GUIDE TO

THE CHANGES IN

PMP- 2015

simplilearn

Table of contents
Introduction the purpose of this manual

New Tasks: Initiating

New Tasks: Planning

New Tasks: Executing

New Tasks: Monitoring and controlling

New Tasks: Closing

Exam paper: module-wise weightage

Changes to Continuing Certification Requirements

10

Introduction
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MANUAL
If you have been preparing for the Project Management Professional
Certification exam, work as project manager, or even have only passing
interest in the field of Project Management, chances are youve likely
heard of the changes PMI the organization that administers the PMP
credential- has introduced to the exam, for 2015 and beyond.
And when it comes to an exam as tough as the PMP, staying up-to-date
with developments and changes is crucially important to tailor your prep accordingly.
This guide offers a detailed overview of the changes to the exam, categorized by process group and
knowledge area, an analysis of the PMP exam paper to arrive at a breakdown of weightage, by area,
and details of the changes to CCR requirements. Keep this guide at hand and within reach as you
prepare so you never lose sight of the end-objective: acing the exam on your first attempt!

WHY ARE THE CHANGES BEING IMPLEMENTED?

Every five to seven years, the Project Management Institute (PMI)
performs a Role Delineation Study (RDS), which is essentially a survey
of project managers worldwide, to identify the nature of tasks, roles,
and responsibilities they fulfil in organizations across sectors. The RDS
helps the PMI arrive at an accurate picture of the status of the Project
Management profession, and the skillset require to succeed as project
manager.
This information is then utilized to incorporate changes at source to ensure the PMP examination will
continue to assess what is relevant to practice as the profession evolves over time.
In the most recent survey, the RDS determined that the role of a PMP has evolved, thus necessitating
changes to the exam.

NOTE: The changes in PMP is only to the examination content outline,

and not to the PMBoK 5th edition.
NEW TASKS ADDED
There are five domains of practice for the PMP exam. While the
domains remain the same, additional tasks have been added to these
domains, while a few tasks have either been modified or removed.
Changes have also been made to several of the knowledge areas and
skills associated with certain tasks.

www.simplilearn.com

Domain 1

Initiating the Project

Tasks added: Task 2, Task 7, and Task 8

Domain 2

Planning the Project

Tasks added: Task 13

Domain 3

Executing the Project

Tasks added: Task 6, Task 7

Domain 4

Monitoring and Controlling the Project

Tasks added: Task 6, Task 7

Domain 5

Closing the Project

Tasks added: None

www.simplilearn.com

Initiating
Task 1

Perform the project assessment based on the information available, lessons

learned from past projects, and holding stakeholder meetings in order to support
evaluation and feasibility of new products or services within the given
assumptions and/or constraints.

Task 2

Identify key deliverables that are based on business requirements that help in
managing customer expectations and direct achievement of project goals.

Task 3

By using appropriate techniques and tools, perform stakeholder analysis to meet

expectations and gain support for the project.

Task 4

Based on the current environment, historical data, organizational factors, and

expert judgment, identify high level risks, assumptions, and constraints to
propose an implementation strategy.

Task 5

By compiling and analyzing gathered information, participate in the

development of the project chapter to ensure project stakeholders are in
agreement on its elements.

Task 6

Attain project charter approval from the sponsor, for the purpose of formalizing
the authority assigned to the project manager and gaining acceptance and
commitment for the project.

Task 7

To validate the alignment of the project according to the organizational strategy

and expected value, conduct benefit analysis with relevant stakeholders.

Task 8

Ensure common understanding of the key deliverables, the milestones and roles
and responsibilities by informing stakeholders of the approved project charter.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Analytical skills
Benefit analysis techniques
Elements of a project charter
Estimation tools and techniques
Strategic management

www.simplilearn.com

Planning
Task 1

Assess and review the detailed project requirements, assumptions and

constraints with stakeholders based on the project charter, learned lessons and
by the use of requirement gathering techniques to establish detailed project
deliverables.

Task 2

Based on the approved project scope and the use of use scope management
techniques, develop a scope management plan, to define, maintain, and manage
project scope.

Task 3

Based on Project scope, resources, schedule, approved project charter and other
information, develop the cost management plan while using estimating
techniques, to manage project costs

Task 4

Based on the approved project deliverables, scope, milestones and resources

management plans, develop the project schedule to manage timely completion of
the project.

Task 5

To create a project organizational structure and provide the required guidance

on how resources will be assigned and managed, develop the human resource
management plan by defining the roles and responsibilities of the project team
members.

Task 6

Based on the stakeholders requirements and project organizational structure,

develop the communications management plan to define and manage the flow of
project information.

Task 7

The procurement management plan should be developed based on the project

budget, scope, and schedule to ensure the project resources that are required
are available.

Task 8

Define the quality standards and develop the Quality Management plan for the
project, based on the project scope, risks, and requirements, to control the cost
of quality and to prevent the occurrence of defects.

Task 9

Define how changes will be addressed and controlled by developing the change
management plan to track and manage change.

Task 10

Risk Management should be planned for by developing a risk management plan

that will identify, analyze, and prioritize project risk; create the risk register; and
define risk response strategies to manage uncertainty and opportunity
throughout the project life cycle.

www.simplilearn.com

Task 11

According to the applicable policies and procedures, present the project

management plan to the relevant stakeholders according to applicable policies
and procedures to obtain approval to proceed with project execution.

Task 12

Hold the kick off meeting, communicate the start of the project, the key
milestones and other relevant information to engage and inform the
stakeholders and gain commitment.

Task 13

By analyzing the needs, interests and potential impact, develop the stakeholder
management plan to effectively manage stakeholders expectations and engage
in project decisions.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Change management planning
Cost management planning, including project budgeting tools and techniques
Communications planning
Contract types and selection criteria
Estimation tools and techniques
Human Resource planning
Lean and efficiency principles
Procurement planning
Quality management planning
Requirements gathering techniques ( e.g. Planning sessions, brainstorming, and focus groups)
Regulatory and environmental impacts assessment planning
Risk management planning
Scope management planning
Stakeholder management planning
Time management planning, including scheduling tools and techniques
Workflow diagramming techniques

www.simplilearn.com

Executing
Task 1

By following the Human Resource and Procurement Management Plans, manage

and acquire project resources to meet the requirements of the project.

Task 2

Based on the Project Management Plan, manage task execution by developing

and leading the project team to achieve project deliverables.

Task 3

Using the appropriate techniques and tools, implement the quality management
plan order to ensure that work is performed according to required standards

Task 4

By following the change management plan, implement approved changes and

corrective actions to meet project requirements

Task 5

Following the Risk Management plan, implement approved actions to minimize

the impact of the risks and take advantage of opportunities on the project.

Task 6

Following the Communication Plan, manage the flow of information by following

the communications plan to keep stakeholders informed and engaged.

Task 7

Following the Stakeholder Management Plan, maintain stakeholder relationships

by following the stakeholder management plan to receive continued support and
manage expectations

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Continuous improvement processes
Contract management techniques
Elements of a statement of work
Interdependencies among project elements
Project budgeting tools and techniques
Quality standard tools
Vendor management techniques

www.simplilearn.com

Monitoring and controlling

Task 1

Using appropriate techniques and tools, measure project performance to identify

and quantify any variances and corrective actions

Task 2

Following the Change Management Plan, manage changes to the project to

ensure project goals remain aligned with business needs

Task 3

By using appropriate techniques and tools, verify that project deliverables

conform to the quality standards established in the quality management plan to
meet project requirements and business needs

Task 4

Monitor and assess risk by determining whether exposure has changed and
evaluating the effectiveness of response strategies in order to manage the impact
of risks and opportunities on the project.

Task 5

Review the issue log, update if necessary, and finalize corrective actions by using
appropriate tools and techniques to minimize the impact on the project

Task 6

Capture, analyze and manage the lessons learned, with the use of the lessons
learned management techniques to enable continuous improvement

Task 7

According to the Procurement plan, monitor procurement activities to verify

compliance with project objectives.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Performance measurements and tracking techniques (e.g. EV, CPM, PERT, Trend Analysis)
Process analysis techniques (e.g. LEAN, Kanban , Six Sigma)
Project control limits (e.g. Thresholds, tolerance)
Project finance principles
Project monitoring tools and techniques
Project quality best practices and standards (e.g. ISO, BS, CMMI, IEEE)
Quality measurement tools (e.g. Statistical sampling, control charts, flow charting, inspection,
assessment)
Risk identification and analysis techniques
Risk response techniques
Quality validation and verification techniques
www.simplilearn.com

Closing
Task 1

From relevant stakeholders, obtain final acceptance of the project deliverables to

confirm that the project scope and deliverables were achieved

Task 2

In accordance with the project plan, transfer the ownership of deliverables to the
assigned stakeholders to facilitate project closure.

Task 3

Using generally accepted policies and practices, obtain financial, legal, and
administrative closure to communicate formal project closure and ensure transfer
of liability

Task 4

According to the Communications Management plan, prepare and share the final
project report, to document and convey project performance and assist in project
evaluation.

Task 5

Conduct a comprehensive project review and collate and document lessons

learned throughout the project to update the organizations knowledge base.

Task 6

Using generally accepted policies and practices, archive project documents and
materials to comply with statutory requirements and for potential use in future
projects and audits.

Task 7

Using appropriate techniques and tools, and based on the stakeholder

Management plan, obtain feedback from relevant stakeholders to evaluate their
satisfaction

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Archiving practices and statutes
Compliance (statute/ organization)
Contract closure requirements
Close out procedures
Feedback techniques
Performance measurement techniques (KPI and key success factors)
Project review techniques
Transition planning technique

www.simplilearn.com

Exam Format Breakdown

The percentage of questions from the various process groups on the new-look PMP exam will differ
slightly from the current version. Details are as follows.

31%
25%

24%
13%

7%

In

at
it i

in

n
an
Pl

in

Ex

u
ec

tin

g
g
r in l i n
t o tr o l
i
n n
Mo co
d
an

o
Cl

si n

Total 100%

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATING THE CHANGES TO WEIGHTAGE

NEW % of Items on Test

OLD % of Items on Test
30% 31%
25% 25%

24% 24%
13% 13%

7% 8%

In

ti

t
ti a

in

a
Pl

www.simplilearn.com

i
nn

ng
Ex

t
cu

in

g
g
r in o l l i n
o
t
ni n t r
Mo co
d
an

s
lo

in

Changes to Continuing
Certication Requirements
Effective 1st December, 2015, PMI's CCR programme will be aligned with the skills depicted in the
PMI Talent Triangle. The framework for the CCR program remains the same. However, classification of
PDUs earned from two categories has undergone a change.

EDUCATION
60 PDUs required in this category: This change is to place emphasis on evolving employer
demanded skills.
These PDUs will be aligned with the PMI Talent Triangle
Minimum no. of PDUs must be earned in Technical Project Management, Leadership, and
Strategic and Business Management categories.

GIVING BACK
The maximum no of earned PDUs in this category has decreased.
The activities remain the same, i.e., Volunteering, Creating Knowledge and Working as a
Professional.
The total number of PDUs to be earned in Working as a Professional has decreased.
www.simplilearn.com

10

Mark your Calendar

The percentage of questions from the various process groups on the new-look PMP exam will differ
slightly from the current version. Details are as follows.
1st November, 2015: The last day to take the test under the current version of the PMP exam
11 January 2016: The revised version of the exam will come into play and the new CCR policy
will become applicable for all PMP certified professionals old and new.

In a nutshell
As a PMP candidate, you will only need to keep in mind the date of the exam change and the updates
to the exam outline. Education and experience eligibility will not change. All the other elements of
application and testing involved in certification will remain the same. If you wish to take the exam
under the current version of the PMP exam, you will have to appear before the 1st of November.

www.simplilearn.com

11