Chapters 1-3 Flashcards
Project
a temporary endeavor to create a unique product, service or result
Operation
repeatable processes/ day-to-day work (sales, tech support, etc.)
Progressive Elaboration
process of providing or discovering greater levels of detail as a project moves toward completion aka “Rolling Wave Planning”
Project Management
Brings together a set of tools and techniques – performed by people – to describe, organize and monitor work of project activities
Value of Projects
what value will this project bring to the company upon completion? Why should we undertake this project? I.e. Money, building brand reputation, improving customer service
Process
series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular outcome. Inputs, Tools/Techniques, Outputs (ITTO) combined to execute specific purpose on project
Input
things needed to start the process
Tools and Techniques
actions or methods that are used to transform raw materials into outputs. Techniques are procedures – “how we do the process”
Output
End result of effort. Raw materials into polished stone. May be an input into another process.
Phase
a division within the project where extra control is needed to effectively manage the completion of one or more deliverables. Generally concluded and formally closed with the acceptance of a deliverable.
Deliverable
a part of the product that is presented to the customer or stakeholders for acceptance. Created during the Execution (“Executing”) process group.
Process Group
phases of project management life cycle. 5 process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling and Closing (“IPECaC”)
Knowledge Areas
Area of Management Responsibility. 10 knowledge areas (pg 32)
Life Cycle
series of phases/process groups the project passes through from its initiation to its closure. Logical structure of project work
Project Life Cyttcle
Predictive (I.e. Waterfall), Iterative/Incremental, Adaptive (I.e. Agile). On a scale, Predictive would be considered the “most strict” because it requires all planning upfront with no change to scope.
Program
set of related projects coordinated to gain benefits and control that would be unattainable if managed separately
Potfolio
collection of programs, projects and operations that together meet strategic business objectives (pg 11)
Baselines (4)
the approved version of something or the original plan plus any approved changes. Includes Scope, Schedule, Cost and Performance Measurement baselines.
Historical Information
records from previous project (I.e. project reports, lessons learned, etc.)
Lessons Learned
lessons that were learned on projects that should be shared. They become Historical Information
Regulation
Official Document that provides guidelines/rules which must be followed (I.e. HIPAA, health & safety “regulations” for food service industry)
Standards
Document approved by recognized body that provides guidelines. Compliance with standards is not necessary
System
set of connected parts that form a complex whole
Project Governance
framework, functions and processes that a company will follow in order to complete a project. This is done to meet organization strategic and operational goals.
Stakeholders
individuals, business or communities that have a vested interest in the project’s outcome. They are typically involved in the project process and can have both positive and negative impacts to a project. The project manager is considered a stakeholder.
Key Examples of Project Stakeholders
- Sponsor “Project Champion”
- Customers and Users
- Performing Organization – the organization hosting the project
- Organizational Groups
- Project Team
- Project Manager
Functional Organizations
a structure that groups staff members according to their area of expertise (sales, marketing, construction, etc.). Functional structures require the project team members to report directly to the functional manager. Functional managers have full control of their resources and budget. Project Managers in a functional organization are more akin to acting as Project Expeditor.
Matrix Organization: Weak
PM has a little more power than he did in the functional organization. Level of authority is still low and is managed by the functional manager. This is still part-time project management
Matrix Organization: Balanced
PM’s power is almost equal with the functional manager for control of resources. Full-time project management. PM and functional manager share resources from a pool. PM power is low to moderate
Matrix Organization: Strong
PM has most of the power over resources. Full-time project management. PM’s power is moderate to high. There is a functional manager, but with very little power. Similar to a project oriented company
Project Oriented Organizations aka…
(Projectized) - instead of functional managers across the top row, it’s project managers across the top row. Structure where the PM has the greatest amount of authority. The project team is assigned to the project on a full-time basis. When the project is complete, the project team members move on to other assignments within the organization.
Project Constraints (7)
Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Resources, Risk and Customer Satisfaction. We are limited to all of these things. Constraints are boundaries which you must work within. (I.e. Y2K projects where time was the most important constraint). A change in one constraint will always have an impact on at least one of the other constraints/areas of the project.
Agile
developed primarily for (and from) Software projects. Methodology can be used on all project types.
Agile: Product Owner
Designated person that represents customer on a project
Agile: Scrum Master
Protects project team; Servant Leader (Project Manager)
Agile: Product Backlog
Project requirements from stakeholders
Agile: Sprint
Short iteration of work (1-4 weeks typically)
Agile: Daily Stand Up/Scrum Meeting
Quick meeting each day to tag-up, sometimes facilitated by Scrum Master
Agile: Partial Completed Product
Customers demo product and provides feedback – Feedback adjusts next Sprint’s priorities
Agile: Release
several Sprints worth of work directed to operations for possible rollout and testing
5 Process Groups: Initiating
- The project is authorized
- 2 processes: Develop Project charter & Identify Stakeholders
- Identifying Needs of a project
- Creating Feasibility Study
- Creating Product Description
- Creating Project Charter
- Project charters authorize…sets the stage
- Defines Project Manager
5 Process Groups: Planning
- Project Objectives are determined, as well as how to reach those objectives within the given constraints.
- 24 processes: develop PM plan (main output), plan of scope management, collect requirements, define scope, create WBS, plan schedule management, define activities, sequence activities, estimated activity durations, develop schedule, plan cost management, estimated cost, determine budget, plan quality, plan resource management, estimated activity resources, plan communications management, plan risk management, identify risks, perform qualitative risk analysis, perform quantitative risk analysis, plan risk responses, plan procurement management, plan stakeholder engagement
- Many of these happen in order, however can occur at the same time. I.e. Quality management plan could potentially be done by someone else who knows quality better than a PM, however the PM is held accountable for having a Quality management plan in place.
5 Process Groups: Executing
- The project is executed utilizing acquired resources. – - - Day-to-day managing resources and sometimes in the weeds.
- 10 processes: Direct and Manage Project work, manage project knowledge, perform quality assurance, acquire project team, develop project team, manage project team, manage communications, implement risk responses, conduct procurements, manage stakeholder engagement
- Examples: authorizing project work, beginning vendor solicitation, determining vendor source, quality assurance, ensuring team development, start working
5 Process Groups: Monitoring and Controlling
- Project Performance is monitored and measured to ensure the project plan is being implemented to design specifications and requirements. Managing the entire project, more closely related to “monthly status reports.”
- 12 processes: Monitor and control project work, perform integrated change control, validate scope, control scope, control schedule, control costs, quality control, control resources, monitor communications, monitor risks, control procurements, control stakeholder engagement
- Examples: ensuring quality control, providing scope verification, implementing scope change control…and more
5 Process Groups: Closing
- The project and its various phases are brought to a formal end. Did we meet scope?
- 1 process: close project or phase
- Examples: completing scope verification, closing vendor contracts, closing administrative duties, updating and archiving project records (lessons learned), reassigning project team members
10 Knowledge Areas
“iss-cqr-crps” ,“766-436-3734”, 7+6+6+4+3+6+3+7+3+4 = 49 processes
- Integration Management (7)
- Scope Management (6)
- Schedule Management (6)
- Cost Management (4)
- Quality Management (3)
- Resource Management (6)
- Communications Management (3)
- Risk Management (7)
- Procurement Management (3)
- Stakeholder Management (4)
ITTO: Common Inputs
Project Management Plan, Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF), Organization Process Assets (OPA), Project Documents
ITTO: Project Management Plan
compilation of all “subsidiary” plans and is hands down the most important document in the entire project. Made up of 18 components.
ITTO: Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF)
- Your company’s organizational structure and their - appetite for risk
- Your organization’s values and work ethic
- Local laws and regulations
- Government or industry standards
- Marketplace conditions
- Political climate
- Project Management Information System
- Personnel administration
ITTO: Organization Process Assets (OPA)
- Project templates
- Software tool (some software tools could be EEF’s as well)
- Historical information
- Project closure guidelines
- Risk control procedures
- Change control procedures
- Issue and defect management procedures
ITTO: Project Documents
- Any documents related to project
- Unique documents that aid in the creation of project deliverable(s)
ITTO: Common Tools
Expert Judgment, Data Gathering, Data Analysis, Data Representation, Decision Making, Interpersonal and Team Skills, Project Management Information System (PMIS), Meetings
ITTO: Expert Judgment
- Highly favored, most commonly found in Planning process
- Subject matter experts, PMO, Stakeholders, Consultants, Sales Engineers/Solutions Architects
ITTO: Data Gathering
- Brainstorming
- Interviews
- Focus Groups – the people you are bringing together are very similar (all marketing people, all systems analysts, all end-users)
- Checklists
- Questionnaires and Surveys – good to use this method when there are a lot of people you need to gather data from or people are scattered around. Low response rate.
ITTO: Data Analysis
- Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
- Alternative Analysis – comparing multiple options or ways to accomplish something.
- Variance Analysis – is there a difference between the - plan vs the actual. Is there variance? If so, what is the variance? What caused it (could potentially lead to RCA)?
- Trend Analysis – what does it look like has been happening from day 1 until today? What does this mean for today and the future?
ITTO: Data Representation
- Charts
- Matrices
- Diagrams
ITTO: Decision Making
- Voting (majority wins, unanimity, where everyone agrees; or plurality, where a majority is not obtained but that decision is chosen)
- Multicriteria Decision Analysis (compare to real life example: buying things online and comparing multiple differences between similar products via chart format)
- Autocratic Decision Making
ITTO: Interpersonal and Team Skills
- Active Listening
- Conflict Management
- Facilitation
- Meeting Management – generally includes having an agenda and sending it out ahead of time
ITTO: Project Management Information Systems (PMIS)
- Automated system to support the PM, by optimizing the schedule and helping to collect and distribute information
- Software used for configuration management
ITTO: Meetings
- Well defined agenda, purpose, time frame, with minutes and action items
- Face-to-face, virtual, formal/informal
ITTO: Change Requests
- Simply a request to change and has no effect to your project unless the word “approved” is there. Could be a change to anything, not just deliverables (I.e. someone giving their 2-weeks’ notice)
- A Change Request implements corrective actions, preventative actions, and defect repairs.
- Everything must be documented, and recorded and approved by the PM, Change Control Board, Senior Management, etc.
ITTO: Work Performance Data
Simply raw data. Does not tell you anything about your project but tells you about components of your project. Must be captured and analyzed against the project management plan before it becomes Work Performance Information like “we are over-budget.”
ITTO: Work Performance Information
- The information of the work that was performed compared to the Project Management Plan and gives you actual status about deliverables (like we are over budget)
- Usually the output of most monitoring and controlling processes
ITTO: Work Performance Reports
Data turns into information which then goes onto a Work Performance Report. Package information nicely for Stakeholders (like “we were over budget”)
Leadership Styles (6)
- Laissez-Faire – laid back, team members are self-sufficient
- Transactional – more goal oriented. More “leader” style.
- Servant Leader – what can I do to help you? What are your blockers? How can I get rid of those for you?
- Transformational – need to empower the team. More “manager” style
- Charismatic – enthusiastic, high energy, highly influential
- Interactional – combination of leadership styles
Leadership Styles: Laissez-Faire
laid back, team members are self-sufficient
Leadership Styles: Transactional
more goal oriented. More “leader” style.
Leadership Styles: Servant Leader
what can I do to help you? What are your blockers? How can I get rid of those for you?
Leadership Styles: Transformational
need to empower the team. More “manager” style
Leadership Styles: Charasmatic
enthusiastic, high energy, highly influential
Leadership Styles: Interactional
combination of leadership styles
