Changes to the PMP® exam in 2015

PMI® Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential is the most important industry-recognized certification for project managers. Globally recognized and in-demand, the PMP® certificate demonstrates that you have the experience, education, and competency to lead and direct projects.

This recognition results in increased marketability to employers and higher salaries; according to the PMI® Project Management Salary Survey–Eighth Edition, the certification positively impacts project manager salaries.

A recently completed Role Delineation Study (RDS) provided an updated description of the project management professional role. The research included a large-scale survey of the global Project Management Professional (PMP certification) holders to validate updates to domains, tasks, knowledge, and skills.

The RDS captures perspectives of project management practitioners from all industries, work settings, and regions. It serves as the foundation for the PMP® exam and ensures its validity and relevance.

The PMP® exam was changing in 2015. Please read ahead to get all the details.

Important Dates:

11th January 2016: Last day to test under the current version of the exam

1st December 2015 - The new Continuing Certification Requirements policy for all PMI® courses will become applicable for both old and new PMP® certified professionals.

What you should know?

Q - When will the changes to the PMP® examination be implemented?

A - The last day to test under the current version of the PMP® exam is 11th January 2016. After this date, the PMP® exam will reflect the new content outline.

Q - Why has the date for the launch of the new version of the PMP® exam been pushed to January 2016?

A - Originally, PMI® had planned on introduced changes to the exam effective from 1st November 2015. This has now been pushed to 11th January 2016. This has been done to give all stakeholders adequate time to prepare for the new-look exam.

Q - How am I affected, as a candidate?

A - As a PMP® candidate, the only factors you need to be mindful of are the date of the exam change and the updates to the exam content. All other elements of the application and testing process remain the same. If you do not want to test under the new version of the PMP® exam, you must test on or before 11th January 2016. After this date, all PMP® exams administered, including retakes and language aids, will reflect the new exam content outline.

Q - Are the eligibility criteria changing?

A- No, the education and experience eligibility requirements for the PMP® certification will not change.

Q - Will the exam report be changing?

A - No, the exam report for the PMP® will not change. For computer-based testing (CBT) candidates, you will continue to receive an exam report immediately after testing both before and after 11th January 2016.

Changes to the proportion of Questions from Domains

The five domains of practice for PMP® remain the same. However, the proportion of questions from each domain that will appear on the exam has changed, as detailed below.

These percentages are used to determine the number of questions related to each domain and tasks that should appear on the multiple-choice format examination.



Domain NEW % of Items on Test OLD % of Items on Test 1. Initiating 13% 13% 2. Planning 24% 24% 3. Executing 31% 30% 4. Monitoring and Controlling 25% 25% 5. Closing 7% 8%

Changes to the Content - Domains, Tasks, and Knowledge and Skill Statements

As mentioned earlier, the five domains of practice for the PMP® remain the same. However, tasks within each domain have been modified, added, or removed. Additionally, the knowledge and skills associated with these domains and tasks have been added.



Here’s an overview of the newly added content:

Domain I Initiating 3 tasks added – task 2, task 7, task 8

Domain II Planning 1 task added – task 13 Domain III Executing 2 tasks added – task 6, task 7 Domain IV Monitoring and controlling 2 tasks added – task 6, task 7 Domain V Closing No new tasks added

Details of the changes:

Performance Domain I - Initiating [3 new tasks]

New Tasks

Identify key deliverables based on the business requirements in order to manage customer expectations and direct the achievement of project goals.

Conduct benefit-analysis with stakeholders (including sponsors, customers, subject matter experts), in order to validate project alignment with organizational strategy and expected business value.

Inform stakeholders of the approved project charter to ensure a common understanding of the key deliverables, milestones, and their roles and responsibilities.

New Knowledge and Skills

Analysis of Skills

Benefit Analysis techniques

Elements of a project charter

Estimation tools and techniques

Strategic management

Performance Domain II - Planning [1 new task]

New Tasks

Develop the stakeholder management plan by analyzing needs, interests, and potential impact to effectively manage stakeholders’ expectations and engage them in project decisions.

New Knowledge and Skills

Change management planning

Cost management planning, including project budgeting tools and techniques

Communications planning

Contract types and selection criteria

Estimation tools and techniques

Human resource planning

Lean and efficiency principles

Procurement planning

Quality management planning

Requirements gathering techniques (e.g., planning sessions, brainstorming, and focus groups)

Regulatory and environmental impacts assessment planning

Risk management planning

Scope deconstruction (e.g., WBS, scope backlog) tools and techniques

Scope management planning

Stakeholder management planning

Time management planning, including scheduling tool and techniques

Workflow diagramming techniques

Performance Domain III - Executing [2 new tasks]

New Tasks

Manage the flow of information by following the communications plan in order to keep stakeholders engaged and informed.

Maintain stakeholder relationships by following the stakeholder management plan to receive continued support and manage expectations.

New Knowledge and Skills

Continuous improvement processes

Contract management techniques

Elements of a statement of work

Interdependencies among project elements

Project budgeting tools and techniques

Quality standard tools

Vendor management techniques

Performance Domain IV - Monitoring and controlling [2 new tasks]



New Tasks

Capture, analyze, and manage lessons learned using lessons learned management techniques to enable continuous improvement.

Monitor procurement activities according to the procurement plan, to verify compliance with project objectives.

New Knowledge and Skills

Performance measurement and tracking techniques (e.g., EV, CPM, PERT, Trend Analysis)

Process analysis techniques (e.g., LEAN, Kanban, Six Sigma)

Project control limits (e.g., threshold, tolerance)

Project finance principles

Project monitoring tools and techniques

Project quality best practices and standards (e.g., ISO, BS, CMMI, IEEE)

Quality measurement tools (e.g., statistical sampling, control charts, flow-charting, inspection, assessment)

Risk identification and analysis techniques

Risk response techniques

Quality validation and verification techniques

Performance Domain V - Closing [no new tasks]



New Tasks - None



New Knowledge and Skills

Archiving practices and statutes

Compliance (statute/organization)

Contract closure requirements

Close-out procedures

Feedback techniques

Performance measurement techniques (KPI and key success factors)

Project review techniques

Transition planning technique



NOTE: The change is only to the examination content outline, and not to the PMBOK® Guide Fifth Edition.

Changes to the Continuing Certification Requirements Programme:

Effective 1st December 2015, PMI® CCR program will be aligned with the skills depicted in the PMI Talent Triangle®.





PMI Talent Triangle® is a depiction of the ideal skill-set of a professional, combining technical, leadership, and business & strategic management expertise.



To ensure professionals are able to develop their careers in a more meaningful and relevant way, and that these developments are in line with industry\employer requirements, employer-relevant skills from the Triangle have been incorporated in the CCR program.



The overall framework of the CCR program remains unchanged. However, the classification of PDUs earned from the two categories, Education, and Giving Back, will undergo a change.



Education PDUs : a minimum of 35 PDUs in total, with a minimum of 8 PDUs each from the Technical, Leadership, and Business modules. Up from 30 PDUs, previously.

: a minimum of 35 PDUs in total, with a minimum of 8 PDUs each from the Technical, Leadership, and Business modules. Up from 30 PDUs, previously. Giving Back PDUs: a maximum of 25 PDUs in all, with a maximum of 8 PDUs from Category F (work as Project Manager). Down from a requirement of 45 PDUs, previously.

a maximum of 25 PDUs in all, with a maximum of 8 PDUs from Category F (work as Project Manager). Down from a requirement of 45 PDUs, previously. Total: 60 PDUs per 3-year cycle.

For the PMI-ACP®, RMP®, and SP® Certifications, a minimum of 18 Education PDUs and a maximum of 12 Giving Back PDUs are now required.

Changes to cross-cutting knowledge and skills

Please note that in addition to domain-specific knowledge and skills, the PMP® exam content outline specifies a set of cross-cutting knowledge and skills used in multiple domains. The list of cross-cutting knowledge and skills has also undergone a change, and the new list is listed below:

Active listening

Applicable laws and regulations

Benefits realization

Brainstorming techniques

Business acumen

Change management techniques

Coaching, mentoring, training, and motivational techniques

Communication channels; tools, techniques, and methods

Configuration management

Conflict resolution

Customer satisfaction metrics

Data gathering techniques

Decision making

Delegation techniques

Diversity and cultural sensitivity

Emotional intelligence

Expert judgment technique

Facilitation

Generational sensitivity and diversity

Information management tools, techniques, and methods

Interpersonal skills

Knowledge management

Leadership tools, techniques, and skills

Lessons learned: management techniques

Meeting management techniques

Negotiating and influencing techniques and skills

Organizational and operational awareness

Peer review process

Presentation tools and techniques

Prioritization/time management

Problem-solving tools and techniques

Project finance principles

Quality assurance and control techniques

Relationship management

Risk assessment techniques

Situational awareness

Stakeholder management techniques

Team-building techniques

Virtual/remote team management

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