Things to be aware of for the 2016 PMP Exam
Project Management Institute (PMI),(r) announced that they will be incorporating a new syllabus into their current PMP exam curriculum. This will take effect from 11 January 2016. Project Management Institute (PMI),(r) announced that there will be a 25 percent change to the exam format. The new additions will focus on eight new topics and tasks. PMI(r), as most of you know, has been updating their curriculum to keep professionals up to date with the latest management trends. PMI(r), has also stated that the outline of its curriculum is final and that all people taking the PMP exam after 11 January 2016 will need to refer to it. PMI made it clear that anyone who wishes to take the test in the current format must enroll on or before 11/01/2016. If they fail to do so, they will have to take the exam in a new format.
Many aspirants may be wondering why these changes have been made to the PMP test format. As most of you know, (PMI)(r), conducts a “Role Delineation Study[RDS]” which surveys project managers located around the globe. This identifies the tasks and roles that project manager performs in their organization. The study explains the roles and responsibilities that project managers have been performing in their organizations. Based on this information, (PMI(r) adds new chapters to their curriculum. The RDS is performed by (PMI(r) every 5 to 7 years.
The aspirants should also take note of one other important piece of information. This is that there will be a change in the PMP Examination Content Outline, but not in the PMBOK Guide. This could be good news for many aspirants. The PMI has also confirmed that there will not be any changes to the exam’s structure. It will still have 200 multiple-choice questions, and it will take four hours. Project managers who plan to take the test after January 11, 2016 will be tested on five domains. These domains are listed below.
1. Initiating [13%]2. Planning [24%]3. Executing [31%] Monitoring and Controlling [25%] Closing [7%]
After they pass their exam, they will see information on their screens about how they scored in each domain. It also displays whether they passed or failed their exam. The test taker will notice one change: the Executing domain pass threshold has been raised to 31% from 30% and Closing has been lowered from 8% to 7% in comparison to the previous format.
The good news is that PMP candidates are still eligible to apply. The study materials will not be changed. If we look at the changes made to the existing curriculum, it is clear that more attention has been paid to the business strategy and benefits realization. These inclusions also keep track of other benefits. There has been a greater emphasis on lessons learned. This means that these documents contain the information about the entire project cycle. It also shows how the knowledge is shared with the ‘organization’ and the project team. The Sponsor now has responsibility for the project charter. The new curriculum also emphasizes the improvement of the relationships with stakeholders.
Experts advise that aspirants who plan to take the exam should enroll before the new changes go into effect. The experts recommend that PMP exam takers consult the study material provided by PMI registered education providers, and focus on PMBOK(r), Guide 5th Edition. Experts also recommend that test takers keep an eye on the PMI FAQ’s for any questions they might encounter.
