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Testing/Test Management Using PMI Standards

Johanna Vazquez Project Administrator| Heidrick & Struggles Brandon, FL, United States

What’s one thing you wish you knew before taking the PMP? With the recent exam changes, I’m noticing a lot of the concepts leaning into business strategy, stakeholder management, and what honestly feels a little like consulting, and I’m not mad at it. 😂

I’m using PMI Study Hall now, but I’d love to hear what actually worked for you. Any study tips, resources, or hacks you swear by? Also happy to connect with anyone else preparing to test this fall. 😊

Posted: Sep 5, 2026 12:31 PM

Luis Branco CEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, Ldª Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal

Johanna, one thing I wish more candidates understood before taking the PMP is that preparation becomes much more useful when you stop studying only for the correct answer and start studying the reasoning behind it.

Study Hall can be particularly valuable for that.
After each scenario, I would ask not only “Why is this answer correct?” but also: What is actually happening here? What information matters? Who has the authority to decide? What should be understood before acting? And what would have to change for another answer to become appropriate?

I would also be careful with the idea of learning a fixed “PMI mindset.” Principles and patterns help, but contextual judgment matters.
The same action is not appropriate simply because the scenario contains familiar keywords.

And I think your observation about strategy and consulting points to something important.
I would describe it less as becoming a consultant and more as being expected to understand the wider business and organizational context in which projects create or protect value.

So my main tip would be: use practice questions to practice judgment, not just answers. Good luck with your preparation!

Posted: Sep 7, 2026 4:51 AM

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