The recent
change in the Project Management Professional examproves a need for less memorization and more understanding. The focus has moved from the initial five domains (initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing) to three domains (people, process, and business environment). The questions, which are to be completed in 230 minutes, combine multiple responses, multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks, hot-spot, and matching. The exam also contains 180 questions, down 20 from the former 200 questions. In addition,
the exam questions encompass predictive, adaptive/agile, and hybrid approaches.
The Agile Approach
Agile is a project management approach that takes large projects and breaks them into minor releases. The breakdown helps manage changes better while completing deliverables in short iterations throughout the project’s life cycle. It thus makes excellent use of time to achieve outstanding results. Therefore, Agile is known as an iterative approach. Agile was initially invented for software development, but it has now transcended that initial purpose. Recently, many organizations and teams, from marketers to the military and the universities, have found Agile methodology helpful in delivering products. While four paired values and 12 principles are associated with agile, other factors define the methodology.
Agile’s components include a backlog, sprints, user stories, stand-up meetings, and a task board. In addition, there are other valuable aspects of Agile methodology that make it a helpful tool to project managers. So, every project manager looking to be PMP certified must be abreast with Agile. It is more than essential; it’s a necessity now if you hope to be highly regarded in such a competitive industry. With the changes in the PMP exam that commenced January 2021, Agile commands half of the 180 questions.
So, What About The 50% Agile Questions?
Since PMI has found many project managers carry out projects in various environments, the new change seeks to relay a “value spectrum.” The spectrum covers predictive, Agile/adaptive, and hybrid approaches, with Agile and hybrid covering 50% of the questions.
Half of the exam questions focused on adaptive/Agile practices means many scenario-based or situational questions will test the candidates’ or students’ knowledge of the framework. During the exam, animations are also used within the test. You can understand why you have to invest time and effort to pass this exam. For preparation, candidates should study PMI’s Agile Practice Guide to get up to speed on the PMI way of Agile and hybrid practices. Also, having experiences with Agile projects might give a candidate an edge with answering the Agile exam questions.
Conclusion
Agile methodologies are approaches in project management that every manager should embrace. With the recent changes in the PMP exam, Agile practices make up 50% of the questions. It means PMs looking to become PMI-certified should expect scenario-based questions that test their knowledge of Agile.
Be sure your instructor has the proper background to help you succeed by looking into their experience to understand if they can teach what they know versus what they simply learned.PMP certification just got even more relevant to the modern workplace! The PMP exam now includes a 50% focus on Agile principles and practices. If you're a PMP holder or aspiring to become one, this is an exciting opportunity to expand your skill set and stay current in the field. Don't miss out on this chance to advance your career –
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