PMI / PMP Certification Prep
My PMI Study Journey
Hi, this is Captain Vyom.
This is my study journey for the PMI (PMP) certification — I'm turning my own notes into illustrated guides and practice quizzes as I work through the material, and posting them here as I go.
Hope this helps you train for the test too.
— Captain Vyom
Study Guides
1
PMP Mindset & Fundamentals — Illustrated Study Guide
Stakeholder management, change control (Traditional vs Agile), decision making, plus the PMP fundamentals — Project/Program/Portfolio, lifecycle types, constraints, process groups, and performance domains. Full notes, a comic strip for every topic, and a 50-question practice quiz.
2
Principles & Leadership — Illustrated Study Guide
Risk vs Issues, Leadership vs Management, the 6 Leadership Styles, and the 6 PMBOK Principles (Holistic View, Focus on Value, Embed Quality, Accountable Leader, Sustainability, Empowered Culture). Full notes, an illustration for every topic, and a 100-question practice quiz — including 5 long case studies in the newer PMI exam format.
3
Development Approaches & Project Lifecycles — Illustrated Study Guide
Project lifecycles, phases and phase gates, how risk and cost of change shift over time, and the Predictive / Adaptive / Hybrid spectrum, including Increment vs Iterative. Full notes, an illustration for every topic, and a 100-question practice quiz — including 6 long case studies and a Step 1+2+3 integration round.
4
Process Groups & Performance Domains — Illustrated Study Guide
The 5 Process Groups, and the 7 Performance Domains — Governance, Scope, Schedule, Finance, Stakeholders, Resources, and Risk. Full notes, an illustration for every topic, 3 accurate reference diagrams, and a 100-question practice quiz — including 6 long case studies and a Step 1+2+3+4 integration round.
5
Initiate Project or Phase & Identify Stakeholders — Illustrated Study Guide
The first batch of a new process-by-process pipeline through all 40 PMBOK processes, full ITTO (Inputs, Tools & Techniques, Outputs) detail — the two processes that make up the Initiating focus area, plus a growing 40-process reference chart. Full notes, 7 reference diagrams, a Captain Vyom mindset hint sheet, an illustrated case study with its own images, and a 167-question practice quiz.
★
Milestone Capstone Exam — Steps 1–5
The first checkpoint in the journey: a 100-question, 90-minute cumulative exam pulling from every step so far, with the real mix of PMP formats (multiple-choice, multiple-response, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and hotspot), 50 tough / 50 normal questions, Captain Vyom's PMP mindset hints up front, and a pass certificate at 80% or above.
Stage 2 · Planning Focus Area
6
Integrate & Align Project Plans — Illustrated Study Guide
The first process in the Planning focus area's process-by-process pipeline through all 40 PMBOK processes, full ITTO (Inputs, Tools & Techniques, Outputs) detail for the process that consolidates every other Planning process's output into one master Project Management Plan. Full notes, 5 reference illustrations, the PMP Mindset behind it, a growing 40-process reference chart, and a 100-question practice quiz.
7
Plan Sourcing Strategy — Illustrated Study Guide
Governance's second Planning process, full ITTO detail for Plan Sourcing Strategy plus its two nested sub-topics — the 10 Procurement Steps and the 4 Contract Types. Full notes, 7 reference illustrations, the PMP Mindset behind it, a growing 40-process reference chart, and a 120-question practice quiz across five sections (including fill-in-the-blank, match-the-following, and multiple-response formats).