2. What the IPMA-D exam looks like

The IPMA-D exam tests knowledge from the ICB4 and the ability to apply that knowledge to a described situation. Those who know the set-up divide their time better and waste no marks on misread questions. That last point is no small detail: candidates who fail usually do know the material.

The exam in two parts

The exam falls into two parts, each asking something different of you. In the multiple-choice part it is about recognition: which definition belongs to which concept, which phase delivers which product, which control aspect from TGKIO applies here. Those questions are short and you have little time for each one.

The second part works with a case description of a project. You are given open questions that force you to make choices and substantiate them. Expect to have to calculate a network to determine the critical path, set up part of a Work Breakdown Structure or formulate a risk in the form of cause-event-consequence. Chapter 4 of this free course deals with exactly the first of these.

What the assessor looks for

In the open questions, assessors look at three things. Correct terminology: you use the terms as the ICB4 and the common methods use them, not your own wording from the company where you work. What you call "the weekly figures" is a progress report in the exam. Link to the case study: a generally correct answer without any reference to the given situation scores fewer points than an answer that cites the details of the case. And visible intermediate steps: in calculation questions your forward and backward pass both count. Writing down only an end date is risky.

Knowledge questions and application questions

A knowledge question asks for reproduction: which phases does the six-phase model have, which five control aspects do you distinguish, what is the difference between a milestone and an activity. You answer such a question briefly and completely. If five aspects are asked for, you name five, even if you could explain three of them in detail.

A application question is tied to a case. You are given a description of a situation of ten to thirty lines, followed by a series of questions you can only answer properly if you refer back to the case. The answer "you draw up a risk log" earns few points. The answer in which you identify two risks from the case in the form of cause-event-consequence, with a measure and an owner for each risk, does earn points.

Calculation questions on networks and progress

Calculation questions usually give you a list of activities with durations and predecessors, or a table with PV, EV and AC on a cut-off date. You are then asked to determine the critical path, to calculate the float of an activity, or to work out the SPI and CPI and interpret them.

This is how you tackle such a question. Draw first, then calculate: you copy the network or the schedule onto scrap paper before you start calculating. Calculation errors almost always arise because someone starts working out figures straight in the table. Noting intermediate steps: if your final answer is wrong you still get points for sound reasoning, but only if that reasoning is on paper. Stating the unit: working days, hours or euros; a bare figure without a unit cannot be assessed. And interpreting the result: almost every calculation question has a follow-up question that asks for interpretation.

Signal words in the question

The verbs in the question determine what the assessor ticks off. Four of them keep coming back. With name or give a list is sufficient; no explanation needed, but do give the number asked for. For describe or explain give one or two sentences of content per point: what it involves and what it is for. For substantiate or justify give a reason for each point that you link to the case; without "because" you lose marks here. And for calculate you give a figure plus the unit plus your intermediate steps. Adding an explanation in words takes ten seconds and often saves you half a mark.

A study plan that counts down

Counting back from the exam date works better than planning forward from today. That way you know exactly how many weeks you have and which topics come up in which week. Eight weeks of three hours a week is enough for most candidates, provided those hours are genuinely available.

Your brain retains more from short and repeated than from long and one-off. A three-hour block on Sunday evening yields less than three one-hour blocks spread across the week. So divide your study time as follows: schedule fixed slots and put them in your diary as an appointment with a start and end time, not as an intention. Start every block with revision: five minutes looking back at the previous session, with the book closed; whatever you cannot recall is today's study material. Alternate reading with doing: after each chapter you answer three practice questions, because passive reading gives a sense of mastery that does not hold up. And keep an error log: for each mistake you note down what you thought and what the correct answer was. In the final week you study only that log.

The mock exam under exam conditions is the most important checkpoint in your entire preparation. It lets you practise two things: the material and your pace. Candidates who fail usually know the material well enough, but never get to the last case study. After the mock exam, go through your work and divide your mistakes into three categories: knowledge gaps, reading errors and lack of time. Each category calls for a different measure. You fill a knowledge gap by studying, you address a reading error by reading more slowly and highlighting, and you tackle lack of time with a tighter time budget per question.

Summary

• The exam consists of two parts: multiple-choice questions in which you recognise, and open questions on a case study in which you apply.
• In the case part you can expect a network calculation, a section of a WBS or a risk in the form of cause-event-effect.
• The number of questions, the duration and the pass mark are set by the examination body. Obtain the current exam guide and note the details on a single sheet of A4.
• Assessors look for correct terminology, a link to the case study and visible intermediate steps.
• The four signal words: name (a list), describe (one or two sentences per point), justify (a reason from the case for each point) and calculate (figure, unit and intermediate steps).
• For calculation questions, first draw, note the intermediate steps, add the unit and interpret the result.
• Underline every figure, date, name and role in the case before you read the questions.
• Count your study plan back from the exam date: short repeated blocks, an error log and a mock exam under timed conditions, two weeks before the date.
• Divide the mistakes from your mock exam into knowledge gaps, reading errors and lack of time; each category calls for a different measure.