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Are you looking to become a PMI Agile Certified Professional (PMI ACP)(r). Students who are most successful include reading a variety of PMI-ACP books as part of their exam prep as well as a training program for that extra comfort.
It is also helpful to have books that you can refer to if you are unable to access your training materials. A book will give you a deeper dive into the topic than a training manual.
Below is a list of the top agile books that you can use to help you with your certification studies. These books are not only guides, but they also provide insight into agile. All of them are included on PMI’s exam materials list.
You don’t have to read every book on the agile exam reading list. Choose a few that you like and are within your budget. You can also choose books that fill in the gaps. If you have a lot of experience with Kanban, then it is not worth spending time reading Kanban in Action (Marcuse Hammerberg and Joakin Sonden). You would be better off investing your time in User Stories Applied for Agile Software Development (Mike Cohn).
These are not exam study guides. They are not intended to help you pass the syllabus. You can find them in my list of the top agile study guides.
Are you short on time? Choose one book to complement your PMI-ACP studies. I recommend User Stories Applied by Mike Cohn for Agile Software Development.
The Agile PrepCast$229.00 A complete PMI-ACP exam prep course. You’ll be quickly on your way to agile certification. Self-paced, with video training modules. This course is a favorite of Cornelius Fichtner, a respected trainer. It’s an affordable way to prepare for your exam. Upgrades are available to add the exam simulator or study guidebooks.
Learn moreWe earn commission when you click this link and purchase a book from the PMI-ACP.
I have read and reviewed many books so I feel confident in recommending them to you. I have also spoken to many authors and met many project management trainers throughout the years.
Continue reading to see my analysis and reviews on the best PMI ACP prep books that will help explain agile methodologies and earn your certification.
1. Robert K. Wysocki: Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile and Extreme
Robert Wysocki provided me with my favorite definition of project management, which I use in all of my training courses.
This book, published by Wiley, is now in its 8th edition. Despite having the most boring cover, it is still relevant today. Part 3 covers agile and hybrid project management within complex settings. There are also a few case studies in the appendices that will help you better understand the practical application of these methods in real life.
This book’s first section covers traditional project management methods. You will be able to compare and contrast them. This book is ideal for those who have a linear, predictive approach to project management and want to learn more about iterative project management.
Amazon: Buy
2. Jim Highsmith: Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products
Jim Highsmith is another well-known name in agile, so I recommend this book for a guide to agile product delivery.
It is quite old, and the most recent edition has been around a while. It covers all the important topics, and is organized around the agile manifesto. Chapter 5 covers agile project management and the rest of the book covers project lifecycle and process in detail.
Best PMI-ACP Exam Prep books
