TOPIC: Flashcards for studying

Suggestions for virtual or actual flashcards for PMP studying?

I don't recommend using them. Flashcards can feel satisfying because they help you memorize definitions, ITTOs, and formulas. We offered a full deck until about five years ago. Since then, the PMP exam has shifted toward scenario-based questions that test how you interpret information, analyze a situation, and choose the best response. The exam now rewards applied understanding rather than pure recall, so flashcards have lost most of their value.

A more effective strategy is to bring a full-featured exam simulator into your study plan as early as possible. Start with short quizzes to identify gaps, then work up to four-hour practice exams. Every question you answer forces you to apply what you have learned in the same format you will face on test day. Review each explanation carefully, even for the items you get right, because the rationale teaches you how PMI expects you to think.

• Anchor your studies to the Exam Content Outline (ECO). Use it as a checklist to ensure you cover every domain and task.
• Practice “teach-back.” After a study session, explain the concepts to a colleague or even to an empty room. Teaching exposes weak spots faster than rereading notes.
• Mix methodologies. Create mini-case studies for predictive, agile, and hybrid projects. Ask yourself which tools and behaviors fit each context and why.
• Schedule reflection time. After every simulator session, capture three lessons learned and one action you will take to improve. This habit keeps you in continuous-improvement mode all the way to exam day.

If you still like the feel of flashcards, limit them to the few formulas that remain test-worthy, then invest the bulk of your time in scenario practice. Your score will thank you.

Hi Robin - I have to respectfully disagree with Cornelius. (Nothing personal) I am a huge proponent of flashcards, but in a different way. I believe 'manual' flash cards are a great study tool. Let me explain.

As part of the private CAPM, PMP, and PMI-ACP courses I teach, one of the things I ask my students to do before each course begins is to purchase three 100-count packages of lined 3 x 5 index cards. These will be used for the 'manual' flashcards. As we go through the major PMP Exam concepts and principles, I pause for a 'flash card moment'. I have the students write the name of the concept or principle on the blank side of the flashcard, and then we proceed.

After class, I have the students take all the index cards they have accumulated throughout the class, place them in alphabetical order from A to Z, and then look up these terms in the PMBOK Guide glossary and read the definitions. Now, you are probably saying to yourself, "There is no way that I can fit the entire definition on the lined side of an index card for each of these concepts and principles", and you would be correct. The trick is to break down the definitions of these concepts into five or fewer 'keywords' that you are familiar with. Let me give you an example:

When you look up the term 'Expert Judgment' in the PMBOK Guide glossary, you will see the following definition: "Judgment provided based on expertise in an application area, discipline, industry, etc., as appropriate for the activity being performed. Such expertise may be provided by any group or person with specialized education, knowledge skill, experience or training." You can break down this definition into three key words: 'Use of SMEs' (SMEs being Subject Matter Experts). In this way, you are creating the keywords, which makes it easier to understand these different concepts and principles. I used this method back in 2011 when I was studying for the PMP, and it really helped.

One word of caution: Take breaks when you do this because your wrist will start to hurt. We human beings barely write down anything anymore. I am also a proponent of eFlash because you can download these to your smartphone and review them when you're waiting in line, at the doctor's office, or even while eating lunch. You can get these for under $10.00 online. I recommend the ones from Velociteach ( www.velocitech.com ).

I hope this helps.

Happy Studying!

Professor Kevin