CHAPTER 2 - The Environment in which Projects Operate Flashcards
Projects exist and operate in environments that may have an influence on them. These influences can have a favorable or unfavorable impact on the project. Two major categories of influences are ??? and ???
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs) and Organizational Process Assets (OPAs).
??? originate from the environment outside of the project and often outside of the enterprise and may have an impact at the organizational, portfolio, program, or project level.
[EEFs - Enterprise Environmental Factors]
Impacted by [Internal] and [External] Factors
??? are INTERNAL to the organization. These may arise from the organization itself, a portfolio, a program, another project, or a combination of these.
[OPAs - Organizational Process Assets]
Impacted by [Processes, Policies & Procedures] and [Corporate Knowledge Base]
In addition to EEFs and OPAs, organizational ? play a significant role in the life cycle of the project. (S) factors impact the power, influence, interests, competencies, and political capabilities of the people to act within the organizational system.
systems
??? refer to conditions, not under the control of the project team, that influence, constrain, or direct the project. These conditions can be internal and/or external to the organization.
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)
EEFs are considered as inputs to many project management processes, specifically for most ? processes.
planning
EEF factors may ? or ? project management options. In addition, these factors may have a positive or negative influence on the outcome.
enhance or constrain
Examples of ? EEFs include:
- Organizational culture, structure, and governance.
- Geographic distribution of facilities and resources.
- Infrastructure.
- Information technology software.
- Resource availability.
- Employee capability.
Internal
Vision, mission, values, beliefs, cultural norms, leadership style, hierarchy and authority relationships, organizational style, ethics, and code of conduct are examples of which internal EEF?
Organizational culture, structure, and governance.
Factory locations, virtual teams, shared systems, and cloud computing are examples of which internal EEF?
Geographic distribution of facilities and resources.
Existing facilities, equipment, organizational telecommunications channels, information technology hardware, availability, and capacity are examples of which internal EEF?
Infrastructure.
Scheduling software tools, configuration management systems, web interfaces to other online automated systems, and work authorization systems are examples of which internal EEF?
Information technology software.
Contracting and purchasing constraints, approved providers and subcontractors, and collaboration agreements are examples of which internal EEF?
Resource availability.
Existing human resources expertise, skills, competencies, and specialized knowledge are examples of which internal EEF?
Employee capability.
Examples of ? EEFs include:
- Marketplace conditions.
- Social and cultural influences and issues.
- Legal restrictions.
- Commercial databases.
- Academic research.
- Government or industry standards.
- Financial considerations.
- Physical environmental elements.
External
Competitors, market share brand recognition, and trademarks are examples of which External EEF?
Marketplace conditions.
Political climate, codes of conduct, ethics, and perceptions are examples of which External EEF?
Social and cultural influences and issues.
Country or local laws and regulations related to security, data protection, business conduct, employment, and procurement are examples of which External EEF?
Legal restrictions.
Benchmarking results, standardized cost estimating data, industry risk study information, and risk databases are examples of which External EEF?
Commercial databases.
Industry studies, publications, and benchmarking results are examples of which External EEF?
Academic research.
Regulatory agency regulations and standards related to products, production, environment, quality, and workmanship are examples of which External EEF?
Government or industry standards.
Currency exchange rates, interest rates, inflation rates, tariffs, and geographic location are examples of which External EEF?
Financial considerations.
Working conditions, weather, and constraints are examples of which External EEF?
Physical environmental elements.
??? are the plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases specific to and used by the performing organization. These assets influence the management of the project.
Organizational process assets (OPAs)
OPAs include any artifact, practice, or knowledge from any or all of the performing organizations involved in the project that can be used to ? or ? the project.
execute or govern
The OPAs also include the organization’s ? ? from previous projects and historical information as well as completed schedules, risk data, and earned value data.
lessons learned
OPAs are ? to many project management processes
inputs
Since OPAs are internal to the organization, the ? ? ? may be able to update and add to the organizational process assets as necessary throughout the project.
project team members
OPAs may be grouped into two categories:
?; and
- Organizational knowledge bases.
- Processes, policies, and procedures
OPAs may be grouped into two categories:
- Processes, policies, and procedures; and
?.
- Organizational knowledge bases
The first OPA assest category; Processes, policies, and procedures are usually established by the project management office (PMO) or by another function ? of the project and are generally NOT updated as part of the project work
outside
Processes, policies, and procedures can only be updated by following the appropriate organizational policies associated to them, however, some organizations encourage the project management team to ? some assets (templates, life cycles, and checklists) to meet the needs of the project
tailor
The assets in the second category, ? ? ?, are continually updated throughout the project with project information. For example, information on financial performance, lessons learned, performance metrics and issues, and defects are continually updated throughout the project.
- Organizational knowledge bases
Some of the organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work include:
- Guidelines and criteria for tailoring the organization’s set of standard processes and procedures to satisfy the specific needs of the project,
- Specific organizational standards such as policies
- Product and project life cycles, and methods and procedures
- Templates
- Pre-approved supplier lists and various types of contractual agreements,
are examples found in which 2 process groups?
Initiating and Planning:
Some of the organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work include:
- Change control procedures, including the steps by which performing organization standards, policies, plans, and
procedures or any project documents will be modified, and how any changes will be approved and validated;
- Traceability matrices;
- Financial controls procedures
- Issue and defect management procedures
- Resource availability control and assignment management;
- Organizational communication requirements
- Procedures for prioritizing, approving, and issuing work authorizations;
- Templates
- Standardized guidelines, work instructions, proposal evaluation criteria, and performance measurement
criteria; and
- Product, service, or result verification and validation procedures,
are examples found in which 3 process groups?
Executing, Monitoring, and Controlling:
One of the organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work include:
- Project closure guidelines or requirements.
This is an example found in which process group?
Closing
Configuration management, Financial data, Historical information and lessons learned, Issue and defect management data, Data, Project files from previous projects are all organisational ? ? found in the Corporate Knowledge Base
Knowledge Repositories
Projects operate within the ? imposed by the organization through their structure and governance framework.
constraints
To operate effectively and efficiently, the project manager needs to understand where ?, ? and ? reside within the organization.
responsibility, accountability, and
authority
Understanding the organisational systems will help the ? ? effectively use their power, influence, competence, leadership, and political capabilities to successfully complete the project.
project manager
An organization’s ? ? determine the power, influence, interests, competence, and political capabilities of the people who are able to act within the system.
unique systems
- Management elements,
- Governance frameworks, and
- Organizational structure types,
are some examples of an organisations ?
systems
A ? is a collection of various components that together can produce results not obtainable by the individual components alone.
system
A ? is an identifiable element within the project or organization that provides a particular function or group of related functions.
component
The interaction of the various system components creates the organizational culture and ?.
capabilities
- Systems are dynamic,
- Systems can be optimized,
- System components can be optimized,
- Systems and their components cannot be optimized at the same time, and
- Systems are nonlinear in responsiveness (a change in the input does not produce a predictable change in the output),
are several ? regarding systems
principles
When changes within the system and between the system and its environment take place, adaptive behavior occurs within the ? that in turn add to the system’s dynamics.
components
The system’s dynamics are defined by the ? between the components based on the relationships and dependencies that exist between the components.
interaction
? are typically the responsibility of an organization’s management.
Systems
The organization’s management examines the optimization trade-offs between the ? and the ? in order to take the appropriate action to achieve the best outcomes for the organization. The results of this examination will impact the project under consideration
components and the system
When determining how to fulfill the project’s ? the project manager should take into account the
- Results/findings from management’s examination of the optimization trade-offs between the components and the system; and
- the organization’s governance framework
objectives
? refers to organizational or structural arrangements at all levels of an organization designed to determine and influence the behavior of the organization’s members.
Governance
?
- Includes the consideration of people, roles, structures, and policies; and
- Requires providing direction and oversight through data and feedback.
Governance
Governance is the framework within which ? is exercised in organizations
authority
Done via; Rules, Policies, Procedures, Norms, Relationships, Systems, Processes, and communication.
The Governance framework influences how (3):
?
- Risk is monitored and assessed, and
- Performance is optimized.
- Objectives of the organization are set and achieved,
The Governance framework influences how (3):
- Objectives of the organization are set and achieved,
?, and
- Performance is optimized.
- Risk is monitored and assessed
The Governance framework influences how (3):
- Objectives of the organization are set and achieved,
- Risk is monitored and assessed, and
?
- Performance is optimized.
There are 4 governance domains described in the “Governance of Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: A Practice Guide” what are they?
Alignment, Risk, Performance, and Communications
? ? refers to the framework, functions, and processes that guide project management activities in order to create a unique product, service, or result to meet organizational, strategic, and operational goals.
Project governance
There is no one governance framework that is effective in all organizations. A governance framework should be ? to the organizational culture, types of projects, and the needs of the organization in order to be effective.
tailored
A ? ? ? is an organizational structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques.
Project Management Office (PMO)
The responsibilities of a ? can range from providing project management support functions to the direct management of one or more projects.
PMO
Project Management Office
There are 3 types of PMOs in organizations. Each type varies in the degree of control and influence it has on projects within the organization. What are they?
Supportive,
Controlling, and
Directive
? PMOs provide a consultative role to projects by supplying templates, best practices, training, access to information, and lessons learned from other projects. This type of PMO serves as a project repository. The degree of control provided by the PMO is low.
Supportive
? PMOs provide support and require compliance through various means. The degree of control provided by the PMO is moderate. Compliance may involve:
- Adoption of project management frameworks or methodologies;
- Use of specific templates, forms, and tools; and
- Conformance to governance frameworks.
Controlling
? PMOs take control of the projects by directly managing the projects. Project managers are assigned by and report to the PMO. The degree of control provided by the PMO is high.
Directive
The project management office may have organization-wide ?
responsibility
The ? may play a role in supporting strategic alignment and delivering organizational value.
PMO
The PMO integrates data and information from organizational strategic projects and ? how higher-level strategic objectives are being fulfilled.
evaluates
The PMO is the natural ? between the organization’s portfolios, programs, projects, and the organizational measurement systems (e.g., balanced scorecard).
liaison
A PMO may have the authority to act as an integral stakeholder and a key ? ? throughout the life of each project in order to keep it aligned with the business objectives.
decision maker
If provided the authority who could:
- Make recommendations,
- Lead knowledge transfer,
- Terminate projects, and
- Take other actions, as required.
The PMO
A primary function of a PMO is to ? project managers in a variety of ways.
support
The PMO can support ? ? by:
- Managing shared resources across all projects administered by the PMO;
- Identifying and developing project management methodology, best practices, and standards;
- Coaching, mentoring, training, and oversight;
- Monitoring compliance with project management standards, policies, procedures, and templates by means of project audits;
- Developing and managing project policies, procedures, templates, and other shared documentation (organizational process assets); and
- Coordinating communication across projects.
Project Managers
