Rebecca BraglioCommunity Engagement Specialist II| Project Management InstituteNewtown Square, Pa, United States
Have you taken the exam? Passed? Failed? Failed and then passed?
Help out a fellow project manager and post your tip on studying for and taking the exam. Here are some we''ve gathered from members so far:
J.l Laroche: Try not to try to absorb all the PMBOK content by heart, focus on the main stream of processes and knowledge, the tools and the results and you will be fine don''t worry. remember to get first through all questions, answering the evident ones and flagging the others and then get back to the flagged ones, and think of it, even if you''re unsure of the answer, always, always pick one, if you''re wrong you will not loose points and you have 1 on 4 chances to get it good...
M. Hartsough: When reviewing those questions you flagged, don''t start second-guessing yourself. IMO, in all probability your initial answer was correct. Don''t change your original answers unless you definitely found a better one. Remember to answer from the "PMI Perspective". The PMI Perspective isn''t necessarily how you or your organization manages projects.
F. McCaskell: take a break every 50 questions - no matter if you don''t think you need it. This will prevent you from being burned out at the end.
C.Tong: don''t think the exam is easy or you won''t prepare yourself well Saving Changes...
Steven ZacharyDirector| Alberta Health ServicesCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Jan 02, 2016 12:54 PM
Replying to Markus Kopko
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Hey Guys,
practical expereince could help but i could be missguiding also. In the exam your practical expereince didn't matter ... only PMI's point of view and what is mentioned in the PMBoK Guide does matter and sometimes you have to answer against your expereince.
I think this was implied.
I was referring to, if you've created say a traceability matrix lately and have spent time reviewing what one should look like, you are in effect studying via practice. Saving Changes...
Steven ZacharyDirector| Alberta Health ServicesCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Jan 02, 2016 1:25 PM
Replying to Markus Kopko
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Yes Steven, somewhat 647 or so ... (didn't count them to be honest).
But i would say, please do not try to memorize them, like some recommend or trying to do. That is just wasting time imho ...
That is an insane number. Wow, I hope someone has made a flowchart somewhere to make sense of that.
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Jan 06, 2016 8:00 PM
Rami Kaibni
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Rita's Malcahy Book has a great and friendly user chart.
Saving Changes...
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Jan 01, 2016 12:01 PM
Replying to Steven Zachary
...
Good point, the exam format is changing, so a new strategy will be required.
Hello,
i have to disagree here. Th exam format isn't changing as far as ii know. The changes overall are minor and there are some tasks added and a few deleted. I don't think that here is a general new strategy for preparation necessary.
May be this will be in 2017 when ttere is the new PMBoK Guide coming ...
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1 reply by Steven Zachary
Jan 03, 2016 2:18 AM
Steven Zachary
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Hi Markus,
Sounds good. I wasn't sure the differences between the revisions. I assumed it was similar to BABOK 2 vs BABOK3.
Saving Changes...
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Jan 02, 2016 1:38 PM
Replying to Steven Zachary
...
Interesting approach, I agree.
The other theory is aim to get 10% above what you want on the test. So aim for 85% to get 75% on test due to exam day factors.
hmmmm, Steven ... since there is no percentage result provided, i think this approach isn't gonna work well.
ere is no passing guruantee anyway and since PMI uses the psychometric scoring system you may pass with less good result in a really difficult exam while you wouldn't pass with even a better result in a overall more easy one ...
You just can't know it ... and therefore try to get consistently good scores in mock exams and there may be a good chance that you are well prepared enough ...
Th
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1 reply by Steven Zachary
Jan 03, 2016 2:20 AM
Steven Zachary
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Hi Markus,
It's less than an actual strategy then timeless advice. The idea that you'll score lower (estimated 10%) because of exam situations like stress, distractions, noise...etc.
I would hardly call it a strategy I'm using. But I do like to see it about 10% higher consistently then I want my minimum mark to be. I don't see how that could hurt?
Saving Changes...
Steven ZacharyDirector| Alberta Health ServicesCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Jan 02, 2016 3:44 PM
Replying to Markus Kopko
...
Hello,
i have to disagree here. Th exam format isn't changing as far as ii know. The changes overall are minor and there are some tasks added and a few deleted. I don't think that here is a general new strategy for preparation necessary.
May be this will be in 2017 when ttere is the new PMBoK Guide coming ...
Hi Markus,
Sounds good. I wasn't sure the differences between the revisions. I assumed it was similar to BABOK 2 vs BABOK3.
...
1 reply by Markus Kopko
Jan 06, 2016 7:08 AM
Markus Kopko
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Hi,
i don't know BABOK yet, however there are no changes/revisions in the PMBoK Guide now.
PMI just changes the PMP Exam content outline, where some tasks are added and others deleted, just to refocus the studying.
PMBoK Guide 5th edition is still being valid also for the upcoming changes at 11th january.
Saving Changes...
Steven ZacharyDirector| Alberta Health ServicesCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Jan 02, 2016 3:47 PM
Replying to Markus Kopko
...
hmmmm, Steven ... since there is no percentage result provided, i think this approach isn't gonna work well.
ere is no passing guruantee anyway and since PMI uses the psychometric scoring system you may pass with less good result in a really difficult exam while you wouldn't pass with even a better result in a overall more easy one ...
You just can't know it ... and therefore try to get consistently good scores in mock exams and there may be a good chance that you are well prepared enough ...
Th
Hi Markus,
It's less than an actual strategy then timeless advice. The idea that you'll score lower (estimated 10%) because of exam situations like stress, distractions, noise...etc.
I would hardly call it a strategy I'm using. But I do like to see it about 10% higher consistently then I want my minimum mark to be. I don't see how that could hurt?
...
1 reply by Markus Kopko
Jan 06, 2016 7:06 AM
Markus Kopko
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Hi Steven,
of course it couldn't hurt to target higher than necessary, got this.
But this exactly my point here; since you didn't know where to target, cause you got no percentages in the exam results, how this could work here?
Well, since a general rule out there often says, you need to have 75%+ in every new mock exam and than there is a good chance you are ready to go, this may be the target bottom line ...
Saving Changes...
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Jan 03, 2016 2:20 AM
Replying to Steven Zachary
...
Hi Markus,
It's less than an actual strategy then timeless advice. The idea that you'll score lower (estimated 10%) because of exam situations like stress, distractions, noise...etc.
I would hardly call it a strategy I'm using. But I do like to see it about 10% higher consistently then I want my minimum mark to be. I don't see how that could hurt?
Hi Steven,
of course it couldn't hurt to target higher than necessary, got this.
But this exactly my point here; since you didn't know where to target, cause you got no percentages in the exam results, how this could work here?
Well, since a general rule out there often says, you need to have 75%+ in every new mock exam and than there is a good chance you are ready to go, this may be the target bottom line ... Saving Changes...
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Jan 03, 2016 2:18 AM
Replying to Steven Zachary
...
Hi Markus,
Sounds good. I wasn't sure the differences between the revisions. I assumed it was similar to BABOK 2 vs BABOK3.
Hi,
i don't know BABOK yet, however there are no changes/revisions in the PMBoK Guide now.
PMI just changes the PMP Exam content outline, where some tasks are added and others deleted, just to refocus the studying.
PMBoK Guide 5th edition is still being valid also for the upcoming changes at 11th january. Saving Changes...
Lot of good tricks, here are some to add onto
During the exam
1. Use the first 15 min to write down the formula's, especially EVM
2. READ the questions carefully, people who have not passed have usually mentioned that they read the questions too fast and mark the wrong answer. Take your time, 3 hours is more than enough and use the remainder to review the marked question
3. Don't waste too much time on one question, for all you know it might not even be part of the scoring. Mark and move on and review at the end
4. Where necessary use the paper and pen provided, especially to draw the diagrams out, usually there might be few questions with the same set of values.
Preparation
1. Don't take the exam lightly, read, understand and practice
2. Personally i do not believe one has to understand the PMBOK completely, have the concept clear. what I did was read a PMBOK chapter and then read Rita's book and then go and do some practice test
3. if you are a visual person, try to create mind maps Saving Changes...
Ayan Kumar RoyPM I| CognizantKolkata, West Bengal, India
Jan 01, 2016 11:47 AM
Replying to Steven Zachary
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Hi Yassine,
Did you find the practical experience helped with your score?
I agree with Marcus that sometimes practical experience might confuse you. You should try to learn "PMIsm" ie Project Management PMI way. Saving Changes...
