Objective: To Become PMP certified professional.

Business Case:

1. Add additional skillset
2. Learn formal approach for Project Management.
3. Enhance opportunity of employment.
4. Prepare myself for self employment and management.



History and Background:-

Well It was long pending task. Basically, poorly managed.

I started preparation in Sept 2011. Joined PMP training course for Four days, this gives me 36 hrs of PDU.

Honestly, before I started PMP, Project Management was simple Activity list with Start, End date, Remarks and Resource name.

So, this training center gave me book from joseph phillips, I completed this book along with Few chapters from PMBOK. Then I went for project work abroad.

This was not considered while planning for preparation. I stopped reading for a while. I re-started again sometime in July 2012 completed PMBOK and this time with RITA's. I was able to finish 60 % chapters and again went out of country. Another study break

November 2013, I decided to prepare again. Only difference was I made commitment (By paying PMI member fee).

Preparation:

Reference books/ Materials:

PMBOK5,
Rita Mulcahy,
PM FASTrack,
PMP Rapid Review (Sean Whitaker) only read M&C and Closing part.

Thanks to Harwinder and Rofa for below notes. It helped a lot.

www.deepfriedbrainproject.com/2008/12/pm...rep-study-notes.html
pmzilla.com/rofa-pmp-notes-4th-edition

Online Test/Sample Questions:
PMStudy,
Passionatepm.com,
Simplilearn,
iwebexam,
Oliver Lehmann PMP test (75Q and 150Q)
PMPlessons4you (150Q)

Strategy:

I gave full length test in Nov-2013 from PM FASTrack and score 55%.

I Completed PMBOK and RITA once. After every topic attempted questions at chapter end. Reviewed all WRONG questions.

Here, I made following mistakes :

1. Not reviewing correct answers, where in I was having doubts.
2. I did not make note of WRONG questions and reasons for my mistake.

Note: It's very important to get hold of concept and above two practices, could have saved rework and repeating mistakes. Yes I did repeated my mistakes during 1st round preparation.

Meanwhile, My application was picked up for audit purpose, this was unplanned event and delayed my exam date by a Month.

I submitted all documents to PMI and got GO AHEAD in one week.

After, completion of 1st round of reading, I gave another Full length from PM FASTrack and scored 71 %. This shows progress but there was, lots of scope to improvement.

I booked Exam slot keeping 3 week of addition preparation time in mind

I started revision and making my own notes. Here again, I did mistake of NOT making my own NOTES from the beginning. Making own note is very important to understand concepts.

My revision was completed 5 days before exam date. And I started giving more tests. I gave tests (mentioned above) and results were NOT AT ALL satisfactory. I scored between 68% to 75%.

My reading speed was very poor, So I took on full test just to focus on my reading speed. It really helped me during final exam.

Last Five days, I took work OFF and stay focused for exam. Everyday I gave test, reviewed wrong and Marked questions. Revised selected concepts, which I make note of during tests.

ITTOs:

I did tried to remember, yes let me be honest. Also RITA's process chart but I am sure this was wastage of time and does not helps. Unless we really understand the concepts.

I changed my strategy to deal with ITTOs and started asking questions to myself. For Example:

Estimate Cost:
What should I need to estimate cost of activity and project?
Why we really need to Estimate cost?
What should be my output after I complete this process?
Which tools and techniques will help me to estimate cost?
If Input is Risk Register Or Stackholder Register, Why should I need this as input? What information this docs will provide me?
If output is Project Management Plan update, which part of this plan will get affected?

Additionally, I made few JORGANs and Tag lines to remember few TTs. This helped to gain confidence. Few are mentioned below.

To Develop Team:- Take them to "TT Ground of RCI" . TT ( Table tennis) RCI is DRDO lab in Hyderabad. So I can easily remember Training, Team Building, Ground Rule, Interpersonal Skills etc.
Activity Estimation: Explain 3rd PARA to Group. (3 point estimate, Parametric, Analogous, Reserve Analysis, Group decision making)
7QC Tool: FISH PaC cSHEET. [Flowchart, Ishikawa, Scatter dia, Histogram, Pareto, Control Chart, Check SHET]
7Quality Management Tool: MITAN diagrams of PMP Data in PC. [Matrix diagram, Interrelationship, Tree, Affinity, Network diagrams, Prioritization Matrix and PDPC]
Collect Requirements: (TT) FIG FOG PQ BCD
Define Activity: RED AAM (TT and output). This is the only process in Schedule PA where Scope Baseline is needed.

My Brain Dump:
Though this does not help directly, but this is MUST and helps answering formulae based Plus few other questions in Final Exam. I covered below items in my sheet, which I used to practice often.

47 PA.
I prepared Grid to remember count in each Row and Column. ROW- 2|24|8|11|2 (47) Initiation to Closing. Column From Integration, Scope …. To Procurement and Stackholder. 6|6|7|4|3|4|3|6|4|4 (47)
This helps me to remember and makes my mistakes easily traceable.

EVM Formulae:
CV, SV, CPI,SPI, EAC (No Variance, Atypical, Flawed), VAC, ETC, TCPI. Thanks to harwinder (Deep Fried Brain for explaining EAC (No variance) and Typical are one and the same formulae.

PTA, Sigma values, Communication channel, Range of estimation, Float, 7QC and QM tools, EMV, SD, PERT,

HR theories, Contract type and highest to lowest Risk (left to right) for Buyer i.e.CPPC, CPFF, CPIF, T&M, FPEPA, FPIF, FFF

KEY Items from my Note

I prepared list of unknown/ unfamiliar terminology from PMBOK, RITA or from Sample questions and online forums.
i.e. Privity,Saliance Model, Force Majeure, Sole source, Fait Acompli, LOI, Apportioned Effort, Central tendency, Velocity, FMEA , Hammock,

PMBOK GLOSSARY- A must read.
RITA has done great job in few topics such as Integrated change control, Procurements …
Harwinder (Deep Fried Brain) really helped me to understand few concepts - WPI, WPD, WPR, EAC, PTA and standard Deviation with control limits.



Final EXAM

I reached exam before one hour. Venue and travel time did checked two days before. Got two scrap books of 4 pages each. Started with my brain dump. It took me 10 min and remaining 5 min I gone through instructions.

First one hour was really tough and my speed was very poor. Only covered 35 to 40 questions. Hence, decided to take break and drink some water and did some starching.
Second hour I gain speed and momentum.

I was able to complete the test in 3:35 hours, hence reviewed the Marked and not covered questions. Then last ten min reviewed as much as questions and answers I can.

Finally, feedback and White screen (not good and PMI should display something instead of White Screen).

Then, I saw CONGRATULATIONS !! And for few seconds It took me time to understand I made it.
Except planning (Proficient) I managed to score MODERATE PROFICIENCY.

Details of my test result yet to come. I am waiting with excitement.

Below are questions distribution from final exam (19th FEB 2014) based on memory:

EMV: 1 Q
EVM: 10 + Q Concept + formulae
Pareto: 3 -4 Q
Contract type: 3 -4 Q
PERT: 1 -2 Q
Network Diagram: 3 - 4 Q
Comm Channel: 3 Q
Risk handling type: 2 -4 Q [Threat, Opportunity] avoid, exploit, accept etc.
ITTO: 02Q direct questions
Float: 02Q
IRR&BCR: 02Q
Closure: 2 - 3 Q
Control Charts: 02 Q
HR:
Team dev. 3- 4 Q,
HR Plan: 1Q
Theories: 03 Q