Fast Track PMP study

Its surprising how we can achieve something we think is impossible to be done. And I experienced it recently when I attempted PMP (Project Management Professional) certification. Ofcourse, its not an impossible task for anyone. But I termed it impossible in the begining considering that till 9th of December 2015, all I had done was glancing some 150 pages of Rita Mulchay's exam prep 8th edition. Exam date being 6th of January 2016, I had less than 30 days in hand.

And out of those 27 days, I was sure that I would not be able to give my 100 % for 1/4th of the time owing to Christmas/DDs birthday/Planned family vacation/New year celebrations. So my first sensible step should have been postponing the dates and coming back with better study plan. But I decided otherwise and took a huge risk with the most important exam. Not because I was confident I would clear it, but because I knew that I will never be able to have that perfect day when I am all prepared. 

On a lighter note, Engineers are better at last minute studies than planned studies. 

So I decided to talk to few people I know who had cleared the exam recently and who I  know would give me proper advise on how to do focused studies for these 20 days. Mind you, when we say focused studies, like other exams you cannot skip a complete chapter or knowledge area. Its more like out of the vast ocean of resources you can refer to, which resources will best equip you to understand the concepts and make you ready for answering the use case based questions.

Again I will re-iterate, this 20 days focused study plan is not the best way to deal with the exams. But guide as to how the match is not lost till the last ball.

So here we go

Study Material

PMBOK (Appendix and Glossary also important) (Read twice)

Rita’s Book. (Read once)

Kim heldman book “PMP project management Professional Exam study Guide”

Head First PMP

Study Groups/Forums

I want to be a PMP® (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2356441)

Izenbridge – Sanket Bansal (Videos on youtube)

Exam questions : http://www.pmstudy.com

PMI- Lakeshore chapter membership

Exam questions : (At least 2000 questions recommended)

Scorodo (1-18 tests of 50 questions on PMI site) http://pmi.books24x7.com/toc.aspx?bookid=55550

http://pmi.books24x7.com/assetviewer.aspx?bookid=32020&chunkid=126757318

Sanket Bansal http://www.izenbridge.com/pmp/free-exam/

http://www.headfirstlabs.com/PMP/pmp_exam/v2/quiz.html

http://edwel.com/Free-Resources/PMP-Certification-Practice-Exam.aspx

http://www.techfaq360.com/pmpmockexamstart.jsp

http://thecertschool.com/2015/09/17/pmp-itto-quiz/

http://www.pmstudy.com

Things to remember

Numerical formulas: 

Triangular distribution

PERT

Earned value formulas

Precedence diagram calculations (network diagram)

Communication channel formulas

Selection criteria formulas

Figures: 

Earned Value, Planned Value and Actual cost (Fig 7-12)

Salience Model for Stakeholder (Online resources)

Power-Impact grid 

ITTOs ( tricks to remember Triple constraints and Triplets)

Risk Management

Quality Management

Perform integrated change control

Validate Scope

7 Basic Quality Tools (CP CH FCS) and Quality control tools (API TPAM)

Tuckman model (FormingStormingNormingPerformingAdjorning)

Conflict resolution techniques (important)