PMP Credential Exam Study Guide

Congratulations on committing to studying to sit the Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential. This book contains all the information you need to pass the PMP® examination. I have taken my time to include all the information necessary to pass the examination and also some extra information about the profession of project management.

There are several ways to organize a book such as this. I could have organized the material in the same way as the PMP® Examination Content Outline (ECO) presents the material which defines the exam (e.g. People, Process, and Business Environment Domains). I could have presented the material following the process groups structure of the Process Groups: A Practice Guide document from the Project Management Institute (PMI) e.g. Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing. Either one of these would have been suitable for your studies. What I have chosen to do instead is organize the study materials mainly by the individual knowledge areas, not process groups, contained in the Process Groups: A Practice Guide, as this presents the material in a comprehensive way, and you get to focus your attention on a specific topic.

Remember that the way the information is presented isn’t that important because the questions in the exam are not presented by process group, domain, or knowledge area. They are completely random so the aim of a book like this is to pass on the knowledge you need to be successful.

Here is a guide to all the extra bits and pieces in the book:

• Words in Italics – these are key terms and you should try and memorize and understand all of them. Each of them is included in the Glossary of Key Terms at the rear of the book.
• Exam Tips – these highlighted pieces of text give you direct tips for the exam.
• Real World - these highlighted sections of the book provide examples of the theory in action from my own experience. They are intended to add to your understanding of the concept being explained and also to share with you some of the lessons I have learned throughout my career.
• Notes – this information provides slightly more information about the topic being discussed that is not always directly related to the exam but is usually very interesting.
• Quick Check – The Quick Check questions and answers are at the end of each section and are intended to give the opportunity to quickly review the material you have just read with some simple questions.
• Review Questions - at the end of each chapter there are multi choice questions that test your knowledge and understanding of the topics just covered.
• Exercises – Each chapter concludes with exercises to test how well you understand the topics just covered.

 Take your time to go through this book and complete all the exercises and questions. Use it as an ancillary text to your other study materials. The more you study, the greater the chances of success when sitting the PMP® examination.

Finally, think of me as your personal PMP® coach. Not only do you have access to the contents of this book but you can email me at any time with questions and I will answer.

Good Luck!

Sean Whitaker

sean@seanwhitaker.com

You only need to buy this book once and you are entitled to all future updates. Check the version number above and email me occasionally to see if there is a new version.