PgMP: Program Management Professional Exam [With CDROM]

by Paul Sanghera

Book Overview

In this book, best selling author, Paul Sanghera, offers cohesive, concise, yet comprehensive coverage of all the topics included in the PgMP exam. With a laser sharp focus on the exam objectives, the Study Guide goes beyond just being an "exam cram." The material is presented in a logical learning sequence: a section builds upon previous sections and a chapter on previous chapters. All concepts, simple and complex, are defined and explained when...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0470139986
• ISBN13: 9780470139981
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Wiley Publishing
• Length: 449 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Very Useful and Helpful Book

I have found this book the best of all the available PgMP Study Guides. This is the only study guide that is organized around the official PgMP exam objectives by PMI. I also noticed that this is the only book that covers the tools and techniques for each program management process (Exam objectives require you to know the tools and techniques). All of us are entitled to our opinions, but I would take those reviews with a grain of salt that blast (trash) this book to advertise the competitor products. Here is my balanced view: you will do yourself a great service if you go through this book very carefully before taking the exam. Of course, you can use other resources and products as well. There are two other things that this book does and no other book on this topic does: 1.) It integrates the otherwise scattered information within the scope of the PgMP exam into one place and makes sense of it all (as some other reviewers noticed); 2.) The material is presented in such a logical way that while preparing for the exam, you also learn the basics of program management. That said, I agree with another reviewer that PgMP is a difficult exam. None of the resources is going to substitute for your experience. I highly recommend this book for the exam and also just for learning the basics of program management.

A Must for the PgMP Exam and a Must for all Program Managers

I've read this book from cover to cover and the PgMP exam? Tough! Been there, done that. My recommendation: this book is a must to prepare for the exam just like the Program Management Standard is. I'm puzzled at a couple of harshly negative reviews about this book: useless, waste of time, dry? These words do not describe this book....I have read other books from Dr. Paul Sanghera as well, and I love his style that puts life into even dead boring topics and make them interesting. Same is true about this book. All concepts are explained well and woven together, and there is a perfect logical flow...it's almost like reading a story... If the inputs and outputs for a process are re-organized to help you make sense, and explained why they are there, I think it's a feature and not a problem... I do agree however that the questions in the exam are much more difficult than the one in the book, but the book presents the material that you must know before taking the exam...In the exam, of course, your experience will count..no book can substitute for that...This material can be obtained from different references, scattered around...but the book does an excellent job to put all the pieces together and integrate them seamlessly... The author should be congratulated for that...Another great PLUS of this book is that it"s organized along the official exam specifications. Actually I would recommend this book even if you are not planning to take the exam; it's a great program management book, too.. All program managers should have it on their desk. Program Management Standard will make much more sense after reading this book.

An Order to a Chaos

To me, this book is an order to a perfect chaos of PGMP material. What I mean that the material required for the PgMP exam is scattered in bits and pieces across several references such as Program Management Standard (full), PgMP Exam Specifications (full), PMBOK 3rd Edition (pieces), Maturity models (pieces), and so on. This book integrates all the pieces seamlessly at one place, and by connecting the different concepts to each other creates a beautiful big picture of program management that makes sense. The author adds tons of value to the standard pieces. I commend the author for that. I personally don't care if the questions are easy or difficult (nothing is going to substitute for our experience); but the book presents the material required for the PgMP exam in an excellent way. I have gone through many program management books; none of those even come close to this remarkable book...Books like this one don't come that often...Exam or no Exam this book is a keep; a must have... Recommended highly.

Great PgMP Study Guide and a Fine Program Management Book

I'm a trainer in the fields of project management and program management and have found this book as the best not only for PgMP exam preparation but also for learning the basics of program management. First, for the PgMP Exam: The best strength of this book is that it follows and covers the official exam specifications by PMI very closely and thoroughly. Yes, if you have time you can go through different references such as, Program Management Standard (which you should go through any way), and relevant parts of other references such as PMBOK Guide 3rd Edition, OPM3 model doc, and some other references to learn the material covered by the PgMP exam as specified in the exam specifications. You can take the relevant pieces of information from these different resources and references and put them together, but it will take a lot of effort. This book integrates these pieces of information together in a seamless fashion. So, it's a great time saver. Bottom line: this book gives you the body of knowledge that the exam covers. That siad, no book can be a substitute for your experience. To pass the PgMP exam, you need the body of knowledge presented in this book PLUS your experience. Second, the program management: I agree with another reviewer that this is the first real book on program management (other than the program management standard, of course) that clearly distinguishes program management from project management and presents the relationship between them in a clear way. The basic concepts of program management are explained in a very clear way and the author offers comprehensive coverage in a cohesive fashion. I love the author's style of presentation. It makes learning easier and fun.

The First Real Book on Program Management

I find this book as the first real book on program management. I have read several books on program management that actually cover project management under the cover of program management. This book clearly distinguishes program management from project management and also clearly establishes the relationship between them. Then it covers all the program management topics with appropriate depth within the scope set by the PgMP Exam Specifications by PMI. It's written in the standard Sanghera Style (yes, I have read other books by this author), which I love. All concepts clearly defined from scratch, and their connection with each other clearly established. There is a perfect logical flow among the chapters and among the sections within each chapter. This makes the book easy to understand and also enjoyable to read. Each chapter starts with listing and explaining the PgMP Exam objectives covered in the chapter. Although the book has a very strong focus on the exam and follows the PgMP exam specifications thoroughly, it's not an exam cram. The preseantation style makes it an excellent referecne (text) book for program management as well. I'm planning to use it for my program management course. Highly recommended for the PgMP exam and also if you just want to learn basics of program management.