Creating Your PMP® Study Plan - The Complete Guide
Stephen R. Covey, in his best-selling book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", famously stated:
“Start with the end in mind.”
Applying this concept to studying for and passing the PMP® certification exam means understanding what material is covered on the exam, how the PMP® exam is structured to test your comprehension and knowledge, and developing and following a study plan.
Starting with the end in mind allows you to treat your study plan like a project, maximize your time and resources, and increase your ability to get your PMP certification.
In this article, I am going to show you how to create your very own PMP study plan step by step. You will know exactly what to do!
How do I Develop a PMP Study Plan?
Understand your needs, define the scope and tailor your plan specifically to what your approach calls for.
Analysis of many of the lessons learned from successful exam candidates show there are common study plan and Best Practices:
- Knowing what to study
- Knowing how to study
- Preparing a study plan
- Developing a study schedule
- Know the vocabulary
- Get a study partner
- Know what study notes make a difference
- Know how to use practice exams
And so it is no surprise that the same review of these lessons learned from the experiences of thousands of certified PMPs supports that the best way to study for the PMP exam is by developing a study plan tailored to your expertise, experience, and project management knowledge.
How prepare for the PMP exam is similar to preparing for a project:
- Define the scope (material to study)
- Define the deliverables (milestones of understanding based on Project Management Knowledge Areas and Process Groups)
- Develop a schedule to complete your studying for PMP certification.