Cheikh FAYE Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Expert, CEO and owner| Eurêka TechnologiesDakar, Senegal
There are two kinds of certified project managers: those who take an eagle eye of the PMBOK guide, memorize by heart the different knowledge areas and processes and those who try to deeply understand all the processes and learn the PMBOK guide, Rita Mulcahy book or any other whatsoever, word after word and comma after comma.
To which category do you belong and what is the impact on your daily work trying to achieve projects? Saving Changes...
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
I did enough memorizing during my early school days. Memorizing is even more useless nowadays, when it is so easy to look up specific information/data. Saving Changes...
There are project managers who:
1) ...learn and apply the dogma of their discipline by rote, whether that be PMI, Prince2, DSDM, or whatever other project methodology/framework it is that they follow.
2) ...take what they have learned, from one or more sources, and apply it within the context of the environment where they work.
3) ...are still learning, and operating somewhere in between, but possibly with strong leaning towards either 1 or 2.
4) ...think they know everything and do whatever they want.
I like to think I fall somewhere between #2 & #3, but I've been accused of being #4. ;-) Saving Changes...
Cheick, from my point of view, if you want to classify those that memorize or not, maybe you can add why from your point of view they need to do it. Here my split...
1 - PMP Certified that doesn't have a real experience managing project (or managed small things that their organizations considered projects) and try to memorize all PMBOK without success because really don't understand anything.
2 - Those that already worked as Project Managers have the experience in most of the KA, then they pursue the certification without memorizing anything because they understand the concepts, and already worked with them. Saving Changes...
Jose HarrisChief Executive Officer| Space Environment and Atmosphere Solutions, LLCAlexandria, Va, United States
There is at least one other kind of project manager: a project manager realizes that rote memorization of concepts and definitions complements understanding and aids effectiveness and efficiency. By analogy, consider the words and linguistic concepts (word order, verb declension, etc.) you know by rote and how knowing these words and concepts aids your ability to communicate effectively. The same applies to mathematics: You memorize numbers and basic principles that enable you to intelligently apply mathematical concepts to your daily life. The PMP certification exam writers emphasize application of concepts along with memorization; thus understanding is vital.
If you simply rely on looking up information, which takes time, you are wasting not only your time but your customer’s time (and money—your time costs your customer money). Moreover, you risk losing credibility with your customer and your project team if you are unable to share key facts, concepts, and knowledge application—all of these—spontaneously. An effective project manager, certified or not, exhibits both knowledge and understanding. Saving Changes...
Deepa KalangiManager, Program Management, Author, Trainer| CVS HealthCharlotte, NC, United States
I am definitely not the rote learning person. I strongly believe it is a temporary layer that gets added to your memory and soon you will forget it and there are consequences to your inability to practice what you learned. So learning in the proper manner and then for weak areas, just doing a little bit more work and definitely applying them in your mind, drawing a visual of the scenario helps tremendously both in the exam and also when working as a PM later on. It helps build career at a great fast pace as a PM. Saving Changes...
Cheikh FAYE Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Expert, CEO and owner| Eurêka TechnologiesDakar, Senegal
Eduard, Aaron,Mayte,Jose and Deepa thank you so much all for your different answers which help clarify my opinion on this topic. Saving Changes...
Community Champion
