PMP test during Pandemic

Taking PMP test during Pandemic

• Please refer to PMI Covid-19 Update page.

• Pearson VUE to replace Prometric for all PMI exams starting July 01 2020.

•  Taking PMP test online.

• One can try to book & schedule a test at test center with Pearson VUE.

• PMI® announced that beginning July 1st 2019 it is moving to Pearson VUE for all its certification examinations worldwide (except for China). 

• Pearson VUE COVID-19 exam taking impact.

Comments from participants who had taken PMP Exam and passed

Shadma - PMP Edition 5
4 hours were too short
Did brain dump in the initial 15 minutes.
Answers to questions were very long even though questions were small.
Felt that too many questions were testing formula knowledge
Having read Rita's book tips helped.

Micheal - PMP Edition 5
30 to 40 Formula questions
Needed 4 hours to finish the test
Had done lot of timed test practice as preparation for exam
Used 1000 questions book
A week vacation for test prep
Demings theory was asked
More short questions than long ones.

Anu - PMP Edition 5
ITTO questions
Lead, Lag, PDM
Lots of questions on procurement
Verbiage of buyers and sellers was confusing
Every formula was covered
Questions were easy, answers were confusing
Used 1000 questions book - Christopher Scodia; Rita's CD & book
Practiced lots on online questions
She said that if she had to do it again she would done the below
Do more mock tests
1 month of concentrated preparation

Lessons learned for me from training session held

Lesson learned: (2018 Dec)
What went well:
Real life examples and applications of PM principles. (5)
Got me thinking about how the examples relates to PMBOK.
Teaching approach was very practical with real life examples made understanding lucid and easy.
Memorization techniques
Very knowledgeable (3)
Realistic about course expectation.
Kept every student in the class constantly engaged thus making the class more interesting. (5)
Pushed the students through preconceived notions to arrive at learning objective.
Encouraged trainees to read and come prepared.
Easy to understand & verifies that he is understood. Goes extra mile to make sure that student understood.
Candid, Respectful, Informative, Experienced both in PM field as well as teacher.
Very consistent with his method & style of teaching.

What should be improved:
MANAGE THE SCHEDULE ACROSS THE DURATION OF CLASS. Going very slow at the beginning and rushing at the end of a session.

SLOW DOWN WHILE SPEAKING.
DO NOT PICK ON PEOPLE (3)
BE POLITICALLY CORRECT.

POLITICAL, RACIAL AND GENDER COMMENTS SHOULD BE OFF LIMITS (2)

MORE PRACTICE QUESTIONS.

• Start the class with a set of say 10 questions in 10 minutes from the chapter covered previously.
• These questions should have answers, explanations and pointer to the location in PMBOK. 
• After 10 minutes provide the answers to participants for them to review and understanding.

More Q&A at the end of each session for say 30 minutes. (3)

Highlight key points that will be in the exam.
Speed of covering the course was very fast.
Could be more detailed on certain topics.
Went off on a tangent during discussions.
Questions posed to class were confusing at first. Not clearly articulated. (2)
Examples could be more related to the topic of discussion. This could have helped trainees to visualize & understand the topic better.
Do not read from PMBOK book. Show items on the screen.
Do not say that you have no relationship with Kaizen. Instead if they are asking any questions tell them to send you an email and you will get back to them with information. In fact ask Ravi to provide you before the session or open house what are facilities that that batch is going to be provided?

• Will they be allowed to come over the week days or week ends and do transcender testing? 
• How can they do that testing? 
• Do they have practicals for MS Project? When and who will provide this training?
• Is Agile booklet a part of syllabus? Who will provide training on this?

Lesson learned: (2013)

What went well:
Communication class was very informative.
Came prepared to the session and was able to address queries from the student.
Interesting, Explained major concepts, SME in his field.
Gained knowledge, better understanding of Project Management, and be prepared for PMP
Friendly & cooperative
Practical as well as Book experiences were discussed.
Kept the class engaged.
Best is class continued till we as students had completed the course and it was not time bound.

What should be improved:

Have Q&A session after the entire course is finished.

Pushes student very hard by questioning persistently and makes the student nervous.
Give more HW. This would have pushed students to study more.
Real life tools should be discussed during training e.g. MS Project.




For Kaizen (Dec 2018 - Sessions held at Marriott):
What went well:
Location & facility was good (5)
Good Instructors. (2)
Free PMBOK book was provided.
Sat/Sun class was great. (2)
Provided motivation, momentum and enthusiasm to get into gear for preparing for PMP.
Dividing the Knowledge Areas between 2 instructors and covering each chapter within time frame was good.
Considering the size of the course the duration of 6 weeks was appropriate.
Program was comprehensive and felt valuable to do.

What should be improved:
Shorten the duration of training. It could have been condensed. (2)
Duration could have been longer to adjust for the pace and quantity of material.
8:30 to 5:30 with 30 minute break was to arduous. Started fading about 3 to 3:30 PM. (2)
More breaks. Short lunch break. Allow at least one break of 10 to 15 minutes with the 4.5 hours. (4)
Provide tools to help study for PMP exam.
Setting up a google classroom for class participants to share tips.
Practice tests and application guidelines not received from instructor.
A case study should be carried through the course with all chapters explained on that case study.

Open House - 1

Who should take the certificate?

Those who are seeking project management skills or a deeper understanding of project management practices.

Why to invest in yourself to become PMP certified?

Pros:

1. Globally Acknowledged
2. Salary Bump
3. Expand Your Market Reach and Scope
4. Better Job Opportunities
5. PMP Professionals Demonstrate Better Project Performance;
6. Your PMP shows you can manage projects in a structured and repeatable fashion 
7. Validates your dedication to the job, Achieving your PMP shows that you are motivated and goal oriented. 
8.  Having your PMP shows you speak the common language.
9. PMP requires less time and money than an advanced degree. Just remember, there is no replacement for study and hard-work.
10. You don’t need a truck load of books to clear this certification. Studying just one book, the PMBOK can get you certified.
11. Many organizations require PMP certified managers for their challenging projects. It provides some level of security to them as there is the feeling that the project is in safe and able hands.
12. More professionals taking up PMP means more chances of networking and even finding study partners to prepare for certification.

Cons:

1. You have to put in effort.
2. Needs time to read, understand, practice and pass the exam.
3. Depending on your circumstances it may be create a small hole in your pocket.
4. Certification needs to be renewed every 3 years.
5. Certification doesn’t provide the common sense needed for project management. It enables the professional to get knowledge of project management. The responsibility of applying it in an efficient manner lies with the individual.
6. Life can and will come in between the time you start the course and you get certified.

Why to take training at Kaizen?

Courses are taught by talented practitioners and consultants with direct experience in the field.

Duration?

.

Cost?

PMBOK book and TranCenter software for practicing PMP exam questions will be provided.
The average cost is about $???? total.

Learning Outcomes:

• A certificate to document completion of your training. (AKA Contact hours)
• PMP Exam preparation – an exam that shows you have the strategic knowledge and expertise to drive results at your organization.

Relevant Industries:

• Technology
• Pharmacy
• Finance
• Education
• Manufacturing
• Business services
• Oil and gas
• Construction
• Utilities
• Information services

How to show your PM experience in PMP application

How to show your PM experience in PMP application?

• The start date of the first project and the end date of the last project should at least cover a period 3 years  (degree holders) or 5 years (secondary degree holders) as required by the PMI.
• It is not required nor advised for each and every project you have handled. Include only enough number of projects to reach the required minimum number of hours (i.e. 4,500 hours for degree holders / 7,500 hours for secondary degree holders). Include large projects first as this would save you considerable time in case of an audit.
• It is not required to show experience in all process groups in all experience items. But all the 5 process groups should get covered across all the experience items that you mention.
• When adding details of project management experiences to the application form, you will need to:
• Give a title to each project (usually the project title)
• Give your project role (not your job title) – you can use PMI terms like project leader, project manager, project coordinator, etc.
• Insert your supervisor‘s name and contact methods (note that you need not fill in the name of the CEO of your company, but someone who works closely with you and you have gained the consent form)
• Calculate and add the time (in number of hours) spent on each project management process groups 
• PMI advocates work-life balance and will only allow 40 hours for each work week, don’t fill in more than 37 hours for each week of work.
• Write the project description of the project (in around 500 characters) including the following:
• a brief description of the project
• objectives
• key deliverables
• project outcome
• your personal role
• When composing the project descriptions for each project, make good use of PMI terms to demonstrate that you understand what project management is. Include terms found in the PMBOK® Guide like project charter, sponsor, scope, project deliverables, stakeholders, schedule, acceptance of deliverables, quality management, etc. 

Training Sample:
Project: Development of training material for sales force
Objective: To investigate, collate, review and distribute a training presentation for the in-house sales team focusing on products offerings
Deliverables: I managed the whole project. Developed the charter and identified key stakeholders (I). Defined the scope with while considering time and cost and quality (P). Coordinated the execution of the research and development of the material (E) Monitored quality and communicated with stakeholders (M) Documented Close out report (C)

Outcomes: Material handed over to sales and presented at conference

Project: Reconfiguration of Office Space
Role: Consultant
Objective: To improve space utilization and collaboration by reconfiguring Acme Company’s corporate office space to better align with worker needs.
Deliverables: As an office design consultant, I led efforts in Planning: collecting requirements, defining and sequencing activities, and in Executing: directing project work and performing quality assurance. I also controlled schedules, cost and quality (MC).
Outcome: The reconfigured space was ready on time and within budget.

Project: Construction/Development of XYZ
Role: Construction lead
Objective: to lead design assist and develop engineering shop drawings
Deliverables:
IN: Created measurable objectives; determined company existing systems
PL: Defined scope; created WBS; developed scope management plan
EX: directed and managed project work; managed project team
MC: validated and controlled scope and risks
CL: obtained acceptance on deliverables; close project phase
Outcome: completed design assist and shop drawings were issued for construction


Project: Online Business English Course-ware
Role: Project leader
Project objective: To develop an online business English course and learning platform.
Deliverables:
IN: Defined high-level scope of the project. Identified and documented high-level risks, assumptions, and constraints. Developed business case.
PL: Created scope statement. Presented project plan. Decided to make product. Ran kick-off meeting. Analyzed stakeholders. Planned human resource recruitment. Estimated budget.
EX: Managed project resources. Executed tasks from project plan. Improved team performance. Collected work performance data. Performed quality assurance. Helped teachers to create course-ware.
MC: Measured project performance. Communicated project status to management. Updated risk register with new risks.
CL: Collected lessons learned. Obtained acceptance of all project deliverables. Measured customer satisfaction.


Outcome: Successfully launched EnglishKey’s first online business English course on learning platform and was able to land several contracts with multinational enterprises like Amazon to train their personnel.

Pharma Sample:

Develop software system to manage lab data, resources and workflow. Connect software and instrumentation ecosystem to manage entire process from sample creation to final results.

Pharmaceuticals project managers are given the ultimate responsibility in taking charge of the research and development process so that a new medicine can successfully be born. Project managers must effectively manage the engineers, doctors, researchers, and other experts to make sure that medical trials are running smoothly on time and budget. Daily duties might include creating status reports for management, ensuring compliance with regulatory bodies, managing timelines, evaluating the project risks, specifying project plans, establishing work schedules, keeping meticulous research records, and gathering project resources. At times, pharmaceuticals project managers must make the tricky choice to stop development when too many side effects persist.

PMI Speak:
Project Manager Role: (source - PMP Handbook)

• Perform their duties under general supervision and are responsible for all aspects of the project for the life of the project
• Lead and direct cross-functional teams to deliver projects within the constraints of schedule, budget and resources
• Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and experience to appropriately apply a methodology to projects that have reasonably well-defined project requirements and deliverables.

Project Description:

1. A brief, one-sentence project objective.
2. Project deliverables summarized by process areas (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing - abbreviations are acceptable IN, PL, EX, MC & CL).
3. A brief, one-sentence project outcome.

Project descriptions should be a high level summary of the tasks you led and directed on the

project (e.g. Initiating: develop project charter, WBS etc.; Planning: Scope definition etc.; and so

on). Project management experience is required in each of the process group when all projects are

totaled, but not on each project. Project descriptions must be provided for all projects submitted on

application. 

Verbiage one can use to articulate ones experience in each of the process groups.

1. Initiating:

Working with stakeholders to discover feasibility of project proposals.

Involved in identifying key stakeholders who can help in development of project charter or SOW.

Participation in development of Project Charter or SOW by compiling high level project information

Contributing in validating project by checking alignment with organisation strategies

2. Planning:

Contribution in identifying project deliverables using requirement gathering techniques.

Working with stakeholders to develop project management plan which includes components like: scope, schedule, cost, quality, procurement, communication, stakeholders, and human resources

Participating in identifying risk, prioritising them, identifying risk response strategies and in creating risk register

Involvement in project kick off meeting.

3. Executing:

Helping or doing in getting resources for the project

Managing flow of information between stakeholders as per communication needs identified in project plan

Managing relationships with stakeholders

Involved in the implementation of quality standards

Contributing in implementing changes

4. Monitoring and Executing:

Involvement in measurement of project performance by identifying variances especially in cost and schedules

Participation in identifying corrective actions for identified variances

Participation in documenting, analyzing, and managing lessons learned for the projects

Contribution in verification of compliance by monitoring procurement activities according to the project plan

Evaluating effectiveness of risk response strategies and in identifying its impact on the project.

5. Closing:

Getting final acceptance of project deliverables from the business stakeholders or customers

Participating in preparing and sharing the final project report

Contributing in archiving of project documents

Participating in obtaining feedbacks from business stakeholders or from customers

Collecting lesson learned for continuous project improvement.

PMI Eligibility Exam Re-Exam Exam-Scoring PDU's

PMI eligibility:

A four-year degree (bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent) and at least three years of project management experience, with 4,500 hours leading and directing projects and 35 hours of project management education.

Project Management Experience
The experience must be leading or directing projects that are non-overlapping, cumulative across all process groups, and within the last 8 years to be counted on the PMI PMP application. Refer to the above table for full experience requirements.
Project Management Education
You will need to show 35 contact hours of project management education, preferably covering initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing.

Leading & Directing projects:
Leading and directing the project as identified with the tasks, knowledge, and skills specific in the Project Management Professional Examination Content Outline. You should have experience in all five process groups across all your project management experience submitted on the application. However, on a single project, you do not need to have experience in all five process groups.

Thus in 1 project you may have been a part of the Project team leading or directing the execution of project.

In another project you may have lead or participated in initiation of the project like identifying stakeholders or developing the Charter.

For other project you might have lead the planning and scheduling of activities.

There could be other projects where you participated in monitoring and controlling the project progress on a regular basis and may be even doing the closing ceremony of the project.


PMI fees:
How to Apply? What are the fees?
The Application Process application can be completed online at www.pmi.org
Fees for a PMI Member - $405
Fees for a non Member  - $555

You have one year to take the PMP® examination, which begins from the date your application is approved.

Audit of application:
To help maintain quality and integrity in the PMP® certification program, PMI audits 10% of applicants, who are notified electronically. It’s best to assume that you’ll be one of them. The audit process involves formal verification by your employer(s) and schools. Be thorough, accurate, and honest with your application information.

Audit Q&A:
A supervising manager is no longer at the company. How can this project be verified?

The supervising manager can still verify although they are not at the company. If this option is not feasible, a colleague from the project can verify, or a current manager or supervisor, who has intimate knowledge of the project, can verify.

An audit candidate was laid off, is a consultant, or is no longer with the company, or the company no longer exists. How is this situation handled?
The supervising manager can still verify. If this option is not feasible, a colleague from the project can verify, or a current manager or supervisor who has direct knowledge of the project can verify.

Will PMI contact a verifying manager or supervisor?
Not always. PMI does reserve the right to do so if there is a specific question related to verification.

Advantages of becoming PMI member:
*When you pay the annual fee of $129 to join PMI, and then decide to apply for the PMP exam, instead of paying $555 to take the PMP exam, you will only pay $405. $150 saved!
The current fee is $405 for PMI members, $555 for non-members.

*Another related piece of information, the annual renewal fee is $119. It is $129 for new members.Visit the following PMI website for more information on membership:
http://www.pmi.org/membership

* Digital edition of PMI global standards that you can download to your computer, including A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)* PDU Advantage Program — If you’re a Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential holder, you can earn PDUs to maintain your credential quickly, easily and at no extra cost

* Knowledge sharing and networking opportunities through PMI chapters and communities of practice.

PDU's for Retaining Your PMP Certification
Once you’ve earned your Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification, you’ll need to fulfill your PMP PDU requirements to maintain your credential. As a Project Management Institute (PMI®) credential holder, you’ve proven that you have acquired the knowledge and experience necessary to meet certain eligibility requirements.

Retaining Your PMP Certification - 60 PDU in 3 years- Professional Development Unit

Taking an e-learning course. Getting involved in PMI chapter and community activities, there are many ways to gain these valuable PDUs.

Typically, you will earn one PDU for every hour (60 minutes) spent on an acceptable professional development activity. The Project Management Institute provides these five tips for maintaining your PMP credential:

1. Start early. Establish a strategy for attaining your PDUs before your cycle begins
2. Maintain a personal folder for all your PMP PDU claims documentation
3. Report activities soon after completion. PDUs can also be reported online through the Continuing Certification Requirement System (CCRS)
4. Take advantage of the opportunity to transfer PDUs from one cycle to the next. If you are a PMP credential holder, 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 Continuing Certification Requirement System

PMI Talent Triangle
PMI has updated how PDUs are classified, and project managers will need to follow these new stipulations to maintain project management certifications. PMI's Talent Triangle focuses on helping project managers develop additional skills needed to meet the evolving demands of the profession.

The Talent Triangle is composed of three categories:

Category 1: Technical Project Management
Category 2: Leadership
Category 3: Strategic and Business Management

PDU requirements are broken down into two categories - one for Education and one for Giving Back.

60 PDUs

Education – 35 minimum
8 – from technical portion of triangle
8 – from leadership
8 – from strategic & business management
Remaining 11 can be in any area of triangle

Giving Back – 25 maximum
Volunteering
Creating knowledge
Working as a professional (8 maximum)

According to PMI, project managers must earn a
Minimum of 35 Education PDUs and
Maximum of 25 Giving Back PDUs.
Professionals may fill all their PDU requirements only through Education, for example, as long as at least 8 PDUs are earned in each of the three Talent Triangle categories.

PMP Exam:
Total 200 questions: Duration 4 hours:
The examination is preceded by a 15 minute tutorial and followed by a 15 minute survey, both of which are optional.
The time used to complete the tutorial and survey is not included in the examination time of four hours.

Examination eligibility
Once an application has been approved or audit is successfully cleared, the one-year eligibility period begins. After payment of the certification fee has been received, PMI will send you an email notification with:

PMI Eligibility ID and
The examination scheduling instructions.


NOTE: You may take the examination three times within this one-year eligibility period should you not pass on the first attempt. The examination scheduling instructions direct you to the section of the Prometric website where you can select and schedule your examination date and location. Prometric is PMI’s examination administration partner.

PMI cannot guarantee seating at the testing centers and recommends that you schedule the examination as soon as you select a date on which you want to take it and at least three months before the expiration of your eligibility period.

Examination Scoring system:
Proficient (meaning an above-average score)
Moderately Proficient (meaning an average score)
Below Proficient (meaning a below-average score)

Reexamination:
How Many Times Can You Take It?
You are allowed three attempts at passing the exam within your one-year eligibility period. Failing that, you must wait one year from your last try before attempting the exam again, but you can apply for other PMI credentials. On the other hand, if your one-year eligibility period expires before you pass the exam, you must reapply and pay the required fees again.
Having missed the boat once, the re-examination fee is $275 for members and $375 for non-members.

Open House - 2

Introduce myself.
Introduction yourself.
Why are you doing the program?
What do you want to achieve after this program?

What is my aspiration out of this program?

What are the ground rules?
  1 Be On Time (Sun 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM)
  2 Do the Homework
  3 Vegas rule - What we say in this class remains in this Class.
  4 Absenteeism less than 2 class.

What is scope of this program? (Syllabus)

How long will this program run?

1. Class Room: Approximately 15 working weekend. Excluding long weekends (Institute will provide the holiday schedules, and inclement weather)
2. Online: 5 Weeks 40 hours.

What is expected from the members during the program?

Class Room:

1. Home works and preparation hours needed per week - 3 hours
2. By 5 or 6th week get yourself registered at PMI and start filling up the PMP application.
3. By the 10th week your application should have been filled up and ready for submission.
4. In the last class you will get the certificate of contact hours for 50 hours.
5. Submit the PMP application.

Online:

1. Be on time.
2. Do practice tests.

Do the PMP test and succeed.
If failed then reapply after preparing for 3 to 4 weeks.

PMI's PMP exam info URL
PMP Examination Content Outline
http://www.pmi.org/Certification/~/media/PDF/Certifications/pdc_pmphandbook.ashx
http://www.pmi.org/membership


Taking Exams at Pearson VUE and Pandemic situation.