TOPIC: Passed - Lesson learned

Hi,
We must agree that every PMP exam experience is different. But if you read the lessons learned (throughout the web) from other candidates carefully, you can draw some commonality. This is what helped me prepare.

Below are a few points that will help you prepare better:

1. No matter how many times you read the PMBOK Guide, you must know (fully understand) the Glossary-Definitions in the back of the book well. Tell your partner to make up and ask you questions based on glossary-definitions. The key here is linking the question to the correct answer.

2. There is no use in memorizing the ITTOs. You must understand them properly. A good way to understand and remember them is to make a little (funny) story out of ITTOs that has a flow.

Eg. Remembering the Acquire Project Team Process:
Story: To acquire the Project team I’ll of course require the Project management plan because without a plan I cannot do anything. And to do so, my company may have some policies and procedures. So let me look at the Organizational Process Assets for that. There might already be experienced and competent people in my company who can become a part of my team. So I’ll look at Enterprise environmental factors.
The sponsor has some pre-assigned resources that was in the project charter. I have to consider them. For the rest of the people I’ll negotiate with my manager to acquire them. This team is still small for my project needs, so I’ll do an acquisition of a small team from outside. A particular group of people team that I need is 200 miles away in another office. So I’ll create a virtual team….. etc ..etc..

This way, whether it is PMP exam or your stakeholders, you can answer their questions easily without fumbling and wasting time.

3. Get used to reading, understanding and answering wordy questions within 72 seconds. I got irritated with questions (in my practice) that gave too much information and lacked continuity. As you practice more and more, you will automatically eliminate unwanted information and see relevant information in the questions.

4. Don’t just memorize the Earned value Management formulas. Understand every part of the formula logically.
Eg: CV = EV-AC. Think of this. I have only $10 in my pocket to spend today. I spent $5 for lunch. $2 for bus and $3 on donuts for my wife and kids. You got what you spent for. So EV = $10. Actual cost ($5+$2+$3) = $10. Therefore
Cost variance = 0. Means I have not saved nor spent more than I should have.
Ask yourself, If AC increases what will happen? Or If EV increases what will happen?
Using logic to remember formulas and solve problems will really help you.

5. Same thing with PMI Ethics and conduct. You must understand how code of conduct is properly applied. Reading the hand book seems easy but situational questions may be confusing if you cannot apply them.

6. Definitely, Practice makes you prefect. Practice at least 50 questions a day. There are lots of free questions online. Also buy a good commercially available set of questions.

7. PM Prepcast has wonderful explanation for forward and backward pass in network analysis. The example is good. Use that method to solve your network analysis problems.

Hope this will help. Best wishes.

Vishal.