Tuesday, June 06, 2017

Book Review - I Want To Be A PMP: A Must Have Interactive Book

By Sahana Mukund, PMP

Why this Book?
I wanted to buy “I want to be a PMP” because I was convinced that it would help me a great deal in my preparations. Satya sir’s credibility and the way he explained the concepts made me want to purchase the book.

 PMP Book – I Want To be A PMP
The book is very succinct and just what you need when you have overwhelming information everywhere. The yogic tips and tricks that are present in every chapter help you to remember and recollect all the important points. 

 Another great aspect of this book is that the important topics all have videos explained by Satya sir himself. The experience is great when you have content, tips, videos and blogs all rolled into one place. 
  • The topics that helped me the most are the way the Critical Path and EVM concepts are explained. The demarcation of the important ITTO’s really helped focus and remember what is necessary. What also helped me were the clear flow diagrams for change request, deliverables, resource calendars and issue logs.
  • The chapter end questions, full length questions, new question on PMP exam 2016 changes and Exam Content Outline (ECO) were very useful to give a correct guage of my preparation. They are situational, tricky, content rich and very much inline to the actual exam.
  • The other areas such as snapshots of MS Project, Oracle Primavera etc. and examples used really helped in experiencing project management as I read through the book.
  • Also, the formula set was something that I could refer to all the time.

Chapters in the Book – I Want To be A PMP
The book is divided into  logical chapters. 
  • The introduction has all the necessary elements of an emphasized topic Benefits realization. 
  • The chapter on the processes is excellent where the 47 processes are defined and sequenced for a thorough understanding. This sets the tone for the rest of the chapters.

The following chapters are divided as per the knowledge areas. 
  • Integration management has the detailed video explanation on change requests and that is something very strongly emphasised on the real exam.
  • The organizational theories that are found in the HR management chapter is something that is again very useful. They are not present in detail in the PMBOK guide and this is where the guidance from this book steps in. 
  • Risk management and Quality management concepts are also very clearly covered and this is enough to arm you for the exam. 
  • Trust me, this was the only book that helped me remember all the points necessary. Reading it is a breeze and I used only this book in the final few days of my prep along with PMBOK.

Overall, this book is a must have along with PMBOK guide and I really think these two books are more than sufficient for the exam. I want to be a PMP is very much inline with PMBOK and the latest changes. It has all the elements covered. A lot of effort has gone into this book which clearly reflects in my results and I bet a lot of my friends who have used this book agree to.

 Written By Sahana Mukund: Sahana Mukund has 10+ years of work experience and was last designated as a Project Manager primarily in the travel, healthcare and retail portfolio. She is currently on a work hiatus and will be moving to New York for her MBA in August 2017.

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Friday, June 02, 2017

PMP Success Story: Dream Big, Work Hard, Trust the Process, Achieve and Share Lessons Learned

By Sahana Mukund, PMP

I’m a very thrilled project management professional now and am glad I could clear it in the first attempt with proficient grades. Now it is my turn to give it back and I think there is no better way than sharing my experience with this aspiring community. 

 I am a project manager by profession and wanted to gain this certification in order to appreciate the nuances of the trade and better my skills and knowledge. 

The world leading reputation of PMP® in the realm of project management, an unquestionable endorsement and the credibility was what motivated me to take up this feat.

PMP Coaching Experience
My first step was to gain 35 hours of learning. After a lot of research, I zeroed in on one for the training. 

Little did I know at this point that I was about to meet a great mentor. I’m talking about none other than Satya sir. He made the class room training on weekends very interactive and an easy to learn and grasp experience. His tips and tricks rivetted the concepts into my brain. The way he got the 47 processes in our brains by the end of the class was commendable. He patiently answered all the questions and gave real life examples for every key area. Trust me this is so important and I realised it more than ever when I was giving the exam. 

The centre staff were equally courteous and made sure we all had a smooth ride. I also made some great friends and it is always good to have people who share the same spirit and enthusiasm as yours. 

The classroom coaching covered pretty much everything we needed to know with detailed directions on how to proceed with further preparation.

My small bit of advice is to take the training and the instructions seriously to gain fruitfully. It is very rare to find someone so keen on your success as much as Satya sir. So, make the best use of his valuable suggestions.

My Own Study
The next stage was long and gruelling. The application submission and the self-study phase. I started with the application process almost immediately after the training session because I did not want the motivation to fizz out. It went through smoothly without any audit. I then made a study plan and pretty much followed it to the tee. 
  • I studied about 3-4 hours on an average every day for about 2 months.   
  • I had purchased Satya sir’s book “I Want To Be A PMP” during the course and it was one of the best decisions I made in this entire journey. I gave one reading of this book and everything was so crisp and got back all the concepts from the class room back to my mind again. 
  • Next, I started reading the PMBOK® guide, which is not at all an easy guide to read. I initially struggled to stay focussed with this book but pushed myself to get going. I used to read a chapter from Satya sir’s book and then go to PMBOK or may be watch a video and then read the same chapter from PMBOK. This made it much easier for me and I finally got a hang of it.
  • I also made it a point to intersperse the study with questions everyday.
  • Other than Satya sir’s book, I had referenced couple of other books to see explanation on some chapters and to know why it is liked by others. But, you have to read PMBOK. No exceptions. 
  • The last 15-20 days of my study was only PMBOK, Satya sir’s book “I Want To Be A PMP". It is fully aligned with the PMBOK guide 5th edition and the best way to remember key ideas with examples and video explanations and questions. Nothing else. 
I did about 4000 questions overall from different sources. Read the PMBOK thrice. Although the last read was a flip through in 2 days. I started with around 70-75% accuracy and towards the end I managed to get to about 85 to 90% in the questions. 

I also went through the Exam Content Outline, Glossary in PMBOK and Lexicons from PMI site.

Finally, I was in touch with my guide Satya sir in every phase and he did not hesitate at all to assist in answering any question or doubt and responded very promptly.

The study phase can be excruciating, but hold on and develop an interest in what you are reading. Wake up everyday with a motivation to finish what you have chalked out for that day. 

My PMP Exam Experience
I scheduled for my exam on 31st May, 2017 at Bangalore’s Prometric centre. I was halfway through with my preparation and had a fair sense of confidence. However, I got more serious after scheduling. So, take a date early so that you will be more focused. 

My strategy for handing the questions in the exam was to take every 75 questions or so and proceed calmly. Also, another strategy was to mark as few questions for review and give it my best shot in the first pass. 

On the D day, I left early at 5:30 AM to beat the traffic. Now question for you! Is this a risk avoidance or risk mitigation – as PMP exam asks in some of its questions?  

As I reached early, it was possible to take the exam early, too. I was given the instructions, a notepad, 2 sharpened pencils and a calculator. You can request a manual calculator if you are not too comfortable with the online one.

The PMP Exam
My questions were weird and tricky. You have to understand the nitty gritty of every concept. They were a mix of long and short but nothing was direct. It was all situational and warranted a decision at every step. Here are the kind of questions faced. Your experience would be of course unique. 
  • A lot of critical path questions. 
  • A lot of questions on which document needs to be updated. 
  • EVM analysis questions and calculations. These are simple if you have understood the concept. 
  • One question on EMV decision tree. 
  • Quite a few questions on crashing and fast tracking but they were all disguised.
  • Change request sequence is important. Got many questions on that one. 
  • Got loads of questions on the quality tools. Know them in detail. 
  • Know the differences between stakeholder and communication management. Risk response strategies, procurement types, resource calendars, requirements, team building techniques in HR management. 
  • Also learn the closing processes well. 
I was reading fast, analysing quickly and marking with confidence. But time was running was fast. I finally completed 200 questions and was left with only a minute to review. 

My heart was pounding and the survey screen appeared. I skipped it and clicked next awaiting with bated breath. My heart swelled with happiness seeing the word “CONGRATULATIONS”. I was extremely overwhelmed. I then clicked next and saw that I had got 3P’s and 2 MP’s. Moderately Proficient in Initiating and Planning and Proficient in the rest. I knew it was not easy and felt a sense of pride. I gathered my emotions and collected my printout. It was finally time to celebrate ;-)

Suggestions for PMP Aspirants
Dos:
  • Make a study plan and stick to it. No exceptions to this point.
  • Understand the concepts in every chapter.
  • Don’t ignore PMBOK. Go through at least twice.
  • Satya sir’s book “I Want To Be A PMP” is very good. Do read it at least twice.
  • Memorizing will not help. Only memorize the formulae and the 47 processes. Understand everything else.
  • Understand the flow of processes. How everything links with the other.
  • Know initiation and closing processes well. Initiation can be tricky.
  • Know every detail about quality tools.
  • Communication and stakeholder management can get tricky. Understand the small differences well.
  • Know the strategic alignment of projects.
  • Numerical questions tend to be easy but know the concept well. What the formulae mean. How can you interpret anything from that etc.
  • Solve a lot of questions to gain confidence and do include critical path questions as part of your final practice to get a gauge of time. Add about 5-6 questions of this type and check for time.
  • Do not take the exam lightly. Be cautious of time and keep a track while solving questions.
  • Finally, stay confident and smile often and say to yourself that you can do it.
Don’ts:
  • Don’t go through too many study materials. Focus on few. From experience, they are pretty much the same information presented differently. See what works best for you to understand what’s going on. That’s most important.
  • Don’t delay taking the exam.
  • Don’t panic when you get tricky questions. Solve through them calmly and trust your preparation.
  • Don’t ever get demotivated. Don’t listen to naysayers and stay positive.

Conclusion

“Don’t downgrade your dreams just to fit your reality. Upgrade your conviction to match your destiny”.  

Learning is life long and PMP is indeed one of my dreams come true. The study cycle has undoubtedly enhanced my understanding to a great extent and made me realize that project management is a life skill. I am looking to leverage this knowledge with my experience and lead big projects successfully.

Final thoughts: Will it be easy? Nope. Will it be worth it? Absolutely. So, stay focussed and never give up.

You can reach out to me for any queries at sahana.mukund@gmail.com. Happy to assist. Good luck and God Bless.

Brief Profile: I am Sahana Mukund with 10+ years of work experience and I was last designated as a Project Manager primarily in the travel, healthcare and retail portfolio. I am currently on a work hiatus and will be moving to New York for my MBA in August 2017.



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Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Book Excerpt from "I Want To Be A RMP" - Probability Distribution in Risk Management



This article is an excerpt from the Book - I Want To Be A RMP. 
It is from Chapter – 8: Quantitative Risk Analysis. 

 For partial index of the book, refer: Book Index - I Want To Be A RMP.
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Probability Distribution in Risk Management

 Probability distribution is a foundational area to understand if you want to use the Monte Carlo or Latin Hypercube simulation techniques. This is also foundational with respect to Program Evaluation and Review Technique (or PERT). Let us first understand what statistical distribution means. 

 Distribution represents a range of numbers and their chances (or probability) of occurrence.

What does this mean? Let us take an example. You are going to a friend’s house. It may take you 1 hour to reach. If there is heavy traffic, it is possible that you may reach in 3 hours. However, with some amount of traffic you are most likely to take 2 hours. Hence, you can say:
  • Minimum (or Optimistic) duration = 1 hour
  • Most likely duration = 2 hours
  • Maximum (or Pessimistic) duration = 3 hours

Now that you have three possibilities, which one is correct? Can you conclusively say about it? No. Because any one of them can come out to be correct as there are uncertainties involved, such as traffic conditions! So, you do not know for sure. 

 But when we estimate we take the most likely one or the best guess, i.e., 2 hours. By doing this, a lot of additional information is lost. We do the same thing for schedule or cost estimation – we take the most likely or most possible estimate, but forget to take the best case and/or worst case scenario. 

 With risk analysis via quantitative risk analysis (QTRA), we can use this extra information – other possible scenarios, not ONLY the most likely scenario. In other words, instead of saying an activity in a project is going to take “X” amount of days, we also can add other days using a distribution. For each number, there is a probability of occurrence available. 

 By doing that we will be modelling the activities (and hence overall project) more accurately. This will help to build a more realistic plan – both from schedule and cost perspectives. This also helps in answering the questions, which are foundational in QTRA as we saw before, i.e.,

  • What is the chance that this project will finish on time or within budget? 
  • Assuming that there is a 50% chance for the previous question, next question can be – what is probability we can meet the planned project finish date?
  • Which project activities are most likely to delay the project? 
  • And so on.

By adding other possible duration (optimistic, pessimistic) other than most likely, we are factoring the uncertainties for an activity. In other words, we are considering the risks involved. Hence probability distributions give you the needed lever to factor in the risks of the activities and overall project. 

Let us see what are the possible types of probability distributions.

 8.7.1. Triangular Distribution

 This is the most common type of distribution used.  This is called triangular because the shape of the curve comes as triangular. This is used when there is no pre-existing data, but only expert opinions. A symmetrical triangular distribution will look like the figure shown below.


By looking at the graph above, you can say:

 “There is approximately a 30% chance of the duration being 6 days, approximately a full chance of the duration being 8 days’ days and there is also a 30% chance of the duration being 10 days.”

 Putting it differently, we can say this:
“The task is most likely to have a duration of 8 days. There is small chance that the task will take 6 days and also a chance that it will take 10 days. However, realistically speaking, it will be somewhere between 6 days to 10 days.”

 Let us take another example. Here I am using the Primavera Risk Analysis software to visualize the possible distributions. We have a task – “PRD Preparation” in a project. PRD stands for ‘Product Requirement Documentation’. It has been estimated to be 5 days (again it is the most likely estimate, but we do not have the minimum and maximum value).

 If you use the triangle or triangular probability distribution, it will come as shown below. 

 The duration can be 4 or 5 or 6 days – shown in the X-axis. Also shown are the minimum value (around 10% chance), most likely value (100% chance) and maximum value of 6 (around 10%) chance. The chances (or probabilities) are shown on the Y-axis.

 You would be thinking where these values are coming from. As noted before, you can use Expert Judgement and/or enter those values while modelling the tasks. For example:
  • Minimum duration = 75% of the planned (or remaining) duration of the activity.
  • Likely duration = 100% of the planned (or remaining) duration of the activity.
  • Maximum duration = 125% of the planned (or remaining) duration of the activity. 

8.7.2. Rectangular (Or Uniform) Distribution
In this distribution, you can use a maximum value and a minimum value, but not any most likely value.  In the below example, we have a uniform or rectangular distribution.
Looking at it, you can say the task has a minimum duration of 4 days, but maximum duration of 12 days. 

 You can use Uniform Probability Distributions when you specify the extremes of uncertainty of the activity under consideration and when the intermediate values have equal chances of occurring. It is also possible when you can NOT draw any inference on the possible distribution shape.

Taking our previous example of “PRD Preparation” which was estimated to be 5 days, using Primavera, we have these values for Uniform distribution.

8.7.3. Beta Distribution

 Beta distribution, like triangular distribution has also 3 possible values – worst case, most likely, and best case. Like triangular, it also gives more weightage to the most likely case. 

 However, there are differences. In case of beta distribution, there can be many values (not just one) which are close to the most likely value. Unlike triangular, the shape for beta distribution is smoother. Also, unlike Triangular, the tails in Beta distribution in the extremes, taper off more quickly. 


 Below is an example of Beta Distribution.

Beta distribution can also be symmetric or asymmetric in shapes. The notations happen like Beta (6, 8, 10). As you can see above, there can be many values close to the most likely value.  

Using the Primavera tool, for our task “PRD Preparation”, BetaPert distribution will come as below. 


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Beta distribution is further elaborated in the book. Along with it, other distributions covered are:

  • 8.7.4. Normal Distribution
  • 8.7.5. Lognormal Distribution
  • 8.7.6. Discrete Distribution

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Tuesday, May 23, 2017

PMP Success Story: Learn from the Best, Trust on Your Exam Preparation, and Believe in Yourself

By Manas Das, PMP

I had joined Satya’s classes during July 2016 for PMP® mandatory 35 contact-hour learning.

 Satya is instrumental in sharing PMP tips and tricks in very simplified way. I was very attentive to what Satya speaks in the class, because every line of him is very important to gain insight for preparing PMP. Also, there are many topics explained in a very simplified way on his blog (this blog).

 Hence, I must recommend that it’s very important to be attentive during the class and revise the courses same day evening and revisiting his blog for PMP articles.

 Due to extreme project commitment, I was not able to plan my exam until January 2017. I applied for the exam in February 2017 and scheduled my exam during first week of May 2017.

 I was not able to spent much time preparing for study for couple of hours everyday, but I made sure to spent at least 2 hours during weekdays and 6 hours during weekends. 

 I had prepared a roadmap for PMP preparation to stick to the timeline. I’m sharing the roadmap here. And, recommending everyone to prepare the same to help you with your preparation and not getting lost in day to day office work and current project deliverables.

  • 1.5 months preparation for Understanding the Concepts (Not Memorizing) –I’ve gone through PMBOK guide once and Satya’s tips and tricks during training notes.
  • 15 days Mock Test preparation (I have used mostly mock tests)
    My average scores for KH Mock tests are around 71~72%.
  • 15 days for revision of PMP materials – revising the existing materials.
  • 15 days for Mock preparation (had couple of books to refer).
I strongly recommend everyone to go through the PMBOK® guide at least once. I already had two books with me and re-read them after going through Satya’s classes.

 It was about 3 days I did not really study anything as part of my preparation and kept my mind free and preparing for time management during the exam.

 During PMP Exam
During the exam, I’ve taken one break of 4 minutes after 3 hours 5 minutes of the exam and I’ve completed going through all the 200 questions and few were marked for review. In the rest 50 minutes I’ve done 2 reviews of all the 200 questions and finally submitted just 40 seconds left for the exam to end.

 Finally saw the much-awaited Congratulations page.

PMP Exam Tips
  • Initially it takes 10 to 15 minutes of your time to come up to speed for answering questions; so not to panic.
  • If you are good with time management, during Mock exams then it will help to complete the first pass of the 200 questions in 2.5 hours to 3 hours.
  • The first answer that comes to your mind is mostly right (70-80% times). Hence, if you are confident, then select the option and proceed.
  • For wordy questions, please read the last sentence of the question to find out what has been asked in the question.
  • Select the answer always keeping the big picture in mind that proper project management is used and not your own project management experience.
  • There are questions where more than 2 correct answers to the questions so need to analyze and select the BEST answer.

Conclusion
Finally, would like to share the information to all the test takers that PMP exam tests the knowledge, application and analysis which makes the PMP examination much more than a test of memory.

 So, it’s important that you know how to apply the knowledge from PMI Project Manager’s prospective and be able to analyze situation.

 Trust on your exam preparation and believe yourself to eliminate the fear of appearing the exam.
Best of Luck for your exam!!

 Brief Profile:
Manas Das is a Project Manager with Infosys Technologies Ltd. He can be contacted at manasdas82@gmail.com. His linkedin profile is at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manas-das-0670a02b/
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