Inputs and Outputs

Question 1

Final report

Answer 1

The final report provides a summary of the project performance. It can include information such as:

Summary level description of the project or phase.

Scope objectives, the criteria used to evaluate the scope, and evidence that the completion criteria were met.

Quality objectives, the criteria used to evaluate the project and product quality, the verification and actual milestone delivery dates, and reasons for variances.

Cost objectives, including the acceptable cost range, actual costs, and reasons for any variances.

Summary of the validation information for the final product, service, or result.

Schedule objectives including whether results achieved the benefits that the project was undertaken to address. If the benefits are not met at the close of the project, indicate the degree to which they were achieved and estimate for future benefits realization.

Summary of how the final product, service, or result achieved the business needs identified in the business plan. If the business needs are not met at the close of the project, indicate the degree to which they were achieved and estimate for when the business needs will be met in the future.

Summary of any risks or issues encountered on the project and how they were addressed.

Question 2

Team charter

Answer 2

The team charter is a document that establishes the team values, agreements, and operating guidelines for the team.

• Team values,
• Communication guidelines,
• Decision-making criteria and process,
• Conflict resolution process,
• Meeting guidelines,
• Team agreements.

Question 3

Stakeholder Register

Answer 3

The main output of the Identify Stakeholders process is the stakeholder register. This document contains information about identified stakeholders that includes but is not limited to:

Identification information. Name, organizational position, location and contact details, and role on the project.

Assessment information. Major requirements, expectations, potential for influencing project outcomes, and the phase of the project life cycle where the stakeholder has the most influence or impact.

Stakeholder classification. Internal/external, impact/influence/power/interest, upward/downward/outward/ sideward, or any other classification model chosen by the project manager.

Question 4

Procurement management plan

Answer 4

The procurement management plan contains the activities to be undertaken during the procurement process. It should document whether international competitive bidding, national competitive bidding, local bidding, etc., should be done. If the project is financed externally, the sources and availability of funding should be aligned with the procurement management plan and the project schedule.

Question 5

Risk Register

Answer 5

The risk register captures details of identified individual project risks. The results of Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis, Plan Risk Responses, Implement Risk Responses, and Monitor Risks are recorded in the risk register as those processes are conducted throughout the project. The risk register may contain limited or extensive risk information depending on project variables such as size and complexity. On completion of the Identify Risks process, the content of the risk register may include but is not limited to:

List of identified risks. Each individual project risk is given a unique identifier in the risk register. Identified risks are described in as much detail as required to ensure unambiguous understanding. A structured risk statement may be used to distinguish risks from their cause(s) and their effect(s).

Potential risk owners. Where a potential risk owner has been identified during the Identify Risks process, the risk owner is recorded in the risk register. This will be confirmed during the Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis process.

List of potential risk responses. Where a potential risk response has been identified during the Identify Risks process, it is recorded in the risk register. This will be confirmed during the Plan Risk Responses process.

Question 6

Cost baseline

Answer 6

The cost baseline is the approved version of the time-phased project budget, excluding any management reserves, which can only be changed through formal change control procedures. It is used as a basis for comparison to actual results. The cost baseline is developed as a summation of the approved budgets for the different schedule activities.

Since the cost estimates that make up the cost baseline are directly tied to the schedule activities, this enables a time-phased view of the cost baseline, which is typically displayed in the form of an S-curve.

Question 7

Project schedule

Answer 7

The project schedule is an output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources. At a minimum, the project schedule includes a planned start date and planned finish date for each activity.

Bar charts. Also known as Gantt charts, bar charts represent schedule information where activities are listed on the vertical axis, dates are shown on the horizontal axis, and activity durations are shown as horizontal bars placed according to start and finish dates.

Milestone charts. These charts are similar to bar charts, but only identify the scheduled start or completion of major deliverables and key external interfaces.

Project schedule network diagrams. These diagrams are commonly presented in the activity-on-node diagram format showing activities and relationships without a time scale, sometimes referred to as a pure logic diagram.

Question 8

Project schedule network diagram

Answer 8

A project schedule network diagram is a graphical representation of the logical relationships, also referred to as dependencies, among the project schedule activities. A project schedule network diagram is produced manually or by using project management software. It can include full project details, or have one or more summary activities.

Question 9

Scope baseline

Answer 9

The scope baseline is the approved version of a scope statement, WBS, and its associated WBS dictionary, which can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison.

Project scope statement. The project scope statement includes the description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints

WBS. The WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables.

Work package. The lowest level of the WBS is a work package with a unique identifier. These identifiers provide a structure for hierarchical summation of costs, schedule, and resource information and form a code of accounts.

Planning package. A control account may include one or more planning packages.

WBS dictionary. The WBS dictionary is a document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the WBS.

Question 10

Project scope statement

Answer 10

The project scope statement is the description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints. The project scope statement documents the entire scope, including project and product scope. It describes the project’s deliverables in detail. It also provides a common understanding of the project scope among project stakeholders.

Question 11

Project documents updates

Answer 11

All project documents may be updated and marked as final versions as a result of project closure. Of particular interest is the lessons learned register, which is finalized to include final information on phase or project closure. The final lessons learned register may include information on benefits management, accuracy of the business case, project and development life cycles, risk and issue management, stakeholder engagement, and other project management processes.

Question 12

Assumption log

Answer 12

High-level strategic and operational assumptions and constraints are normally identified in the business case before the project is initiated and will flow into the project charter. Lower-level activity and task assumptions are generated throughout the project such as defining technical specifications, estimates, the schedule, risks, etc. The assumption log is used to record all assumptions and constraints throughout the project life cycle.

Question 13

Project charter

Answer 13

The project charter is the document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. It documents the high-level information on the project and on the product, service, or result the project is intended to satisfy, such as:

• Project purpose;
• Measurable project objectives and related success criteria;
• High-level requirements;
• High-level project description, boundaries, and key deliverables;
• Overall project risk;
• Summary milestone schedule;
• Preapproved financial resources;
• Key stakeholder list;
• Project approval requirements (i.e., what constitutes project success, who decides the project is successful, and who signs off on the project);
• Project exit criteria (i.e., what are the conditions to be met in order to close or to cancel the project or phase);
• Assigned project manager, responsibility, and authority level;
• Name and authority of the sponsor or other person(s) authorizing the project charter.

At a high level, the project charter ensures a common understanding by the stakeholders of the key deliverables, milestones, and the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the project.

Question 14

Approved change requests

Answer 14

Approved change requests are an output of the Perform Integrated Change Control process, and include those requests reviewed and approved for implementation by the project manager or by the change control board (CCB) when applicable. The approved change request may be a corrective action, a preventive action, or a defect repair. Approved change requests are scheduled and implemented by the project team and can impact any area of the project or project management plan. The approved change requests can also modify the formally controlled project management plan components or project documents.

Question 15

Change request

Answer 15

A change request is a formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline. When issues are found while project work is being performed, change requests can be submitted, which may modify project policies or procedures, project or product scope, project cost or budget, project schedule, or quality of the project or product results.

Corrective action. An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan.

Preventive action. An intentional activity that ensures the future performance of the project work is aligned with the project management plan.

Defect repair. An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component.

Updates. Changes to formally controlled project documents, plans, etc., to reflect modified or additional ideas or content.

Question 16

Issue log

Answer 16

Throughout the life cycle of a project, the project manager will normally face problems, gaps, inconsistencies, or conflicts that occur unexpectedly and that require some action so they do not impact the project performance. The issue log is a project document where all the issues are recorded and tracked. Data on issues may include:

• Issue type,
• Who raised the issue and when,
• Description,
• Priority,
• Who is assigned to the issue,
• Target resolution date,
• Status,
• Final solution.

The issue log will help the project manager effectively track and manage issues, ensuring that they are investigated and resolved. The issue log is created for the first time as an output of this process, although issues may happen at any time during the project. The issue log is updated as a result of the monitoring and control activities throughout the project’s life cycle.

Question 17

Communications management plan

Answer 17

The communications management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how project communications will be planned, structured, implemented, and monitored for effectiveness.

Question 18

ENTERPRISE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS (EEFs)

Answer 18

Enterprise environmental factors (EEFs) 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. EEFs are considered as inputs to many project management processes, specifically for most planning processes.

Question 19

ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS ASSETS (OPAs)

Answer 19

Organizational process assets (OPAs) 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. OPAs include any artifact, practice, or knowledge from any or all of the performing organizations involved in the project that can be used to execute or govern the project. The OPAs also include the organization’s lessons learned from previous projects and historical information. OPAs may include completed schedules, risk data, and earned value data. OPAs are inputs to many project management processes. Since OPAs are internal to the organization, the project team members may be able to update and add to the organizational process assets as necessary throughout the project.

Question 20

Work performance reports

Answer 20

Work performance reports are the physical or electronic representation of work performance information intended to generate decisions, actions, or awareness. They are circulated to the project stakeholders through the communication processes as defined in the project communications management plan.

Examples of work performance reports include status reports and progress reports. Work performance reports can contain earned value graphs and information, trend lines and forecasts, reserve burndown charts, defect histograms, contract performance information, and risk summaries. They can be presented as dashboards, heat reports, stop light charts, or other representations useful for creating awareness and generating decisions and actions.

Question 21

Change management plan

Answer 21

The change management plan provides the direction for managing the change control process and documents the roles and responsibilities of the change control board (CCB).

Question 22

Configuration management plan

Answer 22

The configuration management plan describes the configurable items of the project and identifies the items that will be recorded and updated so that the product of the project remains consistent and operable.

Question 23

Risk register

Answer 23

The risk register is updated when appropriate risk responses are chosen and agreed upon. Updates to the risk register may include but are not limited to:

Agreed-upon response strategies;

Specific actions to implement the chosen response strategy;

Trigger conditions, symptoms, and warning signs of a risk occurrence;

Budget and schedule activities required to implement the chosen responses;

Contingency plans and risk triggers that call for their execution;

Fallback plans for use when a risk that has occurred and the primary response proves to be inadequate;

Residual risks that are expected to remain after planned responses have been taken, as well as those that have been deliberately accepted;

Secondary risks that arise as a direct outcome of implementing a risk response.

Question 24

Project organization charts

Answer 24

A project organization chart is a graphic display of project team members and their reporting relationships. It can be formal or informal, highly detailed or broadly framed, based on the needs of the project. For example, the project organization chart for a 3,000-person disaster response team will have greater detail than a project organization chart for an internal, 20-person project.

Question 25

Work performance data

Work performance information

Work performance reports

Answer 25

Work performance data is the raw observations and measurements identified during activities performed to
carry out the project work. Examples include reported percent of work physically completed, quality and technical performance measures, start and finish dates of schedule activities, number of change requests, number of defects, actual costs, actual durations, etc. Project data are usually recorded in a Project Management Information System (PMIS) and in project documents.

Work performance information. The performance data collected from various controlling processes, analyzed in context and integrated based on relationships across areas. Examples of performance information are status of deliverables, implementation status for change requests, and forecast estimates to complete.

Work performance reports. The physical or electronic representation of work performance information compiled in project documents, which is intended to generate decisions or raise issues, actions, or awareness. Examples include status reports, memos, justifications, information notes, electronic dashboards, recommendations, and updates.

Question 26

CONTROL RESOURCES: INPUTS: Documents

Answer 26

Project Schedule. The project schedule shows the resources that are needed, when they are needed, and the location where they are needed.

Physical resource assignments. The physical resource assignments describe the expected resource utilization along with details such as type, amount, location, and whether the resource is internal to the organization or outsourced.

Resource breakdown structure. The resource breakdown structure provides a reference in case any resource needs to be replaced or reacquired during the course of the project.

Resource requirements. Resource requirements identify the needed material, equipment, supplies, and other resources.

Question 27

Project business case

Answer 27

The project business case is a documented economic feasibility study used to establish the validity of the benefits of a selected component lacking sufficient definition and that is used as a basis for the authorization of further project management activities. The business case lists the objectives and reasons for project initiation. It helps measure the project success at the end of the project against the project objectives. The business case is a project business document that is used throughout the project life cycle. The business case may be used before the project initiation and may result in a go/no-go decision for the project.

The business case documents the business need and the cost benefit analysis that justify the project.

Question 28

Schedule forecasts

Answer 28

Schedule updates are forecasts of estimates or predictions of conditions and events in the project’s future based on information and knowledge available at the time of the forecast. Forecasts are updated and reissued based on work performance information provided as the project is executed. The information is based on the project’s past performance and expected future performance based on corrective or preventive actions. This can include earned value performance indicators, as well as schedule reserve information that could impact the project in the future.

Question 29

Project team assignment

Answer 29

Project team assignment. Once the risk responses are confirmed, the necessary resources should be allocated to each action associated with a risk response plan. These resources include suitably qualified and experienced personnel to execute the agreed-upon action (usually within the project team), a specific budget and time allowance for the action, and any required technical resources to complete the action.

Question 30

Bid documents

Request for information (RFI)

Request for quotation (RFQ)

Request for proposal (RFP)

Answer 30

Bid documents are used to solicit proposals from prospective sellers. Terms such as bid, tender, or quotation are generally used when the seller selection decision is based on price (as when buying commercial or standard items), while a term such as proposal is generally used when other considerations such as technical capability or technical approach are the most important.

Request for information (RFI). An RFI is used when more information on the goods and services to be acquired is needed from the sellers. It will typically be followed by an RFQ or RFP.

Request for quotation (RFQ). An RFQ is commonly used when more information is needed on how vendors
would satisfy the requirements and/or how much it will cost.

Request for proposal (RFP). An RFP is used when there is a problem in the project and the solution is not easy
to determine. This is the most formal of the “request for” documents and has strict procurement rules for content, timeline, and seller responses.

Question 31

Scope baseline

Answer 31

The scope baseline is the approved version of a scope statement, WBS, and its associated WBS dictionary, which can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison.

Project scope statement. The project scope statement includes the description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints

WBS. The WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables.

Work package. The lowest level of the WBS is a work package with a unique identifier. These identifiers provide a structure for hierarchical summation of costs, schedule, and resource information and form a code of accounts. Each work package is part of a control account.

Planning package. A control account may include one or more planning packages. A planning package is a
work breakdown structure component below the control account and above the work package with known work content but without detailed schedule activities.

Question 32

Risk management plan

Answer 32

The risk management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed. The risk management plan may include some or all of the following elements:

Risk strategy. Describes the general approach to managing risk on this project.

Methodology. Defines the specific approaches, tools, and data sources that will be used to perform risk management on the project.

Roles and responsibilities. Defines the lead, support, and risk management team members for each type of activity described in the risk management plan, and clarifies their responsibilities.

Funding. Identifies the funds needed to perform activities related to Project Risk Management. Establishes protocols for the application of contingency and management reserves.

Timing. Defines when and how often the Project Risk Management processes will be performed throughout the project life cycle, and establishes risk management activities for inclusion into the project schedule.

Risk categories. Provide a means for grouping individual project risks. A common way to structure risk categories is with a risk breakdown structure (RBS), which is a hierarchical representation of potential sources of risk. An RBS helps the project team consider the full range of sources from which individual project risks may arise.