Is PMP Exam Totally Changed After PMBOK 6 [Latest Edition]??

Finally, the updated version of PMP exam based on PMBOK 6 is released on March 26^th, 2018!

Yes, this new version of Project Management Professional (PMP) exam is based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge 6^th edition (PMBOK 6). Worth mention, there is no overlap between the old version and new version of the exam. You will not be able to make an attempt for the PMP exam based on PMBOK 5^th edition after March 26^th, 2018, 12:01 AM. So, all the candidates who are now planning to become certified PMPs will enroll for the PMBOK 6 based PMP exam.

In this article, you will get to know about the PMBOK 6 changes, how it will affect the preparation plan and when to go for the exam. So, let’s start with an introduction to PMP exam!

Introduction to PMP Certification Exam

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is the most prestigious examination for project managers across the globe. The Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI) organizes the PMP certification exam.  Enrolling in PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP) certification program offers a range of benefits for all the project managers, both by education and experience. PMI also releases the preparation guide known as the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) as the ultimate guide to PMP preparation. This PMBOK is updated every 4-5 years to revise the exam content outline. Thus the new edition of the PMBOK is released that brings the new version of PMP exam.

PMP has set a gold standard for project management certification, making it a well-esteemed credential for project managers and higher executive levels. Every year, thousands of PMP aspirants spend hundreds of hours preparing for the exam, while working on a full-time basis considering that they are high-level executives with good project management experience. Aspirants (project managers by education or experience) need to meet the qualification criteria to be able to appear for the PMP Certification.

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New Version of PMP – PMBOK 6^th Edition

Currently, the PMBOK 6 (Sixth Edition) is the latest version in the market and was released on September 6, 2017. PMBOK contains the entire syllabus that would be covered in the PMP certification examination and is only available for registered users on the PMI Website. Only the registered candidates on PMI website with a licensed copy of the PMBOK can prepare, schedule and appear for the PMP certification exam. First launched in 1996, PMBOK’s later editions came out in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2013 and 2017 with the last one being PMBOK® 6.

Big Announcement of PMBOK 6 Changes

As per the official announcement made by the PMI Inc., here are a few details of the changes in the PMBOK 6 and the reasons for these revisions. The PMI announced that changes to the PMBOK 6 will ensure “consistent use of terminology and harmonizes process groups, tools, and techniques between the Guide and the exam”.

However, the PMP exam content outline will not be updated despite the changes in the PMBOK 6. PMI has also mentioned that the active practitioners from across the global author the PMBOK® Guide and the questions for PMP certification exam to ensure the PMP ‘remains relevant and reflects current practice’.

It is a common practice for the PMI Institute to upgrade and revise the PMBOK® guide every now and then to keep up with the changing trends and improvements in the project management arena. Amidst a lot of anxiety and excitement, PMI has released the PMBOK® 6 on September 6^th, 2017 with some changes to the syllabus in the upcoming PMP certification exam.

In this regard, PMP aspirants who are planning to give their exam in 2018 are concerned about the changes and how it affects their preparation patterns. PMI announced that the updated version of the Project Management Professional (PMP) will be released on 26 March 2018, and it has been.

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What has Changed in PMBOK 6?

The material is extensively different, not dramatically. What is the meaning of this statement??

The statement implies that the base of the project management has not changed. In this latest edition, PMP practitioners have focused on offering the clarification on the techniques and tools supporting project efforts. The five project processes will remain same without any change. The material covered in PMBOK 6 guide is evolutionary, not revolutionary.

As per the announcement from the Project Management Institute, the changes made on the PMBOK® 6 guide would be applicable to those who are planning to appear in the PMP exam after 26 March 2018. Here are the updates on the PMBOK® 6 guide as mentioned by the PMI.

• The additional chapters on project manager role.
  • Focus on Effective Leadership including Essential Competencies, Skills, and Experience
• Renaming of two knowledge areas to accurately reflect areas that can/cannot be managed.
  • Time Management renamed to Schedule Management.
  • Human Resource Management renamed to Resource Management.
• Four New sections in every knowledge area.
  • Key Concepts
  • Tailoring Considerations
  • Trends and Emerging Practices
  • Considerations for Agile/Adaptive Environment
• Some of the existing terms have been replaced with the new terms.

Difference between PMBOK 5 and PMBOK 6 ( PMBOK 5 Vs PMBOK 6 )

As mentioned earlier, the updated edition of PMBOK i.e. PMBOK 6 comes with many changes that make it different from PMBOK 5. It is important to have an overview of PMBOK 5 Vs PMBOK 6 to understand the changes in PMBOK 6th Edition. The considerable points of difference between PMBOK 5 and PMBOK 6 are as below –

1. Change in Processes

In PMBOK 6^th Edition, the total number of processes has been increased to 49 from 47 with the addition of three new processes and deletion of one process. Also, the name of some processes has been changed that is mentioned in this table.

2. Renaming of Knowledge Areas

Two knowledge areas have been renamed to accurately express the areas. The knowledge areas that have been renamed are –

• Time Management renamed to Schedule Management
• Human Resource Management renamed to Schedule Management

3. Movement of Section

Also, the section 6.4 of PMBOK 5 named Estimate Activity Resources has been moved to the section Project Resource Management.

4. Merger of Chapters

The Chapter 2^nd Organizational influences and Project Life Cycle and Chapter 3^rd Project Management Process of the PMBOK 5 has been merged to the Chapter 2^nd  The Environment in Which Project Operates  of the PMBOK 6.

5. Addition of New Chapter on the Role of Project Manager

The new chapters on the role of project manager have been added as Chapter 3^rd in PMBOK 6 that focuses on PMI Talent Triangle. These chapters are –

• Focus on Effective Leadership including Essential Competencies, Skills, and Experience

PMP Talent Triangle consists of Strategic and Business Management, Leadership, and Technical Project Management.

6. Addition of New Sections in Chapters

Every chapter of the PMBOK 6 has four new sections namely –

•  Key concepts – This new section has been added to make PMBOK interesting to read. This section will explain the summary of the chapter, this will make the chapter easy to understand.
• Tailoring considerations – This section tailors the processes to meet the requirements of the project, stakeholders, and organizations. In this section, those areas are covered that a project manager should consider during the tailoring of processes.
• Trends and Emerging Practices – This section of the chapter consists of the emerging practices and trends that are not required to be practiced now during the project executions.
• Considerations for Agile/Adaptive Environments – This section introduces some agile techniques and tools such as iteration planning and sprint. The areas that follow a different approach in the agile environment are covered in this section.

7. Appendix

Appendix X3, X4, X5 and X6 of the PMBOK 6 covers of Agile Environment, Key Concepts, Tailoring Considerations, and Tools & Techniques respectively. Reading these appendixes will help the candidates to understand the concepts and themes of PMBOK 6.

PMP Exam: Change Your Preparation Plan Now!

Considering that there are some changes in the PMBOK® 6 compared to the PMBOK® 5, PMP Aspirants may still find the current PMP preparation material, online training courses, and other resources helpful. Note that you can only follow the PMBOK® 5 guide if your certification exam had been scheduled before 26 March 2018. However, if you are planning to schedule your PMP exam post 26 March 2018, you need to follow the new PMBOK® 6 guide.

Hence, the latter who are giving their exam post 26 March 2018 need to ensure they cover the additional syllabus on the PMBOK® 6 book. You can download the book from the PMI site if you are already registered on the site.

Here I want to make some recommendations for your preparation plan. As per my suggestion, candidates have to give 40-200 hours of efforts with the required 35 hours of PMP hours of project management education. In the exam, the candidates need to solve 200 questions in the duration of 4 hours the confidence and comfort level is required to be high to achieve the success.

You need to set a preparation plan following some study processes and mental retention methods. Arrange the exam content in a manner that will be best for you to make the preparation. Find an ideal learning process that will work for you and will help you pass the certification exam. Get rid of the stress and pressure as it may hinder the process of effective learning!

Should I Rush or Wait to Give PMP Exam?

An average person may take 2-3 months to cover the entire PMBOK 6 syllabus and to get fully prepared for the exam. Aspirants are given a maximum of 3 attempts to clear the exam within the duration of a year. Considering the above-discussed changes, if you are about to start your preparation on April 1st, you might be confident enough to schedule the assessment in July or later.

So, keep one thing in mind, early appearance can’t help you pass the certification exam. The important thing is that you should be prepared well and for that you need enough time. Timing plays the most important role to consider and apply for the PMP exam. You should consider the following points in mind –

• It may take several hours or even days to prepare for the PMP exam application. You need to collect personal information and get an exposure to project management techniques in the same format as required by PMI.
• On submission, PMI will take 5-10 business days to review your application.
• If PMI selects you to audit (only 10-20% candidates are chosen for the process improvement), you will have to submit all the information i.e. audit packet requested. This process may take a minimum of a week to get completed.
• Once you submit the audit packet, PMI will take 5 business days to review and process the received information.
• On the approval of the application, you will receive a voucher and will be asked to pay for the exam.
• On receiving the voucher, you can choose the testing center and schedule the date for the exam. You will be able to choose location, date, and time for the exam as per your convenience.
• After the exam acceptance, you are allowed to take three attempts of the exam within a period of one year.

So, don’t rush, concentrate on the preparation and prepare well. When you think that only revision part is pending from your side, apply for the exam. Revise the exam content, check your preparation level with practice tests, rework on weak areas, and you will be ready to pass the certification exam.

If you are planning to become a certified Project Management Professional, start your brand-new preparation with PMBOK® 6 edition. The previous edition is no more applicable for 2018 (and later) aspirants, so it’s the time to get your hands on the latest version of PMBOK.

Some Common Frequently Asked Questions FAQs on New PMP Exam – PMBOK 6

With the release of new version of PMP Exam based on the PMBOK 6^th Edition, PMP aspirants may have many questions in their mind. There may be some confusion or some queries regarding PMBOK 6 as well as the PMP exam. So, we have enlisted some common frequently asked questions on the new PMP Exam – PMBOK 6. Let’s move ahead and clear out the confusion:

#1 When was the 6^th Edition of PMBOK Guide released? When will the PMP exam get aligned to PMBOK 6?

Answer: The 6^th Edition of PMBOK Guide was released by PMI on Sep 6^th, 2017. The PMP exam has also been aligned to PMBOK 6 from Mar 26^th, 2018.

#2 In how many languages has the translation of PMBOK 6^th Edition been released?

Answer: PMBOK 6^th Edition has been released with translation in 11 languages. So, the PMBOK 6 is available in 11 additional 11 languages with English, these languages are Italian, Korean, Arabic, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Russian, German, Portuguese  Brazilian,  Spanish, and Hindi. If you don’t find your language in the list of translation note that the languages have been chosen on the basis of customer demand.

#3 How will the new edition of PMBOK impact me?

Answer: Although the change in edition does not change the project management knowledge many new concepts will be considered now in the PMP exam. Few processes have been removed, some new have added with more focus, while many of the existing has been renamed. If you are preparing for PMP exam in 2018 or later, you will have to understand the changes made in PMBOK 6 to pass the PMP exam.

#4 Where can I get PMBOK 6^th Edition?

Answer: You can get a copy of PMBOK 6^th Edition from the PMI online store on PMI website. If you are a registered member of PMI, you are eligible to download a free copy of PMBOK 6 Guide in PDF format. If you can find, you can also buy PMBOK 6 from the bookstores near you.

#5 Where can I get updated PMP exam training and practice material?

Answer: You can get the PMBOK 6 and other study material for updated PMP exam from PMI with the PMI membership. Also, all the Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s ) of PMI have updated their training and practice materials as per the PMBOK 6. Whizlabs is the R.E.P of PMI Education. So, if you are an aspirant looking for the training for updated PMP exam based on PMBOK 6 to pass the exam, Whizlabs can help you achieve your goal.

Whizlabs is aimed to grow up with the changes and thus have updated its PMP course with the new changes of PMBOK 6. The updated course has a complete coverage of the revised exam content, emerging practices and trends with a focus on business knowledge and strategies. Begin your preparation for PMP – PMBOK 6 exam and Whizlabs PMP Online Course and Exam Simulator will help you pass the certification exam.

We have covered few common frequently asked questions here about the new version of PMP exam and PMBOK 6. If any of your questions have been left uncovered, feel free to submit your questions below in the comment section. We will be happy to answer you!

Wish you luck for the PMP – PMBOK 6 exam!

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About Pavan Gumaste

Pavan Rao is a programmer / Developer by Profession and Cloud Computing Professional by choice with in-depth knowledge in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform. He helps the organisation figure out what to build, ensure successful delivery, and incorporate user learning to improve the strategy and product further.

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