All You Need to Know About PMP Exam 2015/2016 Update

Have you heard that PMP (Project Management Professional), the world’s most coveted project management certification, is undergoing considerable updates? The Project Management Institute will launch the new PMP exam on January 11, 2016. And you have exactly before this date to prepare for the current PMP exam version. Or, perhaps it’s time to prepare for the new PMP exam, especially since the new PMP exam outline is already available and can be found here?

Why the update?

Every few years, the PMI conducts the RDS, or Role Designation Study, to see how the roles have changed, and to update certifications in order to keep them relevant to the current project management landscape. The last time PMP certification got such an overhaul was in 2011, so obviously, it was time to conduct the RDS this year.

The research has resulted in significant changes to the exam. These changes mainly reflect how the role of the project manager has evolved over the past 4 years. When it comes to the approach of this project management certification, the key changes include:

• Emphasis on business strategy and benefits realization – since project managers get involved in projects earlier than they used to be in the past, and have to focus on project development and project benefits, and not just project deliverables.
• Value of lessons learned – lessons learned throughout the entire lifecycle of the project, rather than lessons learned from previous projects on the initiation stage and lessons learned during this particular projects which are looked into during the closing stage.
• Project charter responsibility –much project manager isn’t the only one responsible for project charter: creating and approving the project charter is also responsibility of the project sponsor. Project Manager contributes to its development, but is no longer the only person responsible for the project charter.
• Enhancing stakeholder relationships – increased emphasis on relationships and engagement with stakeholders to ensure the utmost efficiency of the project team.

When it comes to exam itself, the new PMP exam outline has the same domains, however, their percentage/weight (how many questions related to each topic are included in the exam) has changed. So expect different number of questions per domain.

New PMP Exam Domains:

• Initiating the project: 13%
• Planning: 24%
• Executing the project: 31%
• Monitoring and controlling 25%
• Closing the project 7%

According to PMI, each topic includes a list of tasks a project manager faces. Questions correspond to these tasks. This year, PMI adds 8 entirely new tasks to its PMP exam. Here’s a quick cheat table on what you should pay special attention to in the blueprint:

So what does this change mean for you as a PMP candidate? With the new PMP exam, you will be facing 25% of new content focusing on 8 new tasks. There will also be a sufficient percentage of updated/new questions on topic that were already on the exam. According to PMI, the PMP exam is undergoing sufficient overhaul, and soon we will see what this is all about.

What remains the same? The new PMP certification exam will have the same eligibility requirements and the same structure. It will consist of 200 scenario-based multiple choice questions. You will get an immediate pass/fail result once you finish your exam.

PMI’s PMP certification is considered to be the best paid project management credential in the world. So if you think that you’ve got what it takes to achieve this certification and reap rewards associated with it, you should start your PMP preparation now. Visit PMI’s website for further info.

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