Media Reviews

• "I have been doing project management for over 30 years and am considered a subject matter expert in the PMBOK(r) Guide -Third Edition primarily because I am the Project Manager who led the team that developed this edition. As a consultant I was hired to review and evaluate eight of the top selling PMP Exam Preparation books for their accuracy in following the PMBOK® Guide - Third Edition. I have developed and taught a PMP Exam Prep course for a leading R.E.P., and taught PMP Exam preparation classes for PMI Chapters. I can honestly say that Head First PMP is by far the best PMP Exam Preparation book of all I have reviewed in depth. It is the very best basic education and training book that I have read that presents the processes for managing a project, which makes it a great resource for a basic project management class for beginners as well as a tool for practitioners who want to pass the PMP exam. The graphical story format is unique, as project management books go, which makes it both fun and easy to read while driving home the basics that are necessary for preparing someone is just getting started and those who want to take the exam." --Dennis Bolles, PMP DLB Associates, LLC and co-author of The Power of Enterprise-Wide Project Management

• "This looks like too much fun to be a PMP study guide! Behind the quirky humor and nutty graphics lies an excellent explanation of the project management processes. Not only will this book make it easier to pass the exam, you'll learn a lot of good stuff to use on the job too." --Carol Steuer, PMP and PMBOK(r) Guide, 3rd Edition Leadership Team

• "This is the best thing to happen to PMP since, well, ever. You'll laugh, learn, pass the exam, and become a better project manager all at the same time." -- Scott Berkun, author of The Art of Project Management and The Myths of Innovation

• "Original, fresh, and fun... this is truly the perfect study companion for anyone aiming for PMP certification." --Teresa Simmermacher, PMP and Project Manager at Avanade

• "I love this format! Head First PMP covers everything you need to know to pass your PMP exam. The sound-bite format combined with the whimsical images turns a dry subject into entertainment. The organization starts with the basics then drills into the details. The in-depth coverage of complex topics like Earned Value and Quality Control are presented in an easy to understand format with descriptions, pictures, and examples. This book will not only help you pass the PMP, it should be used as an daily reference for practicing project managers. I sure wish I had this when I was studying for the exam." --Mike Jenkins, PMP, MBA

• "I think that under the fonts and formalized goofiness, the book has a good heart (intending to cover basic principles in an honest way rather than just to pass the test). Head First PMP attempts to educate potential project managers instead of being a mere "how to pass the PMP exam" book filled with test taking tips. This is truly something which sets it apart from the other PMP certification exam books." --Jack Dahlgren, Project Management Consultant

• "Head First PMP is a great tool to help make sense of the Project Management Body of Knowledge for the everyday Project Manager." --Mark Poinelli, PMP

A PMP certification is more than just passing a test. It means that you have the knowledge to solve most common project problems, and proves that you know your stuff. Once you're certified, your projects are more likely to succeed because you have the skills and knowledge to make them successful. Not only that, it can mean a better job, more money, and greater respect from your peers.

But studying for a difficult four-hour exam on project management isn't easy, even for experienced project managers. You want to remember everything that you're learning about project management, but your brain is working against you! Your brain craves novelty, and most PMP certification prep books are anything but novel. When you keep putting down a boring book instead of studying, it's because your brain doesn't think the information in it is worth learning. Your brain has more important stuff to think about, like how to keep you alive and out of danger-and it doesn't think that failing the PMP exam qualifies as life-threatening!

So how do you trick your brain into thinking that your life does depend on learning everything you need to know to pass the PMP Exam? Head First PMP is the answer! Using the latest research in neurobiology, cognitive science and learning theory, Head First PMP has a visually rich format designed for the way your brain works-a multi-sensory experience that helps the material stick, not a text-heavy approach that puts you to sleep.

Head First PMP offers 100% coverage of The PMBOK® Guide principles and certification objectives in a way that's engaging, not tedious. This book helps you prepare for the PMP certification exam with a unique method that goes beyond answers to specific questions and makes you think about the big picture of project management. By putting project management concepts into context, you will be able to understand, remember, and apply them-not just on the exam, but also on the job.

With Head First PMP, you get the best of both worlds: a thorough and effective preparation guide for the PMP certification exam with hundreds of practice questions and exam strategies, along with puzzles, games, problems, exercises and the unique Head First approach that makes learning easy and entertaining. When you're done with Head First PMP, you'll know your stuff, you'll pass the exam, and you'll be able to bring everything you've learned to your job.

About the Book

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 89 Ratings

passed my pmp - 2010-01-11
Reviewer Rating:
This book helped me passed the PMP.
though there are some typo, this was the main book I used to pass my PMP.
It clarify the concept and expecially on the Risk management chapter.
I guess, one thing the book can do better is, a bit recap of the input output and the process name on each chapter end. As the exam asked lots of pmp name, knowing the stuff cannot help pass the exam. we also need to associate the "know" to PMI terminology.
Anyway, highly recommended!

PMP Study Guide for the Time Challenged - 2010-01-03
Reviewer Rating:
It's no secret that the Project Management Professional (PMPr) is a credential offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The theory being, if you practice project management following the methodology outlined in PMI's Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (aka the PMBOK Guide), you will become an excellent project manager. Project management is rapidly becoming the choice methodology of management for companies. The PMP test is difficult, in fact, less than 5% of all Project Managers have it. Preparing for the PMP Certification Exam requires long hours of study and commitment. How can busy professionals maximize their concentration and achieve quality study with minimal time? You have to find material that is geared towards rapid retention like the "Head First" book. The book allows fast exploration and retention of the PMBOK in a clear picture or 'map' of all the key points. By using colors, shapes, and dimensions as visual stimulants, the "Head First" approach makes the learning interesting.

Head first PMP - 2009-12-21
Reviewer Rating:
I picked this book because of all the visual references. The book covers everything that you need to know to pass the PMP, and it was fairly easy and quick to read through the information. The pictures and visual references helped me remember the important information for the test. The sample questions at the end of each section helped me study and the full length sample gave me confidence that I was prepared. I now use this book to teach a 3-day PMP certification class to prepare participants to take the test through Accelerate-U.

Poor Editing, Misleading and Test Problems Incorrect - 2010-01-23
Reviewer Rating:
I have worked as a Project Manager for years. I recently completed course work in Project Management, taught by a well respected leader in PMI. Then, I bought this book and another book to review prior to taking the PMP exam.

Poor Editing and Poor Grammer throughout the book: Example on page 145, question #19, your selections to a multiple choice question is A or B or A or A. What happened to C & D? Page #223 goes from question #22 to question #24. Where did #23 disappear to? Page #225, the answer to question #7 grammer has poor grammer. You must read some of this several times to get past the grammer.

Misleading: There were things on the test not covered in the book. I can not tell you what it was. There were things in the book, that had gone into much detail, that never once came up on the test in any form.

Test problems Incorrect: This was the most frustrating. Page 691, the answer to question #12 is B, not A. The book is wrong. Page #772, the answer to #142 says nothing of the 7 subcontractors and how they fit into the equation. Page 783, the answer to #200 is WRONG. When you look it up in the PMBOK, you'll find it to be in the Executing Process group, NOT the Monitoring & Controlling, as told by the book.

These were but a few specfic examples that I sited. Although I did pass the exam, I've got to wonder if the errors in the book that I did not catch, hurt me on the test.

Buy a book that is accurate & well written.

Good for general knowledge not for exam specifics - 2009-12-19
Reviewer Rating:
I like the visual nature of the book where all the diagrams are helpful in laying out the material but the disadvantages with this approach is that you loose the contextual significance of a certain fact. I am like the persons who want to know exactly what is the nature of the beast if you know what I mean. I like to see the exact material which is in question and this book is not that. I'd like to see the PMBOK in front of me and try to code that rather than this. This book falls in the category of understanding aids and not the exam cram kind of stuff.