Chapter 17: Controlling a stage Flashcards
What is the purpose of the Controlling a stage process?
The purpose is to assign work to be done, monitor such work, deal with issues, report progress to the project board, and take corrective actions to ensure that the management stage remains within tolerances.
What are the objectives of the Controlling a stage process?
The objective of controlling a stage process is to ensure that:
- Attention is focused on delivery of management stage’s product. Any movement away from the direction and products agreed at the start of the management stage is monitored to avoid uncontrolled change and loss of focus
- Risks and issues are kept under control
- The business case is kept under review
- The agreed products for the management stage are delivered to stated quality standard, within
cost, effort and time agreed, and ultimately in support of the achievement of the defined benefits - The project management team is focused on delivery within the tolerance laid down.
What are the 6 management products that are created or updated within the Controlling a stage process?
- Work package - set of information about one or more required products created by the PM to pass the responsibility for work or delivery to a team manager or member
- Highlight report - a summary of the stage status defined by the Project Board; created by PM
- Issue Register - captures and registers all issues that are formally managed
- Risk Register - a record of all identified risks, their history and their status
- Quality Register - all quality management activities that are planned or have taken place
- Exception Report - informs the Project board that a Stage or the Project is expected to exceed the tolerances
What are the activities within the Controlling a stage process?
WORK PACKAGES:
* authorize a work package
* review work package
* receive completed work package
MONITORING AND REPORTING:
* review the management stage status
* report highlights
ISSUES AND RISKS:
* capture and assess issues and risks
* escalate issues and risks
* take corrective action
What is a work package?
The set of information relevant to the creation of one or more product. It contains:
* description of the work
* product description(s)
* details of any constraints on production
* confirmation of the agreement between the PM and TM who is to implement the work package
When does the project manager authorize a work package?
In the beginning of stages
In the beginning of exception plans rolling out
After a stage has been reviewed and PM realized that there is a need for a new work package
When the PM is taking corrective action to put the stage back within the tolerances
What is the document that the project manager is using to review a work package status?
Checkpoint report = A progress report of the information gathered at a checkpoint (= a team-level, time-driven (i.e., at certain intervals within a stage) review of progress), which is given by a team (manager) to the project manager and which provides reporting data as defined in the work package.
Should the project manager update the stage plan after a review of work package status?
Yes, the PM should update the Stage Plan with actuals to date, forecasts and adjustments.
What is the difference between a highlight report and a checkpoint report?
A highlight report is created by the PM and given to the Board and is a snapshot of the current status of the project.
A checkpoint report is created by the TM and given to the PM and is a status of the work that has been done, in progress, or has not been done yet within a work package.
How should the PM update the Stage plan after they receive the completed work packages?
The PM should mark the work package as completed in the stage plan.
TRUE or FALSE:
After a work package is approved by the PM, any changes to the products must pass through change control.
TRUE
How does the PM review the management stage status?
By comparing what has actually happened with what was expected to happen and might happen next.
The PM checks almost all documentation to do this comparison, and reviews planned vs. reported vs. actual progress.
Is the review of the management stage status a time-driven or an event-driven activity?
Both, it should be planned in advance in the stage plan, but it can also be triggered by project board advice.
What is a highlight report?
A time-driven report from the project manager to the project board on management stage progress.
One of the activities undergone by the PM in the Controlling a stage process is to “capture and assess issues and risks”. What happens when the PM decides that an issue should be managed formally?
They create an issue report = a report containing the description, impact assessment and recommendations for a request for change, off-specification or a problem/concern.
