CAPM Certification Syllabus

Domain 1 Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts – 36%

Task 1

Demonstrate an understanding of the various project life cycles and processes: 

• Distinguish between a project, a program, and a portfolio
• Distinguish between a project and operations
• Distinguish between predictive and adaptive approaches
• Distinguish between issues, risks, assumptions, and constraints
• Review/critique project scope
• Apply the project management code of ethics to scenarios (refer to PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct)
• Explain how a project can be a vehicle for change

Task 2

Demonstrate an understanding of project management planning:

• Describe the purpose and importance of cost, quality, risk, schedule, etc.
• Distinguish between the different deliverables of a project management plan versus a product management plan
• Distinguish differences between a milestone and a task duration
• Determine the number and type of resources in a project
• Use a risk register in a given situation
• Use a stakeholder register in a given situation
• Explain project closure and transitions.

Task 3

Demonstrate an understanding of project roles and responsibilities:

• Compare and contrast the roles and responsibilities of project managers and project sponsors, as the project team and the project sponsor
• Explain the importance of the role the project manager plays (e.g., initiator, negotiator, listener, coach, working member, and facilitator)
• Explain the differences between leadership and management
• Explain emotional intelligence (EQ) and its impact on project management

Task 4

Determine how to follow and execute planned strategies or frameworks (e.g., communication, risks, etc.):

• Give examples of how it is appropriate to respond to a planned strategy or framework (e.g., communication, risk, etc.)
• Explain project initiation and benefit planning.

Task 5

Demonstrate an understanding of common problem-solving tools and techniques:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of a meeting
• Explain the purpose of focus groups, standup meetings, brainstorming, etc.

Domain 2 Predictive, Plan-Based Methodologies – 17%

Task 1

Explain when it is appropriate to use a predictive, plan-based approach:

• Identify the suitability of a predictive, plan-based approach for the organizational structure (e.g., virtual, colocation, matrix structure, hierarchical, etc.)
• Determine the activities within each process.
• Give examples of typical activities within each process
• Distinguish the differences between various project components

Task 2

Demonstrate an understanding of a project management plan schedule:

• Apply critical path methods
• Calculate schedule variance
• Explain work breakdown structures (WBS).
• Explain work packages
• Apply a quality management plan
• Apply an integration management plan

Task 3

Determine how to document project controls of predictive, plan based projects:

• Identify artifacts that are used in predictive, plan-based projects
• Calculate cost and schedule variances.

Domain 3 Agile Frameworks/Methodologies – 20%

Task 1

Explain when it is appropriate to use an adaptive approach:

• Compare the pros and cons of adaptive and predictive, plan-based projects
• Identify the suitability of adaptive approaches for the organizational structure (e.g., virtual, colocation, matrix structure, hierarchical, etc.)
• Identify organizational process assets and enterprise environmental factors that facilitate the use of adaptive approaches

Task 2

Determine how to plan project iterations:

• Distinguish the logical units of iteration
• Interpret the pros and cons of the iteration
• Translate this WBS to an adaptive iteration. Determine inputs for scope
• Explain the importance of adaptive project tracking versus predictive, plan-based tracking

Task 3

Determine how to document project controls for an adaptive project:

• Identify artifacts that are used in adaptive projects

Task 4

Explain the components of an adaptive plan:

• Distinguish between the components of different adaptive methodologies (e.g., Scrum)
• Extreme Programming (XP), Scaled Adaptive Framework (SAFe®), Kanban, etc.)

Task 5

Determine how to prepare and execute task management steps:

• Interpret success criteria of an adaptive project management task
• Prioritize tasks in adaptive project management.

Domain 4 Business Analysis Frameworks – 27%

Task 1

Demonstrate an understanding of business analysis (BA) roles and responsibilities:

• Distinguish between stakeholder roles (e.g., process owner, process manager, product manager, product owner, etc.)
• Outline the need for roles and responsibilities (Why do you need to identify stakeholders in the first place?).
• Differentiate between internal and external roles

Task 2

Determine how to conduct stakeholder communication:

• Recommend the most appropriate communication channel/tool (e.g., reporting, presentation, etc.)
• Demonstrate why communication is important for a business analyst between various teams (features, requirements, etc.).

Task 3

Determine how to gather requirements. Match tools to scenarios (e.g., user stories, use cases, etc.):

• Identify the requirements-gathering approach for a situation (e.g., conduct stakeholder interviews, surveys, workshops, lessons learned, etc.)
• Explain a requirements traceability matrix/product backlog

Task 4

Demonstrate an understanding of product roadmaps:

• Explain the application of a product roadmap
• Determine which components go to which releases

Task 5

Determine how project methodologies influence business analysis processes:

• Determine the role of a business analyst in adaptive and/or predictive, plan-based approaches.

Task 6

Validate requirements through product delivery:

• Define acceptance criteria (the action of defining changes based on the situation)
• Determine if a project/product is ready for delivery based on a requirements traceability matrix/product backlog.