PMP® Exam Change
PMI has made some new changes to the current PMP Exam.
- 180 questions (instead of 200), but the same number of questions will be scored (175).
- 230 minutes (instead of 240).
- One additional break for a total of two 10-minute breaks for computer-based tests (proctored) or those taken at a Testing Center.
- Questions format will be a combination of multiple-choice, multiple responses, matching, hotspot and limited fill-in-the-blank.
I heard the 7th Ed PMBOK® Guide was released. How has that impacted the PMP Exam? Is the Velociteach content updated for the 7th Edition?
PMI publishes the PMP Exam Content Outline (ECO) which serves as the blueprint to the PMP Exam. There are 10+ books that may be referenced by those writing the PMP Exam questions for PMI, and the PMBOK Guide is just one of them.
Per PMI, “The exam is based on the PMP certification exam content outline (ECO), not the (PMBOK® Guide) or other reference books.” The Velociteach curriculum team has ensured that our content is aligned with the current ECO, and our students are having great success on the exam, so you can rest assured that our content is up to date and effective.
The testing facility is closed in my area. Now what?
PMI now offers the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam online. It is administered on a secure platform and is exactly the same as the in-person exam. (For more information on online testing, check out our FAQ section below.)
My PMP exam was cancelled/postponed due to the closing of the testing centers. How do I adjust my test date?
Students can reschedule their exam through their online Pearson VUE account. They can choose the online proctor testing option or if the testing centers in the area have been restored, students will be able to select a location and an available seat. Please note, even if the testing centers in your area have not been reopened, you will still see the center-based testing option, but it will say there are not any seats available.
Press Release from PMI Velociteach’s COVID-19 Response
The PMP Exam Application has Changed!
The Project Management Institute has announced that a simpler, redesigned PMP® exam application is now available. Check out our PMP application video or read more about this important change in our blog.
PMP Exam Application Assistance Video Application Change Blog
What changed on the exam?
The new PMP Exam Content Outline includes two changes that have significantly impacted the PMP Exam. First, the ECO shows that half the questions represent predictive project management approaches and the other half represent agile or hybrid approaches. Second, the domains and their related tasks have changed. The 2015 ECO organizes the questions by the 5, familiar domains (Process Groups). The 2019 ECO groups the questions by 3 domains. Those domains and the question allocation are below:
Is there something that maps out these changes?
Yes! PMI has released an Exam Content Crossover Map that you can view here.
Old Exam Content Outline New Exam Content Outline
What is a RDS?
Every 3 to 5 years, PMI conducts a Role Delineation Study (RDS) of current project managers. Other industries follow a similar approach – the organization that produces a standard (a body of knowledge) uses a RDS or Practice Analysis to ensure that the standard is aligned with day-to-day practice. In this case, PMI used a global practice analysis to focus on the roles of novice project manager, more experienced project manager, agile practitioner, and business analyst. Based on this research, PMI made changes to the PMP Examination Content Outline (ECO). At the end of June 2019, PMI released those changes to the ECO.
For a more thorough understanding of how the RDS and ECO changes an exam, check out our video from the 2016 change.
Video on 2016 RDS and ECO Change
I heard the PMP Exam was changing on July 1, 2020… what happened?
That was the original date for the exam change, but PMI® announced the decision on March 18th, 2020 to delay the PMP Exam change. The old date was Dec 16, 2019, then July 1, 2020, but the actual change date was January 2, 2021.