Top 10 Things to know about PMP Exam

Dear Friends, The PMP Exam is not easy. But it is not hard too, specially if you understand what they wish to test you on.

Through the PMP exam, you'll want some key points ingrained in your thoughts forever. These points are employed again and again in the PMP Exam Questions. Nothing difficult... Just simple principles, and once you are aware them, you will be better prepared for the revised PMP exam.

Here are 10 Very Important Take into account remember for your PMP Exam:

1 . The project manager is empowered and has ultimate authority and accountability to get a project. Therefore , the Project Manager must always be proactive, and look for areas of improvement, and communicate all the time, with all the key stakeholders. Be prepared to make decisions quickly, proactively, and solve problems quickly, directly, and effectively. People look upon you for direction and leadership.

2 . Projects must be strategically aligned with the high-level strategic objectives of the organization. This improves the chances of the project success. Do not include any changes to the project, which do not align to the corporate vision, as they will take up valuable time and resources. Get clarity from the Change Control Board (CCB) if required. The Sponsor or Client should be part of the CCB.

3. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) forms the basis of all estimating and project planning. This is certainly part of Scope Management. Many individuals confuse the WBS to get part of the Time Management Knowledge Area. Beware! The WBS is an extremely useful tool in clarifying the scope of the project. Because it is like a org chart ( and looks like a picture), it is easy to find any missing areas, are identify blind spots in the requirements.

4. Project Managers spend almost 90% of their time in communicating. It will not do you or the project any good if you simply hide in your cubicle and communicate using email alone. You should go out, and meet the downline, stakeholders, and understand what is happening in their world. Communication must be a 2 way thing. Not only Written, and not just a proven way.

5. Planning is the most important of all the Project Management processes. Projects don't fail towards the end, they fail at the beginning - if they are not planned properly and accurately. Of the 42 processes in the PMBOK Guide, 20 belong to the Planning Process Group. And 48 questions out of the 200 come from Planning processes alone. So study this carefully. There is a proper sequence of doing the planning work, and it is not listed in the PMBOK Guide. Let me know if you need help in this area...

6. The Project Team has to be involved early in the Planning process and in all major decisions concerning the project. The earlier it is possible to onboard your project management team, the better it is. Do not make an effort to do everything on your own. Get a project management team, that can assist you in the tasks. Remember that Project Management is an art, and also you do not have to be a domain expert to manage projects successfully. You ought to be good at managing people, communicating, negotiating, motivating, and have leadership qualities, which are more important than technical expertise.

7. Lessons Learned and Historical Records are essential inputs to just about every Project management process, especially Planning. For the sake of the PMP Exam, assume that a person always has access to the Project management office (PMO), who will manage to provide you with the required templates, checklists, procedures and policies. They likewise have a complete archive of past projects' project files, templates, checklists, risk registers, milestone list, assumptions, constraints and so forth You can easily get access to this handy resource for this project, by simply asking the PMO.

8. Project Stakeholders and their needs & expectations are very important and should be well managed and balanced from the in the beginning. Remember, the cost of making a change increases as time passes. So the early we can get the stakeholders involved, and see their inputs, complete requirements, the better it is for that project (and lower cost too). Stakeholder influence is highest in the beginning of the project, and comes down as the project reaches completion.

9. Quality Control is an internal affair. It will take the completed deliverables from the Executing Processes, and converts them into validated Deliverables. These deliverables are then tested by the customer inside the Verify Scope Process, and converted into Accepted Deliverables. Quite a few processes happen in the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group. Many questions arise from your close relationship between these 2 processes.

10. Adding out-of-scope extras (also called "gold plating") to please project stakeholders adds no value and is strongly discouraged. You must always be on the lookout for "scope creep" and "gold plating", as they can take up energy and cost on the project. Remember also that adding scope increases risk and impacts time and cost too. So beware of adding any extras. Only deliver what is expected of you.

Understanding and memorizing these key points, and applying them to PMP exam questions will assist you to get correct answers.

Remember, while visiting doubt, go by the PMI PMBOK Guide, 4th Edition. Do not apply only practical project management knowledge or maybe you will fail the PMP exam.

Tag: project management principles