PMP Brain Dump Sheet: What to Memorize Before the Exam

A brain dump is a one-page reference I tell PMs to mentally rehearse before the exam and write down on the provided scratch paper in the first 3-5 minutes after starting. Everything you cannot afford to forget under stress goes here. In my experience, candidates who walk into the exam with a rehearsed brain dump have a 5-10 question advantage over candidates who try to recall formulas and frameworks under pressure throughout the exam.

In this guide I cover what a brain dump is for, the sections I see producing the most exam value, the full brain dump sheet I recommend, the rehearsal practices that make it automatic, and the exam-day execution that turns rehearsal into reliable points.

The brain dump is a memory aid for high-leverage formulas and frameworks that are easy to forget under stress. It is not a complete summary of PMBOK. Keep it short - one page maximum.

You memorise it during prep. You write it from memory in the first 5 minutes of the exam. After that, you use it as a reference during the test.

The brain dump’s purpose is anxiety reduction and rapid lookup. Under exam stress, retrieval of memorised information slows. The brain dump captures the highest-stakes information in writing so the candidate does not have to retrieve it under pressure.

For candidates with strong memory, the brain dump may feel unnecessary. Even strong-memory candidates benefit from it because exam-day stress affects retrieval differently than calm conditions. The discipline of the brain dump is insurance, not crutch.

For candidates with weaker memory or higher exam anxiety, the brain dump is essential. The 5 minutes invested in writing it pays back in 5-10 questions where the formulas and frameworks would otherwise have been irretrievable.

A high-leverage brain dump usually contains:

• EVM formulas (8 of them, plus VAC).
• Communication channels formula (n(n-1)/2).
• Risk response strategies (threats and opportunities).
• Contract types with risk distribution.
• Conflict resolution styles (5 styles).
• Motivation theories (key theorists and concepts).
• Tuckman’s stages (forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning).
• The 12 PMI mindset principles (or key shorthand).
• Quality tools (the seven basic tools).
• Process group counts (2, 24, 10, 12, 1).

That is enough to cover most “I forgot” moments. More than this and the brain dump becomes too long to write in 5 minutes.

The exact contents depend on the candidate’s weaknesses. A candidate who finds EVM easy may compress that section to fit other content. A candidate who finds People-domain content easy may compress motivation theories.

For candidates building their first brain dump, starting with the standard sections above and customising over weeks is the right approach. Mock exams reveal which sections produced value and which were unused; iterate based on data.

Below is a copyable layout. Memorise the structure, not the words verbatim.

EVM - CV = EV - AC - SV = EV - PV - CPI = EV / AC - SPI = EV / PV - EAC (continues) = BAC / CPI - EAC (per plan) = AC + (BAC - EV) - EAC (combined) = AC + [(BAC - EV) / (CPI × SPI)] - ETC = EAC - AC - VAC = BAC - EAC - TCPI (BAC) = (BAC - EV) / (BAC - AC)

Communications - Channels = n(n-1)/2

PERT - Mean = (O + 4M + P) / 6 - SD = (P - O) / 6

Risk responses - Threats: Avoid, Transfer, Mitigate, Accept, Escalate - Opportunities: Exploit, Share, Enhance, Accept, Escalate

Contract types (risk: high seller -> high buyer) - FFP -> FPIF -> FPEPA -> T&M -> CPIF -> CPFF -> CPAF

Conflict resolution - Collaborate / Compromise / Force / Smooth / Avoid

Motivation theories - Maslow (hierarchy of needs) - Herzberg (hygiene + motivators) - McGregor (Theory X / Theory Y) - McClelland (achievement, affiliation, power) - Vroom (expectancy theory)

Tuckman - Forming -> Storming -> Norming -> Performing -> Adjourning

12 PMI mindset principles (use shorthand) - People first / Proactive / Communicate often / Document decisions / Tailor / Formal process / Servant lead / Collaborate / Manage stakeholders / Plan risk / Deliver value / Continuously improve

Quality tools - Fishbone, Flow, Check, Pareto, Histogram, Control, Scatter

Process groups (counts) - Initiating(2), Planning(24), Executing(10), M&C(12), Closing(1) = 49

Quality theorists - Deming (PDCA), Juran (fitness for use), Crosby (zero defects), Ishikawa (fishbone), Taguchi (loss function)

This sheet covers approximately 90% of “I forgot” moments. The remaining 10% is variable; customise based on personal weaknesses.

Spaced repetition over 2-3 weeks. Each day:

• Write the brain dump from memory.
• Compare to your reference.
• Note what you missed.
• Repeat the next day.

By exam day, you can write the whole sheet in under 5 minutes from memory.

The first 3-5 days produce slow recall with significant gaps. By day 7-10, the structure becomes reliable but specific items still need reference. By day 14, the writing becomes automatic.

The discipline matters: writing actually produces stronger memory than reading. Each daily write reinforces the memory; reading only reinforces less. Strong candidates write the brain dump daily for 2-3 weeks before the exam.

For candidates with limited prep time, compressed memorisation works but produces less reliable recall. 1 week of daily writing produces functional but fragile memory; 2-3 weeks produces robust memory.

The mnemonic devices that help: - “EVM is 8 formulas, all using EV, AC, PV, BAC.” - “Risk responses for threats: Avoid means eliminate; Transfer means pass to another; Mitigate means reduce; Accept means do nothing; Escalate means out of project authority.” - “Contracts go from full seller risk (FFP) to full buyer risk (CPAF).” - “Conflict styles are CCFSA - Collaborate, Compromise, Force, Smooth, Avoid.”

• After check-in, before clicking Start, mentally rehearse the brain dump one final time.
• After clicking Start, you have access to scratch paper or whiteboard. Write the brain dump in the first 3-5 minutes.
• During the test, glance at it for relevant formulas or frameworks.
• It is yours to keep open the whole exam.

This 3-5 minute investment recovers easily 5-10 questions you might otherwise miss under stress.

The 3-5 minute investment is the right cost-benefit analysis. Skipping the brain dump saves time but loses points; writing the brain dump costs 5 minutes but recovers 5-10 questions worth more than 5 minutes of additional question time.

The exam day rhythm with the brain dump: - 3-5 minutes: write the brain dump. - Section 1 (questions 1-60): glance at brain dump as needed. - Break 1: optional re-rehearsal mentally. - Section 2 (questions 61-120): continue using brain dump. - Break 2: optional brain dump update if anything came back. - Section 3 (questions 121-180): brain dump still useful.

The brain dump stays available throughout. Some candidates add to it as memory comes back during the exam.

Online proctored exams provide a digital scratch pad. The brain dump goes there.

Considerations specific to online proctored: - The digital scratch pad has a basic interface. Practice during mocks. - The proctor may pause to verify the scratch pad is empty at start. - After the exam starts, the candidate is free to write. - The scratch pad is cleared at exam end; no physical artefact to take.

For online proctored candidates, the discipline is to know the scratch pad interface before exam day. Some interfaces support typing; others support stylus or trackpad drawing. Practice in the same format as the actual exam.

The benefit of the digital scratch pad: searchable. Some interfaces allow Ctrl-F to find specific items. The drawback: typing is slower than handwriting for many candidates. Practice your preferred input method.

Test centre exams provide physical scratch paper or a whiteboard with markers.

Considerations specific to test centre: - The scratch material is provided. The candidate cannot bring their own. - Whiteboard with marker is most common. - The candidate must turn in the scratch material at exam end. - Handwriting tends to be faster than typing for diagrams and formulas.

For test centre candidates, the handwriting practice matters. Practice writing the brain dump on paper during prep. The transfer to whiteboard at the test centre is straightforward.

The benefit of the physical scratch material: spatial layout. The candidate can position elements wherever helps. The drawback: erasing and rewriting is slower; once written, the layout is somewhat fixed.

The brain dump should be tight. Avoid:

• ITTOs: too many to fit; understand them rather than memorise.
• Process descriptions: each process’s purpose can be remembered without the brain dump.
• Definitions: most PMP terms can be retrieved without the brain dump.
• Detailed examples: scenarios from study materials do not need to be in the brain dump.
• Personal notes about question-taking strategy: keep these mental rather than written.
• Multiple copies of the same information: redundancy wastes space.

The discipline of compression matters. A bloated brain dump takes longer to write and harder to navigate during the exam. The candidate’s job is to fit maximum useful content into one page.

For candidates who feel they need more than one page, the answer is usually that they have not memorised enough to compress. The brain dump should be a memory aid, not a complete reference.

The standard brain dump covers common weak areas. Personal customisation handles individual weak spots.

Practices for customisation: - Track wrong answers in mock exams by topic. - Identify the topics where you consistently struggle. - Add brain dump entries that address those topics. - Remove entries you never use.

Common customisations: - Add specific quality tool descriptions if those questions are weak. - Add procurement contract characteristics if those are weak. - Add stakeholder engagement levels if those are weak. - Add specific motivation theories beyond the standard list.

The customisation process is iterative. Each mock exam reveals what worked and what did not; the brain dump evolves accordingly.

For candidates without time for full customisation, the standard brain dump above is sufficient. The 80/20 rule applies; the standard sections cover most “I forgot” moments.

Beyond writing the brain dump, mental rehearsal of its contents reinforces memory. Practices:

• Mentally walk through the brain dump while commuting.
• Recite formulas while exercising.
• Quiz yourself on specific sections.
• Visualise writing the brain dump on exam day.

The mental rehearsal builds different memory pathways than writing. Combined, the two produce more robust recall than either alone.

For candidates with anxiety, the visualisation specifically helps. Visualising calm exam day execution reduces day-of stress. The brain dump becomes part of the visualisation - “I sit down, I write the brain dump calmly, I begin the exam.”

The discipline of daily mental rehearsal in the final 1-2 weeks before the exam keeps the content fresh. Without this, even well-memorised content can fade slightly under exam pressure.

What if you forget parts of the brain dump on exam day?

The first response: do not panic. Partial brain dumps are still useful. Write what you remember; gaps will fill in as you proceed.

The second response: structure first. Write the section headings you remember. The structure prompts memory of contents.

The third response: use questions as memory aids. As you answer questions, items from the brain dump may come back. Add them to the brain dump as they appear.

For candidates who experience significant brain dump failure, the underlying issue is usually preparation. The brain dump did not become automatic during prep. Future credentialing exams should include more rehearsal time.

The discipline of accepting partial recall matters. A candidate who recovers from partial recall and continues calmly outperforms a candidate who panics and loses focus.