TOPIC: Finally Got Congratulation message

study.

After my second attempt, I managed to pass my PMP exam. Amazing feeling when you get the congratulation message. After all the hard word I did, still I could not believe that I passed my exam.

The journey started 20 months ago when I started thinking to get a PMP certificate. I have gone through the followings to pass my exam:

Video (not useful)
Rita Book (amazing)
PMBOK V 6 (This is useful as reference) but need to be reviewed.
Edward-Designer
Simulation question. Covered 6000 questions. YES 6000

Three month prior to the exam. Every weekend I studied 5 – 3 and during work days wake up 5 am, go to work at 8, return back at 5 pm, continue study until 8 PM. It is important to keep reading during for the entire week, otherwise you will forget the materials.

During my study, I have learned quite a lot. Although some may say that I have taken a wrong path to pass the exam, possibly some area spend too much time to grasp it, but I do not regret that because I have learned a great deal of information, which have contributed a lot in improving my daily activity at work.

I have memorized all the ITTO. If you ask me what is the ITTO of any of the knowledge area I would tell you every single tools, input, and output, without missing a single one. I have used a technic to achieve that, which I am willing to share with you if you are interested. But it does require lots of revision to memorize it.

Prior to my First attempt, I only covered one Simulation exam 1600. I failed Executing process group, Need Improvement.

The major reason for the success in my second attempt was summarizing PMBOK V6, Rita Book, Edward-Designer, and reviewing them time after time, until I understood what they are talking about and started to connect things together. Of course, the other major reason for the success was covering more questions, which is a MUST.

Something to understand is, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT TO GET SIMILAR QUESTIONS. I covered 6000 questions, not a single question came back on the day of the exam. You just have to understand the questions and the wright as well as the wrong answers. Please do remember that the result I was getting during my practice exam, first attempt, was a range between %60 to %75.

A faze the kept me going was Michelangelo quite: The greatest danger for most of us is to that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.

congratulations you have given me hope. this is my 3rd attempt and i am scared and nervous. please share your itto trick please. you have inspired me to continue fight. i have a bout 3 weeks left to really know this stuff. my area of focus is monitoring & controlling and closing.

Congratulations!
Were most of the exam questions were situational or did you get any direct tools/techniques or math related questions ?Please share.
Can you please share ur ITTO technique.

Archana

Hi Rawand,

Congratulations on passing the PMP Exam on your second attempt! Thank you for sharing your lessons learned with us. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Congrats on passing your PMP! And thank you for sharing your tips for success!

In both exams, I didn't get a direct question on ITTO. However, you may get a scenario that needs you to think about what Input/Tool/Output is used in the area.
Math was a very easy 3 - 4 questions only. one of them was if you CPI and that much and your SPI is that much, what is your status.

Regarding the input/output. I used a single letter for each of Input/Output as follow:

Managment plan
Scope = O
Schedule = S
Cost = $
Requirements = R
Resource = E
Risk = !
Communication = K
Procurement = P
Stakeholders engagement plan = H
Change management plan = C
Baseline: B
Scope Baseline = B1
Schedule baseline = B2
Cost Baseline = B3
Performance measurement baseline =Z
8 = Basis of estimate

Project Documents
Change = c
Change log = g
Project Life Cycle = y
Development approach = d
Management review = m

In this case for Close phase or Project the input can be :
koal for (communication, issue log, assumption, lesson learned)
Bb (business case and Benefits management)
8MQ (for the basis of estimate, milestone, Quality)

and so on, The above is not the complete Input/Output. This will give you the idea of how it works. After writing them down, it requires you to review them a number of times until picture it in your mind.

For the tools, I used sign. Example for Variables Analysis (used wave sign) for Trend (used 45-degree line), for Performance (P), for cost-benefit analysis ($), and for parametric different signe.....etc. This technic was very helpful. As mentioned before, at this point I know every single ITTO for each knowledge areas.

In your case, I wouldn't bother with ITTO, as you don't have much time to memorize it. Please do know that you will not get direct ITTO questions. Therefore, just understand the question and answer based on what you have learned. If I were you I would focus on reading as many questions as I can, especially the paid ones, as they provide the answer to all questions. review any question you failed to answer correctly. I am sure you have spent lots of time to get to this point, therefor just focus and you will be fine. Do remember that during my exam, I thought I will fail, because the questions seem to be difficult. So don't be discouraged if you find it difficult at the beginning, just go through all 200 questions and answer them.

Leave the book aside, and document during reviewing questions to put all your wrong answers and review them. I put the answers based on knowledge areas. This was very useful to succeed in my exam.