The PMBOK(r), Guide Sixth Edition will be available in September 2017. The online and print versions will be available in 11 languages, including American English. Here are some things you can expect from the most recent edition.
PMP Agile
Each knowledge area will now include a section called Approaches to Agile, Iterative, and Adaptive Environments. They will explain how each practice fits into project settings. An appendix will include details on agile and other adaptive and iterative methods. This guide will be more flexible. The Sixth Edition will be less directive in keeping with the agile theme. The Sixth Edition will be less prescriptive than previous editions, which emphasized a ‘do this’ approach to guidance and instead provide a wide range of options. This will allow project managers to use their professional judgment to tailor PMP to different projects.
Talent Triangle
A new chapter will focus on the role and skills of project managers in today’s market. This chapter will be aligned with the PMI Talent Triangle. It was created years after the PMBOK(r), Guide Fifth Edition was published. These chapters will emphasize the role of the project manager in creating business value and implementing organizational change. This is also in line with the Talent Triangle, which encourages a wide variety of project management skills. The new edition expands the role of project managers as leaders, business experts, and strategic thinkers.
Knowledge Areas
The Sixth Edition will include 10 knowledge areas, just like the Fifth Edition. Each edition will include four new sections.
Key Concepts
Trends and Emerging Practices
Tailoring considerations
Approaches to Agile, Iterative, and Adaptive Environments
Two of the 10 knowledge areas are also being renamed. Project Time Management will be replaced by Project Schedule Management, and Project Human Resource Management will be replaced with Project Resource Management.
Processes
The Sixth Edition brings a variety of improvements to the processes. One of the most important changes is that it distinguishes more clearly between Project Management Plan (PMP) and Project Documents (PD).
Three new processes were added, and two of them have been merged into other processes.
Sixth Edition: New processes
Implement Risk ResponsesControl Resources
Close Projects or Phases now include Close Procurements.
Estimate Durations is now combined with Estimate Activities Resources
Five processes will be the same, but they have been renamed to make them more clear:
Name of the Fifth Edition
Sixth Edition Name
Reasoning
Perform Quality Assurance
Quality Management
Quality assurance is often misunderstood, making it appear more narrow than it is.
Plan Human Resources Management
Plan Resource Management
Equipment, material, and supplies are included
Acquire Project Team
Acquire Resources
See the above
Control Communications
Monitor Communications
To demonstrate that project management is about facilitation rather than controlling
Take control of your risks
Monitor Risks
See the above
Control stakeholder engagement
Monitor stakeholder engagement
See the above
Plan Stakeholder Management
Plan Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder engagement is the standard term.
Exam Changes
You still have time until 2018 to pass the current exam if you are working from the PMBOK(r), Guide Fifth Edition. The new exam will be available in Q1 2018. Depending on the exam you are interested in, you can either take PMP training right away or wait until the new PMBOK (r) Guide is available. You can reach us via our contact page if you have any questions about PMP training.
Changes to the PMBOK(r), Guide 6th Edition
