| So your thinking about taking the PMP Exam? | | | | Time-consuming questions that cause you, the test |
| You should know, it's a computer-based exam | | | | taker, to feel disoriented or overwhelmed. It's |
| hosted by the Sylvan-Prometric Testing center. It is | | | | particularly stressful if you encounter these types of |
| composed of 200 multiple-choice questions based on | | | | questions early on in the exam. (The Ready Set Pass |
| the Project Management Body of Knowledge or | | | | program is designed to reduce the chance of this |
| PMBOK. Test questions are randomly selected from a | | | | happening by including many exam-like questions in |
| database of over 2000 possible questions. The test | | | | our practice material.) |
| taker has a total of 4 hours to complete the exam. | | | | Questions that require you to Fill-in-the-blank and |
| The intent of the test is to ensure a thorough | | | | other factual-type questions. These questions simply |
| understanding of project management knowledge as | | | | require the test taker to recall the definition or |
| set forth by the Project Management Institute. | | | | context of a word or set of words. (Likely worded |
| The newest version of the PMBOK, the PMBOK | | | | identically as in the PMBOK Guide.) |
| Guide-Third Edition, was released to PMI members in | | | | Questions in which you need to select the exception |
| October 2004. In addition, the exam and the passing | | | | from the four possible answers. If 3 correct answers |
| scores have been adjusted. The passing score for | | | | are present look for the Odd man out. |
| the new exam has now been changed from 81% to | | | | Some questions will be long drawn out short stories. |
| 61%. The exam taker must answer 106 questions | | | | Much of the text of is not essential in answering the |
| out of 175 correct. 25 additional questions will be | | | | question. The test taker will need to weed out the |
| asked on the exam for a total of 200 possible | | | | non-essential data. More often than not the essential |
| questions. The 25 - pretest items will continue to be | | | | data is the last sentence in the paragraph. It may |
| part of the exam. PMI uses these questions to | | | | benefit you to read the last sentence first. |
| understand the performance of the questions prior to | | | | Questions that require you to perform calculations |
| counting the questions towards a candidates score. | | | | and/or draw simple diagrams. These are typically |
| The exam taker will not know which 25 are not | | | | questions about earned value, cost, network |
| applied to the pass/fail score. Out of the score able | | | | diagrams, and schedules. In our estimation, around |
| 175 questions, approximately 19 will come from | | | | 75% of the exam questions come directly from the |
| Initiation, 40 from planning, 47 from execution, 37 | | | | PMBOK Guide. |
| from monitor and control, 16 from closing and 16 | | | | The remaining questions are derived from other |
| from Professional responsibility. | | | | reference materials and real-world situations. Solid |
| Initiating the Project......11% | | | | common project sense should help you in answering |
| Conduct Project Selection Methods | | | | these. Some key exam topics you won't find in the |
| Define Scope | | | | PMBOK but should understand are: Conflict-resolution |
| Document Project Risks, Assumptions, and | | | | techniques, Organizational theories, Problem-solving |
| Constraints | | | | techniques and Theories of motivation. |
| Identify and Perform Stakeholder Analysis | | | | You will encounter questions that will be difficult to |
| Develop Project Charter | | | | answer with confidence. Commonly these types of |
| Obtain Project Charter Approval | | | | questions seemed to potentially have more than one |
| Planning the Project......23% | | | | correct answer. Two or more of the answers are |
| Define and Record Requirements, Constraints and | | | | reasonable responses. However, there is always one |
| Assumptions | | | | best response, as determined by PMI. You should |
| Identify Project Team and Define Roles and | | | | track these questions and revisit them at the end of |
| Responsibilities | | | | the exam before it is submitted. |
| Create the WBS | | | | Be alert about answers that reflect common project |
| Develop Change Management Plan | | | | management errors and unapproved practices. It is |
| Identify Risks and Define Risk Strategies | | | | important to remember that the answer should |
| Obtain Plan Approval | | | | reflect PMIs views. Remembering this should help you |
| Conduct Kick-off Meeting | | | | rule out any common sense answers that dont |
| Executing the Project......27% | | | | coincide with the PMBOK. The test taker must sift |
| Execute Tasks Defined in Project Plan | | | | through answers that are factually correct but are |
| Ensure Common Understanding and Set Expectations | | | | not the correct response to the question. |
| Implement the Procurement of Project Resources | | | | As a Test Taker, it is important to develop a |
| Manage Resource Allocation | | | | Strategy. Anticipate that many questions will have |
| Implement Quality Management Plan | | | | multiple correct answers. It is your challenge to pick |
| Implement Approved Changes | | | | the best answer based on how PMI outlines the |
| Implement Approved Actions and Workarounds | | | | situation should be handled. Remember to answer |
| Improve Team Performance | | | | questions from PMIs perspective, not from your |
| Monitoring and Controlling the Project......21% | | | | real-life experience. Think, What does PMI say I |
| Measure Project Performance | | | | should I do? rather than Whats worked in the past? |
| Verify and Manage Changes to the Project | | | | The actual exam allows you to mark any question |
| Ensure Project Deliverables Conform to Quality | | | | for later review. Plan on making several passes |
| Standards | | | | through all 200 questions of the exam. (Double-check |
| Monitor all Risks | | | | yourself on questions that you are unsure of your |
| Closing the Project......9% | | | | answer). On the initial pass through the exam, mark |
| Obtain Final Acceptance for the Project | | | | any question that you are not 100% sure of the |
| Obtain Financial, Legal, and Administrative Closure | | | | answer. On the second pass, review all the marked |
| Release Project Resources | | | | questions. You may discover that the answer to a |
| Identify, Document and Communicate Lessons | | | | given question is detailed out in another question or |
| Learned | | | | answer throughout the exam. |
| Create and Distribute Final Project Report | | | | During the exam, as the test taker, you will need to |
| Archive and Retain Project Records | | | | manage your exam time. 200 questions in four hours |
| Measure Customer Satisfaction | | | | (240 minutes) = 1.2 minutes per question. Some |
| Professional and Social Responsibility......9% | | | | questions will be as easy as 15 seconds; others may |
| Ensure Individual Integrity | | | | take 3 or 4 minutes. |
| Contribute to the Project Management Knowledge | | | | You are not required to immediately take the exam |
| Base | | | | when you sit down at the computer terminal. Use |
| Enhance Personal Professional Competence | | | | this time to gather your thoughts and prepare your |
| Promote Interaction Among Stakeholders | | | | reference sheet. Write down all formulas, diagrams, |
| Exam Questions are designed to check both key | | | | and information that will assist you with the exam. |
| understanding and the ability to practically apply | | | | This allows you to clear your thoughts and focus |
| concepts. The types of question and formats you | | | | better as you begin the exam. When you begin the |
| may encounter are; Situational questions which | | | | exam process, you will initially be provided a tutorial |
| require you to rely on your knowledge, PMI (PMBOK) | | | | of how to use the terminal and how to take the |
| experience and judgment in order to answer them | | | | exam. If you feel comfortable with the information, |
| correctly and Conceptual in which you must apply | | | | you can pass over this tutorial quickly and begin the |
| concepts to a new situation by using more than | | | | exam. Pace yourself and be sure to read all four |
| simple memorization. (All questions are multiple choice | | | | answers completely. Do not just choose the first |
| with four possible answers). Test questions will | | | | potentially correct answer you see, there may be a |
| intentionally use different terminology or alternate | | | | More right / Most right answer available. Take breaks |
| versions of similar questions for the same concepts | | | | throughout the exam. You have 4 hours for the |
| to test your understanding of the topic rather than | | | | exam, you need to complete at least 50 questions |
| your ability to recall a term. | | | | per hour and allot for periodic breaks to allow |
| You may encounter: | | | | yourself to regain focus and rest. |