There has been some misinformation circulating about the updated PMP exam. Here is what is actually true.
Myth 1: There Are Now 185 Questions
There are still 180 questions on the PMP exam. This has not changed according to the latest exam content outline from PMI. You do have 240 minutes now, instead of 230 minutes to complete the exam, which is great!
Myth 2: The Breaks Are Shorter
Some people are saying the two 10-minute breaks have been reduced to five minutes each. This is also incorrect. You still get two 10-minute breaks.
Myth 3: There Is a Lot of New Content to Study
This one is causing the most unnecessary stress. The business environment domain has increased from 8% to around 26% of the exam, which sounds significant. But the content that has moved into that domain, managing risk, managing issues, change control and delivering value, was already part of the project management process domain. It has been rearranged, not replaced.
There are minor additions around artificial intelligence and sustainable project management, both of which appear in the PMBOK Guide 8th edition. But these are small additions, not a major new study load.
Bonus Myth: There are a lot of New Question Types
The question types are almost exactly the same as they have been for the past 3 years, as PMI slowly introduced new question styles and types to the PMP Exam. There will be drag and drop, pictures matching to the right words, matching descriptions to the right artifacts etc.
But the main new question type will be a “Case Study” – a longer explanation with 3 questions about it. Students have reported while this sounded scarier, it was actually easier and faster as once you’ve read the case study the questions can be answered quickly in a row.
If you are preparing for the PMP exam, the fundamentals you have been studying still apply. The exam has evolved but it has not been reinvented.
– David McLachlan
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