O’reilly Head First PMP is the book I chose to review today.
The complete title of the book is:
O’Reilly Head First PMP: A Learner’s Companion to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam 4th Edition by Jennifer Greene and Andrew Stellman.
Let’s face it!
PMP exam is tough and PMBOK is dull.
You need a book that helps you pass the exam and explain the PMBOK topics in an engaging way.
This book is one of my top choices for passing the PMP exam besides Rita Mulcahy’s PMP book. (I personally would recommend studying both books).
Besides the topics explanations, I love the book for its visuals rich illustrations.
I’m a visual learner but aren’t we all?.
If you are a visual person, don’t look for any other book for your PMP exam preparation.
But, it’s not just the visual rich appearance of the content in the book that makes it one of the best book for PMP exam preparation.
Many terms and topics of Project Management have been extensively explained in a layman’s and easy to understand language.
Head First PMP Book Review
I have read almost every book for my PMP exam, as I was preparing for the exam in 2009.
Believe me, almost all the books follow a set standard of following the PMBOK and slightly explaining the concept.
Head First PMP is different, it took a completely different approach.
It has explained every concept of the PMBOK in great detail and further clarify project management terms and topics quite thoroughly, along with practical real-world examples.
PMBOK is difficult and it’s not easy to understand and grasp its concepts.
PMP Head First guide has made it easy, fun, and entertaining to learn and apply the concepts.
Aside from visuals, the book is filled with games, exercises, and quizzes.
I would encourage to use them, as they help burn the concepts in mind and will better prepare you for the exam.
Every chapter ends with free exam questions, giving you an opportunity to test your knowledge and understanding of the topics explained in the chapter.
Latest Edition of Head First PMP
As a user, you might ask: What is the latest edition of head first PMP?
Many aspirants confuse the PMBOK book edition with the PMP Head First guide edition.
Let me clarify that for you:
- PMBOK 6th edition is the latest edition. (It’s updated every four to five years, the 6th edition was updated in 2017 and the 7th version might come in – 2021 or 2022).
- Head First PMP 4th edition is the latest edition of the brain-friendly title for PMP Exam updated 2018, and therefore is 100% aligned with the latest edition of PMBOK 6th edition.
In short look for this title:
Head First PMP: A Learner’s Companion to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam 4th Edition 2018.
Let me help you further; just get a copy from Amazon using the links below.
Head First PMP Paper Back / hard format copy:
You can get a hard form copy Amazon by either clicking on the link or by clicking on the image. I would prefer a hard copy of the book over a soft version.
Head First PMP Kindle:
I’m a bit lazy but there’s a kindle version available for the book and you can get it from the links given.
Head First PMP pdf:
It seems there’s no downloadable pdf available for this guide.
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2FAsk4M
PMP Head First 4 Cons:
- As it’s noticed with the previous versions of brain-friendly head first PMP guides, many of the titles is not updated with the latest versions of PMBOK.
- 900+ pages make the book too long.
- Many Project Managers will find the content of the book to be overwhelming.
- Project Management is a serious topic and many professional’s finds the book to be too cartoonish and they might take the illustrations to be not serious.
(I personally don’t blame them, if they haven’t read any title from the brain-friendly approach, which is based on the latest cognitive and neuro techniques, they might carry such feelings).
PMP Head First 4 Faqs:
Is Head First PMP Book enough to pass PMP exam?
Many PMP certified professionals have used the book with PMBOK and they pass.
I would, however, prefer and suggest to use it with Rita Mulchay’s book for increasing the chances of passing the exam. I have also previously written a blog post on 5 best books for PMP exam preparation.
Can I use this brain-friendly book for CaPM Exam?
There’s no O’reilly brain-friendly title available for CaPM, so it can be safely used for CaPM Exam Preparation as well.
Can I use this book for general Project Management?
Of course, the book has explained certain topics in great detail with plenty of examples, questions & answers, and quizzes to further clarify the terms.
In conclusion:
We know the PMBOK Guide is dry and boring.
This book is a breath of fresh air in consuming all the terms, topics, and jargons of PMBOK and Project Management in a brain-friendly way, helping aspirants and professionals alike to understand, memorize, and implement the knowledge in their projects and pass their PMP exam as well.
Although I mentioned PMP Exam and Head First PMP Guide many times, it, however, won’t be fair to describe it as a source for learning and passing the PMP exam only.
It’s a great resource for Team Leads, Project Manager’s, Consultants, Business Analyst, and even students who wish to brush up their knowledge of Project Management.
The visual nature of the book keeps away the dullness of the subject and make it more interesting to read the concepts in a fun and engaging way as if you are reading a novel or a magazine.
Though we have emphasized the visual aspect of the book, it’s written quite comprehensively and each chapter is ended with problems, quizzes, and mock exam questions.
Though 900+ pages are long enough, the authors have combine text book and work book into this one comprehensive book and if combined with PMBOK, it could be the only indispensable source for passing the daunting exam.
Over to You.
If you have read the previous or updated version of this amazing book, I would love to know your views, thoughts, and feedback.
Please share them in the comments below!
