Introduction
This book was designed for anyone thinking of taking the Project Management Professional (PMP®) exam sponsored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®). This certification is growing in popularity and demand in all areas of business. PMI® has experienced explosive growth in membership over the last few years, and more and more organizations are recognizing the importance of project management certification.
This book has been updated to reflect the latest edition of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition. It assumes you have knowledge of general project management practices, although not necessarily specific to the PMBOK® Guide. It's written so that you can skim through areas you are already familiar with, picking up the specific PMBOK® Guide terminology where needed to pass the exam. You'll find that the project management processes and techniques discussed in this book are defined in such a way that you'll recognize tasks you've always done and be able to identify them with the PMBOK® Guide process names or methodologies.
PMI® offers the most recognized certification in the field of project management, and this book deals exclusively with its procedures and methods. Project management consists of many methods, each with its own terminology, tools, and procedures. If you're familiar with another organized project management methodology, don't assume you already know the PMBOK® Guide processes. I strongly recommend that you learn all of the processes—their key inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs. Take the time to memorize the key terms found in the glossary as well. Sometimes just understanding the definition of a term will help you answer a question. It might be that you've always done that particular task or used the methodology described but called it by another name. Know the name of each process and its primary purpose.
What Is the PMP® Certification?
PMI® is the leader and the most widely recognized organization in terms of promoting project management best practices. PMI® strives to maintain and endorse standards and ethics in this field and offers publications, training, seminars, chapters, special interest groups, and colleges to further the project management discipline.
PMI® was founded in 1969 and first started offering the PMP® certification exam in 1984. PMI® is accredited as an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards developer and also has the distinction of being the first organization to have its certification program attain International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 recognition.
PMI® boasts a worldwide membership of more than 700,000, with members from countries around the globe. Local PMI® chapters meet regularly and allow project managers to exchange information and learn about new tools and techniques of project management or new ways to use established techniques. I encourage you to join a local chapter and get to know other professionals in your field.
Why Become PMP® Certified?
The following benefits are associated with becoming PMP® certified:
- It demonstrates proof of professional achievement.
- It increases your marketability.
- It provides greater opportunity for advancement in your field.
- It raises customer confidence in you and in your company's services.
Demonstrates Proof of Professional Achievement
PMP® certification is a rigorous process that documents your achievements in the field of project management. The exam tests your knowledge of the disciplined approaches, methodologies, and project management practices as described in the PMBOK® Guide.
You are required to have several years of experience in project management before sitting for the exam, as well as 35 hours of formal project management education. Your certification assures employers and customers that you are well grounded in project management practices and disciplines. It shows that you have the hands-on experience and a mastery of the processes and disciplines to manage projects effectively and motivate teams to produce successful results.
Increases Your Marketability
Many industries are realizing the importance of project management and its role in the organization. They are also seeing that simply proclaiming a head technician to be a “project manager” does not make it so. Project management, just like engineering, information technology, and a host of other trades, has its own specific qualifications and skills. Certification tells potential employers that you have the skills, experience, and knowledge to drive successful projects and ultimately improve the company's bottom line.
A certification will always make you stand out above the competition. If you're a PMP® credential holder and you're competing against a project manager without certification, chances are you'll come out as the top pick. As a hiring manager, all other things being equal, I will usually opt for the candidate who has certification over the candidate who doesn't have it. Certification tells potential employers you have gone the extra mile. You've spent time studying techniques and methods as well as employing them in practice. It shows dedication to your own professional growth and enhancement and to adhering to and advancing professional standards.
Provides Opportunity for Advancement
PMP® certification displays your willingness to pursue growth in your professional career and shows that you're not afraid of a little hard work to get what you want. Potential employers will interpret your pursuit of this certification as a high-energy, success-driven, can-do attitude on your part. They'll see that you're likely to display these same characteristics on the job, which will help make the company successful. Your certification displays a success-oriented, motivated attitude that will open up opportunities for future career advancements in your current field as well as in new areas you might want to explore.
Raises Customer Confidence
Just as the PMP® certification assures employers that you've got the background and experience to handle project management, it assures customers that they have a competent, experienced project manager at the helm. Certification will help your organization sell customers on your ability to manage their projects. Customers, like potential employers, want the reassurance that those working for them have the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out the duties of the position and that professionalism and personal integrity are of utmost importance. Individuals who hold these ideals will translate their ethics and professionalism to their work. This enhances the trust customers will have in you, which in turn will give you the ability to influence them on important project issues.
How to Become PMP® Certified
You need to fulfill several requirements in order to sit for the PMP® exam. PMI® has detailed the certification process quite extensively at its website. Go to www.pmi.org and click the Certifications tab to get the latest information on certification procedures and requirements.
As of this writing, you are required to fill out an application to sit for the PMP® exam. You can submit this application online at the PMI® website. You also need to document 35 hours of formal project management education. This might include college classes, seminars, workshops, and training sessions. Be prepared to list the class titles, location, date, and content.
In addition to filling out the application and documenting your formal project management training, there is one set of criteria you'll need to meet to sit for the exam. The criteria in this set fall into two categories. You need to meet the requirements for only one of these categories:
- Category 1 is for those who have a baccalaureate degree. You'll need to provide proof, via transcripts, of your degree with your application. In addition, you'll need to complete verification forms—found at the PMI® website—that show 4,500 hours of project management experience that spans a minimum of three years.
- Category 2 is for those who do not have a baccalaureate degree but do hold a high school diploma or equivalent. You'll need to complete verification forms documenting 7,500 hours of project management experience that spans a minimum of five years.
As of this writing, the exam fee is $405 for PMI® members in good standing and $555 for non-PMI® members. Testing is conducted at Prometric testing centers. You can find a center near you on the Prometric center website, but you will not be able to schedule your exam until your application is approved by PMI®. You have one year from the time PMI® receives and approves your completed application to take the exam. You'll need to bring two forms of identification, such as a driver's license and a credit card in your name, with you to the Prometric testing center on the test day. You will not be allowed to take anything with you into the testing room and will be provided with a locker to store your personal belongings. You will be given a calculator, pencils, and scrap paper. You will turn in all scrap paper, including the notes and squiggles you've jotted during the test, to the center upon completion of the exam.
The exam is scored immediately, so you will know whether you've passed at the conclusion of the test. You're given four hours to complete the exam, which consists of 200 randomly generated questions. Only 175 of the 200 questions are scored. Twenty-five of the 200 questions are “pretest” questions that will appear randomly throughout the exam. These 25 questions are used by PMI® to determine statistical information and to determine whether they can or should be used on future exams. You will receive a score of Proficient, Moderately Proficient, or Below Proficient for each exam domain, as well as a Pass or Fail score. Because PMI® uses psychometric analysis to determine whether you have passed the exam, a passing score is not published. The questions on the exam cover the five process groups and professional responsibility. You'll answer questions on the following:
- Initiating
- Planning
- Executing
- Monitoring and Controlling
- Closing
- Professional Responsibility
All unanswered questions are scored as wrong answers, so it benefits you to guess at an answer if you're stumped on a question.
After you've received your certification, you'll be required to earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) every three years to maintain certification. Approximately one hour of structured learning translates to one PDU. The PMI® website details what activities constitute a PDU, how many PDUs each activity earns, and how to register your PDUs with PMI® to maintain your certification. As an example, attendance at a local chapter meeting earns one PDU.
Who Should Buy This Book?
If you are serious about passing the PMP® exam (or the CAPM® exam for that matter), you should buy this book and use it to study for the exam. This book is unique in that it walks you through the project processes from beginning to end, just as projects are performed in practice. When you read this book, you will benefit from the explanations of specific PMBOK® Guide processes and techniques coupled with real-life scenarios that describe how project managers in different situations handle problems and the various issues all project managers are bound to encounter during their careers. This study guide describes in detail the exam objective topics in each chapter and has attempted to cover all of the important project management concepts.
Interactive Online Learning Environment and Test Bank
The interactive online learning environment that accompanies PMP Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide, Eighth Edition, provides a test bank with study tools to help you prepare for the certification exam—and increase your chances of passing it the first time! The test bank includes the following tools:
Sample Tests All of the questions in this book are provided, including the Assessment Test, which you'll find at the end of this introduction, and the Chapter Tests that include the review questions at the end of each chapter. In addition, there are two Practice Exams. Use these questions to test your knowledge of the study guide material. The online test bank runs on multiple devices.
Flashcards Questions are provided in digital flashcard format (a question followed by a single correct answer). You can use the flashcards to reinforce your learning and for last-minute test prep before the exam.
Other Study Tools Several bonus study tools are included:
Glossary The key terms from this book and their definitions are available as a fully searchable PDF.
Bonus Questions Supplement the topics in the book with bonus questions that'll help you test your knowledge and understanding of concepts.
Audio Instruction and Review With over two hours of audio instruction, you can listen to the author review essential concepts, helping you to increase your understanding and fine-tune critical skills.
How to Use This Book and the Test Bank
I've included several study tools, both in the book and in the test bank at http://sybextestbanks.wiley.com. Following this introduction is an assessment test that you can use to check your readiness for the actual exam. Take this test before you start reading the book. It will help you identify the areas you may need to brush up on. The answers to the assessment test appear after the last question of the test. Each answer includes an explanation and a note telling you in which chapter this material appears.
Exam Essentials appear at the end of every chapter to highlight the topics you'll most likely find on the exam and help you focus on the most important material covered in the chapter so that you'll have a solid understanding of those concepts. However, it isn't possible to predict what questions will be covered on your particular exam, so be sure to study everything in the chapter.
Review questions are also provided at the end of every chapter. You can use them to gauge your understanding of the subject matter before reading the chapter and to point out the areas in which you need to concentrate your study time. As you finish each chapter, answer the review questions and then check to see whether your answers are right—the correct answers appear on the pages following the last question. You can go back to reread the section that deals with each question you got wrong to ensure that you answer the question correctly the next time you are tested on the material. If you can answer at least 80 percent of the review questions correctly, you can probably feel comfortable moving on to the next chapter. If you can't answer that many correctly, reread the chapter, or the section that seems to be giving you trouble, and try the questions again. You'll also find more than 200 flashcard questions on the website for on-the-go review.
In addition to the assessment test and the review questions, you'll find bonus exams. Take these practice exams just as if you were actually taking the exam (that is, without any reference material). When you have finished the first exam, move on to the next exam to solidify your test-taking skills. If you get more than 85 percent of the answers correct, you're ready to take the real exam.
Finally, you will notice various Real World Scenario sidebars throughout each chapter. They are designed to give you insight into how the various processes and topic areas apply to real-world situations.
The Exam Objectives
Behind every certification exam, you can be sure to find exam objectives—the broad topics in which the exam developers want to ensure your competency. PMP® exam objectives are listed at the beginning of every chapter in this book.
How to Contact the Author
I welcome your feedback about this book or about books you'd like to see from me in the future. You can reach me at [email protected]. For more information about my work, please visit my website at KimHeldman.com.
PMP®: Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide, 8th Edition
Updated for the 2015 Exam
Exam Objectives
| Objective | Chapter |
| Performance Domain I: Initiating | |
| Task 1: Perform project assessment based on available information, lessons learned from previous projects, and meetings with relevant stakeholders in order to support evaluation of the feasibility of new products or services within the given assumptions and/or constraints. | 2 |
| Task 2: Identify key deliverables based on the business requirements in order to manage customer expectations and direct the achievement of project goals. | 2 |
| Task 3: Perform stakeholder analysis using appropriate tools and techniques in order to align expectations and gain support for the project. | 2 |
| Task 4: Identify high-level risks, assumptions, and constraints based on the current environment, organizational factors, historical data, and expert judgment, in order to propose an implementation strategy. | 2 |
| Task 5: Participate in the development of the project charter by compiling and analyzing gathered information in order to ensure project stakeholders are in agreement on its elements. | 2 |
| Task 6: Obtain project charter approval from the sponsor, in order to formalize the authority assigned to the project manager and gain commitment and acceptance for the project. | 2 |
| Task 7: Conduct benefit analysis with relevant stakeholders to validate project alignment with organizational strategy and expected business value. | 2 |
| Task 8: Inform stakeholders of the approved project charter to ensure common understanding of the key deliverables, milestones, and their roles and responsibilities. | 2 |
| Performance Domain II: Planning | |
| Task 1: Review and assess detailed project requirements, constraints, and assumptions with stakeholders based on the project charter, lessons learned, and by using requirement gathering techniques in order to establish detailed project deliverables. | 3 |
| Task 2: Develop a scope management plan, based on the approved project scope and using scope management techniques, in order to define, maintain, and manage the scope of the project. | 3 |
| Task 3: Develop the cost management plan based on the project scope, schedule, resources, approved project charter and other information, using estimating techniques, in order to manage project costs. | 5 |
| Task 4: Develop the project schedule based on the approved project deliverables and milestones, scope, and resource management plans in order to manage timely completion of the project. | 4 |
| Task 5: Develop the human resource management plan by defining the roles and responsibilities of the project team members in order to create a project organizational structure and provide guidance regarding how resources will be assigned and managed. | 7 |
| Task 6: Develop the communications management plan based on the project organizational structure and stakeholder requirements, in order to define and manage the flow of project information. | 5 |
| Task 7: Develop the procurement management plan based on the project scope, budget, and schedule, in order to ensure that the required project resources will be available. | 7 |
| Task 8: Develop the quality management plan and define the quality standards for the project and its products, based on the project scope, risks, and requirements, in order to prevent the occurrence of defects and control the cost of quality. | 7 |
| Task 9: Develop the change management plan by defining how changes will be addressed and controlled in order to track and manage change. | 3 |
| Task 10: Plan for risk management by developing a risk management plan; identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing project risks; creating the risk register; and defining risk response strategies in order to manage uncertainty and opportunity throughout the project life cycle. | 6 |
| Task 11: Present the project management plan to the relevant stakeholders according to applicable policies and procedures in order to obtain approval to proceed with project execution. | 7 |
| Task 12: Conduct kick-off meeting, communicating the start of the project, key milestones, and other relevant information in order to inform and engage stakeholders and gain commitment. | 3 |
| Task 13: Develop the stakeholder management plan by analyzing needs, interests, and potential impact in order to effectively manage stakeholders' expectations and engage them in project decisions. | 5 |
| Performance Domain III: Executing | |
| Task 1: Acquire and manage project resources by following the human resource and procurement management plans in order to meet project requirements. | 8 |
| Task 2: Manage task execution based on the project management plan by leading and developing the project team in order to achieve project deliverables. | 8, 9 |
| Task 3: Implement the quality management plan using the appropriate tools and techniques in order to ensure that work is performed in accordance with required quality standards. | 9 |
| Task 4: Implement approved changes and corrective actions by following the change management plan in order to meet project requirements. | 9 |
| Task 5: Implement approved actions by following the risk management plan in order to minimize the impact of the risks and take advantage of opportunities on the project. | 9 |
| Task 6: Manage the flow of information by following the communications plan in order to keep stakeholders engaged and informed. | 9 |
| Task 7: Maintain stakeholder relationships by following the stakeholder management plan in order to receive continued support and manage expectations. | 9 |
| Performance Domain IV: Monitoring and Controlling | |
| Task 1: Measure project performance using appropriate tools and techniques in order to identify and quantify any variances and corrective actions. | 10 |
| Task 2: Manage changes to the project by following the change management plan in order to ensure that project goals remain aligned with business needs. | 10 |
| Task 3: Verify that project deliverables conform to the quality standards established in the quality management plan by using appropriate tools and techniques to meet project requirements and business needs. | 11 |
| Task 4: Monitor and assess risk by determining whether exposure has changed and evaluating the effectiveness of response strategies in order to manage the impact of risks and opportunities to the project. | 11 |
| Task 5: Review the issue log, update if necessary, and determine corrective actions by using appropriate tools and techniques in order to minimize the impact on the project. | 11 |
| Task 6: Capture, analyze, and manage lessons learned using lessons learned management techniques in order to enable continuous improvement. | 10, 11 |
| Task 7: Monitor procurement activities according to the procurement plan in order to verify compliance with project objectives. | 10 |
| Performance Domain V: Closing | |
| Task 1: Obtain final acceptance of the project deliverables from relevant stakeholders in order to confirm that project scope and deliverables were achieved. | 12 |
| Task 2: Transfer the ownership of deliverables to the assigned stakeholders in accordance with the project plan in order to facilitate project closure. | 12 |
| Task 3: Obtain financial, legal, and administrative closure using generally accepted practices and policies in order to communicate formal project closure and ensure transfer of liability. | 12 |
| Task 4: Prepare and share the final project report according to the communications management plan in order to document and convey project performance and assist in project evaluation. | 12 |
| Task 5: Collate lessons learned that were documented throughout the project and conduct a comprehensive project review in order to update the organization's knowledge base. | 12 |
| Task 6: Archive project documents and materials using generally accepted practices in order to comply with statutory requirements and for potential use in future projects and audits. | 12 |
| Task 7: Obtain feedback from relevant stakeholders using appropriate tools and techniques and based on the stakeholder management plan in order to evaluate their satisfaction. | 12 |