PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) is the PMI’s certification for Agile Project Management. The Project Management Institute has aimed its PMI Agile Certified Practitioner certification at agile practitioners, such as product owners, scrum masters, and agile project managers.
PMI designed the certification to demonstrate a deep knowledge of Agile principles and methods. But, it does not require a deep immersion in Agile practice before you take the exam.
With the growth of Agile Project Management, many Project Managers are looking for a broad-based Agile training program and certification, to supplement their existing knowledge and qualifications. Is this the one for you?
2025 Update
PMI updated the PMI-ACP syllabus in October 2024, and it came into effect in November. This is an update of our earlier review article, looking at the current syllabus.

In this article, we will answer the big questions about the PMI-ACP certification:
- What is the PMI-ACP?
- Who is the PMI-ACP Best Suited to?
- What’s in the Exam and What Topics Will You Need to Learn about?
- What’s our assessment of the new (2024) PMI-ACP Exam Syllabus?
- How Should You Prepare for the PMI-ACP Exam?
- What Next? What are PMI’s Requirements after You Get your Certification, and What Else can You Study?
As always, let’s dive straight in.
What is the PMI-ACP?
PMI-ACP stands for Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner. It is the PMI’s principal Agile certification. The PMI, or Project Management Institute is the largest Project Management professional body. It is based in the United States, but is global in its reach and ambition.
PMI developed the PMI-ACP because it saw agile project management methods being embraced more and more widely. Yet, at the time, its own principal certifications had absolutely nothing to say about Agile. Both the CAPM (for early-stage Project Managers) and the PMP (for experienced Project Managers) were, at the time, based entirely upon the principles of predictive (or traditional) Project Management.
Their survey data also told them that there was a demand for certification in agile project management from both recruiters and practitioners.
They developed the PMI-ACP certification to demonstrate a knowledge of agile principles and practices across agile methodologies, rather than focusing on proficiency in a specific approach. The syllabus includes Scrum, Lean, Kanban, and others.
Updating the PMI-ACP
The development process for the new PMI-ACP started with a global practice analysis (GPA), which included:
- Market research
- Job Task Analysis (JTA)
- Assessing market trends, needs and opportunities in agile
The JTA looks at the knowledge, tasks, and skills that practitioners will need, across industries. The definition of practitioners includes product owners, scrum masters, and agile project managers. From the JTA, PMI determined the tasks and domains they test in the certification exam. They intend the exam assess the specific knowledge, skills, and experience their research shows that an agile practitioner needs.
Accessibility
Most importantly, PMI designed the PMI-ACP to be highly accessible:
- To team members in a variety of roles. Any member of an agile team can apply.
- It applies to projects in a variety of industries and contexts – not just in software development.
- PMI-ACP does not require any other PMI certification as a prerequisite.
- It does not require any agile experience (if you hold an active PMI PMP certification) – otherwise, it requires only one or two years of experience (based on educational experience)
The result is that the PMI-ACP certification is a way you can demonstrate to employers that you have a broad knowledge of Agile methods and so are a credible agile professional. Its prerequisites also mean that it attests to a minimum level of real-world experience in working on agile projects.
PMI’s global reach means that PMI-ACP is widely recognized beyond the United States. It is considered one of the major agile certifications, globally, alongside SAFe and Disciplined Agile (which PMI also owns and provides certification for).
Here is a quick summary video…
NOTE: This video is based on the old (pre-October 2024) Examination Content Outline. We will replace it as soon as we publish our updated video.
Who is the PMI-ACP Best Suited to?
There are two main reasons why you might want to gain a PMI-ACP certification. And one or both may apply to you. These are because it will:
- Support your career
- Provide you with an interesting and valuable learning experience
PMI-ACP to Support Your Career
PMI-ACP is pitched at early-career project professionals. The experience requirements (participating in agile delivery for at least 1 year) are deliberately low. This makes it an excellent way to boost you career, especially with employers that recognize and value PMI certifications.
Take a look at the PMI’s Certification framework, for a sense of how they see it fitting in.
If you want to use PMI-ACP to either get a job you may otherwise not get, or to get a salary raise, this is a reasonable expectation. Anecdotally, many people have achieved each of these. However, there are no guarantees. Nothing is a substitute for researching the job market where you are, or plan to work. The:
- Region or geography
- Sector or industry
- Specific employers
Whether or not you can get a specific material gain, I think it will provide evidence to your employers of a level of knowledge, experience, and commitment that they will value. It will also demonstrate these things to your peer group. Anyone who has taken the exam will also appreciate that it is a challenging qualification to get.
However, it is also true that some organizations and teams will also expect specific methodology-based certifications – or value them more highly than a generalist certification, like PMI-ACP. Again, researching your job market is the only way to assess this.
PMI-ACP for the Learning
There is also a strong case to study for the PMI-ACP regardless of measurable salary expectations. A broad understanding will make you a better project manager. You will have more tools to hand when designing and tailoring the processes for your future projects. And there is nothing like a well-structured learning experience for expanding your mind and your thinking. Without a doubt, the PMI-ACP syllabus is both broad and deep. Studying it to an exam standard will surely broaden and deepen your understanding to a considerable degree.
Indeed, it will also give you a strong grounding in a wide range of specific Agile methodologies, like Scrum, Kanban, Lean, and XP.
PMI-ACP Eligibility Requirements
The PMI-ACP is an examined certification but, to be eligible to take it, you must fulfil PMI’s minimum requirements. This table summarizes the requirements PMI sets, to be eligible for PMI-ACP certification:
- Educational Background
Secondary diploma (high school diploma, GED, associate’s degree or global equivalent) - Professional Learning
28 hours of formal training in agile practices, frameworks, methodologies
(21 hours will be accepted until 31 March 2025, for candidates transitioning from preparation for the old exam) - Professional Agile Experience
PMI offers four alternate paths:- 2 years of agile experience in the past 5 years
(If you hold a PMI certification, you can count agile and hybrid experience - 1 year of agile experience and a degree from a Global Accreditation Center (GAC) program
- 1 year of agile experience and an active 3rd party agile certification
(A certification that demonstrates knowledge of Agile approaches and principles, is current, and was earned more than 1 year ago) - Active PMP certification
- 2 years of agile experience in the past 5 years
These requirements can change from time-to-time, so do check the PMI’s PMI-ACP Handbook.
The exam, however, is the main thing, and you will need to prepare well. Most people find it a tough challenge. In the next two main sections, we’ll look at:
- What is in the Exam
- How to Prepare for it
What’s in the Exam and what Topics Will You Need to Learn About?
The PMI-ACP has a broad Agile syllabus, covering 4 Domains and a large range of Agile tools and techniques. I strongly recommend all candidates (and anyone considering taking PMI-ACP) to download and print out the Examination Content Outline (ECO) as your first step. This sets out the syllabus in detail. It tells you exactly what PMI will test, in the exam. It is your single most important document.
The ECO is available in English, Arabic, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean.
The ECO Structure: Your PMI-ACP Syllabus
PMI structures its ECOs or syllabuses around Domains, Tasks, and Enablers.
- A Domain: is a high-level knowledge area.
- Tasks are the underlying responsibilities within a domain.
- Enablers are examples of the work associated with each task.
The Four Domains of the PMI-ACP ECO
The 2024 Examination Content Outline for the PMI-ACP is structured around four domains:
- Mindset (7 Tasks accounting for 28% – approx 34 questions – of the exam)
- Leadership (6 Tasks accounting for 25% – approx 30 questions – of the exam)
- Product (4 Tasks accounting for 19% – approx 23 questions – of the exam)
- Delivery (7 Tasks accounting for 28% – approx 34 questions – of the exam)
Note that there are 120 questions in the exam. The content of some may span more than one domain.
Here is my summary of what the ECO contains, by domain.
Domain 1: Mindset
This is about principles and an agile mindset of:
- collaboration and teamwork within and between teams
- innovation and experimentation
- continuous learning and improvement
- tailoring the process
The seven Tasks are:
- Experiment Early
- Embrace Agile Mindset
- Promote Collaborative Team Environment
- Build Transparency
- Foster Psychological Safety
- Shorten feedback Loops
- Embrace Change
Domain 2: Leadership
Leading an agile team needs a deep understanding of agile principles and methodologies, but also the ability to create a collaborative team culture that embraces an agile mindset. Leaders should understand complexity and risk, choosing suitable tools and methods. Other key skills include:
- establish team vision and working agreements
- form and develop high-performing teams
- use retrospective to improve the team
- use collaboration practices to break down silos
- evaluate the team’s understanding of agile to tailor the approach
The six tasks are:
- Empower Teams
- Facilitate Problem Resolution
- Promote Knowledge Sharing
- Promote Agile Mindset, Principles, and Practices
- Promote Shared Vision and Purpose
- Facilitate Conflict Management
Domain 3: Product
This section requires a knowledge of various agile methodologies, including (but not limited to): scrum, kanban, SAFe, and lean. They need strong technical knowledge and experience in:
- product development
- building product roadmaps
- creating user stories
- managing product backlogs
You will also need good leadership skills, to lead cross-functional teams, and be committed to staying up to date with trends and best practices in agile project and product management and development.
The four tasks are:
- Refine Product Backlog
- Manage Increments
- Visualize Work
- Manage Value Delivery
Domain 4: Delivery
This is about the core skills of delivering products and projects in an agile way. You’ll need strong communication skills and a knowledge of tools like:
- User stories
- Sprint planning
- Retrospectives
The content includes elements like eliminating waste, a focus on customers, and optimizing flow.
The seven tasks are:
- Seek Early Feedback
- Manage Agile Metrics
- Manage Impediments and Risk
- Recognize and Eliminate Waste
- Perform Continuous Improvements
- Actively Engage Customers
- Optimize Flow
You will also need knowledge of a range of Agile tools and techniques for:
- Analysis and Design
- Estimation
- Communications
- Metrics
- Planning, Monitoring, and Adapting
- Process Improvement
- Product Quality
- Risk Management
- Value-based Prioritization
The PMI-ACP Exam
The certification exam has 120 multiple-choice questions, and you have three hours to complete it. The first 20 questions will not receive a score and are there to get you into the flow of taking the exam, and relax you. There is a 10-minute break after the first 60 questions.
You can take the exam in person (at a test center), or using PMI’s proctored online service. At the time of writing, it is available in six languages:
- English
- Arabic
- Japanese
- Korean
- Portuguese
- Spanish
The current exam fees are:
- For PMI Members: US$435.00
- For Non-members: US$495.00
If you do not pass the exam on your first attempt, you can retake the examination up to three times within the 1-year eligibility period. After three attempts, you must wait for a year from the date of your last examination before you can reapply for certification.
Once you have earned your PMI-ACP certification, you need to maintain your certification by completing 30 professional development units (PDUs) every 3 years.
What’s our assessment of the new (2024) PMI-ACP Exam Syllabus?
The old (pre-November 2024) syllabus was based on seven domains:
- Agile Principles and Mindset
9 tasks – 16% of exam - Value-Driven Delivery
4 sub-domains, 14 tasks – 20% of exam - Stakeholder Engagement
3 sub-domains, 9 tasks – 17% of exam - Team Performance
3 sub-domains, 9 tasks – 16% of exam - Adaptive Planning
3 sub-domains, 10 tasks – 12% of exam - Problem Detection and Resolution
5 tasks – 10% of exam - Continuous Improvement (Product, Process, People)
6 tasks – 9% of exam
To my eye (and I am not an expert agile practitioner), the new exam syllabus seems less demanding. I wonder if this is a deliberate choice to make it more readily comparable in difficulty to basic Scrum certifications.
How Should You Prepare for the PMI-ACP Exam?
The PMI-ACP exam is challenging. You will need to prepare well and you should consider using a range of study methods including:
- Courses
- Self-study
- Study groups
- Exam simulators
The PMI’s website gives a limited amount of guidance on preparation, but it’s worth checking the Exam Guidance page from time-to-time. They may add new information that can help you.
PMI-ACP Courses
To support candidates, PMI offers its own PMI® Authorized PMI-ACP® Exam Prep, which is available in on-demand and instructor-led formats. They also provide:
- PMI-ACP® Practice Exams,
- PMI® Study Hall – a digital learning tool that contains content-specific lessons
- The PMI® Agile Practice Guide
External Providers
If you prefer to train with an external provider, you have two choices:
- PMI Authorized Training Providers (ATPs) have to use the PMI® Authorized PMI-ACP® Exam Prep instructor and student materials to structure their training.
- Non-accredited training providers are free to provide training in the format and to the standard that they choose, using their own proprietary materials.
OnlinePMCourses Recommended PMI-ACP Training and Preparation Providers
We recommend two providers – both of which I have evaluated personally. One is an ATP and the other is not.
Institute of Project Management Online Instructor-led PMI-ACP Training
IPM is a PMI Premier Authorized Training Provider (ATP).
In summary, they offer:
- Live Online Training (3-day classes)
- 30 hours of interactive training and 30 contact hour certificate
- Access to class recordings
- Access to IPM’s Student Hub, and its resources
- 2 simulated PMI-ACP exams
- Tips on answering exam questions successfully
- Unlimited follow-up support from IPM’s Student Support team.
- Expert PMI-ACP certified instructors
PM PrepCast offers Online Instructor-led PMP Training
In summary, their Agile Prepcast offers:
- High-quality on-demand video-based lessons
- Work when you choose with progress tracking
- Certificate for 21 Contact Hours
- With or without PrepCast’s leading 4 exam bundle
PM PrepCast is not an ATP.
Self-study for the PMI-ACP
There are many sources of self-study, but these days, it boils down to two main categories:
- The Internet
- Traditional Printed Media – Books
The Internet
As well as formal training materials, there is an excellent selection of great Agile learning materials out there from:
- blogs and articles
- podcasts
- videos
There is also plenty of dross. So, keep your critical faculties sharp. And also distinguish between articulations of Agile knowledge and of ideas and opinions. All have value. But some will help you more in your preparation.
Traditional Printed Media – Books
PMI makes it clear that the PMI-ACP exam is not based on a specific text or reference. However, its website does list 12 reference books. These may change from time-to-time, so it is worth checking. But, at time of writing, these are:
- Agile Practice Guide, Project Management Institute, Inc.
Since this is the PMI’s own articulation of the basics of Agile Project Management, I do strongly recommend you buy and read this. It is not an easy read, being more of a manual than a book. But there is a lot of good content. - Agile Estimating and Planning
Mike Cohn - Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products
Jim Highsmith - Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great
Esther Derby, Diana Larsen, Ken Schwaber - Agile Software Development: The Cooperative Game
Alistair Cockburn - Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for ScrumMasters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition
Lyssa Adkins - Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme
Robert K. Wysocki - Exploring Scrum: The Fundamentals
Dan Rawsthorne with Doug Shimp - Kanban In Action
Marcus Hammarberg, Joakim Sunden - Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for your Technology Business
David J. Anderson - Lean-Agile Software Development
Alan Shalloway, Guy Beaver, James R. Trott - User Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development
Mike Cohn
PMI stresses that these don’t necessarily include everything that might arise in the exam. Instead, they see the content of these books as a part of a broader set of knowledge you need. The reference list is an aid to study: not a prescription for what you need to know.
Additional Recommendations
To this, I would add the 8th Edition of the PMI’s Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (the PMBOK Guide). This contains fundamental principles that PMI promotes for all project management – including purely agile projects. I think the time spent reading this will be well spent. Like the Agile practice guide, it is not an easy read. Although, I do think it is the better-written of the two.
The most popular PMI-ACP Exam Preparation Books are;
- PMI-ACP Exam Prep: A Course in a Book for Passing the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) Exam – This is the one I recommend.
- PMI–ACP Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner Exam Study Guide
Study groups
This won’t be right for everyone – nor even possible. But it may be that other colleagues are working towards their PMI-ACP at the same time as you are. And, if not, contact your local PMI Chapter. Even if they don’t facilitate or advertise Study Groups, they may help you get a message out to find like-minded should. Happily, with Zoom and Teams, we can easily collaborate even if we cannot easily get together.
PMI-ACP Exam simulators
In preparing for any exam, a good exam simulator is a hugely valuable resource and ell-worth the investment. They offer so much:
- Practice at understanding the way questions are set
- Experience of exam conditions
- Testing your knowledge and understanding to find areas to concentrate on
- Helping you know when you are ‘ready’
- Giving confidence
I strongly recommend the Agile PrepCast exam simulator. You can buy this either in a bundle with the Agile PrepCast training program, or as a stand-alone resource.
A 5-step PMI-ACP Study Program
I recommend you develop your own study program. Developing it (and reviewing and updating it in an adaptive way) is the best way to tailor it to your own learning style and personal circumstances. However, here is a basic framework that may form a helpful starting point.
Step 1: Make a Plan
Preparing for an exam is like a project. So, make a plan! And consider this as an agile project. So, periodically, take a retrospective review of your progress and processes, and update your plan and processes accordingly.
Step 2: Study your Learning Materials a Topic at a Time
Start with an overview of the PMI’s PMBOK Guide 7th edition and its Agile Practice Guide. Then work through your study materials – whether it’s:
- A formal training course
- A self-study program from books and the internet
Create your own notes and learning resources as you go. And use these to review and check your knowledge and understanding frequently.
Step 3: Work through Sample Exam Questions
This will help you check on your progress and increase your confidence as you go. You can get sample questions from many places:
- The internet
- Exam question books, like:
- A full exam simulator, like the Agile PrepCast Exam Simulator
Step 4: Practice Full exams
The full PMI-ACP Exam is 3 hours. You will probably not be used to this – your last formal exams may have been a long time ago. The best way to get used to this – and the best way to know when you are ready for the exam – is to take a full simulated exam, under near-exam conditions. This is where a full exam simulator, like the Agile PrepCast Exam Simulator, comes into its own. I recommend two or three full exam simulations in the run-up to your actual exam
Step 5: Taking the Exam
Once you think you’re ready, it’s time to schedule your exam. And, with this done, plan your time in the weeks running up to it. If you can schedule a full day out of work for the exam and, better still, a second full day for the day before.
Prioritize sleep and exercise in the run-up and avoid studying the evening before. Absolutely do not stay up late cramming.
On the day, get up early, follow your morning routine and then either get to the exam center or set up your home office space in plenty of time. If you are taking the exam remotely, I recommend you test the digital platform beforehand. As a project manager, if you can, have a backup computer as a contingency!
Read the questions carefully. You’ll need to answer what they ask, not what you expect them to ask when you scan the question. PMI is looking to see if you:
- Understand the situation
- Can give the standard answer to the question as posed
If you finish before the end, use the additional time to review as many questions as you can – especially any that you were unsure of.
What Next? What are PMI’s Requirements after You Get your Certification, and What Else can You Study?
Professional development never stops. PMI requires you to keep learning to maintain your PMI-ACP accreditation. And, as a professional, you may want to broaden your Agile knowledge at some time.
Maintaining Your PMI-ACP Certification
To maintain your PMI-ACP, you must earn 30 Professional Development Units (PDUs) in agile topics every three years. We have a full article on PMI PDUs, but essentially, they are are one-hour blocks of time that you spend either:
- Learning
- Developing Project Management thinking
- Teaching others
- Volunteering
You need to gain and record these over each three-year period to maintain your certification status with PMI. The other article you should look at is the one on PMI’s Talent Triangle.
For PMI-ACP, your 30 PDU requirement is made up of:
- A minimum of 18 Educational PDUs, with minimums of:
- Ways of Working: 4 PDUs
- Power Skills: 4 PDUs
- Business Acumen: 4 PDUs
- The balance of 6 Educational PDUs from any area
- The Balance of up to 12 PDUs from Giving Back
What Could You Study Next?
The options are almost endless. We have an article:
In short, you have choices that include:
- Scrum (Scrum Alliance CSM or Scrum.org PSM)
- Kanban
- Lean
- SAFe
- Disciplined Agile
- Even PRINCE2 Agile (although this is a bit of a specialty item!)
Take a look at the Agile training courses we recommend.
Please Tell Us about Your Experience of the PMI-ACP
As always, I am keen to hear your experiences, opinions, and questions. I shall respond to every comment.