Customer Rating:  
Summary: Good but not enough
Comment: PMP In Depth: Project Management Professional Study Guide for PMP and CAPM Exams (In Depth)
I read through this book three times before my first PMP exam. But I failed the exam. It is a good reference book but not good enough to let me pass the exam. I'm reading Rita's PMP EXAM PREP which should prepare me to pass the PMP exam.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A valuable reference for the PMP exam
Comment: Very logical presentation of the PMBOK material. I've read a lot of the PMBOK and have to admit that Sanghera's book does present the things you should know for the PMP exam in a much easier model to understand. His approach follows the sequencing you might experience during a real project and I like his style which emphasises important concepts multiple times throughout a chapter. The book is weak on practice exams and project communications, but there are other books and materials for that.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Passed the PMP Exam on the First Try: It works
Comment: Thanks to this book and the PMP Exam Quicklet; I passed the PMP exam on the first try. Regardless which study guide you use, you have to read the PMBOK Guide as well. These three books together is all you need to pass the PMP exam. The real bonus of using this book is that it really builds the big picture of project management for you piece by piece in a very logical fashion. I love the presentation style of the author. Just enough detail and perfect logical sequence; very cohesive. I like the fact that it's a self-contained book that I was able to read without the help of any other book: all concepts are defined right there. From the exam's perspective it stays focused on the exam objectives as each chapter starts with a list of exam objectives that the chapter covers.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Could Be a Little Clearer
Comment: Like most other reviewers, I found the book well organized. Occasionally, however, in an effort to move through the material quickly, he omits a definition for the topic he is introducing.
For example: Project Objectives (p.57) is introduced as follows: "A project might include a variety of obectives, such as...The objectives might also include..." That's great. But what is an objective?
Customer Rating:
Summary: Paul's or Rita's Book: My Experience
Comment: Excuse my English, but here my take. Both Dr. Paul Sanghera's PMP in Depth and Ms. Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep are great books and have their pros and cons. That said I largely prepared from Dr. Sanghera's PMP in Depth and PMP Exam Quicklet (for practice exams), and PMBOK Guide....and had no trouble in passing the exam on the first try. My opinion: instead of taking sides and being inflammatory or malicious, I should be thankful that we have great minds like Ms. Mulcahy, Dr. Sanghera, and Mr. Crowe in our field of project management and therefore a great selection of books. Because some other reviewers talk about Dr. Sanghera and Ms. Mulcahy books, I say both books have positive and negative and I have unbiased review of both, of course my experience:
Strengths of Dr. Paul Sanghera's book (PMP in Depth):
1. Book organized according to the exam specifications, which is also close to the way the actual projects are run.
2. The book closely follows the exam specifications...Exam objectives given in the beginning of each chapter that covers them...(Most of the books including Ms. Mulcahy's book don't do that). This way I know where in the exam preparation I am...builds confidence. Some reviewers complains this or that knowledge are not covered...but it's not true...they may be looking according to knowledge areas..but here the coverage is according to official exam spec...the way it should be...For example excellent coverage of cost management in Chapter 7.
3. Self contained. Explains all concepts from scratch in easy to understand way...and then goes into enough depth. Definition introduced in the chapter listed at chapter end. It helps.
4. Not just lists input and output for processes, also explains why these inputs and outputs there...this makes memorizing easier...
5. Perfect logical flow in presentation of the material...it's like telling a story...make connection between different concepts and build the big picture..this way you remember everything without making much effort because everything makes sense...I have used Dr. Sanghera's other books to pass some IT certifications as well...he's a master of making difficult concepts easy to understand without compromising accuracy and building big picture by connecting different concepts...logical flow...etc.
6. Very helpful index, good book quality, and excellent writing style. Writing style and presentation makes it a good project management book, and not only just an exam book.
Weak points of Dr. Sanghera's Book:
1. One or two topics not covered in as much detail as I wish they could...That could be because this book follows exam spec very closely.
2. Some questions at chapter ends are simple...However, they help me to test myself if I understand the material in the chapter...Here, Dr. Sanghera's PMP Exam Quicklet helped me because most of the questions there are very close to the exam questions...
Strong points of Ms. Rita Mulcahy's book (PMP Exam Prep):
1. Quite a few exercises and tips.
2. Some difficult and hard to answer questions...but from exam perspective, it makes the questions artificially difficult..and not realistic....
3. A good course book under the guidance of an instructor.
4. Ms. Mulcahy has a great way of explaining things with authority.
5. Lots of questions.
Weak Points of Ms. Rita Mulcahy's book:
1. Not self contained. Lots of references to PMBOK. That obviously means it does not cover everything...Some topics left out..others not much detail...I guess the assumption is that this book is used by an instructor...may not be very good for independent study...
2. It organized according to the PMBOK Guide, and not according to the exam spec...Does not tell which exam objectives a chapter covers..this approach suitable for the CAPM exam but not for the PMP exam.
3. Exam questions are either simpler than the actual exam questions or artificially difficult.
4. Looks like a thicker book...but lots of empty pages and advertizement pages...
5. Not much flow...hops from topic to topic...
6. Very high priced...
Overall both (Dr. Sanghera's and Ms. Mulcahy's) books are great books. If you can afford to buy both, you don't need another book to pass the PMP exam.
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