Please upgrade your web browser

These pages are built with modern web browsers in mind, and are not optimized for Internet Explorer 8 or below. Please try using another web browser, such as Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer 10, Internet Explorer 11, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari.

How to detail project experience for PMP?

Veteran

Brian Edwards North Aurora, IL

I just began putting together my project experience for a PMP application, but I'm missing details that I think might be necessary for the application. At one of my commands I helped put together field training exercises (FTX) for about 2.5 years. I understand how to break down what I did into the different process groups. The issue I have is that there were 50 of these exercises, each one was for a platoon or company, but I can't remember what the platoon or company numbers were. How important is that information? Can I number them FTX 1, FTX 2 and so on? I haven't contacted my supervisor yet, but I know he'll provide validation of the information if anyone from PMI calls to check. Can anyone give me some guidance?

15 June 2017 9 replies General

Answers

Advisor

Joshua Davis Lakewood, WA

Chief, In agreement of the previously posted answers, joining your local PMI chapter is solid advise. I've recently went through this process and my application was accepted this month, here's what I did.
After doing some research on project descriptions, PMI is looking for the following for Project submission acceptance on the recorded hours for the PMI application:
Project Descriptions: The descriptions must be clear regarding the tasks per process area and the leadership role that you specifically performed.
1. Descriptions with less detail of the project and more focus on your role with the following standards and tasks in mind.
a. Perform their duties under general supervision and are responsible for all aspects of the project for the life of the project
b. Lead and direct cross-functional teams to deliver projects within the constraints of schedule, budget and resources
c. Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and experience to appropriately apply a methodology to projects that have reasonably well-defined project requirements and deliverables.
2. Project descriptions should consist of the following:
a. A brief, one-sentence project objective
b. Project deliverables summarized by process areas (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing - abbreviations are acceptable IN, PL, EX, MC & CL)
c. A brief, one-sentence project outcome
3. Project descriptions should be a high level summary of the tasks you led and directed on the project (e.g. Initiating: develop project charter, WBS etc.; Planning: Scope definition etc.; and so on).
a. Project management experience is required in each of the process areas when all projects are totaled, but not on each project.
b. Project descriptions must be provided for all projects submitted on the application.
4. Recommended summarized project description via an approved application:
a. Summarize the project management tasks you managed.
i. Project description (objectives, key deliverables & outcome)
ii. Product deliverables (to end users)
iii. Project deliverables (needed to manage the project)
iv. Use PM, not technical, terminology.
5. Personal Example:
a. Description: CBT Training implementation for Auxiliary Sonar Systems
b. Project Role: Project Manager
c. Primary Industry: Education
d. Hours Recorded: 496 hours
i. IN - 20
ii. PL - 36
iii. EX - 200
iv. MC - 200
v. CL - 40
e. Summary: Add/Edit Experience
Objective: Develop computer based training curriculum for auxiliary Sonar Equipment to replace conventional training methods.
Deliverable: Training available for website access
IN - Save cost and loss of personnel for training temporary assignment orders.
PL - WBS created to share technical validation/verification with Sonalyst Engineers developing curriculum
EX - Technical Instructors utilized for input execution, validation, and feedback
MC - Technical review/testing of computer based training
CL - Deliverable implemented to the fleet
As a review from my last post, there were only 496 available hours for the July-September months in 2009. (These hours are M-F - excluding holidays and weekends only 8 hour days)
July = 160 hours (20 Days)
August = 168 hours (21 Days)
September = 168 hours (21 Days)
Total Hours 496
Please reach out to me if you have any additional questions.
Thank You,
Josh Davis

Advisor

Estella Rummelein Englewood, CO

I agree, that you should quickly to reach out to the local PMI chapter for assistance. The Mile Hi chapter was very helpful and supportive for me when I had the same issue when I filled out the form back in 2003.
Please remember the definition of a project; beginning, end and resources.
Many times I found looking back at each position I held that I had more project experience that I thought I did. This was due to the fact that projects are many times hidden as part of a job duties as assigned and are not always highlighted within responsibilities.

It was helpful to go back to my peers and supervisors to ask them to give me additional feedback on projects I had completed.

The audit is not that intense but know it helps to have a clear project definition or objective for each and requires you to be ethical in your submissions.

Good luck and know that I am here to help if additional assistance or questions come up.
THANK YOU for your service!
Estella

Advisor

Jose Roman Norfolk, VA

Chief!

Reach out to the PMI Hampton Roads Director Military Liaison to connect you with someone locally or he can walk you through this process himself. PMI is the Program Management Institute that certifies PMP and other Advanced Program Management certifications. Here's the website:

https://www.pmi.org/

We are hosting the local PMI military liaison on our campus to give an information session on putting these packages together for PMP certs. specifically with our active duty and veteran population. You can reach the local director here:

Martin White
Director Military Liaison
PMI Hampton Roads Chapter
(757) 202-1177
Martin White <directormilitaryliaison.pmihr@gmail.com>

If you're in the area we are hosting our campus event at the end of the month. Let me know if you want more information or details: Jroman@regent.edu

Best,
Jose R

Veteran

Wayne Anthony Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

Brian, I think all these answers are helpful. As a fellow service member (Active Duty Army), I just went through this process 2 years ago and I would like to echo a couple of points. Don't be worried about the audit. One of my co workers was audited and it was a painless process. The most important point is making sure your supervisor agrees with everything you submit. Please do not submit the application until your supervisor or peer reads what you submit. There is a case when someone submitted an application and the witness did not agree and PMI banned them from ever applying again. Please remember that point. If you need any additional assistance throughout your journey don't hesistate to reach out to me.
Best wishes brother
Wayne

Veteran

Richard Infusino, PMP Lakewood, WA

Brian - I feel that after you got through the first exercise, then it become operations because it was repeated and not unique or temporary. Now, having said that, if there are any unique elements among any of those exercises, then you could list them on your application. But it sounds more like operations vs. a project.

Veteran

Derek Ricke Lake Forest, CA

Steven that's interesting, as they had previously told us that they prefer multiple small, similar projects to be lumped in as a single project. That was about a year ago though.

Regardless, another technique worth is to fill out the application together up to the point of confirm and submit, then submit the drafts to the relevant supervisors to get them to agree by email to you first, telling them you'll need them to sign it in the event of an audit. This also gives you the excuse to get back in touch with these people.

To echo Fouad, there most important part of the description is answering which processes you used and using the terms correctly.

Advisor

Steven Kopischke Riverview, FL

I am a project manager and have held the PMP certification for more than five years.

I also teach PMP Exam Prep courses and I recently created a fictitious application to demonstrate the process to my students. I stopped just short of the step where I would confirm that everything I entered was true. I had included one project, including as my description "multiple projects for internal and customer clients." When I asked PMI to delete the application, I was reminded that such an explanation would not have been accepted.

PMI insists on projects being listed individually. I would avoid combining projects into a summary-level project as has been previously suggested. It is OK to have single contact for all those projects, but you should list them individually.

That is not to say that combining the projects into a single project would not be accepted by PMI, but my recent experience indicates such an approach would be rejected.

Let me know how else I can help you get your information organized into your application or preparing for the exam.

Good luck.

Advisor

Fouad Malik Los Angeles, CA

You may want to list those 50 exercises as one project of 30 month duration. Next name that project. List U.S Navy as employer. Put name of supervisor or anyone who would sign-off on that project should there be an audit.

Put high-level description of the project, covering each process group in one sentence. PMI is very lenient when it comes to audits. Describe the work as project NOT operations (PMI is sensitive about this)

If you get an audit, you will be notified via email. At that point, you can log on to your PMI.org account and download the audit letter and send it to supervisor for signatures. PMI won't get into specifics of your work as long as it is a project and the supervisor will sign-off on it (If you are unable to get hold of supervisor, put name of a person on application who has knowledge of your work and who was on team)

Advisor

Liz Brown Meridian, ID

Brian -
Is there any identifying info in your Fit Reps you can use to address this (I'm presuming you mean the platoon/company identifier and not the #s of people per each one)? It's been a while since I completed the form, but can you make it work if you put them all together into one entry? If yes, I would call it "Military Field Training Exercise (FTX) Management (or whatever the right descriptor is instead of Management) Project" or something along those lines and make sure your numbers add up and it covers the entire time period. In your description identify that this is for 50 (if you know that number is correct) platoon and company FTXs over the time period of DD/MM/YYY-DD/MM/YYYY. If you want or need to list them separately (presuming you are only using some of them then) I think it is OK to use the same naming convention (you could add a # to the end of each, but the dates should also serve as a differentiator), but you need to make sure your hours and description are accurate. And you need to make sure your supervisor knows of this and what you are submitting. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Take care. Liz

Your Answer

Please log in to answer this question.

Sign Up

You can join as either a Veteran or an Advisor.

An Advisor already has a career, with or without military experience, and is willing to engage with and help veterans.
Sign Up as an Advisor.

A Veteran has military experience and is seeking a new career, or assistance with life after service.
Sign Up as a Veteran.