For the PMP exam to stay relevant with the changing industry trends and therefore, PMP 2021 examination is changing every 3-5 years. It is based on the PMI research on how the profession has evolved over the years and how new concepts or terminologies can be introduced for better understanding and knowledge.
As a headline, the PMP 2021 exam changed by the 2nd of Jan, 2021. So, The new PMP exam focuses on the People, Processes, and Business Environment domains.
Along with the exam content, there are changes in the exam format and the previous Registered Educational Providers (REPs) will be replaced with Authorized Training Partners that we are going to talk about further in this blog. The new PMP change does affect the candidates a little including the difficulty factor of the exam, increase in course fees, choosing a reliable ATP, among others.
In this guide, let’s dig a little deeper into these new changes and how you can incorporate the same into your study plan.
What Changed in The PMP Exam Content?
One of the major changes that can be seen is the PMP exam content. While both the earlier and new PMP exam content is broken down into various domains. The PMP 2021 version has drastically made some changes in the subjects of these domains.
Here is what you need to know about the previous and the new PMP exam content.
Earlier Content
While the current PMP 2021 exam content focuses on five domains. As the stages of the project life cycle.
| # | Process | Wt. |
| 1 | Initiating | 13% |
| 2 | Planning | 24% |
| 3 | Executing | 31% |
| 4 | Monitoring and Controlling | 25% |
| 5 | Closing | 7% |
| Total | 100% |
New PMP 2021
The roles and responsibilities of a project manager are constantly changing due to the changing occupational demands. For instance, The new PMP 2021 exam content will be based on three domains.
| # | Process | Wt. |
| 1 | People | 42% |
| 2 | Process | 50% |
| 3 | Business Environment | 8% |
| Total | 100% |
People
In the People domain of the new PMP exam content, the evaluation of candidates is based on their leadership skills of leading the team. A few tasks that can be evaluated in this domain are as follows:
- Leading/managing the project team
- Taking care of team conflicts
- Making sure that the team has necessary training/skills
Process
In the process domain of the new PMP exam content, the candidates are evaluated based on the technical aspects of project management.
A few tasks that are included in the process domain are as follows:
- Budget and resource management
- Planning project activities
- Taking care of project changes
Business Environment
The business environment domain of the new PMP exam content revolves around testing the candidate’s ability to adhere to the organizational requirements. A few tasks involved in this domain are as follows:
- Support to organizational changes
- Planning and managing project compliance
- Evaluating the value of the project.
As a result, Half of the examination will be representing the predictive project management approach. Hence, The other Half will be representing the agile or hybrid approach. For instance, Predictive, agile, and hybrid approaches will be applicable. It is across the three domains listed above. They are not specific in order to any particular domain or an underneath task.
The following table describes the percentage of each domain on the PMP exam.
| # | Process | Wt. |
| 1 | People | 42% |
| 2 | Process | 50% |
| 3 | Business Environment | 8% |
| Total | 100% |
Summary
NOTE: For instance, PMBOK remains the same, and the content does not change. Instead, how PMI will assess the students in the PMP 2021 exam will change. Here is a summary of changes considering both Old as well as the New PMP exam.
Changes That the PMP Aspirants Should Be Aware
The new PMP 2021 exam rolled out with a few changes that the PMP aspirants should be aware of for preparing for the exam accordingly. Here is what you need to know.
PMP Exam Content
Let’s take a look at the changes in the exam format with the help of the following table:
| OLD PMP EXAM | NEW PMP EXAM | ||
| Domain | Weightage | Domain | Weightage |
| Initiating | 13% | People | 42% |
| Planning | 24% | Process | 50% |
| Executing | 31% | Business Environment | 8% |
| Monitoring and controlling | 25% | ||
| Closing | 7% | ||
| Total | 100% | Total | 100% |
PMP Exam Format
You can also find some slight changes to the PMP exam format. Here is what you need to know about the old vs the new PMP exam format.
| OLD EXAM FORMAT | NEW EXAM FORMAT |
| 200 multiple-choice questions3 hours to complete the exam 5 domains | 180 multiple-choice questions230 minutes to complete the exam3 domains |
Exam Questions from Agile and Hybrid Methodologies
Another major change in the new PMP exam format is that about 50% of questions are from Agile and Hybrid methodologies. We don’t know about a similar declaration for the percentage of questions for the old PMP exam, but the percentage seems lower than the previous PMP exam. Therefore, it is important for you to keep this percentage in mind while you prepare for the exam.
Contact Hours Requirements for The PMP Exam
Previously, PMI declared that there should be 35 verified contact hours of professional training/education in the project management domain.
As of the new PMP 2021 exam, 35 contact hours are the minimum requirement. It means you can expect the in-depth exam preparation to be much longer.
Authorized Training Provider (ATP) Program
Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Authorized Training Partners (ATP) program. Hence, You can be confident that your training content and instructors align. It Aligns with industry standards and credential testing. In case you are looking for training for your Project Management Office. Hence, for Your department, your team, or yourself, the ATP program ensures content consistency and quality.
So, The PMI’s Registered Education Provider (REP) program is being replaced by the Authorized Training Partner (ATP) program. The new program is the result of global market research and customer data. It indicates the need for not only content to be aligned with PMI testing. It is more reliable. Hence, Its motive is to be highly consistent across instructors of PMI exam testing prep.
Impact Of New PMP 2021 To the Candidates?
We can say that a few things might never be the same again for the candidates with the new PMP 2021 changes. Here are a few things that the candidates might face with the new changes being rolled out.
Difficulty Of the New PMP Exam
As you have already understood about the PMP exam content changes, where the new exam will revolve around only 3 domains- People, process, and business environment. You are likely to find the new exam a bit more difficult than the old exam as almost half of the exam questions will be from Agile and Hybrid methodologies and are not going to be straightforward. Therefore, there is a need for more advanced study preparation for the new PMP exam.
Increase In Course Fees
The Authorized training partners will have to pay PMI for the training resource every time a student registers for their course. It means that you can expect a slight rise in prices for these training courses from the ATPs.
Choosing The Right Training Option
When it comes to choosing the right training option for the PMP exam preparation, you have two options that is either to choose the on-demand course developed by PMI or enroll in an instructor-led PMP training course offered by an ATP.
Study Tips for the New PMP 2021 Exam
Here are some study tips that you can consider before you start your exam preparation journey.
Thoroughly Go Through the PMBOK Guide
The PMBOK Guide is the most reliable resource that you have to thoroughly read for exam preparation. You can set up a study plan, where you can cover each knowledge area every week or a few topics every day. But, it is important for you to master the PMBOK guide before you move on to other study material.
Use Good PMP Prep Books
You should invest in good PMP preparation books. A few good books are as follows:
- PMP Exam Prep- Rita Mulcahy
- The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try-Andy Crowe
- PMP : project management professional exam study guide- Kim Heldman
Take PMP Exam Workshops (Online)
You can opt for PMP training exam workshops to aid your study preparation. Since the COVID situation, you can only find online workshops. So, you can enroll yourself in an online PMP exam workshop as they are also relatively cheaper.
Use Flashcards for Preparation
Flashcards are a good way for memorizing and understanding concepts. Therefore, if you want to understand any concept, making use of self-made flashcards or online downloadable flashcards is a great way for PMP exam preparation.
Join Study Groups or Discussion Forums
You can join online study groups and discussion forums to interact with other PMP aspirants. This way, you will be able to clear your doubts, ask questions, offer answers, and much more. It is a great way for learning and prepares for the exam.
Conclusion
This is everything that you needed to know about the new updates in the PMP exam as of 2nd January 2021. Now, you can start preparing for the exam while keeping the new changes in mind.
Moreover, if you are still wondering which training provider you should opt for, then Techcanvass is your go-to place as it is an Information Technology certifications training Organization for professionals. It is a premier Authorized training partner (ATP) of the Project Management Institute (PMI), USA.
The training course offered at Techcanvass gives you in-depth preparation for the PMP exam based on the new exam curriculum. You can easily access the study material and ask the instructors any doubts that you have regarding any concept or knowledge areas.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You will receive full-fledged training for the PMP exam, which includes instructor-led online sessions to cover the concepts, more than 2000 mock questions, mock exams, and you can easily access the recorded sessions for 180 days. On successful completion of the training course, you will get 35 contact hours.
After scheduling your PMP exam, you can continue to prepare and revise the topics for the exam. And on the scheduled date, you can log in on the portal 30 minutes prior to the exam.
If you are already preparing for the exam, then all you have to do is schedule the exam date when you feel ready. To schedule the exam, you easily go through the application process on the official PMI website. On successfully submitting the application and exam fee, you can schedule the exam date.
If you are about to start preparing for the PMP exam, you can consider the CAPM certification as it is a precursor to the PMP certification. The CAPM certification does not require you to meet wide eligibility criteria and is the stepping stone for the PMP exam later on.
You can retake the PMP exam 3 times a year.
The PMP certification is definitely worth it as it comes along with a lot of benefits. From high salary perks and global recognition to good job opportunities and professional growth, you can enjoy multiple opportunities after you get certified as a Project management professional.
If we compare the two exams- PMP and PRINCE2, then the PMP exam is comparatively difficult to prepare for. It includes an extended exam format, content, eligibility requirements, among others.
To level up your project management career, some of the top PMI certifications that you can opt for are as follows:
1. PMP (Project management Professional)
2. CAPM (Certified associate in project management)
3. PMI-ACP (Agile certified practitioner)
Yes, you can take the PMP exam from home considering you have a web camera-connected system and a stable internet connection, among other requirements.
You can check the available dates for the new PMP exam while you are scheduling the exam date on the PMI portal.
