DISSECTING COMPTIA: PROJECT+ EXAM OBJECTIVES FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING & SERIOUS EXAM PREPARATION OPPORTUNITY! BY MAXWELL OWOLADE

Introduction

Now you are saying to yourself….”I will give this CompTIA: Project+ a try knowing all these glowing benefits.” But you might hesitate; “I want to be sure of what is contained in this certification…does it really worth my time?”

I have prepared this blog to provide you with the general overview and the contents that you will be coming across in class and on the exam. You can download the CompTIA: Project exam objective here

There are 2 sides to this dialogue; you can either read this blog in its entirety or watch a video that secretly provide snippet into what the exam is all about, in the link provided.

To set the stage, CompTIA: Project+ is a multiple-choice exam with 95-105 questions to be answered within 90 minutes. On the exam, you will be requested to analyze few diagrams as if you are practicing project management in a real-life environment. All of these are covered during the online training offered by Project Managers Academy Inc.

Perhaps you may have read one of the blogs I wrote recently regarding this exam, it is titled “Let’s “Go Under the Hood” to See What CompTIA: Project+ Certification Really Looks Like!” This also provide another insight into this certification.

I recommend you read or skim before reading this one because it is very important to understand why things should be done in a certain order. The exam objectives are divided into 4 domains; Project Basics, Project Constraints, Influences and Risks, the third domain is Communication and Change Management and lastly Project Tools and Documentations.

Domain 1 – Project Basics

In the first domain, CompTIA: Project+ request all the aspiring candidates to have a solid foundational understanding of what a project is all about, beginning with project definitions, properties and phrases. Candidates are expected to understand majority of the project parts of the project roles, responsibilities and different ways project teams are structured.

Since you will be working on budget and every project mantra is “on time and below budget”, you will learn how to control project cost and schedule. Also, you will be able to identify, assign relevant resources to the successful outcome of your projects.

Under this domain, CompTIA introduces you to Agile Methodology and all the core components that will help you embrace this methodology. This is the first time that CompTIA will be expanding this certification horizon to accommodate agile. It tells us something; that these guys are looking far into the future, thinking ahead that you might need more than waterfall methodology when you are employed as a certified Project+ professional.

On the exam, Project Basic is 36% of the exam, this is the largest chunk of the exam as you will soon find out when you finish reading about the fourth domain.

By the time you complete the Domain 1 module, you will become adept at project definition and organization structures. You will be grounded in the agile methodology and be able to function at a minimum as a Scrum Master or a Product Owner.

Yes. Just like that, because the skills and techniques are presented in straightforward easy to understand manner.

Domain 2 – Project Constraints, Influences and Risks

In the second domain, the content is all about how to deal with project constraints and manage various project influences. You will also learn the definition of project risks and effective strategies of dealing with them.

This domain is just 17% of the CompTIA: Project+ certification exam, I always let my students know that they should see this domain as a bonus because all the time, the exam questions are often direct and straightforward. Even when scenarios are presented on the test, you can quickly figure it out and determine the accurate answer.

At the same time, this domain should not be underestimated because of its small size.

At the end of this domain, you would have mastered all the risk mitigation strategies, one that is relevant to your project and when to deploy them. You will also learn several tricks through risk documentation to foresee risk and deal with it before it happens.

Most candidates are engaged in assimilating this domain because of its practicality and importance in business practices. This domain cut across all business industries you can think of; If you pay careful attention in class, you should be able to score all the 17% as your exam bonus.

Hey, I am only speaking from experience and I want you to have fun as well!

Domain 3 – Communication and Change Management

Communication and Change Management is another interesting domain, most especially because it teaches you effective structures and infrastructures you can put in place from the start of your project to the end of it, by the way in which you share project information with your team and external stakeholders.

This domain also provides a process answer to a situation that often happen on several projects. Say for example, the project charter has been approved and the scope is finalized. But suddenly, during the course of the project execution, there is a need to modify the project scope and continue the project, what steps should a project manager take? Uhm…. tough question, right? This domain lays it out in simple, easy to understand steps, removing all the clutters. In the end, you will be amazed how these skills will set you apart from the rest of your team.

Communication and Change Management is 26% of the CompTIA: Project+ certification exam.

Again, I see this section as another piece of cake you can devoured in one swoop. In the end you will agree with me, that it is such a yummy treat. You will be able to detect the direction of the scenarios; you will also be able to detect the right project and the relevant documentations required to complete these efforts. You should not just take my words for it; you need to see the presentation in class to appreciate the practicality of the contents under this domain.

With the skills acquired in this section, it will improve the way you conduct your project meetings, either a standup, weekly or stakeholders’. You will become more proactive in understanding scope creep and gold-plating of your project and how you can mitigate them.

What is more? This domain put you in the clear for the exam, imagine hovering around 36 plus 17 and adding 26 to it; that is 79% already. This is because pass mark is around 700+ out of 900.

Although, I will like to add, CompTIA does not label each question by the domain each question covers, but with good training and preparation you can easily detect it.

Domain 4 – Project Tools and Documentations

Project Tools and Documentations are an important part of this certification that complete your well-rounded training to be called a certified Project+ expert. Imagine you have the basic knowledge of the trade, but you cannot identify or use any of the tools of the trade, I mean the real project management tools, you will agree with me that this will be very disappointing.

So, to complete this training, you will need to master all the essential project management tools that you will need from the initiation to the closing phase of any project. There are tons of tools, charts, diagrams, dashboards, reports and quality assurance tools. These are all easy to understand.

As part of this domain, you will also learn about project procurements and all the relevant documentations that will help you succeed. You will also realize that many organizations have been doing a lot of things the wrong way, when it comes to project management and procurements. This will open your eyes to cost effective methods to managing projects and procurements. By the time you earn your Project+ certification, you will realize why you have suddenly turn into a valuable asset!

In my class, I will show you how to build some these tools, where to get the templates, so that by the time you are ready for the show time as a certified project manager, you can always dip your hand into your folder to start adapting these tools to your project needs. This secret is between me and you, so don’t tell anyone!

This domain is 21% of the CompTIA: Project+ certification. If you pay attention to all the projects tools and documentation discussed in class and on the exam objective, I can assure you; this will be an icing on your exam cake!

Final Wrap

You will notice I have alluded to this certification in various ways, showing you what it’s all about, proving the benefits that comes from practical applications of the concepts outlined in the exam objectives.

As you are reading this blog, I know you might be asking; where do I train to acquire this knowledge or get the textbook and the study guides. A search on the web will provide tons of information and when you get to the cost and time, either or both might not favor you because cost might be too expensive or workload on your secular job will not allow you to receive all the training attentively, not to talk of preparation for the exam.

There are several avenues of training, you can attend a boot camp training, a few local colleges offer this training. We also have professional institutes that offer this certification training in classroom and online.

But if you like the convenience of learning on weekends and in the comfort of your own home; within a month you would have covered the entire domains and practice a number of questions with other aspiring professionals. Study Guides and case studies will be provided to help you assimilate all the core concepts. Then I will suggest you check Project Managers Academy Inc, promotion out.

We also offer select project management skills training to help you see how you can apply project management principles in your secular career to becoming more proficient in your career growth.

Be Ready to Go Get Your Certification Now!

There is a golden opportunity knocking right now, attend the class online, on weekend, study during weekdays, set one hour aside each day of the week to study, and schedule your exam at a Pearson VUE, pass your exam in flying colors and wait for your certificate in the mail!

Right now, there is a monthly campaign. Project Managers Academy set a lofty goal by planning to train at least 5,000 professionals by the end of the year 2020. The class will run every month. But you will need to register by selecting the month you will like to attend the class.

The training package will surprise you, that you will not hesitate to just register for the training now. At Project Managers Academy Inc., our desire is to train as many professionals willing to sacrifice little time to develop their professional skills. So that no professional has an excuse for not aspiring to be certified and future proof of their career prospects and growth with qualified skills!

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me; I will be glad to answer all your Project+ certification questions.