Hi Marielle,

I would agree that agile is a little bit of an abstract idea to wrap your head around especially if you are not practicing the methodology in your everyday work life. It helped me better when i was able to wrap my head around the fact that typical project plans before agile were very rigid and firm. All information related to the project are relatively fixed and known up front. A person building a modular home knows exactly how much material, labor, time etc they will need to build that same house over and over. They can then create a standard waterfall plan to say it will cost us $XYZ dollars and ABC days to complete your home. Here are the risk, here is the timeline, here are the cost. This is because this information and details are known at the star of a project.

I work in software implementation as a Project Manager . Our customers usually don't know all of their requirements at the start of the project. This means, it would be impossible to give a deadline (time) , a fixed value for materials, a fixed value for labor, etc. Because this is the case, AGILE works in checkpoints where priority is given to the most important task/deliverable that returns value to the customer. If I'm building a customers website for E-commerce sales with waterfall, I will know exactly how the site will be built and it associated risk. With AGILE I will build portions of the website as we go and more data or requirements are available to me. This usually means we have to meet more to extract this information (workshops, Check-ins, SCRUM) and prioritize action items, but since we meet more we don't document as much as a traditional project because the details are ever changing.

I'll be glad to help answer any additional questions as they relate to AGILE. I have been utilizing it as my primary form of Implementation Project Management for the last 7 years while working cooperatively with partners who implement with a traditional waterfall approach.

Hey Marielle,

first off, congratulations on the promotion. That’s already a huge step forward. And yes, I completely understand the pressure — when your company is paying for the PMP exam,
The expectation to pass can feel intense.

Here are some solid, proven strategies that have worked not only for me but also for many professionals I’ve supported on their certification journey:

Start with a structured plan: Don’t just study randomly — treat your preparation like a project. Define the scope, build a schedule, and track your progress.
Use simple tools like a study plan spreadsheet or a Kanban board to stay organized and accountable.

Choose your resources wisely:

PM PrepCast and the PM Exam Simulator are among the most effective tools available.

Make sure you understand the PMI Exam Content Outline (ECO) — it’s your real roadmap.

Read both the PMBOK Guide 6th and 7th Editions, but don’t try to memorize everything. Focus on understanding the logic behind the frameworks.

The Agile Practice Guide is essential — you can expect a good number of Agile and hybrid scenario questions.

Shift your mindset: The PMP exam is not about memorizing ITTOs. It’s about thinking and responding like a professional project manager. On the exam, always choose the answer
that reflects leadership, stakeholder empathy, and value-driven decision-making.

Practice under real conditions: Take full-length mock exams under timed conditions, and more importantly, review every question you get wrong. Understanding your mistakes
Is one of the most effective ways to improve.

Don’t go it alone: A study group or accountability partner can make a big difference. And if you’re looking for a more direct path to success, consider working with a mentor who’s
walked this path before.

If you want structured, personalized support to increase your chances of passing on your first attempt, I offer 1:1 PMP mentoring and prep coaching. Just reach out if you're interested —
happy to guide you through the process.

By the way, if you decide to go with the PM PrepCast Elite PLUS, there’s a special $50 discount available this month (valid through May 31). It includes the full video course, simulator,
study guide, and more. Let me know if you need the code or details.

You’ve got this. The PMP exam isn’t just about knowledge — it’s about mindset, confidence, and clarity under pressure. I’m rooting for you.

Best,

Markus

"Hey! Great to hear you're exploring the PMP with your IT background.

Quick breakdown on the requirements:

> If you’ve got a 4-year degree, you’ll need 36 months of project experience and 35 hours of PM education.

> For the 35 hours, I’d recommend:
- Google’s PMP course on Coursera
- Udemy (Joseph Phillips’ course is a fave)
- Or an official PMI training partner if you want something more formal.

As for experience, IT projects like deployments, migrations, or system rollouts often count—just frame your role around planning, leading, and delivering.

Happy to help if you want to talk through what experience qualifies. You're closer than you think!"

Moderator note: Both messages below are in response to this question here from Samantha: www.project-management-prepcast.com/kune...-pmp-exam-simulators

Hi Samantha!

I can only confirm and reinforce what Harry has already written. I also used the PrepCast Simulator—granted, back in 2014—but I’ve been closely following its development ever since,
especially since I’m also a partner of OSP. The simulator has only improved over time.

I’m familiar with several other simulators on the market, and I can assure you that none offer the same range of features as the PrepCast Simulator. Based on my experience and opinion,
it remains the best simulator on the market, offering the best price-performance ratio.

Of course, you might find cheaper or even free options online. However, free resources are often just compiled papers taken from questionable sources.
I strongly discourage using these because they are usually outdated, inaccurate, or unreliable. Some legitimate listings of free question banks, such as the one from Oliver Lehmann,.
These are good for additional practice but don’t provide an authentic exam simulation experience.

That’s where the PrepCast Simulator truly stands out. Unlike free PDFs or static question listings, it provides a fully interactive tool to simulate the exam environment.
You can customize it to fit your study needs—whether you want to run short quizzes to validate specific knowledge areas or go for full-blown 4-hour exam simulations.
The simulator also includes advanced analytics to help you track your progress and identify weak areas.

The simulator's webpage has a complete list of features. This month, a promo code for the Deluxe version offers a 10% discount.
So, this is the best deal you can take advantage of.

Best of luck with your studies!

Best,
Markus

Plenty of time to get it done if you're disciplined to do it. Cornelius has a 6 week study method in one of the PM Podcasts that sounds like a real winner. The trick is that you have to be disciplined enough to do it!

Good luck!

Harry

Hi Guys, I rergistered for PMP last year and never could find time to start studying. Today reliazed that the eligibility will expire on Jan 4. Thats my test date now. I am freraking out since just 2 months for prep. Amy one else rowing in the same boat? or want to dive head on for PMP prep. Please let me know.

I am taking the PMP exam in September and need a study partner. Anyone interested?