Pass the PMP(R) Exam - Here's How To Pass the V6 PMP Exam
Instructor-led learning & V6 PMP(R) Exam Preparation by Nereda Haque, PMP - Updated 8-15-18
Limit Memorization: Smart people often want to memorize everything, but one cannot apply what they memorize unless it is accompanied by cognitive thinking and associated information. A good instructor will discourage memorization but will encourage associations of subject matter and show how the trainee can make a decisive answer to an exam questions based on any concept, role type, or available information provided.
Apply Logic: As you may know the PMP exam is not about memorization, except for the formulas, but about logical application and recognition of any of the following that may be used within a situation: process group matrix, processes, roles, inputs, tools & techniques, knowledge and benefits management, change management, meanings, general PM knowledge and skills, strategic business and leadership, organizational factors, influences, project environment, etc., etc.
Prepare for Situational Questions: All questions are situational and can be fuzzy (limited information) or sequential (logical sequence). The PMP Exam applicant needs to understand the basis of how they will determine a particular answer given the key words or inference in the question and or answers.
Prepare for How to Choose the Best Answers: All answers can be correct, but one is more correct so it is the best answer; and all answers can be wrong, but one is least wrong so it is the best answer; or there can be any combination of correct or wrong answers; however, one answer is always the best answer.
Control How You're Feeling: The PM’s ability to handle pressure will influence the exam result, and the PM’s ability to use cognitive thinking, logic and reasoning will also influence the exam result.
Meanings Have Consequences: Can the PM analyze and interpret the meaning or possible impact of a calculation, S curve or chart, relative to the question? Math calculations and charts are for decision making, so who should receive the information, and how will the PM provide the information based on the role of the person receiving it?
Learn to Recognize: Can the PM recognize what can go wrong in a process, in a situation, and in a relationship between the PM and a stakeholder? Does the PM understand stakeholder engagement, needs, wants, expectations?
Your expected learning steps:
(1) 4 days of training and some exercise practice
(2) A few hours of your own time reviewing or doing Exercises over a couple of evenings (3) 10 to 25 days of quiz practice
(4) Review your PMP Exam Performance Checklist to retouch the areas again that you need to know to pass the the exam during the last 10 to 15 days before taking your exam. (Appendix A of pmWorkbook.) Balanced and structured learning is of high importance to your success, even after your class is over.
How our Materials help you Learn: SmartPath LLC’s, pmWorkbook™ provides guidance on all exam subject matters. The pmWorkbook Exercises book provides associations from Processes 1 to 58 (includes role dependent processes) in Exercise Solutions 1, Exercise 2 Solutions go over key additional exam information, and Exercise 3 Solutions cover tools and technique and document management areas. Exercises are divided into Practice pages and their Solution pages. Those who only want to study from the Solutions will find it helpful even if they can’t do the exercises because of time constraints.
Our PMP materials also contain 16 Workflows providing project management visibility and start to finish processes. Workflows 1 to 10 provide process interactions (OTTIs/ITTOs by knowledge area), Workflow 11 shows the PM's roles in process group swim lanes and their process association/s. Workflow 12 shows the process matrix by process group and knowledge areas, and the role dependent processes are shown at the top of its page in yellow boxes because they don’t belong to the knowledge areas. Workflow 13 shows a sequence flow of processes based on logic (further discussion of the logical sequence is under the Exam Review tab in pmWorkbook detailing a backward pass of each process, and why one must be done before another (first iterations, that is.) Workflows 14 and 15 are particularly good for linear learners which detail areas by process associations.
Limit Memorization: Smart people often want to memorize everything, but one cannot apply what they memorize unless it is accompanied by cognitive thinking and associated information. A good instructor will discourage memorization but will encourage associations of subject matter and show how the trainee can make a decisive answer to an exam questions based on any concept, role type, or available information provided.
Apply Logic: As you may know the PMP exam is not about memorization, except for the formulas, but about logical application and recognition of any of the following that may be used within a situation: process group matrix, processes, roles, inputs, tools & techniques, knowledge and benefits management, change management, meanings, general PM knowledge and skills, strategic business and leadership, organizational factors, influences, project environment, etc., etc.
Prepare for Situational Questions: All questions are situational and can be fuzzy (limited information) or sequential (logical sequence). The PMP Exam applicant needs to understand the basis of how they will determine a particular answer given the key words or inference in the question and or answers.
Prepare for How to Choose the Best Answers: All answers can be correct, but one is more correct so it is the best answer; and all answers can be wrong, but one is least wrong so it is the best answer; or there can be any combination of correct or wrong answers; however, one answer is always the best answer.
Control How You're Feeling: The PM’s ability to handle pressure will influence the exam result, and the PM’s ability to use cognitive thinking, logic and reasoning will also influence the exam result.
Meanings Have Consequences: Can the PM analyze and interpret the meaning or possible impact of a calculation, S curve or chart, relative to the question? Math calculations and charts are for decision making, so who should receive the information, and how will the PM provide the information based on the role of the person receiving it?
Learn to Recognize: Can the PM recognize what can go wrong in a process, in a situation, and in a relationship between the PM and a stakeholder? Does the PM understand stakeholder engagement, needs, wants, expectations?
Your expected learning steps:
(1) 4 days of training and some exercise practice
(2) A few hours of your own time reviewing or doing Exercises over a couple of evenings (3) 10 to 25 days of quiz practice
(4) Review your PMP Exam Performance Checklist to retouch the areas again that you need to know to pass the the exam during the last 10 to 15 days before taking your exam. (Appendix A of pmWorkbook.) Balanced and structured learning is of high importance to your success, even after your class is over.
How our Materials help you Learn: SmartPath LLC’s, pmWorkbook™ provides guidance on all exam subject matters. The pmWorkbook Exercises book provides associations from Processes 1 to 58 (includes role dependent processes) in Exercise Solutions 1, Exercise 2 Solutions go over key additional exam information, and Exercise 3 Solutions cover tools and technique and document management areas. Exercises are divided into Practice pages and their Solution pages. Those who only want to study from the Solutions will find it helpful even if they can’t do the exercises because of time constraints.
Our PMP materials also contain 16 Workflows providing project management visibility and start to finish processes. Workflows 1 to 10 provide process interactions (OTTIs/ITTOs by knowledge area), Workflow 11 shows the PM's roles in process group swim lanes and their process association/s. Workflow 12 shows the process matrix by process group and knowledge areas, and the role dependent processes are shown at the top of its page in yellow boxes because they don’t belong to the knowledge areas. Workflow 13 shows a sequence flow of processes based on logic (further discussion of the logical sequence is under the Exam Review tab in pmWorkbook detailing a backward pass of each process, and why one must be done before another (first iterations, that is.) Workflows 14 and 15 are particularly good for linear learners which detail areas by process associations.
