The New PMP Exam Released For July 31, 2013

The Project Management Institute (PMI) recently released the official dates for when the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam will be updated to the latest standards.

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) is a book published by the Project Management Institute (PMI), outlining a set of standard terminology and guidelines for Project Management. The PMBOK Guide was first published by the PMI as a white paper in 1983 in an attempt to document and standardize generally accepted project management information and practices. The first edition was published in 1996 followed by the second edition in 2000. In 2004, the third Edition was published with major changes from the previous editions. The latest fourth Edition was released on December 31, 2008. Work on the fifth Edition is in development right now. In February 2012 a draft of the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition was made available for expert volunteers' review and comment. The final version of the 5th edition is expected to be published by 2013.

- If you plan to take the PMP exam before 31 July 2013 you should use the PMBOK® Guide 4th Edition.

- If you plan to take the PMP exam on or after 31 July 2013, you should use the PMBOK® Guide 5th Edition.

The PMBOK Guide 5th edition will be released for the public on Dec. 31, 2012, but you can back order it. There are some important changes to the new 5th edition. Without going into details, here's a list of the major changes:

- Addition of a new knowledge area called 'Stakeholder Management' (going from 9 to 10 Knowledge areas)

- PMBOK 5th Edition has now 248 pages minus the glossary.

- 5 new processes have been added (going from 42 to 47 Processes)

- Definition of a Project Management Office (PMO) expanded.

- Project life cycles expanded.

- 'Direct and Manage Project Execution' changed to 'Direct and Manage Project Work'

- Addition of 'Plan Scope Management process'

- 'Verify Scope' changed to 'Validate Scope'

- Addition of 'Plan Schedule Management'

- Addition of 'Plan Cost Management'

- 'Plan Quality' changed to 'Plan Quality Management'

- 'Manage Stakeholder Expectations' changed to 'Manage Stakeholder Engagement'

- Addition of 'Control Stakeholders Engagement'

- 'Work performance measurement' changed to 'Work performance data'

- 'Positive Risks' changed to 'opportunity'

- 'Perform Quality Control' changed to 'Control Quality'

- 'Develop Human Resource Plan' changed to 'Plan Human Resource Management'

- 'Monitor and Control Risks' changed to 'Control Risks'

- 'Plan Procurements' changed to 'Plan Procurement Management'

- 'Administer Procurements' changed to 'Control Procurements'

- Addition of 'Plan Stakeholder Management'

All of this does not mean that there will be an "old" PMP certificate after the "cut-off" date of July 31, 2013. The current version of the PMBOK Guide has no influence over your PMP status. You can compare this to your high-school diploma. Even if you received your high-school diploma years back and the school curriculum has changed many times since then, your diploma and your status are just as valid today as they were when you finished high school.

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