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In this issue... |
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 Hello ,
Want to know the secret to passing the PMP exam on your first try? Read this week's issue to know about it - here is what we have prepared for you:
- Featured Article of the Week:The Three Ways to Fail a PMP Exam Audit
- Recommended PMP Exam Study Material: PMP in Depth: Project Management Professional Study Guide for the PMP Exam
- PMP Exam Sample Question and Answer
- PMP Exam Tip:The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
- PMP Exam Video of the week:The Secret Of Creating Your PMP Exam Brain Dump Sheet
- Congratulations to this week's new PMP's! Know who they are in this week's issue.
Read on and Enjoy!
Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC
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Recommended PMP Exam Study Material: PMP in Depth: Project Management Professional Study Guide for the PMP Exam 2nd Edition by Paul Sanghera
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 If you're searching for the right PMP study guide to help you pass the PMP Exam, PMP in Depth: Project Management Professional Study Guide for the PMP Exam will get you on the right track (Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate). The material is intelligently presented in a logical sequence so you won't have to hop from topic to topic.
Paul's primary goal is to help you easily pass the PMP exam. Thus, this book has laser-sharp focus on the exam objectives that are beneficial to all project managers.
The book's chapters and sections within each chapter are presented in a logical learning order: A topic and a chapter only depend upon the previously covered topics and chapters.The concepts and topics, both simple and complex, are clearly explained when they appear for the first time. No prior knowledge of project management by the reader was assumed; therefore, the book was written to be easily understood by anyone. It also includes a full-length practice exam with fully explained answers.
PMP in Depth: Project Management Professional Study Guide for the PMP Exam provides easy, step-by-step instruction for you and other project managers who want to quickly learn the fundamentals of project management and pass the exam with flying colors.
To get your own copy, click here!
Full Disclosure: PMP in Depth: Project Management Professional Study Guide for the PMP Exam is an affiliate product. If you click and choose to purchase the book, we will earn a commission.
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| Congratulations! |
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Our w armest congratulations go to the following students of ours who have recently passed their PMP Exam:
- Margot Schwamb
- Paul Mills
- Raghavendra Rao Shyamrao
- Lakshmi VR Chowdary A
- Benjamin Lang
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| The Three Ways to Fail a PMP Exam Audit |
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According to PMI's Customer Care there are three ways that you can fail an audit: No Fault, Non-Compliance and Fraud. Let's look at them in detail. First we'll see what PMI writes for each, then we'll give you an interpretation and our recommendations.
1.) No Fault
"Cannot verify education or experience through no fault of their own - No suspension period and cannot reapply until candidate can provide the experience hours and document them."
You should be able to avoid this by making sure you have all your documentation before you submit your PMP Exam application. However, if for some reason, your education or experience cannot be confirmed, through no fault of your own, then PMI will still let you fail the audit. You may reapply as soon as you have your experience hours documented or confirmation of your degree.
2.) Non-Compliance
"Candidate chooses not to attempt audit - One year suspension period"
If you are audited and you simply have too much going on in your life to participate in the audit, then you can choose not to give any audit responses. Similar to pleading "no contest," the candidate is subject to a one year suspension period before he/she can apply for the PMP Exam again.
3.) Fraud
"Providing False Information - Permanently suspended from sitting for PMI exams."
This should be obvious to you... Don't lie! It's not worth it! If you provide false information on your PMP application and you fail an audit because of it, you will be permanently suspended from sitting for any PMI exams. And they truly do mean forever.
If you're concerned about not having enough contact hours, consider putting off your application until you do. If you're looking for projects to fill in those hours, there are a lot of volunteer project management opportunities through community service and other non-profit organizations.
If you need a certification by a particular deadline and you're short of hours, consider sitting for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) while you're accumulating the hours you'll need for the PMP. A CAPM certification requires only a high school (or equivalent) diploma and either 23 hours of project management education or 1,500 experience hours.
Although PMI can choose to change the PMP Audit process at any time, should you be audited, you'll be asked to provide copies of your diplomas or equivalents, signatures from people that can verify your experience such as managers and supervisors, and copies of certificates and/or letters from training institutions for each educational course you're claiming.
The PMP Exam audit process is a hiccup, but not a road block on your way to becoming certified. Take a little care up front, and you'll come through it with flying colors. |
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Exam Tip: The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
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 A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), also known as RACI matrix or Linear Responsibility Chart (LRC), describes the participation by various roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a project or business process. It is especially useful in clarifying roles and responsibilities in cross-functional/departmental projects and processes. RACI is an acronym derived from the four key responsibilities most typically used:
* Responsible: Those who do the work to achieve the task. There is typically one role with a participation type of Responsible, although others can be delegated to assist in the work required.
* Accountable (also Approver or final Approving authority): The one ultimately accountable for the correct and thorough completion of the deliverable or task, and the one to whom Responsible is accountable. In other words, an Accountable must sign off (Approve) on work that Responsible provides. There must be only one Accountable specified for each task or deliverable
* Consulted: Those whose opinions are sought; and with whom there is two-way communication.
* Informed: Those who are kept up-to-date on progress, often only on completion of the task or deliverable; and with whom there is just one-way communication.
Very often the role that is Accountable for a task or deliverable may also be Responsible for completing it (indicated on the matrix by the task or deliverable having a role Accountable for it, but no role Responsible for its completion, i.e. it is implied). Outside of this exception, it is generally recommended that each role in the project or process for each task receive, at most, just one of the participation types. Where more than one participation type is shown, this generally implies that participation has not yet been fully resolved, which can impede the value of this technique in clarifying the participation of each role on each task. There is a distinction between a role and individually identified people: a role is a descriptor of an associated set of tasks; may be performed by many people; and one person can perform many roles. For example, an organisation may have 10 people who can perform the role of project manager, although traditionally each project only has one project manager at any one time; and a person who is able to perform the role of project manager may also be able to perform the role of business analyst and tester.
The PMBOK Guide 4th Edition (starting in section 9.1) defines RACI as a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) which is used to illustrate the connections between work packagers or activities and project team members. On larger projects, RAMs can be developed at various levels. For example, a high-level RAM can define what a project team group of unit is responsible for within each component of the WBS, lower level RAMs are used within the group to designate roles, responsibilities and levels of authority for specific activities. The matrix format shows all activities associated with one person and all people associated with one activity. This also ensures that there is only one person accountable for any one task to avoid confusion. The PMBOK confirms that one example of a RAM is the RACI chart, showing the work to be done in the left column as activities. The assigned resources can be shown as individual or groups.
The RACI is just one tye of RAM; the project manager can select other options such as "lead" and "resource" designation or others as approprite for the project. The RACI is particularly important when the team consists of internal and external resources to ensure clear divisions of roles and expectations.
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| Sample PMP Exam Question |
Which of the following relates to a quality excellence award and also to a quality improvement model?
A.) Philip Crosby
B.) Joseph Juran
C.) Malcolm Baldridge
D.) Edwards Deming
Hint: This is the only formal recognition of the quality performance excellence of U.S. organizations given by the President of the United States.
Please click here to give your answer and see the explanation...
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The Secret Of Creating Your PMP Exam Brain Dump Sheet
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 The Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam is a 'closed' book exam. That means the only reference material you are allowed to carry into the testing facility has to be contained in your brain. A Brain Dump is a proven and effective way to bring reference material into the testing facility and it will help you to think clearer while you're taking the PMP exam. But there's another secret to it, too.. Watch it here.
** Know anyone who is PMP certified already and would like to earn PDU's? Let them know how to earn their PDU in the easiest and most convenient way! Ask them to watch this short video to learn more!
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Free Exam Resources
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Want access to free episodes of The PM PrepCast and other free PMP Exam resources?
Get 6 other free PMP Exam resources like worksheets, exam tip videos and an ebook called The Short Guide to Becoming a PMP.
It's absolutely free!
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