PMP® tests applied project leadership: choosing the right next step, tailoring the approach (predictive/agile/hybrid), managing stakeholders and vendors, and keeping delivery aligned to value under real constraints.
For the latest official exam details and requirements, see:
https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp
Official exam snapshot (PMI)
Source: PMP Examination Content Outline — January 2021 Exam Update.
- Exam time (center-based): 230 minutes
- Items: 180 total, including 5 unscored pretest items
- Breaks: 2× 10-minute breaks (after questions 1–60 and after questions 61–120, after review; you can’t return to the previous section after starting a break)
- Eligibility (summary): project management experience + 35 contact hours of formal PM education (waived for active CAPM holders); experience must be within the last 8 years
Note (PMI): the exam reflects multiple project environments and incorporates approaches across predictive, agile, and hybrid contexts.
Official domain weights (PMP)
The ECO specifies the proportion of items by domain (they sum to 100%):
| Domain | Weight | Target items (out of 180) |
|---|
| People | 42% | 76 |
| Process | 50% | 90 |
| Business Environment | 8% | 14 |
What questions tend to reward
- Best next step thinking: what to do first, next, or most effectively given constraints.
- Tailoring: choosing predictive vs agile vs hybrid practices that fit uncertainty, compliance, and stakeholder needs.
- Governance realism: escalation paths, approvals, and auditability when required.
- Trade-offs: scope/schedule/cost/quality decisions framed around value and risk.
- Stakeholder craft: influence without authority, conflict resolution, and clear communication.
Common pitfalls
- Trying to memorize processes without understanding intent (why this artifact exists, what decision it enables).
- Over-committing to one delivery style (only predictive or only agile) instead of fitting the scenario.
- Treating risk, issue, change, and defect as interchangeable.
- Doing math mechanically (EVM/schedule) without interpreting what the numbers imply.
A practical prep loop
- Use the Syllabus as your checklist.
- After each task, review the matching part of the Cheatsheet and write a short “miss log.”
- Do focused drills in Practice, then re-drill the objectives behind every miss.
- Finish with mixed sets to force transfer across people/process/business scenarios.
Official references used for this syllabus
The learning objectives are derived from the PMP Examination Content Outline plus PMI standards and practice guides (PMBOK® Guide / The Standard for Project Management, Agile Practice Guide, Process Groups Practice Guide, Risk Management guidance, Earned Value guidance, Requirements and Governance guidance, and Benefits Realization guidance).