Project Management 101

Question 1

PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Answer 1

Responsibility
Respect
Fairness
Honesty

Question 2

Operations

Answer 2

Support day-to-day business activities

Question 3

Project

Answer 3

Is a temporary effort

Question 4

Project Management is the application of ___, ___, ___ to project activities to meet project requirements.

Answer 4

Skills, Tools and Techniques

Question 5

The Project Manager has the ultimate responsibility of the project. It is ALWAYS the PM’s ____ and ____.

Answer 5

Fault for responsibility and success!

Question 6

Project Constraints

Answer 6

Scope
Budget
Schedule
Resources
Risk
Quality

Question 7

Project

Answer 7

Specific scope driven by objectives.
Develops and implements plans.
Success is measured by product quality, timeliness, budget compliance and degree of customer satisfaction.
Controls project inter-dependencies to achieve specific benefits.

Question 8

Portfolio

Answer 8

Has business scope that changes with strategic goals of the organization.
Utilized to achieve an organization’s strategic plan.
Selects the right programs or projects prioritizing the work and providing needed resources.

Question 9

Program

Answer 9

Group of related projects

A project may or may not be a part of it, but it will always have projects.

Question 10

PMO Type - Supportive Control

Answer 10

Low Control providing a consultative role supplying templates, best practices, training, managing lessons learned, etc.

Question 11

PMO Type - Controlling Control

Answer 11

Medium Control; controls compliance to project management frameworks and methodologies.

Question 12

PMO Type - Directive Control

Answer 12

High Control; directly manages all projects.

Question 13

Functional Organization

Answer 13

Stove-piped organizational structure is where the project manager has little to no authority, little to no resources and functions as a part-time resource, coordinating meetings with the functional manager, controlling budget and project tasks. Each department will perform work independently regardless if it is for the same project.

Question 14

Weak Matrix Organization

Answer 14

Structure is the same as a Functional Organization except the project manager functions more as a project coordinator or expeditor, but with limited authorization.

Question 15

Balanced Matrix Organization

Answer 15

Recognizes the need for a full-time project manager, but without full authority.

Question 16

Strong Matrix Organization

Answer 16

Project Manager has moderate to high authority with resources reporting to functional managers in various departments.

Question 17

Projectized Organization

Answer 17

Project Manager has almost total independent authority with resources directly reporting.

Question 18

Composite Organization

Answer 18

A structure combining two or more structures depending upon project type or requirements.
Based on company’s liking. This is usually not the most common approach, but works for some companies.

Question 19

Organizational Process Assets (OPA)

Answer 19

Artifacts, practices or information from any participating entity that is used to perform or manage the project. Two Categories (Process and Procedures and Corporate Knowledge Base)

Question 20

Enterprise Environmental Factors

Answer 20

Cultural or physical factors that influence, constrain or direct the project (marketplace and demand).
Governance or Federal Agency who oversees the company.

Question 21

OPA Process and Procedures for Conducting Project Work…

Answer 21

Initiating and Planning Process Groups
Executing, Monitoring and Controlling Process Groups
Closing

Question 22

OPA Corporate Knowledge Base

Answer 22

Organizational Standards, policies, procedures and project documentation.
Historical Information, lessons learned, and documentation from previous projects

Question 23

List of 5 Process Groups

Answer 23

1. Initiating Process Group - define a new project or phase. Initial scope is defined and initial financial resources are committed. (FRD)
2. Planning Process Group - Processes performed to identify scope of effort. (DDD)
3. Executing Process Group - processes performed in PM plan. (Coding)
4. Monitory and Controlling Process Group - processes performed to track, review, and orchestrate processes and performance of project. (DEV-QA)
5. Closing Process Group - formally complete the project, phase or contractual obligations (BUS-QA)

Question 24

3 Parts of Project Information aligning with Date, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom Model

Answer 24

1. Work Performance Data - is the raw observation and measurement during the project. [Comes out of executing process]
2. Work Performance Information - is performance data from various project processes. [Put raw data into budget]
3. Work Performance Reports - is the physical or electronic view of compiled information [Turn into Facts]

Question 25

When is a project risk highest?

Answer 25

The Beginning (because there is no plan yet)

Question 26

When is stakeholder influence greatest?

Answer 26

The Beginning (ask what deliverables)

Question 27

When are costs of project changes the highest?

Answer 27

Towards the End

Question 28

What are divisions within a project when extra control is required?

Answer 28

Project Phases

Question 29

What are natural end points of a project called?

Answer 29

Stage Gate
Milestone
Phase Review
Phase Gate
Kill Point

Question 30

When projects have more than one phase and those phases relate either sequentially or by overlapping.

Answer 30

Phase-to-phase relationship

Question 31

When project scope, time and costs are established at the beginning of the project

Answer 31

Predictive

Question 32

Intentionally repeat activities or phases. Can be performed with a phase-to-phase sequential relationship or overlapping relationship.

Answer 32

Iterative and incremental