Hot Topics (1-2) Project Management Framework

Question 1

What is the definition of a project?

Answer 1

Temporary

Creates a unique product, service, or result

Question 2

What is operational work?

Answer 2

Ongoing work to support the business and systems of organization

Question 3

What is the definition of a program?

What is the definition of a portfolio?

Answer 3

Program: A group of interrelated projects, managed in a coordinated way
Portfolio: A group of programs, individual projects, and related operational work to achieve a specific strategic business goal

Question 4

What is organizational project management (OPM)?

What are its benefits?

Answer 4

A framework for keeping the organization focused on its overall strategy
Provides direction for how portfolios, programs, projects, and other organizational work should be prioritized, managed, executed, and measured to best achieve the firm’s strategic goals

Question 5

What is OPM3?

Answer 5

A PMI model designed to help organizations determine their level of maturity in project management

Question 6

What is a project management office (PMO)?

What are three possible formats for a PMO?

Answer 6

A department that centralizes and standardizes the management of projects

• Supportive
• Controlling
• Directive

Question 7

What are project constraints?

Answer 7

• Time
• Cost
• Risk
• Scope
• Quality
• Resources
• Customer satisfaction

Contraints are used to help evaluate competing demands

Question 8

Who are project stakeholders?

Answer 8

Anyone whose interests may be positively or negatively impacted by the project, including:

• Project manager, Customer, Sponsor
• Performing organization, Others départements or groups within the organization
• Team members, Team member’s functional or operational managers
• Sellers, Funding sources, End users, PMO

Question 9

What are three primary forms of organizational structure?

Answer 9

Functional
Projectized
Matrix

Question 10

What is a functional organization?

Answer 10

The organization is grouped by areas of specialization (e.g. accounting, marketing)

Question 11

What is a projectized organization?

Answer 11

The organization is grouped by project
The team has no department to go at project end
The project manager has total control of ressources

Question 12

What is a matrix organization?

Answer 12

A blend of functional and projectized organisation where the team members have two bosses (the project manager and functional manager)

Question 13

What is a strong matrix organization?

Answer 13

A matrix organization where the balance of power rests with the project manager instead of the functional manager

Question 14

What is a weak matrix organization?

What role might the project manager play in a weak matrix?

Answer 14

A matrix organization where the balance of power rests with the functional manager instead of the project manager
A project expediter or project coordinator

Question 15

What is a balanced matrix organization?

Answer 15

A matrix organization where power is equally balanced between the project manager and the functional manager

Question 16

What is a project-based organization?

Answer 16

A temporary framework for projects created to circumvent any obstacles inherent in the organization’s existing structure (whether functional, projectized, or matrix)

Question 17

What are entreprise environmental factors?

When are they used?

Answer 17

The organization’s culture and existing systems that the project will have to deal with or can make use of
They are used throughtout the project management process

Question 18

What are organizational process assets?

When are they used?

Answer 18

Company processes and procedures
Historical information
Lessons learned

They are used throughout the project management process

Question 19

What is historical information?

Answer 19

Records of past projects, including lessons learned, used to plan and manage future projects
Records of the current project that will become part of organizational process assets

Question 20

What is a project management information system?

Answer 20

The automated system to submit and track changes and monitor and control project activities

Question 21

What do lessons learned describe?

How are lessons learned used?

Answer 21

What went right, what went wrong, and what would be done differently if the project could be redone

Used in planning the project
Used by other projects in the future

Question 22

What is work performance data?

Answer 22

Measurements and details about activities gathered during project work (executing)

Question 23

What is work performance information?

Answer 23

Work performance data analyzed to make sure it conforms to the project management plan and to assess what it means for the project as a whole

Question 24

What are work performance reports?

Answer 24

Work performance information organized into reports that are distributed to the stakeholders

Question 25

What is a product life cycle?

Answer 25

The cycle of a product’s life from conception to withdrawal from the marketplace

Question 26

What i a project life cycle?

Answer 26

What you need to do to COMPLETE the work (produce the deliverables of the project)
It varies by type of product, industry, and the organization’s preferences

Question 27

Describe a plan-driven project

Answer 27

Has a predictive life cycle in which scope, schedule, and cost are determined in detail early in the life of the project, before the work begins to produce the project deliverables

Question 28

Describe a change-driven project

Answer 28

Uses iterative, incremental, or adaptive (agile) life cycles

Has varying levels of early planning for scope, schedule, and cost