Congratulations to all the aspiring Managers who want to combine experience with education to enable higher performance at job. Remembering Inputs/outputs and Tools &Techniques is often the challenging but extremely important part during PMP preparation, especially since there are more than 10 questions in the exam directly based on ITTOs.
The trick that i followed for remembering the Inputs/outputs and Tools &Techniques was carrying the hard copies of the PMBOK pages where these are diagramatically given at the beginning of each chapter.
Print those 13 pages and read it every morning and evening for 30mins for 1 week without attempting to understand.
In Week2, try to memorise ITTOs of 4 knowledge areas by allocating 30mins to each knowledge area every alternate day.
Repeat the process in week 3 for the remaining KAs.
After week4, you would have memorised all the ITTOs individually.
The weeks are given on the basis of assumption that you have 4hours to read per week. If you can increase the time for study, it will be quicker.
After spending about 13hours on an average (1hr per KA), now start by creating a mind map of linking which input of which process is an output of other process. Please draw it yourself and not rely on the diagrams given in the PMBOK.
Also please read Rita Mulcahy book twice before the exam and practice the exams.
It would not harm to give pratice tests in test mode of 4 hours. Please let me know if you need some practice tests, i have some (Only after you have learnt the ITTOs and read the book well)
Hope this helps, please feel free to write to my gmail account for quicker response: [email protected] Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Thanks for sharing these tips.
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1 reply by RMA GOYAL
May 06, 2016 10:52 AM
RMA GOYAL
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Thanks Stephane, I posted some clarifications in my reply to Mounir, hopefully those will add more value to the tips shared. Please stay connected.
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Elizabeth MooreBusiness Systems Consultant/Project LeadGrand Junction, Co, United States
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. I have a ITTO chart in a mind-mapping format that I purchased commercially, however I found it contains mistakes. This sounds like a much better and safer way to go.
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1 reply by RMA GOYAL
May 06, 2016 10:51 AM
RMA GOYAL
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Hi Elizabeth,
Thats true, mind maps are very effective to tune the mind to think the way we want it to! Its stressful initially but pays in the long run. I have used it in my Computer Engineering courses, management courses, federal exams and they have never let me down. Glad we share a common technique of learning. Please Stay connected.
Saving Changes...
Anonymous
I am not sure how I can respond to this post without offending - so I will be honest and direct.
1. How do you know there are more than 10 questions on ITTP on the exam?
2. Assuming you are right in term of numbers - how 10 questions (less than 5% of the exam) is "extremely important part during PMP preparation"?
3. Are the practice tests you are willing to share - your copy right or "borrowed"?
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1 reply by RMA GOYAL
May 06, 2016 10:47 AM
RMA GOYAL
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Hi Mounir,
Thanks for taking time to share the feedback on the post. Its extremely important to seek/provide constructive criticism.
I would like to reply to some of your points for the benefit of the group:
1) There is no offence taken, its all professional discussion which will help you and me grow! Do not worry about it at
all and thanks for being honest. One key point to be noted in the post was that it relates to knowledge sharing from myself , who has been able to clear the exam with hard work, application of management skills acquired during job, preparation strategy learnt over years of being an academic topper and professional performer.
2) 10 questions is the minimum that can be expected in a PMP exam from the section of ITTO; taking words from your own
post that its an extremely important subject of consideration for the project management. PMI takes value in educating and guaging the skills of prospective PMs in those areas. With our experience, we have often realised that even if these are not used in verbatim, practicing ITTOs is critical for the success of the projects.
3) Ask the person who failed in an exam by a margin of 1 mark, 5% is a huge number. Besides the exam, ITTOs are extremely improtant for usage by any successful Project/Program Manager and knowing them earlier is the better!
4) Regarding Practice exams: I have created my own test papers for my practice during my preparation from each sentence of PMBOK. These sample questions gave me a very good skill of managing time during the exam, so much so, that i could really brisk away the one-liner questions.
Its a great conversation, helps all of us improve and grow better. Sincere Thanks for giving me this opportunity to help provide details.
Saving Changes...
Anonymous
All
I have been leading PMP and PMBOK Guide related courses for more than 13 years. We NEVER advise our clients and class participants to memorize ITTO and we do not even cover it in our classes. We only mention the concept that a process require input, utilize tools and techniques, to produce an output.
Any person with decent project management experience can answer MOST (if not all) ITTO questions using the proper logic and by analyzing rather than memorizing.
In the end; if you like to spend hundreds of hours trying to memorize the 700 (+/-) ITTOs be my guest.
Oh by the way; most of our class participants pass on the first time; in case anyone is wondering.
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2 replies by Anupam and Sungjoon Park
May 06, 2016 3:12 PM
Sungjoon Park
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I agree with you. I recently passed the exam on my first try without memorization of ITTOs. In my understanding of the intention of this post was not just advertising but helping the aspirants understand the interdependences between processes and KAs more easily and logically by just trying to memorizing the ITTOs.
May 11, 2016 10:07 AM
Anupam
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I echo with Mounir
The key lies in understanding each process and the fact that output of one process become the input of another.
For example – Project Charter is the output of the process Develop Project Charter, which is input to Develop Project Management Plan process. Without understanding the process flow, memorizing will barely help.
In actual exam there are no direct question related to ITTO.
Focus must be on Table 3-1 (Project Management Process Group and Knowledge Area Mapping) at Page#61 of PMBOK 5Ed.
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George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
Great Tips, I used some of those as well...
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1 reply by RMA GOYAL
May 06, 2016 10:48 AM
RMA GOYAL
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Hello George,
I am glad, thank you, Stay connected.
Saving Changes...
Seema SonkiyaHead Business Analysis Practices, PMI-PBA trainer| iZenBridge Consultancy Private LimitedJaipur, Rajasthan, India
I do agree with Mounir. understanding ITTO by their interrelationships instead of memorizing helps.
Thanks for taking time to share the feedback on the post. Its extremely important to seek/provide constructive criticism.
I would like to reply to some of your points for the benefit of the group:
1) There is no offence taken, its all professional discussion which will help you and me grow! Do not worry about it at
all and thanks for being honest. One key point to be noted in the post was that it relates to knowledge sharing from myself , who has been able to clear the exam with hard work, application of management skills acquired during job, preparation strategy learnt over years of being an academic topper and professional performer.
2) 10 questions is the minimum that can be expected in a PMP exam from the section of ITTO; taking words from your own
post that its an extremely important subject of consideration for the project management. PMI takes value in educating and guaging the skills of prospective PMs in those areas. With our experience, we have often realised that even if these are not used in verbatim, practicing ITTOs is critical for the success of the projects.
3) Ask the person who failed in an exam by a margin of 1 mark, 5% is a huge number. Besides the exam, ITTOs are extremely improtant for usage by any successful Project/Program Manager and knowing them earlier is the better!
4) Regarding Practice exams: I have created my own test papers for my practice during my preparation from each sentence of PMBOK. These sample questions gave me a very good skill of managing time during the exam, so much so, that i could really brisk away the one-liner questions.
Its a great conversation, helps all of us improve and grow better. Sincere Thanks for giving me this opportunity to help provide details. Saving Changes...
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. I have a ITTO chart in a mind-mapping format that I purchased commercially, however I found it contains mistakes. This sounds like a much better and safer way to go.
Hi Elizabeth,
Thats true, mind maps are very effective to tune the mind to think the way we want it to! Its stressful initially but pays in the long run. I have used it in my Computer Engineering courses, management courses, federal exams and they have never let me down. Glad we share a common technique of learning. Please Stay connected. Saving Changes...
