What the exam content outline is
The Examination Content Outline (ECO) is PMI®'s list of what the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam tests. It sets out the domains, the tasks inside each domain and how much of the exam each domain takes. PMI published a new outline for the exam that launched in July 2026. You can download it from PMI's PMP page.
If you already studied older materials, PMI says to keep going: the core principles and approaches of the exam remain the same. What changed is the weighting and some of the topics.
What changed in July 2026
According to PMI:
Weights: People 42% to 33%, Process 50% to 41%, Business Environment 8% to 26%.
New topics in project scenarios: AI, sustainability and stakeholder engagement.
More focus on outcomes, value and business impact, with a balance of leadership, technical and strategic skills.
The outline also says that about 40% of the exam is predictive and the rest is split between agile or adaptive and hybrid approaches, across all three domains.
People (33%)
The People domain is about leading the team and working with stakeholders. The tasks are:
Develop a common vision
Manage conflicts
Lead the project team
Engage stakeholders
Align stakeholder expectations
Manage stakeholder expectations
Help ensure knowledge transfer
Plan and manage communication
How to study it: most questions here are scenarios with people in them. Practice choosing what you would do first, before you escalate or decide for the team.
Process (41%)
Process is the largest domain. It covers how the work gets planned, delivered and closed:
Integrated plan and delivery
Scope
Value-based delivery
Resources
Procurement
Finance
Quality
Schedule
Evaluate project status
Project closure
How to study it: know the tools, and also when each fits predictive, agile or hybrid work. "Value-based delivery" connects the plan to the outcome the project exists for.
Business Environment (26%)
This domain grew the most. It covers the world around the project:
Governance
Compliance
Manage and control changes
Remove impediments and manage issues
Risk
Continuous improvement
Support organizational change
Evaluate external business environment changes
How to study it: many candidates studied older materials where this domain was 8%. Check your practice results here first, and practice change control, risk and compliance scenarios.
How to use the outline while you study
Download the outline from PMI and keep it next to your notes.
Map your practice results to the domains. The ELPMP.com Exam Simulator shows your results in People, Process and Business Environment after each exam.
Spend time in proportion to weight and weakness. A weak domain with a high weight comes first.
Mix approaches. Practice predictive, agile and hybrid scenarios in every domain.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I download the PMP exam content outline?From PMI's PMP certification page.
Did the PMP exam change in 2026?Yes. PMI launched the updated exam in July 2026, with new domain weights and topics.
Is my older study material still useful?PMI says the core principles and approaches remain the same. Add the Business Environment topics and the new themes.
What are the domain weights now?People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%.
Next step
Read the exam format and question types, then see your own domain results with the free sample exam.