2021 brought us several significant changes in the PMI environment and areas closely related to it. The most important ones include: a new PMP exam formula, a partnership program for organizations providing training, the seventh edition of the PMBOK guide and Disciplined Agile. In this article, we will take a closer look at the changes in the PMP exam and highlight changes in other areas.
Exam
The change in the exam was announced and was to be introduced much earlier, but the situation related to the pandemic meant that we face the new exam only from January 2, 2021. Earlier, due to the pandemic, among other things, PMI introduced the possibility of taking the exam at home or another place outside the testing center. The PMP exam itself was divided into two parts with a break for a moment of rest.
What does the exam look like now?
Firstly, the assessment of the project manager's skills will focus on three domains, which include people, process and environment (in the previous version of the exam, the assessment focused on five process groups).
Secondly, the exam lasts 230 minutes and includes two 10-minute breaks.
Third, the exam consists of 180 questions.
Fourth, multiple choice questions will be only one of several forms. There will be multiple choice questions, tasks involving filling in gaps or matching terms from one set to terms from another, and finally, working with interactive charts to indicate specific data.
It is difficult to say today whether the changes introduced will make the exam more difficult, but it can certainly be said that they will make it more interesting.
PMI Authorized Training Partner
As of December 31, 2020, the REP (Register Education Provider) Program has been replaced by the PMI ATP (Authorized Training Partner) Program. This is not just a change of the name of the program, but a completely new approach to popularizing project management in line with PMI standards, as well as a radical change in PMI's involvement in preparing for obtaining the PMP certificate. By joining the program, authorized partners receive professional input not only in the form of training materials and sample questions, they are also included in the system of verification and preparation of trainers to conduct authorized training. These changes are expected to have a positive impact on the quality and effectiveness of the training provided.
The PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition
The seventh edition of the PMBOK Guide is intended to be a response to the rapidly changing reality and the increasing involvement of technology serving both organizations and project managers to quickly respond to changes. The structure of the guide is to be a response to the new market needs, based on principles and domains, instead of the previously used process groups and knowledge areas.
Disciplined Agile
To meet the needs of the market, PMI proposed a completely new philosophy. True agility comes not from a framework of conduct, but from freedom. Disciplined Agile therefore goes beyond specific approaches and shows how to use the best of existing frameworks and methodologies to effectively manage projects.
So many changes and novelties in the world of PMI deserve further articles, so you will soon find developments on the highlighted topics.
