Nathan K Ellison, PMP, Project manager Should I get a PMP? Is a PMP worth it? What is a PMP?

1. On past interviews I have
often been asked about my
PMP. Surprisingly I was often
told by interviewers that
they want the certification
but haven’t had the time to
study for it. They ask me if it
was worth it.
I thought it might be a good
idea to answer this question.

3. The main topics in project management are:
Scope Management
Cost Management
Human Resource Management
Procurement Management
Quality Management
Risk Management

4. has to do with collecting
requirements. One of the most valuable
tools I learned about was the Work
Breakdown Structure. A few of its benefits
are scheduling, budgeting, accountability and
getting buy-in from stakeholders.
Project
Deliverable
Work
Package
Work
Package
Deliverable
Work
Package
Deliverable
Scope Management

5. In I learned to arrange and
sequence tasks in a project in the most
efficient way possible to keep the project on
schedule.

6. For those of you who hate
mathematics brace yourself
for ! There
are lots of formulas that
need to be learned which are
useful to get a temperature
of your project. Luckily, an
application like Microsoft
Project does all the
calculations for you.
However for the purpose of
passing the exam these
formulas have to be learned.
Cost Variance=EV-AC
Schedule Variance=EV-PV
Cost Performance Index=EV/AC
Schedule Performance Index=EV/PV
Estimate at Completion=AC+(BAC-EV)
To Complete Performance Index=(BAC-EV)/(BAC-AC)
Estimate at Completion=EAC-AC
Variance at Completion=BAC-EAC
Cost Management

7. was the easiest to study.
At almost every job I’ve had, I’ve always had to work
with a Quality control or assurance department. I
found this material interesting because I learned what
it is they do and why it’s important. I now understand
quality management terminology and how to
integrate these folks into my projects more effectively.
Quality Management

8. Probably the most interesting topic I had
to study for the exam was
Human Resource Management

9. What I found most
fascinating was
reading about
recognition and
reward systems,
team building,
conflict resolution
techniques, ground
rules, virtual teams
and stages of team
formation and
Development.

10. The most useful lesson I learned in
was how important face-to-face communication is. In the
past I always wondered why companies spend thousands
of dollars on airline tickets and hotel rooms to bring
together employees from different divisions in different
locations.
Communications Management

13. In my opinion sets apart the pros
from the amateurs. In an ideal world our
projects run smoothly without a hitch. As we
all know, we don’t live in an ideal world.
Risk Management

14. A sponsor on another project
needs your star player.

15. One valuable point I learned was how advantageous it is to
discuss risks at meetings instead of getting status updates from
team members. Status updates can be collected by email or
perhaps in a central repository. But keeping the team focused on
anticipating and reacting to risk is crucial in keeping a project on
track.

16. The most valuable topic in
for me was learning about different contract types:
fixed price, time and material and cost reimbursable
contracts. There are advantages and disadvantages
with all these contract types and it is important to know
when to use each and how to attach incentives to a
contract.
Procurement Management

17. Another surprise to me was that passing the PMP was only the
beginning of my journey.
To keep my certification I need to earn 30 PDUs every three years. In my
opinion this requirement is what gives the PMP its true value.
There are so many ways to earn your PDUs and all of them aim to teach
you how to become an even better project manager.

18. You can earn PDUs by going to your local chapter
meetings and meet project managers like you
and listen to great lectures from experts in the
field.

19. Aerospace and
Defense
Energy, Oil, Gas and
Petrochemical Information Systems New Practitioners
Agile
Ethics in Project
Management
Innovation and New Product
Development
Organizational Project
Management
Change
Management
Financial Services
Industry International Development Pharmaceutical
China Project
Management Global Diversity IT and Telecom
Program Management
Office
Construction
Industry Global Sustainability
Leadership and Project
Management
Project Management
Quality
Consulting Government
Learning, Education and
Development Project Risk Management
Earned Value
Management Healthcare Legal Project Management
Requirements
Management
eBusiness
Human Resource
Project Management Marketing and Sales
You can go online and earn PDUs by listening to project
management webinars on topics such as:

20. You can even book a reservation
at a hotel and spend days in
classes or do volunteer work and
earn your PDUs.
And that’s just the tip of the
iceberg.

21. The information learned is practical and not theoretical.
In contrast to a masters program like an MBA I don’t need
to fulfill liberal arts requirements or study for entry
examinations.
My certification has given me confidence that I can manage
any project in any industry.
PMI provides quality resources to help me keep evolving
and improving as a project manager.
Was it worth it?
Absolutely!