Chapter 4. Integration Management Flashcards
What is the one knowledge area where responsibility cannot be delegated to anyone else, that is the project manager’s sole responsibility?
Integration Management
What is Integration Management?
Integration Management is the practice of making certain that every part of the project is coordinated:
The project is started, the project manager assembles the project plan, executes the plan and verifies the results of the work…. and then the project is closed.
What are the 7 key processes of Integration Management?
Develop Project Management Plan
Develop Project Charter (Project Charter & Assumption Log)
Monitor & Control Project Work (Work Performance Reports)
Close Project or Phase (Final Project, Service or Result Transition, Final Report, Project Documents, Updates)
Perform Integrated Change Control (Approved Change Requests, Project Documents Updates (Change Log))
Direct and Manage Project Work (Deliverables, Work Performance Data, Issue Log)
Manage Project Knowledge (Lessons Learned Register)
What is the philosophy behind Integration Management?
- While executing processes, decision-making can be chaotic, and team should be buffered from the clamour as much as possible. The team needs to be focused on executing the work.
- Processes that make up project management do not always proceed from start to finish and then move on to the next process. I.e. Adjustments are usually and often needed and plans have to be updated.
- Integration processes need to be tailored to fit the size and complexity of the project.
Where do the 7 processes of Integration Management fall under the 5 process groups?
Initiating - Develop Project Charter
Planning - Develop Project Management Plan
Executing - Direct and Manage Project Work, Manage Project Knowledge
Monitoring & Controlling - Monitor & Control Project Work, Perform Integrated Change Control
Closing - Close Project or Phase
What are the key outputs of each process of Integration Management?
Develop Project Charter - Project Charter and Assumption Log
Develop Project Management Plan - Project Management Plan
Direct and Manage Project Work - Deliverables, Work Performance Data and Issue Log
Manage Project Knowledge - Lessons Learned Register
Monitor & Control Project Work - Work Performance Reports
Perform Integrated Change Control - Approved Change Requests and Project Document Updates (Change Log)
Close Project or Phase - Final Product, Service or Result Transition, Final Report, Project Documents Updates
What is a Project Charter?
The project’s birth certificate, the document that officially start the project and is the process that creates it. Without a charter, there is no official project.
Business documents in Integration Management refers to what?
Business case and benefits management plan, which describe the need and how the project is going to satisfy that need and benefit stakeholders. Generally provided to the Project Manager at project start
What is a business case?
The document that explain why this project is being undertaken, the problem it will solve and its benefit cost analysis.
What is a [project] benefits management plan?
The document that outlines how the project contributes to the organization’s strategy and expected benefits the project will yield, and how to maximize those benefits.
What are common reasons why a project may be undertaken?
- Market Demand
- Organizational Need
- Customer Request
- Technological Advancement
- Legal Requirement
- Ecological Impact
- Social Need
What are benefit measurement methods?
Methods that seek to quantify the monetary benefits and expected costs that will result from a project and compare them to other potential projects to select one most feasible and desirable.
Linear Programming and Non-linear Programming are what types of project selection methods?
Constrained optimization, in which calculus is applied to solve for maximizations.
What is Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR)?
Benefits to Cost Ratio (i.e. $ return on investment)
What is Economic Value Add (EVA)?
How much value a project has generated for its shareholders beyond net profits, looking also at opportunity costs (after-tax profits minus capital expenditures x cost of capital).
What is an Internal Rate of Return (IRR)?
A project’s return presented as an interest rate.
What are Present Value (PV) and Net Present Value (NPV)?
Present Value (PV) = how much a project is worth right now Net Present Value (NPV) = how much a project is worth right now minus your costs
The bigger the PV and NPV, the better
What is Opportunity Cost?
The cost of the other opportunities that were passed up by investing money and resources into a project. The smaller the opportunity cost, the better (= less loss).
What is a Payback Period?
How long it will take to recoup an investment in a project. The shorter the period the better.
What is Return on Investment (ROI)?
A percentage that shows what return an organization makes by investing in something. Formulas = (benefit - cost) / cost
The bigger the ROI, the better.
What is Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)?
How an organization uses the money invested in a project, expressed as a percentage.
*Formula = Net Income (after tax) / Total Capital Invested
Name some of the tools used for Project Selection.
Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) Economic Value Add (EVA) Internal Rate of Return (IRR) Present Value (PV) Net Present Value (NPV) Opportunity Cost Payback Period Return on Investment (ROI) Return on Invested Captial (ROIC)
What is an agreement?
Think of it as a contract for the project, although in some cases it may not be a written contract.
Who is a Project Charter usually written by?
Sponsor and/or customer, but project manager may assist with this
What information does a Project Charter contain?
Project need, how end result with address it, names the project manager, describes the project manager’s level of authority to apply resources and make decisions, describes what circumstances the project may be completed, closed or canceled, high-level project requirements, high-level milestone view of the project schedule, high-level view of the preliminary project budget (summary), objectives and measures, a list of key stakeholders, and who should sign off on the final product.
What is an Assumption Log?
Documented created that will live on and be updated throughout the project, a place to capture all assumptions and constraints of the project.
What are assumptions?
Unknowns treated as true for the purposes of project planning, usually broad and general in the beginning. Later, they are updated to be lower level and more specific.
What is the Project Management Plan?
A comprehensive document that guides the project’s execution and control, specifying who, what, when, where and how. It is progressively elaborated, meaning developed, refined, revisited and updated but once approved (stabalized), further changes require a change control process.
What are the inputs for developing a Project Management Plan?
Enterprise Environmental Factors and Organizational Process Assets.
What are the tools for developing a Project Management Plan?
Expert Judgement, Data Gathering, Interpersonal and Team Skills, Meetings
What is the output for development a Project Management Plan?
The Project Management Plan - a formal approved document that defines how the project is managed, executed and controlled.
Key points about a Project Management Plan
- is formal
- a single document
- may be formed from separate documents combined and approved to become the porject plan
- approved usually by the project manager, project sponsor, functional managers providing resources for the project, team doing the work
- once approved, cannot be changed without a change control process
- may be summarized or detailed, but usually detailed
- made of several components, most of which are developed via other processes
What are the 19 components that can make up a Project Management Plan?
Scope Management Plan Requirements Management Plan Schedule Management Plan Cost Management Plan Quality Management Plan Resource Management Plan Communications Management Plan Risk Management Plan Procurement Management Plan Stakeholder Engagement Plan Change Management Plan Configuration Management Plan Scope Baseline Schedule Baseline Cost Baseline Performance Measurement Baseline Project Life Cycle Baseline Development Approach Management Reviews
What does Direct and Manage Project Work mean?
To execute the work packages and create the project deliverables.
What are the Inputs used to Direct and Manage Project Work?
The Project Management Plan, Project Documents, Approved Change Requests, Enterprise Environmental Factors and Organizational Process Assets.
What are the tools used to Direct and Manage Project Work?
Expert Judgement, Project Management Information System, Meetings.
What are the outputs of Direct and Manage Project Work?
Deliverables, Work Performance Data, Issue Log (Change Requests, Project Management Plan Updates, Project Document Updates, and Organizational Process Assets Updates)
How do Approved Change Requests relate to Direct and Manage Project Work?
They come out of Perform Integrated Change Control processes and flow as inputs into Direct and Manage Project Work.
What is the purpose of an Issue Log?
To record issues, or unresolved threats or problems, on the project or at points of disagreement. Helps to organize issues, but lets stakeholders and the team know these are actively being reviewed.
How does the process Manage Project Knowledge benefit the project?
It leverages lessons learned from previous projects and benefits the performing organization so that it can hold onto lessons learned on this project.
When is the most ideal time to perform the Manage Project Knowledge process?
Anytime, but most logical after completion of a deliverable or phase of the project.
What are the inputs for Manage Project Knowledge?
Project Management Plan
Project Documents
How do deliverables impact Manage Project Knowledge?
They shape the learning that needs to be captured.
What tools are used for Manage Project Knowledge?
Expert Judgement, Knowledge Management (explicit and tactic knowledge), Information Knowledgement, and Interpersonal and Team Skills
What is explicit knowledge?
Explicit knowledge is information written down or drawn and easily archived for future lessons learned.
What is tactic knowledge?
Tactic knowledge includes beliefs, opinions and abilities that are may be more difficult to put into a format for archiving.
What is the idea behind Knowledge Management?
To get people to interact and share knowledge and experience, includes networking, facilitating workshops, meetings, etc.
What is Information Management and how does it differ from Knowledge Management?
Information Management is the sharing of documents, tools, templates and lessons learned with other people on your team and in the organization. It requires capturing explicit, codified information. Knowledge Management is often based on experiential knowledge, whereas information is based on concrete data.
What are the outputs of Manage Project Knowledge?
Lessons Learned Register, Project Management Plan Updates and Organizational Process Assets Updates.
What is a lessons learned register?
A register documenting what worked well, what did not, what the team would differently if it had this project to do over again.
What is the purpose of the process Monitor and Control Project Work?
To evaluate the work being performed on a project and make sure the deliverables and way in which they are being produced are in line with the project plan/meeting objectives. Allows the Project Manager to take corrective actions as needed through change requests.
What other process is Monitor and Control Project Work closely tied to?
Direct and Manage Project Work
What are the Inputs for Monitor and Control Project Work?
Project Management Plan *primary input* Project Documents Assumption Log Basis of Estimate - backup information for estimates Cost Forecasts Issue Log Lessons Learned Register Milestone List Quality Reports Risk Register Risk Report Schedule Forecasts Work Performance Information Agreements Enterprise Environmental Factors Organizational Process Assets
What do cost forecasts and schedule forecasts do?
Schedule forecasts are updated projections for the activities and overall schedule based on performance and actual data.
Cost estimates are adjusted for performance using Estimate at Complete (EAC), Estimate to Complete (ETC), Budgeted at Completed (BAC), the Cost Performance Index (CPI), and others.
What is the WPI and why is it importance?
Work Performance Information that provides actual results that can be compared against the project management plan.
What are the tools used in Monitor and Control Project Work?
Expert Judgement, Data Analysis, Decision Making, Meetings
What are the outputs for Monitor and Control Project Work?
Work Performance Reports actionable
(Ex: dashboards, heat reports, burndown charts, and
traffic lights)
Change Requests
Project Management Plan Updates
Project Document Updates
What is the idea behind the process Perform Integrated Change Control?
Evaluate changes and their impact to the entire project/each area of the project.
What is the difference between Perform Integrated Change Control and Control Project Work?
Change Control focuses on managing change to the project, while Control Project Work manages the way the work is carried out.
What are the inputs for Perform Integrated Change Control?
Project Management Plan Project Documents Work Performance Reports Change Requests *** key input - very important*** Enterprise Environmental Factors Organizational Process Assets
What are the tools used for Perform Integrated Change Control?
Expert Judgement Change Control Tools Data Analysis Decision Making Meetings (may consist of Change Control Board per Project Management Plan, committee assigned to review and approve changes)
What are the outputs for Perform Integrated Change Control?
Approved [or Rejected] Change Requests
Project Management Plan Updates
Project Documents Updates
What happens to an Approved Change Request?
Channeled back into Direct and Manage Project Work process. Documented on Change Log.
What is a key attribute of any project?
It has an end, it is temporary.
What is the goal of the process Close Project or Phase?
To shut down/end the project.
Why is Close Project or Phase important?
It provides an official close of the project, and releases the team as part of the process.
What are the inputs for the process Close Project or Phase?
Project Charter *should outline exit criteria* Project Management Plan Project Documents Accepted Deliverables ***Key Input*** Business Documents Agreements Procurement Documentation Organizational Process Assets
What tools are used in the process Close Project or Phase?
Expert Judgement, Data Analysis and Meetings
What are the outputs for Close Project or Phase?
Project Documents Update (Lessons Learned Register)
Final Product, Service or Result Transition (acceptance and handover of responsibility)
Final Report
Organizational Process Assets Update (may include formal acceptance documentation, project closure documents, project files, and historical information)
Key points re: Agile Perspective on Integration Management
On Agile, rather than the 7 processes of Integration Management falling on the Project Manager, they fall on the team as a whole:
Develop Project Charter still key
Assumption Logs less important in Agile
Develop Project Management Plan less important in Agile, risks instead managed by being adaptive and responsive
Direct and Manage Project Work still key, shorter, more rapid iterations of work
Manage Project Knowledge, still key
Monitor and Control Project Work applicable but handled very differently
Perform Integrated Change Control difficult to apply to Agile, changes occur more naturally as part of the process (change embraced)
Close Project or Phase, yes but outputs reduced to “barely sufficient” documentation, receives less emphasis on Agile projects.
A defect in the product was brought to the project manager’s attention, and now the project team is engaged in repairing it. Which project management process would be the most applicable to this?
Direct and Manage Project Work
Change control meetings are held as part of which process?
Perform Integrated Change Control
Is the following statement about project agreements true of false - Agreements are one of four inputs to create the project charter?
True
Work performance information is not use for the following reason…
To Identify defects
You are a project manager, and your team is executing the work packages to produce a medical records archive and retrieval system. Two of the project’s customers have asked for changes that each says should be the number one priority. What would be the best thing to do?
Prioritize the changes without involving the team… because prioriting the changes is the job of the Project Manager.
The program mamanger is asking why your project is scheduled to take 16 months. He claims that previous projects in the organization were able to be completed in less than half of that time. What would be the BEST thing to do?
Look for historical information on previous projects to understand them better. Will either show you how the projects vary, thus justify the schedule, or perhaps show you how someone else accomplished the same type of work in less time… Either way providing a benchmark for your to factor in to your project.
Two project are being considered by the project office: Project Clarity, and Project New Scale. The Chief Project Office is planning to evaluate the projected Return on Investment Capital for both projects. In order to do that, what information would be most helpful?
Total Projected capital investment and net income (Net Income and Total Capital Investment)
Which component(s) of the project management plan is created in the Develop Project Management Plan?
The Change Management Plan, the configuration management plan and the performance measurement baseline.
