PMP Protein: Facing the Sun

By Manjunath R, PMP

We all face our top management in our day today professional activities. May it be presenting reports, proposing something, or clarifying something.  Sometimes, matter in hand will be in jeopardy while convincing the top management. There are several reasons for it. It may be the lack of artifacts, data, analysis of feasibility etc. But, most of the times, the modus operandi and the mode of evaluation of the top management will be discreet. Hidden agendas of Top Management are also one of the major factors contributing to unproductive meetings. 

It is difficult to question the top management about the transparency of bringing their motives on to the meeting table. It needs lot of experience and right attitude to bring out the actual expectations of the top management. If mishandled, the careers will be in jeopardy. Being honest sometimes will invite trouble. Like the proverb says 'Tall trees are cut first'.

Facing the top management is like facing the sun. One can’t keep staring at it, there is a risk of losing vision. With proper tools and techniques sun can be observed without harm. Same way with proper skill set top management can be handled. 

Most of the times, the top management tries to divert the issues to something which is not a part of agenda (not really important). This may be a part of their evaluation process, so as to know how important the agenda is and how desperate we are to bring the discussion back on track. Sometimes, top management plays the role of a Devil’s advocate to rule out all the possibilities which will have negative impact. If the business case is not feasible, it has to die on the discussion table. Top management plays role of a murder panel. 

Sometimes, it’s contrary. Top management will be so confident and enthusiastic about some business case that, they will not be in listening mode. They will be blindfolded about the negativities. Being aware of the negativities, middle management people fail to bring them on to the discussion table. 

Top Management sometimes may have decided something and call for the meeting to convey the same. But, before disclosing their verdict they would like to have some warm up discussions. 

It hard to know, what is in the mind of top management. It is always safe to double check the data and artifacts before presentation and to be clear about the agenda. Most importantly, being diplomatic helps a lot in facing top management. Emotions have to be kept under control. Surviving the scenario becomes more important.

Author: Manjunath R 
Manjunath R is a project management professional in construction industry. He is a graduate Civil Engineer. He is passed out from BIET (VTU) Davanagere in year 2005.He has been involved in construction industry as Deputy General Manager working for PDD Infratech. He has worked with several reputed organizations in Bangalore. He is having 12 plus years of hands on experience. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from Project Management Institute (PMI). 

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PMP Success Story: A Hard-Earned Achievement

By Nidhin Sasi, PMP

Introduction
I had attained Accenture Internal certification on Program Project Service Management (PPSM) Specialist in June, 2017. It built basic foundation on Project and Service Management with stress on Accenture Standardized Methodologies. The idea of PMP® certification stemmed from this experience to explore and also attain a globally recognized certification.

The preparation for PMP certification itself enhances your existing level of practical Project Management knowledge and experience. The PMBOK® guide provides an excellent framework touching upon all aspects of Project Management. PMP certification validates the experience and competencies in leading a project with very scientific methodology and real-world situation assessment. 

PMP Coaching Experience
My PMP classroom coaching was done by a provider. Satya led the sessions. The classroom coaching laid the basic foundation for the PMP certification learning.

Satya has an interactive mode of engaging with live scenarios and questions which would make us think and understand the basic concepts. 

Key takeaways from the coaching include a foundational grip on all knowledge areas and key concepts especially – flow of the 47 processes, Earned Value Management (EVM), Critical Path Method (along with Forward Pass, Backward Pass), Risk Management/Register, Benefit Analysis, Strategic Management, Stakeholder Analysis etc.

Own Study
The classroom training was completed on 16th July’17. I started my preparation couple of weeks afterwards albeit at a snail’s pace due to hectic office and house responsibilities.
I tried to spend at-least an hour everyday including weekends, but could not stick to it. However, I ensured I that I didn’t keep a gap of more than a week. This way though I spent less study per day, I didn’t lose touch.

My preparation materials were classroom material, PMBOK Guide and “I WANT TO BE A PMP” book authored by Satya. 

My first target was to complete the course material along with chapter end questions. Next, I read end to end of “I WANT TO BE A PMP” and the PMBOK Guide. These were completed slowly, but I got a good grip. I WANT TO BE A PMP is a detailed version of Satya’s four-day coaching with very explanative videos and articles from this blog – ManagementYogi. The chapter end questions included some brain twisting ones that helped in bettering the understanding. PMBOK Guide meanwhile was little tough in the first read. 

Meanwhile I also completed my application during this period, for which I got help in having a sample spreadsheet to calculate the experience hours. Once the application was accepted, the seriousness of the exam preparation increased.

I made a full stretched study plan in a spreadsheet which I kept on revising till 2 weeks before the exam. I made 7 versions of the plan. This helped me to access how I was progressing and accordingly revise the plan and also put efforts to expedite the progress whenever it lagged. I attempted mock up exams after the complete the initial reading of these 3 materials. The initial scores were in the range of 65-75% with some questions which were very confusing. 

I reached out to Satya to clear most of my doubts in the concepts and mock exams. Satya amidst his busy schedule was kind enough to patiently respond to my numerous questions over phone and email. He has later said that it was my questions that he replied to the most.

After these many exercises, I got a good grip of the subject though there were still some confusions and doubts looming around. Then I re-read I WANT TO BE A PMP book and the PMBOK guide for the 2nd time followed by remaining mock exams of from I WANT TO BE A PMP book. This really increased my grip of the subject and cleared many confusions which previously I had. Then I took chapter end questions from PMP Preparation by Rita Mulcahy and mock exams from Oliver Lehman and the third mock exam from I WANT TO BE A PMP book. These mock exams exposed me to some really brain twisting and high-quality questions which prepared me well for the tough questions I was expecting in the exam.

Book Review - I WANT TO BE A PMP
The experience from Satya’s coaching and his blog made me to buy I WANT TO BE A PMP. 

The book has videos providing a detailed explanation on Earned Value Analysis, Critical Path Method, Critical Chain Method, Point of Total Assumption, Risk Response Strategies, Conflict Management, Soft Skills, among others. Key concepts are explained in a lucid manner with flow charts of the processes across Knowledge Areas.

The flow chart exercises will make you really understand the flow of processes.

The chapter end questions and the mock exams, especially the 3rd Mock exams, and the 75 questions based on Exam Content Outline (ECO) will not only equip you for the challenges of the exam but also of the actual challenges in real life project scenarios and good understanding of the subject.

PMP Exam Experience
I scheduled the PMP Exam for 17th January’18. This was scheduled before my actual plan which I was following because of office and house responsibilities. Due to this I had to slog the last 3 weeks including the New Year weekend.

Altogether I had attended 9 full mock exams of 200 questions previously due to which I had an idea of how to manage the time. My strategy was to take not more than a minute per question, i.e., first target was to complete more than 30 questions in first half an hour and 60 questions in the first hour and to ensure to maintain this pace or even increase the speed. At the same time, you should ensure you do not rush through the questions to achieve this pace because many times during mock exams in-order to achieve the pace, I had answered hastily which I realized when I read the question again, calmly. Hence, I ensured that pace is maintained but at the same time question is read thoroughly and each answer is gone through.

The actual PMP Exam was relatively very easy compared to some of the tough mock exams I attended and questions were relatively more straight forward. However, there were questions based on scenarios and where more than one answers seemed to be correct, for which you needed to spend more than a minute.

In questions where all 4 answers could be correct, I compared each question with every wording of the question. Also for some questions, you can start off by eliminating the wrong questions to zero down to two answers or one answer.

There were mathematical questions for Earned Value Analysis, Critical Path Method, and also question on Change Requests, Communications and Stakeholder Management.

Suggestions for PMP Aspirants
Dos 

• Read the PMBOK guide end-to-end and whichever book you are planning to buy, at-least try practicing the chapter end questions.
• Maintain an exam plan throughout – apply a combination of rough order of magnitude (ROM), analogous, parametric, bottom up estimation techniques to estimate the time and in tracking and revising the plan.
• Try good quality mock exams and ensure you try at-least 5 full 200 questions mock exams.
• Visit the Exam centre once before the exam to analyse the traffic and to avoid looking for the centre on the exam.
• Have a good sleep the day before and avoid last minute study.
• Reach the Exam centre half an hour before your notification time to reach the centre with a calm mind.

Don’ts

• Do not by remember anything by heart. Rather, try to have your real-life project scenarios in mind and how you will be using the tools and techniques and processes in those scenarios.
• Do not attempt mock exams based on previous versions of PMBOK guide.
• Do not pile up questions, try to clarify with your study group or your coach.

Conclusion

I would try to implement the PMP learnings in my work and also try to undergo advanced level of trainings, understand new concepts and keep track of the latest trends in Project management.

Brief Profile
Nidhin Sasi, Team Lead with close to 13 years of IT experience in Accenture Services Pvt Ltd and a 6 months experience prior to that in a small vendor company for Telecommunications field.

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PMP Success Story: Keep Things Simple

By Manu Devadas, PMP

Introduction
I am working with Imtac India Pvt Ltd, Bangalore. I have over 14 years of experience and presently responsible for Project management. As my professional world revolves around projects and project management, I decided to become a PMP®. This certification is unique and perhaps the most values project management certification. As a professional also you make better contribution by applying the tools and techniques learned knowledge gained and skills acquired.

PMP Coaching Experience
I am connected to Satya sir, though the provider. On my first day of class, Sir told us: most of the people fail PMP examination. And do you know what is the reason? As a PMP aspirant at that day, like others I was also shocked. The reason for high failure rate was, most of them after the class, won't even attend the examination.

While undergoing my study, I realized that and make myself calm and cool and come out of the thought of "I can't spare too much time for study due to my professional commitments." I believe, you get time for everything in life, if you consider that as an important thing and I made myself there. 

Four days class is very less time. But each moment in the classroom, Satya sir was making us understand the concept. Sir make me clear the process groups and knowledge areas and their interrelationships. Our discussions were insightful and deep. The tips and techniques provided were very useful for clearing the PMP Exam and I realized while writing the exam.

Most interestingly on last day Sir told, how much time I may require clearing my exam. It was 6 months, today it’s my 6th month.

Own Study
I took 6 Months to clear my PMP Exam after his coaching. I spent 2 hours daily and write sample exams on weekends in the last one month. I had access to the PMBOK guide and Satya Sir’s “I Want To Be A PMP" book in my mobile, which was my companion throughout the study. Whenever I get time, I do read this online. 

Please note "There is no alternative to the PMBOK Guide". You must read it at least 3 to 4 times. When I read the PMBOK guide for first two times, I didn’t understand anything. But Satya sir said that the book adds value. Try to get your concepts clear and read again. You will start liking. In fact, I did enjoy it in my subsequent readings.

Books Referred

• PMBOK (Again No Alternatives)
• "I Want To Be A PMP" - Read at least three times.

Mock Exams

• Mock Questions from the provider - First four sets are useful. The remaining two sets have a number of commonalities in questions.
• "I Want To Be A PMP" Mock Exams - First two sets are very useful. The third set is quite tough, but it will make you mentally prepared for attending complicated scenarios in the exam. You will realize when you write the real exam.
• PMP Exam Prep Questions from Christopher Scordo - There are 18 set of questions and each set has 50 questions. I recommend this book as well based on my experience in the exam. 

Based my experience, any aspirant, who tried all the above, must pass the exam. 

Book Review - I Want To Be A PMP
The process groups, overlapping processes within the process groups and the iterative and integrative nature of project and project management – you will clearly know while going through the book.

The 5 process groups, 10 knowledge areas and 47 processes are clearly explained and in simplified English, which makes it easy to understand. The iterative nature of project management plan development, i.e., progressive elaboration and flow of processes among the knowledge areas and process groups you will understand as you proceed. There are also a number of Flow Charts. 

There are many Yogic Tips and Yogic Revision Tips, which keeps you focused as they are highlighted. The videos attached in the book are very useful and helps you quickly understand the concepts.

PMP Exam Experience
I scheduled my exam at Bangalore. The questions were relatively simple but situational. You should be clear on concepts to crack the right answer. You should know all process inputs and outputs and their interrelationship. 

I had several mathematical questions along with Earned Value Management (EVM) around 15 in total. Few questions on finding the number of communication channels. There were no questions related to project selection techniques and procurement related mathematical questions. 

For me, the questions were less lengthy and no twist in question wording. I scored overall “Above Target” in my PMP exam.

Suggestions for PMP Aspirants
Dos 

• Keep things simple. Make yourself calm when you write exam.
• Select the right source of material for your study.
• Do practice as many exam questions as you can from the right source. Always refer PMBOK for any mistake if you done in Mock exam.
• Draw the process flowcharts yourself.
• Do practice all mathematical questions.
• Make your own strategy for study rather than following others.

Don’ts

• Don’t be overconfident that the exam seems to be easy and can crack the exam.
  The third set of questions in Satya Sir’s book will make you realize this.
• Don’t make false attempt without preparing.
• Don't say, you don't get time, the time is based on your importance on what you pursue.
• Don't take too much break in between the exam. I didn’t take a single break. But then, I also got spare time of 5 mins only before completing the exam.

Conclusion
The team will respect your leadership only if you are an expert in your area. I believe in this. For me gaining the PMP credentials is a big accomplishment. As a continuous learner, there are still miles to go.

Brief Profile: 
Manu Devadas, Working as Project Manager at Imtac India Pvt Ltd. I have 14 years of experience in the IT industry.

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• Book for PMP Exam Prep: "I Want To Be A PMP"

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