Md. Abdullah Al Mamoon, PMP
I have been receiving many requests from my friends, peers and colleagues including some professional training institutions for providing guidelines and trainings on PMP exam preparation. Unfortunately due to my professional engagements and extremely busy schedules I have not been able to respond positively to those requests. However, in a piecemeal basis I tried to share my experiences through briefing, sharing documents and published references/study materials on PMP exam preparation. I have written this article for all those PMP aspirants and anyone who may be considering to become a globally certified PMP credential holder.
The underlined guidelines are based on my personal experiences, experiences shared by many successful PMP Credential holders from different parts of the world and various examination guides published in some of the prominent books including the guidelines published in PMI Website especially in ‘Project Management Professional (PMP)® Examination Content Outline’. Anyone pursuing for PMP Exam must go through the updated contents published in the website of Project Management Institute.
General Guidelines – How to Start the Preparation
1. Read the ‘Certification Process’ published in PMI Website.
2. Read PMP Handbook published in PMI Website.
4. Read the PMBOK® Fifth Edition at least three times – ‘Bottom up Learning’
5. Read and try to understand rather than memorizing everything that you read
6. It is not advised to memorize all Inputs, Tools & Techniques and Outputs (ITTOs)
7. Try to relate and understand the ITTOs
8. Understand the concepts, theories and standards
9. Memorize only important theories and formulas
10. Prepare your own notes on important discussions
11. Practice planning WBS and Network Diagram
12. Read through different techniques very minutely
13. Read the ‘PMI Lexicon of Project Management Terms’
14. Read ‘PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct’ carefully and repeatedly
15. Do the exercises on techniques and formulas repeatedly
16. You may focus your study as per following priority based on the percentage of questions (Please check PMI Website for the latest information):
· Executing the Project (30% Questions)
· Monitoring & Controlling the Project (25% Questions)
· Planning the Project (24% Questions)
· Initiating the Project (13% Questions)
· Closing the Project (8% Questions)
17. Create your own study plan with allotment of time to study for each chapter/section or topic
18. Identify important and less understood contents. Allot more time to these to study
19. If possible, make your own flash/flip card and use this whenever you are trying to remember
20. Develop and use your own keyword. Beware about each repeating letter, may confuse you
21. Form a ‘Study Group’. Share, challenge, test and teach each other while having fun
22. Note how we generally remember:
· 10 % of what we read
· 20 % of what we hear
· 30 % of what we read & hear
· 50 % of what we discuss
· 80 % of what we experience
· 90% of what we teach
Some Suggestive Web Links of Practice PMP® Exam
Formulas to Remember & Practice
Concept
|
Formula
|
Cost Variance (CV)
|
CV = EV – AC
|
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
|
CPI = EV / AC
|
Schedule Variance (SV)
|
SV = EV – PV
|
Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
|
SPI = EV / PV
|
Estimate at Completion (EAC)
|
EAC = BAC / CPI
|
EAC = BAC / CPI
| |
EAC = AC + BAC – EV
| |
EAC = AC + ((BAC – EV) / CPI)
| |
Estimate to Complete (ETC)
|
ETC = EAC – AC
|
ETC = BAC – EV
| |
ETC = (BAC – EV) / CPI
| |
Percent Complete
|
Percent Complete = EV / BAC * 100
|
Variance at Completion (VAC)
|
VAC = BAC – EAC
|
Earned Value (EV)
|
EV = % complete * BAC
|
Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
|
(Pessimistic + (4 * Most Likely) +Optimistic) / 6
|
Total Float
|
Total Float = LS – ES Total Float = LF – EF
|
Present Value (PV)
|
PV = FV / (1+r)^n
|
Future Value (FV)
|
FV = PV * (1+r)^n
|
Communication Channels
|
n * (n-1) / 2n – 1
|
Point of Total Assumption (PTA)
|
PTA = ((Ceiling Price – Target Price) /Buyer’s Share Ratio) + Target Cost
|
Burn Rate
|
1/CPI
|
Some Important Values to Remember
Description
|
Value
|
Comment
|
1 sigma
|
68.26%
|
1 standard deviation
|
2 sigma
|
95.46%
|
2 standard deviations
|
3 sigma
|
99.73%
|
3 standard deviations
|
6 sigma
|
99.99%
|
6 standard deviations
|
Preliminary estimate
|
-15% to + 50%
| |
Budget estimate
|
-10% to +25%
| |
Definitive estimate
|
-5% to +10%
| |
Final estimate
|
0%
| |
Float on the critical path
|
0 days
| |
Pareto Diagram
|
80/20
|
For instance: 80% of your problems are due to 20% of the causes
|
Time a PM spends communicating
|
90%
| |
Value of the inventory in a Just in Time (JIT) environment
|
0%
| |
Sunk Cost
|
A cost that has been incurred and cannot be reversed
|
Some Theories to Remember
1. Deming Theory
2. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
3. Hertzberg’s Motivator/Hygiene Theories
4. McGregor – Theory X, Y
5. Joseph Juran Quality Theory
6. Philip Crosby Quality Theory
7. Tools & Techniques of Requirements Collection
Also please read my previously published blog at ‘Tips for PMP Exam: Before and During the Exam’.
I would like to see more and more PMPs onboard across the world. Best of Luck…!
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