Best PMI-ACP Study Guides: Prepare for Success

Preparing for the PMI-ACP Certification can feel like navigating a maze with your eyes closed. With the right PMI-ACP Study Guide as your roadmap, you can turn what seems daunting into a clear and exciting journey towards success in the PMI-ACP Exam.

This blog is your treasure map to the best PMI-ACP Study Guides available. Packed with detailed insights and practical tips, these guides are designed to equip you with the knowledge and confidence needed to excel as an Agile Project Manager. Let’s dive in to learn more!

Table of Contents 

1) Best PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner Study Guides 

    a) Agile Estimating and Planning by Mike Cohn 

    b) Agile Practice Guide 

    c) Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products by Jim Highsmith 

    d) User Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development 

    e) Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme 

     f) Kanban in Action 

2) Other Study Guides and handbooks 

3) Benefits of PMI ACP Study Guide 

4) Conclusion 

Best PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner Study Guides 

PMI offers a wide variety of ACP Study Guides for candidates. These guides give deep insights into the fundamental principles of Agile principles, tools, techniques, methodologies and frameworks. Additionally, it gives the questions, tricks and tips to prepare for the exam and mentors the candidate to attempt the exam confidently and successfully. 

Additionally, each PMI-ACP Study Guide differs from the others based on the study material. So, let’s have a detailed look at some of the PMI-ACP Guides and understand how they can be beneficial for the candidates.

Agile Estimating and Planning by Mike Cohn 

One of the popular books among ACP candidates is Agile Estimating and Planning, authored by Mike Cohn. This practical guide contains estimating and planning projects in an Agile environment. It significantly emphasises the issues faced by the professionals in planning projects like re-estimation, predicting progress rate, creating manageable chunks of work, etc.  

But it does not leave the candidates mid-way. The step-by-step solutions provided in the guide prepare them to answer practical questions in the examination. Therefore, it is helpful for candidates looking to expand their knowledge of working in an Agile Team.



 

Agile Practice Guide 

The Agile Practice Guide is another important book that assists candidates in preparing for the PMI-ACP Certification examination. It can become almost impossible for the candidates to appear for PMI’s ACP Certification examination if they haven’t referred to this book.  

Agile Practice Guide is aligned with PMI standards such as A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) 6th Edition. It helps the candidates understand, evaluate, and use Agile and hybrid Agile approaches holistically. It also guides them to understand when, where and how to apply the Agile methodology. Further, it includes tips on using various Agile Practitioner tools to improve agility. 

Note: Agile Practice Guide is free for PMI members. 

Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products by Jim Highsmith 

The Creating Innovative Solutions by Jim Highsmith is the most recommended Study Guide for PMI-ACP Examination candidates. It covers everything organised around the Agile Manifesto important for Project Leaders, Managers, and Executives.   

Highsmith has integrated the best Project and Product Management and Software Development practices into the Study Guide. Apart from that, the guide covers the following topics: 

1) Agile revolution impact on product development 

2) Recognising when do Agile methods work in Project Management and when they don't 

3) How to set realistic business objectives using Agile 

4) How to build an Agile mindset 

5) Optimising the five stages of the Agile project 

6) Agile processes used to scale Agile 

7) Agile project governance solutions for executives and management 

8) The “Agile Triangle” 

9) How do the roles of Project leaders change in Agile 

Therefore, for any experienced Agile professional looking to get certified with Agile, this is the go-to guide to prepare for the certification exam. 

User Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development 

As the name suggests, the User Stories Applied Study Guide is for individuals willing to transform into Software Development using Agile. Whether they are Software Developers, Testers, Analysts, and Managers working with any Agile method, this guide is an ultimate saviour for all. 

It is yet another Study Guide by Mike Cohn comprising a detailed explanation of the requirements process that saves time, eliminates rework and leads directly to better software. 

The User Stories Applied is a front-to-back blueprint that guides the candidates on writing the User Stories and knitting them into the development lifecycle. Further, it elaborates on organising, prioritising, and using User Stories for planning, management and testing. Additionally, the guide comprises the following: 

1) User role modelling 

2) Working with managers, trainers and salespeople 

3) Practice questions and exercises at the end of each chapter 

Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme 

The Traditional, Agile, Extreme is PMI’s ACP Study Guide by Robert Wysocki. It is a comprehensive Project Management guide, now available online in its 8th Edition. The new edition contains case studies, practice exercises and solutions for topics such as traditional, Agile and Extreme Project Management. While this guide’s first sections comprise Traditional Project Management approaches, the second part talks about the Extreme and the third about Agile Project Management. 

Further, the guide also includes a companion website with exercises and solutions in the form of PowerPoint slides. Therefore, it serves as a complete guide on Project Management for instructors and students as well as active Agile Project Managers.

Kanban in Action  

Candidates who want to understand the Kanban framework inside out should refer to the Kanban In Action Study Guide. The book is designed by two Kanban Coaches (Marcus Hammarberg and Joakim Sundén) using their real-world experience and observations. It consists of all the theoretical and practical concepts surrounding Kanban. The book is divided into three parts that are as follows: 

Part one: Basics of Kanban 

Part two: How to work with Kanban with examples 

Part three: Advanced Kanban (Planning and estimating, process improvement, Kanban pitfalls) 

It is a perfect book for Development Team members, including leaders, coders, and business stakeholders. The most exciting part is that the candidate appearing for the PMI-ACP examination requires no prior experience with Kanban. 

Learn how to address and remove impediments, obstacles, and blockers for the team with our PMP® Training course.

Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great

An Agile Retrospective is the best and potent tool that helps good teams be moved into great ones. "Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great" describes the best work of leading experts who, for years, have been at the cutting edge of worldwide adoption of Agile Retrospectives. According to the author says retrospection is very necessary in the process of today's uncertain and complex world. 

Retrospective conversations enable an honest and open talk in decision-making by the teams, from which the teams make decisions that ensure continuous improvement. This is a compendium full of real-life examples and hands-on techniques to design successful retrospectives. The book is meant for Team Leaders, Scrum Masters, and coaches. By using the wisdom shared in this book, teams can unlock their full potential and become truly great.

Agile Software Development: The Cooperative Game 

"Agile Software Development, Second edition" views Agile Software Development as a cooperative game. Cockburn's book remains the definitive, comprehensive update of the Agile development movement, and it contains new findings, scope suggestions, and lessons learned since its introduction. The author explores how Agile fits within organisations, how it can be blended with other ideas, and how it can be extended more broadly. The author dispels misconceptions that can lead to project failure and addresses the relationship between Agile methods and user experience design. 

Practical challenges, such as methodology construction and managing communication, are also discussed. Cockburn's book offers valuable contributions on topics like Agile and CMMI, introducing Agile from the top down and creating change through adaptability. Whether you're new to Agile or an experienced practitioner, this book will enhance your understanding and effectiveness in the cooperative game of Agile Software Development.

Coaching Agile Teams:

A Companion for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition "Coaching Agile Teams" by Lyssa Adkins unpacks the role of an Agile Coach in leading teams to deliver extraordinary performance. This pragmatic guide acknowledges the struggle of Scrum Masters and Project Managers aiming to transition into a coaching role, offering insights on adopting a new mindset. Adkins highlights the importance of knowing when to intervene and when to step back, fostering new skills to rejuvenate the work environment. 

Drawing from various disciplines, the book provides guidelines on effective coaching techniques and what doesn't work, including professional coaching and mentoring. It's invaluable for anyone aspiring to be a servant leader, including Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in transition, equipped with tools and techniques to help others achieve greatness. Ideal for those preparing for leadership roles, team members, or any role within an Agile context, it empowers and supports teams to reach their full potential.

Other Study Guides and handbooks 

Apart from the above-mentioned Study Guides, there are several other books and guides that can be helpful to the candidates planning to appear for the examination. These are available online and offline for the PMI-ACP Certification exam. So, let’s have a look at some of them in detail: 

PMI-ACP Exam Prep 

Mike Griffin designed this Study Guide to help the candidates prepare for the PMI’s Agile Certified Practitioner exam. It contains syllabus summaries, exercises, sample practice papers and more. It also comprises the key concepts of Agile, such as Value-driven delivery, Stakeholder engagement, Adaptive planning, etc. 

The PMI-ACP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try 

Written by Andy Crowe, this book covers everything for training purposes. Tips and tricks related to exam techniques, test strategies and practice questions in the book further help the students gain confidence. The book contains more than 300 exam questions, a glossary of the important Agile terminologies, and a section dedicated to test strategies. 

PMI–ACP Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner Exam Study Guide 

This exam Study Guide is a combination of review questions and answers and an exam essentials section containing major concepts. Each chapter of the book focuses on different aspects of Agile. Therefore, the candidates preparing for the exam using this guide can review their performance as they learn and practice. 

PMI-ACP Agile Certified Practitioner All-in-One Exam Guide 

This is another comprehensive guide for test preparation. It simplifies the entire exam objective for the candidates and provides a step-by-step guide on successfully setting up and configuring Agile Project Management Frameworks - based projects. It also consists of more than 240 practice questions with their in-depth explanations structured in the format of a live test. 

PMI-ACP Handbook and Exam Content Outline 

Explore the blog on PMI ACP Certification Requirements and take the next step toward becoming a certified Agile professional.

These handbooks are available for free on PMI’s official website. They are not handbooks or Study Guides; instead, they are documents or guidelines. Although they may seem like a set of instructions, they contain information about what is expected from you during the examination. Reading these documents will prepare you mentally for the logistics and processes surrounding the exam.

Benefits of PMI-ACP Study Guide 

Preparing for a PMI-ACP Examination can be overwhelming; in such scenarios, one needs a little assistance and the right material to help prepare. This is where PMI’s Study Guides come in. They not only act as a helping hand to the candidates but also advise on following the right direction. Therefore, these guides are of utmost benefit when seeking help for exams, offering valuable Benefits of PMI-ACP Certification. Here are some of the many other benefits that candidates can get from the PMI ACP Study Guides: 

1) The Study Guides contain a detailed explanation of each topic and even summaries for the students who are last-minute preparation kind of people. 

2) Some Study Guides are even dedicated to one topic entirely. These are particularly beneficial for candidates with no previous experience working with Agile Project Management. 

3) Practice questions, sample papers, and review questions and answers are further helpful in tracking what candidate has learned so far and where they need to improve. 

4) Study guides revolving around the practical aspects of Agile and containing practical assessments prepare the candidates to face the challenging questions in the examination. 

5) Most importantly, the tips and tricks provided in these guides help the candidate understand the examination pattern more clearly. They also get to know about the examiner’s perspective, therefore, instilling confidence to write the exam. 

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Conclusion 

Candidates preparing for the PMI-ACP Certification exam must consider seeking the help of the PMI-ACP Study Guides. These guides are not just topic-wise explanations of Agile concepts but a complete package to make the candidates exam ready. So, get your Study Guide now and pass the PMI-ACP exam with flying colours. 

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