One of the key professional responsibilities of a project manager is contributing to the project management knowledge base. What does this mean?

In a nutshell, don’t keep your knowledge and experience locked in your brain. Share it!! 

• Share knowledge
• Research
• Build the capabilities of colleagues (i.e., teach, mentor, provide opportunities for your colleagues and your team members to build experience and knowledge)
• Advance the profession (engage in activities that will improve the overall PM profession; engage in activities that will promote the profession)
• Step up, at your own organization, to champion the value of project management. That is, playing a key role in the growth of PM within your organization
• Always record “lessons learned” at the end of a project or project phase; contribute to your organization’s organization process assets (OPAs). These 2 activities contribute to PM knowledge base and will help your colleagues during future projects
• Participate in PM forums, conferences and PMI chapter meetings
• Write articles

PMI expects PMPs to stay engaged with the profession.

I get this question a lot and find myself answering it over and over again, on message boards, blogs and in person. In doing so I’ve come to realize that a large number of PMP aspirants do not understand what the PMP credential is nor do they have have a sufficient knowledge of what is covered on the exam component of the certification process.

First of all, unlike I.T. vendor “certs” and other commercial “certifications”, where the only requirement to earn the “cert” is the ability to pass an exam, the PMP credential is a professional credential. The credential is competence based and, as such, is best described as a credential as opposed to simply a certification. The credential infers a candidate’s ability to actually perform professional tasks (e.g., Project Management) at a given level. Unlike vendor “cert” exams, the exam component of the PMP credential is more than simply knowledge based. It encompasses both knowledge of the subject and the necessary skills to apply that knowledge.

In addition to passing a rigorous exam, the PMP credential requires a certain minimum amount of documented (and verified) experience in the profession, a certain level of education (both formal, academic education as well as professional training), adherence to a professional code of conduct, and a commitment to on-going continuing education and contribution to the project management community.

Having said that, what does the examination portion of the PMP certification process cover? Is studying the PMBOK sufficient to succeed on the exam?

The short answer is that, if you are pursing the CAPM credential, then the PMBOK can be enough. This is because the CAPM exam is only based on the material on the PMBOK. Nevertheless, I would strongly recommend supplementing any CAPM exam study with at least one study guide and with a good exam question test bank.

As far as the the exam portion of the PMP certification process is concerned, the exam covers a lot more than just the material in the PMBOK Guide.

If you are pursing the PMP credential, then you need to prepare for questions from other areas (i.e., non-PMBOK Guide) as well.

For one thing, while the PMBOK Guide only changes once every 4 years, the exam component of the PMP credential is constantly changing. Much of the material that showed up in the 4th (2008) edition of the PMBOK Guide has ALREADY been showing up on the PMP exam for several years – e.g., PTA, TCPI, etc. PMBOK Guide 4th edition came out in December, 2008, but these topics have been showing up on the PMP exam as early as 2006. The group at PMI that develops the standards (such the PMBOK Guide, the Standard for Risk Management, etc.) and the group at PMI that develops the the certifications and their corresponding exams (such as PMP, CAPM, PMI-SP, etc.) are two separate (and independent) groups that occasionally communicate with each other but DO NOT work each other. They are two separate groups. If anything, the standards group (who, by the way, I have met personally and have been to standards development meetings with) looks at the work that the credential group (PMP, CAPM) does and uses it as one of the many inputs for what they put into the standards such as the PMBOK Guide.

In a nutshell, you should expect the exam component of the PMP certification process to cover the following:

• Your PM Experience
• Knowledge of globally recognized standards (the PMBOK Guide is the “guide” to this) including the 5 project management process groups and the 42 project management processes described in the PMBOK Guide.
• Trends and research in the PM profession.
• Professional responsibility and contributing to the PM profession.
• Understanding (though not memorizing) the inputs / tools & techniques / outputs of the various project management processes.
• Organizational theories and Quality methodologies
• PM situational scenarios: A combination of knowing concepts & definitions and applying those concepts to given scenarios; being able to answer questions about those scenarios based on what you’ve learned as an experienced PM — for example, knowing that the best next step to take in a situation is whichever step will move the project along and reduce/avoid impact (unless that step is unethical or violates the code of professional behavior).

About 60% – 70% of the above is either directly from the PMBOK Guide or requires (among other things) knowledge of one or more concepts from the PMBOK Guide. So you do need a solid understanding of the topics in the PMBOK Guide. But you also need a good study guide (Andy Crowe, Rita Mulcahy, Tony Johnson, etc.) along with a good (not cheap and definitely not free) exam question test bank. The test bank one I recommend (and I’ve seen them all) is the one from Crosswind PM. Not only does it have over 3,000 questions, it has over 2 dozen complete four-hour (200 question) sample exams. I’ve spoken to Tony Johnson and he tells me that he updates his test bank CD one or more times over the 4 years between PMBOK Guides because, I as said above, changes in the PMP exam is not synchronized with the quadrennial (once in 4 years) changes to the PMBOK Guide but,  rather, the exam is constantly changing, independent of (not in anticipation of) the changes to the PMBOK Guide.

Remember, the PMP credential is not some I.T. vendor “cert” where all you have to do is read a study book and pass a test. It’s a professional credential that certifies that you are an experienced project manager (and have been for several years) and that, IN ADDITION to have been working in a PM role or performing PM tasks, you ALSO UNDERSTAND the job of a PM and the globally recognized standards, knowledge and trends of the profession. You won’t find all this information in any one book. However, the PMBOK Guide (along with PMI’s other standards and frameworks) serves as a guide to this information. You can use it as map for the continuing development of your PM knowledge and as a guide to the continuing development of standards, procedures, protocols and new knowledge in the PM profession.

So, yes, the PMBOK Guide can be enough for the exam component of the CAPM credential, though I would strongly recommend that you supplement it with some study materials; but, NO, you can’t just study the PMBOK Guide and be assured of passing the exam component of the PMP credential without using some other study material — especially if you’ve only been a PM for a few (i.e., 3 or 4) years and are still new to the profession and especially if your PM training over the years has been limited.

Good luck. It’s a journey, but PMP certification is a worthwhile credential to earn.

Jerry Bucknoff, PMP

As promised, I’m following up on my post from Sept. 14, 2009: Lack of training among project managers.

There continues to be  widespread lack of formal project management training among PMP candidates. In my original post, I wrote:

From my visits to message boards and blogs, I’m seeing a common misunderstanding among many PMP candidates; a misunderstanding is related to the trend of PMP candidates using their exam preparation classes to satisfy their 35 contact hour requirement. Many candidates seem to believe that taking a 35 hour prep class is actually a requirement to sit for the exam.

Here is one of my responses on one of the popular PM related blogs, http://www.askaboutprojects.com.

As before, this is a question I’d like to think about and discuss more on this board. What is your take on this? Your comments are welcomed.

Several PMP candidates on one of the PMP preparation message boards asked for an explanation of a PMP exam practice question that they had encountered. The members on the message board found it to be a very difficult question.

Difficult question? Not if you can see the BIG CLUE that PMI has provided.

QUESTION:

You are the project manager for an academic textbook publisher managing the development and deployment of the publisher’s new printing and binding equipment. Your quality control team leader has advised you that the latest control chart data reflects that the last 7 books produced were outside the lower control limit. What action should you take as the project manager?

A. Stop the printing of the books.
B. Work with the production team to bring the future
printing within the control limits.
C. Look for the non-random causes for the variations.
D. Plan to fix the 7 books.

This question offers an excellent example of how PMI designs PMP exam questions and how to be more successful answering them. PMI has provided a BIG CLUE to the correct answer, if you can see it.

The purpose of this question is to determine whether or not you know what the “rule of seven” is. If don’t know what it is, then you will probably spend time analyzing and thinking about the answer, which is EXACTLY what PMI wants you to do if:

* you don’t know what the the question is really asking or . . .
* you don’t know what the “rule of seven” is

“Ratna” said that A. [Stop the printing of the books.] is the correct answer.

She is correct.

Her explanation:
“Since the process is out of control, you stop production and then investigate the cause.”

What she says is true. If a process is out of control, you should stop the process and investigate the cause.

However this does not completely explain why “A” is the correct answer.

So, why is “A” the correct answer? Some people wondered why the answer is not “C.”

From: Saif Al-Riyami:

“I think C is the one, C. Look for the non-random causes for the variations. Because it could be that the readings are wrong.”

“Niranjan, PMP” responds:

“Saif,

Since it is assumed that you have done a good planning and QA (quality assurance) it becomes evident that the readings cannot be wrong. That is why DOE (design of experiments) and similar tools are there. But as far as control charts in QC (quality control) are concerned, you are sure that there is some fault in production. So till you find the root cause and fix the problem you should stop the production.

Therefore, the correct answer is A.”

This line of thinking brought him to the correct answer, HOWEVER, he has over analyzed the question. He has missed the BIG CLUE that the PMP test authors have authors have given him:
“the latest control chart data reflects that the last 7 books produced were outside the lower control limit.”

They are referring to “the rule of seven” (see page 196 in the PMBOK Guide, 4th Ed.):
“A process is considered out of control when a data point exceeds a control limit or if seven consecutive points are above or below the mean.”

Why is “B” (Work with the production team to bring the future printing within the control limits.) incorrect?  The production team should definitely try to bring the future printing within the control limits. However, it probably would not be necessary for you, as the PM, to work with them to accomplish this; or if you do, your role would be minimal if at all.

In any case, don’t miss the forest for the trees. What this question is trying to determine is:
“Do you understand what the rule of seven is?”

= = = =

This example shows us:

1. How the PMP exam authors design PMP exam questions
2. How to be more successful answering the questions

Basically, PMI wants to filter out those who understand the concepts from those who do not understand them.

Let’s take the example of three PMP candidates, each of whom encounters this question on their exam.

Candidate 1 is familiar with the Project Quality Management processes and concepts, including the “rule of seven.”

Candidate 2 is also familiar with the Project Quality Management processes and concepts, but somehow did not learn or grasp the “rule of seven” or simply missed this concept during his exam preparation.

Candidate 3 has done some preparation for his exam, however, he crammed through his studies. Maybe he took one of those “boot camp” prep classes where you are clueless on Monday morning, you cram through the week and, hopefully, pass the exam on Friday – - then promptly forget everything you learned during the week by the time the following Monday comes along. He might have also wasted a lot of time trying to MEMORIZE the over 500 ITTOs, instead of using his time productively, understanding the concept of ITTOs and the basics of the 42 PM processes.

So how do each of them approach this question when they encounter it on the exam?

Candidate 1 reads the questions and the answer choices. He quickly picks up on the big clue (”rule of seven”). He then verifies, from the language of the question, that the scenario described is, indeed, an example of the “rule of seven” concept.

It takes him about 25 seconds to successfully answer the question.

Candidate 2 reads the questions and the answer choices. Having some familiarity with Project Quality Management as described in the PMI standards and, perhaps, some work experience with quality management — but not knowing about the “rule of seven” — he spends time analyzing and thinking and analyzing some more. Even though the “rule of seven” concept has eluded him he still figures out (correctly) that the process described in the scenario is out of control and he marks the correct answer.

It takes him about 75 seconds to successfully answer the question. Three times as long as Candidate 1.

Candidate 3 reads the questions and the answer choices. He has some kind of blurry recollection from his whirlwind week at “boot camp” that there was something to do with “7″ when dealing with control charts. He also wasted a lot of time memorizing ITTO charts — time that could have been better spent understanding the concepts. When he sees answer D. “Plan to fix the 7 books” he jumps on that answer.

It takes him about 60 seconds to INCORRECTLY answer the question.

So, how does this fit in with PMI’s design of PMP questions?

You can see how Candidate 3 was “tricked.” PMI has done this on purpose to catch those candidates who tried to cram for the exam or to catch those candidates who may have grasped the concepts, but who have not developed a good test taking STRATEGY. This is why it’s so important to use and practice a good set of test practice questions in order to make yourself familiar with how the test is set up, how PMI designs and frame the questions, and the types of tricks and traps that PMI deliberately throws in your path in order to separate the PMPs from the PMP wannabes.

Both Candidate 1 and Candidate 2 have selected the correct answer. However, Candidate 1 will do better on the exam than Candidate 2. Candidate 2 is taking up precious time over-analyzing the question, while Candidate 1 was able to answer the question quickly and use the time he saved to deal with questions that may require more time.

In addition, Candidate 2 didn’t know the correct answer right away. He may not have been 100% confident of his answer and may have marked it for review. He will then spend even more precious time going back to verify his answer. He may even go back and CHANGE his answer, even though he originally had the correct answer.

This is what PMI wants Candidate 2 to do. This is their way of separating someone who actually understands the answer from someone who is not 100% sure.

____________________________________________

At a PMI focus group I attended (and that PMI paid me to participate in) back in December, 2006, we agreed that the level of knowledge expected of a PMP is NOT that of someone with 10 or 20 years experience or with the breadth of knowledge of someone who has been practicing project management for that long. Nor do we expect our PMPs to have the deep knowledge of, say, an academic researcher with many years of academic and research experience in the project management domain.

The level of knowledge and experience that is expected is that of someone with 3 or 4 years experience in the profession (even though, in fact, many PMPs do, indeed, have much more).

THEREFORE the questions on the PMP exam should be reasonably straight-forward and not require anyone to read too much into them or bring any advanced project management concepts into their analysis and answering of the questions. Candidates should not have to apply the depth of analysis that, say, a legal scholar or a judge would apply to his analysis of a point of law. If you recognize which concept the question is testing you on and you understand the concept, you should not have to waste time with deep analysis but, rather, should be able to get right down to answering the question.

In general, PMI will not give you a question where the question is unclear or the correct answer has a lot of ambiguity to it. They’re not asking for your “opinion.” If they were, then there would be essay questions on the exam. Instead, they are asking you pretty straight forward questions that have one and only one correct response.

In the end:
The sample question we’re discussing here is very straight forward. All the question is trying to determine is whether or not you understand what the “rule of seven” is. That’s all. Very simple. It doesn’t need 15 years of PM experience or a certificate in Total Quality Management or Six Sigma to answer it.

Jerry Bucknoff, PMP

From my participation on various PMP discussion boards, particularly those used by folks who wish to earn the PMP credential, I’ve noticed an interesting (and somewhat disturbing) trend.

A significant number of PMP aspirants have no previous project management training prior to starting the PMP qualification and application process.  As a result, many of them use their 35-hour PMP “prep” class to satisfy PMI’s requirement that all applicants have completed a minimum of 35 hours of project management training prior to applying for their exam qualification letter.

I have no problem with professional certification preparation courses. Candidates for certification in many professions, such as accounting (CPA) and law (BAR Exam), often make use of exam preparation courses and services. PMP candidates are no different. I, myself, took advantage of a PMP preparation course and found it very useful.  However,  as an experienced project manager, the “prep” class was not my first class or training experience in my profession. I took the “prep” course to help me prepare for the examination component of the PMP certification — not because I needed to meet PMI’s prerequisites for 35 hours of prior PM training.

In order to earn the PMP credential, a candidate must have a minimum of three years experience either in a PM role or performing PM tasks. That is to say, the credential is not meant to help an individual move into project management  but, rather, certifies that the individual is already in project management and has been for at least 3 years. In fact, many candidates have been in the profession for much more than 3 years.

Therefore, anyone who is going through the process of earning the PMP credential must have been practicing project management for at least 3 years, if not more.

So my big question is this: How can a person have been practicing a highly skilled and complex profession such as project management (for at least 3 years, if not more) without ever receiving any training in his/her chosen profession?

This is a question I’d like to think about and discuss more on this board. What is your take on this? Your comments are welcomed.

Click here to see the follow-up to this post.