I studied PMBOK (5th Edition) and numerous practice questions (there are so many free ones online). The regular updates by Cornelius Fichtner's This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. was invaluable. I will always recommend subscribing to PM-precast. Rita Macaulay made PMBOK very understandable. Please guys, doing numerous mock exams will pay off- I did over 5.
The process chart on page 61 of the PMBOK (5th edition) is a must study. I memorized it and wrote it down every other day, completing it in about 15 minutes. I did not bother memorizing the ITTOs and was glad I did not (after writing the exam). I however tried to understand it, noting the connections/patterns among different processes (Shiv Shennoy's mind maps helped me greatly in achieveing this). For instance, deliverables are checked and verified during controlling process, verified deliverables become an output of control quality, that gives an input to validate scope. Change requests are always outputs of executing and monitoring process. Outputs of initiating process becomes inputs of planning process and so on.
I wrote the exam in March after about 2 months of dedicated preparation. Please note I have been reading and practicing for about 8 months ab initio. I noticed that majority of the questions are scenario-based and therefore tests your understanding of the processes, hence much memorization will not be of much help. I rested well and did not read a day to the examination. I had about 20 minutes left when I finished all the questions, thus had the time to go through the questions again. It was exciting to receive the congratulatory message as I had mixed feelings...well I passed. what do I say? I have hit the finish line, I am PMP certified!
