9 Crucial Topics to Master for the PMP Certification Exam

14^th
Nov

PMP is one of the most highly-valued and top-ranked global professional credentials for Project Managers, administered and issued by PMI (Project Management Institute). Project Managers are a very vital part of any organization. They look after designing and planning the project workflows and ensuring that it is executed efficiently. Because of their important role in leading and directing projects, organizations are always on the lookout for candidates with relevant credentials. Possessing this credential is proof of the candidate’s strong insights into the fundamental project management tools, techniques, and methodologies.

The PMP certification exam tests the candidate's project management skills, ability to handle critical projects, expertise in surveying and expanding market reach, and many more. The five main processes on which the exam is structured are: 

• ➤ Initiating
• ➤ Planning
• ➤ Executing
• ➤ Monitoring & Controlling
• ➤ Closing

Mastery of these can be attained by enrolling in a good PMP course. These training programs introduce the candidates to the best principles and practices in Project Management. However, alongside this, one also needs to have a strong foothold on all the important topics and areas that will help one earn their PMP credential.

Keeping the essence of the PMP exam in mind, we have written this article to enlighten and acquaint aspirants with the important topics that can help them clear their PMP certification exam with ease and confidence. 

1. Project Scope Management

Project scope management refers to the process of defining a particular project’s goals and objectives. This topic is based on two important parts. Firstly, understanding the work that goes into completing and delivering the service. Secondly, understanding the features and functions that characterize the service.

The scope management plan is all about ensuring that the project finishes on time, within the set budget, and meeting all the requirements of the stakeholders. 

The main areas covering project scope management are:

• ➤ Planning and allocating tasks and resources for the project
• ➤ Regularly controlling and monitoring the process that goes into the completion of the project
• ➤ Making sure to avoid scope creep (a process where sudden changes are made in the project once the project has been executed)

2. Project Risk Management

It becomes very important to identify, analyze and respond to any potential risk in the process of a project to ensure its successful completion. This process is termed project risk management. The different steps involved in project risk management are:

• ➤ Clearly understanding the project’s objectives, scope, and deliverables
• ➤ Have a risk identification session with team members, clients, vendors, etc., to collectively identify and plot project risk
• ➤ Design a risk management plan. The very first step involves prioritizing the risks after which you will have to segregate them on the basis of the impact, whether positive or negative, they have on the project. If any negative risks are detected, you will also have to come up with good actions and solutions to deal with them. 

3. Project Quality Management 

The main goal of project quality management is to identify and follow quality requirements as requested by the stakeholders. This process includes ensuring quality, auditing the results of quality control measurements, implementing necessary quality measurements to control quality, and recommending project changes when and where necessary.

The two important purposes of quality management are: 

• ➤ Ensuring and managing the quality of the end product as per the requirements
• ➤ Making sure that every process in the completion of the project is carried out efficiently

4. Project Cost Management

Project cost management is the process of estimating, allocating, and controlling the cost of the project. This process is carried out during the planning phase and helps in predicting future expenses and ways to reduce the chances of budget overrun.

Once the work on the project begins, it also becomes the duty of the professionals to document and track the expenses so as to ensure that they remain within the cost management plan.

Once the project is completed successfully, the predicted costs and actual costs are compared to act as a reference for future cost management plans and project budgets.

5. Project Time Management

Project time management is declared to be one of the most important aspects of project management, according to the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Time management is important to distribute and monitor time to ensure that the project is completed within schedule. Good time management can be achieved by careful planning, scheduling, monitoring, and controlling project activities.

6. Project Integration Management

Project integration management is one of the 10 important areas emphasized in the PMBOK (Project Management Book of Knowledge).

It looks after the coordination of all the processes of a project. This encompasses the project plan development process, execution process, and integrated change and control processes. In addition to these, it also includes managing conflicts among different aspects of a project, evaluating resources, and many more.

7. Project Human Resource Management

This refers to managing, organizing, and leading the entire project team. This process involves identifying and documenting roles, responsibilities, and required skills for every team member. Although, every team member has a specified role and responsibility assigned to them, the involvement and inclusion of all the members are important for successful project planning and decision-making.

8. Project Communications Management

Project communications management looks after ensuring that the right messages are sent, received, and understood by team members, clients, vendors, etc. The three primary project communication management processes taught in the PMP course are:

• ➤ Plan communications management
• ➤ Manage communications
• ➤ Monitor communications

9. Project Procurement Management

Project procurement management is the process of obtaining all the resources required for the successful completion of a project. It also looks after planning, conducting, administering, and controlling procurements. The three main processes involved in project procurement management are: 

• ➤ Plan procurements
• ➤ Conduct procurements
• ➤ Administer (or control) procurements

Mastery of these topics will ensure a successful career as a project management professional. However, earning a certificate is not possible without getting the right guidance. The PMP course is a guardian in disguise that nurtures the candidates’ knowledge and insights on all of the above-mentioned topics. Successful completion of the course will make you proficient and confident in earning your PMP certificate on the very first attempt.

Message from the Author

If you’re looking to enrol for the PMP certification training in Dubai, get in touch with Learners Point Academy. To learn more, visit the website: https://learnerspoint.org/, give a call at +971 (04) 403 8000, or simply drop a message on WhatsApp.

Learners Point Academy is a KHDA and ISO 9001:2015 accredited training institute in Dubai.

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