Customer Reviews

Head First Pmp: A Brain-Friendly Guide to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I passed my PMP exam recently. In spite of my years of experience, I found that the exam needs a truckload of preparation! I started with PMBOK Guide, Rita Mulcahy, some others, and settled on HFP. The HFP is not the first book you should read, and certainly should not be the only book you read. Unlike the somewhat snide (and ineffective) Mulcahy book, this book would give you tons of useful mnemonics to remember stuff by. After reading this book, I was having a much easier time answering questions in other books, such as Mulcahy's.

The PMP examination is not for the faint of heart. At the minimum, you should know the PMBOK Guide by rote (esp. the I-TT-O, Glossary, and the formulae). You need to supplement that knowledge using other books. These are the list of books I found useful (in no particular order):
0. PMBOK Guide
1. HF PMP
2. Mulcahy
3. Kim Heldman
4. Andy Crowe

Unfortunately, HF PMP does leave out many vital topics. This will hurt you in the exam, if you have not covered it elsewhere (e.g. Calculating CPPC and FPIP using numbers, GERT, etc., amongst many other examples). But for the topics covered, you will have a strong help from this book in retaining that information!

I would strongly encourage the authors to:
1. Consider revising the book and adding the missing topics - priceless addition, given that the authors do a wonderful job of any topic they cover in the book.
2. Add a GLOSSARY OF TERMS that may be referenced in the PMP Exam, even though these may not be covered in detail in the book (cite a ref.).

It will be worth the price you'd pay for such a book!

This is the book. I have read 4 different books to study for the PMP (without taking any classes) and this one by FAR is the easiest, simplest, and best book that is out there. The exercises reinforce the concepts in new and different ways (matching, crossword puzzles, short answer, etc). Even when I thought I had to memorize the formulas, I now discover I don't need to because the book explains the concepts in such simple terms that the formulas go together and just "logically" make sense. They explain a lot of terms from both a project manager AND a sponsor's perspective. This is by FAR the greatest book. The concepts are SO simple. I do recommend using PMP Practice Questions Exam Cram 2 or some book with test questions in it to go along with this book only after you have read this book.

Even after being through project management in the real world I learned a few things to help me in my current job. Anyway, I rate this a NUMBER ONE MUST HAVE. I look forward to more books in this series or any other concept out there that I want to learn. OUTSTANDING JOB TO O'REILLY, the Publisher. I give kudos and more kudos.

If you don't mind reading the PMBOK guide for your exam preparation, then, I suspect, you would enjoy memorizing a phone book or have an unusually strong taste for suffering. In either case, don't read any further and don't buy "Head First PMP" -- reading it may be too much fun for you and dangerous to your mental health!

For those of us, who find the PMBOK bo-o-o-oring, "Head First PMP"'s approach is the *only* way to learn. Let's admit, that the topics covered by the exam, while are very important, are not very exciting. To learn them well, it is important to dig deeper into the reasons for the best practices. Following the style of the "Head First" series, the authors of this book took the subject of the PM science and turned it into a fun-to-read and easier-to-learn-and-internalize collection of graphics, questions, answers, mental games and scenarios, stories. They deconstructed the topics to their essence and then reconstructed them in a way that makes sense to everyone who is willing to focus and think. The book is very engaging and, in my opinion, is a must to read, at least to make sure that you understand all the answers.

I'd like to point out the difference between this book and other books in the series -- Object-Oriented Analysis and Design, Design Patterns, Java. Those books cover topics that are interesting (at least to me) in nature, and had been covered in other publications with various success. The "Head First PMP" book is different in the sense that its authors "dared" to apply the "Head First" approach of "you'll learn better when reading is fun" to a topic that while important, makes me think of an ominously laughing dentist holding a jack hammer.

In preparation for the test, I recently spent some extended time in the bookstore comparing options to help my studies. The local bookseller I visited unfortunately didn't have the Head First book that I had heard so much about, so I ended up with a another title that was also highly recommended on Amazon. After bringing the other book home, I read two chapters and realized I was thinking about everything other than what I was reading. I decided I needed a different route if I planned to stay awake during my preparations for the exam and decided to try to source a copy of the Head First guide instead.

I found a copy of the Head First PMP title at another bookshop and settled in for what I thought was going to be another futile attempt at cramming this information into the old gray matter. However, much to my surprise, I found myself *engaged* in the content, and moreover, I was truly *learning* it! The book's approach ensures understanding of the content through thought and exercises - not reading lots of text and hoping some of it sticks long enough to pass the test.

If you haven't seen what makes the book different, definitely take a moment to visit the book's website (http://www.headfirstlabs.com/pmp) to see if this writing style is a fit for you. As another reviewer mentioned, this book definitely has a quirky feel to it (e.g. a fireside chat between the scope management plan and the project scope statement as one example) that may not be right for everyone, but for the rest of us, Fireside chats, crossword puzzles and Cows Gone Wild is half of what makes the book so engaging.

Don't let the fun use of graphics and informal style of the book fool you into doubting its usefulness or accuracy. While I can't guarantee that you'll pass the exam by reading this book, I will say that when you use the book as outlined in the book's introduction, the Head First PMP should absolutely increase your knowledge of the things PMI deems important for the exam without torturing yourself in the process.

Finally, for those that may be wondering why you should take my word on the use of this book, I passed the exam by a good margin yesterday. I found that on at least 25-30 questions, I would not have gotten the question correct had it not been for something I read in the Head First PMP book over the two days prior to the test.

Highly recommended!

PMBOK this is not, nor is it like many study guides with the roteness of
memorizing the ABCs. It is "Brain-Friendly", and it provides meaning behind
the processes. Has not put me to sleep yet ......

I cant explain it but this book make it stick like "done spaghetti on a wall" . Being a visual learner this book ( as well as other HFL Books) have hit my sweet spot. It is like an instructor with a blackboard in a book, and the little devil and angel over your shoulder telling you what is right or wrong.

I am getting instant results from the first 5 chapters, An excellent guide/ training tool for all those new and somewhat new to project management methodologies. As a matter of fact I will be using this guide to train my team so expect a few copies to come my way

COWS GONE WILD - I cant wait for it to come out for mac and PC

I bought probably 8 PMP study guides, including Rita's, Crowe's, and many others. I actually enjoyed reading this one. I made it my first pass through the material. It's a little silly, but if you toss that aside, it engages you, tests your knowledge of concepts, terms, and techniques along the way, presents you a crossword of learned terminology at the end of each chapter, and then puts you through a quiz.

I bought, and do not like, the Rita guide. She has such a snide tone... Allow me to paraphrase. "If you thought X, then you must not be a very good project manager." It's a recurring theme throughout her book. I'm still trying to get over my own mother, I don't want to get it from the PMP exam prep material.

I do like the Crowe (how to pass on your first try) book. Since it's organized like the PMBOK (and this Head First Book) what i recommend doing is reading the Head First book first, then the Crowe book. That's what I did, and it **really** reinforced my understanding. I got the same content from two different angles, two quizzes, and lots of exercises. (The Crowe book really isn't interactive like Head First, but the explanations and writing is really to-the-point and clear). When you're done this approach, then read the PMBOK (I never read the full PMBOK and I passed the PMP with flying colors two days ago--2/26/08).

I do recommend Rita's Exam Software and her flash cards, but that's all the Rita I can take. She still manages to get her snide comments into the exam software question explanations, but it's still a sound exam and with a bank of 1700 questions, it's a great diagnostic and a way to condition yourself for the actual exam.

Overview:
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I just passed the PMP exam -- 4th edition of the PMBOK based. The test does require quite a bit of preparation. I have many years of project management experience, so I have a strong practical background. The PMBOK covers a very large body of material which is summarized at a high level in the PMBOK. You must have a combination of practical experience and extensive book knowledge of the PMBOK to pass the exam.

I would start with this book before reading the PMBOK material. The approach in the book is very effective and gives you a very solid overview of the key PMBOK items. After studying this book and doing the practice test in the back, I would then suggest that you go over the PMBOK 4th edition several times followed by doing a lot of practice tests. Practice tests are critical so you can figure out how to properly interpret what the question is asking.

Appoach:
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The book uses a series of techniques -- stories, use cases, crossword puzzles, flash card type quizzes (a range of memonic tricks). It may seem a bit odd but it does really work. The reason why I say start with this book is that you need to have solid overview of all the subject areas and processes before you try to connect lots of detailed information that makes up the PMBOK knowledge space.

There are many other books out there to study for the PMP exam. But, if the book does not take a top-down approach, you can very quickly get confused with the PMBOK terminology and processes.

There is a large amount of information available on the internet. When you are taking the practice tests, you should make a list of any terms you are not familiar with and then look them up later. This is a very helpful way to get a feel for the scope and level of detail that you need to know about items defined in the PMBOK and project management world.

I'm a baby boomer who just passed the PMP exam on the first try. I couldn't see spending $2,500 for one of those boot camp courses, so I bought three books from Amazon, printed my copy of the PMBOK, and started my self-study program.

For exam prep purposes, Head First Pmp: A Brain-Friendly Guide to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam was by far the best. The approach is a little unusual, but the combination of pictures, humor and active exercises really works to help you learn the material. The practice exercises and the full 200 question test were challenging enough to make the real exam seem relatively easy. You can also take the practice test online if you want.

For the purpose of self-studying for the exam, I'd have to give this book top ratings. It definitely helped me.

[...]. Before you look at it, I'd like to mention that this title being reviewed, Head First PMP, helped me.

I went through four books: Rita Mulcahy's, Kim Heldman's, Andy Crowe's, and Head First PMP.

Mulchay's book just turned me off. I did not appreciate being talked down to by the self-proclaimed *itch goddess. Sure it contains some good content but: (1) her book is cluttered, (2) her tone is dismissive, and (3) the title was not edited professionally. You can pass the PMP without having to put up with her *rap.

Heldman's isn't bad. Both authors are women but while Mulcahy is the kind you'll wish you never met, Heldman is sweet and kindly in her tone. Both women know their stuff but Kim knows how to present it in an inoffensive manner.

Crowe was highly recommended and as I discovered, rightfully so. It has a companion website that was useful.

And then there's Head First PMP! It employs an unorthodox style but it works. It is an effective learning book. The magnet exercises are useful. The "there are no dumb questions" columns contain insightful questions. And so forth. To be sure, I found that some parts of it were "corny." In my opinion, those parts did not contribute enough to justify their presence. Generally speaking however, the title was well-written and well-edited.