Essential Steps to Prepare for PMI-ACP Certification

As the agile methodologies have given a whole new way of IT project management, the certified agile practitioner has gained vital importance for running successful projects. There comes the fashion for PMI-ACP certification preparation which is the most known agile project management certification across the globe.

This cross-domain agile certification has correctly matched the necessity of standardization of agile process which the active community was the desire for some time. Not only project managers, but more for agile developers the PMI-ACP exam preparation is a giant leap towards prosperous agile implementation.

However, the PMI prescribed course outline is detailed and useful PMI-Agile certified practitioner certification preparation is the only solution to crack the exam even if you have agile experience. Thus in this blog, we have shown the facts about PMI-ACP Certification Preparation which will provide you a great idea on how to prepare for PMI-ACP certification exam and work helpfully for your next PMI-ACP certification preparation guide.

How to Prepare for the PMI-ACP Certification Exam?

PMI-ACP is one of the top Agile certifications that has achieved popularity among agile professionals. It is difficult as well, so one needs to study hard and prepare well to pass the PMI-ACP certification exam.

To aid you in your PMI-ACP certification preparation, here we take the step by step preparation tips for the PMI-ACP certification exam.

1) Understand the Eligibility

As per the PMI-ACP handbook guideline, you should satisfy the following eligibility criteria to appear for the exam:

2) Get Introduced with the PMI-ACP Certification Outline

The PMI-ACP exam blueprint gives the topic areas included in the exam. The percentage weight of each area decides how many questions will be allocated from that domain.

Domain I. Agile Principles and Mindset (16%)
Domain II. Value-driven Delivery (20%)
Domain III. Stakeholder Engagement (17%)
Domain IV. Team Performance (16%)
Domain V. Adaptive Planning (12%)
Domain VI. Problem Detection and Resolution (10%)
Domain VII. Continuous Improvement (Product, Process, People) (9%)

3) Get Close with the Exam Pattern

Exam Name: Agile Certified Practitioner
Exam Code: PMI-ACP
Exam Duration: 180 Minutes
Number of Questions: 120
Passing Score: Above Target / Target / Below Target / Needs Improvement
Format: Multiple Choice Questions
The test is online and requires to be attended by pro-metric.
There is no negative scoring for the wrong answers.
You require to answer questions one at a time and move to the next question only after you are done with the current question.
You can mark the current question as ‘Later for review’ if you are not certain about the answer at that time. However, unless you mark them as reviewed and unmark, you won’t be able to click the submit button.
You can navigate back and forth through the questions as many times as you want within the defined time limit.
You will not be able to change the answers once you click the Submit button.
Follow books and PMI recommendations as PMI-ACP certification preparation guide.

4) Be Prepared to Handle the Types of Questions to Be Asked in the Exam

This is one of the prelims in any exam preparation and probably the most efficient way to meet them. Once you get aquatinted with the types of questions asked in the PMI-ACP exam, you will see a good idea of how to pass the PMI-ACP certification exam with such a vast study area. Well, in the exam you can require three main types of questions:

1. Questions Direct from Exam Content Outline:

These are many straightforward questions that you can quickly answer if you are well-versed with the agile theories and topics covered in the course. Here one point should be recognized that you must include the latest handbook as PMI keeps changing their exam outline from time to time. However, the number of straightforward questions are some. Hence, you should be prepared for other types of questions.

2. Scenario-Based Questions:

These questions frame the complicated part of the exam, and interestingly most of the questions in the exam are scenario-based. Here you will be presented some scenarios which project managers often face in real time, and you require to answer how you will handle such situations. Moreover, PMI requires you to answer in the PMI way. What does that mean? They want to check how you will manage the problems following the PMI-ACP principles. However, it could not be a possible case to case basis in real life.

3. Lengthy and Confusing Questions:

The third type of questions includes too many information but only a key decision that is related to the problem. This is to confuse the examinee and to check their logical aptitude. So, be concerned with these PMI-ACP questions and only focus on the essential sentence.

5) Observe Books for PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner Certification Preparation

PMI-ACP certification exam indicates your theoretical as well as practical expertise and no doubt, and no exam preparation could be achieved without good books. Books are the primary resource which gives us focus concepts in a more detailed way.

Similarly, the following are the books that you must recognize as an excellent guide for PMI-ACP Certification Preparation.

1. PMI-ACP Handbook by PMI:

This is a recommendation guide from PMI-ACP and gives all the information about the exam. It is available online from the PMI website in pdf format, and you need to go in PMI-ACP handbook before arriving for the exam to cross check all the information described to the exam.

2. PMI-ACP Exam Content Outline by PMI:

PMI-ACP Exam Content Outline is more available in the pdf format at the PMI website, and a must follow book for the PMI-ACP candidates. It gives detailed information on the exam blueprint, the domains, subdomains, and tasks allotted to each domain. Also, it provides a thorough understanding of the agile principles and concepts associated with each function.

6) Take a Training and Practice Test

Do you know after a lot of work and practical experience a good percentage of candidates fail to crack the PMI-ACP exam? This is due to the lack of proper grooming for the exam. You require to hit in the right area, and smart work is equally important along with hard work. No doubt, training performs a variation here from self-study.

Though training and sample exams from PMI is a need as part of PMI-ACP Certification Preparation, that is a standard to serve, not a guarantee for sure success. So, training from certified PMI-ACP practitioners reveals many important characters regarding the exam which we usually don’t get outside.

7) Apply for the PMI-ACP Exam

Once you are assured about your eligibility, you can continue with the application process. However, it is desirable to have a road map and idea on the PMI-ACP Certification Preparation before to make your life easy later. The PMI –ACP application method is a step by step process as follows:

1. Submit the Application Form:

Commence filling the application form. Once you begin the application, you will get 90 days to submit the application form to PMI. But, if you fail to provide the application form within 90 days, the PMI will automatically fill the application process in their system. However, you can re-open it in the future.

2. PMI Random Audit:

PMI has a random audit process where they select some applications for audit determination. If your request comes under this category, then you have to submit the required documentation for it. Contrarily, no document is asked from PMI as part of the application process.

3. Timeline for PMI Approval:

Once the application is submitted PMI will review the form to assure that it is perfect.

This may appear in two modes:

a) If Selected for PMI Audit:

If your application is selected for verification, then you will be given 90 days to submit the needed documents. Once they receive the materials, approval requires five to seven days from the PMI end.

b) If Not Selected for PMI Audit:

It will take up to ten days from PMI end following the submission of the application form.

4. Fees Payment:

Once the application is approved from PMI, the candidate requires to submit the fees to schedule the exam. The exam fee is as follows:

For PMI member: US $435
For PMI non-member: US $495

You can take the examination three times a year.

Some Tips That May Help You in Your PMI-ACP Certification Preparation

PMI-ACP emphasizes on a candidate’s application knowledge. Hence, practice and think more about scenario-based questions and solutions for them.
You are working to be a certified PMI-ACP professional so apply as much as principles and way as conducted by PMI when answering the questions.
Go through the questions carefully. A small mistake in understanding may guide to taking the wrong answers. Therefore, stress on the words used in the question.
Ignore the unwanted information in the long questions and have a focus on the relevant information only.
Pick only the best possible choice and eliminate the incorrect ones.

Closing Words

Hopefully, you have got an overview of PMI-ACP certification preparation by now and the idea on how to achieve it. No doubt it’s a big jump to achieve PMI-ACP certification as an agile professional.

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