,ACHIEVE
®
EXAM SUCCESS ■ 6th EDITION
A Concise Study Guide for the
Busy Project Manager
DIANE BUCKLEY-ALTWIES, MBA, PMP, PMI Fellow
DIANE WHITE, PMP
,ii
Copyright ©2018 by Core Performance Concepts, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-60427-152-2
Printed and bound in the United States. Printed on acid-free paper.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Altwies, Diane, 1962- author. | White, Diane, 1951- author.
Title: Achieve PMP exam success : a concise study guide for the busy project
manager / by Diane Altwies and Diane White.
Description: 6th edition. | Plantation, FL : J. Ross Publishing, Inc.,
[2018] | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018003868 (print) | LCCN 2018001214 (ebook) | ISBN
9781604277975 (e-book) | ISBN 9781604271522 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Project management--Examinations, questions, etc.
Classification: LCC HD69.P75 (print) | LCC HD69.P75 A458 2018 (ebook) | DDC
658.4/04076--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018003868
This publication contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded
sources. Reprinted material is used with permission, and sources are indicated.
Reasonable effort has been made to publish reliable data and information, but
the authors and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all
materials or for the consequences of their use.
All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part thereof may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recordings, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
The copyright owner’s consent does not extend to copying for general distribution
for promotion, for creating new works, or for resale. Specific permission must be
obtained from J. Ross Publishing for such purposes.
Direct all inquiries to J. Ross Publishing, 300 S. Pine Island Road, Suite #305,
Plantation, FL 33324. Phone 954-727-9333; Fax 561-892-0700;
Web: www.jrosspub.com.
Core Performance Concepts, Inc., is a Registered Education Provider of PMI. PMI,
PMP, PMBOK, and CAPM are registered marks of Project Management Institute,
Inc. PMI does not endorse or otherwise sponsor this publication.
Attention: corporations, professional organizations, universities, and colleges.
Quantity discounts are available on bulk purchases of this book. For more
information, contact: .
, TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii
PREFACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xviii
AUTHORS’ INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi
WEB ADDED VALUE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxiii
CHAPTER 1 STUDY TIPS & ASSESSMENT EXAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What is a Project Management Professional (PMP)?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
PMP Exam Specifics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Role Delineation Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Performance Domains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Performance Domains and Tasks
Study Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Exam Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Time Management During the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
FAQs About the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Memorization Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Memorization Tip for the Five Process Groups
Memorization Tip for the Ten Knowledge Areas
Formulas, Equations, and Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Project Schedule Networks
Normal Distribution
Triangular Distribution
Weighted-Average or Beta/PERT Distribution
Statistical Sums
Probability Distribution
Earned Value Management
Estimate at Completion
Budget at Completion
Remaining Budget
Estimate to Complete
Communications Channels
Rule of Seven
Profitability Measures
Sample Study Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Sample Assessment Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
CHAPTER 2 OVERVIEW AND ENVIRONMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Overview and Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Things to Know
Key Definitions
Projects Versus Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
®
EXAM SUCCESS ■ 6th EDITION
A Concise Study Guide for the
Busy Project Manager
DIANE BUCKLEY-ALTWIES, MBA, PMP, PMI Fellow
DIANE WHITE, PMP
,ii
Copyright ©2018 by Core Performance Concepts, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-60427-152-2
Printed and bound in the United States. Printed on acid-free paper.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Altwies, Diane, 1962- author. | White, Diane, 1951- author.
Title: Achieve PMP exam success : a concise study guide for the busy project
manager / by Diane Altwies and Diane White.
Description: 6th edition. | Plantation, FL : J. Ross Publishing, Inc.,
[2018] | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018003868 (print) | LCCN 2018001214 (ebook) | ISBN
9781604277975 (e-book) | ISBN 9781604271522 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Project management--Examinations, questions, etc.
Classification: LCC HD69.P75 (print) | LCC HD69.P75 A458 2018 (ebook) | DDC
658.4/04076--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018003868
This publication contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded
sources. Reprinted material is used with permission, and sources are indicated.
Reasonable effort has been made to publish reliable data and information, but
the authors and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all
materials or for the consequences of their use.
All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part thereof may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recordings, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
The copyright owner’s consent does not extend to copying for general distribution
for promotion, for creating new works, or for resale. Specific permission must be
obtained from J. Ross Publishing for such purposes.
Direct all inquiries to J. Ross Publishing, 300 S. Pine Island Road, Suite #305,
Plantation, FL 33324. Phone 954-727-9333; Fax 561-892-0700;
Web: www.jrosspub.com.
Core Performance Concepts, Inc., is a Registered Education Provider of PMI. PMI,
PMP, PMBOK, and CAPM are registered marks of Project Management Institute,
Inc. PMI does not endorse or otherwise sponsor this publication.
Attention: corporations, professional organizations, universities, and colleges.
Quantity discounts are available on bulk purchases of this book. For more
information, contact: .
, TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii
PREFACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xviii
AUTHORS’ INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi
WEB ADDED VALUE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxiii
CHAPTER 1 STUDY TIPS & ASSESSMENT EXAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What is a Project Management Professional (PMP)?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
PMP Exam Specifics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Role Delineation Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Performance Domains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Performance Domains and Tasks
Study Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Exam Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Time Management During the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
FAQs About the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Memorization Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Memorization Tip for the Five Process Groups
Memorization Tip for the Ten Knowledge Areas
Formulas, Equations, and Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Project Schedule Networks
Normal Distribution
Triangular Distribution
Weighted-Average or Beta/PERT Distribution
Statistical Sums
Probability Distribution
Earned Value Management
Estimate at Completion
Budget at Completion
Remaining Budget
Estimate to Complete
Communications Channels
Rule of Seven
Profitability Measures
Sample Study Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Sample Assessment Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
CHAPTER 2 OVERVIEW AND ENVIRONMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Overview and Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Things to Know
Key Definitions
Projects Versus Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
