ExamFinch.com My Study

Cheat sheet

CAPM Cheat Sheet

Practice this exam

PM Fundamentals

  • 36% of exam
  • Lifecycle Roles Planning Problem Tools Lifecycle Picker

Predictive Planning

  • 17% of exam
  • WBS Critical Path EVM Predictive Picker Predictive Controls

Agile Frameworks

  • 20% of exam
  • Scrum Kanban Adaptive Plan Agile Picker Agile Events

Business Analysis

  • 27% of exam
  • BA Roles Requirements Roadmaps Traceability BA Picker

Quick Facts

  • Questions 150 total
  • Scored 135 scored
  • Pretest 15 unscored
  • Time 180 min
  • Break After question 75
  • Eligibility Secondary degree plus 23h
  • Score Criteria-based
  • Renewal 3 years 15 PDUs

Domain Weights FU

  • Fund 36 | Pred 17 | Agile 20 | BA 27
  • Fundamentals largest BA second Agile third Predictive smallest

Project vs Operations FU

Project

  • Temporary
  • Unique result
  • Creates change

Operations

  • Ongoing
  • Repeatable
  • Runs business
  • Change vs sustain

Lifecycle Picker FU

  • Stable scope → Predictive
  • Changing scope → Adaptive
  • Mixed needs → Hybrid
  • Compliance heavy → Predictive
  • Fast feedback → Agile
  • Repeat work → Operations

Lifecycle FU

  • Project Temporary unique work
  • Program Related projects
  • Portfolio Strategic investment mix
  • Operations Ongoing repeat work
  • Predictive Plan upfront
  • Adaptive Evolve with feedback
  • Hybrid Mixed delivery approach
  • Phase gate Continue stop decision

RACI FU

  • Responsible does | Accountable owns
  • Consulted gives input Informed gets updates One accountable Many responsible

Risk vs Issue FU

Risk

  • May happen
  • Uncertain
  • Plan response

Issue

  • Happened now
  • Current problem
  • Resolve immediately
  • Future vs current

Planning FU

  • Scope Work boundaries
  • Schedule Work timing
  • Cost Budget control
  • Quality Acceptance fitness
  • Risk Uncertain event
  • Resources People materials
  • Stakeholders Affected parties
  • Closure Formal transition

Risk Flow FU

  • Identify | Analyze | Respond | Monitor
  • Threats negative Opportunities positive Owners assigned Triggers watched

Assumption vs Constraint FU

Assumption

  • Believed true
  • May fail
  • Validate later

Constraint

  • Known limit
  • Already binding
  • Plan within
  • Belief vs limit

Roles FU

  • PM Coordinates project work
  • Sponsor Funds champions
  • Team Performs project work
  • Customer Accepts deliverable
  • Leader Inspires direction
  • Manager Controls execution
  • Coach Develops people
  • Facilitator Guides collaboration

Leadership vs Management FU

Leadership

  • Inspire
  • Coach
  • Influence change

Management

  • Plan
  • Organize
  • Control work
  • People vs process

Problem Tools FU

  • Brainstorming Generate ideas
  • Focus group Guided feedback
  • Standup Short team sync
  • Meeting Decision forum
  • Root cause Find source
  • Decision matrix Weighted choice
  • Lessons learned Reusable knowledge
  • EQ Read people

EVM Lines PR

  • SV schedule | CV cost | CPI efficiency
  • SV uses PV CV uses AC Index over 1 good Negative variance bad

Milestone vs Duration PR

Milestone

  • Zero duration
  • Key marker
  • No work span

Duration

  • Time span
  • Activity length
  • Consumes calendar
  • Marker vs span

Predictive Picker PR

  • Break deliverables → WBS
  • Sequence work → Critical path
  • Measure progress → EVM
  • Change baseline → Change control
  • Set quality → Quality plan
  • Buy externally → Procurement plan

Predictive Controls PR

  • WBS Deliverable breakdown
  • Work package Lowest WBS level
  • Baseline Approved plan
  • Milestone Zero-duration marker
  • Duration Work time span
  • Critical path Longest path
  • Float Schedule slack
  • Variance Plan difference

EVM PR

  • PV Planned value
  • EV Earned value
  • AC Actual cost
  • SV EV minus PV
  • CV EV minus AC
  • SPI EV over PV
  • CPI EV over AC
  • ETC Remaining estimate

Predictive Artifacts PR

  • Charter Authorizes project
  • PM plan Integrated approach
  • Scope baseline Approved scope
  • Schedule baseline Approved timeline
  • Cost baseline Approved budget
  • Quality plan Quality approach
  • Risk register Risk log
  • Change log Change record

Predictive vs Agile AG

Predictive

  • Stable scope
  • Baselines
  • Upfront plan

Agile

  • Changing scope
  • Iterations
  • Feedback loops
  • Plan vs adapt

Agile Picker AG

  • Need flow → Kanban
  • Fixed sprints → Scrum
  • Coding discipline → XP
  • Enterprise scale → SAFe
  • Priority changes → Refinement
  • Stakeholder demo → Sprint review

Agile Basics AG

  • Scrum Sprint framework
  • Kanban Flow system
  • XP Engineering practices
  • SAFe Scaled agile
  • Iteration Timeboxed cycle
  • Increment Usable product slice
  • Timebox Fixed duration
  • Velocity Completed points

Agile Events AG

  • Product backlog Ordered work
  • Sprint backlog Sprint commitment
  • Sprint planning Select sprint work
  • Daily scrum Inspect progress
  • Sprint review Inspect increment
  • Retrospective Improve process
  • Refinement Prepare backlog
  • Burndown Remaining work trend

BA Flow BU

  • Need | Elicit | Trace | Validate
  • Start with need Capture requirements Trace coverage Validate delivery

PO vs PM BU

Product Owner

  • Backlog value
  • Prioritizes features
  • Accepts stories

Project Manager

  • Project coordination
  • Manages constraints
  • Enables delivery
  • Product vs project

BA Picker BU

  • Need context → Interviews
  • Many ideas → Workshop
  • Verify coverage → RTM
  • Sequence releases → Roadmap
  • Accept feature → Criteria
  • Validate users → UAT

BA Roles BU

  • Stakeholder Affected party
  • Process owner Owns process value
  • Process manager Runs process
  • Product manager Owns market direction
  • Product owner Owns backlog value
  • Business analyst Elicits requirements
  • Internal role Inside organization
  • External role Outside organization

Validation vs Verification BU

Validation

  • Right product
  • Meets needs
  • User acceptance

Verification

  • Built correctly
  • Meets specs
  • Quality check
  • Need vs spec

Requirements BU

  • User story User need format
  • Use case Interaction scenario
  • Interview One-on-one elicitation
  • Survey Broad input
  • Workshop Collaborative elicitation
  • Observation Watch actual work
  • Prototype Early model
  • RTM Traceability matrix

RTM vs Backlog BU

RTM

  • Trace requirements
  • Audit coverage
  • Controls scope

Backlog

  • Orders work
  • Changes often
  • Feeds iterations
  • Trace vs prioritize

BA Delivery BU

  • Roadmap Release direction
  • Release Delivered capability
  • Criteria Acceptance conditions
  • Validation Right product
  • Verification Built correctly
  • UAT User acceptance testing
  • Backlog Prioritized work
  • Ready Delivery prepared

Common Traps

Risk timing

  • Risk may happen ≠ Issue happened now

Change control

  • Assess impact ≠ Then decide

Gold plating

  • Extra unapproved ≠ Not customer delight

BA role

  • Elicit needs ≠ Not manage team

Agile tracking

  • Burndown remaining ≠ Velocity completed

Predictive plan

  • Baseline controls ≠ Not backlog order

Validation trap

  • Right product ≠ Not right process

Stakeholder trap

  • Identify early ≠ Update continuously

Last Minute

  • 1. Know 36 17 20 27
  • 2. CAPM has 135 scored
  • 3. Break locks first 75
  • 4. Future risk, current issue
  • 5. Stable scope favors predictive
  • 6. Changing scope favors agile
  • 7. WBS decomposes deliverables
  • 8. Critical path has zero float
  • 9. SV equals EV minus PV
  • 10. CV equals EV minus AC
  • 11. PO owns backlog value
  • 12. RTM traces requirements coverage
  • 13. Validate with users

CAPM Certified Associate in Project Management

  • Practice Questions 200 questions Study Guide 41 topics Cheat Sheet 96 facts Flashcards 50 cards Shorts 3 short s Videos 2 videos Blogs 2 blogs Free CE Podcast