The Mindset Required for the PMP Exam

Summary

This video offers valuable insights on the mindset needed to succeed in the PMP exam. It covers key approaches to project management, including how to handle predictive and agile frameworks, and emphasizes practical tips for answering exam questions. The speaker highlights the importance of collaboration, avoiding extreme actions, consulting team members, and understanding stakeholder preferences. It also dives into servant leadership, agile principles, and effective project closure steps, encouraging viewers to stay focused and believe in their ability to pass the exam.

Takeaways

• 📚 Exam questions include all necessary information; prioritize answers from best to worst.
• 🤝 Avoid extreme answers; aim for inclusiveness and collaboration in responses.
• 🔍 Be direct and collaborative, consulting the project team and customer as needed.
• 💼 Focus on project benefits over individual gains during conflicts.
• 🛠 Use inclusive, collaborative tools, and understand estimating techniques (bottom-up and top-down).
• 📈 Identify the project framework (waterfall, agile, or hybrid) through keywords in questions.
• 🔄 Know the change process for predictive projects: logging changes, assessing impacts, and seeking approval.
• ⚠️ Distinguish between risks (future) and issues (current), using appropriate registers for each.
• 🔍 Consult team expertise for solutions, and follow the proper closing process for projects.
• 🧑‍🏫 Be a servant leader in agile, removing blockers, shielding from politics, and fostering team growth.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the video?

The purpose of the video is to provide insights on the mindset needed to approach and successfully pass the PMP exam, with an emphasis on general, predictive, and agile exam mindsets.

Who pioneered the exam mindset discussed in the video?

The exam mindset discussed in the video was pioneered by Andrew Ramel.

What is a key strategy for answering questions on the PMP exam?

A key strategy is to assume that all necessary information is provided in the question, prioritize possible answers from best to worst, and avoid extreme actions such as closing a project prematurely or escalating unnecessarily.

How should a project manager approach conflict during the exam?

A project manager should address conflicts in a way that benefits the project as a whole, rather than favoring individuals, and should always strive for inclusiveness and collaboration.

What is the recommended approach for estimating work on the exam?

Bottom-up estimating is recommended for more accuracy, as it involves adding up individual components to get an overall budget or schedule. Top-down estimating is faster but less accurate.

How can a project manager distinguish between agile and predictive frameworks during the exam?

Look for key words in the question. Agile frameworks will include terms like 'iterations,' 'Sprints,' 'product owner,' 'scrum master,' and 'user stories,' while predictive frameworks will mention 'change requests,' 'project plans,' 'issue logs,' and 'risk registers.'

What is the general process for handling changes in predictive project management?

The change process involves noting a change in the change log, assessing its impact on schedule and cost, taking it to the Change Control Board for approval, and then informing stakeholders of the decision, while keeping the change log updated.

What is the difference between a risk and an issue in project management?

A risk refers to something that could happen in the future, while an issue is a problem that has already occurred. Risks can be both positive (opportunities) or negative (threats).

What is the role of a servant leader in agile project management?

A servant leader removes blockers for the team, shields the team from outside distractions, helps team members grow, and ensures they are able to focus on their work without obstacles.

Why is face-to-face communication important in agile projects?

Face-to-face communication is effective because it allows for picking up extra signals like body language and tonality, which helps improve understanding and collaboration within the team.