PMP Preparation - Part 3: PMP Prep Book Reviews

***UPDATED*** (10/03/2009) - Recommended books below have been updated for the 4th Edition of the PMBOK. Have reviewed books and original reviews still hold

I include myself as one of the people who followed the "deep" method in preparing for the PMP exam outline in Part 2, and the benefit is that I read pretty much all the most popular prep books out there in detail and some texts, several times. Hopefully, this will benefit the reader so that they can pick and choose the best book(s) based on how they want to prepare. Here's the list:

1. PMP in Depth, Second Edition: Project Management Professional Study Guide for the PMP Exam, by Paul Sanghera. ISBN: 159863996X






I highly recommend this book, and recommend you read this as an introductory text for the PMP. Unlike the other books out there, this one structures the material based on the 5 processes, instead of the knowledge areas. This facilitates a better understanding of the PMBOK material and in addition, is completely self contained.

2. Head First PMP: A Brain-Friendly Guide to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam, 2nd Ed., by Andrew Stellman and Jennifer Greene. ISBN: 0596801912






Innovative book that uses lots of quirky visuals and other non-traditional methods to make studying for the PMP less tedious. This helps to reinforce and better retain topics important from the PMBOK that would otherwise require grinding repetition to retain in a more traditional textbook.

May not be to everyone's taste, but for me, it helped break the tedium of studying the other more traditional prep books. I think it's best used in conjunction with another prep book, but the book is stand alone in that you don't have to reference the PMBOK to fully understand the text.

3. PMP Exam Prep, Sixth Edition: Rita's Course in a Book for Passing the PMP Exam, by Rita Mulcahy. ISBN: 1932735186






Probably the most well known of the prep books. The book is really focused on getting you to pass the exam, and really pushes memorizing and test taking techniques. Not as self contained as the above two text, as you are referred to the PMBOK quite often.

Personally I found the tone of her text too threatening, in that she makes the PMP exam sound harder then it is in my opinion. Also, the book seems best suited to be used in conjunction with her prep classes, rather than to be read by itself.

4. The PMP Exam: How to Pass On Your First Try , by Andy Crowe. ISBN: 0972967346






Like Sanghera's text, this is a good introductory book to read to ease your way into studying for the PMP, but unlike Sanghera's book, it is not self contained. Has to be read in conjunction with the PMBOK for full benefit. Also, found some of the ITTO listings to be incomplete and the explanations not too in-depth.

5. Achieve PMP Exam Success, 4th Edition: A Concise Study Guide for the Busy Project Manager (Paperback), by Margaret Y. Chu, Diane Altwies, and Edward Walker. ISBN: 1604270187






The book I used in this the PMI-LA class I took in Spring 2007 and the class I taught in Fall 2007. Found this best used in the class, and especially as a reviewthe last couple weeks before the exam. In fact, I used it extensively for that and also found the CD with sample questions extremely helpful.

6. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 4th Ed. (PMBOK Guides), by The Project Management Institute, ISBN: 1933890517






I think it goes without saying that if your going to take the PMP exam, you must have this reference text. About 80% of what is in the exam is in this text. If you join PMI, an electronic copy is sent to you, but having a hard copy is sometimes convinient especially if you want to read it straight through.

The following books, while not specifically geared to preparing you for the PMP exam can and will be quite helpful:

1. The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, Third Edition, by Eric Verzuh. ISBN: 0470247894






Excellent introductory book on PM. Has good diagrams, graphs, checklists and notes.

Found the book to be structured to and around many of the core topics from the PMBOK, with good clear explanations of topics such as WBS, network diagrams, and organizational structures.

2. Information Technology Project Management (with Microsoft Project 2007 CD-ROM), by Kathy Schwalbe. ISBN: 0324786921






The book is structured by all 9 PMBOK knowledge areas, and while not specifically a PMP prep book, covers all the topics of the PMBOK and does so from an IT project management viewpoint.

Gives very detailed, though somewhat text bookish (is used as a college text on IT project management) definitions, discussion questions, exercises, and suggested readings of PM techniques and methodologies, and is great for seeing how one would use PMBOK-like techniques from an IT industry viewpoint. In addition, has many relevant and real-world case studies.

3. Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling, 10th Ed., by Harold, Ph.D. Kerzner. ISBN: 0470278706






Probably the most comprehensive book on PM. The latest 9th edition was written with the PMP/PMBOK preparation in mind, and each chapter concludes with questions and answers.

Chapters 11-20 go into the heart of project management such as planning, scheduling, cost control, estimating, procurement and quality. These chapter are indeed "hard-core" project management tools and techniques that are systematically discussed in depth. But this is where much of the meat of project management is discussed and where all the major PMP exam subjects are covered. Particularly relevant are these chapters:

11 - Planning
12 - Network Scheduling Techniques
14 - Pricing and Estimating
15 - Cost Control
17 - Risk Management
19 - Contracts and Procurement
20 - Quality Management

Was told in the Spring 2007 class, that though considered the "Bible" (which it is!) on PM, that it is a big scary book. I read it from cover to cover, and did not find it to be so at all. Definitely easier to read then the PMBOK in my opinion!