Outwitting The PMP© Exam: Released 2012
Outwitting The PMP© Exam: Released 2012
Outwitting The PMP© Exam: Released 2012
A N U N L E A S HE D CR A C KE D CO DE FOR P MP A S P IR A N TS
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Published by: Outwitting The PMP Exam Author: Asif Chorwadwala, PMP http://www.linkedin.com/in/asifchorwadwala Contact: [email protected] http://www.outwittingthepmexam.com Copyright: 2012 Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Disclosure: Some links in this book are affiliated links. Trademarks: PMI, PMP, CAPM, PMBOK Guide, PgMP, Project Management Institute, and the R.E.P. trademarks and logos are registered marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgment ...................................................................................................................... 1 Preface ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 3 Part I: FOR PMP CERTIFICATION ............................................................................................ 8 Making the case for PMP Certification ................................................................................. 9 How to pass PMP Exam in 2 months ................................................................................... 12 What to check in training institute for 35 contact hours.................................................... 22 How to apply SWOT analysis in PMP Certification ............................................................. 24 14 winning habits of The Super Successful PMP ............................................................. 36 Part - II: FOR PMP EXAM ......................................................................................................... 41 10 myths which if clarified can change how you prepare for PMP Exam........................... 42 Read this cheat sheet just 2 hours before the exam .......................................................... 46 Million dollar bet, do these 10 little things and you are destined to fail ........................... 73 Sure Shot 50 Question Types In The Exam.......................................................................... 77 20 dirty tricks during the exam, even PM Authority wont sanction it ............................... 77 Magic Formula to Solve Multi-Choice Questions In Exam, an 8 Step Approach ................ 85 PMP Exam Revision Table ................................................................................................... 86 How to complete your test in 2 hours ............................................................................. 87 Link to 5,000+ online question answers ............................................................................. 93 Additional Online PMP Exam Resources................................................................................. 94 Final Words ............................................................................................................................. 95
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Acknowledgment
My efforts have been encouraged in the recent past by a number of influential people in my life, all through whose efforts this guide has come to be. I cannot ignore the constant encouragement accorded me by my sweet beloved wife, whose foresight has always made me aspire to do great things in life. Special thanks also go to Samuel Ochieng whose efforts in editing and making this book as simple as possible have helped in making it the success it is. Finally, my sincere gratitude to all the thousands of PMPBest Yahoo Group Members and all who have been able to discuss this in other forums worldwide for the part that they played in the formulation and successful creation of this book. Their insights and experiences as they prepared for the exam formed the core and basis upon which this work was implemented. Good luck in acquiring your PMP Certification! Regards, Asif Chorwadwala, PMP
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Preface
This edition of book is a pioneer in providing lasting solutions to an unending quest by students all over the world in finding a simpler way of passing the PMP exam. There were so many enquiries and consultations with forum members in particular from PMPBest Yahoo Group, and a lot more such websites scattered all over the internet. Such information is available of the internet in fragments strewn all over the place, and it therefore takes students a long time to actually consolidate all of them into meaningful matter. Being a PMP Certified Professional, I understand what students have gone through in their quest to pass this test, and therefore take it upon myself to offer my assistance. Though it took a long time to consolidate the bits and pieces, the work eventually paid off since this is one of the simplest guides that you will ever refer to pass your PMP exam. The bits and pieces that got consolidated into this book are students lessons learned, the idea that worked for an individual, an approach that changed failure into success, a trick that worked, a study plan that fit the situation, a habit that triumphed and more. The summary and the manner in which the fragments were put together if anything to go by makes it an exclusive book, one that will become every students most trusted companion as they face the PMP exam, and eventually ace them.
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Introduction
You deserve more than a pat on the back for taking your time to study for and actually sit for the Project Management Institute (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification Exam. A lot of students have thought about it, and never really come through with the decision. Therefore consider yourself to have made a great career changing decision. This book has been written with the view of helping you study for your PMP exam and passing it. This does not mean that it is to act as a substitute guide to what is recommended in the syllabus. The main aim is to make sure that you find it easy to get through the exam with ease by planning well for your time, and doing the right things that will set you in the right direction within as short a time, and without stressing yourself too much. That is why we call Outwitting (aka outsmarting) The PMP Exam. In as much as there are so many articles or blogs that have in the recent past been released that cover several topics, you can rest assured that this book is as a matter of fact more than that. The amount of research that has been put into this book is not from fictional characters, but from more than 12,000 persons who have had an experience with the PMP exam. This therefore means that the illustrations in this book are as real as can be, and you can surely relate to them. Their contribution to the development of this book have been effectively tested, and satisfactorily approved as a guideline with which this book can be written. I thank them all for their efforts. There are two sections in this book:For PMP Certification For PMP Exam
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For PMP Certification This section covers the topics that will play a major role in making sure that you accomplish your PMP Certification. There are a number of highlights that are covered in this section, including the following:Giving you an insight into why the PMP program is beneficial to you Guiding you on how to plan for the certification Help you identify an institution where you can get the 35 contact hours Conduct a SWOT analysis of your choice in relation to the PMP Certification How to be a Super Successful PMP Certified For PMP Exam This section covers all you would like to know about the PMP Exam. This is very important as it enables you ease off the pressure of studying too hard. Some of the contents that are covered in this section include:Preparing for the exam Things not to do in the exam The cheat sheet Dirty tricks How to answer questions The chapters in this book have been made precise and direct enough so that you can make good use of all the material as you seek your certification. For best results, Susan Wise Bauer (a famous author, writer, instructor, and founder) said read each book three times. First time, read for facts; then evaluate them; finally, form your own opinion. Forming your opinion is a must. In that way you are the judge to decide to follow what is in the material or refer to some other book. She also said there are some books to
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be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. This book is for you to chew and digest if you want to pass the PMP Exam quickly and with ease. Sole purpose of this book is to help PMP aspirants like you pass the exam in shortest and easiest way. Time is as important to you as anything else in your quest to pass such exams. Therefore without taking up more of your time, flip over and begin your journey to success!
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These are just but lame excuses that people come up with in order to avoid the PMP Certification. However, you should realize that if you are to succeed in your career, retain a high level position or get promoted to one, a PMP Certification is a must. What are the advantages that you stand to benefit from getting a PMP Certification? It is sufficient proof of your competence in Project Management It certifies not only that you have spent enough hours learning about project management, but also that you are well versed with the experience It makes showcases your ability and makes you stand out from the crowd Forms a huge stepping stone in your career in as far as advancing is concerned Gives you firsthand knowledge of how to manage your personal life Gives you experience that is applicable worldwide, making you employable throughout the world By passing the exam and being certified, you stand a higher chance of getting a pay raise or even a bonus for your expertise and experience. Besides that, you also have a better shot at promotion within the same company The PMP designation also acts as a guarantee to your employers of what you can do and the impact that you can have in fast tracking results So many companies today require project managers to have the PMP certification in order for them to retain their status in the company, and a lot more have been promoted as a result of the certification If you are still looking for more reasons as to why you need to take the PMP Certification exam, you can rest assured that you will find as many as you would like to get, but these are the main ones that will impact on your life
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significantly. However, the underlying fact here is that a PMP Certification does change your life in so many ways for the better, hence the need for you to attempt it especially if you want to get ahead of the pack.
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10 myths which if clarified can change how you prepare for PMP Exam
What is a myth? Merriam-Webster.com defines a myth as a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence. As you would expect for any exam, there are so many myths about the PMP exam, most of which are false and others half-truths. One thing that you have to know however is that by getting these clear, nothing can stand between you and passing the exam. Here are some of the 10 most common myths about the PMP Exam:
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Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements The contract between the organization and the vendor super cedes all other work related documents Customers, internal or external, are the most important stakeholders in a project Scope verification must take place at the end of each phase Money already spent on a project is called sunk cost and should not be taken into consideration when determining if a project should continue. Instead, the cost of the work to complete is one of the elements that should be taken into consideration when considering to kill a project Phase end reviews are also called phase exits, milestones, phase gates, stage gates or kill points. The project life cycle goes through a series of phases to create the product Project managers manage things, but lead people. Project o Projects don't last forever. They are temporary and unique o Projects pass through logical phases to reach their completion o Purpose of Project is to attain its objective and then terminate Operations o Operations, however, do go on and on. They are ongoing and repetitive o Operations may be influenced, or even created, by the outcome of a project o Objective of an ongoing operation is to sustain business Once objectives have been met, new directions are followed to support the organization's plans Organization Structure o Functional o Matrix o Weak o Balanced o Strong o Projectized
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The WBS is a decomposition of all the deliverables the project will create KNOWLEDGE AREA PROJECT INTEGRATION MANAGEMENT Processes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Develop Project Charter, Develop Project Management Plan, Direct and Manage Project Execution, Monitor and Control Project Work, Perform Integrated Change Control, Close Project.
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KNOWLEDGE AREA PROJECT SCOPE MANAGEMENT Processes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Collect Requirements Define Scope Create WBS Verify Scope Control Scope Collect Requirements: Describe how to define, verify and control scope and how to create WBS. Define Scope: Create scope statement; this will guide future decisions. Describes deliverables and work required to create them. Create WBS: Deliverable oriented hierarchy that breaks down the work to be done. Verify Scope: Validating and approving project deliverables against the baseline and gaining acceptance from the customer. Control Scope: Controlling changes related to scope. Approved scope must be exactly what is implemented; no more, no less. Things to remember: Download Full Edition
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Million dollar bet, do these 10 little things and you are destined to fail
Download Full Edition
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Final Words
Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth . . . that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too . . . whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. Goethe For whichever reason, if in case you skimmed all the way to this page, you are justified to do so. However, in the event that you took your time and went through all the pages, you must have realized that the time for you to act is now. There was a time when empty words like knowledge is power would soothe the mind. However, things have changed so much today. Knowledge is power only to the extent within which it is aptly applied. This therefore means that unless you act on the knowledge that you possess, it will be of no use to you. Take advantage of the power you have within your grasp and do something with it. Sincere thanks to you for taking time to use this book to guide you through your exam schedule, and even more thanks to the person whose advice you heeded and considered using this book Over time there will be updates to this book to make it at par with the developments in the world and with the PMP syllabus requirements. To stay abreast with the latest updates, remember to visit http://outwittingthePMexam.com Your feedback is very important to the improvement of this edition, and the development of other editions of this book in the future for those who will have to go through this exam in the years to come. Kindly send your thoughts, suggestions and feedbacks to [email protected] Thank You, Asif Chorwadwala, PMP
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