This is a guest post from Seamus Collins, the founder and owner of Velopi, based in Cork, Ireland and providing Project Management training and consultancy services. I want to take a moment to thank Sean and his team for contributing this post.
If you are planning to appear in the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam conducted by the Project Management Institution (PMI), then the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) is your perfect guide.
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As of the end of 2012, the PMI has introduced the 5th edition of the PMBOK. This new edition is published to meet the daily-generated demands of the field of project management. The test will now be conducted from this latest edition, so new professionals can benefit from the most up-to-date body of knowledge on project management.
Note that from the 1st August 2013 onwards, the PMP exam will be based on the 5th edition, not the 4th edition. So attendees sitting the exam before the 1st August 2013 exam need to be familiar with the 4th Edition and attendees sitting the exam on or after the 1st August 2013 need to be familiar with the 5th Edition.
All well and good, but what if you are already preparing from the 4th edition and not taking the exam until after the 1st August? And what about the people who are trying to decide which version of the exam to take? Well here are the details of the changes to the exam and some suggestions on how you can prepare.
Update your resources:
If you are appearing for the PMP exam using the PMBOK 5th edition, then you must remember to update and upgrade the resources you are using for preparation. All of your e-learning components along with the podcasts and videos and all of your printed documents should be reorganized to match the material in the 5th edition.
The 4th Edition is still adequate:
If you have read and understood the 4th edition of the PMBOK, don’t worry – your efforts were not in vain! The 5th edition is new and contains noteworthy changes, but the book is not entirely changed and it certainly doesn’t cancel out the older versions. Many of the topics covered in the 5th edition are similar to those in the 4th, so what you studied already is still relevant.
What Are The Changes?
There are several changes worth mentioning in the 5th edition of the Project Management Book of Knowledge. These changes should be prepared for carefully by the learners appearing in the exam. The changes include:
- Stakeholder Management
The topic of stakeholder management is not only introduced but also discussed in great detail in the 5th edition. - Project Management Office (PMO)
Project Management Office is not an entirely new topic, but the 5th book discusses it in greater detail. - Project Life Cycle
The topic of project life cycle is described better and given more space in the 5th edition. - Four New Plans
The book introduces four new plans, so increasing the number of plans in the 5th edition from 42 to 47. This may indicate the exam will test on one or more of those four processes. While preparing, you may want to give specific consideration to these new topics.
Exam Preparation Classes:
One of the best ways to prepare for the test after the introduction of the 5th edition of PMBOK is exam preparation classes. Many different institutes (including my own, www.Velopi.com) provide four-day, two-day or one-day classes for individuals appearing in the exam.
A well-designed course will provide special professionally-made guides to prepare you for the test. Competent, experienced and knowledgeable people with experience of helping people through their exams can cover the material and answer your questions as they arise.
So do get your own Project Management Professional Certificate by passing the Project Management Professional exam.
My final words for those who are feeling a touch nervous after the introduction of the 5th edition: the change may be inconvenient and even add to your stress. But when you pass the exam you’ll not only have the latest knowledge under your belt, but you’ll also be certified as having such. There are some changes from the previous edition, but if you prepare well you’ll pass the exam without any difficulty.
So, best of luck, folks!
Author bio:
Seamus Collins has 18 years of experience in the Project Management industry, and has completed assignments with leading global companies in China, Argentina, Israel, Malaysia, the UK and the USA. He is also the founder and owner of Velopi, – a PMI Registered Education provider that has helped hundreds of people obtain their PMP certification.
The post PMP Exam Preparation – 2013 Changes for PMBOK® 5th Edition (Guest Post) appeared first on Tony Adams - Project Manager.