Thread tracking my PMP study plan

N2IT · January 2012

A little history, some of you already know.I took the exam the 1st time in November I believe and failed. Not by a whole lot it seems, but failed nonetheless. So I have revised my study plan.I originally just read Rita's PMP Exam Prep. That helped out a ton, but wasn't enough. Now my strategy has changedSo currently under my belt I have the video from CBT nuggets [PMP] and one run through of Rita's book now.I am currently reading the PMBOK guide fourth edition. I am finding that linking the knowledge groups with the processes and Inputs Outputs and Tools and Techniques is making more sense. Over the last month I have be slow to get through the PMBOK, but hopefully with this outlet I can track my progress and maybe uncover some new strategies to studying along the way. Tonight I read chapter 5 and made it through the Scope Management Process. [Gather requirements, define scope, create WBS, verify scope, control scope].Tomorrow I am hoping to get through chapter 6 Time Management. I should be able to get through all of the Time Management processes. There are 6 [Define activites, sequence activites, estimate activity resources, estimate activity duration, control schedule]

powerfool · January 2012

Nice. I hope you do well. My studies have been delayed... if I ever get around to it, I will let you know.

N2IT · January 2012

Last night made it through the 1/2 the chapter. Currently on Time Management. Going through the knowledge groups and associating them with the ITTO's and processes.

Brought my book to work so I am hoping to finish up Chapter 6 and start going through Chapter 7. My plan is to read this book and retain maybe 20-30% and then later going back through again and retaining 60-75%. The second time through should really help. It will be nice to get into the study guides they are a lot more interesting.

N2IT · January 2012

Rough day at work, but still battled through Chapter 6 in the PMBOK. I am going to review in the bedroom for 15 mins or so and then go with Chapter 7. I feel like this knowlege group got away from me a bit. Some of the ideas and processes are somewhat foreign, so using concept is always more challenging. The process I use in the "real world" for scheduling is not quite as detailed so mingling the processes with ITTO's has been challening.

More too come.

N2IT · January 2012

Today was a lot smoother at work. I went ahead and read for ~1 hour. Went back over chapter 6 and really went over develop project schedule and project control processes. Did some additional research on scheduling histograms and cash flow statements. (They were referenced in the PMBOK so I decided to drill into them a little bit more).

N2IT · January 2012

Reread chapter 6 (most of it) and reviewed at a high level chapter 5 scope management. Have the processes memorized for 5 and 6 (scope and time). I need to go back through integration, but I don't want to slow my process down, so it's on to cost management. Cost is a smaller chapter, but has a lot of formulas most of which I already have memorized or a solid understanding of. I feel like I am picking up some momentum. Fingers crossed

N2IT · January 2012

About 1/4 through Cost Management. ~20 pages left. I should be able to finish this and move onto chapter 8 tomorrow. Trying to motor through the PMBOK and get into Head First PMP. Really looking forward to slowing it down and taking structured notes. I have mine from Rita's book, but I want to recreate and start from scratch. I will eventually get back to Rita's book, I really liked the way her book explained cost management.

I am debating on reading all these books twice or just revisiting some and rereading the one I enjoy the most. Hard to tell, but off to finish chapter 7

N2IT · January 2012

Completed chapter 7 [Cost Management]

By far the most interesting chapter in the PMBOK so far. Went over Earned value management principals and techniques. Strategies and forecasting I found to be pleasenty interesting. Covered all 3 process groups in cost management. [Estimate Cost, Determine Budget, Control Cost]

Chapter 8 tomorrow. [Quality Management]

N2IT · January 2012

Wasn't feeling all that great infact showed up 2 hours late for work however I did go to bed at 7:00 pm. Woke up at 4:00 and read from 4:30 - 5:00. Covered the intro to quality management. Stopped at the overall processes flows and will hopefully find sometime today at lunch to start into the process groups within the knowledge group.

I plan on getting through 8 this weekend. In a perfect world I would get through 9, but that might be asking to much so I'll set my goals at one chapter this weekend

N2IT · January 2012

Taking tonight off. I will resume tomorrow.

N2IT · January 2012

Finished chapter 8 knowledge group quality management. Covered plan quality>quality assurance>quality control. Covered some of the quality control theories and tools and how the process groups linked to each other. I'll need to review this chapter again. Moving onto Human Resource Management Knowledge Group.

Hopefully I can finish this out today. That will leave me with 3 more chapters and a small appendix. I'll be moving back to Rita's book and then the head first PMP guide.

I took a practice exam today about 50 questions and scored a 70 on it. Not to impressive, but I flew threw it and didn't doublecheck my answers.

N2IT · January 2012

Just finished chapter 9 Human Resource Management knowledge area. I have quite a bit of experience with that knowledge area so it went rather quickly. It really aligns with operational management, which I have some experience in as well.

Next is communication management, I might bang it out tonight. It all depends if the misses wants to watch a movie and if I pop some melatonia (sp)

My plan is to wrap this book up this week and start on either Rita's book or Head First PMP. I'm leaning towards Head First PMP. I want to take a crack at the visual format. One thing about the book I hate though is the small text. I like larger font it's easier on my eyes.

N2IT · January 2012

Finished the Communication Knowledge Area. On to chapter 11 Risk Management. This one is the hardest for me to understand. I don't know what it is about Risk Management, but I really have to read and reread to grasp the concepts.

On page 273 in the PMBOK I should finish up by the weekend. Still debating on my study strategy.

1. Read Rita's PMP exam guide again and then read the same knowledge area in the PMBOK and do that straight through both books or
2. Read the PMP Head Start and do knowledge area specific exams while reading the book. There could be a 3rd option I am not really sure yet.

N2IT · January 2012

Didn't touch any material today. Had a 4 hour MS Visio training course and then a ton of work. Then my wife picked me up with kids and we hit a nice italian restaurant ( had two scotches and a martini (A real one with Gin).

I'll resume tomorrow need sleep

N2IT · January 2012

Woke up super early today. I ended up studying for ~1.5 hours. Made it through the first 3 process groups in the Risk Management knowledge area. I should be able to finish this up at lunch today. Hopefully I can get through Procurement Management tonight.

Still on track to finish before the weekend. I'd like to take a day off after finishing the PMBOK. I was thinking about doing a 200 question exam provided by PMP HeadStart, to see where I stand in the framework, this is after my day off

N2IT · January 2012

Risk Management is a dooze. Lots of sub process within process and the knowledge is challenging. However I have 5 more pages and the chapter will be complete. Then onto Communications Management (FUN FUN)

On a side note I joined PMI La Crosse chapter. It's closer than the MN St Paul chapter so I went with that. Besides one of the contributing members I have spoken with on the phone. She is a very nice lady and a super knowledgable PM. Looking to really get into the culture and make some connections. One never knows!

N2IT · January 2012

1/4 way through procurement management. This knowledge area is actually one of the easier ones for me. I have had a lot of experience with managing to contracts and working as the "seller" or "service provider", so the procurement SOW and other subsidary documents really stick. I started nodding off on page 329 so I stopped there. I will finish up tonight with reading to page 344 (the end) and then some of the appedixes. Charts, process flows and other tips and additonal information.

Tomorrow I am going to take the 200 question practice exam through head start PMP. I heard it wasn't as hard as the PMI exam, but if you score an 80% on it you are in reallllllly good shape. I don't expect to hit that high, but 65% would be a good goal for me now.

chmod · January 2012

Incredible, u r putting so much effort and dedicating a lot of time.

Very well organized scheduled to learn from different sources.

I hope u do well.

N2IT · January 2012

chmod wrote: »

Incredible, u r putting so much effort and dedicating a lot of time.

Very well organized scheduled to learn from different sources.

I hope u do well.

Thanks a lot I really appreciate that

N2IT · January 2012

Just finished the PMBOK HOORAY!

344 pages of pure fun

I am either going to start on the PMP Head Start book to the practice exam. I have a cigar and a pint of Jameson, so I think it might be just the first chapter. They are usually high level enough to understand hung over

I'll keep you posted as I move forward.

N2IT · January 2012

Went through the beginning "how to start to use the book" section and then closed her up. I am attempting to create a plan I can live with and then execute

I am leaning towards reading the book, and then hitting the practice exams, but I am not sure yet.

N2IT · January 2012

I am bring the book with me to work. Starting chapter 1 hopefully things start to really click. I am beginning to sythesize the knowledge with the actual work I perform.

N2IT · January 2012

Cracked open chapter 1 at lunch and fired through it. Took the practice exams and score 100% on 2 and 90% one the final one. These are really small exam 10 questions each. I should be able to bang out chapter 2 tonight. Chapter 3 is when it gets tedious and when you really have to start focusing.

This book is gigantic so it might take me a month to complete. Hopefully not, but I wouldn't be surprised

I think it's best that I go ahead and go through the book first then hit the 200 question exam. That will have given me 2 different looks at study guides and lessons/test and the CBT Nugget PMP studying guide and then of course the PMBOK V4.

What I'll end up doing is going back through and rereading the PMBOK, Rita's book, and the PMP Head First book. Then I will get crazy with the practice exams. If I fail this damn thing I will burn all my course material

N2IT · January 2012

Well it's time for bed. I banged through chapter 2 and did well only missed 1 question out of 9 and I think being tired has something to do with it. I hit page 59, and tomorrow I plan on going through Chapter 3 (Process Frameworks). This is one that gave me trouble in Rita's book and the PMBOK so I will be paying extra attention tomorrow. Hopefully the 3rd time around will get things clicking.

N2IT · January 2012

Woke up feeling good. The plan is to get chapter 3 done today. I should be able to get some of it done at lunch and finish up at home. I find using my lunch is a good way to get a head start on the material and then finishing out so I am not away from the kids and losing large chunks of sleep.

So far this book is pretty high level which concerns me, but it does drill in some of the basic terminology which I find very helpful.

N2IT · February 2012

Completed chapter 3 process framework, process groups, and knowledge areas. This time the material started to click, but there are still some gray areas. I have begun chapter 4 integration management and should get this completed tonight. I am off work tomorrow so it should be a nice late night to get some reading in. I should be up to page 134 by the end of the night.

N2IT · February 2012

Finished chapter 4 Intergration Management. Took 3 practice exams. Scored a 56, 90, and 68.

Talk about some serious control issues. My 56 score and 68 where based off of 25 questioned exams and the 90 off of a 10 questions exam.

I did a sumproduct function in excel to calculate the weighted averages and came up with a 67% out of 60 questions. Good times!

Anyway I am going to keep battling on, but this **** is sucking the life out of me in some regards. I think I am more cut out for data analysis it comes so much more easy than remembering process after process. Hell half of them I use in my lead position.

Anyway Cest La Vie (SP)

I'll keep it going and see where this gets me. I'm about to just schedule the test and take it. Roll the freaking dice and see what happens. I can always take it a 3rd time

The way things are going I have 1374 pages left to read. I already have read over 1,000 pages on the PMP material alone. If I average 50 pages a day, which I did 65 today, I should be able to complete in ~27-28 days one month.

Then I can spend one more month taking practice exams and studying. If I fail this bastard after that I am going to disown PMI and get my certificate from Villanova or another school in Business Analysis, revolved around the BABOK.

That's my freaking contigency plan

N2IT · February 2012

Was out of town all weekend. Crushed a few pints with some of the my college mates. It was fun, I was PMP free, back to grind tomorrow. I listened to some audio PMP training, but I quickly stopped, for me it was ineffective. I'll read a few pages tonight and cover some easy concepts and then tomorrow it's back to full force. I also inquired about a PMP training course at the local community college. The professor said he would love to have me in the course so it looks like I am going to take this as well.

N2IT · February 2012

I'm exhausted but it's a slow day so far until 1:30 central time. Then it's 3.5 hour class going over certain modules related to the ERP.

I've covered ~10 pages and did 1 practice exam it was only 10 questions

I scored a 70% and the Scope Statement processes are start to click a little more. I'm hoping to get in another 10-15 pages before I go to bed tonight. Wife is working a 12 hour shift so I'll be it at home with the kids.

Turgon · February 2012

N2IT wrote: »

I'm exhausted but it's a slow day so far until 1:30 central time. Then it's 3.5 hour class going over certain modules related to the ERP.

I've covered ~10 pages and did 1 practice exam it was only 10 questions I scored a 70% and the Scope Statement processes are start to click a little more. I'm hoping to get in another 10-15 pages before I go to bed tonight. Wife is working a 12 hour shift so I'll be it at home with the kids.

Good progress. How are you finding juggling these study hours with your work?

N2IT · February 2012

Turgon wrote: »

Good progress. How are you finding juggling these study hours with your work?

So far so good. I am waiting till they go to bed usually unless the misses takes them out and then I can use that free time for studying. At work it's usually about 30 mins tops of study time. Thanks for checking in, hopefully I bring techexams a winner!

Thread tracking my PMP study plan

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