NOTE: Due to COVID-19, the Project Management Institute has moved the exam change from July 2020 to January 2021. The blog below has been updated.
It means that, if you’re currently considering getting the PMP, you should take the exam soon (and definitely before January 1, 2021)! Nearly every online PM training source believes that, with the exam’s new focus on Agile and the fact that two of the new domains really have no equivalent in the current iteration of the test, the new exam is likely going to be longer and harder. In addition, the new training content will take time to develop, leaving test takers potentially without study materials for a few months after the changes take effect.
So what was the announcement?
In June 2019, the Project Management Institute (PMI) announced that it was changing its Examination Content Outline (ECO) to better reflect the current state of project management in practice, namely the rise of Agile methodologies and a stronger emphasis on the soft skills necessary to manage and support people and build high-performing teams. This new ECO can be found here and is the only official specification that PMI has published that instructs test takers on what is going to be on the exam. A common misconception is that the PMBOK serves as that official document that outlines everything you need to know to pass the PMP. While PMI draws from 30 different resources (including the PMBOK) when creating test questions, the ECO is the only formal document that communicates what you need to know (though it is extremely high level). For this reason, the current version of the PMBOK itself (version 6) is not going to change when the new exam is released, and it likely will not be updated until 2022 or 2023.
What are the major changes?
The current ECO focuses on five domains (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing) and lists tasks and knowledge and skill statements. The new ECO, to be used for exams taken on or after July 1, 2020, shifts its focus to three domains (People, Process, and Business Environment) and lists tasks (what PMs do) and enablers (actions that PMs take to complete the tasks) underneath each domain.
Most training providers that have evaluated this change have found that the five current domains map only to the new Process domain, which will represent only 50% of the exam questions. Thus, the five domains will still be relevant, and that is why the PMBOK v6 will still be an extremely helpful guide for test takers. However, it will no longer be sufficient. Test takers will see more questions on soft skills, integrating virtual team members, and using emotional intelligence to integrate team members, and 50% of questions will be on Agile/hybrid methodologies. Therefore, the Agile Practice Guide (which has shipped with the PMBOK since v6 was released), previously an optional read, will become much more important for test takers to review.
There will also be a change to the application process, though not to the requirements (experience and contact hours) needed to sit for the exam. In the past, you needed to document hours spent managing and leading work along the five domains; going forward, you will simply be asked to document how many months you spent on projects and will not need to break out those months by domain.
Finally, the question types in the exam itself will change, from all multiple choice currently to a mix of multiple choice, drag and drop, and even interactive questions that will feature videos showing a certain situation and ask how test takers would respond.
Why did PMI make this change?
PMI updates its ECO every 3-5 years (the last change was in 2015) and compiles the outline based on a thorough analysis of conversations with PMs in the field and surveys of what types of principles they need to understand to be successful. And honestly, if you ask me, this shift is a welcome one, as it’s crucial that PMI update the exam to reflect the current state of the field. It helps ensure the relevancy and preserve the value of the PMP certification.
What happens if I take the exam before the change and I fail and cannot reschedule until after the exam change?
Unfortunately, there is no grace period. Once the new exam starts being offered on July 1, 2020, all candidates will have to take the new exam to ensure that PMI is being fair to all candidates. As a result, it is crucial that test takers incorporate some buffer time into their study plans in case they need to take the exam a second time. If that buffer time is not possible, test takers should be sure to dedicate time to studying and utilizing training resources so that they do not run the risk of being forced to take an entirely new exam when they re-take.