TOPIC: PMI-ACP Simulator

I was wondering if anyone who has passed the exam can comment on whether the questions in the PMI-ACP simulator are close to what is on the exam. I've scored 60%, 61%, & 62% on all 3 of them my first time through. In other question sources I am 80-100% regularly. So I'm wondering if those are too easy and whether the simulator questions are an accurate reflection of what is to come. I have 2 weeks for the exam...

Hello Ken,

Thanks for your question. I just passed the PMI-ACP exam on Monday and I found that the questions on the PMI-ACP exam are very generic and short and test heavily on your knowledge of the "Agile Mindset" that is described in many of the twelve references. I have noted this as a difference to many of the questions we have in the first three exams and are updating our questions to reflect this difference. The questions are shorter and the challenge lies in the answer choices provided. I would focus on the principles of agile project management. Know scrum, XP, Kanban, and the TDD process. There were no questions from the other methods. Know the effects of increasing and decreasing WIP, be able to answer generic questions about how to find bottle necks in a process. There were only a couple calculation questions and of course be able to interpret burn charts. Understand the roles of the delivery team, the scrum master or coach, team leader, and the product owner as this will help you with many questions. Know the rules about what you can do and can't do while you are executing an iteration, how to handle requests for changes before and during an iteration and who should make these decisions. Know the reasons for incremental delivery of products and what the benefits are. Know sizing and estimating user stories how agile projects deal with risks. What are the roles and characteristics of servant leadership. There we no direct knowledge based questions, like what is the third principle or fourth value of the Agile Manifesto, but know how to apply those principles and values to short situational questions. So focus on knowing the agile mindset i.e. empowered teams, and encourage experimentation and change even if there is risk of a failed iteration. Know the strict structure for the daily stand up i.e. not a forum for discussion. How agile teams work with vendors i.e. contracts that allow change and have very regular contact and feedback with stakeholders. Usability testing, when and why is it used. Same with spikes, when and why they are used. Know what ideal and real time are and how they are used. Be able to use velocity and story points to answer questions about forecasting a projects end date. Be ready for very generic situationally based questions that require you to know and have internalized the principles and values of the Agile Manifesto. some of the questions in the simulator are currently longer and less generic than those you are likely to encounter on exam day and as a result we are updating many questions to be of the same form. I found the exam less difficult than the PMP exam and had almost a full hour to review. Good luck, I hope that helps.

Thank you so much! This makes me feel better. I've gone through the tests from Andy Crowe's book, and a bunch of others - iZenBridge, 360PMO, and the Bagnall and Scordo book. I'm scoring 70 - 100% on those 1st time through, but these seem far more difficult than those... This makes me feel better. I'm going to go ahead with my test on 4/1 now. Was thinking about postponing it based on these.

Thanks again,

Ken

Hi Jonathan,

I am in a similar situation as Ken except I have my exam tomorrow.
I took 2 exams and got 61% and 58%.Plan to take the third one this evening (at this point it's just to learn through quickly failing....how's that for internalizing agile principles )

Now I saw 90% of ppl failed the simulator test (as an avg)..coupled by your two lines towards the end of the response to Ken....I will keep it simple....do i need to postpone my exam?

Eagerly awaiting your response.
Thanks,
Adithya

Hello Adithya,

Really wish you had reached out sooner since you are now within the two day window of the exam which means you can't cancel or reschedule without having to pay the exam fee again. My advice would be to take the exam and between now and then really try to focus on going through the Agile manifesto and servant leadership behaviors as these principles and values will help guide you in most questions. But knowing very well the roles of the members of the agile teams and the procedures for Scrum, XP, Kanban, Lean and TDD is a must to do well on the exam. Knowing what the rules and best practices are for when requests for changes come to an agile delivery team during an iteration is also a must know. Knowing how Agile teams prefer and use high touch-low tech information radiators is key. There are many things to know and it would take a lot of time to list them all but if you've prepared well you should have seen most if not all of them. I'll contact you at your email that you have registered in our system to try to get a sense of where you are at. But look at it this way, taking the exam and not passing the first time is about as good as it gets to helping you prepare for the exam as you will know the question style and areas of agile knowledge that are critical to passing the PMI-ACP. Yes, this may seem like an expensive way to prepare but it's far less expensive than going to a boot camp and trying to cram that all in over a one or two week time frame. And remember we are always improving our questions in the simulator to be more representative of what you will see on the exam and we will extend your access to the PMI-ACP Exam simulator if you don't pass and we have another exam that will be released soon that I know for a fact are close to the type and style of those I saw on the exam. Go into the exam with plenty of sleep, well nourished, and if possible with hope and confidence knowing that whatever happens it will be a learning experience and beneficial to your goal in the long run. You may accomplish that goal tomorrow, but if not treat it as you would any other obstacle you encounter in life, an opportunity to gather yourself and improve your approach and take another shot at a hurdle that is clearable, if there is the will to do so.

I'll be in touch.