PMI-ACP Numbers So Far

Tomorrow, the June 2012 edition of PMI Today will be formally available.  Before that happens, I wanted to give a progress report on the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner numbers.  Since the certification was launched back in January, the number of certification holders has grown from 542 to 758.  Though this may be perceived as a slow start for number of people holding the credential, it has already surpassed the PMI-SP and will surpass the PgMP next month.  Let's not forget, these certifications have been out for a few years, not a few months.  I'm not trying to minimize the value these certifications hold.  Rather, I believe the Agile community is responsible for the ACP number reaching these milestones as quickly as they have. Based on informal polling of learners from my classes, people are taking the exam within two months of taking a class.  Though I don't expect to see the certification rates to rival the PMP any time in the near future, I'm excited to see an upward trend in the ACP adoption rate.

Data Source: PMI Today

ACP Community Guide vs AgileBOK

The Community Guide of the PMI-ACP (login required) is an initiative of the PMI Agile Community of Practice to provide ongoing support for the PMI-ACP agile certification. PMI Today recently highlighted the importance of community volunteers to create the certification, so it only follows that our community be the ones to mature it into the future.

What about the AgileBOK?

There will be no Agile Body of Knowledge (AgileBOK) supported by PMI.  PMI does not own, maintain, or support ANY web presence that lives outside of PMI.org.  There is not, and never should be an authoritative standard for Agile.  Having an AgileBOK would invite all PMI project managers to rigorously follow a standard and never adapt, tailor, or innovate their processes. This counters what we as Agilists stand and strive for.

How can you contribute to the Community Guide?

Team members will work as individual contributors within the Community Guide project. Their involvement may vary based on the nature of the work and their availability. If you are interested in creating or maintaining articles for the 'Community Guide', contact the current co-leaders of the ACP Support Team: Joeseph Flahiff and Derek Huether

Who is the Community Guide for?

The Community Guide is intended to be the authoritative source for all the stakeholders in the PMI-ACP ecosphere, including

• A study reference for those pursuing the PMI-ACP credential • A training reference for REPs and trainers • A technical reference for exam writers

What does the Community Guide cover?

The Community Guide is a unique community resource, offering you

• Links to relevant PMI documents regarding the certification • The original intent of the PMI-ACP creators for each topic on the exam • The current community consensus on how each topic works on "most agile projects, most of the time"

Image Source: Pictofigo

MVP for PMI Agile Exam Flashcards

With the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) exam celebrating its first month in the wild, I am sure you are already seeing a lot of study aids and prep courses being offered.  Full disclosure, I do offer ACP prep courses and I also offer PMI Agile Exam flashcards.   Wait, did you read that correctly?  Yes, you did.  I want to ensure there is a source of relevant study material available to the masses so I created the PMI Agile Flashcards website and have an iPhone app (that needs to be submitted to Apple for approval). As a co-lead for the PMI ACP support team, we are tasked with creating a knowledge base of relevant information for the ACP exam.  Think of it as a Wikipedia for the PMI-ACP but within the PMI.org website.  Though that's all well and good, creating a glossary for both trainers and certification aspirants is not a study aid.  I still see the need for things like study guides and exam prep tools.  I think back when I was preparing for the PMP.  Reading the PMBOK Guide was a wealth of information but I needed something to put it into context.  It wasn't until I read Rita Mulcahey's book that it all made sense to me.  I also created a deck of flashcards for myself to help me prepare for the PMP exam.

Fast forward to today, for those of you who are looking for a study guide for the ACP, Mike Griffiths (the other PMI ACP support team co-lead) has just completed his ACP Exam prep book. I am releasing my Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for my PMI ACP Exam Flashcards. If that combination worked for me to prepare for the PMP, I hope it works for you for the ACP.

If you are wondering what I mean by MVP, I got the term from the Eric Ries book The Lean Startup.  I knew that I needed to get something out there now, get feedback from customers, and iterate the product.  The good news is, I know the questions and answers on the flashcards are relevant to the exam.  All I needed was to get something out there that people could use.

My MVP

1. The first 75 flashcards loaded

I have loaded 75 flashcards into the database.  I know they are all relevant because I took (and passed) the ACP exam and because I have been involved during the certification development and am now involved to support it.  I've been involved in the Agile and PMI communities for a while now.  I want good quality prep materials made available to people. I don't want them to just pass the exam.  I want them to learn something.

2. All flashcards map to one of the six domains

• Value Driven Delivery

• Stakeholder Engagement

• Boosting Team Performance Practices

• Adaptive Planning

• Problem Detection and Resolution

• Continuous Improvement (Product, Process, People)

3. All flashcards map to the two areas you will be graded on

• Tools and Techniques

• Knowledge and Skills

4. 20 free flashcards to view without login

I figure you'll know if this product has value for you within 20 flashcards.  After that, you'll probably want to create a login so you can keep track of your progress.

5. 20 free flashcards with progress tracking with login

So, you created a free account.  You'll now be able to visualize your progress as you go.  By navigating to the progress screen, you'll be able to navigate back to cards that you got incorrect or skipped earlier.  Since you're still using a free account, you'll have access to 20 flashcards.

6. Access to all flashcards with paid account

This is where we wrap it all together.  The goal is to have a few hundred flashcards in the system.  You can get started now with the first 75.  As the database grows, random flashcards will appear as "unviewed".  Just check your status before you begin and you know where you stand.

What is next?

• Add more flashcards

• Make some changes in the User Interface to make it easier to navigate

• Get feedback from customers

• Refine the product or pivot

• Get the iOS and Android versions completed

Note: A few of the links are Amazon affiliate links.