Summary

1.  45 hours for internal training

I’ve attended approximately 45 hrs (3 hrs/each session) internal training.  It's not mandatory, but it was part of my organization initiation. In addition, I bought the RITA project management preparation guide.

2. 36 hours for PMBOK study sessions and QAI training

I've attended 36 hours training from QAI global institute facilitated by Pressman (www.rspa.com). This is mandatory training to appear for PMP exam from IT industry. Probably you can get similar trainings from any other institutes as well.


3. 80 hours for 1st Revision


I’ve completed 1st revision of PMBOK approximately in 80 hours. There is a specific calculation. Understanding of processes in each knowledge area w.r.t. PMBOK has taken at least 1 to 2 hours. Spent around 10 hours on the framework.

Important thing is, I didn't buy the RITA guide at this point in time. I tried to spend most of the time to understand the processes from PMBOK guide. You can understand Project Integration Management after completing whole book. If you prepare along with RITA guide, your study time may comedown further. You may think 80 hrs is very small and you can accomplish it quickly if you sit for 1 week. Please don’t do that. Just spend 2 to 3 hrs / day at maximum and leave rest of the time to reconcile your experience with that process area.


4. 120 hours for second revision


When I’ve started the second revision, things are better in comparison with first revision; still several things are beyond my visualization limits. Because I work in Seller organization, PMBOK assumes that you work in Buyer organization unless it states specifically.

Well, it’s not a bad revision. I’ve prepared some case studies on my own with my experience, prepared some templates…etc. Slowly getting control on PMBOK terminology. I worked in Buyer organization as a contractor on deputation; this experience is very useful to understand things from buyer perspective. During this time my role was project leader/manager in seller organization and contractor in buyer organization. I had come across to spend my time in all project management activities other than dealing with contracts. Most of the time I have applied Expert skill to resolve some issues and few times other skills were applied. Each skill of the PM has some meaning in PMBOK; you’ll understand it after studying it.

I thought I could attend the exam after 2nd revision. But still I can see some gaps; rescheduled the exam. Several times I rescheduled the exam because I was not satisfied with my understanding level during that period. At this point of time, you need to understand few things to appear for the exam though you lead projects successfully

•  You work in buyer organization not in seller organization;
•  Visualize you are leading 300+ team, not small one;
•  The team must spread over different geographical locations with different cultures and work styles.

5. 100hrs for 3rd revision

Now entered into third revision by rescheduling the exam 8th time : - )

http://turlapatipmp.blogspot.com/2010/05/date-15052010-16-days-to-pmp-exam.html

You can understand my situation in third revision by reading it from above post in my blog. I’ve mentioned approximately 100 hrs for this revision, but I’m not sure. Because this revision is very aggressive and rigorous, calculated each second of my time in measurable objectives that includes working, sleeping, eating, playing …etc. You can expect some mistakes in blog content, because I’ve posted some messages mid night at 1:00 am, morning at 5:00 am. I’ll correct it when I get time in future. But this is brief about my PMP preparation. If you plan for PMP, try to spend these many hours. Don’t spend continuously, take some breaks, understand what author is saying, reconcile with your experience. Prepare templates, samples...etc, which would help to understand the concepts in better way. Use all your relationships with friends/colleagues to understand theoretical concepts in practical manner. For example when I was reading HR management concepts, I followed HR activities in the organization. Because head of the HR department is responsible to motivate all the employees in organization with different activities. These activities are very important when you visualize 300 + group in your project. 

All the best for your exam!!!

Date: 07/06/2010 – Result

Exactly at 13:00pm

PASSED !! 

Date: 05/06/2010 – 2 days to PMP exam

Finally, Monitoring and controlling process group revision completed and answered all the relevant questions from RITA guide. It’s a perfect time to appear for exam. I have one day gap between exam and finishing the revision. Most importantly tomorrow I can watch French Open Men Finals for relaxation. 

One must realize the importance of Monitoring and controlling process group in day-to-day activities of project management; following points are most important

• How to deal with the change requests?
• How can a project manager will influence the changes on project?
• Can you completely stop changes to project, by saying “no” to customer?
• Who approves the contract changes in buyer-seller scenario?
• Are you familiar with budget forecast reports with EVM?
• Don’t get confusion with EMV and EVM?
• Understand the definitions of PV, EV, BAC, ETC, EAC...etc
• How do you control schedule, cost and quality?
• How do you control risk?
• Why the conflict occurs between procurement manager and project manager?
• Why the conflict occurs between risk auditors and risk owners?

Analysing and understanding of above points reveal most answers for the typical questions.

Catch you after the exam!!!!

Date: 05/06/2010 – 2 days to PMP exam

I’ve just completed revision of executing process group. Most of the questions I’ve answered correctly from RITA process book. Now I’m left with Monitoring and Controlling process group which is critical to project management. Important points in executing process group are

• How do you deal with approved change requests?
• Apply different conflict resolution techniques?
• How do you improve process?
• How do you evaluate proposals and award the contract to specific sellers? Remember you always need to think in buyer aspect unless it is stated clearly. You should visualize the project size as very big.
• Will you encounter any risks?
• Will you make any changes to the project management plan in executing process group? This is important to understand when you make changes to the project management plan. In planning, executing or throughout the project life cycle.
• How to use configuration management systems and work authorization systems?
• What is the important trait of the project manager? Which type of communication skill is important? Is it verbal, non-verbal, formal or in-formal? Think about it. Different people have different perception on understanding of this skill. Some people believe playing on top of others is important in project communication? Some people believe pushing back is the important communication skill? Some people completely rely-on informal communication!!! Think in all aspects; apply different skills for different situations. But formal communication is important in procurement management process.
• Negotiation is key skill in “conduct procurement” process. You need to use this skill depends on the contract you choose. You always need to maintain sincere and honest negotiation skill to obtain good seller. If seller is honest and sincere about his quote, you should not try to use negotiation skill to obtain lower price; its key point to protect your relationship with seller. Otherwise you may loose potential sellers on the project.

Date: 05/06/2010 – 2 days to PMP exam

Now, I’m very close to the target, no reschedule of the examination. All set for PMP. As I’m in the process of revising process groups, today I could complete planning process group study session. This process group is different from other process groups, because management plans from different knowledge areas will come in certain order. One must understand this sequence of the planning activities to answer exam questions effectively. RITA guide provides clear steps identify the sequence for planning process group activities. Along with the management plans, you’ll need to create certain project documents in this process group; understand the difference between project documents and project management plan document. 



Didn't go to office today to complete planning process group revision. I'm left with two more days to complete executing and monitoring and controlling process.


At this point of time, I got complete command on all knowledge areas and process groups. During the revision, everything looks familiar. I think it’s correct time to appear for exam : - )

Date: 02/06/2010 – 5 days to PMP exam

Now I’ve started the revision in process group wise. I could complete the revision of Initiating, Closing and Professional and Social Responsibility process groups. In this way I could do multiple revision of PMBOK with the help of RITA project management guide.

Date: 01/06/2010 – 6 days to PMP exam

Do you think it’s easy to finish Procurement Knowledge Management area? You may think you never try to use terms like contracts, agreements, terms and conditions…etc in your projects. Most of the people who work on projects think it’s not their job to remember above terms. You may think failure of the project may result into familiarity to these terms and it’ll be handled by some other person in the organization or your legal department. In my aspect, everyone in the project team must be aware of the terms and conditions of the project.

Ask a question to yourself, “how many times you read the EULA (End User License Agreement) of Microsoft products when you install?”

At least once...I’m sure, 99.99% will not read it.

How many times you copied “terms and conditions” section into proposal documents when you send it to customers?

There is a strong reason behind it. The buyer and seller always want his project to be successful. Sometimes they may ignore few mistakes without reviewing the contracts, SLA s…etc. But it’s not the case in every project, which means every project will not execute in forgivable environment.

If I say buyer and seller, these terms may appear different for your project. You may call buyer as customer, if you work in product development / service oriented organization. Again customer may have another buyer if he gives project for sub contract.

All the above procedures you’ll be familiar when you complete Procurement Management knowledge area revisions (not in 1st study, remember the difference : - ) ).

Think about following points…

• Contract types
• Terms and conditions
• When do you plan for procurements? 
• When do you conduct procurements and what are the tools? 
• Is procurement manager different from project manager?
• Is procurement audit is different from the project audit?
• Is procurement closure different from project closure?
• When do you administer procurements?Do you need to mention about status reports in procurement documents?
• Can you buy the product instead of developing?;
• How can you select a seller? Remember you always need to think as buyer unless it’s explicitly mentioned any where in the problem.

A lot more, you must study RITA guide to understand all the information. Don’t try to memorize, have a logical conclusion on processes. Apply the knowledge in exam, because you never know what type of scenario will be described in the exam. PMBOK guide gives sufficient information which may or may not be helpful to visualize all scenarios in Procurement Knowledge Area.

Now my third revision of PMBOK and RITA guide is completed?

I still have 6 days to exam; my little hopes are increasing on pass result of the examination.