PMP® Exam Change Information

PMI® Launched New PMP Exam Jan 2, 2021!

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PMP® Exam Change

PMI Published the PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition in 2021 and retired the PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition. How has that impacted the PMP Exam? Is the Velociteach content updated for the 7th edition?

In the process of developing the PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition, PMI moved much of the content from the previous edition (PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition) to their digital assets ( Standards+ and Process Groups: A Practice Guide) that serve as content guides for what you will encounter on the current PMP Exam.

Additionally, per PMI, “The exam is based on the PMP certification exam content outline (ECO), not the (PMBOK® Guide) or other reference books.”

PMI publishes the PMP Exam Content Outline (ECO) to serve as the blueprint to the PMP Exam. PMI also lists 10+ books & guides that may be referenced by those writing the PMP Exam questions for PMI, and the PMBOK Guide is just one of them.

Rest assured that our content and materials are aligned to the current PMP Exam Content Outline (ECO) and will help prepare you to take the current PMP exam today and for the foreseeable future (until PMI makes a loud announcement that the ECO is changing.)   The Velociteach curriculum team is continuously ensuring 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.

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PMI lists a number of books as references for the PMP exam. Which ones should I purchase?

PMI provides an Exam Reference List of the “top 10 most frequently cited references.”  Good news – you do not need to purchase and read these books! Our content consolidates the vital data from those various sources into one clear path to PMP exam success.  We’ve been helping people just like you pass the PMP exam since 2002, so you can rely on us.  

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PMI’s Latest Changes to the Current PMP Exam:

  • New! As of September 25, 2023, PMI will no longer provide exam results immediately following completion of the exam. All candidates will be notified of their pass/fail results within 5 business days of the completion of the 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. 

What if the closest Pearson Vue center doesn’t have enough availability?

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 of FAQ section below.

I heard there were some new security measures. What are they?

On September 25, 2023, PMI introduced new data forensics and security policies for the PMP Exam. Prior to this date, exam results were provided immediately at the end of the exam. This new change will notify candidates of their PMP Exam results within 5 business days of exam completion. 

The PMP Exam Application Changed in 2020.

On June 18, 2020, the Project Management Institute released a simpler, redesigned PMP® exam application.  Check out our PMP application video or read more about this important change in our blog.

PMP Exam Application Assistance Video Application Change Blog

Tell me more about the new Exam Content Outline?

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.

Exam Content Crossover Map

Old Exam Content Outline New Exam Content Outline  

PODCAST EPISODE 136: 2021 PMP Exam  PODCAST EPISODE 144: PMBOK 7  

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  

Press Release from PMI Velociteach’s COVID-19 Response

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