What are the New Changes in PMP Exam 2024?

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Times are evolving rapidly, and so is the scenario of project management in industries. Based on current industry standards and regulations, the PMI has revamped the existing PMP Exam Content.

Decades ago, industries predominantly followed the waterfall model. But these days, almost every project is designed based on agile methodology, and with that comes the need to modify the existing content of the PMP Certification.

To sustain the expanding industry dynamics, the PMI conducts research studies every 3-5 years and revises the PMP Exam Outline. With effect from 2 January 2021, the PMP Exam Content and structure will be reconfigured.

As the challenges faced by project managers are increasing at lightning speed, it is important to revisit the existing PMP training content.

Enroll in our PMP Certification today and develop a strong foundation in the principles of project management.

What are the new changes in the PMP Exam?

The performance domains of the existing PMP Exam structure namely- initiating, planning, executing, monitoring & controlling, and closing, have been tailored into three performance domains namely- people, process, and business environment.

Domains and their weightage are listed below:

People	42%
Process	50%
Business Environment	8%

The new content will focus on predictive project management approaches and agile or hybrid methodologies scattered among all the three domains.

 The Project Management Body of Knowledge or the PMBOK will not have any modifications. The latest PMBOK (6th edition) which was released at the end of 2017 will remain the same.

The new PMP Exam Content Outline is based on Global Practice Analysis, research conducted on the emerging trends in the project management profession. The motive of the study was to understand various tasks and current methodologies applied for these tasks by the project managers.

 Based on the outcomes of this study, the existing PMP Exam Outline has been modified, which would enable project managers to keep abreast of the latest technologies and come up with the best project prospects.

The 2015 ECO or Exam Content Outline is developed based on five domain groups while the 2019 ECO content is derived based on three domains.

When will these changes be introduced?

The original date of the exam change was planned to be on 1 July 2020. But due to the pandemic, the effective date has been postponed to 2 January 2021.

The PMI’s Crisis Task Force has been monitoring the situation of Covid-19 and has decided to extend access to the existing structure of the PMP exam until the end of December 2020 so that there is sufficient time for the candidates to prepare and hit the exam.

By early January 2021, the candidates aspiring for PMP Certification will sit for the new PMP Exam Content guidelines.

Important dates of the PMP Exam are listed below:

31 December 2020	Last date to take the current version of the PMP exam
2 January 2021	First date to take the new version of the PMP exam

Note that the current dates as announced by the PMI are subject to change, considering the history of changes they had had. Candidates are therefore advised to take up the PMP Exam Prep by joining a reputed academy for PMP Certification Training before the exam date changes further.

Old PMP Exam Content

The current exam content outline is based on five domains- initiating, planning, executing, monitoring & controlling and closing. The latest change had occurred in 2015 and after five years the content undergoes a change now. Each domain contains a certain number of tasks which are measured through the PMP Certification progress. The underlying knowledge and skills help in competently performing these tasks.

Check the Current PMP Exam Content here.

Based on the task-driven guidelines and the knowledge, the practitioner’s competence, salience, and understanding of the skills required to perform the tasks and roles of the project are evaluated.

A sample of the tasks of the Initiating domain is given below.

Knowledge and Skills considered as parameters

• Analytical skills
• Benefit analysis techniques
• Elements of a Project Charter
• Estimation tools and techniques
• Strategic management

Current PMP Certification aims at assessing the exam taker’s knowledge and experience on these five domain areas based on their respective tasks, knowledge, and skills of each domain.

New PMP Exam Content

The PMP Exam Outline has been revised in relation to the changing job responsibilities of project managers. The current PMP Exam Content consists of five performance domains. While the new PMP Exam Content is based on three domains-

• People
• Process and
• Business environment

Today’s projects are more diverse and are working in a variety of environments, utilizing different project approaches. The research culminated in a revamped structure of the PMP Certification Content to cater to these changing scenarios.

The PMP certification has been modified to incorporate emerging approaches and skills. About half of the examination will include predictive project management approaches and the other half will revolve around agile or hybrid methodologies.

The revised PMP Exam Content can be accessed here.

The percentage of each domain in the exam is listed below:

Domain	Percentage of Items in Exam
1. People	42%
2. Process	50%
3. Business Environment	8%
Total	100%

The new PMP Exam Content comprises domains, tasks and enablers. The only difference is that the older PMP Exam Content did not include ‘enablers’, as defined by Role Delineation Study or RDS.

DOMAIN:  is the high-level knowledge area that is essential for practicing project management
TASKS:  the underlying responsibilities under each domain to be carried out by project managers
ENABLERS:  examples with a clear illustration of the work associated with the task

The global practice analysis has discovered that the current approach that is extensively used by industries is a combination of Agile and Predictive life cycle approach. This is replicated in the new PMP exam structure that covers the complete value delivery gamut- Predictive, Agile, and Hybrid approaches.

New PMP Exam Content Crossover Map

A PMP Exam Content Crossover Map will help candidates identify the content that has changed in the new PMP Exam Content Outline. Alongside the ECO, the mapping will serve as one of the many resources for the PMP Training providers in helping the candidates prepare for the PMP Certification Exam from January 2021.

This mapping document is intended to help understand the changes and get started with the updated PMP Exam Content.

People: The current content may have limited resources to address this new domain. If there is any content then it may be woven through the course. 42% of the questions in the exam will be based out of this domain.

Process: Major portion of questions belonged to this domain in the current PMP Exam Content. The current course may have a fair amount of content to address this new domain. 50% of the exam questions will be from this section.

Business Environment: The current course may have very limited resources to address this new domain. If there is any, it may be woven through the course. 8% of exam questions will be from this domain.

Following is a list of a few enablers from the new PMP Exam Content:-

• Value servant leadership
• Measure training outcomes
• Maintain team and knowledge transfer
• Assess behavior with the help of personality indicators
• Examine the personality indicators and check the emotional needs of stakeholders
• Assess opportunities to deliver value incrementally
• Subdivide the tasks into modules and find the Minimum Viable Product
• Coordinate with other projects and other operations
• Recommend a project methodology or approach(agile/hybrid/predictive)
• Use iterative incremental practices throughout the project lifecycle(Lessons learned/ Stakeholder Engagement)
• Confirm approach for knowledge transfers
• Classify compliance categories
• Determine potential threats to compliance
• Use methods to support compliance
• Analyze the consequences of noncompliance
• Determine the necessary approach and action to address the compliance needs(risk/legal)
• Measure the project compliance
• Evaluate delivery options to demonstrate the value
• Assess organizational culture

The complete PMP Exam content Crossover Map can be accessed here.

Sources for PMP Exam Preparation

Candidates can refer to the PMBOK Guide (6th Edition) as study material for their PMP Exam Prep as the majority of the questions will be based on this guide. But according to the guidelines, the questions require at least two sources as references.

The reason for two sources as reference is to ensure that the questions are based on reputable and traditional sources, and not merely on recommendations or credence. The second reference document is usually a non-PMBOK source.

As the job analysis study implied that the projects are staged more on agile methodologies and people-based approaches, referencing just the PMBOK Guide will not suffice. There is a need to add multiple source documents for the PMP Exam Prep.

New PMP Exam Content has been established based on three performance domains- people, process, and business environment and this requires an all-round knowledge and experience for the candidates. A thorough understanding of real-world concepts and the ability to provide end-to-end solutions is all it takes for a good PMP.

Revamped Question Types

The current PMP Exam Content consists of multiple-choice questions where for each question, one correct answer from four options has to be selected. The new design is all about graphical representations.

For a scenario in a given question, the candidate has to select and drag-and-drop the correct matching graphical representation or vice versa. The idea behind this initiative is to test the ability to interpret and analyze a given scenario for probable successful solutions.

What are the challenges in the new PMP Exam content?

The updated PMP Exam Content may bring a little confusion in understanding and settling with the new changes. But over time, candidates aspiring for the PMP Training courses will gain a hold and get used to the revised content.

To get used to the new exam pattern and the revamped question types, initially, it may be cumbersome but eventually, candidates may find it easy and more interesting.

How can you prepare for the new PMP Exam content with the help of online preparatory courses?

For Current PMP Exam Content

Those candidates who have already paid for the PMP Certification and have begun the PMP Exam Prep can take up the exam in the current format until 31 December 2020.

Here are a few tips that can come of help for the PMP Exam Prep:

• Review the PMP Exam Content Outline
• Enroll in a formal study course offered by accredited Registered Educational Providers (or R.E.Ps)
• Review the latest PMBOK Guide and other PMP handbook
• Prepare a study plan
• Practice sample mock tests

For New PMP Exam Content

Those who haven’t enrolled for the exam yet, or are new to the idea can take the exam from 2 January 2021.

Here are a few tips that can help in the PMP Exam Prep:

• Learn about the PMP Exam Updates
• Review the 2021 PMP Exam Content Outline
• Enroll for an online and self-paced course from certified and accredited Educational Providers

To earn a PMP Certification, the candidate must qualify both in terms of experience and qualifications and pass a multiple-choice exam of 200 questions.

Even though highly experienced in the field of project management, the candidate should mandatorily invest 35 hours or more for the PMP Exam Prep in order to crack the exam smoothly. A successful PMP candidate uses multiple study aids, including courses, self-study, and study groups.

PMP Certification course at Henry Harvin

During this time of the pandemic, everything has become virtual. The online courses have helped so many professionals fine-tune their skills in the most effective way. All it takes is a good internet connection, a notebook, and a pen to utilize the virtual model of education, right from the comfort of home.

Henry Harvin offers the latest management courses with updated content. With a 98.8% pass rate in the PMP Certification Exam, Henry Harvin offers a world-class quality in terms of its training material, mock tests, access to industry case studies and real-world examples, end of chapter quizzes and simulation exams, 35 hours of contact, and lifetime membership of management academy.

The PMP Training material is based on the sixth edition of the PMBOK Guide and after the successful completion, it offers the PDUs Certificate.

Check here for the accreditations & affiliations

Key features of PMP Certification course at Henry Harvin

• The participant gets unlimited access to 50 hours of e-learning, 36 hours of Instruction led Core Sessions and 24 hours of Instruction Led Brush up Sessions for the next 6 months from the date of enrollment till the date of clearing the exam without any charges.
• Virtual Project Management Experience in terms of 9 Industry Case studies and 16 Real-World Examples.
• Access to 1500+ Practice Questions across 91 quizzes and 7 exams.
• Opportunity to train under internationally acclaimed certified PMP trainers having 10+ years of industry experience.
• Lifetime membership with Henry Harvin Management Academy in terms of live projects, guaranteed internships, recorded videos, weekly job support, monthly brush-up sessions, interview skills, and career services.
• 100% money-back guarantee if the candidate doesn’t like the training after the first session.

Top 5 benefits of PMP Certification training program at Henry Harvin

Henry Harvin enables the participants to inculcate brilliant expertise and leadership skills that would reflect in their abilities to manage various projects. Here are a few benefits of taking up the PMP Certification course at Henry Harvin.

1. Enables you to acquire advanced knowledge in project management, risk management, resource management, integration, change control, Gantt charts, value management, schedule management, and various other cross-cutting knowledge and skills.
2. Augments your abilities to identify, analyze, and solve project management issues.
3. Helps in understanding contemporary tools used in project management such as task fragmenting, structure, resource allocation, mathematical project organizing models, project costs estimation, and cost management.
4. Enables to develop flexible strategies and adapt to the context and constraints of specific projects. Deliver projects within the given time, resources, and budget.
5. Boosts your career with PMP Certification that is accepted as the golden standard in Project Management across a wide range of sectors.

To know about the curriculum, click here.

Takeaways of your investment

• Recorded videos of multiple sessions
• 36-hours of online training- a virtual tour on project management strategies, principles, and implication
• Opportunity to work with renowned companies
• Lifetime membership of Henry Harvin Management Academy
• Updated study material
• 100% placement assistance, Internship, and Project Support exclusively entitled to PMPs
• Unlimited access to the Learning Management system(LMS)
• Hallmark of PMP next to your name. for ex., Ashwin (PMP)
• Excellent marketing knowledge about all social media platforms
• Live Brush-up Sessions of up to 24 hours, spread over the next 12 months after completion of core online training sessions

Latest Henry Harvin batches to enroll for PMP Exam in 2024

About PMP

• PMP Certification is a globally recognized acclimation that enables project managers to stand out among their lot.
• PMP Certification paves way for high-paying career opportunities for the candidates by making their profile more visible and promising.
• In India, PMP certification helps professionals to ladder up to their salary benchmarks by adding value to their current work and professional portfolio. Certified PMPs earn approx. 25% higher than their peer project managers.
• Even for an amateur project manager, the PMP certification enables a smooth working and handling of projects from beginning through the end.
• PMP Certification allows professionals to build a strong network across the globe which helps to remain upgraded all the time with respect to the latest technologies and techniques.

Role of a PMP

A project management professional is responsible for managing every aspect of a project, right from its planning, executing, monitoring, and closing. A PMP Certification allows the professionals to carry out projects like an expert without any glitches.

Here are a few key roles of a certified PMP:

1. Plan and define the scope of the project well
2. Sequence the activities of a project to execute successfully
3. Perform risk analysis
4. Provide cost and time estimations
5. Allocate resources and budgets for projects
6. Document the processes and develop charts and schedules
7. Divide the project into executable modules
8. Track and report the project through its completion
9. Build a constructive team culture and control the team in a healthy manner
10. Hold responsibility for team operations and strategic planning
11. Apply best practices to leverage PMP methodology
12. Maintain customer’s interest and enthusiasm in the project throughout
13. Ensure project compliance with the standards
14. Retain and protect confidential information

Henry Harvin’s Training Methodology

On The Go Projects: Henry Harvin provides experiential learning throughout the training period with live projects and real-world problems. This enables the participants to settle well with the concepts and reciprocate their learning in their jobs.

Unique Pedagogy: Trainers use a combination of techniques that are aligned to our unique G.C.A.O (Goal-Centric & Action-Oriented) pedagogy. This enables the learners to understand the concepts in depth and apply techniques for action-oriented outcomes.

Industry Case Studies: At Henry Harvin, learners will be able to access unlimited learning material in addition to 9 industry case studies and 16 real-world examples that provide exposure to the actual industry scenarios and best practices.

Round-the-Clock Engagement: Participants are engaged throughout the training period through various activities like presentations, brainstorming sessions, group activities, and hands-on experience over both statistical and non-statistical tools that lead to value creation.

Trainers at Henry Harvin Academy

• Trainers at Henry Harvin are internationally recognized and certified, with over 10 years of experience.
• Apart from domain knowledge, the trainers are well experienced at teaching a global audience, over 900+ professionals.
• Participants can attend multiple sessions from multiple trainers.

Upcoming Batches for PMP Certification

Click here to know about upcoming batches.

Summary

The changes in the PMP Certification Content can be enumerated as two–

1. The questions are divided into two halves where the first half will represent predictive approaches and the other half will represent agile or hybrid approaches.
2. The domains will be trimmed down from five to three.

The new changes in the PMP Exam guidelines may pose nervousness for the aspiring project managers. But in reality, one may find it more interesting and value-adding. The crux is to develop wholesome knowledge and prepare future project managers to face challenges swiftly.

As we can see that the content is shrinking from five to three, the core of the exam content, which is the PMBOK Guide still remains the same. The basis of assessment will see a change. While the current PMP Exam focuses on the project lifecycle stages as domains, the new PMP Exam Content is formulated on the basis of people, process, and business environment.

The exam takers will have to prepare based on the Tasks (what project managers do as their job) and the Enablers (actions needed to accomplish the tasks). The content is revamped based on what is happening in the current scenario which is of greater value.

PMI states that nearly 50% of the questions will represent predictive project management techniques and the remaining 50% will be based on agile or hybrid methodologies.

For further information, please feel free to contact Henry Harvin support.

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Recommended Reads:

• Top 9 Project Management Courses in Kolkata
• PMP certification exam cost
• TOP 20 PMP Exam Questions and Answers
• Is PMP Certification Worth It in India?
• 10 Best PMP CERTIFICATIONS IN SINGAPORE

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