Rating: 
Summary: The PMP Exam and Beyond
Review: This is a practical, easy to read PMP Exam study guide. Unlike other exam preparation books that are organized by Knowledge Area, Kim follows the project process flow from initiation to closing using a case study approach. The outline directly matches the process / objectives organization of the exam. The PMBOK(R) is organized by Knowledge Area, so supplementing your review of PMBOK(R) with an alternative approach that is easier to relate to real life project management is a good strategy. This is one prep book that I continue to use long after successfully writing the exam. I used this book and companion CD as the key source book for a PMP Exam preparation course I gave. My students agreed with my assessment of its value.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book you will never rigret using for PMP certification
Review: This is the one and only study guide I found to address the requirement in line with the exam coverage areas:
Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling and Close out.
The book has a very positive approach, professionally presented and in a very constructive manner. In my opinion, when a prospective PMP aspirant uses this book alongwith the PMBOK guide, he or she can be very confident of passing the exam positively. ( Of course, I referred to Harold Kerzner's book once in a while for some additional indepth understanding). I found the presentation of the material to be logically very well organized and lucidly elaborated and precise and concise.
The book does not claim of insider tips and the like!!!
There is a consistency in the question section. Every chapter has 20 sample questions. (Ofcourse, there are some wrong answers to some questions - I got response from the authoress through the publishers - in reasonable time)
I read the book first - it read like a good story first! That raised my confidence.
Then I read/studied - the second time - keeping PMBOK side by side! I was 50 percent confident of clearing the exam!
I then dived deep the next time and, believe me my confidence level went up to 85 percent. I reread the PMBOK! One last reading of the book - saw me through the exam! 80 plus!!!!(The CD coming with the book has some tests. If atleast one full length simulation is given, that can make this book go above 5 star! ( Albeit, the VALUE for Money is great, in my opinion)
Rating:
Summary: Preparing for the PMP exam
Review: While no one guide is perfect, this new version of Kim Heldman's PMP Study Guide is extremely good. I looked at many others in selecting her book and the one by Andy Crowe to complement the PMBOK, and I thought she did an excellent job in laying out the details of Project Management. In fact, none of the other books I looked at seemed to have the wealth of detail that I saw here (disregarding Kerzner, of course - the early versions of that book are really great for insomniacs, and it's very expensive). I'm going to be teaching some project management courses next year, and am considering using this book and/or her book called "Jump Start" as texts.
Andy Crowe's book was a good high-level guide, and I thought it complemented the Heldman approach very well by showing a different perspective. With the help of these two guides, plus the barely readable PMBOK, I created some color coded drawings of the set of PM processes so that I could memorize each of the processes, and then try to tie in which inputs, tools/techniques, and outputs apply to which processes.
Please bear in mind that the PMP is a very difficult exam, partly because the questions are so poorly worded, and many are very vague. I have over 20 years experience in managing projects, some quite large, and have taught project management workshops to corporate audiences for the last three years. I took every sample test available, many of them twice, and I particularly liked the CD of tests, quizzes, and flashcards that came with the Heldman book. In fact, the flashcards will download to your Palm so that you can look at them when you get a chance.
My score on the exam was 174 out of 200. If I was to do this over <and there's no way in hell that's gonna happen!>, I would work through the Heldman book twice rather than just once. One minor criticism is that she does not provide a 200 question timed test. There's a lot to be said for forcing yourself to take a 200 question practice test as if it were under the real test's conditions. You'll find it easier when you have to go through the real one.
Good luck! PMI is just now releasing the Third Edition of the PMBOK Guide, and a quick glance at the material looked like it was much improved over the 2000 version. There are a lot of changes, most seemingly for the better.
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