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In this issue... |
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 Hello ,
The Project Management Professional (PMP) credential is
considered all over the world as a mark of a professional project
manager. Employers take the credential into account when recruiting, and
it also provides individuals with confidence in their own abilities.
However, becoming a PMP requires a pass mark in the exam as well as
practical experience, so preparing fully for your exam day will give you
the best possible chance of becoming a PMP.
This is the very reason why we are passionate to give you the most information about how to prepare for the PMP exams. Read this week's article and learn how a good PMP Exam Simulator can help you build your confidence in passing the exam.
Enjoy the other sections of the newsletter too - Recommended Study Material of the week, PM exam tips and sample question and answer.
Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC
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Recommended Study Materials
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PMP Study Guide Book:
PMP Exam Prep 6th Edition by Rita Mulcahy
Rita's Course in a Book for Passing the PMP Exam
We recommend this book because this is the best selling (and most popular) book on the market to help you prepare for The PMP Exam.
Full Disclosure: "PMP Exam Prep 6th Edition" is an affiliate product. If you click and choose to purchase the book, we will earn a commission.
This book will help you prepare for the PMP exam and was made possible by long hours of research, interviews with project managers who failed the exam to fill the gap of knowledge, and a razor sharp focus to ensure that project managers don't waste time in studying lessons which are less important.
PMP Exam Prep, Sixth Edition by Rita Mulcahy contains hundreds of updates and improvements from previous editions--including new exercises and sample questions which was never been printed. It has hundreds of test questions, critical time saving tips and activities that are not available in any other PMP Exam Prep books. It should help you pass the exam on your first try.
The first 3 chapters of this book talk about materials and Project Management framework. It discusses critical chain management and important methodologies involves. In the chapters 4-12 it reviews the 9 knowledge areas of Project Management and thoroughly explains their value. In chapter it 13 discusses Professional and Social responsibility of a project manager.
This book also has very important study tips (critical time saving time), eligibility checklist, common errors and pitfalls tips, games and exercises. These things will help you improve your study skills and absorb more important knowledge about Project Management.
This book also includes a database of 1,500 questions in a CD. Together with many sample exercises, you will have plenty of sample test to take to ensure that you'll be prepared and pass the PMP exam.
Order "PMP Exam Prep 6th Edition" from Amazon by clicking on the link: http://www.project-management-prepcast.com/mulcahy.html
(Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate)
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A PMP Exam Simulator will help you pass your PMP Exam
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The Project Management Professional (PMP) credential is considered all over the world as a mark of a professional project manager. Employers take the credential into account when recruiting, and it also provides individuals with confidence in their own abilities. However, becoming a PMP requires a pass mark in the exam as well as practical experience, so preparing fully for your exam day will give you the best possible chance of becoming a PMP.
Reading the PMBOK Guide and learning the project management theory is only part of the preparation you can do. There are a number of PMP exam simulators available and these products help you prepare for the style of exam by providing the opportunity to take sample exams before you sit the real thing. Here are 5 reasons why an exam simulator should be an essential part of your preparation for the exam.
Reason #1: You can practice under test conditions
Taking computer-based exams is a relatively new thing, and it is probably not how you took exams at school. A PMP exam simulator will give you the opportunity to practice with the computer-based format before you have to take the real thing. You can have a go at a sample exam at home or at work and this will make sure that you know what to expect on your exam day. Use a simulator to get acquainted with the simulated testing environment and all the features that it offers, like the ability to mark questions for review.
Reason #2: You can experience a 4 hour exam
Under exam conditions you will have 4 hours to answer 200 questions for the PMP exam. Four hours is a long time to sit in front of a computer answering questions, so it is useful to have the experience of what this feels like before you take the real exam. A useful part of your PMP exam preparation is to take a full sample exam with a full set of 200 questions. You can use this practice time to test your time management skills. Check that you have enough time to complete all the questions, and that there is still enough time left to go back and check any that you have marked for review. This will give you the confidence to know that you will be able to make it through all the material during the actual exam.
Reason #3: It helps build self-confidence
You would never take a driving test without having driven a car, would you? It's the same thing with other types of exam. The more practice you have at the format of the exam and the content of the questions, the more confidence you will have that you will be able to take the real PMP exam and pass successfully. Using a PMP exam simulator gives you the opportunity to review your learning and check your abilities. Once you have tried several sample exams in full exam mode, you will know what to expect and have the self-confidence you need to tackle the PMP exam head on.
Reason #4: It enables you to check your learning
Using an exam simulator is, of course, not the only test preparation that you will do for the PMP exam. You might have chosen an online course, books or maybe even a classroom-based course to supplement your own reading and study for the exam. An exam simulator provides the advantage of verifying that you are able to apply your PM own experience and the concepts you have studied to realistic exam questions. In other words, you are checking that you can translate the theories and ideas you have learned into a good chance of success in the exam. Becoming a PMP, however, is about more than just passing the exam: you should be able to apply the concepts to the project you manage at work too. But a simulator will give you a chance to check that you have understood those concepts accurately.
In addition, using a simulator will expose you to a variety of scenario-based project management questions, and understanding these short scenarios and being able to apply personal experience and the concepts of the PMBOK Guide is what the exam tests.
Reason #5: It fits around your schedule
Don't let a busy scheduled be an excuse for not spending time studying for your PMP exam. An exam simulator is a great solution for busy project managers. PMP exam simulators are available either to download and install on your PC, or they are available online. If you are often traveling or want to make use of downtime, choose a simulator that is accessible online from anywhere and you can use those moments stuck at airports or between meetings to fit in some study.
Preparing for any exam requires you to dedicate time to studying. The PMP exam is no different, and you can increase your chances of success by preparing thoroughly and using a PMP exam simulator. This will give you exposure to the format of the exam questions, experience of a full practice exam and working under test conditions to complete it, and the opportunity to build your self-confidence before you take the real PMP exam.
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Recommended PMP Exam Prep Video:How to prepare for your PMP Exam. Step 1: Assess Your Eligibility
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 This FREE video: http://bit.ly/pmpstep1 will give an overview of how you can determine your eligibility to take the PMP Certification Exam with regards to your training and experience.
It covers PMI's requirements such as educational background, project management experience and project management education for you to be able to take the exam.
Learn and enjoy!
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Sample PMP Exam Question
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Question: "You are managing a construction project. You are currently estimating the duration of a very critical activity. You have gathered the following information from the experts:
Best case scenario: Activity can take 3 days to complete.
Worst case scenario: Activity may take up to 12 days to complete.
Expected scenario: On average it takes up to 6 days to complete such activities.
What will be standard deviation of the activity?"
A. 1.25 days
B. 1.5 days
C. 1 day
D. Cannot be determined by the data given.
Hint : Use PERT to find the standard deviation.
Reference: PMP Study Guide 5ed - Sybex - pg:170
All our free questions are updated to the latest PMBOK Guide standard. Stop by at http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com to receive the questions via email. We are a PMI Registered Education Provider.
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Exam Tip: What is the difference between Quality Assurance and Quality Control?
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Many people have trouble understanding the difference between Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) as they are preparing for their PMP Exam. That is not surprising. The terms are very closely related and if you don't work in the field, the difference doesn't seem too obvious.
Let's first look at the PMBOK Guide definition for each:
Perform Quality Assurance: The process of auditing the quality requirements and the results from quality control measurements to ensure appropriate quality standards and operational definitions are used.
Perform Quality Control: The process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality activities to assess performance and recommend necessary changes.
As always, the PMBOK Guide is a bit dry in it's definitions, but before we "translate" these definitions into everyday words, it is a good idea to remind ourselves first of two other quality concepts. They are "Prevention over inspection" and "DIRFT - Do It Right the First Time". At the heart of these two concepts lies the idea that everything we produce should be produced error free from the start, because it's more costly to fix an error afterwards.
So... how can we assure that our deliverables are produced error free? Simple: We have to put appropriate processes in place; processes that are aimed at helping us produce these deliverables without errors every time. But because there will always be some deviation from even the best processes, we also have to put some controls in place, which measure the results after the fact, so that we can make adjustments if necessary.
Quality Assurance are therefore the processes that are aimed at preventing any defects and Quality Control are the measurements we have in place to detect and repair any remaining defects.
So let's assume that you are manufacturing the iPhone. In QA you put all the processes in place to ensure that each iPhone is manufactured defect free. This would include the types of manufacturing equipment used, training people and documenting all production processes. QC comes into play after the fact by testing the finished product. For instance you do a sample testing to see if a randomly picked iPhone from your production line passes or fails the standards.
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Answer
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Explanation: Standard deviation formula for PERT (triangular distribution) is (Pessimistic-Optimistic)/6. The standard deviation of the given data, according to this formula, is 1.5 days. Hence choice B is the correct answer.
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Lessons Learned from Sushil Moore
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Today my PMP journey came to a pleasant end. I passed PMP with proficiency in 4 domains and 1 moderately proficient.
Studying for PMP was a daunting task. I registered for The PM Prepcast in May but started browsing the PMBOK only in July. It was not until August mid I was only gearing up. I was not able to focus well. This where Prepcast newsletter helped me. I referred to 10 steps to PMP by Cornelius. Studied exactly the way mentioned.
To read more about this story, click here..
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