‚Nothing is more constant than change‘

Already 2,500 years ago Heraklit, the Greek philosopher, recognized the constant changes we are going through. Planning, Managing and Executing of projects are part of this change. In times of agile transformation and digitalization project management is evolving rapidly. Therefore, the role of the project manager has to be adjusted constantly. PMI® defines the project manager of the future with the upcoming exam changes, effective July 1st, 2020.

Why and when will the PMP® exam change?

PMI® conducts a research every 3-5 years to understand how the profession has progressed and how the responsibilities of the project manager have changed. Accordingly, PMI® adjusts the project management standards.
The PMP® exam will change in…

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What will change exactly?

The general conditions will remain the same. The candidates still have to answer 200 questions in a 4-hour time frame.

The following changes will be part of the new content outline:

  • About half of the examination will represent predictive project management approaches and the other half will represent agile or hybrid approaches.
  • Only 3 of 5 domains will remain:
    • The current 5 relevant domains (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, Closing) will be reduced to the following 3 domains
      • People (42%) – > Leadership
      • Process (50%) – > Technical Project Management
      • Business Environment (8%) – > Strategic and Business Management
    • Through this adjustment the exam now follows the PMI® Talent Triangle® – the ideal skill set of a project manager. Click here for detailed information about the Talent Triangle®:
      https://www.pmi.org/learning/training-development/talent-triangle

Will the PMBOK- Guide change?

A change of the PMI® Standards PMBOK Guide is not expected this year. The guide is updated every 4 years. The next update to the 7th edition will be in 2021.

When is the last date to apply for the exam with the current content outline?

      • PMI® hasn’t released an official date yet
      • The upstream application process includes a review phase which usually takes 3-5 days
      • The recommendation is to apply until mid-May
        Test takers should apply as soon as possible to avoid bottlenecks at the testing facilities
      • The current content outline is valid until Jun 30th, 2020

What are the options at this point?

  • We recommend to take the exam as soon as possible.
  • Test takers can follow this strategy:
    • Develop a concrete study plan/time schedule for your exam preparation
    • Apply for the PMP exam on pmi.org
    • Do not panic!!! Stay calm and just follow your study plan..
  • Tools and study aids

Already a PMP®?

You don’t have to retake the test. In order to maintain your certificate, you will have to earn 60 PDUs (Professional Development Units) in a 3 year-cycle. Click here for more information: https://www.pmi.org/certifications/maintain

Will the other PMI exams change, e.g. the PMI-CAPM® or PMI-ACP®?

As of now, there are only a few minor changes in the CAPM® exam in 2019. All other exams will not change this year.

  • Starting August 28, 2019
    • The 1,500 hours of project management experience will be eliminated. The only prerequisite is 23 hours of project management education completed by the time you sit for the exam, plus a secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the global equivalent).
    • The transition from CAPM® to PMP® becomes easier. The 35 hours of education required for CAPM® holders who apply for the PMP® will be waived.
  • Starting September 2019
    • Next to the single choice questions the CAPM® exam will present question types in two new formats:
      • Matching questions: Test takers will see two lists and be asked to match items from one list with items from the other.
      • Multiple choice questions with multiple correct answers.

All changes in the chronological overview:

We hope we were able to give you a good overview of the upcoming changes.
For more information please visit pmi.org

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Your Academy Team