The PMP exam content change is now in effect. The new version of the PMP exam was launched on 2nd January.
PMP candidates that prepared for the previous exam have to bridge the knowledge gap to pass the new version.
PMP candidates, especially those who couldn’t schedule their exam before the new version was launched have been asking this question:
What should we expect and how can we adequately prepare for the new exam?
This article highlights useful and important information to answer this question.
The new exam overview
The new exam will cover both predictive (waterfall) and adaptive (agile/hybrid) approaches to project management. This is because project management practice involves both approaches. A certification that validates you as a Project Management Professional should test candidates on the approaches used.
The exam would contain about 50% of predictive and 50% of adaptive (agile/hybrid).
This means that if you studied for the old version of the exam, you have at least 50% of the knowledge required to pass the new version of the exam. All you need to do is to bridge the knowledge gap by gaining knowledge on the adaptive approach which are Agile & Hybrid.
Due to PMI’s continued commitment to support candidates who prepared or were preparing for the old exam to be adequately prepared for the new version of the PMP exam; PMI would provide All PMP candidates (eligible to schedule their exam) before the exam change with free access to an online course that would provide knowledge on the additional content (such as Agile & hybrid) for the new version of the exam.
A link to the course will be sent in mid-January. You can find out more details about this here
According to PMI: “Content that spans the value spectrum, including predictive, agile, and hybrid approaches, will be included across the new three exam domains.”
The new domains
The new exam will focus on three new domains:
- PEOPLE – emphasizing the skills and activities associated with effectively leading a project team
- PROCESS – reinforcing the technical aspects of managing a project
- BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT – highlighting the connection between projects and organization strategy
The new exam format
• The new exam contains180 questions but only 175 would be scored which is the same number of questions that were scored in the old exam.
In the previous exam, there were 200 questions, however, only 175 questions were scored. The remaining 25 are pretest questions (which show up randomly throughout the exam). They are used to test questions that can be used and added to the pool of future PMP exam questions
• One additional break for a total of two 10-minute breaks for computer-based tests.
No scheduled breaks for paper-based exams. There was only one 10-minute break in the old version of the exam
• 230 minutes to complete the exam
In the previous exam, there were 240 minutes to complete the exam (200 questions), now there are 230 minutes to complete 180 questions.
However, with one additional 10-minute break, it means that there are approximately 1.2 minutes to complete 1 question in the new version of the exam which is the same time duration to complete one question in the old version of the exam.
So technically, it’s still the same time duration available to complete the exam
• Updated question types
Questions will be a combination of multiple-choice, multiple responses, matching, hotspot, and limited fill-in-the-blank.In the old version of the exam, the only question type was multiple-choice
Find out more about the question format change and some prototype examples from PMI.
Wondering how to pass the new version of the PMP Exam? Join my PMP exam Group Coaching program. The program consists of everything you need to PASS the PMP exam.
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