PMP EXAM OVERVIEW

© Kanabar & Warburton 2009

PMP Exam Overview

o How to become certified. o Application Process o Sample Exam questions.Professional Responsibility (Ethics)

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Are You Eligible?

Review the eligibility requirements for taking the PMP® Certification Exam online.

For students considering the PMP credential, we recommend the following approach. First, to be eligible to earn the PMP you must pre-qualify:

High School/Equivalent – Path 1 Bachelors Degree – Path 2

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Path 2

4,500 hours of experience in project management within the 5 process groups

At least 3 years (36 months) experience within the 6 year period prior to application

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Forms

Experience verification forms Project Management Education form Complete examination application with

the appropriate application fee $405 for PMI® members $555 for non-members

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Exam

200 multiple choice questions to be answered in 4 hours.

Of these, 25 are test questions used to evaluate future questions and are not counted in your score.

There is a 15 minute tutorial before the test, which explains how everything works. PMI administers the test through Computer Based Testing (CBT).

The entire process of application, payment, and scheduling of the test is easily accomplished on line through the PMI website.

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Number of Questions: Break Down

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Domains % of questions I. Initiating the Project 11 11 II. Planning the Project 23 III. Executing the Project 27 IV. Monitoring and Controlling the Project

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V. Closing the Project 9 VI. Professional Responsibility 9

Studying for the PMP Exam

 Questions on the test break down into 3 categories: Definitional, Computational, and Scenario based

We have found that for our students (and ourselves!) the best approach is: Take a required course first. Read the PMBOK. Read recommended resources. Participate in a paced-workshop.

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Rita Mulcahy

PMP® Exam Prep, by Rita Mulcahy, PMP. © RMC Publications, Inc., 2008.

Best choice. Rita’s book takes a lot of time to master.

Her approach is based on memorizing a large process chart, which allows you to figure out the inputs and outputs to the 42 processes.

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Other Choices

PMP® Exam Practice Questions and Solutions, by Aileen Ellis, PMP. © AME Group, 2005. This book contains a series of questions that are well organized into sections corresponding to the PMBOK processes. This book will ensure that you clearly understand the basics.

Note: Read a current edition.

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PMP Head-First

Head First PMP Greene and Stellman Friendly book. Make sure you have the

current edition.

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Ethics & Professional Responsibility

Ensure integrity Contribute to knowledge base Apply professional knowledge Balance stakeholder interests Respect differences

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Ethics & Professional Responsibility

Adhere to the Project Management Professional Code of Professional Conduct

Avoid all conflicts of interest Personal gain should never be a

consideration Maintain Integrity: Be ethical and

professional at all times. Whistle-blowing

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Contribute to the Knowledgebase

Share lessons learned, best practices, and research

Improve the quality of project management services

Build capabilities of colleagues through coaching, mentoring, and training

This is encouraged even after certification.

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Domain Questions: Initiating

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Planning2-16

Executing2-17

Monitor and Control2-18

Closing2-19

Studying

Make a spreadsheet with key concepts. Understand key concepts well. Make a separate page for that. See example on the next page.

Create cards with terminology Practice questions (see book)

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Concepts (example)

• Crashing and fast tracking are two techniques for shortening project schedules. Which is more risky?

• Critical chain scheduling is an application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) that uses critical path analysis, resource constraints, and buffers to help meet project completion dates.

• The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is a network analysis technique used to estimate project duration when there is a high degree of uncertainty about the individual activity duration estimates. It uses optimistic, most likely, pessimistic estimates of

activity durations.

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Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)

• A network analysis technique used to estimate project duration when there is a high degree of uncertainty about the individual activity duration estimates.

• It applies the critical path method (CPM) to a weighted average duration estimate.

• PERT uses probabilistic time estimates: optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic (three point estimate)

• PERT weighted average =

• By using the PERT weighted average for each activity duration estimate, the total project duration estimate takes into account the risk or uncertainty in the individual activity estimates.

• Advantage: It attempts to address the risk associated with duration estimates. Since many projects exceed schedule estimates, PERT may help in developing schedules that are more realistic.

• Disadvantage: It involves more work than CPM since it requires several duration estimates, and there are better probabilistic methods for assessing schedule risk. (i.e. Monte Carlo Analysis)

optimistic time + 4 * most likely time + pessimistic time__________________________________________

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Exam Cram Handout

Please study the color printed cram card given to you separately.

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Thank You!

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We know you will do well. Call us when you graduate! We will be there to celebrate