What is the PMBOK® Guide?
"pim-bok" is the conversational way in which project managers often refer to "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)".
It's more correct to say PMBOK® Guide than simply "pim-bok" because "pim-bok" (project management body of knowledge) refers to everything that anyone knows about project management, while PMBOK® Guide refers to just the book and its contents.
Anyway... The PMBOK® Guide is the number one global standard for project management.
It was developed and is regularly updated by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
It provides you as a project practitioner with fundamental project management concepts and approaches needed to successfully deliver a project.
It is important to note that the PMBOK® Guide is a framework and NOT a methodology -- so it describes the structure of project management, but does not prescribe what detailed principles and practices you must use.
The PMBOK® Guide is mandatory reading for anyone preparing for the PMP Exam.
This is because a large portion (approximately 50% of the knowledge needed to pass the exam comes from the guide.
However, it is important to remember that the exam doesn't test your knowledge of the guide's content, but instead it tests your understanding of the practical application of the principles described.
Do I Have to Memorize the PMBOK® Guide to Pass the PMP Exam?
... you may ask at this point and the answer is a big and fat ... No!
To succeed in the exam, you will need to have a lot of hands-on experience in project management and be able to relate it to the theory in the PMBOK® Guide.
That's why a minimum of 4,500 hours of experience (7,500 if you don't have a Bachelor's Degree) is a prerequisite to taking the exam.
Your real-life experience in managing projects in your industry will make everything much easier. Many situations in the questions will be familiar to you because you have lived through them. But there is also a risk here ... but more on that later on.
Ok, cool ... then Is the PMBOK® Guide enough to succeed in the exam?
And again ... a big and fat ... No! ...
the PMBoK Guide alone is not sufficient.
Earlier we said, that about 50% of the Exam questions are referring to the PMBoK Guide, so what is about the other 50%?
Well, another reference book that is a must-have resource for PMP Exam preparation is the "Agile Practice Guide" which we will have a closer look at in the next section. ...
( we do answer the question about the must-have learning materials and the more optional ones later on the road ... 😉 )
You may have heard about the new PMBoK Guide 7th Edition (Released in Autumn 2021) and that this version is significantly different from the previous Editions, right?
(PMI changed their approach in the PMBoK Guide Development from a more process-based approach to a more principle-based one!)
Well, so you may ask
How Does the PMBOK® Guide 7th Edition affect the PMP Exam?
The most important thing you need to keep in mind is, that the PMP exam is NOT based on the PMBOK® Guide (but on the PMP Exam Content Outline; PMPECO).
The PMBoK Guide is only one of several books recommended as prep resources for the PMP exam.
To better understand how the PMP exam works, it’s important to know how the exam questions are developed:
- Topics: The current "PMP Exam Content Outline" (short: PMPECO) dictates what’s included in the exam. These topics covered in the outline are then turned into questions.
- Question(types)s: ... are a combination of multiple-choice, multiple responses, matching, hot area, and limited fill-in-the-blank. The correct answer among the options is determined by the references. You can find a few question examples here:
- References: The 10 books, which include the PMBOK® Guide, will explain the answers to the questions. But now worries, you do not have to work through all that 10 books in detail.
Given this structure, an update to the PMBOK® Guide doesn’t necessarily mean there will be an overhaul happening in the actual exam.
It’s a different story, however, when the ECO changes (about every 4 to 6 years). Expect a modification to the exam when that happens.
To make sure that you’re thoroughly prepared for the exam, cover all your bases by considering the following tools and materials:
- PMP Exam Prep Course
- ECO
- PMBOK® Guide and the Agile Practice Guide (APG)
- Agile Manifesto and Scrum Guide
- PMP Exam Simulator
So instead of muddling your brains with too many books, choose the one or two you like best to complement your PMBOK® Guide and Agile Practice Guide studies to ensure a successful exam.
For further Information about the recommended books and the PMI official reference list, you might check out this article here >>>
What are your thoughts or experiences? Do you have any questions regarding this section?
Or any ideas on how to improve?
Just let us know in the comments below! Highly appreciated! Thanks!
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