Certification – Leading Answers

April 6, 2023September 27, 2025Certification, Events, Games, Visual Learning

PM Illustrated Free PDU Webinar

Please join me with Peak Business Management for a Free PDU webinar on April 12th at 7:00 pm Eastern Time. Along with Barb Waters, I will be demonstrating the PMP® Exam curriculum from a visual learner’s perspective and giving a tour of PMillustrated.com. We will explore the videos, mindmaps, animations, and games that make learning fun and more effective. We will also be available to answer questions about the PMP® Exam, eligibility criteria, and what to expect in the exam. Reserve your place now and automatically receive 1 PDU for attending the event. I hope you can join us. Register Here

June 18, 2022September 27, 2025Agile Project Management, Books, Certification, Visual Learning

PM illustrated – 35 PDU Bundle

Looking for some PDUs to renew your PMP credential? Curious about the agile content added to the PMP exam since you took yours? Like to try a gamified, visual-learning experience? In partnership with Peak Business, this 35-module micro-learning suite provides comprehensive coverage of the new PMP® Exam Content Outline (ECO) and an excellent overview of today’s current project management topics for those looking for a refresher. Self-Directed Learning Chart your own adventure through topics and let the platform track your progress via self-assessment quizzes and achievement badges. Starting from a one-page, birdseye overview of the whole curriculum, select topics, master domains, and see your progress via our custom Achievements Grid. Track Your Progress Using graphical summaries, cartoons, and […]

May 8, 2022October 3, 2026Agile Project Management, Books, Certification, Tailoring Approaches, Visual Learning, Warning Signs

Agile Adoption – Left to Right is the Way to Go

Agile approaches "Crossed the Chasm" a decade ago. The organizations we see adopting it today are in the "Late Majority" and "Laggard" categories of Geoffrey Moore's Technology Adoption Life Cycle. As companies adopt agile because they have to / it's now expected / the industry norm / required to stay competitive / <insert your own reason>, we see more push-back and failures than ever. Doing something because you have to, rather than because you want to, leads to shortcuts and the wrong mindset. The image below, from Ahmed Sidky, shows agile as a mindset. In the image above, agile is a mindset described by four values, defined by twelve principles and manifested through an unlimited number of practices. The correct […]

January 2, 2022Agile Project Management, Books, Certification, Events, PMI-ACP, Visual Learning

January 2022 – PMI-ACP Supported Self-Study Group

The next 7-week PMI-ACP Supported Study Group with Mike Griffiths is starting soon. Register by January 15th for Earlybird pricing of just $99 (regular $199). This live 7-week online book-club / self-study program works as follows: Read one chapter of my PMI-ACP Exam Prep book each week Join me for a one-hour Zoom call to review topics and ask any questions you may have Get access to a private LinkedIn group where you can ask additional questions and discuss topics with peers Receive exclusive chapter summaries, mindmaps, additional sample exam questions, and extra resources A small group capped at 25 people. At the end of the 7-week program, we will have covered all the material, and you should be ready […]

August 20, 2021October 12, 2026Agile Project Management, Books, Certification, Events, Games, Leadership, PMI-ACP, Visual Learning

Announcing “PM Illustrated” – The Fun Way to Prepare for Your PMP® Exam

I know, “Fun” and “PMP Exam” are rarely used in the same sentence. When I studied for my PMP credential in 2001, materials were text-based, process-focused, and dry! Unfortunately, not much has changed since then. However, fun is a serious business in adult learning, it boosts retention and cuts study time. We recall facts about our favorite hobbies and sports teams much easier than boring information because our brains prioritize fun experiences for recall. It is why good trainers who can make a topic enjoyable are so valuable. Visual Learning The other secret weapon in slashing our study time is Visual Learning. Research into visual thinking by David Hyerle, reports that 90% of the information entering the brain is visual. […]

May 30, 2021Agile Project Management, Books, Certification, Events, Leadership, Lean, Personal Agility, PMI-ACP, Tailoring Approaches, Teams, Theory of Constraints, Visual Learning

PMI-ACP and My New Book “Beyond Agile: Achieving Success with Situational Knowledge and Skills”

It has been 10 years since the PMI-ACP exam was created, and I published my PMI-ACP Exam Prep book. I recall the Steering Committee meetings where we discussed what we believed was necessary for agile practitioners and team leaders to have experience in and an understanding of. Since then, the exam has been updated a couple of times based on Role Delineation Studies (RDS) and Job Task Analysis (JTA), which is how PMI surveys practitioners and asks what techniques are commonly used. However, the core content has mainly endured unchanged, which is testimony to its usefulness. I remember discussing the scope and goals for the credential among the committee that comprised: Alistair Cockburn, Mike Cottmeyer, Jim Cundiff, Jesse Fewell, Mike […]

October 8, 2020Certification

Inside the PMP Question Writing Process

When you hear the words “PMP Exam” what springs to mind? If you already have the credential, then probably the study period and stress associated with obtaining it. If you are thinking of taking the exam, then maybe some apprehension and anxiety. An effective way to reduce this anxiety is through learning about the exam goals and approach. Information is power, and it never hurts to be more aware of the process before taking the exam.

May 11, 2020Certification, PMI-ACP, Remote Work, Visual Learning

New Trends in Online Learning

Finished Netflix? Done with “doom-scrolling” social media? Maybe it’s time to gain those skills you have been putting off. The expansion of online learning was booming before COVID-19 emerged. Now, with the rise of work from home and homeschooling, the switch to online study has been massively accelerated. However, before enrolling in some uninspired port of traditional course content to an online platform, let's see what else is out there. What are the emerging trends and good practices? What can we look forward to seeing in the world of online learning for project managers?

May 4, 2020Agile Project Management, Books, Certification, Leadership, PMI-ACP, Remote Work, Teams

Available For Remote Work

Do you need relevant, high-quality articles for your corporate website? Are you looking for an expert in leadership, agile, or project management? Maybe you require some training materials, exam preparation support, or remote coaching? I am available for remote work. If you like the ideas on this site or in my books, please get in touch, I would love to discuss opportunities to work together. Details Long before the COVID-19 crisis, I reduced traveling for consulting and training due to family health issues. I have worked mainly from home for the last five years and have been fortunate to stay busy. Now, because of COVID-19, a couple of my regular clients have suspended operations, and I have some spare capacity. […]

December 9, 2019Agile Project Management, Books, Certification, Leadership, Personal Agility, PMI-ACP, Teams, Visual Learning

Agile Illustrated – Sample #3

This is the third sample from my new Kindle book “Agile Illustrated: A Visual Learner’s Guide to Agility”. The book is a graphical introduction to the agile mindset and servant leadership behaviors for working with agile teams. If you missed the first two samples you can find them here and here. Also, just in time for Christmas, Agile Illustrated is now available as a physical paperback book. So if you prefer to hold a physical book rather than read a Kindle book you can now get your hands on a copy. Or, if you would like to give a copy to a manager or executive who is unlikely to read a normal length book on the agile mindset and how to […]