PREFACE
This book is organized in such a way as to serve as an in-depth review for the PMP Project Management Professional exam for those with a strong foundation in project management, as well as for those who are new PMP candidates. Each chapter covers a major aspect of the exam, with an emphasis on the “why” as well as the “how to” of project management.
Digital Content
For more information regarding the digital content and how to access it, see Appendix B.
Author videos, provided by the Joseph Phillips, give you in-depth instruction to supplement the book. Be sure to watch the videos when you see the video icon in the book’s margin. The video instruction aligns with the content of the chapter in which it appears.
Worksheets and exercises are available in Excel and PDF formats. The Time Value of Money and Earned Value worksheets help you double-check your math when calculating these formulas. The PDF Float Exercises provide additional practice to help you calculate Project Float in Chapter 6.
Exam Readiness Checklist
At the end of the “Introduction” section coming up, you will find an Exam Readiness Checklist. This table has been constructed to enable you to cross-reference the official exam objectives with the objectives as they are presented and covered in this book. Use the checklist to gauge your level of expertise on each objective at the outset of your studies. Then check your progress and make sure you spend the time you need on more difficult or unfamiliar sections. References have been provided for the objective exactly as the Project Management Institute presents it and related chapter references.
In Every Chapter
We’ve created a set of chapter components that call your attention to important items, reinforce important points, and provide helpful exam-taking hints. Take a look at what you’ll find in every chapter:
Every chapter begins with Certification Objectives—what you need to know to pass the section on the exam dealing with the chapter topic. The objective headings identify the objectives within the chapter, so you’ll always know an objective when you see it!
Exam Watch notes call attention to information about, and potential pitfalls in, the exam. These helpful hints are written by the author, who has taken the exams and received his certification—who better to tell you what to worry about? He knows what you’re about to go through!
Don’t forget that resources are more than just people. Equipment, facilities, and materials are resources, and these can affect the project duration, too.
on-the-job.jpgOn the Job notes describe the issues that come up most often in real-world settings. They provide a valuable perspective on certification and product-related topics. They point out common mistakes and address questions that have arisen from on-the-job discussions and experience.
Inside the Exam sidebars highlight some of the most common and confusing problems that students encounter when taking a live exam. Designed to anticipate what the exam will emphasize, getting inside the exam will help you make sure that you know what you need to know to pass it. You can get a leg up on how to respond to those difficult-to-understand questions by focusing extra attention on these sidebars.
The PMP Coach is there to encourage you. It’s the author’s way of saying, “Keep going and don’t give up!”
The Certification Summary is a succinct review of the chapter and a restatement of salient points regarding the exam.
The Key Terms you will need to know for the exam, as well as their definitions, are listed after each Certification Summary.
The Two-Minute Drill at the end of every chapter is a checklist of the main points of the chapter. It can be used for last-minute review.
Q&A The Self Test offers questions similar to those found on the certification exams. The answers to these questions, as well as explanations of the answers, can be found at the end of each chapter. By taking the Self Test after reading each chapter, you’ll reinforce what you’ve learned from that chapter while becoming familiar with the structure of the exam questions.
Some Pointers
Once you’ve finished reading this book, set aside some time to do a thorough review. You might want to return to the book several times and make use of all the methods it offers for reviewing the material.
Reread all the Two-Minute Drills, or have someone quiz you. You also can use the drills as a way to do a quick cram before the exam. You might want to make some flashcards out of 3×5 index cards that have the Two-Minute Drill material on them.
Reread all the Exam Watch notes and Inside the Exam elements. Remember that these notes are written by authors who have taken the exam and passed. They know what you should expect—and what you should be on the lookout for.
Retake the Self Tests. Taking the tests right after you’ve read the chapter is a good idea, because the questions help reinforce what you’ve just learned. However, it’s an even better idea to also go back later and run through all the questions in the book in one sitting. Pretend that you’re taking the live exam. When you work through the questions, mark your answers on a separate piece of paper. That way, you can run through the questions as many times as you need to until you feel comfortable with the material.
Study Appendix A: Critical Exam Information. Appendix A should become your best friend. It contains everything you must know to pass the PMP. We’ve taken the absolutely critical information from the book and condensed it down to just one chunk of information. Appendix A doesn’t really explain the concepts (that’s what the chapters are for), but it does zoom in on just the most important elements of the entire book.