Hello Friends,
I am very happy and excited to tell you that I have passed PMP... :))))))

I got 4P and 1MP.

 

My heart is filled with gratitude for the help and supported that this group has provided. Also, for  PMI, for that it taught me agility, patience and perseverance.
 

Exam Preparation:

I started reading in October last year with Head first PMP. Didn't complete the book. Took classes in December. Seriously started reading after March 2nd week.
 

I read Rita, Headfirst and PMBoK. Skimmed through Kim Heldman's book.

Read Rita 2 times, PMBoK 1 time and Headfirst 1 time.

 

The best to read is to first start with Head First then read Rita and in the last read Rita.
It all makes sense then.
 

I made notes on PMBoK, it helped me understand PMBoK much better. I read only those notes later. All PMP aspirants, please make your own notes, in addition to the notes available. It helps to understand PMBoK , also it forces to read and understand PMBoK word by word. This gave me a real confidence boost.

 

I solved tons of questions. I found PMStudy the closest. Farndale and Oliver Lehman's tests are slightly difficult than PMP. I was scoring 80+ in almost all the mocks. Frankly speaking, none of the mock exams are close to PMP exam. You need to really understand each and every topic of PMP.
 

During the preparation, just think that you will pass the exam and how you will celebrate. Visualize the celebrations over and over.

 

Exam:

I used to finish almost every exam in 2.5 hours max, the real exam, I finished in 3.5 hours in the first pass. I didn't mark many questions, checked a few questions randomly. When time was about to get over, I clicked submit and saw "Congratulations" on the screen.

I had just 3-4 ITTO questions, about 16 EVM questions. Most of the EVM questions were easy. There were 4-5 network diagram questions. For network diagram questions, please watch "Sir Gantalott's youtube channel". He has explained it very nicely. He there explains "quick eye rolling technique" for calculating float. Amazing simple and fast  technique. It saves a lot of time.
He has other amazing videos too on PMP. MUST Watch. :)
http://www.youtube.com/user/SirGanttalot?feature=watch
 

For EVM, there is a free book by testeagle, it's amazing.
 

Most of the questions (95%) of the questions were situations/scenario based.

You need to read PMBoK for sure (at least twice). There are some topics covered in PMBoK which are not covered in any of the preparation books.

For ITTO, create some theme to remember it. For my notes on ITTO, please see the end of this note. Also understand the dataflow in PMBoK for understanding the dataflow of the I/p, O/p.
 

I created brain dump in first 7 minute. But never referred to them :D. Practice writing exam dumps for last 2-3 days. I wrote HR theories and maths formula list.

Last day, relax as much as you can.

 

ITTO Notes:

1. Develop PC: Contract, SoW, Business case: comes from project initiator

2. Dev PM Plan: PM Plan takes input from plan of each knowledge areas. Additionally, contains, Requirements documentation, Requirements management Plan, Baselines, Process Improvement Plan, Change management plan and Configuration management plan

3. PM Plan flows to rest of all the processes of Integration Management as an Input

4. PM Plan is input to all the M&C, Execution, & Closing processes

6. D&M PE: WPI goes to: All control processes except perform QC(SSC, Report Performance, M&C Risks, Admin Procurements) & QA. Deliverables go to QC.

7. All M&C processes have common ITTO:

I/p: PM Plan, EEF, OPA, one i/p corresponding to the knowledge area, WPI

TT:  VA (except M&C PW)

O/p: PM updates, OPA updates, Project Document updates, CRs, WPM (WPI, WPM not there in integration management) + one area specific output

8. All integration processes have Expert Judgment as a TT.

9. Collect Requirements:  Requirements Documentation goes to all other scope management processes.

Additionally it goes to: Plan procurements, in PM plan. RTM goes to: M&C scope processes.

10. Usually the output of first process in a knowledge area is passed on to all other subsequent processes in that Knowledge area.

11. Activity duration proc has all the inputs of Activity resources proc + Activity Resource requirements + Scope stmt

12. Processes starting with the name Estimate has estimate as an output. E.g. Estimate Activity duration has: Activity Duration Estimates, Similar: Estimate costs has: Activity Cost Estimates as an output

13. Plan Quality has: Inputs: 3 baselines (SSC), 2 registers (Stakeholder, risk register), EEF, OPA

14. Plan Quality o/p checklist is used in QC only.  Checklist is an I/p to QC.

15. Plan Quality O/p Metrics is used in both QA, QC. It is an input to both the processes.

16. Ishigawa's all 7 tools are used in QC (Cause & Effect diagram, Control charts, Flowcharts, Histogram, Pareto Chart, Run Chart, Scatter Diagram). Out of these only 2 are used in Plan Quality (Control charts and Flowcharting).  Ishigawa's all 7 tools are some type of diagrams or charts.

17. Perform QA tools: both Plan Q and Perform QC + Quality Audits + Process Analysis

18. Common tools in Plan Q and QC: 3: Control charts, Flowcharting, Statistical sampling.

19. Plan Q has 9 tools: 3 common + Cost benefit analysis, CoQ, DoE, Benchmarking, Proprietary, Additional Q Planning tools.

20. Additional planning tools contain most of the group creativity techniques (Brainstorming, Affinity, Nominal group, etc)

21.  Perform QC tools: 7 Ishigawa's tools, Statistical sampling, Inspection, Approved CR review. (In short: 7 tools + 1 common tool Statistical Sampling + Testing tools: Inspection, Approved CR review)

22. Planning Quality o/p: Planning related components (QPlan, Checklists, Metrics, Process Improvement Plan)

23. QA O/p: Process, Standards related (OPA updates, CR, PM Docs, PM Plan updates)

24. QC O/p: M&C o/p + validated changes + validated CRs + QC measurements

25. Assumptions analysis is a TT for Identify risk, Data quality assessment is a TT for Perform Qualitative Analysis

26. Procurement Performance review is a TT for Administer Procurement whereas Procurement audits is a TT for Close Procurement.

27. Schedule Compression is a TT in Develop Schedule.

28. Plan risk management

I/p: planning component of SSCC (Scope Statement, Schedule management plan, Cost management plan, Communication management plan) + EEF, OPA .

Only a TT: Planning meetings and analysis and

O/p: Risk management plan (RBS)

29. Identify Risks:

I/p:

Plans (Risk, Q, Cost, Schedule, Scope baseline), Stakeholder register, Activity Cost Duration, Activity Cost Estimates, Project Docs, EEF, OPA.

TT:

Analysis (Checklist, Assumptions, SWOT, Documentation reviews), Techniques (Diagrammatic, Information gathering), EJ

O/p: Risk Register (identified risks and potential response)

30. Perform Qualitative Analysis:

I/p: RR, RMP, Scope stmt, OPA

TT:

Process involves ranking of risk using PI. Hence: 2 PI (P & I assessment then create P& I matrix).

Process involves categorization and urgency: Hence 2 tools for that.

Others: Risk Data Quality Assessment, EJ

O/p: Risk Register updates (Prioritized list, Risks grouped by categories, near term response)

31. Perform Quantitative Analysis:

I/p: Management Plans (Schedule, Cost, Risk), Risk Register, OPA

TT: Data gathering (Interviewing, Probability Distribution), Quantitative (EMV, Sensitivity analysis, Modeling -Monte Carlo)

O/p: Risk register updates (Confidence level, Probability of achieving T&C objectives, Trends)

32. Plan Risk Responses:

I/p: RR, RMP

TT: Strategies (For -Ve, +Ve and Contingent risks), EJ

O/p: Risk related contractual decisions, RR updates (Owners, Triggers, Contingency reserves)

32. M&C Project Risks: Risk Reassessment, Risk audit.

33. Plan Procurements: As you'll be outsourcing a part of the project to the seller, you would need to give all the information to the seller to make the work (scope, schedule, cost), Hence these baselines are required. Some of the risks are transferred to the risk (as a part of risk response) , hence risk register & risk related contractual decisions are required.

34. Develop Schedule: Apply leads and lags. Control Schedule: Adjust leads and lags.

35. Interpersonal skills are used in both Develop and Manage Project team