About the PMI-ACP Exam and Certification
Welcome to the world of the Agile Certified Professional
(PMI-ACP)! At its heart, the project management and implementation standards
developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI) are relied on by organizations
across the globe. The most fundamental method of demonstrating your understanding
of PMI's approach to Agile methodologies is by achieving the PMI-ACP certification.
Since 2011, the PMI-ACP certification has grown to become one of the most sought
after industry credentials for Agile project management.
PMI-ACP Exam Format
The PMI-ACP exam is a multiple choice test with the following attributes:
- 120 total multiple choice questions
- 20 randomly placed "pretest" questions test the validity of future questions and
do not affect the score
- All exams are administered via Computer Based Testing (CBT) with paper testing allowed
under limited circumstances
- Students will have 3 hours to complete the exam
- There are no scheduled breaks during the exam
- Exams are scored on a pass-fail basis
- PMI does not publish the passing score, but it is assumed to be in the range of
61-65%
PMI-ACP Exam Topics
The PMI-ACP exam is broken down into two distinct areas: "Agile tools and techniques"
and "Agile knowledge and skills". Both of these general exam topics contain more
granular topic areas, as indicated in the table below.
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PMI-ACP Exam Topic Areas
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Agile tools and techniques
|
50% of exam
|
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Communications
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|
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Planning, monitoring, and adapting
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|
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Agile estimation
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|
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Agile analysis and design
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|
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Product quality
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|
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Soft skills negotiation
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Value based prioritization
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Risk management
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|
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Metrics
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|
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Value stream analysis
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|
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Agile knowledge and skills
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50% of exam
|
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Level 1 (18 knowledge/skills)
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33% of exam
|
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Level 2 (12 knowledge/skills)
|
12% of exam
|
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Level 3 (13 knowledge/skills)
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5% of exam
|
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Total
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100.00%
|
Who Should get PMI-ACP Certified?
As Agile methodologies become more widely adopted across industries, the need for
certified and qualified project managers will grow.
The PMI-ACP certification may appeal to the following types of professionals:
- Professionals who use agile practices in projects
- Team members whose organization has adopted, or is planning to adopt, an agile approach
- Managers who wish to broaden their knowledge and versatility as a project manager
- Professionals who need to adapt more quickly to basic business needs
- Managers looking to apply a value-driven and people-driven approach to projects
- Those who want to further advance their professional career path as a project manager
PMI-ACP Exam Eligibility Criteria
Professionals who are eligible to take the PMI-ACP certification exam must meet
the following criteria:
- Education Level:Secondary Degree (High School or Equivalent) or
higher
- General Project Experience: 2000 Hours (a minimum of 12 Months)
working on project teams earned within the past 5 years.*
- Agile Project Experience:1500 hours (a minimum of 8 months) working
on agile project teams or in agile methodologies within the last 3 years.
- Training Requirement:21 PMI Contact Hours in agile practices
- Maintaining Your Certification: Student must earn 30 PDUs every
3 years in agile practices
Students may apply to take the PMI-ACP exam directly on PMI's website.