to bring everything smoothly together on a stressful exam day. Preparation is the key to reducing stress and guaranteeing success.
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The Easiest Way To Study For The PMP Exam
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 Are you planning to take the PMP exam? Let us help you!
The Project Management PrepCast is the first true PMP Exam Videocast. We explain the concepts, methods, tools and techniques you need to know about as you prepare for the CAPM or PMP Certification Exam.
Each episode provides information you need. You can have them with you wherever you go. Preparing for the exam has never been easier!
Watch this video we have prepared for you: http://bit.ly/nglxAK
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Sample PMP Exam Question
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The following PMP exam sample question is taken from the Free PMP Exam Simulator at http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com
You developed alternative schedules based on best-case and worst-case scenarios on your project. You want to keep these alternative schedules stored in your project documents, in case of changes in project resources. Where would you store alternative schedules?
A.) Schedule Baseline
B.) Schedule Data
C.) Project documents
D.) Project scope statement
Hint: Alternative schedules are part of one particular output of the Develop Schedule process. Look at those outputs to see where alternative schedules are located.
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Exam Tip: Interpersonal Skills a PMP Needs: 2. Team building |
(In Appendix G, the PMBOK Guide discusses Interpersonal Skills for the project manager. We are currently reviewing these one by one in our weekly PMP exam tip.)
Team building is another essential skill for a good project manager to possess. The nature of a project is that there are people from various different departments involved. In most cases, these people have not had the opportunity to work together and they may not even be familiar with each other's departments. If the project manager isn't able to turn these individuals into a team that is focused on the same goal, the project may not reach it's potential.
Although some of the individuals or sub-teams involved in the project will complete their tasks independently, they will need to feel as part of the team. When a decision needs to be made related to their part of the project, their focus must be on what is best for the project, not just what is best for them and their departmental problem. A feeling of belonging to a team that solves a problem for the whole company (and doesn't play departmental favorites) goes a long way.
Also, building a team where each member is comfortable in reaching out to the others will ensure small details don't turn into larger issues later in the project.
It is therefore essential, that project managers not only know the tasks and processes that are involved in building a team, but that they have the skill and finesse to apply them appropriately.
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Solution
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The correct answer is B
Explanation: Schedule data is an output of the Develop Schedule process and may contain alternative schedules such as best-case or worst-case scenarios.
Reference: PMBOK4 - pg:159
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Lessons Learned from Vivek Vemula |
I passed my PMP on 13th Aug,2011
Thanks to PM Exam Simulator. It is worth money. There were 9 exams, but I could get time to take only 4 exams.
My Lessons Learned:
- Rita Mulcahy's book is the best one. I have read it twice.
- PMBOK -4th Edition. When I read first time, I could understand but the concepts didn't go into my mind. After taking 2 exams I had read PMBOK second time. Second reading was great!! I enjoyed it.
- I took all 4 PMstudy.com exams. They were also helpful.
- Headfirst book was good. But I never had time to read it second time.
Overall, it was a great learning experience!
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