About The New PMI-ACPSM Examination

PMI-ACPSM Certification and Exam Details

Agile methodology is a general approach to project management, which has mainly been utilized in software development. However, Project Managers everywhere are finding they can apply Agile principles and practices to virtually any project in a variety of industries and organizations.

As opposed to the more process-oriented, sequential, predictive structure of traditional Project Management as defined by the PMBOK® Guide, Agile methodology is more adaptive, people-oriented and focuses on constant input and cyclical change, which opens the door for more continuous improvement during the project. Agile methodology creates opportunity for the project team to continually assess the direction of the project throughout its life cycle fostering more consistent, relevant results. Those who practice Agile on a regular basis promote constant effective communication, customer and stakeholder collaboration throughout the project, and rapid response to change.

Is the PMI-ACPSM Certification Right for Me?

In response to the growing relevance of Agile methodology for all Project Managers, the Project Management Institute (PMI®) has begun offering the Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACPSM) certification exam. This certification may be right for you if:

You already use agile practices in your projects
Your organization is planning to adopt an agile approach
You wish to become a more versatile project manager
You need to adapt more quickly to basic business needs
You would like to take a more value- and people-driven approach to projects
You want to advance your career as a project manager

To obtain PMI-ACPSM certification, an individual must satisfy educational and experiential requirements, agree to and adhere to a Code of Professional Conduct, and pass the PMI-ACPSM Certification Examination.

PMI-ACPSM Certification Criteria

Education Level	General PM Experience	Agile PM Experience	Agile PM Education	Number of Questions	Maintenance
Secondary Degree (High School or Equivalent) or higher	2,000 Hours (minimum of 12 Months) working on project teams. These hours must be earned within the past 5 years.*	1,500 hours (minimum of 8 months) working on agile project teams or in agile methodologies. These hours are in addition to the 2,000 hours of general project management experience, and must be earned within the last 2 years.	21 contact hours agile project management education	120 Multiple Choice	30 PDUs/3 CEUs every 3 years in agile principles and practices.**

* Note: If you currently hold a PMP® or PgMP® credential, PMI has already verified you have met these requirements. PMPs and PgMPs are NOT required to enter these requirements during the application process.

** Note: These hours would count toward fulfilling PMP requirements as well, if the individual holds both certifications.

Applying for the Exam

More information regarding applying for the exam online is available at PMI's website. Practitioners interested in this new certification are strongly encouraged to review the PMI-ACPSM Handbook in detail. The PMI-ACPSM Handbook is available in PDF format on the PMI-ACPSM website (www.pmi.org). To access it, click the "Certification" menu link on the PMI home page, then click "Which Certification is Right for You?", select "PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACPSM)" and finally scroll down the page to the PMI-ACPSM Handbook.

PMI also has an online application for this new certification. To access the application, go to the PMI-ACPSM website and use the navigation described above. After clicking "PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACPSM)", you will find a "Ready to Apply?" blue button graphic near the top of the page, which will then prompt you to the online application.

PMI-ACPSM applicants were able to begin scheduling examinations on July 21st, 2011 and may begin taking the examination beginning September 2011. All applicants are subject to current PMI application review and audit policies.

The Examination

The examination is offered in computer based testing mode only during the pilot program. However, paper based testing will be available at the prices listed below in the future. This examination is comprised of 120 multiple-choice questions, with 20 of those questions considered "pretest questions." Pretest questions will not affect the score and are used in examinations as an effective and legitimate way to test the validity of future examination questions. The allotted time to complete the PMI-ACPSM exam is three (3) hours.

The examination is offered globally at PMI-approved computer testing centers. To find a testing center in your area please visit the PMI website. The examination will only be available in the English language during the pilot program. PMI will consider adding translations at a future date. The current fees for the examination are as follows:

Applicant Status	Examination Fees (US Dollars)
PMI® Member	$435 for computer based testing or $385 for paper based testing
PMI® Non-Member	$495 for computer based testing or $445 for paper based testing

How to Prepare

As you have no doubt heard, RMC Project Management will be releasing a new prep guide for the PMI-ACPSM (Agile Certified Practitioner) exam in Q1 of 2012. This book will be authored by Mike Griffiths, a world-renowned Agile consultant and writer who was instrumental in developing several agile and project management-related methodologies, standards, and exam specifications. Want to meet the author? Learn more about Mike Griffiths here.

RMC will begin accepting preorders for this new PMI-ACPSM Prep Guide beginning in February of 2012. If you would like to be kept in the loop on the production and availability of this book, click here to join our notification list for availability updates, preorder offers and exclusive discounts.

PMI® Certifications

For information on all of PMI's other project management certifications, be sure to check out our easy to read Quick Reference Guide to PMI® Certifications.