PMI ACP is one of the in-demand specialization certifications offered by PMI. It is associated with agile methodologies and frameworks which has guaranteed its place as one of the most sought-after certifications for agile practitioners and aspirants.
Recently, on 8th November 2024, PMI revamped the ACP Exam Outline to align the course structure with the new trends in agile methods. Read this blog to learn about the PMI ACP Syllabus change and everything you need to know to prepare effectively.
What is PMI ACP?
PMI ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner) is a prestigious credential based on agile best practices. It evaluates your competency in understanding agile methodologies like Kanban, Scrum, and Lean. It also ensures you are well equipped to use those to provide real-time solutions to any organization.
Agile is amongst the prominent project management approach organizations use to deliver projects effectively. It emphasizes delivering projects in short increments, iteratively. Since the product is delivered in a phased manner, the feedback loops with project stakeholders are closed promptly. This ensures higher product quality, and customer satisfaction, as well as decreases the overall project duration by working on improvements right away.
Thus, the success rate of Agile projects has paved the way for upskilling in these methods, opening doors for specific Agile certifications like the PMI ACP.
PMI ACP Certification is of significant value to professionals across different industries, such as technology, finance, healthcare, and more. Organizations often view the certification as an important validation for agile skills. As businesses try to follow more robust models of working efficiently and prioritize faster project deliveries, PMI ACP-certified professionals remain sought-after resource persons.
Why Did PMI Update the PMI-ACP Exam Outline?
PMI decided to update the ACP Exam Outline after conducting a Global Practice Analysis (GPA). The Global Practice Analysis (GPA) is a foundational research process that the PMI conducts periodically to stay current with their project management certifications. The GPA involves extensive research, job task analysis, and reviews from agile practitioners worldwide, which helped PMI understand the skill gap in agile work environments. Insights from this are reflected in the new PMI ACP syllabus.
Recent GPA findings pointed to the rise of remote teams, the increasing complexity of cross-functional collaboration, and the integration of agile beyond IT into areas like product development and marketing. The gathered data also provided deeper insights into emerging trends, demands, and possibilities within agile.
The updated PMI ACP exam content outline is designed to reach a wider audience, by catering to all kinds of agile professionals and making the barrier to entry smaller. Thus, PMI updated the Exam Outline to better reflect the change in market trends and make you a better agile practitioner.
PMI ACP Exam Format
The PMI ACP exam assesses a candidate’s proficiency level in agile project management and delivery across various industries. PMI has divided the learning objectives into three areas – domain, tasks, and enablers. Here’s a breakdown to help you understand the PMI ACP syllabus better:
Domains: They are broad knowledge areas in agile project management, each containing essential concepts and skills for effective agile practice.
Task: Within each domain, the listed tasks define the specific outcomes or associated proficiency expected from candidates. Essentially, Tasks are goals you need to accomplish in each domain.
Enablers: Under each task, the enablers are listed to provide the candidates with the essential tools and techniques to get them done.
Earlier, the PMI ACP Exam outline consisted of 7 Domains which further contained Subdomains and Tasks. Consequently, the 2024 PMI ACP syllabus change follows a much similar format as that of PMI’s most prominent certification – the PMP certification.
PMI ACP Domains and Their Focus Areas
As of the most recent revision to the PMI ACP syllabus in 2024, the exam format is structured into 4 key domains, each with its assigned weightage:
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Domain 1: Mindset (28%)
This domain focuses on your ability to understand and apply the agile mindset in practice. Additionally, it highlights responsibilities such as fostering a cohesive work environment, promoting open communication and teamwork, establishing a shared vision and clear working agreements, and making your project team efficient. They use retrospective insights to enhance team dynamics and reduce organizational silos. The ECO states that a strong mindset is essential for agile project management as it fosters flexibility and a commitment to continuous improvement. Here, the ultimate goal is to ensure that practitioners can apply agile values across different project types and team dynamics, an area heavily emphasized in the 2024 update.
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Domain 2: Leadership (24%)
Leadership is key in guiding agile teams. This domain assesses your ability to lead by example, foster collaboration, and guide in an agile environment. The domain competency needs the application of systems thinking for the practitioners to classify scenarios and assess risks. The scope of this domain of the PMI ACP syllabus includes tasks like empowering teams, facilitating problem resolution, promoting knowledge sharing, promoting an agile mindset and practices, promoting a shared vision, and facilitating conflict management.
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Domain 3: Product (19%)
The product domain deals with your knowledge of delivering value to customers. It includes creating a shared vision of the product, managing product backlogs, and understanding the role of the product owner. You will be evaluated on your ability to prioritize features and manage customer expectations effectively. Also, working knowledge of agile methodologies like Scrum, Kanban, and Lean is also essential to master this domain. Key tasks in this domain include refining product backlog, managing increments, visualizing work, and managing value delivery.
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Domain 4: Delivery (28%)
The delivery domain of the PMI ACP syllabus evaluates your practical skills in delivering agile projects. Topics covered here include sprint planning, continuous integration, iterative cycles, and the management of deliverables. It reinforces the importance of time-boxing, sprint reviews, and the ability to assess and measure progress via agile metrics. The tasks that enable the delivery domain are as follows – seeking early feedback, managing agile metrics, managing impediments and risks, recognizing and eliminating waste, performing continuous improvement, actively engaging customers, and optimizing flow.
The Revised PMI ACP Syllabus: Key Takeaways
Transition Timeline: The old exam format was available until November 7, 2024, with the revised format launched on November 8, 2024. Plan your preparation accordingly.
Streamlined Domains: The updated PMI ACP syllabus consolidates 7 domains into 4 domains: Mindset, Leadership, Product, and Delivery. This makes the structure more focused and practical.
Increased Training Hours: To qualify, candidates must now complete 28 hours of formal training in agile practices. This is an increase from the previous requirement of 21 hours.
Updated Experience Requirements:
- Previous Requirement: 12 months of general project experience (last 5 years) and 8 months of agile project experience (last 3 years).
- New Requirement: Candidates need 2 years of agile project experience within the last 5 years.
Reduced Experience Pathway: Professionals with a recognized third-party agile certification or a PMI Global Accreditation Center (GAC) program qualification can meet the requirement with just 1 year of agile experience.
Exam Duration Unchanged: The exam retains its 3-hour duration and 120-question structure, ensuring familiarity for test-takers.
Updated Question Types: The November 2024 exam outline now has multiple-choice questions, multiple responses, drag-and-drop items, and exhibits. These will test the practical application of Agile skills.
PDUs for Certification Maintenance: The requirement to earn 30 Professional Development Units (PDUs) every three years remains unchanged, supporting ongoing professional growth.
No Change in Exam Fees: The cost of the exam will stay consistent with the current pricing, providing transparency for budgeting.
PMI ACP Exam Prep 101 – Essential Resources
If you plan to take the PMI ACP exam soon and need guidance on navigating the PMI ACP syllabus change, we are here to help you. Read this section to learn about some essential resources that can help you ace the PMI ACP Exam.
PMI ACP Training: PMI has notified its ATPs about the PMI ACP Exam Outline revisions. So, the ATPs are prepared with new learning material and effective teaching techniques. Yet, you must first know your requirements and your availability. Then, you can choose a training institute for the PMI ACP Course.
Prothoughts is one of the leading PMI ATPs, more so for PMI’s agile certifications. We offer training sessions to coincide with the most recent PMI ACP exam outline. Additionally, we provide an opportunity for hands-on learning through case studies and group discussions. Our courses combine instructor-led workshops, self-paced learning, and access to study materials and practice assessments.
Mock Exams: Another useful resource is taking PMI ACP practice exams or mock tests. These resources will prepare you for the exam and show where you need more revisions. The practice exams are designed to mirror the actual exam format. They are an excellent way to test your knowledge of the PMI ACP syllabus. Mock Exams are useful for identifying weak areas and time constraints, helping you better your test-taking strategy.
PMI ACP Eligibility:
To be eligible to sit for the PMI ACP Exam, candidates should check for some prerequisites which are stated below
| Requirement Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Educational Background | Secondary diploma (high school diploma, GED, associate’s degree, or global equivalent) |
| Professional Learning | 28 hours of formal training in agile practices, frameworks, and methodologies (21 hours accepted until March 31, 2025) |
| Professional Agile Experience | 2 years of agile experience within the past 5 years OR 1 year of agile experience and: A degree from a PMI Global Accreditation Center (GAC) program, OR An active third-party agile certification held for more than 1 year, OR An active PMP® Certification |
| Additional Notes | PMI certification holders (e.g., PgMP®) can count recent agile/hybrid experience toward the requirements (it must have been within the past five years). |
Conclusion
Through this blog, we have tried to sum up the details required for you to start preparing for the recent PMI ACP syllabus change. PMI has shifted the ACP certification to focus more on agile core skills. Now, it covers four priority areas: mindset, leadership, product, and delivery. To sum it up, the recent update in PMI-ACP exam content marks PMI’s response to the agile industry’s future demands. As a result, it only paves your path further in career upskilling.
We hope this helps. Good luck!
