PMP Theorists, Models & Gurus — Master Study Tool

How to use this tool & exam strategy

The PMP exam rarely asks "Who created Theory X?" directly. Instead it gives you a situation and expects you to apply the right model. Example: "A team member is happy with pay but feels no recognition." → That is Herzberg, not Maslow. So learn the trigger word → model link, not just the name.

KNOW = understand the concept well enough to recognize a scenario.
MEMORIZE = exact order / words you must recall cold.
⭐ stars = how often it appears on the exam (5 = very common).
Each card ends with a visual so you can picture it under pressure.

Study order: Master all ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ first (Maslow, McGregor, Herzberg, McClelland, Tuckman, Deming, Ishikawa, Pareto, Salience, Mendelow, Thomas-Kilmann, Scrum), then fill in the rest.

Full Theory Reference Table

Everything in one grid — group, theory, person, description, its parts, what to know, and an estimated number of times it may show up on one 180-question exam. Important: PMI does not publish per-theory question counts; the last column is a realistic estimate based on typical exam weighting, not a guarantee. Click any theory name to jump to its full card. (Scroll the table sideways on a narrow screen.)

Group	Theory	Person	Description	Parts / Sub-list	What to know for the exam	Appears per exam (est.)
Motivation	Hierarchy of Needs	Abraham Maslow	People climb a 5-level pyramid; a lower need must be met before the next one motivates.	Physiological Safety Social / Belonging Esteem Self-Actualization	Order matters; a satisfied need stops motivating; fix the lower need first.	1–3
Motivation	Theory X & Y	Douglas McGregor	A manager's assumptions about whether workers need control or can be trusted.	Theory X = lazy, control them Theory Y = motivated, empower them	X = micromanage; Y = PMP/Agile preferred answer.	1–2
Motivation	Two-Factor (Hygiene)	Frederick Herzberg	Two separate scales: one prevents dissatisfaction, the other creates satisfaction.	Hygiene: salary, security, conditions, policy Motivators: achievement, recognition, growth, responsibility	More pay = hygiene (stops complaints) ≠ motivation.	1–2
Motivation	Acquired Needs	David McClelland	Each person is driven mainly by one of three needs; match the task to it.	Achievement (nAch) Power (nPow) Affiliation (nAff)	Used to decide who gets which assignment.	1–2
Motivation	Expectancy	Victor Vroom	People work hard if effort leads to reward and they value the reward.	Expectancy (effort→performance) Instrumentality (performance→reward) Valence (value of reward)	Any broken link kills motivation.	0–1
Motivation	Theory Z	William Ouchi	Long-term employment, loyalty, consensus and well-being (Japanese style).	Lifetime employment Collective decisions Employee well-being	Distinguish from McGregor's X/Y.	0–1
Team Development	Stages of Team Development	Bruce Tuckman	Teams mature through 5 ordered stages; PM style shifts from directive to delegating.	Forming Storming Norming Performing Adjourning	"Conflict/tension" = Storming; a new member sends the team back to Forming.	1–3
Change Mgmt	3-Stage Change	Kurt Lewin	Reshape an organization like an ice cube.	Unfreeze Change (transition) Refreeze	3 steps only — if 8 ordered steps, it's Kotter.	0–2
Change Mgmt	8-Step Change	John Kotter	An ordered roadmap for leading large organizational change.	1 Urgency 2 Coalition 3 Vision 4 Communicate 5 Empower 6 Short-term wins 7 Consolidate 8 Anchor	Urgency first, anchor in culture last; "short-term wins" is a classic answer.	0–2
Change Mgmt	ADKAR	Jeff Hiatt (Prosci)	Change at the individual level — 5 sequential building blocks.	Awareness Desire Knowledge Ability Reinforcement	ADKAR = individual change; Kotter/Lewin = organizational change.	0–2
Leadership	Servant Leadership	Robert Greenleaf	Leader serves the team first — removes blockers, provides resources, develops people.	Listen / empathize Facilitate / coach Remove impediments Shield the team	Default Agile / Scrum Master answer.	1–2
Leadership	Emotional Intelligence	Daniel Goleman	Recognizing and managing emotions — your own and others'.	Self-Awareness Self-Management Social Awareness (empathy) Relationship Management	Self-awareness is the first & most-tested domain.	0–2
Leadership	Bureaucratic Theory	Max Weber	Organizations run on formal authority, hierarchy and written rules.	Formal authority Clear hierarchy Written rules	Recognize the name; low priority.	0–1
Leadership	Functions of Management	Henri Fayol	Father of modern management; defined the core management functions.	Plan Organize Command / Direct Coordinate Control	Just recognize "functions of management."	0–1
Leadership	Management by Objectives	Peter Drucker	Manager and employee jointly set measurable objectives and review against them.	Jointly set objectives Measure performance vs goals Pairs with SMART	Objectives must align with org goals or MBO fails.	0–1
Leadership	Leadership vs Management	Warren Bennis	"Managers do things right; leaders do the right things."	Leaders: vision, inspire Managers: administer, execute	Supports the recurring leadership-vs-management theme.	0–1
Quality	PDCA Cycle	W. Edwards Deming	The engine of continuous improvement — a repeating loop.	Plan Do Check Act → repeat	Underlies quality & Agile retros; "85% of problems are the system's fault."	1–2
Quality	Fishbone (Cause-Effect)	Kaoru Ishikawa	Visual root-cause analysis: problem at the head, cause categories on the bones.	The 6 M's: Machine, Method, Material, Manpower, Measurement, Mother-Nature (Environment)	Finds possible causes (doesn't prioritize them — that's Pareto).	1–2
Quality	80/20 Rule	Vilfredo Pareto	~80% of problems come from ~20% of causes; chart ranks them.	Vital few vs trivial many Descending bars + cumulative % line	Decides which problems to fix first (prioritize).	1–2
Quality	Control Charts	Walter A. Shewhart	Statistical process control: is the process "in control"?	UCL / Mean / LCL Rule of Seven Assignable (special) vs common cause	Outside limits or 7-in-a-row = investigate; control ≠ spec limits.	0–2
Quality	Quality Trilogy	Joseph Juran	Quality managed via three processes; "fitness for use."	Quality Planning Quality Control Quality Improvement	Catchphrase "fitness for use" = Juran.	0–1
Quality	Zero Defects	Philip Crosby	Prevention over inspection; "quality is free."	Zero defects Conformance to requirements Do it right the first time	Prevention is cheaper than fixing defects later.	0–1
Quality	Loss Function	Genichi Taguchi	Design quality into the product (robust design).	Robust design Loss function	Any deviation from target = a loss, even within tolerance.	0–1
Stakeholders	Salience Model	Mitchell, Agle & Wood	Classify stakeholders by three attributes; overlaps form 7 classes.	Attributes: Power, Legitimacy, Urgency Classes: Dormant, Discretionary, Demanding, Dominant, Dangerous, Dependent, Definitive	Definitive = all 3 (top priority); Dangerous = power+urgency, no legitimacy.	0–2
Stakeholders	Power/Interest Grid	Mendelow	A 2×2 that sets your engagement strategy per stakeholder.	High power+interest → Manage Closely High power, low interest → Keep Satisfied Low power, high interest → Keep Informed Low/low → Monitor	Most common stakeholder question; also Power/Influence & Influence/Impact variants.	1–2
Conflict	5 Conflict Modes	Thomas & Kilmann	Five styles on Assertiveness vs Cooperativeness.	Collaborate / Problem-Solve (best) Compromise Accommodate / Smooth Force / Direct Avoid / Withdraw	Collaborate is PMP-preferred; Compromise ≠ Collaborate; Force ok when stakes high & time short.	1–3
Agile & Lean	Scrum Framework	Ken Schwaber & Jeff Sutherland	Timeboxed sprints delivering usable increments.	3 Roles: PO, Scrum Master, Developers 5 Events: Sprint, Planning, Daily, Review, Retro 3 Artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment	~Half the exam is Agile/Hybrid; Daily = team (15 min); Retro=process, Review=product.	3–6+
Agile & Lean	Lean / TPS	Taiichi Ohno	Maximize value by eliminating waste (muda).	7 wastes — TIMWOOD: Transport, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Over-production, Over-processing, Defects	"Eliminate waste / maximize flow"; feeds Kanban & Agile.	0–2
Agile & Lean	Poka-Yoke	Shigeo Shingo	Mistake-proofing: design so an error cannot happen.	Error-proof design (e.g., USB fits one way)	Prevention by design.	0–1
Communication	Sender-Receiver Model	Claude Shannon & Warren Weaver	Message is encoded, sent, decoded, and confirmed — degraded by noise.	Sender → Encode → Medium → Decode → Receiver Feedback loop Noise	Sender is responsible for a clear, complete message; feedback confirms receipt.	0–2
Communication	7-38-55 Rule	Albert Mehrabian	For emotional messages, non-verbal cues dominate meaning.	7% words 38% tone of voice 55% body language	Argues for face-to-face on sensitive topics; numbers total 100.	0–1
Negotiation	Principled Negotiation	Roger Fisher & William Ury	Reach a win-win by focusing on shared interests, not fixed positions.	Separate people from problem Interests, not positions Options for mutual gain Objective criteria (+ BATNA)	"Interests over positions"; fair, relationship-preserving deals.	0–1
Risk	Cognitive Bias / Prospect	Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky	Human risk decisions are systematically biased.	Anchoring Optimism bias Loss aversion (prospect theory)	"First number skews the estimate" = anchoring; supports ranges & multiple experts.	0–1
Risk	Risk vs Uncertainty	Frank H. Knight	Risk has measurable odds; uncertainty does not.	Risk = known-unknowns (probabilities) Uncertainty = unknown-unknowns	Recognize the distinction; low frequency.	0–1

Master Comparison Table

Quick-scan everything at once. Click a name in the left menu to jump to its deep dive + visual.

Name	Model / Theory	What it means (1 line)	Exam freq.
Maslow	Hierarchy of Needs	Motivate people up 5 levels: survival → self-actualization.	★★★★★
McGregor	Theory X & Y	X = control/distrust workers; Y = trust/empower them.	★★★★★
Herzberg	Two-Factor	Hygiene stops dissatisfaction; motivators create satisfaction.	★★★★★
McClelland	Acquired Needs	People driven by Achievement, Power, or Affiliation.	★★★★★
Vroom	Expectancy	Effort depends on expected reward & its value.	★★★
Ouchi	Theory Z	Long-term employment + lifetime loyalty (Japanese style).	★★
Tuckman	Team stages	Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing-Adjourning.	★★★★★
Lewin	Change model	Unfreeze → Change → Refreeze.	★★★★
Kotter	8-Step Change	Lead big org change in 8 ordered steps.	★★★★
Hiatt	ADKAR	Individual change: Awareness-Desire-Knowledge-Ability-Reinforcement.	★★★★
Greenleaf	Servant Leadership	Leader serves & removes blockers for the team (Agile!).	★★★★
Goleman	Emotional Intelligence	Self-awareness, self-mgmt, empathy, social skill.	★★★★
Deming	PDCA	Plan-Do-Check-Act continuous improvement loop.	★★★★★
Ishikawa	Fishbone	Cause-and-effect diagram for root-cause analysis.	★★★★★
Pareto	80/20	80% of problems come from 20% of causes.	★★★★★
Shewhart	Control Charts	Statistical limits to see if a process is in control.	★★★★
Juran	Quality Trilogy	Quality Planning, Control, Improvement; "fitness for use".	★★★★
Crosby	Zero Defects	Prevention > inspection; "quality is free".	★★★
Taguchi	Loss Function	Design quality in; any deviation = a loss.	★★★
Mitchell-Agle-Wood	Salience Model	Classify stakeholders by Power + Legitimacy + Urgency.	★★★★★
Mendelow	Power/Interest Grid	2×2 grid: manage stakeholders by power & interest.	★★★★★
Thomas-Kilmann	Conflict Modes	5 styles: Collaborate, Compromise, Accommodate, Force, Avoid.	★★★★★
Schwaber & Sutherland	Scrum	Sprints, roles, events, artifacts for Agile delivery.	★★★★★
Ohno	Lean / TPS	Eliminate the 7 wastes (muda).	★★★★
Shingo	Poka-Yoke	Mistake-proofing so errors can't happen.	★★★
Shannon-Weaver	Comm. Model	Sender → encode → medium → decode → receiver (+ noise).	★★★★
Mehrabian	7-38-55	Meaning = 7% words, 38% tone, 55% body language.	★★★
Fisher & Ury	Principled Negotiation	Win-win; focus on interests not positions.	★★★
Kahneman/Tversky	Cognitive Bias	Anchoring, optimism bias affect risk decisions.	★★★
Knight	Risk vs Uncertainty	Risk is measurable; uncertainty is not.	★★

Motivation Theories

Abraham Maslow ★★★★★ Very Common

Hierarchy of Needs

People are motivated by climbing a 5-level pyramid. You must satisfy a lower level before the next one motivates. A satisfied need no longer motivates.

Know (apply it)

If someone fears layoffs (no Safety), don't motivate with a fancy title (Esteem) — fix the lower need first.
Bottom 4 = "deficiency" needs; top = "growth" need.

Memorize (the 5 levels, bottom→top)

Physiological → Safety → Social(Love/Belonging) → Esteem → Self-Actualization
Mnemonic: "Please Stop Saving Endangered Species".

Exam scenario

"A developer skips lunch and works through the night for weeks." → physiological needs unmet → performance will drop. Best answer: address basic well-being first.

Exam tip

If a question mentions basic needs, safety, belonging, recognition, or "reaching potential" in levels/order → it's Maslow. Order matters!

Visual — The Pyramid

Douglas McGregor ★★★★★ Very Common

Theory X & Theory Y

Describes a manager's assumptions about workers. Theory X managers assume people are lazy and need control. Theory Y managers assume people are self-motivated and seek responsibility.

Know

X → micromanaging, threats, tight control.
Y → delegation, trust, empowerment (preferred in modern/Agile teams).

Memorize

X = neGative (think "X = boss eXerts control").
Y = positive ("WhY work? Because they want to.").

Exam tip

Question says a manager "watches every move / assumes the team won't work without supervision" → Theory X. PMP generally favors the Theory Y / empowering answer.

Visual — X vs Y

Frederick Herzberg ★★★★★ Very Common

Two-Factor (Motivation-Hygiene) Theory

Two separate scales. Hygiene factors (salary, job security, work conditions, policies) only prevent dissatisfaction — they never truly motivate. Motivators (recognition, achievement, growth, responsibility) create real satisfaction.

Know

Giving more salary stops complaints but doesn't boost motivation.
To motivate → give recognition, responsibility, growth.

Memorize

Hygiene = around the work (pay, conditions, policy).
Motivators = the work itself (achievement, growth).

Exam tip

Trigger words "salary / working conditions / company policy" = hygiene. "Recognition / achievement / advancement" = motivators. Classic trap: raising pay to "motivate" — wrong, that only removes dissatisfaction.

Visual — Two Separate Scales

David McClelland ★★★★★ Very Common

Acquired (Three) Needs Theory

Each person is driven mainly by one of three needs. Match the task to the need.

Memorize the 3 needs

Achievement (nAch): wants challenging-but-achievable goals & feedback.
Power (nPow): wants influence/control; great for leadership.
Affiliation (nAff): wants harmony & belonging; great for team/collaboration roles.

Know (assignment use)

Give the Achiever a stretch goal with clear metrics.
Give the Affiliation person a team-facing, cooperative role.

Exam tip

Three words to remember: A-P-A (Achievement, Power, Affiliation). Used to decide who gets which assignment.

Visual — Match Need to Role

Victor Vroom ★★★ Common

Expectancy Theory

People are motivated when they believe effort → performance → reward, and they actually value the reward.

Memorize 3 parts

Expectancy: "If I work hard, can I perform?"
Instrumentality: "If I perform, will I be rewarded?"
Valence: "Do I want that reward?"

Exam tip

If any link is broken (reward not valued, or unattainable) → motivation drops.
Trigger: "expects a reward" / "believes effort will pay off".

Visual — The Chain

William Ouchi ★★ Low

Theory Z

Built on McGregor. Emphasizes lifetime/long-term employment, employee loyalty, consensus and well-being (Japanese management style).

Exam tip

If you see "Theory Z" or "lifetime employment / strong loyalty" → Ouchi. Rare, but distinguishes it from McGregor's X/Y.

Team Development

Bruce Tuckman ★★★★★ Very Common

Stages of Team Development

Teams mature through 5 ordered stages. The PM's leadership style changes per stage (more directive early, more delegating later).

Memorize — order & meaning

Forming: polite, getting to know each other.
Storming: conflict, power struggles (the hard part!).
Norming: settle, agree on norms & trust.
Performing: high output, self-organizing.
Adjourning: disband / release.

Exam tip

"Team is arguing / tense" = Storming (most-tested stage).
Adding a new member usually sends a team back to Forming.
Mnemonic: "Forms Sometimes Need Proper Adjustment".

Visual — The Rising Staircase

Change Management

Kurt Lewin ★★★★ Common

3-Stage Change Model

The simplest change framework. Think of an ice cube you reshape.

Memorize

Unfreeze: create motivation; break old habits.
Change (Transition): implement the new way.
Refreeze: lock in the new state as the norm.

Exam tip

3 steps only. If a question lists 8 ordered steps → that's Kotter, not Lewin.

Visual — The Ice Cube

John Kotter ★★★★ Common

8-Step Change Process

A detailed, ordered roadmap for leading large organizational change.

Memorize the 8 steps (in order)

1. Create urgency → 2. Build a guiding coalition → 3. Form a vision → 4. Communicate the vision
5. Empower action (remove barriers) → 6. Generate short-term wins → 7. Consolidate & keep going → 8. Anchor in culture

Exam tip

Key first step = urgency. Key last step = anchor in culture. "Short-term wins" is a classic Kotter answer.

Visual — 8 Steps Up

Jeff Hiatt ★★★★ Common

ADKAR Model

Focuses on change at the individual level (Prosci). Each person must move through 5 sequential building blocks.

Memorize — ADKAR

Awareness (of the need to change)
Desire (to participate & support)
Knowledge (how to change)
Ability (to implement skills)
Reinforcement (to sustain it)

Exam tip

Kotter & Lewin = organization change. ADKAR = individual/person change. That distinction is the trap.

Visual — ADKAR Steps

Leadership & Management

Robert Greenleaf ★★★★ Common (Agile!)

Servant Leadership

The leader's #1 job is to serve the team: remove impediments, provide resources, develop people. Core to Agile / Scrum Masters.

Know

Leader is at the bottom supporting, not the top commanding.
Behaviors: listen, empathize, facilitate, coach, shield team.

Exam tip

Agile question about a leader who "removes blockers / supports the team" → Servant Leadership.
PMP loves this answer in Agile contexts.

Visual — Inverted Pyramid

Daniel Goleman ★★★★ Common

Emotional Intelligence (EI / EQ)

A leader's ability to recognize and manage emotions — their own and others'. Strong predictor of leadership success.

Memorize — the 4 (or 5) domains

Self-Awareness — know your emotions.
Self-Regulation (Self-Management) — control them.
Motivation — drive (sometimes listed separately).
Empathy (Social Awareness) — sense others' feelings.
Social Skill (Relationship Mgmt) — manage relationships.

Exam tip

Scenario where PM senses team tension and adjusts approach → EI. "Self-awareness" is the first & most-tested domain.

Visual — 4 Quadrants

Max Weber ★★ Low

Bureaucratic Theory

Organizations run best on formal authority, clear hierarchy, and written rules. Recognize the name; low test priority.

Exam tip

"Formal authority / strict rules & hierarchy" → Weber. Don't over-study.

Henri Fayol ★★ Low

5 Functions of Management

Plan, Organize, Command, Coordinate, Control (often shortened to Plan-Organize-Direct-Control). Father of modern management.

Exam tip

Just recognize "functions of management". Low frequency.

Peter Drucker ★★ Low

Management by Objectives (MBO)

Managers & employees jointly set clear, measurable objectives; performance is judged against them. Pairs with SMART goals.

Exam tip

Trigger: "objectives agreed jointly / measured against goals" → MBO. Objectives must align with org goals or MBO fails.

Warren Bennis ★★ Low

Leadership vs Management

Famous line: "Managers do things right; leaders do the right things." Leaders inspire & set vision; managers administer & execute.

Exam tip

Useful for the recurring PMP theme: leadership (vision, motivate) vs management (process, control).

Quality Management Gurus

W. Edwards Deming ★★★★★ Very Common

PDCA Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act)

The engine of continuous improvement (Kaizen). A repeating loop, never one-and-done.

Memorize

Plan the change → Do (pilot it) → Check (measure results) → Act (adopt or adjust) → repeat.
Deming also = "85% of problems are the system's fault, not the worker's."

Exam tip

PDCA underlies the whole quality knowledge area & Agile retrospectives. Also called the Shewhart cycle (Deming credited Shewhart).

Visual — The Loop

Kaoru Ishikawa ★★★★★ Very Common

Fishbone (Cause-and-Effect / Ishikawa) Diagram

A visual root-cause analysis tool. The "head" is the problem; the "bones" are categories of causes.

Know

Common cause categories (the 6 M's): Machine, Method, Material, Manpower, Measurement, Mother-nature (Environment).
Used to find causes, not to prioritize them.

Exam tip

"Identify possible root causes of a defect" → Fishbone.
Don't confuse with Pareto (which prioritizes causes).

Visual — The Fishbone

Vilfredo Pareto ★★★★★ Very Common

80/20 Rule & Pareto Chart

Roughly 80% of problems come from 20% of causes ("vital few vs trivial many"). The Pareto chart = a bar chart sorted high→low with a cumulative % line, used to prioritize.

Memorize

Focus on the vital few causes first.
Pareto chart = bars (descending) + cumulative line.

Exam tip

"Which defects to fix first?" → Pareto (prioritize).
Fishbone finds causes; Pareto ranks them. Don't swap them.

Visual — Pareto Chart

Walter A. Shewhart ★★★★ Common

Control Charts (Statistical Process Control)

A run chart with a mean line and upper/lower control limits (UCL/LCL) to tell if a process is "in control."

Memorize the rules

Point outside UCL/LCL = out of control (assignable / special cause) → investigate.
Rule of Seven: 7 points in a row on one side of the mean = non-random trend → investigate even if within limits.
Control limits ≠ specification limits (spec = customer requirement).

Exam tip

"Rule of Seven" and "out of control" are favorite traps. Random variation within limits = leave it alone (common cause).

Visual — Control Chart

Joseph Juran ★★★★ Common

Juran Trilogy & "Fitness for Use"

Quality is managed through three processes, and quality means the product is fit for its intended use (not just meeting specs).

Memorize the Trilogy

Quality Planning — design quality in.
Quality Control — monitor & correct.
Quality Improvement — raise the level.
Catchphrase: "Fitness for use".

Exam tip

"Fitness for use" = Juran. (Crosby = "conformance to requirements"; Deming = continuous improvement.) Don't mix the catchphrases.

Philip Crosby ★★★ Common

Zero Defects & "Quality is Free"

Aim for zero defects through prevention (do it right the first time). Quality = "conformance to requirements". Prevention is cheaper than fixing defects later.

Exam tip

"Prevention over inspection" / "do it right the first time" / "zero defects" → Crosby.
"Quality is free" is his famous line (cost of prevention < cost of failure).

Genichi Taguchi ★★★ Common

Taguchi Method / Loss Function

Build quality into the design (robust design). His Loss Function says any deviation from the target value causes a loss — even within tolerance.

Exam tip

"Design quality in" + "any deviation from target = a loss to society" → Taguchi.

Stakeholder Management

Mitchell, Agle & Wood ★★★★★ Very Common

Salience Model

Classifies stakeholders by three attributes: Power, Legitimacy, and Urgency. The overlap defines 7 classes.

Memorize the 7 classes

1 attribute (latent): Dormant (power), Discretionary (legitimacy), Demanding (urgency).
2 attributes (expectant): Dominant (power+legit), Dangerous (power+urgency), Dependent (legit+urgency).
All 3: Definitive — highest priority!

Exam tip

Definitive = has all three = manage closely.
Dangerous = power + urgency but no legitimacy (e.g., illegitimate but forceful party).
Use when 2 dimensions (Mendelow) aren't enough.

Visual — 3-Circle Venn

Mendelow ★★★★★ Very Common

Power/Interest Grid

A simple 2×2 to decide your engagement strategy for each stakeholder based on their power and interest.

Memorize the 4 quadrants

High Power + High Interest → Manage Closely.
High Power + Low Interest → Keep Satisfied.
Low Power + High Interest → Keep Informed.
Low Power + Low Interest → Monitor (minimal effort).

Exam tip

Most common stakeholder question type. Also exists as Power/Influence and Influence/Impact grids — same idea, different axes.

Visual — 2×2 Grid

Conflict Management

Thomas & Kilmann ★★★★★ Very Common

5 Conflict-Resolution Modes

Five styles plotted on Assertiveness (your needs) vs Cooperativeness (their needs).

Memorize the 5 styles

Collaborate / Problem-Solve — high/high → win-win, best long-term.
Compromise / Reconcile — both give up something → lose-lose-ish.
Accommodate / Smooth — emphasize agreement, downplay differences.
Force / Direct — one wins (win-lose); fast but damages relations.
Avoid / Withdraw — retreat, postpone; not a real solution.

Exam tip

PMP's preferred default = Collaborate / Problem-Solve (addresses root cause).
Force may be right when stakes are high & time is short (e.g., safety).
Compromise ≠ Collaborate. Compromise = both lose a little; Collaborate = both win.

Visual — Assertive vs Cooperative

Agile & Lean

Ken Schwaber & Jeff Sutherland ★★★★★ Very Common

Scrum Framework

Co-creators of Scrum — the most-tested Agile framework on the new PMP (~50% Agile/Hybrid).

Memorize — 3 / 5 / 3

3 Roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers.
5 Events: Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Retrospective.
3 Artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment.

Know

Sprint = timeboxed (≤1 month), produces a usable increment.
Scrum Master = servant leader (see Greenleaf).
PO owns/prioritizes backlog; team self-organizes.

Exam tip

Daily Scrum is for the team (not status to the boss), 15 min. Retro = improve the process; Review = inspect the product.

Visual — Sprint Flow

Taiichi Ohno ★★★★ Common

Lean / Toyota Production System

Maximize value by eliminating waste (muda). Father of the 7 wastes & just-in-time.

Memorize the 7 wastes — "TIMWOOD"

Transport, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Over-production, Over-processing, Defects.

Exam tip

"Eliminate waste / maximize value flow" → Lean. Lean thinking feeds Kanban & Agile.

Shigeo Shingo ★★★ Common

Poka-Yoke (Mistake-Proofing)

Design processes/products so a mistake is impossible (e.g., a USB that only fits one way). Lean partner of Ohno.

Exam tip

"Poka-yoke / mistake-proofing / error cannot occur" → Shingo. Prevention by design.

Communication

Claude Shannon & Warren Weaver ★★★★ Common

Sender-Receiver Communication Model

Communication = a sender encodes a message, sends it through a medium, the receiver decodes it, and sends feedback — all degraded by noise.

Memorize the chain

Sender → Encode → Message/Medium → Decode → Receiver → Feedback (loop).
Noise = anything that distorts (language, distractions, jargon, tech issues).

Exam tip

Sender is responsible for making the message clear & complete; receiver for understanding. "Feedback" confirms it was received correctly.

Visual — The Communication Loop

Albert Mehrabian ★★★ Common

7-38-55 Rule

For emotional/attitude messages, meaning is conveyed: 7% words, 38% tone of voice, 55% body language. Non-verbal dominates.

Exam tip

Argument for face-to-face over email for sensitive topics.
Numbers to recall: 7 / 38 / 55 (they add to 100).

Visual — 7/38/55 Pie

Procurement & Negotiation

Roger Fisher & William Ury ★★★ Common

Principled Negotiation ("Getting to Yes")

Negotiate for a win-win by focusing on shared interests, not fixed positions.

Memorize 4 principles

1. Separate people from the problem.
2. Focus on interests, not positions.
3. Invent options for mutual gain.
4. Use objective criteria. (Bonus: know your BATNA.)

Exam tip

"Win-win / interests over positions" → principled negotiation. Best outcome in procurement disputes is usually a fair, relationship-preserving deal.

Risk & Decision Making

Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky ★★★ Common

Cognitive Biases & Prospect Theory

Human risk decisions are biased. Useful for understanding why estimates & risk responses go wrong.

Know these biases

Anchoring: over-relying on the first number heard (e.g., first estimate).
Optimism bias: underestimating time/cost/risk.
Prospect theory: people fear losses more than they value equal gains (loss aversion).

Exam tip

If estimates are skewed by "the first figure someone mentioned" → anchoring. Biases support using ranges & multiple expert inputs (e.g., Delphi).

Frank H. Knight ★★ Low

Risk vs Uncertainty

Risk = you can assign probabilities (measurable). Uncertainty = you cannot (unmeasurable / true unknowns).

Exam tip

Risk = known-unknowns with odds; uncertainty = unknown-unknowns. Low frequency, just recognize the distinction.

★ One-Page Cheat Sheet

Trigger word → answer. Skim this the morning of the exam.

"Order of needs / basic vs growth"	Maslow Hierarchy
"Manager distrusts / controls workers"	McGregor Theory X (PMP prefers Y)
"Salary/conditions OK but no motivation"	Herzberg — that's hygiene, not a motivator
"Who fits which assignment"	McClelland (Achievement / Power / Affiliation)
"Effort→reward, values the reward"	Vroom Expectancy
"Team arguing / tension"	Tuckman — Storming
"3-step / unfreeze"	Lewin
"8 ordered steps / urgency / short-term wins"	Kotter
"Individual change / awareness-desire…"	Hiatt — ADKAR
"Leader removes blockers, serves team"	Greenleaf — Servant Leadership
"PM senses emotions & adapts"	Goleman — Emotional Intelligence
"Plan-Do-Check-Act / improve continuously"	Deming — PDCA
"Find possible root causes"	Ishikawa — Fishbone
"Which problems to fix first"	Pareto — 80/20
"Rule of seven / out of control"	Shewhart — Control Chart
"Fitness for use"	Juran
"Zero defects / prevention / conformance"	Crosby
"Design quality in / loss function"	Taguchi
"Power + Legitimacy + Urgency / Definitive"	Mitchell-Agle-Wood — Salience
"Manage closely / keep satisfied / 2×2"	Mendelow — Power/Interest
"Win-win conflict / problem solving"	Thomas-Kilmann — Collaborate
"Sprints / PO / Scrum Master"	Schwaber & Sutherland — Scrum
"Eliminate the 7 wastes"	Ohno — Lean
"Mistake-proofing"	Shingo — Poka-Yoke
"Sender/receiver/noise"	Shannon-Weaver
"7-38-55 / body language"	Mehrabian
"Interests not positions / win-win deal"	Fisher & Ury
"First number anchors the estimate"	Kahneman — Anchoring bias

★ Top 15 Names to Memorize Cold

#	Name	Memorize this
1	Maslow	Hierarchy of Needs (5 levels, in order)
2	McGregor	Theory X (control) & Y (trust)
3	Herzberg	Hygiene vs Motivators
4	McClelland	Achievement-Power-Affiliation
5	Tuckman	Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing-Adjourning
6	Lewin	Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze
7	Kotter	8-Step Change Model
8	Hiatt	ADKAR
9	Deming	PDCA
10	Ishikawa	Fishbone diagram
11	Pareto	80/20 rule
12	Shewhart	Control charts
13	Mendelow	Power/Interest grid
14	Mitchell-Agle-Wood	Salience model
15	Thomas-Kilmann	Conflict resolution styles

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