The PMI Examination Content Outline (ECO) is the PMP syllabus. Every exam question maps to a specific task. Map your practice-question miss rate to this table to find your exact gaps.
The ECO has 3 domains and 35 tasks:
- Domain I, People (42%), 14 tasks
- Domain II, Process (50%), 17 tasks
- Domain III, Business Environment (8%), 4 tasks
Domain I: People (42%, 14 tasks)
| # | Task | What it tests | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Manage conflict | Identify conflict stage (Speed Leas). Pick the right technique: collaborate, compromise, smooth, force, or withdraw. Apply servant leadership. | HIGH |
| 1.2 | Lead a team | Set vision. Support diversity. Pick leadership style. Inspire the team. | HIGH |
| 1.3 | Support team performance | Appraise performance. Give feedback. Track growth. | Medium |
| 1.4 | Empower team members | Organize around strengths. Give team members decision authority. | Medium |
| 1.5 | Ensure team is trained | Find competency gaps. Allocate training. Measure results. | Medium |
| 1.6 | Build a team | Assess skills. Identify gaps. Plan knowledge transfer. | Medium |
| 1.7 | Remove blockers | Find blockers early. Reprioritize to unblock. Escalate when needed. | HIGH |
| 1.8 | Negotiate agreements | Clarify needs. Align objectives. Reach a win-win outcome. | Medium |
| 1.9 | Work with stakeholders | Assess engagement needs. Build alignment. Build trust. | HIGH |
| 1.10 | Build shared understanding | Reduce ambiguity. Reach consensus. Explore options. | Medium |
| 1.11 | Engage virtual teams | Adapt to virtual context. Pick the right tools. Keep team engaged. | Medium |
| 1.12 | Set ground rules | Define team norms. Form a team charter. Enforce the rules. | Low |
| 1.13 | Mentor stakeholders | Identify growth chances. Give mentoring time. | Low |
| 1.14 | Use emotional intelligence | Read behavior. Analyze motivators. Apply EI to team dynamics. | Medium |
Key insight: Tasks 1.1, 1.2, 1.7, and 1.9 likely account for 60%+ of People-domain questions. Weight your study here.
Domain II: Process (50%, 17 tasks)
| # | Task | What it tests | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Deliver business value | Assess delivery approach. Favor incremental value. Cut waste. | HIGH |
| 2.2 | Manage communications | Analyze needs. Pick methods. Send the message. Confirm it landed. | HIGH |
| 2.3 | Assess and manage risks | Find risk options. Build a risk register. Treat risks. Iterate. | HIGH |
| 2.4 | Engage stakeholders | Analyze and group stakeholders. Build an engagement plan. | HIGH |
| 2.5 | Manage budget and resources | Estimate costs. Plan reserves. Track variances. | Medium |
| 2.6 | Manage schedule | Estimate tasks. Use benchmarks. Track progress. Adjust as needed. | Medium |
| 2.7 | Manage quality | Set quality standards. Review deliverables. Apply QA and QC. | Medium |
| 2.8 | Manage scope | Gather requirements. Break down scope. Monitor and validate. | HIGH |
| 2.9 | Integrate planning | Consolidate plans. Check dependencies. Close gaps. | Medium |
| 2.10 | Manage changes | Anticipate change. Pick a strategy. Execute. Evaluate the result. | HIGH |
| 2.11 | Manage procurement | Pick a contract type. Define approach. Execute the strategy. | Low |
| 2.12 | Manage artifacts | Define artifact needs. Validate. Assess continuously. | Low |
| 2.13 | Choose methodology | Assess project needs. Recommend predictive, iterative, or agile. | HIGH |
| 2.14 | Set governance | Define governance for the project. Set escalation paths. | Medium |
| 2.15 | Manage issues | Spot risks becoming issues. Act fast. Assess impact. | Medium |
| 2.16 | Transfer knowledge | Clarify responsibilities. Outline expectations. Confirm handoff. | Low |
| 2.17 | Close the project | Define closure criteria. Validate readiness. Wrap up activities. | Medium |
Key insight: Tasks 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.8, 2.10, and 2.13 cover most Process-domain questions. Task 2.13 (methodology choice) is heavy in hybrid questions.
Domain III: Business Environment (8%, 4 tasks)
| # | Task | What it tests | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Manage compliance | Confirm compliance needs. Classify categories. Apply controls. | Medium |
| 3.2 | Deliver benefits and value | Track expected benefits. Document agreements. Confirm ownership. | HIGH |
| 3.3 | Adapt to external changes | Watch for external shifts. Assess impact. Recommend options. | Medium |
| 3.4 | Support organizational change | Read the culture. Assess change impact. Guide the org through it. | Medium |
Key insight: Business Environment is only 8% of the exam, but many candidates skip it. PMs without business training tend to miss this domain.
Suggested study time
Most PMP candidates study 150-200 hours total. Here is a rough split:
| Domain | Exam weight | Study hours (of 175) |
|---|---|---|
| People | 42% | 75-80 hours |
| Process | 50% | 80-85 hours |
| Business Environment | 8% | 15-20 hours |
Within each domain, focus on HIGH-priority tasks. These show up most on the exam.
How to use this cheat sheet
- Track your practice-question results by ECO task, not just domain
- Find your 3-5 weakest tasks
- Put 50% of remaining study time into those
- Take a full mock exam every 7-10 days to recalibrate
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