PMBOK Explained – Session 2: Projects, Lifecycles and Organizations

PMBOK ExplainedIn session 2 of our PMBOK series we look at the project lifecycle and organization.

This series is helpful for those wanting to get a high level overview of the Project Management Body of Knowledge before undertaking further study or PMP exam preparation.

By the way, you can read more about PMP exam preparation, specifically, PM Prepcast by reading our PM Prepcast review.

You can watch the video and download the slides below!

Download the slides from this presentation: Project Management Success – PMBOK Explained – Session 2 Project Lifecycle and Organization (507k PDF)

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How to pass PMP first go!

passing PMP examOk, now everyone huddle in close, come on, lean in so I can whisper the secret of PMP exam success and tell you how to pass the PMP exam.

You ready for it……

PRACTICE!

Huh? You’re disappointed?  Well don’t worry, I’ve got more, come on, huddle in again.

Here it comes…..

STUDY!

Err…yup!  That’s all I got.

What’s that?  You were waiting for a big secret?  The magic bullet?  Right, well, sorry about that then!  You see, there really is only one way to pass the exam and that is to know your stuff and there’s only one way to know your stuff – ok, I’ve named two – so there’s only two ways to know your stuff, our old friends practice and study!

But you know what that secret is, that magic bullet, it’s how you study.   Some people spend hours wading over the PMBOK manual but really, that’s not it.  You really need to understand practical application and know your stuff well and if you are yawning over a dry text book, well it sure is hard to stay motivated!  Some people get focused on knowing every single detail and focus in on the stuff that isn’t as important – but how do you know the difference between the ‘really must know the detail’ stuff from the ‘I can just gloss over this bit’ stuff?

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind…ah, sorry, got a bit carried away there!   The answer is really in getting yourself a killer PMP exam preparation guide.  Now there are heaps of books you read and some of these are great, in fact, I’ll be doing a book review series soon where I’ll cover some of those, but in all honesty and I’m sure you’ve looked at my site and know, I have to recommend PM Prepcast because I honestly just think, it is the best value, best format, best presented PMP exam course that you’ll find.  And if you’re anything like me and just lost the time and inclination for studying textbook (you know, full time job, kids, busy, busy) then you can watch these videos on the iPhone out and about, listen to the audios whilst running/walking or in the car on the way to work.  I just love it.  Full stop!!

You can see my full review of PM Prepcast here.

passing PMP exam

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PMBOK Explained! – Coming Soon

Over the coming weeks here at Project Management Success we’re going to be running a series called ‘PMBOK Explained’.
This will be an introduction to PMBOK for the uninitiated! A high level overview of what PMBOK is all about.

Now to get started – PMBOK is a Project Management methodology. The acronym stands for the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Developed by the Project Management Institute (world’s largest recognized Project Management professional organization) it has really become the gold standard for Project Management guidelines, rules and characteristics for project management.

The PMBOK Explained! series will not make you a project managment expert but it’ll give you an idea of what it’s all about – enough of an idea to see if following up with PMBOK and possibly gaining certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) is something that you’d like to follow up with. And of course if you do choose to go down the PMP exam route then we do have resources we can recommend to you for preparing for your PMP exam, including PM PrepCast (awesome video and audio package with practice questions and online forum) and load of different study guides, flash cards and all sorts!

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Project Management Success – PM PrepCast Review

I’d been looking around the internet for a while trying to come up with a way to study and prepare for my PMP when I first came across PM PrepCast.

PM PrepCast is a video based prep program for studying for your PMP and is probably the best priced and most efficient way I have seen to prepare and pass your PMP.  I am extremely busy and can never seem to get a good ‘chunk’ of uninterrupted study time.  I don’t want to be wading through massive books, I just want someone to tell me what I need to know and be done with it!  So a video based prep program is perfect for me!  I also like to catch a video here and there, in bed, at the airport, waiting at the doctor surgery, wherever – and that’s the best thing about this program is that you can synchronize with your favorite player (the iPhone for me) and have the freedom of being ready to study wherever you are, for a few minutes here and there.  You can also download it and play it on your PC if you wish.

  • No need to wade through heaps of books
  • Focused and efficient video presentations that tell you what you need to know in a way that is easy to remember
  • Portable – you can synch it to your favorite player and go anywhere
  • It is simple and efficient with 38 hours of video and you’re ready for the exam.
  • It is amazingly good value at less than $100!

If you are the sort of person who prefers a text book then it may not be for you – but if you want fast, efficient, thorough and inexpensive – then PM PrepCast is for you!

Check out their website where they tell you everything that is included in the program and all the great features and benefits.

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Project Management Certification – PMP

Having Project Management Certification provides benefits to both you and your employer.

Whether you are an experienced Project Manager or just starting out, going through the certification process provides you with great learning opportunity.  Having the actual certification also gives you a level of professional recognition and credibility and means that you are more likely to be able to command a higher salary.

PMP stands for Project Management Professional. PMP certification is offered by PMI (Project Management Institute) and being a certified PMP demonstrates that you meet a certain level of proficiency in project management and leadership skills.   PMP is widely recognized by major companies and government agencies worldwide as the standard qualification for the role of project managers with the other well recognized qualification being Prince2 Practitioner (though this is more popular in the UK and Australia).  These days, many companies require their project managers to hold certification in Project Management and PMP is the most recognized choice.

I recommend that you think about obtaining certification, this is one of the best project management tips I can offer!  It really does lift your knowledge as well as your marketability and improves your level of project management success.  Check out this post for information on preparing for the PMP exam.

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