This is for people like me who can not study for months and can not go through 10 different sources. I strongly believe that for examination prespective, after certain amount of study the “Law of diminishing results” comes into effect. There are so many books available, you can not read all for exam. Total amount I spent apart from examination fee and online 35 mandatory hours (that too sponsored by company), was only $ 20.

Prerequisite: To clear PMP in 30 days or 60 hours, you need to have some background that supports this short duration. This study plan is a very focused and need you experience and education to reduce the learning time. I have listed some prerequisite which I could have think of and is not exhaustive list, try to get the intent.

Experience:

• Good amount of experience in Project Management
• Experience in Team management or middle level management experience
• Attended in-house or external trainings on team management (or team building workshops), time management, vendor management, Quality methodologies, risk management, contract management.

Education:

• Any other certification like Six Sigma green belt or any other certification which prepares you on different aspects of management
• MBA
• Formal education in any of these areas: Project management, Quality management, Risk management, Vendor management

Intent of prerequisite: Basically What I mean here is that you have basic understandings of the terms used in these areas and what do they mean in real world. This will help you to clear your concepts faster than others.

Let’s start our planning, for easy planning convert a month into 4 weeks or 60 hours, now plan for following:

1. 1st round of studies, 2nd round of studies

Following points I have covered separately as they apply to full length preparation too

2. At least 3 good quality full tests and daily a 15 minute test

3. Study Material

4. Leisure time, this also include time which is wasted due to things happening around you.

Study Plan: 4 weeks or 60 hrs

What I did: My total study time was around 40 – 45 hours of intense study and total 60 hours (intense study + trying to study).I feel that anyone with good project management experience and management background can definitely do in 60 hours

Material used: PMBOK 3, Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep, Couple of pages of Headfirst

Test Given: Pmstudy Free, Pmstudy paid, Oliver Lehman 175

ITTO: Did not cram and did not use braindump thing as I felt if I can remember till that time, I will remember in the exam too.

1. Week 1 or 20 hrs: 

Completed Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam prep as I didn’t had PMBOK at this point of time

Competed a Pre preparation test

Internet research to find free questions

Rita Mulcahy’s Book: I think this is one of the must have book. This book gives you a different way of studying and do not focus much on ITTO as it is in PMBOK. Rita provides reason behind the input and practice examples, keep you involved throughout the reading.

Recommendation:

If you can get hold of Headfirst book, read it. It’s easy and has a totally different approach to ITTO. Best part it provides you lot of visuals, so you are not bored. 

2. Week 2 or 2nd 20 hrs:

Split this 20 hours into 2 parts, first part for approx 15 hours to complete PMBOK; don’t worry if you do not remember each ITTO. Just give a complete reading to PMBOK. On average target 1 chapter in 1 hour i.e. 12 hours + buffer of 3 hours for difficult topics. In second part of this week, spend 5 hours trying to memorize ITTO. Read the word trying as most of you will not be able to cram it in this short time.

But even if you remember 50% of it, it’s a good start.  You will not get many straight questions from ITTO (may be 4-5 questions), however if you remember some of the ITTO at this stage, it will help you a lot in last 2 weeks. Please read my post on ITTO tips, <”PMP ITTO, worth cramming?”>

3. Week 3 or 3rd 20 hrs:

Now you have completed Rita and PMBOK but you do not remember lot of things, no worry. Just read both of them again in this week. Too much, it is not as by study hours I mean actual time you study not that you have book in front of you…… Just read again, you will feel as if you are reading for 1st time but your brain will start storing the information and you will answers the questions when it matter most. While reading Rita, try to relate the content to ITTOs, make logical relationships.

4. Week 4 or last 20 hours

Tip: Plan this week; make a list of topics that you are weak and how much time you need for each topic. Remember Law of Diminishing result, after certain knowledge about a topic, more study will not increase the score.

These 20 hours are to refresh what we have studies in past 3 weeks and focus on our weak areas. Give a full length test at the start of this week and one 3 days before the exam. The first test will give you the areas where you need to work, clear your concepts or cram.

Make sure you do all the formula based question given in the Rita’s book.

I recommend paid PMPStudy test ($ 20) for 1st full length test (at the start of week), this test may not be the similar to test what you get in exam, however this test will identify the areas you need to work upon as that is what you need. Remember no test can provide you exact questions as it will be against the PMI’s code of ethics and professional responsibility. Use this test to identify the areas you need to study and prepare yourself for 4 hour session of Question and answers on a computer and not to give you your scores before the actual test.

Do read the following posts as they provide my recommendations on material, managing your preparation time and PMP prep tests.

PMP prep tests

PMP Study Material

Managing Time for PMP exam

Good Luck, do let me know how did you do in you exam and share tips for other prospective students, remember “Lesson Learned” concept in PMP and your professional responsibility to share knowledge.