As you face your Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam, remember to answer exam questions from the PMBOK® perspective.

The questions in the PMP exam are based on the following process groups from the PMBOK Guide®:

• Initiating;
• Planning;
• Executing;
• Controlling; and
• Closing.

So expect questions like: “Which process is applied to break down the project into smaller, more manageable elements?” Or, “Which tools and techniques are part of risk management planning?” Some questions use project management terms that may be interchangeable with others. There will be a few questions that require you to perform simple math calculations. Or you will be required to interpret graphs or diagrams on some questions. Also expect questions that test your knowledge of the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

The number one statement to remember is that you need to answer all questions on the exam from the perspective of the PMBOK Guide, even if you feel that this question is one of those that isn’t 100-percent aligned with the standard. Asking yourself, “What would the PMBOK do?” is a good place to start.

This article originally appeared as content on The PM PrepCast and is reprinted by permission of the author.

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