Week 8 – Baby Steps

 

The database is done (done enough) now I am working on the hard part – tracking down the dates and hours for the many projects that I did not do a very good job of recording over the past 5+ years.

Many thanks to fellow Gantthead Robert Sprick for his review and feedback of the database!  He provided that “second set of eyes” that always comes in helpful, and had some good ideas for future versions of the database.  I kept it simple so that I could spend more time studying and less time designing and developing a database. 

I wasn’t able to start the study group going this past week – everyone had too much on their schedule.  I did manage to block off an hour a week, for the next 13 weeks, for the group, however.  Everyone has their book now, and I sent out reading assignments for the first week.  We are starting with Framework.  The next week will be the Process Groups, and the following 9 weeks will be the Knowledge Areas (1 a week?).  I am hoping to rotate the person who leads the weekly discussions.

My target date for taking the exam is November 26th.  I have asked the rest of the study group to identify their target dates, as well, so that we can support each other in achieving this goal.  I now need to work backward and identify constraints for tasks I need to accomplish to be able to take the exam by Nov 26th.  For example, what is the latest I can expect to be able to submit my application and have it approved in time?  This also sets a constraint for when I have to be done with finding all of the dates and hours for my past projects. 

Personal goal to accomplish before my next posting:  Identify tasks and a timeline for completing and submitting the application for the exam.

I believe that things have now become simple for the group – study, meet, discuss questions, participate in practice exercises, complete practice exams for the chapters we are studying… Once I set my own tasks and timeline for completing and submitting the application, I will work with my group to do the same for themselves.

One of the vendors of the study materials that I purchased provides instructions for filling out the application – this was helpful in working on the database.  Upon going to the PMI application site, I found that I was able to enter my education and save it there for use when filling out the application.  This also simplified the database design.  I bring this up in case anyone reading my blog wants a copy of the database.  It is only for tracking experience, not education.

I need to revisit some statements made in Week 5, because of the group study schedule.  I will be using the video training on a weekly basis, covering the same topic as the weekly reading.  I will watch the whole thing again prior to taking the exam.  I may also work on the flash cards next week, in preparation for the 2nd group study session where we will be covering the Process Groups.  Since they cross reference both the Process Groups and Knowledge Areas, I may just work on them one topic per week, instead.

If nothing else, preparing for the PMP exam is reinforcing the concept of progressive elaboration.  Even after taking the exam, I doubt I will know everything about preparing for it.  I just hope this blog will help others who are preparing for the exam.

Until next time…