PMP Central

Free PMP Tests Resources

2009-11-10T22:35:00.004-05:00

Free Test Websites:

PMP forums:
PM Zilla (*****) http://pmzilla.com/forum

Orkut (****) http://www.orkut.com/Main#Community?cmm=1280407

Yahoo Groups
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/pmpbest/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PMHub/

HeadFirst Labs (***) http://forums.oreilly.com/category/54/Head-First-PMP/

Google Groups (***) http://groups.google.com/group/pmp-cert-online-study-group?lnk=srg

PMP Prep Materials:

Project Quality Management

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Here are key points relating to quality experts
Joseph Juran
* Applied the Pareto 80/20 principle to quality
* Insisted on management involvement and training to managers on quality
* Defined quality as "fitness for use"

References and resources:
http://www.skymark.com/resources/leaders/juran.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_M._Juran

W. Edward Deming
* Developed 14 key principles of total quality management(TQM)
* Advocated Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle
* Identified Seven Deadly Diseases that hinder quality

References and resources:
http://www.mftrou.com/edwards-deming.html

Philip Crosby
* Defined quality as conformance to requirements
* Advocated prevention over inspection
* Standard of performance is zero defects
* Measurement of quality is the price of nonconformance

References and resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_B._Crosby

Project Human Resource Management

2009-11-09T22:51:00.010-05:00

You can be sure to expect a question on Organizational/Motivational Theories.
Here are some key points on each theory

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
* People look up to satisfy next higher level of needs only when they are satisfied with lower level of need

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Frederick Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory
* Proposed two dimensions of motivation: Hygiene Factors and Motivation Factors
* "the absence of hygiene factors can create job dissatisfaction, but their presence does not motivate or create satisfaction."
quoted from http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-1/needs.html

Douglas McGregor's Theory X & Theory Y
* Theory X - employees are micromanaged
* Theory Y - managers have trust in employees
Reference:
http://www.accel-team.com/human_relations/hrels_03_mcgregor.html

David McClelland's Achievement Motivation
* People are motivated by the inclination to achieve obtainable goals and by feedback
Reference:
http://www.accel-team.com/human_relations/hrels_06_mcclelland.html

For more details, refer:
http://www.accel-team.com/productivity/approaches_00.html

PMP Exam Application

2009-11-08T19:39:00.013-05:00

PMP Exam application process
1. Your starting place is www.pmi.org/certapp Register to get started

2. Start the application process by entering all the personal details

3. Enter Project Management education that would satisfy 35 contact hours of class
- These are the ways you can get the necessary hours:
- Courses taken during your Bachelor's or Master's degree that are related to Project Management
- ESI International http://www.esi-intl.com/
- They provide online, on-site, and classroom training. Check with your with your company's training department. They might have a tie-up with ESI and ESI is a popular corporate training partner.
- Online courses like:
https://www.premiumcast.com/
http://www.proxalt.com/
http://www.villanovau.com/pmp-certification/
http://www.pmcampus.com/

4. Next step is to enter your Project Management experience in hours:
- If you hold a bachelor's degree then you need only 4,500 hours and 36 months. If not you need 7,500 hours and 60 months.
- Use this Excel template to workout your project management experience
PMP Application Project Management Experience Worksheet (.xls)

Filling in the application may take a few days depending how many hours you spend.

Useful PMP Preparation Documents

2009-11-08T19:26:00.008-05:00

* Use this document to practice ITTOs. You dont have to memorize all the ITTOs. But trying to recollect them as you learn will help understand the logic behind the ITTOs. This will be of great use to answer questions, especially, from Quality and Risk Knowledge Areas.

PMP ITTO Practice Sheet (.pdf)

* Use this document to practice Processes by Process Groups vs Knowledge Areas
Project Management Processes Practice Sheet (.pdf)

* PMP Formulas and Concepts Brain Dump /Cheat sheet
PMP Cheat Sheet (.pdf)

Tips for Memorizing ITTOs

2009-11-08T13:16:00.025-05:00

Here are some pneumonics to memorize ITTOs
* Tips are provided only for Tools and Techniques (except for Integration and Scope)

Project Integration Management
INPUTS
- OPA is common for all processes
- EEF is common for all processes except 4.6 Close Project or Phase
TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
- EJ for all processes
- All processes have only 1 TT except 4.3 Direct & Manage Project Execution and 4.5 Perform Integrated Change Control, which have Project Management Information System and Change Control Meetings, respectively

Project Scope Management

INPUTS
- Requirements Documentation is for all processes except 5.1 Collect Requirements

TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
- 5.2 Collect Requirements
.1 Interviews
.2 Focus groups
.3 Facilitated workshops
.4 Group creativity techniques
.5 Group decision making techniques
.6 Questionnaires and surveys
.7 Observations
.8 Prototypes

Here is a technique.
* 1-to-1 = Interviews
* 1-to-5 = Focus Groups
* 1-to-15 = Facilitated Workshops
* 1-to-50 = Questionnaires and surveys
* Think of Focus Group - think of two group techniques, "creativity" and "decision making"
We are left with two,
* Observations - think of job-shadowing
* Prototype - think of Concept Cars

- 5.2 Define Scope
F – Facilitated Workshop
A – Alternatives Analysis
P – Product Analysis
E – Expert Judgment

You can remember it as For All Project Experts

Project Time Management

6.1 Define Activities

.1 Decomposition
.2 Rolling wave planning
.3 Templates
.4 Expert judgment
You can remember it as "DERT"

6.2 Sequence Activities
.1 Precedence diagramming method (PDM)
.2 Dependency determination
.3 Applying leads and lags
.4 Schedule network templates
You can remember it as "PADS"

6.3 Estimate Activity Resources
.1 Expert judgment
.2 Alternatives analysis
.3 Published estimating data
.4 Bottom-up estimating
.5 Project management software
You can remember it as "BAPPE"

6.4 Estimate Activity Durations
.1 Expert judgment
.2 Analogous estimating
.3 Parametric estimating
.4 Three-point estimates
.5 Reserve analysis
You can remember it as "TARPE"

6.5 Develop Schedule
.1 Schedule network analysis
.2 Critical path method
.3 Critical chain method
.4 Resource leveling
.5 What-if scenario analysis
.6 Applying leads and lags
.7 Schedule compression
.8 Scheduling tool
You can remember it as "SWARS SCC"

6.6 Control Schedule
.1 Performance reviews
.2 Variance analysis
.3 Project management software
.4 Resource leveling
.5 What-if scenario analysis
.7 Adjusting leads and lags
.7 Schedule compression
.8 Scheduling tool
You can remember it as "SWARS VPP"

Project Cost Management
7.1 Estimate Costs
.1 Expert judgment
.2 Analogous estimating
.3 Parametric estimating
.4 Bottom-up estimating
.5 Three-point estimates
.6 Reserve analysis
.7 Cost of quality
.8 Project management estimating software
.9 Vendor bid analysis

You can remember it as "TARPE PC PV" - notice TARPE is also in 6.4

7.2 Determine Budget
.1 Cost aggregation
.2 Reserve analysis
.3 Expert judgment
.4 Historical relationships
.5 Funding limit reconciliation
Remember it as "use Historical Relationships and Expert Judgments to aggregate Costs, analyze Reserves and Reconcile Funding limits Project"

7.3 Control Costs
.1 Earned value management
.2 Forecasting
.3 To-complete performance index (TCPI)
.4 Performance reviews
.5 Variance analysis
.6 Project management software

Remember it as "FET" - note, the "VPP part is the same for 6.6 Control Schedule

Project Quality Management
Project Human Resource Management
Project Communication Management
Project Risk Management
11.2 Identify Risks
.1 Documentation reviews
.2 Information gathering techniques
.3 Checklist analysis
.4 Assumptions analysis
.5 Diagramming techniques
.6 SWOT analysis
.7 Expert judgment
You can remember it as "SAD DICE".
How does it relate to Risk?
Risk is an uncertain event - DICE represents uncertainity
and it has a negative connotation and when it happens, the outcome is SADness

Project Procurement Management
12.2 Conduct Procurements
Think about the chronology of procurement
1. You search for potential sellers - 2. If you don't find what you need, you place ads - Advertising
3. Then, after you have a list of sellers, you evaluate them - Proposal Evaluation Techniques
4. Then, to find out if the price quote was good you use - Independent Estimates
5. With all the above information, then you go to experts in your company - Expert Judgment
6. to evaluate sellers - Proposal Evaluation Technique
7. After you zero out sellers, you bargain - Procurement Negotiations

12.3 Administer Procurements
There are 3 Actions and 4 Systems
Actions:
1.Procurement Performance Reviews
2.Performance Reporting
3.Inspections and Audits

Systems:
1.Contract Change Control Systems (CCCS)
2.Payment Systems
3.Claims Administration (system)
4.Records Management system (RMS)

PMP Preparation Timelines

2009-11-08T03:11:00.021-05:00

PMP Prepration requires atleast 200 hours of dedication. This is just an estimate and it may vary depending on how committed you are.

Below are few typical preparation schedules that you can adopt.
-- The planner is based on the assumption that you will use PMBOK (R) as well as one or more PMP prep materials
-- Use this a a guideline and develop you own plan
-- I would recommend a 9 week schedule as this will be effective in remembering what you are studying.

Aggressive Schedule: 7 weeks (7x7 Schedule)
* Recommended for those who have
-- less commitments and have about 3-4 hours everyday and 12-14 hours during weekends.
-- have good Project Management experience

LEGEND for the planners below
P - PMBOK(R)
G - PMP Prep Guide of your choice (eg. PMP Exam Prep from Rita's RMC (R))
1,2 - Numbers represent Chapters in PMBOK and you preferred prep guide. (assuming the guide chapters are in sync with PMBOK)
BUFFER - To accomodate study plan flexibility
PSR - Professional & Social Responsibility (Not available in PMBOK, but most prep guides have a chapter on this. You should also read PMBOK Code of Ethics Handbook)

Normal Schedule: 9 weeks
Recommended for those who can spare 2 hours every day amongst regular day-to-day commitments.

Relaxed Schedule: 12 weeks
Recommended for those who can spend only 10 - 20 hours per week.