From PMHub.net - First PMP Exam LL – new exam October 2011

Use the above link to read the first lesson learned for the new exam format I've seen from PMhub.net (good site to bookmark). Here is a partial excerpt below:

"PMP® Exam:

• As we are all made well aware, the Professional Responsibility domain has now been incorporated into the Process Areas, which eliminates the nice, obvious “do-the-right-thing” type of question. Means that now we need to think about the hard facts, as well as the soft logic that needs to be applied to the situation.
• My questions were very wordy and it took me the whole 4 hours to write the exam. I usually finish these types of tests in half the allocated time, but at the 2 hour mark, I was exactly at Question 100.
• Know your Input, T&T and Outputs! Not an option to think that logic will dictate if you have the processes memorised, which I first thought would be my approach – thank goodness I was advised otherwise.
• PTA did show up on my exam
• The majority of questions were not formula-type, which would have been nice, as I memorised all the formulas.
• All in all, it was a fair exam, in terms of content, but it was quite difficult, and I would recommend at least 2 months of study.

Catherine D’Amico-Maharaj, PMP®"

Congrats to Maddy Kerrigan - passed PMP

Hi Stu!!
Many thanks, yes I passed it and I must say it was all because of your great teaching style!!
Cheers,
Maddy

Congrats to Kim on passing the PMP

Stu,

Here is a summary of my approach to the test. I included some lessons learned in italics:

1. Assess your study need prior to signing up: I started studying BEFORE signing up for the test. This may not work to motivate everybody, but I had an external deadline to take the test by August 31. I did this to determine if I’d be ready.

For those who are in the current class and plan on taking the exam, take the exam soon after finishing the class. That was my intention and I just now took it. Everybody is busy, but the longer you wait, the longer you will have to study. Start studying during the review class and be ready to take the test within a few weeks of finishing the class.

2. Start Slow: It was hard for me to get into studying again. Knowing this, I started small and set small goals such as spending the first week developing a study plan and gathering study materials. Every week I would increase my study sessions.

3. Make your schedule fit your studying: Know that you will only be studying temporarily. You'll be more consistent with your studying if you make your schedule fit around your studying.

4. Buy A Study Guide: Do a search for a PMP study guide and pick one that suites you. Mine had an online companion that was easier to learn from than the book because it was narrated and visual.

In retrospect, having a study guide while in the class and "studying" it while going through the class would have helped me understand the concepts earlier. I personally didn't touch the PMBOK during my studies (Mainly because I cannot find it) and it is much harder to read than a well written study guide. However, for those that struggle with the concepts, the PMBOK should be read to get a good foundation.

5. Quiz your reviews: My review was organized by Knowledge Areas. Each time I finished my review of a knowledge area, I would take quizzes on that area and made sure I understood anything I got wrong. To further challenge myself, I would quiz myself by process group or particular processes as well. Be aware that taking quizzes on a particular knowledge area, process, or process group is much easier than an all encompassing quiz or exam because you are aware of where you are in the material. During the real exam, you will have to sometimes figure out what knowledge area or process group you are being questioned on.

6. Do Assessment and Practice Exams: Once my review was over, I spent a few weeks focusing on doing exams only, both short ones and full ones. Make sure to schedule a few full length exams. It's extremely tough to take a 4 hour long test. Make sure to practice reviewing your problems when you are done with the test. This is important because a good review can raise your score because you will be much calmer knowing you at least answered all of the questions.

I should have gotten exams from more than 1 source. The main reason being is that small differences in grammar or use of terms can throw you off during the test. Knowing that the actual exam questions may look different allows you to focus on what is being asked.

7. Know and Memorize any Calculation Stu presented: Earned Value is a must, but know how to do a decision tree analysis, calculate pay back period based on IRR, etc.

I only studied Earned Value equations, however, Stu's class really focused on getting to the root of all of the formulas and calculations involved in the PMI processes. This helped me with those problems even though I had not studied them.

8. Know and Memorize the Processes: Learn the 42 processes and know what process group and knowledge area they belong in. The chart in PMBOK should be memorized and the EXACT wording should be learned. There are 517 inputs, tools & techniques, and outputs. I did not memorize these, but I wrote them down as I studied. This allowed me to at least see them and know that they existed. This is important because the PMP exam will throw PMI sounding terms at you that will seem like the right answer. You should at least know the major output of each process and get familiar with the inputs.

9. Know the structure of the test: Obviously, every question answered correctly will help your score, but keep in mind that all questions (except for the 25 experimental ones) are worth the same amount regardless of difficulty. With that said, know which process groups are emphasized on the test and make sure you are proficient in those areas. For example, most questions come from the executing and the planning process groups.

10. Study the PMI Code of Ethics: Study the code and make sure you do practice questions that focus on this area. These are not always common sense. Understanding this code will also help in understanding how to answer scenario based questions because it will help you think like PMI does.

11. Review the Reference Books Stu Provided: The PMP exam is much broader than the material covered in the PMBOK. Review at least the portions of the books that Stu assigned.

12. Take the Test When Ready: Knowing that I spent almost 500 dollars on the test was motivation enough to make sure I was ready. Take the test when you are ready by making sure you are doing well on your full length practice exams. Keep in mind that 61% is all that is needed to pass. I didn't feel comfortable until I consistently scored in the 90's on my practice exams for a number of reasons. The first being that you will be more calm and relaxed prior to taking the test and it shows that you understand the material. The second being that, depending on how many sources you get the practice tests from and who put them together, you may end up seeing some of the same questions over and over. Keep in mind that you may not do as well on the real exam as you do in your practice exams because of this.



Kim Mizuno, Jr. PMP

PMP Success!

CONGRATULATIONS to Murali, and many thanks for your kind note:

Professor Stu,

I passed the PMI PMP certification exam today - May 4 2011. I really want to express my gratitude to you in achieving the same.

I had the opportunity to attend 2 core courses that were taught by you at Southern California Edison – Rosemead - as part of UC Irvine Extension - Project Management Certificate Program -2009 - 2010

1. Procurement Management: Contracting, Subcontracting, Teaming
2. Project Risk Management

These are some of my experiences:

1. Since I had the PM Certification from UCI extn, I started preparing "sincerely" about 2 weeks prior to the exam spending on an average about 2 hours per day.
2. Read PMBOK 4th. edition twice
3. Read and re-read the UCI Extn course work
4. Understood the ITTO's without memorizing them.

My many thanks to the LL from the prior test takers at your blog http://newmanagestrat.blogspot.com/ and all the Project Managers

Thank you,

Best Regards,

Murali

Revised PMI PDU Reporting Structure for PMPs

The Project Management Institute (PMI) revised their Professional Development Unit (PDU) categories to its members that came into effect on March 1, 2011.
As of March 1, PMP's claiming PDUs need to claim the PDUs they earn according to this new structure. Some highlights of the new system are listed from the excellent pmhub.net summary (see link above)

The new category structure has been simplified; the number of categories has been reduced from 18 to 6. Categories are now indicated by letters rather than numbers; for example, the category for Enhancing the Project Management Profession is now Category E instead of Category 5.

The basic rule that one hour of activity is now worth one PDU (in-class sessions, volunteering, or attending PMI meetings, for example).

Categories include learning opportunities ( information sharing and collaboration over the Internet).

Certain categories have limits that require all credential holders to pursue some project management continuing education as part of their credential maintenance (You can't earn all of your PDUs by volunteering - you will need to earn at least some with continuing education.

The 3 year renewal cycle and number of PDUs required to maintain the credential remains at 60 PDUs for PMP certification holders.

The new structure has the following six categories:

For the following categories project managers can earn one PDU per one hour of class or study.

Category A: Courses offered by PMI's R.E.P.s or Chapters and Communities Category B: Continuing education Category C: Self-directed learning

Certification holders can earn a total of 45 PDUs in the combined Giving Back to the Profession categories.

Category D: Creating new project management knowledge (one PDU per one hour spent creating or delivering project management knowledge)

Category E: Volunteer service (one PDU per one hour of service)

Category F: Working as a professional in project management (PMPs can earn five PDUs for working six out of twelve months as a project manager).

The amount of PDUs you can earn for volunteering (at your local PMI chapter or at your favorite nonprofit or charity organization, has been increased from 20 to 45 total PDUs.

PMI's PDU table:
http://www.pmi.org/GLOBALS/~/media/Files/PDF/Certification/PDU%20CategStruct
ure_Final.ashx

Successfully passed the PMP certification exam

Joel Sanchez at Parker Aerospace recently passed the PMP exam; he attended one of our 2010 PMP prep classes.
- Congrats Joel! Any Lessons Learned to pass on?

Successfully passed the PMP certification exam - LL

Stu,

Just to let you know that I have successfully passed the PMP certification exam. Thank you for your help in the matter.

I can share the following LL which are pretty basic and have probably been mentioned before. I did not have any surprise in the test.

1- There is plenty of time to finish the exam and review it

2- Pay attention to the wording: if the question asks for "which process" look for a process in the list of answers, same for input, output, etc. (most of the times, there is only one item that meets the requirement)

3- I personally believe you don't need to memorize all the ITTOs. You just need to be able to recognize them and point on which process they belong

4- You have to know your acronyms (CPFF, NPV, etc.)

5- You might have to do some algebra with the EV formula (it's quite basic)

6- You should have an idea on the sequence for the different processes (for example, that you should define the activities prior to creating the schedule)

7- You should know what the different QA/QC tools are and what they are used for as well as the difference betwen QA and QC

8- Don't neglect the Profesional responsibility section

9- Learn the correct terminology

10- Finally, I did not spend hundreds of hours studying. I don't think that I have an particularly superhuman memory. I think that you just need to be disciplined and plan your study time so that the data stay fresh in your memory. A little bit everyday with more intensive sessions every few days probably work best in my humble opinion.

Best Regards,

Michel Loignon

Free PMP Practice Exams

There are a number of free PMP practice exams which can be an excellent supplement to taking a PMP prep course and/or studying a PMP prep book. IMHO, for those of you who are very disciplined, just using the numerous free resources available on the internet (pmhub.net is one of my favorites) and diligent, robust studying will enable one to pass the PMP exam. For others (I count myself among them) taking a prep course/Certificate program and lots of practice tests is better, or best - all of the above.

Free PMP Exam Questions (PMBOK 4th edition):
Oliver Lehmann 75 questions
http://www.oliverlehmann.com/pmp-self-test/75-free-questions.htm

Oliver Lehmann 175 questions
http://www.oliverlehmann.com/contents/free-downloads/175_PMP_Sample_Question
s.pdf

PM ABC 100 PMP Exam Questions
http://www.pm-abc.com/Free_Simulated_Test.asp (bottom of page)

HeadFirst Free 200 PMP Exam
http://www.headfirstlabs.com/PMP/pmp_exam/v2/quiz.html

PM Study FREE 200 QUESTION SIMULATED PMP/CAPM TEST
http://www.pmstudy.com/freeresources/freeSimulatedTest.asp

The Most Common Earned Value Mistakes

The THREE Most Common Earned Value Mistakes

#1 -Setting up your project with “level of effort” planning. Rather than having discrete tasks, you just create categories, like “design” or “engineering” and allocate a certain number of people to it over a fixed period of time. The right way to structure the WBS - make each task finite with a specific, measurable outcome.

#2 - Lack of Fidelity or Resolution; having tasks on the WBS so large in scope that we can only guess partial completion from week to week. Typically happens on larger projects where tasks aren’t broken down far enough.

#3 -We don’t have enough frequency of reporting information to be effective. An example is having a six month project with monthly reporting; by the 2nd update we are already 33% through the schedule and have insufficient time for corrective action vs. crises action.

Corollary to #3:
-We get information often enough, but it is based on time-late data. Example is having major cost categories (labor, material or ODC) in a project but each report update contains information aged many weeks prior and not current.

PMP Exam Lessons Learned from Scott

PMP Exam Lessons Learned from Scott

I recently passed the PMP exam. I completed the PMP certification course and PMP Exam Prep course from NMA and took the exam within 4 weeks. The course material provided an excellent foundation of the knowledge areas and the PMP Exam Preparation course provided the appropriate tips and example test questions to feel confident going into the exam. In addition to the course work, I read the PMBOK a second time the week before the exam. I studied the terms in the glossary and made flash cards for the terms that I felt that I did not know or that had a different meaning than the conventional meaning (not PMBOK specific terms). I spent a significant amount of my study time learning the process groups and the processes for each knowledge area. I was able to recreate Table 3.1, Project Management Process Groups and Knowledge Areas Mapping, from memory. I also made sure that I could write the basic EV formulas from memory (SV, CV, SPI, CPI, TCPI, EAC etc). During the PMP Exam Prep course, Stu had made many suggestions about how best to prepare for the exam. In hind sight each of the suggestions proved to be very valuable. I also followed the lessons learned from several of the blog postings on the NMA web sight.

On the exam day, I arrived a few minutes early so that I would not be anxious prior to the test. At the site where I took the exam, they had lockers for all of your personal items, jacket, pencils, watch, cell phone, paper etc.) The testing site provided all of the necessary items to take the exam, I asked for a separate calculator. I even had to roll up my sleeves to show that I had no marking on my arms! Once a test console was available I was able to sit down and start the exam, so even if you arrive early you do not have to wait very long to start the exam. The first 15 minutes is used to provide a tutorial on how to use the computer equipment. I was able to move through the information quickly and use the remaining time to write down my formulas and recreate Table 3.1, a quick knowledge dump. I was able to refer to the information during the test and I this gave me more confidence answering the questions. I finished the exam in 3 hours, so there is plenty of time to take the test. I tried to minimize the number of questions that I had to go back and review so I did not feel rushed at the end. I had taken several on line tests (200 question exams) from different sources prior to the actual exam, so I was comfortable with the timing and the difficulty of the questions.

In summary, heed the advice from Stu and the input from others that have taken the exam and you will be well prepared and feel confident during the exam. Stu had suggested that we treat the exam preparation as a project and make a plan. I followed my plan and was able to achieve a positive result. Good luck to future candidates!

Best regards,

Scott
Business Team Leader
Parker Hannifin Corporation

PMP exam Lesson Learned (from Val, 1/4/2010)

Another former student passed the PMP exam and provided her LL:

{You're welcome to post, paraphrase, and otherwise use whatever you'd like if it will help.
Your teachings stuck with me.
Thanks for all your help in this process.
Wishing you the best,
Val}
--
Lessons Learned

I took an additional prep class on the fourth edition then took the exam quickly afterward. I knew that I needed more memorization before I went into the test but didn't want to delay any longer. I concentrated my memorization efforts on the tools and processes of each knowledge area. I felt by understanding the tools used in the knowledge area, I would better remember the inputs and outputs.
I also took practice exams as often as possible.
It was still easy to be frustrated by the questions on the real exam and feel that there were more than one correct answer to each. Keep taking the practice exams. Get ahold of as many as possible and get used to picking the best answer. In answering the questions, I thought it was crucial to read the question carefully and look for clues such as is the question looking for a tool, process, knowledge area, or definition and be sure to find the answer that match accordingly.
The exam doesn't let you know which process group or knowledge area its testing and its not in order. There were a few times, I just couldn't understand the vocabulary. It might be good to brush up on your word of the day calendar. There was at least one each critical path, earned value, and channels of communication exercise. They were fairly easy and could be done with the calculator and scratch paper provided.
It was recommended to me to do a memory dump when you first arrive at the test scene. Get out the scratch paper and write down your formulas, the process groups, the knowledge areas, and your trouble spots. I personally kept having trouble remembering the Project Initiation inputs and outputs
There's no better resource than the PMBOK book but don't forget the ethics portion. The ethics were heavily tested.
Anyway.. I am moderately proficient in all areas .. which sounded so commonly adequate it was hard to celebrate but heck I passed right!

Valori
IT Business Analyst
Enterprise Engineering IT Services

PMP exam Lesson Learned (from Su Yin, 12/11/2009)

Hi Everyone,

I'd like to give you an update on the PMP exam I took yesterday. I got an overall pass score based on the number of questions answered correctly, although the actual number or percentage was not provided. A second level of results was also reported with each of the six domains assigned one of the three levels of proficiency defined as follows:

Proficient - indicates performance above the average level of
knowledge
Moderately Proficient - indicates performance at the average level of
knowledge
Below Proficient - indicates performance below the average level of
knowledge

I got three Moderately Proficient and three Proficient ratings.

The "trickiness" of the questions was on par with the on-line and written sample questions and practice exams we have gone through in the class. The test time was abundant with an hour left after I went through the questions in a steady pace with an intent of not having to review and still feeling okay. The exam tips in Achieve PMP Exam Success captured all the key things to note for taking the exam.

Some logistics about the test center. Got there just before 8:30 am for the scheduled starting time of 9 am. The center was open already. Spent a few minutes to sign in and empty my pockets and roll up my sleeves to show nothing was stashed. Everything I had with me including the watch, keys, and secondary IDs had to go into a locker. Once into the test cubicle, 15 minutes was allowed to go through a tutorial to get familiarized with the setup. Once the test was over, an on-line survey showed up followed by the exam result. More than one type of exams is available at the center and the test scheduling must have been staggered since there was a constant stream of people coming in every half hour or so. Headsets were provided to minimize distraction.

Hope this info helps and gives you confidence that what we learned from the class was enough to get us pass the exam. Always enjoyed listening to and learning from the class discussions. Never failed to be amazed by how well many of you grasped the PM concepts and terminology. If I could pass the exam, you could too! Spending time reviewing the glossary and other materials definitely helps as well to build the margins and boost confidence.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Su

Earn PDU's for FREE

PMPs can earn PDU's for FREE

To earn PDUs without spending money, there are Category 2 and Category 5 activities. Remember to have appropriate documentation for any PDUs.

Category 2 Activities: Category 2 offers a number of opportunities to claim PDUs based on your Professional Activities and Self-Directed Learning. There are many sub-categories that make collecting PDUs easy. Here are four examples:

• Claim up to 40 PDUs for authoring a book.
• If you work 1,500 hours per year as a project manager, you can claim up to 15 PDUs. Yes, you get PDUs just for being a PM.
• Teaching a project management course gives up to 10 PDUs
• Be a speaker at your local PMI chapter dinner meeting and claim 5 PDUs.

The easiest way to claim PDUs in this category, however, is the sub-category for Self Directed Learning. Here you can claim another 15 PDUs for a number of simple, self-study activities. You can simply read a project management book or – even better – listen to a project management Podcast. You can find free Podcasts on the web.

2C – Speaker on project management topic at a conference, symposium, workshop or formal course. (10 PDUs per activity) . . .

[You may have a series of "formal" presentations over lunch in your employee cafeteria scheduled by your training department. Simply, keep a copy of the formal announcement, a copy of the AGENDA, and a list of the attendees who
participated. The length of the presentation is not important. However, the content must be "generic" project management.]

2E – Member or moderator of a project management panel discussion at a conference, symposium workshop or formal course. (5 PDUs per activity) [This category is for those who are presenting "simultaneously" with other mindividuals. If your solo presentation is part of a "series" of topics being presented by different members of your team over any period of time, then use Category 2C.]

2G – Developer of content for a structured project management learning program. (10 PDUs per activity) [You can earn 10 PDUs for developing the materials that you present in "2C" above.]

2H – Practitioner of project management services for more than 1,500 hours per year. (5 PDUs per year for a maximum of 15 PDUs per CCR cycle for sub designation 2H) Documentation Required: Copies of “sample” educational materials and/or program agendas.

2SDL – May include informal activities such as discussions or coaching sessions with colleagues, co-workers, clients or consultants. It may include articles, books, instructional manuals, videos, CDs, or other material resources. Use the “Self-directed Learning Activities Worksheet” with the CCR Activity Reporting Form. (1 PDU per hour of self-directed learning for a maximum of 15 PDUs per CCR cycle for sub designation 2SDL) Documentation required: If audited, PMPs should be able to provide evidence supporting their reported learning project. This may include notes from and dates of discussions or reading.

The distinction between 2SDL “informal activities” and 2C, 2E, & 2G “formal course” is mostly the existence of a “Program Announcement” and “Program Agenda” (with. learning objectives), List of attendees, Presenter BIO (showing credentials such as MBA, PMP, etc.), and some form of quality feedback opportunity for participants. *

Category 5 Activities: “Provide project management related services to a community or charitable group.” (5 PDUs per year for a maximum of 20 PDUs per CCR cycle for Category 5) Documentation Required: PMPs should maintain a “thank you letter” or certificate from the organization served acknowledging the participation of the PMP. This also includes volunteer Service for your PMI Chapter. You can contact your local PMI membership director and ask about opportunities; The maximum number of PDUs in this category is 10 PDUs for elected officials .

* Certification programs sponsored by non-profit organizations cannot require that only commercially sold (fee paid) courses qualify for PDUs. If you are a PMP, you have a designation that PMI promotes as being associated with professionalism in project management. That certainly qualifies you to present material that is consistent with the PMBOK Guide in order to earn PDUs for helping to educate others in the profession. The primary purpose of the PMP designation is to promote professionalism in project management, and you are doing that in an honorable way when you teach others in a manner consistent with the PMBOK
Guide.

There are also a number of venues and sites that one can participate on to get PDU's, some at a cost, others at no charge. The key is documentation, and that they be real (i.e. a reasonable).

{this post is based on a prior article by David J. Lanners from PMPhub.net blog}

PMP test Lessons Learned (from Linkbee)

Jim-BC: Passed PMP on Aug 13 2009

Hi Everyone. I passed the PMP exam today and I want to share my lessons learned.

Total Study Time : about 2 months – Maybe less than 100 hours.(Nore from PMHUB admin: the original LL is archived in the LL Forum of PMHUB Forums)

I took my PMP training to get the contact hours in Apr 2008 and started the application in Aug 2008. Due to extremely busy work and personal life (who isn’t ) , I kept postponing my exam date and really didn’t have any time to study. Since the Aug is a real deadline for me otherwise I have to reapply , I started to put a little time at night to study in July and took a few days off in August to prepare.

Materials

PMBOK Guide Fourth Edition
I scanned this entire book at the last day. I read some chapters of 3rd edition long time ago and remembered it was very dry so I decided not to read this book this time. However, I found out the book is quite well written this time. It did have lot of charts and example to explain the thoery.

Overall: optional. Good for review.

Rita Mulcahy – PMP Exam Prep
First of all , I agreed with another LL in July. I don’t like the tone Rita put this book like “You will fail the exam if you don’t know ” or “You will miss a few questions if no real world expediences”. It is ok to repeat a few time but she did this too much. On the other side, I didn’t feel the Rita’s process chart is very useful. It just added something extra to memorize. I didn’t do the games but I did took most the questions after each chapter. The questions will really help you to recall the chapters. I will say skip all the PM stories in this book otherwise you may only remember those stories.

I was surprised this books didn’t cover ALL the meterial mentioned in PMBOOK on the last day. It made me a little nervous . However, I believe the book alone can make you pass the exam .The questions are close. The Rita’s questions are more wordy. In each chapter, there are a few questions which didn’t make sense and won’t show up on the exam. Generally I can score 70~80% after reading.

Overall : recommended.

Questions:
1. PMP head first free 200 questions. I feel these questions are closest to the real exam. They are even better than Rita’s questions. I scored 75% in this one.
2. Oliver’s 175 questions. I took the exam 2 days before the exam and only scored 65%. It made me very nervous so I started to read the PMBOOK. I feel the level of Oliver maybe too hard. He added some questions from other PM boook which are not necessary. Sometimes he
picked a few words from PM book and made a question which may not fit the real work exam. so don’t let this exam beat you down.

The Exam Itself

I arrived 30 minutes earlier and they let me started right away. I didn’t dump the formulas . I think I know the calculation portion pretty well.
After about 30 questions I know I will pass. The real exam is not so wordy . The funny thing is sometimes you can tell some questions are not real ones. These kind of questions mentioned some thing you never heard and they even have grammar errors. I marked about 50 questions and went through them again . It took me about 2.5 hours (I didn’t review the questions unmarked) and I decided to end the exam. I was very nervous at the last moment because the score didn’t show up immediately. I had to do the survey first. and then the congratutions showed up.

Generally the exam is not very hard. The EV questions are simple so I even didn’t use the calculator. If you prepare well and you will pass. There is no need to memorize the TT and I/O. I feel the exam question was written in a way even you are allowed to read the books, you won’t get it right without proper understanding. so it is better the understand the concept instead of remember them.

eg. What’s the different between quality assurance and quality control? If you can not even get this right, you may need to review the books again.

ok, I need to have a break now. In short, my LL is to don’t over study but also ensure don’t underestimate it. The PMP knowledge is really help in real life work so it is better to master the art.

A Busy PMP

Recent 4th ed. PMP/PMBOK test feedback

Recent 4th ed. PMP/PMBOK test feedback (From PMhub; http://linkbee.com/LL0714)

Tordub: Passed PMP , July 14, Dublin

by tordub > Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:26 am Hi Everyone. I passed the PMP exam this week and I want to share my lessons learned.

Total Study Time : 3 Months

Materials

PMBOK Guide Fourth Edition
Read 3 times. I never saw v3 so I can't compare the two but I actually found the PMBOK quite readable. By the third pass through all the concepts fit into place most especially Section III - The Standard for Project Management.
Pay attention to the Appendix on Interpersonal Skills. I believe you do not need to memorize the ITTO if you have a good handle on how the processes and knowledge areas fit together. Having said that , for the exam I would place much focus on the Tools and Techniques used in Quality Management.

A Project Manager's Book of Forms - Cynthia Synder Stackpole.
This book really brought the PMBOK to life. It has templates on all the documents and plans mentioned in the guide. Like the exam , it is organized by process group. I created my own personal project and used the forms in this book as if I was managing a large project in the real world using the PMI approach. Really helped. Recommended.

The PM Prep cast / The PMP Formula Guide.
Highly recommend. So much so I'll say it again. Highly recommended. The interview with Quentin Fleming on Earned Value Management is worth the price of admission alone. Cornelius breaks down the PMBOK guide process by process and makes everything understandable. I listened to the prep cast everyday for almost 3 months and I used this towards my 35 contact hours. I would not have passed the exam without this tool. Amazing value. Thank you Cornelius.

I used the Formula Guide to get a handle on all the formulas you need for the exam. Gave me a lot of confidence going into the exam that I could answer any of the questions they would throw at me. Turns out the questions were very straightforward on EVM. However, knowing all the possible calculations will take the edge off. Recommended.

Rita Mulcahy - PMP Exam Prep / FAST TRACK I'm conflicted on this book. On the one hand it is an indispensable guide to studying for the exam , it's just a shame that the overall tone is so condescending and patronizing. To get to the end of the book and have to read the final chapter entitled 'Reasons you might fail the exam' , is a real kick in the teeth. The exam is NOT as hard as she makes it out to be.
The only part of the book where she doesn't cop an attitude is Procurement.
That should indicate to you how seriously you should take Procurement.
Overall : recommend , just don't let the tone get you down.

The Fast Track exam simulation is not cheap but if you can try and buy it.
It does give you a sense of where strengths and weaknesses lie. It's also good to take 1 or 2 full length exams. YMMV but I found the actual exam much less wordy and involved than the sample exams here. Towards the end I was scoring 80+ on chapter tests. And around low 70s on the full exam.

Andy Crowe / Kim Heldman
I didn't read these books in as much detail as the RMC. However , I liked the approach that Andy Crowe gives and he really places more emphasis on the ITTOs. The chapter questions are much easier than the actual exam but they will give you a good sense of understanding.

I read the Heldman book in a week , just to get my head around the overall approach one more time as she breaks down the PMBOK by process group. Nicely written but a lot of reading. If you have the time do it but it's not essential.

PMP Study - 4 simulation tests
I actually only did 2 full exams as I was worried about question fatigue. I highly recommend these. The questions are very similar in style to the PMP exam in the sense that the actual exam had questions that were 1-2 lines.
Less wordy than RMC.
I scored high 60s on both the full exams.
Please note I came across two TCPI questions where I believe they were using the wrong formula. If in doubt always go with the PMBOK guide.

The Exam Itself
I arrived at the test centre early so they processed me there and then and let me start straight away. I took the tutorial and during the 15 minutes I brain-dumped all the formulas from the PM Formula guide - EVM , Pert , EMV, Standard Deviation , Estimates etc. I also reproduced the chart on the mapping of the 42 processes.
This really helped in the exam.

The first 20 or so questions were very straightforward and I was wondering when the difficulty kicked in and then BAM! I had a run of questions where I was struggling to figure out what was actually being asked. I read a LL from a PMP on this forum where they said if this happens to you DON'T PANIC, these could very well be from the 25 non scoring questions. This is great advice. And I wish I could remember that person's name, I would thank them.
So the big thing is don't panic.

Also , watch out for answers that are correct statements but don't apply to the situation that you are in.

My strategy was to break after every 50 questions , but on my third break I was warned by the invigilator that I was close to exceeding the max combined break of 10mins. So please check with your testing centre as this was something I wasn't aware of.

It took me the full 4 hours to answer the questions, review marked and review overall. I was half way through my final review when the screen went blank as I was out of time. I filled out the survey , took a deep breath and waited. until Congratulations came up on the screen. Phew!

The exam is not out to trick you. The preparation is the hard part. Always pay attention to where you are in the process. Take practice exams and keep focused. At the 3 hour mark I was really tired and had to rally. Answer question by question.

Based on the LL from previous PMPs I believe the exam hasn't changed drastically.

That's it. I'm now a PMP. My heartfelt thanks to the people who run this site and also to the Project Managers who have posted their experiences. It feels great to be part of this community.

Passed PMP, My Lesson's Learned

{Posted from PMHub:}

Mon Jun 1, 2009 12:20 am (PDT)

Hello All,

I passed my PMP on May 23rd. I was a silent member of this forum and this forum helped me a lot to pass the certification. For me in the exam I got more questions on Organizational Structures, Procurement Management and Scope Management. I was able to complete the exam in 3 hours with one break of 5 minutes. I took another 30 minutes to answer the questions which I marked for review. I finally submitted my exam and closed my eyes and was surprised to see the message "Congratulations ......"

Below are some of my lesson's learned for the exam.

1. Started preparing about 3 months back but fast tracked it one month prior to the exam.
2. Read PMBOK 3rd. edition twice.
3. Read Rita's PMP Exam Prep twice.
4. Listened to PMP Prepcast Audio (This was a true savior for me)
5. Took Sample exams from PMP Fast Track (Rita), PMStudy.com, Oliver Lehmann, Skillsoft and HeadFirst. The questions in the exam is situational and closely resembles to what Rita's Fast Track provides.
6. On Fast Track scored 80-85%, Super-PMP 69%, PMStudy- 71%.
7. Understood the ITTO's without memorizing them.
8. Try to focus on concept building and not cramming the answers of wrong questions as in the exam you will not find exact questions as given in book.
9. Do not take Professional and social responsibility chapter lightly. This may look easy but it can be confusing during the exam.

Key-points:
1. Learn more concepts and correlate them to your daily work.
2. Solve more questions first; and once you are getting answers correctly try to increase
the speed.
3. If you are getting more than 80-90% of marks, you are ready to go.
4. Prepare questions with mix of knowledge/process area.
5. Don't under-estimates questions to be simple (as they appears to be), as these are
from PMI and invested lots of research to test your level.
6. Try not to loose balance between the priorities of family, work and exam, as these
have direct affect on your preparation. Exam will never cost you more than family.
7. Don't be (feel) rich, as rich people may think of preparing for second chance at exam!

I would be more than happy to help anyone in need.

Good Luck to all PMP aspirants.

Ruchir Ghosh, PMP

PMP Myths - required Contact Hours Valid Only for courses from PMI REP

Question: What is the validity period for the 35hrs contact program before the PMP exam? Answer from some member: You will have to undergo the training from PMI R.E.P. (Registered Education Provider) to gain those 35 contact hours credit. The 35 contact hours earned by you have no limited expiry date. The only condition is that they should have been earned before you submit your PMP application, or for any credential exam of PMI. This courses include courses related to project management that you received in college/university, from your company or from attending courses anywhere (web-based, classroom) or combination of the courses as long as it totals to 35 hours. I received many questions relating to the validity of PMPrepcast since the company is not a PMI REP. This is a myth perpetrated by many members. Please carefully read the PMP Handbook http://www.pmi.org/PDF/pdc_pmphandbook.pdf The answer to this question is explicitly written on page 7: "Document all education hours regardless of when they were accrued". It does not really matter where you get this course/courses from (whether REP, University, just a training provider) - on this same page it also list what courses satisfy the requirement. It does not have to be from a PMI REP. Once you got 35 contact hours, do not worry - there is no expiry date on them. Do not worry, be happy. Most of you have those 35 Contact Hours in your pocket already! In summary the 35 hour mandatory contact hour can be from one or more of the following types below: - Courses or programs offered by PMI Registered Education Providers (REP) - University / College academic and continuing education programs - Courses or programs offered by training companies or consultants - Courses or programs offered by PMI Component organizations - Courses or programs offered by employer / company-sponsored programs - Courses or programs offered by distance-learning companies, including an end of course assessment, and it has no expiry date What if your PMP Certification Application gets Audited? From the experience from some PMHUB members, you do not need to do too much. Send these documents that you have in your archives to PMI in an envelope - yes use the snail mail (remember Post Office?) or a Courier company (UPS, Fedex, DHL etc) 1. copies of your degree/diploma certificates or high school certifcates 2. experience verification form - signed by your managers/supervisors as mentioned in aplication for certification 3. Copy of the 35 Contact Hours document (please read Myth on Contact Hours) After 1 week or so, PMI will tell you whether you pass the audit or not. If you clear the audit - go ahead to schedule your exam with the local Prometric office. - Above from PMHUB PMdigest

Link to PMBOK definitions and descriptions

Great link to all the definitions and descriptions listed in the PMBOK.
http://www.project-management-knowledge.com/definitions/p/project-management-body-of-knowledge-pmbok/

New PMP exam lesson learned

Stu,

Here are my comments regarding my recent PMP exam experience on December 20, 2008.

I took your PMP Exam Prep class after finishing the UCI Extension PM Certification courses. I found most helpful the practice questions on the A+ CD. I was able to focus my study efforts on the domains in which I scored the lowest. Also, knowing what to expect at the test center from reading comments on your blog gave me confidence and no time was wasted when I arrived.

I used the "data dump" method to write all cost and schedule formulas before starting the exam. This was a good tool when constructing formulas to answer related questions. As a former educator, I found the multiple choice objective questions require a great deal of subjective thinking to determine an answer. This is a frustrating format, since one cannot debate a position with the computer. I did like receiving immediate performance feedback. Even though I passed the exam, I now have information of PM areas I can continue personal improvement.

Thank you for your support and instruction. I know our paths will cross again.

Best wishes,

Darcy Skaggs

PMP preparation & test

Another recent PMP success! {Thursday, September 18, 2008}

Subject: Confirmation of computer-based exam

Hi Team, It's my turn to happily report that I passed the PMP exam today.

My preparation strategy: - I spent the last couple of weeks studying. - I started with the PMBOK but found it a little too overwhelming so I ended up using mostly the PMP exam prep guide that was provided in our last class. I read the entire book, did all the exercises in each chapter and the sample exam. I did this practice exam in one sitting as was recommended to get a feel for the length of the real thing. - I read the glossary in the PMBOK as was recommended. - I did as many practice questions as I could to get used to the format. - One thing that was very useful for me was to create a mind map of the 5 process groups, the 44 processes and the major inputs and outputs of each. The map consisted of the diagrams in Figures 3-6, 3-7, 3-8, 3-9 and 3-10 of the PMBOK plus inputs and outputs. I did not attempt to remember all the inputs and outputs of each process, but the ones I thought were the most significant. Many of the test questions are "what is the output of this process" or "what is the input to this process" so the mind map help a lot.

My testing experience: - My exam was scheduled for 9 AM. I arrived at the test facility shortly after 8. They opened the doors at 8:15, so I got checked in right away and was at my terminal by 8:25. - The testing facility will provide pencils and scratch paper. You cannot bring anything in with you but the two pieces of ID needed to check in and the key to the locker they provide to store you belongings. - I was provided with a calculator, but maybe they only have a few and I got lucky because I was the first one to check in. - There is a 15 minute on-line tutorial for how to take the computerized exam. I went through it as quickly as I could. These were all pretty basic instructions (this is a cursor, this is how you select an answer, this is how you mark a question - pretty intuitive stuff). I used the rest of the time to do a data dump of my mind map and formulas. This way I did not use any test time to do this. There is a countdown clock in the top right corner of the screen during the tutorial and the exam to indicate how much time is remaining. - I was able to get through the 200 questions in a little over 3 hours. I marked all the ones I wanted to go back to, and it took me about 30 minutes to review all of them. If you know the material well, 4 hours should be plenty of time. - The results are instantaneous. After you select the finish exam button, the computer crunches away for a few (very long) seconds before telling you if you passed or not. There is no percentage score but the system does give you a breakdown of how well you did in each category (Proficient, moderately proficient and something like low proficiency). I encourage everyone who has signed up for the exam yet to do it as soon as possible. You've gone this far...

Stu, thank you for the great classes. Patricia Labrecque, PMP :-)