True or False? The PMP Exam Is Largely Based On The PMBOK Guide

Published: Sun, 01/22/12

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In this issue...

Hello ,

Welcome to another issue of The PM Exam Tips Newsletter.

Take time to read guest writer Jessica Parklanes' article "The PMP Course- Preparing For the Course Starts With Your First Project". Another brilliant tip to keep in mind for project managers and aspiring project managers.

New PMP Linda Jones will share her PMP exam preparation tips. She mentioned reading Andy Crowe's How to Pass PMP Exam in the First Try, which simplifies the language in the PMBOK 60 days before your exam. Read more about Andy Crowe's book in our Recommended Study Materials portion below.

We are also encouraging you to let us know how the PM Exam Tips Newsletter has helped you to your journey to your PMP exam studies.
If you don't mind send us your photo too so we can share your story in our website. Email one of our awesome staff member, Liam at liam.torgrimson@osp-international.com.

Why don't you let us know your thoughts and suggestions as well on what you would want to include in our weekly newsletter. We would love to hear from you.

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC

Recommended Study Materials

The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition by Andy Crowe

We recommend this book because it contains a wealth of information that a project manager needs to know to pass the PMP Exam -- the first time!

If this is your first attempt to pass the PMP exam, Andy's The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition (Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate) is an essential part of your study materials. Based on the PMBOK Guide, 4th Edition, it provides 44 processes, 592 inputs, tools and outputs that will thoroughly prepare you for the exam.

It also contains insider secrets, test tricks and tips, hundreds of sample questions and intelligently created exercises to reinforce your proficiency of key concepts that will guide you to achieve a successful result.

Some highlights of this book include:

Project Management Processes and Knowledge Areas - A detailed breakdown of all Processes and KAs with clear explanations and no extraneous information to confuse you.
Tools, Tips and Tricks - Tools such as formulas and various project management process tables are well organized and explained and will strengthen your comprehension and retention. Insiders' tips are presented In an easy to understand style to give you an edge.
Sample Exam Questions - Quizzes at the end of each chapter and a final exam give you a better feel of the exam. The book keeps pace with the ever-evolving PMP test and helps you understand and navigate the complex exam questions. You'll learn how to correctly answer questions on the first try.

Order The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition from Barnes and Noble by clicking HERE!

Full Disclosure: The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition is an affiliate product. If you click and choose to purchase the book, we will earn a commission.

The PMP Course- Preparing For the Course Starts With Your First Project by Jessica Parklanes

When the boss asks you to manage a project, no matter how insignificant it is, take it. That small project will lead to more projects that will earn you the number of hours to qualify for a PMP Course; you never know when you can cash on it but it is best to be prepared.

Why Start Now

When people decide to take a PMP Course they are disappointed to learn that there is a number of project management hours to chalk up before they can take the course. Some will have to wait for a few years to get the required number of hours and the delay may cool or fan their desire to get a PMP certification.

You may not have decided yet about the course but if you become a project manager, because of an emergency problem, do not view the task as an extra task heaped on you; take it as an opportunity and do not dismiss your accomplishments. It could be the start of anything, a PMP Course and eventually a PMP certification.

How to Manage Your First Project

A project mostly involves managing people to work towards a goal. It could be as simple as leading a dish washing crew, selling a new product, or difficult as synchronizing work in one unit of the company. To bolster your raw management skills, read management books and learn how to apply it on the job. These questions will help shape your project plans along the lines of project goals, project resources, and project monitoring.

How well do you understand company objectives?
What is the project's short-term or long-term goal?
Is the project timetable sufficient?
Are varied resources available?
Are skills appropriate and relevant?
What are the additional resources that might be required?
Is this the first project for most of the team members?
What information should be shared and how should this be shared?
Can risks be overcome?
Are resources sufficient to cover the risks?

Do what the seasoned managers are doing and include the following activities; these strategies prepare you for a future PMP Course.

Prepare a back-up plan
Get feedback from the team members
Categorize tasks according to their major and minor significance
Document progress development
Document problems that occurred during the course of the project
Document the best practices that prevented and solved problems

Record everything from the planning, execution, and the completion of the project and keep an eye on team members to evaluate the appropriateness of their skills, their response to crises, or the level of their competencies.

You have to work with other units too - procurement, customer service, accounting, and top level management. By now, you know that a project manager must have great oral and written communication skills, good interpersonal skills, and must have effective leadership skills to keep team members well-motivated.

From your notes and your first-hand experience, you learn the practical applications of different management theories, which make up the different learning areas in a PMP Course. By now, start reading the PMI Credentials Handbook and do more research on PMP certification.

All of these tips prepare you to the demands of a PMP Course. So take up that project with confidence; you can do it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Parklanes

Finding the Best Answer to PMP Exam Sample Questions

The PMP Exam is not an easy exam. You have to find the correct answer to 200 multiple choice questions within 4 hours. That's just 1.2 minutes for each. And sometimes it looks like more than one of them are correct. In this free episode of The PM PrepCast we discuss 2 concepts and 4 techniques of how to approach questions and finding the "best" answer.

This video is a good example of a series of episodes in which we discuss study tips and tricks. We empower you. Watch it now: http://bit.ly/y9qhhk

Sample PMP Exam Question

You are managing a hardware design project in India with locally trained engineers but your client is based in the U.S. You are unable to meet your client face-to-face and you cannot talk to your client on the phone because of the different time zones. Instructions are sent via email but there is a communication breakdown and your team fails to understand the messages. What is causing this issue?

A.) Poor message encoding
B.) Poor message decoding
C.) Noise
D.) Medium

Hint: We are faced with a language problem between native and non-native English speakers.

All our questions are updated to the latest PMBOK Guide standard. Stop by at http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com and try the PMP Exam Simulator free for 3 days.

PMP Exam Tip: The PMP Exam Is Largely Based On The PMBOK Guide

Remember that even though the PMP Exam is largely based on the PMI's PMBOK Guide you should not only know all of the concepts from here, but you must be able to analyze and answer the situational exam questions with a combination of practical project management knowledge and with what the PMBOK Guide says. Generally speaking, going against PMI principles is never a good option. At least not during the PMP Exam. It is also better to choose the ethical option even though they may seem to be the tougher choice.

Here is what to expect on the exam: The PMP Certification Exam consists of 200 Multiple Choice Questions, which must be answered within 4 hours. These questions are randomly generated from a question database which has many hundred questions. Out of 200 questions answered, 25 questions are pre-test questions which will not be used for scoring. These pre-test questions are randomly inserted by the computer into your exam with the idea of evaluating whether these will be used as "real" questions in future exams. This is a normal and valid way to test new questions on actual exam takers and see how they respond. But because you don't know which ones are the pre-test questions it is important to answer all the 200 questions to the best of your ability.

Since 25 out of 200 questions are not used for scoring, effectively, 175 questions are used for scoring on the exam. However, PMI does not release a "passing score", so we don't know how many questions must be answered correctly in order to pass. After the exam you will be given an examination report on which you can see the areas where you were Proficient, Moderately Proficient and Below Proficient. It also tells you whether you passed or failed.

So the problem is this: If we don't know how many questions you have to answer correctly in order to pass the exam, how can you prepare? My recommendation is that you answer as many sample questions as you possibly can before you take the exam and gain your confidence. Only by taking many mock exams can you raise your understanding. By doing this you will come to a point where you will feel ready and know that you are ready. This is the point where your studies and practice exams will have given you the level of understanding and confidence and you will answer all PMP Certification Exam questions correctly by applying both your practical experience from being a PM and the theoretical know how from reading the PMBOK Guide.

Answer and Explanation

The correct answer is C

Explanation: This is an example of noise. The PMBOK Guide defines noise as "Anything that interferes with the transmission and understanding of the message (e.g. distance, unfamiliar technology, or lack of background information)". In this case the "noise" is the fact that your team members who are local to India do not speak English as well as your customer. This interferes with the understanding of the message.

Reference: PMBOK Guide 4th Edition, page 255

Lessons Learned from Linda Jones

I passed the PMP exam on July 29th and I am so overwhelmed with joy that I survived it.

Here are a few of my best practices for others to consider as they go through the same process:

Read the PMBOK book (from start to end) and then take time to read Andy Crowe's How to Pass PMP Exam in the First Try, which simplifies the language in the PMBOK 60 days before your exam.
Study and memorize the formulas in PMBOK, for 15 to 20 min a day..and develop a Brain Dump Review Sheet to produce formulas from your memory each day 45 days before the exam.
Review PMBOK second time, and try to focus on understanding the Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs (ITTOs) for every process group and the 9 Knowledge Areas. No need to memorize, but review them constantly on a daily basis, so they become familiar to you. It should make more sense after reading Crowe's book. This should be happening 30 days before the exam.
Sign up with The PM PrepCast and take the full length practice tests- I took 8 practices tests in the final 2 weeks before the PMP exam.
Before each test, review the ITTOs and complete brain dump sheet of formulas before each practice, do the test, and then review the answers you missed and make notes during final 2 weeks before exam.
Once you see your practice test scoring at the passing rate or higher rate needed for PMP exam, then you are most likely ready for the exam, On day of exam, schedule it for afternoon, so you have one more time to review all the ITTOS and do brain dump of formulas in the morning before you arrive at site to do the exam.