Though there is no official word, the gossip is that almost half of the candidates fail the PMP exam on their first try. We do not know if it is true. However, we can be sure that PMP is not an easy exam to pass, and many fail it the first time.
PMP exam requires not only the exam taker’s commitment but a smart effort to pass on the first try. In this article, we discuss five serious mistakes candidates make that make them fail the PMP exam. We developed this list with the feedback and subsequent analysis of information from previous PMP exam takers.
Each of the mistakes discussed below has the potential to cause the candidate to fail the PMP exam. However, the presence of more than one shortcoming makes the probability of failure much higher. Rhetorically speaking, it will not be incorrect to say that we can guarantee failure in the presence of all five causes.
So let us look at the reasons people fail the PMP exam.
Not understanding the process flows can make you fail the PMP exam
Based on feedback, a rough estimate is that about 40-50% of the exam questions test comprehension of process flows. In other words, it is the knowledge of what goes on when the team carries out project management processes. There are two pieces to this point.
a) Recognizing what happens within a process
All 49 processes in the PMBOK guide consist of ITTO. The term ITTO stands for Inputs – Tools & Techniques – Outputs. Each PMBOK process has a core purpose of why the project team will undertake it. The ITTO enables the project to achieve the objective of the process. For most of these processes, there are additional benefits gained when the project team carries out the process effectively.
ITTO stands for
Inputs – Tools & Techniques – Outputs
PMP exam candidates will be severely disadvantaged if they do not know the answers to the following questions.
- What is the main objective of the process?
- How to carry out the process?
- What are the critical inputs to the process? It is like saying that the project cannot execute the process without these inputs.
- What are the key outputs? There must be at least one output; otherwise, there is no reason to execute the process. Most processes have multiple outputs. However, only one or two are the primary outputs. These are the ones that help achieve the objective of the process.
- Which are the most commonly used tools & techniques in the process?
Some say that a PMP candidate should memorize ITTO. We think memorization alone may not be much help except for a few questions that ask for naming ITTO. However, if you remember ITTO with extensive knowledge of the answers to the queries listed above, it definitely will be a score booster.
b) Knowing how various processes interact
When the candidates do not understand how the information flows between processes, they will find it challenging to answer many questions on the PMP exam. We know from the discussion in the last section that every process has at least one output. As a PMP aspirant, you must be able to answer the following questions.
- Which process or processes use the output?
- What are the other processes creating or updating with the use of this output?
- Wherefrom are the inputs coming?
Without the knowledge underlying these questions, a project manager will likely get lost when performing the processes. The cognizance of process flows enables the project management professional to produce high-quality outputs that improve the chances of the project’s success.
For example, one output of the ‘Control Schedule’ process is the schedule forecast. Which PMBOK process uses this forecast, and for what purpose?
The answer is that the ‘Monitor and Control Project Work’ process takes the schedule forecast as an input and uses it to create the project performance report, which is the output of the process. A point to note is that there are also other inputs used for creating the project performance report.
Next, what happens to this output, the project performance report? Which process takes this report as an input?
The ‘Manage Communications’ process takes the work performance report as input and communicates it to the stakeholders.
This information flow was just one example of what it means when we say a PMP candidate must understand process flows.
Some people fail the PMP exam because they do not know the PMBOK terms
Many questions will use terms from the PMBOK Guide. If the candidate is unfamiliar, then it will be hard to figure those out in the questions. It becomes especially challenging for two reasons. One, the average time available per exam question is about one minute and 13 seconds, so they do not have a lot of time to ponder. Two, when the aspirants read the question multiple times, the unfamiliar term becomes a familiar one, and it becomes harder to answer the question correctly.
Memorize & understand the context of PMBOK Guide glossary terms
By the way, the PMP exam includes terms and concepts from the PMBOK guide and multiple other books, as described in the exam content. Sometimes a project management phrase that appears in another book may show up in the question. The exam-takers had not seen the word before, so they confuse it either as a fake term or cannot answer the question.
Consequently, we must recognize that most of the PMP exam will be directly from PMBOK that has a long list of glossary terms, so at minimum, the PMP aspirants should prepare and understand these items well.
For example, the following are a few terms. Do you know what each of these terms means?
- Monte Carlo simulation
- Phase gate
- Risk appetite
- RFI
- Delphi technique
Therefore, knowing the terms is imperative. The glossary that appears in the PMBOK guide is an excellent resource to learn all the project management terms. If the definitions are not clear, search the word in the pdf copy of the PMBOK guide and read the section to understand them better. You can also do an internet search to learn more about the confusing glossary entries.
Many people fail the PMP exam because they did not practice
Candidates who know the ITTO, process flows, and all the terms in the PMBOK glossary may have high confidence. However, there is one big thing still missing that has the potential to deflate their confidence quickly once the aspirants realize that they are not yet ready for the exam.
The following are some information and preparation they are missing.
- What types of questions come up on the exam?
- How to answer each type of question?
- How to answer questions as quickly as possible without wasting unnecessary time?
- They have not developed the stamina to sit for four hours and stay focused.
The result of ignoring the above as part of exam preparation can be devastating. The candidates may end up rushing through some part of the exam because they wasted too much time on a few questions.
Therefore, PMP aspirants must do practice and a lot of it. The exam practice does not only imply that the aspirants go through hundreds or thousands of questions. The objective should be to get an excellent grasp of the different types of PMP questions that may appear on the exam. Develop and practice strategies for answering each of those types of exam questions. Taking full-length practice exams builds stamina and sustained focus.
For example, one strategy that many exam takers have found to be quite sufficient is as follows.
Start the exam and go through the questions fast. Only spend a few seconds per question and decide if you want to answer now or later. Never spend 5-10 minutes on one, leave it, and then come back again. You will end up starting over that question. It will be a complete waste of time.
Some fail the exam due to intense stress
Stress is a natural and common part of human psychology. Anxiety within limits is good as it helps in becoming attentive and staying focused. Like all other tests, the PMP exam will cause some stress. Many of us show superior performance when under pressure, but some of us find it challenging to cope with anxiety. This inability to manage stress can result in a significant drop in performance.
Panicking under stress can be a pre-condition. In such a situation, self-reflection becomes crucial. If the aspirant is aware of this problem whenever subjected to stress, the person should take proper steps before appearing for the PMP exam. Otherwise, such an aspirant knows the concepts and terms reasonably well and has practiced a lot, but due to anxiety, the person cannot focus on the question and figure out the answer.
For example, a candidate reads the question but does not understand it, then reads it the second time, and so on. The exam taker is not just wasting time but also causing the anxiety to climb up.
The following are some resources to help with managing anxiety before and during the exam.
- Test Anxiety Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments by Kendra Cherry
- Test anxiety: Can it be treated? by Mayo Clinic
- 10 Ways to Overcome Test Anxiety by Princeton Review
Fatigue is another cause of failing the PMP exam
Mental or physical exhaustion before the exam can impact performance. The PMP exam is four hours long, so it requires stamina to sit that long and stay focused. There are many actions and behavior that can cause fatigue. The candidate may feel exhausted, due to which the performance gets a hit. The following are some common reasons that result in exhaustion.
a) Lack of proper sleep
For most people, 7-8 hours of sleep will make them fully awake and refreshed. However, candidates should know how much sleep is sufficient for them. They should get those hours of sleep the night before. Both too little or too much will cause fatigue.
b) High sugar intake
High sugar consumption within a few hours before the exam may give an initial energy boost but will cause lethargy and fatigue. All health and nutrition experts suggest healthy and light food intake before the exam. The following are a few resources that recommend the best foods a candidate should consume before the exam.
- What to eat and drink before an exam by the University of British Columbia
- Can food improve your exam performance? by BBC
- What to eat before an exam? by GoodluckExams
c) Strenuous physical activity
Avoid any stressful physical activity the day before and on the day of the exam. Light exercise is always helpful in keeping the wits sharp.
d) Extensive study
Several candidates who did a full-length practice test the day before the exam and then spent hours reviewing their responses found it difficult to focus during the exam. They felt mentally drained within an hour into the exam. This example is the reason we recommend that the exam candidates should not take any practice tests the day before the exam.
Conclusion
To sum up, we have discussed five common reasons why PMP aspirants fail the exam. Take into account these five causes of failure as you prepare for the PMP exam and be positive that you will pass the exam.
- Develop a thorough understanding of processes objectives, ITTOs, and flows.
- Learn all the glossary terms, their meaning, and their place within the project management processes.
- Take several practice tests to develop test-taking skills and stamina.
- Take the proper steps to control stress and anxiety.
- Get good sleep and avoid any extensive physical and mental exertion before the exam.