Project Management Basics

Question 1

What is a project?

Answer 1

Temporary: It has a beginning and an end.
Creates something unique.

Question 2

Why do we initiate projects?

Answer 2

Market Demand
Request of a customer
Business need.
Environmental Considerations
Legal Requirement
Social Need
Technological Advance

Question 3

What is a program?

Answer 3

A program is a set of “Related Projects”

Question 4

What is a Portfolio?

Answer 4

A group of Programs, Operations and Projects.
They share the “Same Strategic Objective”

Question 5

What is project management?

Answer 5

Project have requirements to meet:
Scope
Time
Other Requirements
Efficient Work
Quality

Question 6

Process Groups?

Answer 6

Initiating
Planning
Executing
Monitoring
Controlling
Closing

Question 7

10 Knowledge Areas

Answer 7

1. Integration Management
2. Scope Management
3. Schedule Management
4. Cost Management
5. Quality Management
6. Resource Management
7. Communication Management
8. Risk Management
9. Procurement Management
10. Stakeholder Management

Question 8

What is Program Management?

Answer 8

Program Management is only needed if it adds value.

Question 9

Portfolio Management?

Answer 9

Portfolio Management is only needed if it adds value.

Question 10

Organizational Project Management (OPM)

Answer 10

Strategic framework
Portfolio Management of:
* Programs
* Operations
* Projects

Question 11

Operation vs Project?

Answer 11

Operation is an Ongoing work.
Project is temporary.

Question 12

What is a PMO Office?

Answer 12

Provides and maintains the standards and the procedures.

Question 13

What are the “Classification of PMO’s?

Answer 13

1. Supportive - Creates the standards, procedures & other project
   documents
2. Controlling - Not only supports the project but also has some
   control over the projects.
3. Directive - Manages the projects among the organization.

Question 14

What are PMO Authority Leavels?

Answer 14

Supportive - Low
Controlling - Med
Directive - High

Question 15

What is Organizational Governance?

Answer 15

High Level strategic goals of the organization.

Question 16

What is Project Governance?

Answer 16

Provides the project team with Policies, processes, decision making models and tolls to administer the project.

Question 17

What are the Organizational Structure

Answer 17

• Organizational Structure
• Functional
• Multi-Divisional
• Matrix (Strong, Weak, Balanced)
• Project Oriented
• Virtual
• Hybrid
• PMO

Question 18

Functional Organizations

Answer 18

Executives > Head of Departments >Departments

Question 19

Project Oriented (Projectized) Organizations

Answer 19

Executives >
Project Mgr 1, 2, 3
Depts of Project 1,2,3

Question 20

What is the Dis-advantages of Functional Org?

Answer 20

PM authority is less
Sense of belonging is less
Difficult to develop in the field of Project Management.

Question 21

What is the Advantages of Functional Org?

Answer 21

Specialization is easier
Career Development on the specialized subject is easier
Resources are more centralized and easy to manage
Administration is easier
Team members are not temporary

Question 22

What is the Dis-advantages of Matrix Org?

Answer 22

Complex Structure
Hard to manage
Monitoring and controlling is hard
Resource assignment is hare and complex
Complexity may cause conflicts
Employees may report to more than one executive
Extra rules should be identified.

Question 23

What is the Advantages of Matrix Org?

Answer 23

PM has more authority
Resources are better managed
Better Coordination between PM and functional managers.
Better coordination and communication between team members.
Project objective is clearer
Teams members are not temporary.

Question 24

What is the Dis-advantages of Project Oriented Org?

Answer 24

Team members are temporary
Specialization is hard
Career dev. on the specialized subject is not easy
Resources are not centralized, they are hard to manage.

Question 25

What is the Advantages of Project Oriented Org?

Answer 25

PM has the highest authority Sense of belonging is high Better administration and better communication.

Question 26

Who is a project Manager?

Answer 26

* His objective is to achieve the project goals. * He adds value toe the organization. > A Project Manager is the one who manages the projects to add value to his organization by achieving the project goals.

Question 27

Who is a Stakeholder?

Answer 27

a stakeholder is anyone who is related to the project.

Question 28

Who is a project sponsor(Initiator)?

Answer 28

Sponsor/Initiator: Provides Support Prevents unnecessary changes

Question 29

The project sponsor:

Answer 29

Approve deliverables Ensuring project success Identifies and appoints the project manager Key decision maker Project charter Acting as a liaison among stakeholders Overseeing and supporting the entire project Project manager competence Provide continuous project support Stakeholder communication Supporting the project manager and team Adequate resources Approve the final project management plan Clarifies scope questions Determines the priorities between the constraints Funding Initiation Keeping the project on schedule Participates in negotiating funds Planning Closing Dictating milestones and end date Enforces quality policies Execution

Question 30

Project Team members responsibilities:

Answer 30

Create the project plan Manage components of the plan Delegate tasks to key team members Create a project schedule Lead team members through each phase Pivot directions when problems arise Communicate to team members and senior management

Question 31

Resource manager responsibilities

Answer 31

Attend project team meetings Document progress Establishing project budgets Assess and manage risks Assign resources to tasks Communicate with stakeholders Project planning Approve the final project management plan Delegating work effectively Improving team members performance Managing the project schedule Recruiting project staff Understand and monitor workload Address problems preventing projects from progressing Allocate project resources Establish project objectives and success criteria Evaluating project performance Manage resources Managing all project deliverables Managing the budget Managing time Monitoring progress Resource management Risk management

Question 32

What is difference between project manager and program manager and portfolio manager?

Answer 32

Program manager: Manages a programs of related projects. Provides coordination between projects. Supports and leads the project managers Aims to achieve the strategics goals of the company A Portfolio manager: Manges a portfolio- Programs, projects and operations. Supports and leads the project managers, program managers and operations managers Aims to achieve the strategics goals of the company

Question 33

Project Lifecycle Management Efforts?

Answer 33

Feasibility Planning Design Construction Completion and Delivery

Question 34

Five phases of project management Lifecycle:

Answer 34

Project Initiation Project Planning Project Execution Project Monitoring and Controlling Project Closing

Question 35

Predictive Life Cycle

Answer 35

Well Prepared Plan-Driven Waterfall, traditional

Question 36

Adaptive Life Cycle

Answer 36

Plan is developed during iterations Change-Driven, Interactive, Incremental, Agile Release: 1st Iteration, 2nd, 3rd

Question 37

Hybrid

Answer 37

Predictive Life Cycle & Adaptive Life Cycle