Process Groups Flashcards
Process
A set of related activities that generates a desired output by using specific inputs, techniques, and tools.
Input
An item required by the process to produce its output.
An input may be external to the project (e.g., a business case) or be the output of another project management process
Tool
A tangible item used in a process to develop an expected output.
Technique
A group of systematic steps required to obtain a specific outcome, using specific tools.
Output
An output is an item developed by a project management process.
This item may be a tangible deliverable, such as a project schedule, or may be an intangible result, such as a procurement closure.
Process Group: Initiating
The initiating process group includes all the processes required to authorize the start of a project or phase, as well as to establish a common vision.
Many organizations incorrectly skip initiation and jump straight into planning.
Some of the symptoms of lack of project initiation are unrealistic constraints, lack of stakeholders’ involvement, and constant project changes.
Process Group: Initiating Key Activities
- Selecting the project manager
- Delegating to the project manager the authority to use organizational resources on the project
- Identifying stakeholders and understanding their influence over the project
- Determining the project business need
- Analyzing the project feasibility and comparing it with existing alternatives
- Translating stakeholders’ expectations and needs into high-level requirements
- Providing a high-level project description
- Identifying high-level risks
- Defining acceptance criteria
- Defining initial high-level plans such as a schedule, a budget, and an organization chart
- Formally authorizing the start of the project or phase
Process Group: Planning
Process group includes all the processes required to define, refine, and formalize objectives, as well as to determine the necessary actions to attain them.
- Project risks should not be identified until all knowledge areas are planned.
- Involving stakeholders in the planning process tends to increase satisfaction, decrease the volume of future change requests, and facilitate acceptance.
Process Group: Planning Key Activities
- Defining the rules on how the project will be managed, which processes will be used, and how they will be implemented
- Identifying constraints and assumptions
- Collecting product requirements
- Defining the project scope, identifying and describing the project deliverables
- Decomposing the work into smaller elements (work breakdown structure [WBS]) and describing the work elements for future reference (WBS dictionary)
- Identifying and sequencing activities
- Estimating resource requirements
- Estimating durations
- Developing the schedule
- Estimating costs and determining budget
- Determining quality standards and metrics, and establishing quality management processes
- Defining how resources will be acquired, controlled, and released
- Planning roles and responsibilities, establishing hierarchical relationships and recognition and rewards criteria
- Defining communication requirements and determining who can provide such information
- Defining what, when, and how to procure
- Preparing procurement documents
- Determining how stakeholders will be managed
- Identifying, analyzing, and responding to risks
- Performing the necessary iterations to develop a coherent and integrated plan
- Managing conflicts with existing constraints, initial objectives, and expectations
- Obtaining a project management plan formal acceptance and establishing project baselines
- Holding a project kickoff meeting
Process Group: Executing
Executing process group includes all the processes required to execute the plan, complete the project deliverables, and coordinate the resources required to carry out the plan.
- Most of the project resources are spent on the executing process group.
Process Group: Executing Key Activities
- Completing the project deliverables
- Providing work performance data
- Requesting changes
- Issuing corrective and preventive actions
- Documenting lessons learned
- Performing quality audits
- Analyzing processes to identify improvement opportunities
- Acquiring human resources
- Obtaining the team necessary training
- Assessing the team’s performance
- Performing team-building activities
- Solving problems and disputes
- Distributing information according to the communications management plan
- Managing the involvement and commitment of project stakeholders
- Reviewing suppliers’ proposals and negotiating contracts
Process Group: Monitoring and Controlling
Monitoring and controlling process group includes all the processes required to compare the actual performance with the plan, identify potential variances, issue corrective or preventive actions, and manage changes.
Process Group: Monitoring and Controlling Key Activities
- Assessing project performance
- Comparing actual performance with planned performance to identify variances
- Recommending corrective or preventive actions
- Managing project changes
- Managing product configuration
- Controlling the project scope to prevent the team from completing unplanned work
- Validating project deliverables
- Analyzing schedule and cost variances
- Determining the project actual costs
- Determining the schedule and costs forecasts
- Performing quality inspections
- Recommending and validating defect repairs
- Responding to changes on communication requirements
- Monitoring and reassessing risks
- Identifying risks throughout the project
- Assessing the effectiveness of risk responses
- Monitoring the supplier’s performance
Process Group: Closing
Closing process group includes all the processes required to bring a formal and controlled end to the phase, project, or contract.
Among all closing activities, it is particularly important to formally accept the project or phase.
Process Group: Closing Key Activities
- Verify if the product was delivered as required
- Verify if the phase or project acceptance criteria were met
- Decide on whether to advance to the next project phase
- Obtain the formal acceptance to close the project or phase
- Transfer the product to stakeholders
- Manage the project termination before completion
- Issue final payments
- Close contracts
- Collect final lessons learned
- Update organizational process assets with the acquired lessons learned
- Produce a final project performance report
- Archive project documentation
- Release resources
