Ch 3 PM Processes & Role of the Project Manager Flashcards
Initiating
(Process Group)
Process group that acquires authorization to start a project
Only has two processes
The main outputs are the project charter and stakeholder register.
Planning
(Process Group)
Process group in which the main output is the Project Management Plan
Has 24 processes across all 10 knowledge areas that are iterative and ongoing until the Project Management Plan is created
Executing
(Process Group)
Process group that involves acquiring a team to do the project work
Usually requires the most time and money to complete
Has only 10 processes, but has more exam questions than the Planning process group
Monitoring and Controlling
(Process Group)
Process group that evaluates performance and ensures the project stays on plan
Also focuses on measuring, inspecting, monitoring, verifying, reviewing, and comparing the actual work to the planned work
Has 12 processes in all 10 knowledge areas
Closing
(Process Group)
Process group that ensures the contracts are formally closed out and lessons learned are documented
Has only one process
Occurs after the customer or sponsor has accepted the deliverables
Common Inputs
- Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)
- Organization Process Assests
- Project Documents
- Project Management Plan
(All common inputs are documents, except EEFs)
Common Outputs
- Change Request
- Work Performance Data
- Work Performance Information
- Work Performance Reports
- Updates
(All common outputs are documents)
Common Tools and Techniques
- Expert Judgement
- Data Gathering
- Data Analysis
- Decision Making
- Data Representation
- Interpersonal and Team Skills
- Meeting
- Project Management Information System (PMIS)
Others include:
- Inspection (always a T&T)
- Decomposition
- Negotiation
Common ITTOs
Project Management Institute (PMI) Talent Triangle
Leadership Skills
Skills that involve dealing with people (e.g., negotiating, communicating, solving problems, interpersonal skills)
Laissez-Faire
(Leadership Style)
Leadership style in which the project manager is hands-off, allowing the project team to make their own decisions
Not a good leadership style
Servant Leader
(Leadership Style)
Leadership style in which the project manager focuses on removing obstacles from the team and giving the team what is needed in order to complete the work
Mostly used in agile projects
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)
One of the most common (planning) process inputs
Internal or external factors that are not under the control of the project team and include, but are not limited to:
- Organizational culture, structure, and governance.
- Government or industry standards, such as regulations or quality standards
- Infrastructure, such as facilities and equipment.
- Personnel and the way the company manages them
- Stakeholders’ risk tolerances
- Company work authorization systems that ensure work is done at the right time and in the right sequence
Organization Process Assets (OPA)
One of the most common (planning) process inputs
The plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases that are used by the organization that can help a project manager manage his/her projects
Updates are an output of the Close Project or Phase process (Integration/Closing)
Includes, but is not limited to:
- Previous project plans
- Templates
- Historical information
- Lessons learned
- Knowledge bases
- Organization procedures and policies
- Project management databases
- Project files from previous projects
Project Management Information System (PMIS)
One of the most common process tools
An automated system (hardware and software) used by a project manager to help optimize the schedule or keep track of all documents and deliverables
Includes the work authorization system and the configuration management system
Level of technology or software
A tool used to help execute the Manage Communications process (Communications/Executing)
Work Authorization System
System used throughout the executing processes to ensure that work is done in the right order and at the right time
Is part of the Project Mangement Information System (PMIS), along with the configuration management system
Configuration Management System
System that ensures the product gets the right settings and configuration
Includes the change management system.
Is part of the Project Mangement Information System (PMIS), along with the work authorization system
Change Management System
System used to ensure that changes to a project are documented, tracked, and authorized or denied.
Is part of the configuration management system, which is part of the Project Mangement Information System (PMIS), along with the work authorization system
Meetings
One of the most common process tools
Often include all stakeholder types throughout the project and can be done face-to-face or virtually
Tips for making them more effective:
- Have an agenda and distribute it to all attendees before the meeting
- Meetings must have set start and finish times for topics and the entire meeting
- Make sure that the meeting always stays on topic
- Ensure that all attendees provide input
- Distribute detailed meeting minutes as soon as the meeting is complete
Work Performance Data
One of the most common (executing) process outputs
Raw data about the work that has been done (e.g., status, how long the work took, how much the work cost)
An output of the Direct and Manage Project Work process (Integration/Executing)
An input to the Control Scope, Control Schedule, Control Cost processes (baselines/M&C)
Work Performance Information
One of the most common (monitoring and controlling) process outputs
Useful information about the status of work performed (Work Performance Data) after comparison to the project management plan (or specifically, baselines)
May include the CV (cost variance) and CPI (cost performance index) earned value formulas
An output of the Control Scope, Control Schedule, and Control Cost processes (baselines/M&C)
An input to the Monitor and Control Project Work process (Integration/M&C)
Work Performance Report
One of the most common process outputs
The overall status report of the actual project based on all the work performance information (sum of all monitoring and controlling processes)
Used to update the stakeholders on the progress of the project; EVM, EV, AC, PV, EAC, ETC, VAC, BAC, can be used for all kinds of performance reports such as status, trend, and progress reports
An output of the Monitor and Control Project Work process (Integration/M&C)
An input of the Manage Communications process (Communications/Executing)
Decision Making
A common tool used to make decisions
There are three techniques:
- Voting: majority, unanimity, or plurality
- Multicriteria decision analysis: a table or matrix is created listing different criteria types and an idea is evaluated
- Autocratic decision making: one person makes a decision for the entire team
