A quick guide I created for PMI North India Chapter for earning easy PDUs

1. 1
MAINTAINING PMP
CREDENTIAL
Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP
June 8, 2009 http://www.linkedin.com/in/pritamdutt

2. Objective
2
Earn 60 PDUs in a Certification Cycle
Certification Cycle = 3 yrs from date of
(re)certification
This means 60/3=20 PDUs per year
So Start Early!!!
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

3. Earn PDUs in following
3
categories:
 Category 1: Formal Academic Education
 Category 2: Professional Activities and Self-
Directed Learning
 Category 3: Courses offered by PMI Registered
Education Providers (R.E.P.) or Components
 Category 4: Courses Offered by Other Education
Providers
 Category 5: Volunteer Service to Professional or
Community Organizations
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

4. Category 1
4
 This requires attending a formal academic
course after attaining PMP certification, and
must be related to Project/Program
Management.
 You need to get in touch with PMI for more
information on calculating PDUs for any such
course.
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

5. Category 2
5
 Category 2 is further subdivided in 9 sub-
categories, but I find following of interest:
 2C
 2D
 2E
 2H
 2-SDL
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

6. Category 2 – 2C
6
If you are a Speaker or Teacher on project
and/or program management topic at a
conference, symposium, workshop or formal
course you can earn
10 PDUs per activity
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

7. Category 2 – 2D
7
If you are a Speaker or Teacher on project
and/or program management topic at a PMI
Component Meeting (e.g. Chapter Meeting)
you can earn
5 PDUs per activity
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

8. Category 2 – 2E
8
If you are a Member or Moderator of a project
and/or program management panel discussion
at a conference, symposium, workshop or
formal course you can earn
5 PDUs per activity
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

9. Category 2 – 2H
9
If you are Practitioner of project and/or program
management services for more than 1500 hrs in a
calendar year you earn
5 PDUs per year
I believe all of us are Practicing Project
Management as part of our daily activity
so that makes our
15 PDUs
in 3yrs
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

10. Category 2 – 2-SDL
10
This category is for Self Directed Learning
Activities which includes activities such as
discussions and/or coaching/mentoring
sessions with colleagues, coworkers, clients or
consultants.
However, these activities must be relevant to
project/program management.
You can earn 15 PDUs in 3yrs under this
category
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

11. Category 2 – 2-SDL
11
 So I suggest:
 Read project management related books
 Listen to free podcasts available online, such as
 IIL: http://www.iil.com/freeresources/podcasts.asp
 The PM Podcast: http://www.thepmpodcast.com/
 ESI International: http://www.esi-
intl.com/public/downloads/podcast/podcast.aspx
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

12. Category - 3
12
Project/Program Management related courses
attended at PMI REPs/SIGs earn you PDUs
I am currently subscribed to
- IT & Telecom SIG: http://www.pmi-ittelecom.org/
- Information Systems SIG: http://www.pmi-issig.org/
For entire list visit http://www.pmi.org/GetInvolved/Pages/PMI-
Specific-Interest-Groups.aspx
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

13. Category - 3
13
In my experience SIG membership costs $10-
$20 and generally offers 1 webinar per month
which earns you 1 PDU for each hour of
webinar.
The best part I like is access to Archived
Webinars which can make you
Earn PDUs Faster
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

14. Category 3 - Free webinars
14
 IIL: http://www2.iil.com/iilwebinars.net/
 20 Webinars currently hosted which can provide
you 22 PDUs
 ESI: http://www.esi-
intl.com/public/downloads/webinar/webinar.aspx
 19 Webinars currently hosted which can provide
you 16 PDUs
 RMC: http://www.rmcproject.com/
1 PDU webinar currently hosted
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

15. Math
15
Though there were lot of options lets do the Math
without spending a paisa!
 Category 2H – 15 PDUs (PM Practitioner)
 Category 2-SDL – 15 PDUs (Free Podcasts)
 Category 3 – 39 PDUs (Free Webinars)
15+15+39 = 69 PDUs without any sweat
I don’t think I need to discuss about Category 4 & 5 any
more!
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

16. Important!
16
 If you are reporting attendance at a non-R.E.P.
program or a self-directed learning (SDL)
project, please use the process areas of the
PMBOK® Guide as a reference to qualify
project management topics.
• Connect with Project Managers
Community on LinkedIn – You get free
resources announced there by REPs like
Provedia Learning
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

17. Five Tips for Maintaining Your
17
PMP
1. Start early. Establish a strategy for attaining your
PDUs before your cycle begins.
2. Maintain a personal folder for all your PDU claims
documentation. This information will be valuable if
your reporting form is randomly selected for audit.
3. Report activities soon after completion. This makes it
easier to complete the Activity Reporting Form.
4. Take advantage of the opportunity to transfer PDUs
from one cycle to the next. You can transfer up to 20
PDUs earned in the last year of your current cycle.
5. Make sure you have the registered program number
for R.E.P. classes, which is required on the Activity
Reporting Form.
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

18. 18 FAQ
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

19. Is there any cap on the maximum
no. of PDU's one can earn in one
19
year ?
 No there is no cap on maximum number of
PDUs you can earn in a year. However, please
note that PMI allows you to carry over upto 20
PDUs earned in last (third) year of your
Certification Cycle to the next cycle.
 For example, if you have earned 40 PDUs in
the first 2 years of your Certification Cycle and
you earn 40 PDUs in the third year, 20 of your
40 PDUs (earned in the third year) can be
carried over to the next Certification Cycle.
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

20. Is there any cap on the max. no of
PDU's one can earn in a specific
20 category ?
 Yes there is cap on max number of PDUs one
can earn on certain categories as per list given
below:
 Category 2-SDL : Max 15 PDUs in 3 yrs
 Category 2H : Max 5 PDUs per year
 Category 5 : Max 20 PDUs
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009

21. 21 Thank You!
Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP
http://www.linkedin.com/in/pritamdutt
June 8, 2009
Maintaining PMP Credential - A Summary By Pritam D. Gautam, PMP, CISSP June 8, 2009