Most folks studying for the Project Management Professional
(PMP) exam are unaware of the framework that lives just below the surface of
the exam. This same framework of domains and tasks exists in many other types
of situation/scenario-based certification exams.
By considering the very recent changes and trends in the PM
profession, the Project Management Institute (PMI) likes to keep their exams
current. They respin the exam every few years. It’s easy to do the respin when
the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), that is the basis for the
exam, changes every four to five years (the next PMBOK update will occur in
2017). But what happens in between (like now)? The PMI calls this respin a Role
Delineation Study (RDS) change. Without changing the underlying PMBOK
edition-base of the PMP exam, they keep the exam current. In a nutshell, it’s
nothing more than changing the mix of the scenarios. The changed domains and
tasks are actually part of the scenarios.
As I mentioned, the scenarios in the exam relate to a
specific task-based situation that a PM could run into in the real world. Those
scenarios outline something going on in one or more of the five Process Groups
(PGs); Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, and
Closing. These are the domains of the exam.
Each of the many exam scenarios, requires you to figure-out
what needs to happen to answer the questions that come after the scenario. That
‘what needs to happen’ part is/are the task(s) associated with the specific
domain in the scenario’s premise. There is a science involved in each of those
scenarios. For example, the set of activities involved in something like:
Participate in the development of
the project charter by compiling and analyzing gathered information in order to
ensure that project stakeholders are in agreement on its elements.
is considered a specific task that an exam aspirant should
know how to accomplish.
Each domain contains many tasks. All of those tasks are put
together to build the scenarios and the questions in the exam.
They also changed the domain mix (the number of
scenarios/questions from each domain) by a single percentage point; taking from
Executing and adding to Closing.
So that’s all there is to it. They just take tasks that any
exam aspirant should know anyway and mix them up a little differently. See http://www.pmi.org/~/media/PDF/Certifications/pmp-certification-exam-outline.ashx
for the actual list of the changes. There is no significantly new knowledge. They
make it sound like there is, but when you really look at the ‘cross-cutting
knowledge and skills’ required for the new tasks, there is really nothing new
that you will be questioned on. Those skill are listed in the PMI page cited just
above here. Once you read it you’ll agree there is nothing you will not already
know. The Fifth Edition of the Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge will remain the base of the PMP exam for another couple years.
The revised exam transitions in November 2015. If you were
to compare a pre-RDS exam and a post-RDS exam, you would not be able to find
the differences. So, don’t sweat that cut-over date.
Just keep on studying and good luck on your exam.
Regards,
Dana Safford
