GAQM PPM study plan
GAQM PPM · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Project Management
Map the full GAQM PPM domain 1 blueprint into a one-page topic checklist, marking each subtopic as known, shaky, or unknown
Define the five process groups and ten knowledge areas and recite them from memory without notes
Distinguish project, program, and portfolio management with one original example of each
Draft a personal glossary of 25 core project management terms with your own definitions
Your checkpoint
A one-page blueprint checklist with every domain 1 subtopic rated known/shaky/unknown plus a 25-term personal glossary
Project Management
Explain the role and responsibilities of a project manager versus a functional manager and sponsor
Compare predictive, agile, and hybrid delivery approaches and state when each fits
Describe the purpose of a project charter and list the inputs needed before it is approved
Identify the components of a project management plan and how subsidiary plans interlock
Your checkpoint
A two-page comparison table of delivery approaches and a one-page charter outline with inputs, components, and approval gate
Project Management
Build a stakeholder register for a realistic scenario and classify stakeholders by power and interest
Sequence the steps of scope planning from requirements collection through work breakdown structure decomposition
Practice decomposing a deliverable into at least three WBS levels with a work package definition
Explain scope creep versus approved change and how a change control process handles each
Your checkpoint
A stakeholder register with at least 10 entries and a three-level WBS for one scenario, both self-reviewed against source material
Project Management
Construct a precedence diagram from a 12-activity list and compute early and late start and finish dates
Calculate total float and critical path for that network and verify the result twice
Convert a network into a Gantt-style schedule with dependencies and milestones
Explain schedule compression techniques and their trade-offs
Your checkpoint
A solved 12-activity network diagram with forward and backward pass values, identified critical path, and a written float check
Project Management
Estimate activity costs using three techniques and compare the resulting ranges
Build a cost baseline with a cumulative S-curve and contingency reserve
Compute cost variance, schedule variance, cost performance index, and schedule performance index for two worked examples
Interpret earned value results and forecast estimate at completion using at least two formulas
Your checkpoint
A worked earned value worksheet with two scenarios, showing all formulas, computations, and a one-paragraph interpretation of each
Project Management
Distinguish quality planning, quality assurance, and quality control with an example activity for each
Identify the seven basic quality tools and match each to a problem it solves
Outline a resource management plan covering roles, responsibility assignment, and team development stages
Describe communication channels, communication methods, and how to plan communications for a distributed team
Your checkpoint
A quality and resource one-pager mapping each quality tool and team development stage to a concrete project situation
Project Management
Rank project risks using a probability and impact matrix and assign response strategies to the top five
Differentiate risk response strategies for threats versus opportunities
Sequence procurement processes from make-or-buy analysis through contract closure and name contract types
Explain how integration management ties planning, execution, and change control together
Your checkpoint
A risk register with at least 10 risks, scored and plotted on a probability-impact matrix, plus a response strategy for each of the top five
Project Management
Re-rate every domain 1 subtopic on the week 1 checklist and close remaining unknown items
Complete two timed practice sets and log every missed item with the underlying concept
Re-teach the five weakest concepts aloud in under two minutes each without notes
Review formulas and definitions from the personal glossary until recall is automatic
Your checkpoint
An updated blueprint checklist showing all subtopics at known or reviewed, plus an error log with corrective notes for every missed practice item
Milestones
Week 2: Can recite the five process groups and ten knowledge areas from memory and explain project versus program versus portfolio without notes
Week 4: Can build a precedence network from a raw activity list and identify the critical path with correct forward and backward pass values
Week 6: Can compute and interpret cost and schedule performance indices and forecast estimate at completion from a short scenario
Week 8: Every domain 1 subtopic is rated known or reviewed on the blueprint checklist, and the error log shows no repeated concept misses