The Project Management Institute (PMI®) has developed a set of criteria and credentials for recognizing project management professionals who use Agile methodologies in their project, the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP®) certification.

1. The 7 Things You Need to Pass
the PMI-ACP® Exam
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The Project Management Institute (PMI®) has
developed a set of criteria and credentials for
recognizing project management professionals who
use Agile methodologies in their project, the PMI
Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®
certification. The credentialing process is fairly
rigorous, including: 2,000 hours or twelve months
of general project management work experience,
1,500 hours or eight months of Agile specific
project experience, and 21 hours of training in
Agile specific practices. The amount of material
that is covered by the PMI-ACP Exam is extensive
and can seem overwhelming, but don’t be
intimidated! Having and using the 7 items in this
article will ensure you are prepared to meet the
exam head-on and achieve optimal results both on
exam day and in your future career.

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1: PMI-ACP Handbook
The PMI-ACP Handbook gives you all the details of the PMI-
ACP Exam process including exam policies and procedures.
The first two sections are a must read for anyone
considering PMI-ACP certification. These sections cover the
must know basics such as exam eligibility requirements,
how to complete the online application, the payment policy,
and the PMI-ACP Exam blueprint. Knowing and
understanding this information will go a long way to
reducing your exam day stress.
The PMI-ACP Handbook is available for free online at:
www.agileprepcast.com/acphb

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The material covered by the PMI-ACP Exam is
extensive, detailed, and spread throughout many
sources of reference material. This is not an
examination you can “cram” for in a couple of weekends
or simply rely upon your experience and pass. Plan to
take the exam after spending 10-12 solid weeks of
studying for an hour or two just about every day. Of
course you will need to develop a schedule that is
flexible enough to fit in with the rest of your
responsibilities and commitments.
2: Time

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As a project manager, you are aware of the importance of
planning and scheduling. Take those valuable skills and
create a study schedule for 10-12 week period that fits well
with the rest of your responsibilities. Depending on your job
and household commitments, you may need to schedule
more or less time. Take a practice exam to identify the areas
that you need to spend more time focusing on during this
10-12 week period. Make sure your schedule is realistic and
set weekly goals to track your progress. Don’t forget you also
need to include time in your schedule to take breaks and
participate in activities you enjoy.
3: Study Plan and Schedule

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The PMI-ACP Exam, unlike the Project Management
Professional (PMP)® Exam, does not have a primary
publication for examinees to study. Instead, PMI provides a
list of reference materials.
You can download this list for free at:
http://www.pmi.org/Certification/~/media/Files/PDF/Agile/P
MI000-GainInsightsAIGLE418.ashx
4: Study Materials

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A second source is the PMI-ACP Examination Content Outline.
This document covers information about the Agile tools and
techniques as well as the Agile knowledge and skills that will
be covered in the PMI-ACP Exam. I recommend that you
ensure that any PMI-ACP courses or books you purchase
cover all the items listed in here. Download it at:
http://www.pmi.org/Certification/~/media/Files/PDF/Agile/P
MI_Agile_Certification_Content_Outline.ashx

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With the great number of material covered by the PMI-ACP
Exam another option is to enroll in a self-study course. The
latest generation of self-study comes to you in the form of
Agile Podcasts / Videocasts. These can be downloaded to
your smartphone, laptop, tablet, computer, or other portable
media device. This makes your PMI-ACP Exam training
portable, allowing you to listen or view whenever you have
some free time.
Self-study Agile Podcasts cover agile frameworks, tools and
techniques, knowledge and skills, and methods required for
the exam in everyday English. As an added bonus, taking
your lessons in this way can count toward the required 21
contact hours of Agile specific training.
5: Self Study Course

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There are a wide variety of PMI-ACP Exam prep books
available, which are also sometimes called “study guides”.
They explain the concepts covered in the PMI-ACP Exam and
can be a great addition to the reference materials suggested
by PMI. Go to your local bookstore and select one that fits
with your style of learning and covers a variety of high- and
low-yield topics.
6: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Book

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A large number of free PMI-ACP Exam sample questions are
available from a variety of resources on the internet. Free
questions are a good place to start, but will only go so far for
you. You will also want to subscribe to an online PMI-ACP
Exam Simulator in order to access the highest quality of
sample questions.
Your study plan must include answering as many practice
questions as possible and taking several complete 120-
question practice exams. This type of preparation will allow
you to evaluate your study progress and prepare you for the
format of the real thing. You will be nervous on exam day,
but being familiar with types and formats of questions will
help reduce anxiety and prepare you for success.
7: Questions, Questions, Questions

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Preparing to pass the PMI-ACP Exam can be a stressful
process, but it does not have to be. Include these seven
items in your studies and you will reduce anxiety and exam
day stress. Study hard and good luck!
About the author: Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, CSM is a noted
PMP and PMI-ACP trainer. He has helped over 1,000 students
prepare for their PMI-ACP Exam with The Agile PrepCast. His
interviews with project management experts from around the
worlds are available for free on The Project Management
Podcast website.
In conclusion