SkyLock Media
Research record

Course references

These materials inform curriculum scope and technical review. Lesson explanations, examples, calculations, and diagrams are original SkyLock Media course material.

Module 0: Orientation: Eligibility, the 2026 Exam, and How to Study for It

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Eligibility requirements; exam information; question types
  2. GAO Agile Assessment Guide, GAO-24-105506Agile adoption and delivery approaches

Certification-provider materials are used to identify exam scope and terminology. SkyLock Media is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the listed organizations.

Module 1: Vision, Stakeholder Discovery, and Alignment

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain I People, tasks on shared vision, stakeholder engagement, and expectation alignment
  2. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookStakeholder identification and management

Module 2: Conflict, Leadership, and Team Performance

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain I People, tasks on managing conflict, leading the team, and team performance
  2. GAO Agile Assessment Guide, GAO-24-105506Team practices, empowerment, and self-organising team behaviours
  3. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookRoles, responsibilities, and authority

Module 3: Engagement, Customer Expectations, and Trust

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain I People, tasks on engaging stakeholders and managing customer expectations
  2. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookStakeholder engagement and acceptance

Module 4: Communication, Reporting, and Knowledge Transfer

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain I People, tasks on planning and managing communication and on knowledge transfer
  2. GAO Agile Assessment Guide, GAO-24-105506Communication, transparency, and program reporting
  3. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookKnowledge capture and retention

Module 5: Integrated Planning and Delivery Approach

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain II Process, task on developing an integrated project management plan and planning delivery
  2. GAO Agile Assessment Guide, GAO-24-105506Agile adoption, hybrid delivery, and program planning
  3. GAO Schedule Assessment Guide, GAO-16-89GSequencing activities and establishing durations
  4. GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment GuideEstimating basis, uncertainty, and data quality
  5. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookProject planning and integration

Module 6: Scope, Requirements, and Value Delivery

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain II Process, tasks on developing and managing scope and ensuring value-based delivery
  2. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookScope definition and requirements management
  3. GAO Schedule Assessment Guide, GAO-16-89GWork breakdown structure and capturing all activities
  4. GAO Agile Assessment Guide, GAO-24-105506Backlog management, prioritisation, and incremental delivery

Module 7: Resources, Procurement, and Financial Management

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain II Process, tasks on planning and managing resources, procurement, and finance
  2. GAO Schedule Assessment Guide, GAO-16-89GResource assignment and schedule feasibility
  3. GAO Agile Assessment Guide, GAO-24-105506Flow, work in progress, and team capacity
  4. Federal Acquisition Regulation, contract typesPart 16, selecting contract types and allocation of cost risk
  5. GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment GuideCost baselines, contingency, and management reserve
  6. NASA Project Management HandbookAcquisition planning, contract administration, and formal closeout of supplier agreements

Module 8: Quality, Schedule, and Delivery Control

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain II Process, tasks on quality, schedule, and evaluating project status
  2. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookQuality assurance and product verification
  3. GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment GuideProcess variation and measurement
  4. GAO Schedule Assessment Guide, GAO-16-89GCritical path, float, and schedule compression
  5. GAO Agile Assessment Guide, GAO-24-105506Flow metrics, work in progress, and iteration forecasting
  6. CISA NICE Secure Project ManagementProcess audit against process compliance, and sampling for assurance

Module 9: Performance Measurement, Forecasting, and Closure

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain II Process, tasks on evaluating project status and managing project closure
  2. GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment GuideEarned value management, variance analysis, and estimates at completion
  3. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookProject closeout, transition, and lessons learned

Module 10: Governance, Ethics, Compliance, AI, and Sustainability

  1. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookLife-cycle planning, control, reviews, and decision authority
  2. CISA NICE Secure Project Management work roleSecurity and compliance integrated into project objectives and delivery
  3. NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management FrameworkGovern, map, measure, and manage functions
  4. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain III Business Environment, tasks on compliance, governance, and organisational value

Module 11: Change Control, Issues, Impediments, and Risk

  1. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookConfiguration control, risk management, and issue resolution
  2. GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment GuideRisk and uncertainty analysis, and contingency reserves
  3. GAO Agile Assessment GuideBacklog management, impediment removal, and programme monitoring
  4. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain III Business Environment and Domain II Process, tasks on change, issues, impediments, and risk

Module 12: Continuous Improvement, Organizational Change, and External Environment

  1. GAO Agile Assessment GuideContinuous improvement, team practices, and organisational adoption
  2. NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management HandbookProcess assets, tailoring, and programme-level decision authority
  3. CISA NICE Secure Project Management work roleMonitoring external conditions affecting project objectives
  4. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain III Business Environment, tasks on organisational change, continuous improvement, and external business environment

Module 13: The Framework: Standards, Principles, Performance Domains, and Focus Areas

  1. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Domain structure, weightings, task consolidation, and item formats
  2. Project management body of knowledge, eighth edition -- structural facts onlyCount and naming of principles, performance domains, focus areas, and processes; November 2025 publication
  3. NASA Project Management HandbookGovernance, authorisation, phase reviews, and integration across concurrent management areas
  4. GAO-24-105506 Agile Assessment GuideIteration structure, recurring planning and review, and tailoring of practices
  5. GAO-16-89G Schedule Assessment GuideSchedule as one output of an integrated management system
  6. CISA NICE Secure Project ManagementNon-negotiable security and compliance obligations within project decision-making

Module 14: Adaptive Frameworks, Roles, and Flow Metrics

  1. GAO-24-105506 Agile Assessment GuideTeam roles, iteration cadence, backlogs, work-in-progress limits, flow and progress metrics, and scaling considerations
  2. GAO-16-89G Schedule Assessment GuideQueueing, constraint identification, and forecasting from demonstrated rates
  3. GAO-20-195G Cost Estimating and Assessment GuideForecasting from demonstrated performance and expressing forecasts as ranges
  4. NASA Project Management HandbookPhase gates, interface control, and governance of concurrent delivery approaches
  5. CISA NICE Secure Project ManagementIntegrated automated verification and the cost of deferred assurance
  6. PMP Certification Examination Content Outline, July 2026Adaptive and hybrid delivery share of the examination

Module 15: Quantitative Analysis: Estimates, Network Maths, Risk Numbers, and the Investment Case

  1. GAO-20-195G Cost Estimating and Assessment GuideEstimating methods, three-point estimates, risk and uncertainty analysis, simulation, sensitivity, and reserves
  2. GAO-16-89G Schedule Assessment GuideNetwork logic, forward and backward pass, total and free float, path convergence, compression, and resource analysis
  3. NASA Project Management HandbookReserve authority, business case maintenance, and continuation decisions

Module 16: Motivation, Team Development, Influence, and Organisational Change

  1. GAO-24-105506 Agile Assessment GuideTeam formation, self-organisation, empowerment, coaching, and organisational adoption of new ways of working
  2. NASA Project Management HandbookTeam leadership, delegation, negotiation with providers, and transition of new capability into operations
  3. CISA NICE Secure Project ManagementAdoption, reinforcement of new procedures, and the persistence of workarounds
  4. Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15, contracting by negotiationNegotiation objectives, alternatives, and objective criteria in reaching agreement