In January 2021 the Project Management Institute (PMI) changed the Project Management Professional Exam. As part of that change, it shifted away from changing the PMP exam every 4 to 5 years in favor of a continuous improvement model with more frequent exam content updates. The benefit is to align project management trends and the work project managers perform today to the exam content to keep the certification relevant.
In 2023, the exam continues to align with the Examination Content Outline. In September, 2023 PMI/Pearson made a crucial change to the scoring timeline for certification exams. To enhance security measures, the evaluation process of exam results will now require additional time. Let’s take a closer look at this change and additional shifts of the PMP exam since 2021.
The Latest on the PMP Exam for 2023
- What’s New on the PMP for 2023?
- What Skills Does the PMP Cover?
- New PMP Exam Prep Materials for 2023
- PMP Exam Prep Training for 2023
- Keep Up on PMP Exam Updates
What’s New on the PMP for 2023?
There are several notable changes to cover.
- PMI/Pearson Exam Scoring will require additional time due to enhance security measures. As a result, the release of post-exam pass/fail notice and detailed results analysis will be delayed by up to 5 days after completing the exam. You may receive a provisional notice of pass/fail upon completion of the exam. The score in this provisional notice is still subject to review for verification and validation. In this case the official final score report will typically be available within 48 hours, according to PMI/Pearson. This change reflects their commitment to maintaining the utmost integrity and accuracy throughout the certification process.
- The PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition will now be a reference to inform the development of the PMP exam topics. As such, we expect that students will be tested on content from the PMBOK® Guide 7.
- PMI’s Process Groups: A Practice Guide repurposes essential content from the PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition, which was phased out in 2022. The Process Groups model is likely to become a resource for the PMP exam for predictive project management best practices and processes (e.g., process groups guidance, inputs, tools and techniques and outputs). Representing almost half of the exam, students preparing for the PMP will continue to need a strong knowledge of predictive methods.
- The way of doing project management is not process dependent. In fact, in many ways, it’s situational. Depending on the project, the process that is applied can be tailored to accommodate each project. Today’s project manager must have a comprehensive understanding of agile and predictive project management. They need to know the processes of both and how and when they work best on a project-by-project basis.
In addition to understanding how the PMP is shifting, let’s review the project management skills covered on the exam.
What Skills Does the PMP Cover?
The PMP certification requires an understanding of the most important project leadership skills and practices across three domains as listed in the Examination Content Outline. You’ll be expected to apply this knowledge in the context of leading and managing predictive, agile and hybrid projects.
People Doman: The people domain represents 42% the questions on the PMP exam. It covers leading projects teams and managing stakeholders with effective interpersonal skills including:
- team building
- removing roadblocks
- conflict management
Process Domain: The process domain represents 50% of the PMP exam. You’ll be tested on the technical skills to integrate all facets of project planning and management to realize project benefits such as:
- budgeting & scheduling
- managing risk
- project methods and practices
Business Improvement Domain: This domain represents 8% of exam questions. You will need to understand the connection between the people and process within the business context. Domain topics include:
- compliance
- delivering value
- organizational and business change
New PMP Exam Prep Materials for 2023
As the exam evolves, RMC is adapting our PMP prep materials to meet the needs of our students.
Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep Book – All New 11th Edition
This book is vastly different from our previous editions. It is structured so that you can easily relate it to the Examination Content Outline (ECO).
Rita’s PMP® Exam Prep book is the ultimate one-source prep guide to help you pass the PMP the first time. In this Course in a Book™, we bring together the terminology and concepts used in the ECO, the PMBOK® Guide, and the Process Groups: A Practice Guide. We synthesize the concepts in a way that makes it easier to understand and prepare students for the exam. No other prep guide brings this level of knowledge while explaining things simply and clearly.
Rita’s Process Chart™ remains in this edition along with a new process chart: Rita’s Agile Process Chart™. These process charts break down what happens in each of the process groups when working on predictive and agile projects. These powerful tools help students gain knowledge and prepare them to answer questions on the exam.
PMP Self-Study Materials Updated for 2023
We have applied this same rigorous approach to our self-study materials. Our PMP Exam simulator has an extensive database of over 2,220 questions. We offer a realistic exam environment with unlimited 180-question exams to test your knowledge. Our popular Hot Topics flashcards for the PMP are also fully aligned to the ECO and accessible from your phone and other mobile devices. We’ve combined these products in our popular PMP Exam Prep System. If you prefer an instructor-guided study experience, RMC’s all-new live online training course is worth considering.
PMP Exam Prep Training
The 11th Edition of RMC’s PMP Exam prep instructor-led course has been updated to reflect new and essential exam content from multiple sources. In addition to original content, the class integrates diverse PMP resources. The new course offers the latest prep tools and techniques including new case studies, exercises, and games, and access to both Rita’s Process Chart™ and the new Rita’s Agile Process Chart™. The class also includes exam simulation with a personalized assessment and a post-class study plan.
Our rich classroom experience is led by PMP-certified instructors focused on teaching practical techniques and test-taking strategies. With proven training techniques, students gain the knowledge needed in a supportive learning environment to pass the exam on the first try.
Key aspects of our class remain the same. First, Rita’s learning method, which maximizes retention – not memorization. Second, we continue to present complex material in a straightforward approachable manner. Finally, our approach allows you to apply your learning to projects, long after exam.
Keep Up on PMP Exam Updates
It’s important to know how the PMP exam in evolving.
RMC is there to help keep you informed. That’s why we offer our free webinar, Take the PMP Exam: What You Need to Know. It’s intended to help stay up-to-date on the PMP exam and help you get your questions answered.
Sources:
https://rmcls.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/pmp-examination-content-outline.pdf
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