PMP application and study guide.

1. PMP Application and Study Process: 20 Steps to PMP
Process Group Activities List
Conduct initial study
1. Become PMI member
2. Download PMBOK from PMI site
3. Select and buy a PMBOK companion text book – go for the format that
aligns with your learning style (compare several books before you buy
either on amazon.com or in a bookstore). “PMP Exam Prep” by Rita
Mulcahy is a popular choice endorsed by experts and test takers.
4. Read PMBOK and the companion text book in parallel generating concise
notes with a focus on project documents created and processes. The
most useful sections of PMBOK are: the charts summarizing the
information for each chapter and the Glossary.
Maria Markin, July 2013
Determine necessity of taking a
class
5. Do you have 35 contact hours? If yes, go to 6; if no, go to 7.
6. Take several sample tests. Are you scoring 80+ consistently? If yes, go to
11; if no, go to 7.
Take a class
7. Select and purchase a PMP preparation class – go for value (a combination
of high quality and low price)
8. Take the class
9. As you are taking your class, generate three outputs – concise notes
(narrative), a table summarizing project documents and a table
summarizing processes
10. Get contact hours certification
Apply for PMP
11. Fill PMI application – invest time and effort into quality, substantial
description of project management work you performed; use percentages
to figure out how many hours you spent in each process group; keep in
mind that once you started the application, you have 3 months to
complete it.
12. Submit PMI application
13. Respond to audit if applicable
14. Take several sample tests. Are you scoring 80+ consistently? If yes, go to
15; if no, go to 16
Register for the test
15. Register for the first available exam. Go to 18.
16. Register for the exam 2 to 3 months away
Prepare for the test
17. Study methodically by taking tests, reviewing questions you answered
wrong in detail, going over your notes and tables, supplementing and
refining your notes and tables, performing gap analysis and reviewing
chapters that give you most trouble
18. Cram for several days before the exam
19. Take a day of rest before the exam
Take the test
20. Take the test
Tools: PMBOK, PMBOK companion textbook, PMP preparation class, sample tests
Outputs: concise notes (narrative), a table summarizing project documents, a table summarizing processes
Processes: conduct initial study, determine necessity of taking a class, take a class, apply for PMP, register for the
test, prepare for the test, take the test