7 Things You Should Know about PMBOK 7th Edition
Is there a new PMBOK coming out? Yes, PMI announced that the PMBOK 7th Edition will be released on 1 August 2021. Don’t worry we got your covered! This article outlines 7 things you should know about the new PMBOK 7. We also offer the most realistic practice exams and helpful tips for the 2021 PMP exam.
1. Why on Earth does the PMBOK change?
PMI’s goal when launching this new edition is to make the content of the PMBOK more user-friendly and relevant to project managers by including predictive as well as hybrid and agile project approaches. PMBOK 6th Edition is perceived as rigid and prescriptive by many practitioners and is predominately applicable to predictive project approaches. PMBOK 7 will be more inclusive.
2. Principles over Processes…
One of the major changes is that PMBOK 7 moves away from the process groups and 49 processes. This was expected as the examination content outline also changed from process groups (initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing) to domains (people, process, and business environment). PMBOK 7 adopts 12 principles that are generally accepted and practiced in project management.
3. Goodbye Knowledge Areas, welcome Performance Domains!
Everyone that worked with PMBOK 5 and 6 has been very familiar with the 10 knowledge areas. It will be an adjustment for many that PMBOK 7 has 8 performance domains instead of the well-known knowledge areas.
4. Wait…ITTOs will still have their spot in PMBOK 7
Many people who took the PMP exam over the last few years spent hours memorizing all the ITTOs (Input, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs). In PMBOK 7 only a limited number of ITTOs are covered in the section “Models, Methods, and Artifacts”. The new edition is going to be less prescriptive, and the Models, Methods, and Artifacts are not described in detail.
5. Enough, tell me when PMBOK 7 is released
PMI has not officially announced a release date of PMBOK 7. However, you can pre-order PMBOK 7 on Amazon starting May 1st 2021. But be aware, it would not be first time that the release would be delayed at the last moment.
6. Please tell me that the PMP Exam does not change again…
PMI’s official answer is that the PMP Exam is based on the Examination Content Outline (updated per 2nd January 2021) and the release of PMBOK 7 will not impact the PMP Exam. That said, it would be naive to assume that the PMP exam will not be updated with relevant content of the PMBOK 7 as the PMBOK has been an important (if not the most important) source for the exam.
7. Help! I am studying for my PMP Exam now, what do you recommend?
Like most PMP preparation course providers our advice is to not wait for or to worry about the PMBOK 7. Keep studying PMBOK 6 and the Agile Practice Guide for now and practice vigorously with our practice exams. In the past it took six months after the release of a new PMBOK guide before the exam was updated. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that PMBOK 7 impacts you if you are planning to take your exam before the end of Q3 2021!