We only learned today, that the PMI obviously sent out information that many people (including us) misread. We all believed that the new PMP exam starts on June 30th but it turns out that it starts on July 1st. Here is the email we received from the PMI today:

You may start studying the PMBOK 4^th Edition depending on your planned test date.

 

Below is a general point of reference for when to start using the PMBOK 4^th Edition for study purposes:

 

 

Exam	Planned Date to sit for exam	Study Recommendation
PMP®	Prior to 30 June 2009	PMBOK® Guide – Third Edition
PMP®	After 30 June 2009	PMBOK® Guide –Fourth Edition
CAPM®	Prior to 31 July 2009	PMBOK® Guide – Third Edition
CAPM®	After 31 July 2009	PMBOK® Guide –Fourth Edition
PMI-SP	Prior to 31 August 2009	PMBOK® Guide – Third Edition
PMI-SP	After 31 August 2009	PMBOK® Guide –Fourth Edition
PMI-RMP	Prior to 31 August 2009	PMBOK® Guide – Third Edition
PMI-RMP	After 31 August 2009	PMBOK® Guide –Fourth Edition

 

Please note that standards are only one reference in the full project management body of knowledge, therefore a sudden change in the examination does not occur.

When you read the above table you will notice that the PMI managed to "forget" to say what happens ON June 30th. So I wrote to the PMI and asked what PMBOK Guide version the exam will be based on for exams on June 30th. Here is their answer.

If you take the exam ON June 30, 2009, it will be on the PMBOK 3rd edition.  It's the last day anyone can take a PMP exam on this version of the PMBOK.

 Frankly, if communication is 90% of what we do and the largest professional organization has such trouble communicating these simple facts correctly then I'm not surprised that so many projects fail... ;-)