Overview of PMI-ACP Certification

What do we all aim in life to become? The spontaneous response would be a millionaire. Did I guess it right? Well, maybe or may not be but we want to attain a position in the job and decent salary an onsite opportunity and much more. I know you are not a fresher and certainly have some experience in project and hence hunting for a certification course of esteem to take your career to the next level.

No doubt Agile methodology is skyrocketing every company business in recent years. You must know where to invest time to become the best performer in the organization.

Introduction

Like all other important processes, there is a need for trained professionals to carry out the process effectively and to standardize the same. Agile processes are no different. Even the industry was feeling the shortage of agile professionals. Project management institute (PMI), therefore launched its Agile Certified Professional (ACP) examination and started certifying agile professionals; agile developers and project managers.

This blog is an introduction for agile professionals to prepare for the examination. It is considered the esteemed course and hence we would like to touch base PMI-ACP Certification on how you can get certified.

The various topics covered in brief are:

• Course and outcome
• Requirements
• Examination, Training, preparation
• Tips for examination and
• How to apply
• Validation by PMI.

Before going into details of the ACP certification it should be highlighted that this is acknowledged as a global project management certification. The PMI ACP certification reviews state that it is one course which can result in good advancement and more compensation because the learning process makes one more competent to manage /resolve complex processes/problems effectively and quickly. It also improves communications, leadership skills, critical thinking, etc. Certified professionals successfully manage projects within budgets. This develops higher customer satisfaction which is of advantage to the employer.

Moreover, the value of PMI-ACP certification provides high visibility to professionals due to good performance.

All these are the PMI ACP certification benefits and make this is a highly valued and very popular project management certification.

Related Article : Importance of PMI-ACP Certification.

(Note:  Risk management is not covered in the course).

PMI- ACP Course and Outcome

PMI has described the course in detail. This certification is awarded to professionals successful in the examinations which require study and 21 hours of agile training. The certified professionals i.e project managers and agile developers will have the capability to implement agile processes effectively.

equirements 

As seen in the infographics you can understand that this course is offered for professionals who have minimum a high school diploma, associate degree, or secondary degree as the basic PMI acp certification requirements. 

Also, qualification alone won’t suffice and one should possess experience. There are two kinds of experience required which includes general project and agile specific experience 2000 and 1500 hours respectively. 

Apart from this, mandatory 21-hour training must be taken from a reputed institute. 

About the Examination 

There are three things you must know about the examination before applying for the same. They are again clearly shown in the infographics.  

Also Read: PMI ACP vs CSM

PMI ACP certification preparation steps include joining a course, taking notes, attending many practical quiz sessions, and asking questions to master the concepts. 

Then prepare for the examination based on the blueprint given. Those are typically the weight of questions covered in the examination. The 3-hour duration exam is online and you will have to answer 120 multiple choice questions. There is no negative marking and you can safely attend all questions. 

How to apply 

One can apply after checking the eligibility based on the requirement given and your successful preparation. You can attend PMI-acp certification training to get qualified quickly for attending the examination.

The application process is as follows:

1. Start filling your application form online. Complete all your documents within 90 days of starting the application. If not, the application shall be closed by PMI. However, it can be reopened.

2. If you fall within the sample selected by the PMI, you shall have to send the required documents. For those not in the sample, nothing more is required with the application.

3. PMI’s approval---

a). If you are one of the selected candidates for audits; submit all documents within 90 days. Wait for 5 to 7 days after submission to receive approval.

b).If you are not among the selected candidates for audits, PMI will take only 10 days from the date of submission of the application.

After receiving approval, send the following PMI acp certification fees

• For PMI members: 435 USD
• For non-member PMIs: $ 495

You can make three attempts in one year.

Examination

The examination has three types of questions. You can use the PMI acp study material that covers all these areas.

1. Questions directed at the course content: These are to be answered from the concepts of the topics covered in the course. Please remember that PMI changes the study pattern periodically. Therefore, remember to study the latest manual. Such questions are very few in number.

2. Practical questions: These are recreated from actual scenarios faced by project managers. The scenario may be hypothetical as well. You have to explain the methodology to manage such problems. Please note that you are expected to give solutions as per the PMI’s recommended methods. Such questions are the maximum in the examination.

3. Descriptive questions: These are long and often complex questions to judge the examinees logic and selection of the keyword.

Read More: Agile Manifesto Values

PMI-ACP

Certification Training

2 Days of live virtual training

View course

 

Points to remember to apply for PMI acp training and certification and take the examination

It is required that you go through 21 hours of the course but is not mandatory to complete it before sitting for the certification. But if one attends the acp training in advance, it prepares one well for the exams.

Even if you are an agile professional, you need to prepare for the examination. That is the PMI-ACP certification agile project management essentials. It is advised that you prepare for the examination by the systematic study prescribed by PMI.

• Focus is placed on the knowledge about practical applications by the examinee. Therefore one should carry out exercises and work on applications and how to provide a solution to such scenarios. 
• Apply the relevant principles and methods as prescribed by PMI.
• Read and understand the questions well so that no mistake is made due to small misunderstandings. 
• Filter out the unwanted information and understand the keywords. Your answer should be around the keywords only.  
• Identify the correct answers and eliminate the wrong ones.

In explanatory questions, answer to the point. Do not beat about the bush.

Related Blog: Extreme Programming in Agile

Validation by PMI

PMI follows a method to keep the certification requirements current with the needs of the industry. This is done by continual review of the needs of the industry and audits of their own training content through a role separation study.

The study is done to validate that the examination measures well the required aspects of agility as practiced by the industry. If one compares this to the CSM (certified scrum master) ACP has a distinct advantage and this is recognized by the industry.

Final verdict 

Given these process and strict guidelines PMI ACP course helps every agile professional to climb up the career mountain at ease. Earn certification to earn reputation and hence satisfaction.