Getting Comfortable with PMBOK

Following 20 years at a large Canadian telecommunications firm, Bruce established the project management consulting firm Solutions Management Inc (SMI). Since 1999, he has provided contract project/program management services, been a source for project management support personnel and created/delivered courses to over 7,000 participants in Canada, the United States and England.

  Career Development   Using PMI Standards  

Are you starting the process of getting ready for the CAPM or PMP exam? Are you confused by the many articles that talk about “the differences between PMBOK 4 and 5”? The goal of this article is to clear away some of that confusion. I also need your help...which I’ll request near the end.

Let’s start with clearing up the 4 vs. 5 issue. There is only a small subset of soon-to-be PMPs (or CAPMs) that need to worry about PMBOK4. This 2009 publication was the primary source of exam preparation information for individuals writing the exam before August 1, 2013. If you weren’t able to complete the certification process by the deadline, the many authors that point out the differences in the new PMBOK have a wealth of information you need to be aware of.

This article is aimed at individuals who haven’t opened a PMBOK4 and have made the wise decision to politely refuse the offer from anyone who is willing to give you one. Stated bluntly, the changes don’t matter to you.

If you are still reading this article, you need to be aware the PMP and CAPM certification exams are now based on the PMBOK5 [A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)--Fifth Edition]. The balance of this article will be directed toward those striving for their PMP, but from a PMBOK review perspective (very few changes for those targeting …

Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.