On Becoming PMP Certified

1. On Becoming PMP Certified Robert S. Banks, MBA, PMP April 3, 2010

2. Project Management Professional (PMP) This credential started in 1984, and today there are over 360K active PMP’s (367,619 as of January 2010 data)This credential started in 1984, and today there are over 360K active PMP’s (367,619 as of January 2010 data)

3. Objective Provide attendees with a clear purpose and path for Project Management Professional Certification Why? How?

4. Agenda Definitions Why Become a PM Professional (PMP) How to Become Certified How Do You Stay Certified Questions Timing: Opening, cover Agenda and Definitions 5-6 minutes Why? 10 – 15 minutes How to Become Certified 40 – 45 minutes How to Stay Certified 8 – 10 Minutes Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct 5 – 8 Minutes Questions & Wrap Up 3 – 5 Minutes Questions and Wrap Up Timing: Opening, cover Agenda and Definitions 5-6 minutes Why? 10 – 15 minutes How to Become Certified 40 – 45 minutes How to Stay Certified 8 – 10 Minutes Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct 5 – 8 Minutes Questions & Wrap Up 3 – 5 Minutes Questions and Wrap Up

5. Definitions Project – a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result (PMBoK) Project Management – the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements Certification – obtaining a certificate that attests to the truth of an event or some statement

6. Why PMP Certification?

7. Certifications

8. PMI Top 10 Reasons Show your commitment to the project management profession Recognize your knowledge, skills and abilities Reflect achievement Can lead to greater earnings Can lead to career opportunities and advancement PMI has other credentials (PgMP, CAPM, RMP) PMI has other credentials (PgMP, CAPM, RMP)

9. PMI Top 10 Reasons Prepare you for greater job responsibilities Improve skills and knowledge Build self confidence Allow for greater recognition from peers Enhance the profession

10. This survey from InformationWeek back in February shows a slight separation in base pay for someone with a certification versus not being certified. Note the green arrow pointing to the certification pay, and the red arrow points to the non-certified Security profession.This survey from InformationWeek back in February shows a slight separation in base pay for someone with a certification versus not being certified. Note the green arrow pointing to the certification pay, and the red arrow points to the non-certified Security profession.

11. What Do Local PMP’s Say?

12. What are Your Reasons? ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ Have students take a couple of minutes to jot down why they would personally consider certification.Have students take a couple of minutes to jot down why they would personally consider certification.

13. How To Become Certified Let’s talk about how to become certified. It helps to start with the basic requirements that one must meet.Let’s talk about how to become certified. It helps to start with the basic requirements that one must meet.

14. PMP Eligibility Requirements You must at least have a High School diploma. With a Bachelor’s degree, the PM experience requirements are less as noted in the chart. For HS, …You must at least have a High School diploma. With a Bachelor’s degree, the PM experience requirements are less as noted in the chart. For HS, …

15. Key Steps to Certification

16. Documentation Cover the application process here list what is needed to complete the application explain how time is calculation to achieve the total number of hours explain how to submit the application warn about possible audits of the applicationCover the application process here list what is needed to complete the application explain how time is calculation to achieve the total number of hours explain how to submit the application warn about possible audits of the application

17. The Application Checklist Formal Name Valid Email Address Document Education Document Professional Experience Document 35 Contact Hours of PM Training Affirm – Read/Understand Policies/Procedures Affirm – True and Accurate Information provided Make Payment - $405/$555 Application can be submitted: Online 5 days to process Postal mail 10 days to process Application can be submitted: Online 5 days to process Postal mail 10 days to process

18. Applying Online

19. Documenting Project Experience

20. Documenting Project Experience

21. Documenting Project Experience

22. Exercise

23. Exercise: Identifying Project Work Daily cash reconciliation Project Not a project Planning a family reunion in Aruba Project Not a project Implementing Windows 7 on all company PC’s Project Not a project

24. Exercise: Identifying Project Work Organizing the company’s annual picnic Project Not a project Developing and producing the monthly financial reports Jan-Dec Project Not a project Developing a start-up company’s business plan Project Not a project

25. Exercise: Start Documenting Your PM Experience (1) Take 5 minutes and write down samples of your past work experiences that fall into the “project” category Title: State the Objective: Document Your Role: Start Date: End Date: Verification Contact Info:

26. Exercise: Start Documenting Your PM Experience (2) Take 5 minutes and write down samples of your past work experiences that fall into the “project” category Title: State the Objective: Document Your Role: Start Date: End Date: Verification Contact Info:

27. Training Document what is required, pulled from PMI websiteDocument what is required, pulled from PMI website

28. Training Providers PMI Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.’s) PMI Components Organizations Employee/Company-sponsored Programs Training Companies & Consultants Distance-learning Companies University/Colleges Academic and Continuing Education Programs PMI Component Organizations – PMI chapters, SIG’s, colleges Does not satisfy: PMI chapter meetings Self-directPMI Component Organizations – PMI chapters, SIG’s, colleges Does not satisfy: PMI chapter meetings Self-direct

29. PM Knowledge Areas Scope creep Knowing when the project is finished WBS – work packages that can be controlled and trackedScope creep Knowing when the project is finished WBS – work packages that can be controlled and tracked

30. PM Knowledge Areas Network diagram Critical path Project schedule—on or behind schedule Defining the tasks and assigning to team membersNetwork diagram Critical path Project schedule—on or behind schedule Defining the tasks and assigning to team members

31. PM Knowledge Areas How much will resources, materials, training, travel, meetings, services cost the project. Earned Value Actual Costs Cost Variances Estimate at CompletionHow much will resources, materials, training, travel, meetings, services cost the project. Earned Value Actual Costs Cost Variances Estimate at Completion

32. PM Knowledge Areas Six Sigma Building quality in Quality control to ensure a good product or service Quality assurance to ensure good PM execution Six Sigma Building quality in Quality control to ensure a good product or service Quality assurance to ensure good PM execution

33. PM Knowledge Areas Planning for the people on the team Developing team dynamics Managing the team members Dealing with conflicts and performance issues Assessing needs and skills requirementsPlanning for the people on the team Developing team dynamics Managing the team members Dealing with conflicts and performance issues Assessing needs and skills requirements

34. PM Knowledge Areas Stakeholders and Analysis and expectation management Communicating status and progress of project Developing an overall communications plan Meeting minutes and distributionStakeholders and Analysis and expectation management Communicating status and progress of project Developing an overall communications plan Meeting minutes and distribution

35. PM Knowledge Areas

36. PM Knowledge Areas Contracts and agreements to procure what is needed for this project. Selecting vendors Here you learn about various contracts and how to calculate costs based on the contract terms and conditions. Closing contractsContracts and agreements to procure what is needed for this project. Selecting vendors Here you learn about various contracts and how to calculate costs based on the contract terms and conditions. Closing contracts

37. PM Knowledge Areas This overarching knowledge area ties all other areas together. Oversees the execution and monitoring of the project.This overarching knowledge area ties all other areas together. Oversees the execution and monitoring of the project.

38. Triple Constraints

39. The Exam Cover the details of the exam, followed by some sample questions. Note: One can take the exam 3 times within the first year. But failure after 3 times will require you to wait 1 full year before retaking. Schedule the exam at the Prometric Testing Center via their website. But cancel at at least 48 hours before if something comes up. Cost of Exam: $405 as PMI Member $555 as non-PMI MemberCover the details of the exam, followed by some sample questions. Note: One can take the exam 3 times within the first year. But failure after 3 times will require you to wait 1 full year before retaking. Schedule the exam at the Prometric Testing Center via their website. But cancel at at least 48 hours before if something comes up. Cost of Exam: $405 as PMI Member $555 as non-PMI Member

40. PMP Examination Information Pass/FailPass/Fail

41. Exam Blueprint

42. Exam Results Overall Pass/Fail Score Assignment of one of the 3 Proficiency levels to each Domain: Proficient Moderately Proficient Below Proficient

43. Sample Exam Questions

44. Sample Question #1 1. A document that formally recognizes the existence of a project is a: Gantt Chart WBS Project Charter Scope Statement

45. Sample Question #2 2. Which type of contract provides the least amount of risk for the buyer? Firm Fixed Price Fixed Price Incentive Cost Plus Incentive Fee Cost Plus Fixed Fee

46. Sample Question #3 3. If the EV for a project is $30,000, the AC is $33,000, and the PV is $25,000, what is the cost variance? $3,000 - $3,000 $5,000 - $5,000

47. Sample Question #4 4. If a project team goes from three to five people, how many more communications channels are there? 7 6 5 4

48. Sample Question #5 5. One of your senior technical specialists informs you a major design flaw exists in a systems development project you are managing. You are already testing the system and planned to roll it out to more than 5,000 users in a month. You know that changing the design now will cause several costs and schedule overruns. As project manager, what should you do first? Issue a stop work order until you understand the extent of the project. Notify your project sponsor immediately to see if there are additional funds available to work on this problem. Notify your senior management and let them decide what to do. Hold a meeting as soon as possible with key members of your project team to discuss possible solutions to the problem.

49. After Passing the Exam Certificate Package Congratulatory Letter Credential Certificate Credential Number Information for Maintaining Credential Renewal Date The following slide will tell you how to stay certified with PDU’sThe following slide will tell you how to stay certified with PDU’s

50. How to Stay Certified Explain the PDU tracking and reporting process Describe some of the ways to earn PDU’sExplain the PDU tracking and reporting process Describe some of the ways to earn PDU’s

51. Maintaining Certification

52. Professional Development Units

53. Sample Ways to Attain PDU’s

54. Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct

55. Code of Conduct Vision & Purpose Doing what is right and honorable High standards Instill confidence in the profession Help an individual to become a better practitioner Persons to Whom the Code Applies All PMI Members All PMP’s and those seeking the PMP Non-PMI Members volunteering for PMI Stress the importance and list a few of the requirementsStress the importance and list a few of the requirements

56. Code of Conduct Standards of Conduct (Aspirational/Mandatory) Responsibility Respect Fairness Honesty Explain what each standard is attempting to accomplishExplain what each standard is attempting to accomplish

57. Quick Review

58. Quick Review What’s project? How many PM hours do you need to document on your application? How many questions on the exam? How many training hours do you need? Name a way to get your PDU’s Name a standard in the Code of Professional Conduct

59. Agenda Definitions Why Become a PM Professional (PMP) How to Become Certified How Do You Stay Certified Questions

60. Questions / Discussion

61. Thank You!

62. Backup Slides