I help project professionals get more done with less stress. Having been a project manager for over 20 years, I share tried-and-tested tips that work in the real world, every Tuesday. Join our community of over 15,000 project professionals (and accidental project managers too!).
PMP exam changes (and why this matters even if you aren't a PMP)
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Hello Reader, You might have heard that the PMP exam is changing later this week. And if you've already got your PMP certification or have zero plans to do it, you might wonder why that is news. Honestly, it's not really, because unless you are mid-way through your exam prep this change won't affect you in any day-to-day way. However, it is interesting to see how PMI thinks the work that project managers do is changing. Questions across the PMP certification domains will be split like this from Thursday: People: 33% (was 42%) — not sure I’m in agreement with this, I’d say people were even more important these days Process: 41% (was 50%) — I’m personally happy about this, it represents the fact that we are less wedded to the ‘ideal’ way of doing things and those process questions were tough as they rarely reflected what project managers would actually do at work in my view Business environment: 26% (was a pitiful 8%) — this is the main change. The business environment has SO much more weight in the exam than ever before. More projects are 'complex' than ever before. The International Centre for Complex Project Management says that work can be complex and environments can be complex, and if you read their definitions it could apply to so many projects. Today, I work with more stakeholder groups, in a more dynamic environment, with more inputs, uncertainty, data and moving parts, and I don't even work in a particularly complicated or emerging field. Understanding our business environment is important to make sure we're working with the right people, at the right pace, doing the right things. So business acumen (more on that here) is a crucial skill. And with the APM's Skills Survey concluding that communication and stakeholder engagement are the top two skills for PMs, we have to be able to talk about that business environment and how our projects fit in. Interesting times! Do you think this is an appropriate change for PMI to be making, or should the exam focus more on (easier to test) technical skills? Have a lovely week! Best wishes Elizabeth |
Calling all Rebel Project Managers!
I help project professionals get more done with less stress. Having been a project manager for over 20 years, I share tried-and-tested tips that work in the real world, every Tuesday. Join our community of over 15,000 project professionals (and accidental project managers too!).
Hello Reader, PM Master Quest is a free 30-day project management challenge, and it's back this September! I've been corresponding with the founder, Olivia Pekny, for a few years now, and it's great to see how much this has grown from a quick quiz to a real community event. A new story-driven project situation opens every day in September. Answer the question and track your progress. Last year I didn't manage to do it every day, but I still enjoyed the days I did do. This year, there's the...
Hello Reader, You might know that I've been doing this job over 20 years - now my job title is Senior PM but I started out as a Business Change Analyst. Over the years I've tried a lot of different approaches to managing a heavy project workload, lists, systems, tools, frameworks other people swore by, and the truth is that most of them only solved part of the problem, because most of them were designed for a single project rather than the reality of having several running at the same time....
Hello Reader, One way I see people involved in projects in any capacity elevate their careers is by really honing their business analysis skills. As a project manager, I’ve often been in situations where I’ve had to do some business analysis to help get the project through scoping and requirements, even though that’s not my “real” job. I did some BA training earlier in my career, and it’s been hugely useful. Knowing the tools and techniques can help you scope a project and ask the correct...