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July 20, 2121 Updated
Are you here because PMBOK(r), Guide Seventh Edition is out? Don’t worry. There are no plans to update the Exam Outline for Project Management Professional (PMP(r)) at the moment.
It’s okay to use materials that you already have if you’re studying for the test. Make sure that they are up-to-date with the 2021 changes. All reliable sources have been doing this for years.
It is well-known that the Project Management Professional (PMP(r) exam was changed in January 2021. But what exactly is the difference?
Oh, the exam has changed! I didn’t know. How did this happen?
When will the PMP(r), exam be changed?
What has changed since the last update?
Books that are recommended for PMP and CAPM Prep
How the questions are divided on the new exam
OK. What else did you change?
How agile are you in the exam?
Are you able to work with a team?
What should I do?
Recommended books for PMP and CAPM Prep
Do I need to be concerned about changes in the PMP exam?
Oh, the exam has changed! I didn’t know. How did this happen?
Okay, maybe it’s not so well-known.
PMI conducts an assessment of the day-to-day activities of project managers every so often. These were previously Role Delineation Studies, or RDS. They talk about a Job Task Analysis this time, but it’s pretty much the same thing.
PMI, or more specifically, the agency contracted for this work, will look at the day-to-day activities of a project manager and link it back to the qualification.
If they did, you’d see that the PMP exam was still based upon the methods of working we used back when the certification was first introduced.
PMI’s latest analysis has shown that the role of project managers has changed. PMI wants to emphasize Agile methods of working. This is why the exam has been updated.
When will the PMP(r), exam be changed?
At the moment, there are no planned future changes. What you need to know will not be changed by the 2021 PMBOK(r), Guide Seventh Edition.
PMI updates the exam every few year to keep it relevant. It is possible that there will be future changes. You’re good to go for now.
What has changed since the last update?
There were five knowledge domains. This has changed, and there are now only three knowledge domains in the new exam content outline. These are:
People – This new domain focuses on the skills required to effectively lead a project team.
Processes – This is where all technical PM skills are located
Business Environment – This domain connects the dots between strategy and projects, something I’ve been talking about for a long time… so it’s great that the exam finally recognizes what is important for our roles.
As you can see the exam content is very different from the current outline. The knowledge domains represent the project lifecycle.
Each new domain is composed of a number tasks (in the same manner as the old exam content outline).
Recommended books for PMP and CAPM Prep
Andy Crowe – How to Pass the PMP Exam on Your First Attempt
Rita Mulcahy teaches PMP Exam Prep
Rita Mulcahy teaches CAPM Exam Prep
Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKr) Guide from PMI
Cornelius Fichtner: The 50 PMP Exam Questions Everyone Does Wrong
How the questions are divided on the new exam
The following is how questions are divided across domains:
OK. What else did you change?
Yes.
PMI states that project managers today work in a variety environments. The exam must reflect the “value spectrum”, which can include agile, predictive, and hybrid approaches.
This means that you will see questions about each environment on the exam. Each environment is covered in the three exam domains.
It is