VC4U's PMP®:CAPM®:PMI-ACP®:Certification Exam Prep Blog

PMP® exam - You prepared hard but what you do in 4 hours matters most !!

1. Read all options, then choose the answer. Focus on the words 'not' , 'except' and double negatives.

2. Go by your first instinct, don't change the answer. During review convince yourself if you want to change the answer.

3. Allocate time for review of marked questions.

4. If a questions seems tough, guess the answer , click it, then mark it for review and move on.

5. Go for easy ones first and answer them. It will increase your confidence that you are progressing well.

6. Take the exam in agile way, in iterations. 'Know' all the questions quickly to stop worrying about the questions. In 1st iteration answer easy ones. Mark all other questions. Note down the question numbers of calculation questions. In 2nd iteration answer calculation questions. In 3rd iteration answer other pending questions.

7. When you work out the answer on paper (e.g. EVM or network diagram questions) write the question number and then work out the answer. The question number will help you review your steps (look for matching number on screen and paper) and answer later. Look for smart solutions. Don't start doing the lengthy steps just because you know them.

8. Sitting straight will help you concentrate during the exam.

9.Take breaks based on milestones . After 100 questions, after 200 questions (take a snacks break),come and do the pending questions and reviews.

10. Keep yourself motivated. Replace any negative thought with a positive thought. Think of treat to your friends/friends once you pass the exam. Visualize 'Congratulations, you have passed' on the monitor during the breaks.

PMP®:CAPM® - 4 Terms 1 Term Puzzle

Identify the Project Management term depicted by these Project Management terms

Click on the picture to enlarge it !

one

Highlight between brackets to see the answer:
Answer: (Deliverable created in the first process and moves across 2nd and 3rd processes becomes accepted deliverable when it comes as input to the last process )
two

Answer: (Scope baseline consists of the first 3 and it is output of the last one)
three

Answer: (These are part of 7 basic quality control tools)
four

Answer: (These are part of 7 Quality Management and Control tools)
five

Answer: (Conflict resolution methods)
six

Answer: (These are powers of PM)
seven

Answer: (These belong to RACI chart )
eight

Answer: (These are factors of stakeholder analysis)
nine

Answer: (These are stakeholder engagement levels)
ten

Answer: (These are team building stages by Bruce Tuckman)

Read next:

PMP®:CAPM®:PMI-ACP® - 3 ways to overcome fear of failure

Let's first understand that fear of failure is imaginary. It is actually more damaging than failure.

It is a constant negative force which stops people from taking action.

It curbs growth.

It makes people postpone what needs to be done.

Let me get to the point straight.

In the case of PMP®/CAPM®/PMI-ACP® aspirants, fear of failure stops them from taking the exam after completing the 35 contact hours training.

They say if I fail the exam, I'll lose the money. Instead of focusing on the benefits after clearing the exam, they focus on money loss in failing the exam.

How to deal with the fear of failure. These 3 ways will help in dealing with that.

PMP®:CAPM® - 2 Mnemonics in Quality Management

At VC4U, we love mnemonics, as it is a memory aid. Human memory words by association. To keep a list of terms in memory you need to associate with pictures or other easy and common words. People who do memory records use the power of visualizing. They remember the many things that are shown to them in the same order with the help of visualizing.

Mnemonics works by associating a list of terms with another word or phrase. The more crazy the mnemonic is, the more easy it is, to remember and recollect (of course this is important) the related terms.

Though mnemonic involves the use of words, we use pictures portraying the mnemonic. This will help to easily recollect the mnemonic. The first time you frame a mnemonic and try to recollect it the very next day you might fail to recollect it. After all, success is a group of failures. Second time you try you will improve a little bit. Third time you will get full correct. After that it stays there for a long time.

Check out these 2 mnemonics related to Quality Management.
1.7 QC tools

2. 7 Quality Management and Control tools

Hope you love these mnemonics. If you need a mnemonic for any PMP related list of terms, please post in the comment.

PMP®:CAPM® - Preview of PMBOK® Version 6

MS Project - 11 Useful options to set in MS Project 2013

These options will be handy when you create schedules on MS Project 2013.

Navigate to File / Options for setting these options.

Save:
Don't show the backstage when opening or saving the files :Check.
Auto-save every: Set value (e.g. 30 minutes)
Save to Computer by default: Check.
Default file location: Set the directory

Schedule:
New task created: Change to Auto scheduled
Auto link inserted or moved tasks: Check.

General:
Default view: Set the most used view here as the default view.

Advanced:
General: Open last file on startup: Check.
Quickly access this number of Recent projects: Set the number.
EVM related options:
Default task Earned Value method: Set % complete or physical % complete.
Baseline for EVM: Set the baseline.

MS Project - 7 Steps to do EVM in MS Project 2013

Note: The navigation is given for the MS Project 2013.

Step 1: Create the project plan by entering tasks with predecessors, assigning resources, updating resource sheet with the cost details etc.

Step 2: Create a Baseline for the project. (Navigation: Project/Set Baseline/Set Baseline)

Step 3: Update the Actual start dates / % complete.
(Navigation: From Gantt chart screen, View/Tables/Tracking)

Step 4: Update the Status date. The PV calculation depends on the status date.
(Navigation: Project/Status date/Select Status date)

Step 5: Check the EVM values like PV, EV and AC.
(Navigation: View/Tables/More Tables/Earned Value)
The EAC (Estimate At Complete) is calculated by AC+(BAC-EV)/CPI i.e.
ACWP+(Baseline Cost – BCWP)/CPI. VAC = BAC – EAC.

Step 6: Check the Cost Performance Index (CPI).
(Navigation: View/Tables/More Tables/Earned Value Cost Indicators)

Step 7: Check the Schedule Performance Index (SPI):
(Navigation: View/Tables/More Tables/Earned Value Schedule indicators)

MS Project - different variants

This post covers the different variants of MS Project like Standard, Online , Project Server etc.

MS Project - What was new?

There are different versions of MS Project. This post covers the features which were introduced newly in the different versions of MS Project like 2007,2010,2013 and the latest 2016.

PMP®:CAPM® - Word Clouds - Knowledge Area - wise

We love Word Clouds as much as we love Words and Clouds. These are Word Clouds with terms related to the various topics of the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) on which the PMP/CAPM exams are based on.

Introduction

Integration management

Scope management

Schedule management

Cost management

Quality management

Resource management

Communication management

Risk management

Procurement management

Stakeholder management

Hope you like these PMP/CAPM Word Clouds. Please leave your comments with suggested words to be uploaded to these clouds. :)

PMP®:CAPM® - Crossword 2

Click on the crossword picture below to enlarge it!!

Answers:
Across:
1. CPI (Cost Performance Index)
2. CRASHING
4. EXPERT
5. HISTOGRAM (also called as Barchart)
7. EMV (Expected Monetary Value)
Down:
1. COACHING
3. SPI (Schedule Performance Index)
4. EVM (Earned Value Management)
6. TREE

PMP®:CAPM® - Crossword 1

Try this Crossword puzzle with PMP:CAPM terms. Scroll down for the answers.

Click on the crossword picture below to enlarge it!!

Answers:
Across:
2. CLAIM
4. SALIENCE MODEL
6. CHECK SHEET
7. GOLD PLATING
Down:
1. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
2. COLOCATION
3. SCOPE STATEMENT
4. SCOPE CREEP
5. RISK REGISTER