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Seminars • PMI-ACP® Exam Prep • Newport News, VA

PMI-ACP® Exam Prep • Newport News, VA

Attend a PMI-ACP® Exam Prep course in the NEWPORT NEWS area:

 
  
Add OnSite PMP Exam Prep Course Request an on-site course, or a course in your city.
  
 Please note that empty course dates may shift based on demand. 
 Our course material fulfills the 21 training hours required by PMI.
 PMI Reporting Instructions
 
 

Agile Certified Practitioner - The best Agile certification in the industry!

 
Our 3 day PMI-ACP® exam prep course prepares you to easily pass the 120 question, 3 hour PMI-ACP® certification exam. Read more about the PMI-ACP® Certification from PMI.

Our instructor-led, in-person, classroom environment,
combined with our on-line PMI-ACP® simulation test,
work together providing you the knowledge and focus
needed to pass the PMI-ACP® test and earn your Agile
Certified Professional credential.

We are thrilled to be one of the first providers to offer
a study course for this exciting new credential. Take
your career and organization to the next level by
learning the skills and best practices associated
with this credential. 
 
 
 
 
Attend our three day class...
take your PMI-ACP® exam and
become Agile certified!
 

 
 
 
"Very well organized, well structured course, easy to understand and fun."

    -Anonymous attendee
  
  

Optional Money-back Guarantee

HyperLink Purchase our guarantee and get a refund if you don't pass the PMI-ACP exam.  
Read more about our
Money-back Pass Guarantee.
  

Pass Assurance

 
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Red Rock Research is thrilled to offer our attendees Pass-Assurance Technology.  This technology--exclusively developed by Red Rock Research--shows you when you are finished studying and are ready to take the test.   
  
  
    

Attendee Reviews

Reviews you can trust

  

PMI-ACP® Exam Prep Course Overview

 

Our course contains the following program:

History and Origins of Agile Development

Software development is sometimes called a wicked problem. Like predicting weather, or the stock market, accurate project estimates and acceptable project outputs continue to be a challenge for the average software project. In 2001 the Agile Manifesto was signed, and so began the Agile Development movement. Various flavors of Agile exist today, with Scrum being the most widely-adopted practice.

How Agile Maps to the PMBOK

  • Initiating
  • Planning
  • Executing
  • Monitoring & Controlling
  • Closing

Agile Tools & Techniques

  • Communications
  • Planning, monitoring and adapting
  • Agile estimation
  • Agile analysis and design
  • Product quality
  • Soft skills negotiation
  • Value-based prioritization
  • Risk management
  • Metrics
  • Value stream analysis

Domain I - Agile Principles and Mindset

  • Organizational Impact
  • Maintaining a Healthy Agile Environment
  • Encouraging your  Agile Team

Put first things first.  In order to create and maintain a healthy team-empowered Agile environment, your must ensure your leadership model is correct, and your practices align with core Agile values.

Domain II - Value Driven Delivery

  • Define Positive Value
  • Incremental Development
  • Avoid Potential Downsides
  • Prioritization

Instead of process-driven delivery, Agile Development is based on a value-driven approach. Teams are encouraged to work with project stakeholders to prioritize the most valuable features that can be packaged and delivered to paying customers in successive increments. An emphasis is placed on targeting specific user-types, or value thresholds so that the products can be placed in front of real customers who can then in-turn provide quicker product feedback.

Domain III - Stakeholder Engagement

  • Stakeholder Needs
  • Stakeholder Involvement
  • Stakeholder Expectations

Involving stakeholders throughout the project development process is essential in succeeding with value-driven delivery. Communicating about stakeholder objectives, customer value, project progress, and changes in the environment are an ongoing necessity. We'll explore brainstorming techniques, feedback channels, prototyping, simulation, product-demos, facilitation, participatory decision models, globalization, and cultural awareness practices that are helpful with engaging stakeholders effectively.

Domain IV - Team Performance

  • Team Formation
  • Team Empowerment
  • Team Collaboration

The team is the engine in an agile project. Value is delivered as fast as the team can perform. The team is only as fast as the slowest member, and gains velocity as each member focuses on the same target. We'll explore ways to create and support self-governing teams through empowerment, knowledge sharing, motivation, rewards & recognition, and innovation games. We'll discuss ways to measure the teams progress and continuously improve performance. Finally, we'll examine the team as a corporate asset and discuss ways to maximize the business value of a high-performing team.

Domain V - Adaptive Planning

  • Planning Levels
  • Adaptation
  • Estimation
  • Velocity, Throughput, and Cycle Time

In an Agile project, planning happens at multiple levels. We'll explore strategic, release, iteration, and daily planning. Agile is commitment-based. Commitments are made during these planning junctures based on a balance of priorities vs. team capabilities. The team quickly learns to adapt to whatever mechanisms work best in their unique environment. Project progress is tracked, as well as velocity, throughput, and cycle-time. A closed-loop feedback process is used to continuously improve team and individual estimations.

Domain VI - Problem Detection and Resolution

  • Risk Management
  • Supportive Environment
  • Issue Tracking

Risk are identified and explored early in what agile practitioners call 'spikes.' An open and safe environment is encouraged to surface team and workplace issues early, before they become showstoppers. Team members are encouraged to publicly display progress impediments so that management can escalate accordingly. Risk status is communicated regularly to stakeholders so that their expectations are managed effectively.

Domain VII - Continuous Improvement

  • Product
  • Process
  • People

Agile philosophies transcend individual projects. A fully functional agile team is considered an asset to the corporation. Teams perform retrospectives after each sprint to brainstorm how they could have performed more effectively. They use this insight to improve future performance. Similarly, individual retrospectives and product retrospectives are tools which improve individual progress and product value, respectively.

Additional Agile Knowledge and Skills, separated into three levels of importance:

Level 1

  • Active listening
  • Agile Manifesto values and principles
  • Assessing and incorporating community and stakeholder values
  • Brainstorming techniques
  • Building empowered teams
  • Coaching and mentoring within teams
  • Communications management
  • Feedback techniques for product
  • Incremental delivery
  • Knowledge sharing
  • Leadership tools and techniques
  • Prioritization
  • Problem-solving strategies, tools and techniques
  • Project and quality standards for Agile projects
  • Stakeholder management
  • Team motivation Time, budget and cost estimation
  • Value-based decomposition and prioritization

Level 2

  • Agile frameworks and terminology
  • Building high-performance teams
  • Business case development
  • Colocation/distributed teams
  • Elements of a project charter for an Agile project
  • Facilitation methods
  • Participatory decision models
  • PMI's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
  • Process analysis techniques
  • Self assessment
  • Value-based analysis

Level 3

  • Agile contracting methods
  • Agile project accounting principles
  • Applying new Agile practices
  • Compliance
  • Control limits for Agile projects
  • Failure modes and alternatives
  • Globalization, culture and team diversity Innovation games
  • Principles of systems thinking
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Variance and trend analysis
  • Variations in Agile methods and approaches
  • Vendor management

Agile Adoption Within Your Organization

Finally, we'll discuss successful approaches for adopting Agile practices within your organization.

Different and Better

 
We know your have a choice.  Our goal is to be the most preferred PMI-ACP® Exam Prep vendor in your area.  Our program is different and better than others you will find.  Here is why:
  1. Our instructors are friendly, educated, and have real-world Agile and PMI Project Management experience.
  2. Our course fulfills all of the 21 contact hours required by PMI for the PMI-ACP certification. 
  3. Our pass rate for the PMI-ACP® is nearly 100%.
  4. We have the best guarantee  in the industry that you can opt-into.  If you purchase it, we guarantee you will pass the PMI-ACP® exam on the first try.  If you can't after two more attempts that we pay for, we'll give you the rest of your money back. 
  5. We have an on-line test simulator with over 200 questions.
  6. We have Pass-Assurance Technology. This helps you know when you are finished studying and are ready to pass the test.
  7. After you attend our course once, you are welcome to sit in on our PMI-ACP® course at any future time throughout your career. 
  

PMI-ACP® Exam Prep Activities


Our PMI-ACP® exam prep course contains specialized memory-training exercises novel to Red Rock Research.

Attendees will engage in memory-training exercises that enhance the ability of the attendee to remember facts and formulas.

Attendees will also have access to our on-line test simulator, containing sample test questions similar to the PMI-ACP® Certification exam.   
  
 
Download our course brochure.
  

 

Common Questions about our PMI-ACP® Exam Prep Course in Newport News, VA

Am I guaranteed to pass the PMI-ACP® Exam?

Red Rock Research offers a first-time passing guarantee for the PMI-ACP® exam.  This means we guarantee you will pass the test on your first try.  The PMI-ACP is a difficult test and we take our guarantee seriously.  If you don't pass the test on the first try we will pay for your second attempt.  If you don't pass on your second attempt, we will pay for your third attempt.  If you don't pass the PMI-ACP® on the third try, PMI requires you to wait an entire calendar year before your next attempt, and Red Rock will refined you the cost of the course minus the test we have paid for already.  Check our guarantee against others and be sure they give you all of your money back, like we do.  We have noted that many other providers keep a 'processing fee' when issuing refunds.

What is your pass rate for the PMI-ACP® Exam?

Our official pass rate for the PMI-ACP® Exam is nearly 100%.  While that is a fact, you need to understand when test prep providers publish this figure they are describing how many participants pass the test within 3 attempts--and not processing a refund.  The majority of our students in each class pass the PMI-ACP® on the first try.  What makes the difference?  The amount of time you study!  People who study pass the test, people who don't study have to take it over again.

What can you tell me about the PMI-ACP® Exam?

The PMI-ACP® Exam spans 3 hours and has 120 multiple-choice questions with four possible answer for each questions.  This gives you about 1.5 minutes per questions.   

What are the prerequisites for the PMI-ACP® exam?

The prerequisites are as follows:
  • high-school degree or equivalent
  • 2000 hours working on project teams within the last 5 years
  • 1500 hours within the last 3 years working on Agile projects
  • 21 training hours

How many questions are on the PMI-ACP® Exam?

The PMI-ACP® Exam has 120 multiple-choice questions.

How much time do I have to complete the PMI-ACP® Exam?

You have 4 hours to complete the PMI-ACP® Exam.  This translates into 1.5 minutes per question.

How many times can I take the PMI-ACP® Exam?

PMI allows you three attempts to pass the PMI-ACP® exam.  If you can't pass it in three attempts PMI requires you to wait one year to test again.

Where in the NEWPORT NEWS area can I take the PMI-ACP® Exam?

The PMI-ACP® exam is take at a PearsonVue testing center.  You can locate a PearsonVue testing center in your area from their website:  www.PearsonVue.com.

Testing centers are typically associated with schools in the area and as such are open or closed in conjunction with their school calendar. 

Should I become a member of PMI?

Membership in PMI has many benefits.  Membership presently costs $129.00/year and generous discounts are available to students and retired professionals.  The most immediate benefit for becoming a member of PMI is the cost of membership plus taking the PMI-ACP® exam is slightly less than the cost of the test alone for non-members.  Red Rock recommends you become a member of PMI.

Where do I start my application for membership in PMI?

Apply for membership in PMI here

Where do I start my application for become a PMI-ACP®?

Apply for you PMI-ACP® application directly on PMI's website here.

How much does the PMI-ACP® Exam cost?

The PMI-ACP® Exam presently costs $435 for members, and $495 for non-members..

How much does membership in PMI cost?

Membership in PMI costs $129/year.  Generous discounts are available for students and retired professionals.

Should I start my PMI-ACP® application before coming to class?

Preferably, you should start your PMI-ACP® application and finish it before class begins.  This is because PMI can take up to 5 business days to respond to your application.  If you wait until class starts you will be pushing back the soonest you can take the test by at least 5 business days.  This being said, people sometimes do show up on day 1 without starting their application.

How can I show people I have passed the PMI-ACP? Is there an official PMI-ACP® registry?

Yes.  PMI maintains a public list of PMI-ACP® credential holders.  You can find it  here.

Is there a published curriculum the PMI-ACP® Exam is based on?

The PMI-ACP® is based on 11 books.   PMI has published the list here.  We have condensed the information in those books into our three day course.

What score is needed to pass the PMI-ACP® Exam?

PMI requires a 62% to pass the test.  Understand, though that this number should mean absolutely nothing to you because the test is difficult and structured with questions that are extremely tricky. 

What is needed to maintain a PMI-ACP® certification?

To keep your PMI-ACP® credential current you must demonstrate 30 professional development units (PDU's) of PMI-approved agile training during the next 3 years.  Most of Red Rock's courses count towards these.

PMI-ACP® Posts From Our Blog . . . more at Blog.RedRockResearch.com

 
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What are the Best Project Management Methodologies and Practices? (Feb 20, 2023)
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Where did the term "Gherkin" originate and get used with Agile User Stories? (Feb 17, 2023)
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A Summary of Common Software Development Life-cycles (Feb 15, 2023)
The software development life-cycle (SDLC) is the process of planning, designing, building, testing, and deploying software. There are various models for the SDLC, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the most common models: Waterfall model: The waterfall model  [...]

What is the PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner) (Feb 21, 2012)
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Project Management Institute Announces the PMI-ACP Certification (May 14, 2011)
Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) will be the designation of the new PMI Agile credential. PMI has decided to recognize the prevalence and effectiveness of Agile practices within the project management community and has constructed a tangible foundation of requirements and guidelines for es [...]

Book Review: Integrating Agile Development into the Real World (Nov 14, 2007)
Hooray, another book on Agile Development! In Integrating Agile Development in the Real World, Peter Schuh explains in depth how to get your team to adopt the Agile Development Model.Schuh covers several Agile Methodologies including the problems to watch out for during the process.I do have to s [...]

Agile Development and Government Contracts (Nov 13, 2007)
So I attended our SLC-based agile development forum yesterday. Alistair Cockburn was there, along with some other associates from around the valley. We discussed various successes and challenges with using the Agile Development Model for software development. One particular topic that became a [...]

 
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