20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Be wary of the testing questions!, December 1, 2009
This review is from: PMP Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide, Includes Audio CD (Paperback)
I've read the book cover to cover twice. The goal of the book is to provide a clearer "process order" (if you will) than the PMBOK, and to a degree it satisfies. Be prepared to read it thoroughly at least twice. There is a great amount of "I'll discuss this later in Chapter xxx"...by then it is too late and you'll wind up re-reading over and over. I recommend reading the PMBOK simultaneously to get the best out of it. Read, re-read, and drill yourself to death.
The test questions are much more thought provoking than "on-line" questions I've seen...that said, I've found numerous errors in the answer key. Research your "incorrect responses" just to be sure (should be doing that anyway.) So far, I've found 3.
Will it help pass the PMP? Yes. But don't rely on it as your only source. "PMBOK" is still the "PM bible."
Be sure to get the correct revision corresponding with the latest revision of the PMBOK; Editions 3 and earlier do you no good for exam preparation. Recycle!
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's hard out there for a PMP, August 15, 2011
This review is from: PMP Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide, Includes Audio CD (Paperback)
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This review comes to you from a very recently certified PMP. I had bought the PMBOK, Head First, and the exam prep books by Rita Mulcahy and Andy Crowe. Then this book by Kim Heldman fell into my hands and quickly became my favorite.
Comparing the study guides I would say that the PMBOK is basically a cure for insomnia. It doesn't even cover the PMI Code of Professional Ethics and Conduct, which is on the test; although you can get the code from PMI's website. In fact there are a lot of things on the test that aren't covered in the PMBOK, which is why you'll need a supplement. The Head First book is like a PMP for Dummies book (the actual Dummies book should be avoided). Head First will give you a lot of white space, cartoons, and jokes. It's great for explaining concepts, but I wouldn't stake the entire exam on it. Rita's book, while less dense than the PMBOK, is very boring and pedantic. Rita's bonus CD is an insult. It includes a mere 24 practice questions and is meant as an appetizer for her website practice test engine which will set you back several hundred dollars. Andy Crowe's book is also heavy on the white space and light on content. Crowe claims his book will have you pass the test on your first try, but he covers barely enough information to get you there. If you memorize everything he has to say, you might squeak through; several of my co-workers used Crowe and didn't make it. Crowe's book includes a sealed card with a numeric key that gives you access to his website for 7 days. Both Rita and Andy are making money on the extras - boot camps, e-learning, practice tests, flash cards, quick reference cards, etc. Everything is added cost and the books are full of promotions for the extras.
Heldman's book was a breath of fresh air. She covers the process groups and knowledge areas with far more detail than any of the other books, including the PMBOK. Her explanations are straightforward and easy to understand. But for me the best part was the Bonus CD. Heldman doesn't nickle and dime you for extras. Her bonus disk includes flash cards, the entire book in searchable PDF format (and the Adobe Reader software to read it), the entire book is also available in audio so you can listen to it in the car or jogging, and finally she includes two complete practice exams for both PMP and CAPM.
The book itself presented the information very well, but I fell in love with the bonus disk. Studying for the PMP isn't much fun, but between the flash cards and the audio chapters, it was bearable. The only caveat was that I found a couple of errors on the practice tests, which is why I'm giving the book 4 stars instead of 5. I used a lot of different practice tests in preparing for the real exam and found an error or two on most of them.
This was my favorite study guide for the PMP. And I did pass on the first try.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Part of a great trio, August 21, 2009
This review is from: PMP Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide, Includes Audio CD (Paperback)
I'm not usually fond of Exam Prep books as they typically only "Teach the Exam" which in my mind is one step away from just memorizing answers and not really learning the How, why and what. However I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that these books actually gave you the answer in context to How and What with a little Why sprinkled in. A much richer book than most Certification Guides on the Market the
PMP: Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide, Includes Audio CD is heavy on the situation and context for each knowledge area. The guide is part of a trio kit from Sybex worth the investment
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