pmp exam 2026 | Project Success

The new PMP exam has been out for several weeks now and feedback is in. Here is exactly what you will see on the exam so you know what to expect and what to study.

Artificial Intelligence Questions (5-10)

Between five and ten questions will cover artificial intelligence or the risks of AI adoption. These appear as normal project management scenarios. The content covers typical AI risks – bias in data, copyright issues, privacy concerns and sustainability. The good news is these questions are mostly common sense, so apply basic project management thinking to AI risks just as you would to any other risk.

Case Study Questions (8-12)

The new exam introduces case study questions as a new format at the beginning of the exam. A case study is a longer scenario that you read through in full. After reading it, you answer three to four questions about that specific scenario.

Here is something important to know about timing – because the case study section comes first on your exam, you complete all the case study questions and then they give you your first 10-minute break. This break comes very early in the exam, and creates a timing imbalance. After the break, you have approximately 170 questions remaining, split into two blocks of roughly 85 questions each with only one break between them. This means the second half of your exam is a long stretch without a break. Be aware of this timing structure so you can manage your energy and pacing accordingly.

Drag and Drop Questions (2 to 10)

These questions work exactly like they did on the previous exam – you are given a description and you drag it to match its correct definition or category. For example, you might see “Stakeholder Register” and drag it to its proper description. You will see around five of these questions, though the number could vary slightly.

Graphical Questions (Around 5)

You will see graphical or chart-based questions similar to the previous exam. You might be shown a burndown chart, a trend chart or another visual representation of project data. Then you answer questions about what that chart tells you. For example, “Is the project on track or off track based on this burndown chart?” Around five questions will use this format.

Situational Project Management Questions (Remaining 90%)

The remaining 90% of questions are exactly like the previous PMP exam. These are scenario-based questions. You read a scenario where something is going wrong on a project. You apply your project management knowledge to solve it.

These questions are multiple choice with typically two answers that seem to be correct. This is what makes them challenging. You have to distinguish between the good answer and the better answer by understanding the real life project management concepts.
Some of these questions may be multi-select, meaning you choose two or three correct answers out of five or six options.

What This Means for Your PMP Study

The core of the exam remains the same. Situational project management questions still make up the vast majority of what you will encounter. Your existing study resources and practice questions will prepare you well.

So read and practice full scenarios. Learn to extract key information quickly from longer passages. Practice answering multiple questions about a single scenario.

Familiarize yourself with AI risks in project management – these are in the new PMBOK Guide, 8th Edition.

The drag and drop and graphical question types are not new to the PMP exam. They appeared on previous versions.

Getting Your PMP

If you are studying the PMBOK Guide 8th Edition, you will recognize most of what you see. Case studies and increased AI content are new elements, but both fit within standard project management thinking.

Practice situational questions relentlessly, know the Project Management Process and key concepts (tools & techniques), and you will pass your PMP exam.

– David McLachlan

You can see what people are saying about David McLachlan here: REVIEWS

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