Tools & Techniques Flashcards
What are examples of expert judgment?
Expertise provided by:
- Other units within the organization
- Consultants (internal and external)
- Stakeholders, including customers, suppliers or sponsors
- Senior management
- Professional and technical associations
- Industry groups
- SMEs (internal and external)
- PMO
- Functional experts such as contracting, legal, finance, accounting, engineering, design, research, development, sales, and manufacturing
- Any group or individual with relevant training, knowledge, or experience with similar projects or business areas
Provides valuable insight about the environment and information from prior similar projects.
Can suggest whether to combine methods and how to reconcile differences between them.
Can provide:
- Duration estimates information
- Recommended maximum activity durations
- To determine whether to combine methods of estimating and how to reconcile differences between them.
What are examples of facilitation techniques?
- Brainstorming
- Conflict resolution
- Problem solving
- Meeting management
What are examples of PMIS?
- Part of EEF
- Provides access to tools:
- Scheduling, cost and resourcing tools
- Work authorization system
- Configuration management system
- Information collection and distribution system
- Interfaces with other online automated systems
- Automated gathering and reporting on KPI
- Performance indicators
- Databases
- Project records
- Financials
What are examples of analytical techniques?
- Regression analysis
- Grouping methods
- Causal analysis
- Root cause analysis
- Forecasting methods (time series, scenario building, simulation)
- FMEA
- FTA
- Reserve analysis
- Trend analysis
- EVM
- Variance analysis
- Rolling wave planning
- Leads and lags
- Alternatives analysis
- Methods for reviewing schedule performance
- Payback period
- ROI
- IRR
- Discounted cash flow
- NPV
- Stakeholder risk profile analysis (grades stakeholder risk appetite and tolerance)
- Use of strategic risk scoring sheets (provide high-level assessment of risk exposure based on context)
- Stakeholder engagement assessment matrix
What are examples of change control tools?
Selected based on stakeholder needs including organizational and environmental considerations/constraints.
- Manual
- Automated
What are the attributes of an interview?
- Formal or Informal
- Ask questions and record responses
- Can be one on one or multiple interviewers/interviewees
- Good for obtaining confidential information
What are the attributes of focus groups?
Bring together pre qualified stakeholders and SME to learn about expectations and attitudes about a proposed product, service, or result. Trained moderator guides group through interactive discussion, more conversational.
What are the attributes of facilitated workshops?
- Focused sessions that bring key stakeholders together.
- Interactive group nature
- Key stakeholders w/variety of expectations/expertise
- Intensive sessions
- Help reach a cross functional and common understanding of project objectives and limits
Examples:
- JAD (software)
- QFD (manufacturing)
What are the three types of meetings?
1) Information exchange
2) Brainstorming, option evaluation, or design
3) Decision making
Meetings can be face-to-face, virtual, or informal. May include project team members, stakeholders, others involved in or affected by the project. Can be casual or formal. Can be face-to-face or online. Usually begin with a defined list of issues to be discussed, circulated in advance with minutes and other relevant information.
Can be grouped by:
- User groups
- Review meetings
- Change control meetings
May be used to:
- Develop the quality management plan
- Reach consensus on the human resource management plan
- Risk management should be an agenda item at periodic status meetings.
- Used to collaborate with potential bidders
What are examples of group creativity techniques?
- Brainstorming
- Nominal group technique
- Idea/mind mapping
- Affinity diagram
- Multicriteria decision analysis
What are examples of group decision-making techniques?
- Unanimity
- Majority
- Plurality
- Dictatorship
Attributes:
- Used to reach a conclusion when the validation is performed by the project team and other stakeholders (Validate Scope)
- Assessment process having multiple alternatives with an expected outcome in the form of future actions
- Useful for engaging team members to improve estimate accuracy and commitment to emerging estimates
What are the attributes of questionnaires and surveys?
- Written sets of questions designed to quickly accumulate data from a large # of respondents
- Most appropriate with varied audiences, quick turnaround requirements, geographically dispersed, where statistical analysis is appropriate.
What are attributes of observations?
- Direct way of viewing individuals in their environment and how they perform tasks and carry out processes.
- Helpful for detailed processes with people who have difficulty or are reluctant to articulate requirements
- Known as “job shadowing”
- Can be done externally (observer views) or as a “participant observer” (actually performs task)
What are attributes of prototyping?
- Method of obtaining early feedback
- Provides working model prior to building
- Supports progressive elaboration
Examples:
- Storyboarding
What are attributes of benchmarking?
- Compares actual or planned practices to those of comparable organizations
- Identifies best practices
- Generates ideas for improvement
- Provides a basis for measuring performance
TT
- Plan Quality Management
- Collect Requirements
What are attributes of context diagrams?
- Example of scope model
- Visually depict product scope
- Show business system (process, equipment, computer system) & how people or other systems interact with it
- Show inputs to business system, actors providing input, outputs from the business system, and the actors receiving output
What are attributes of document analysis?
- Used to elicit requirements
- Analyzes existing documentation and ID relevant info
Examples:
- Business plans
- Marketing literature
- Agreements
- RFP
- Current process flow
- Logical data models
- Business rules repositories
- Application software documentation
- business process or interface documentation
- Use cases
- Other requirements documentation
- Problem/issue logs
- Policies
- Procedures
- Regulatory documentation (laws, ordinances, etc)
What are attributes of product analysis?
- Effective for projects with a product deliverable
- Includes techniques such as:
- Product breakdown
- Systems analysis
- Requirements analysis
- Systems engineering
- Value engineering
- Value analysis
What are attributes of alternatives generation?
- Develop as many potential options as possible
- Identifies different approaches to execute and perform the work
Techniques include:
- Brainstorming
- Lateral thinking
- Analysis of alternatives
What are attributes of decomposition?
- A technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts
- Guided by the degree of control needed to effectively manage the project
- Level of detail varies with size and complexity of project
Usually includes:
- ID and analyzing the deliverables and related work
- Structuring and organizing the WBS
- Decomposing the upper WBS levels into lower-level detailed components
- Developing and assigning ID codes to the WBS components
- Verifying the degree of decomposition is appropriate
List examples of inspection activities.
- Measuring
- Examining
- Validating
To determine whether work and deliverables meet requirements and product acceptance criteria.
Examination of a work product to determine if it conforms to documented standards.
Sometimes called:
- Reviews
- Peer reviews
- Product reviews
- Audits
- Walkthroughs
Also used to validate defect repairs
What are the attributes of variance analysis?
- A type of analytical technique
- Determines the cause and degree of difference between the baseline and actual performance.
- Project performance measurements used to assess magnitude of variation from original scope baseline.
When is PDM used?
The precedence diagramming method (PDM) is a technique used for constructing a schedule model in which activities are represented by nodes and are graphically linked by one or more logical relationships to show the sequence in which the activities are to be performed.
Four dependencies or logical relationships:
1) Finish-to-start (most common)
2) Finish-to-finish
3) Start-to-start
4) Start-to-finish (very rarely used)
What are the attributes of dependency determination?
- Mandatory or discretionary
- Internal or external
What are leads and lags?
Refinements applied during network analysis to develop a viable schedule by adjusting the start time of the successor activities.
Leads:
- Amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessor activity.
Lags:
- Amount of time whereby a successor activity will be delayed with respect to a predecessor activity.
What are examples of alternative analysis?
- Using various levels of resource capability or skills
- Different size or type of machines
- Different tools (hand versus automated)
- Make-rent-buy decisions
What is the published estimating data tool/technique used for?
Several organizations routinely publish updated production rates and unit costs of resources for an extensive array of labor trades, material, and equipment for different countries and geographical locations within countries.
What is bottom-up estimating?
A method of estimating project duration by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of the WBS.
Process:
- Decompose work within the activity into more detail
- Estimate resource needs
- Aggregate (roll up) estimates into higher levels, then total quantity
- Document any dependencies
When is project management software used?
Project management software, such as a scheduling software tool, has the capability to help plan, organize, and manage resource pools and develop resource estimates.
Can define:
- Resource breakdown structures
- Resource availability
- Resource rates
Can also assist in optimizing resource utilization.
Also provides the ability to track planned dates versus actual dates, to report variances to and progress made against the schedule baseline, and to forecast the effects of changes to the project schedule model.
Can also assist with cost estimating
- Often used to monitor the three EVM dimensions (PV, EV, and AC), to display graphical trends, and to forecast a range of possible final project results
What are attributes of analogous estimating?
- Used to estimate the duration or cost of an activity or project
- Uses historical data from a similar activity or project as the basis for estimating the same parameter or measure for a future project
- Gross value estimating approach, sometimes adjusted for complexity
- Frequently used to estimate project duration when detailed information is limited
- Uses historical information and expert judgment
- Generally less costly and less time consuming than other techniques, but generally less accurate
- Can be applied to total project or segments of project, in conjunction with other estimating methods
What are attributes of parametric estimating?
- Algorithm used to caluculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters
- Uses statistical relationship between historical data and other variables to calculate estimates
- Produces higher levels of accuracy depending on sophistication and underlying data
- Can be used for total project or segments of projects, in conjunction with other methods
What are attributes of reserve analysis?
- Time reserves or buffers inserted into the schedule to account for schedule uncertainty
- Two types:
1) Contingency reserves (known-unknowns), identified risks, in the baseline, aka contingency allowances
2) Management reserves (unknown-unknowns), used for unforeseen work that is within the scope, not included in the schedule baseline, but part of overall budget - May be a % of estimated activity duration, fixed # of work days, or developed through quantitative analysis
- ## May be used, reduced, or eliminated as more precise information comes available
What are the attributes of three-point estimating (PERT)?
- Improves accuracy of single-point activity duration estimates
- Considers uncertainty and risk
- Uses most likely, optimistic, and pessimistic estimates
- Uses triangular or beta (PERT) distribution
What are attributes of schedule network analysis?
- Generates the project schedule model
- Employs various analytical techniques, such as the CPM, CCM, what-if analysis, and resource optimization
- Calculates the early and late start and finish dates for the uncompleted portions of project activities.
- Can identify points of path convergence or divergence that can be used in further analysis
What are the attributes of the critical path method?
Can be used as a performance review to measure, compare, and analyze schedule performance such as actual start and finish dates, percent complete, and remaining duration for work in progress.
- Used to estimate the minimum project duration and amount of scheduling flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model
- Calculates early start, early finish, late start, and late finish for all activities
- No regard for any resource limitations
- Determines critical path- the sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible project duration
- Determines total float- the amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed or extended from its early start date without delaying the project finish date or violating a schedule constraint
What are attributes of the critical chain method?
Can be used as a performance review to compare the amount of buffer remaining to the amount needed to protect the delivery date.
- Allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties
- Developed form the critical path method approach
- Considers the effects of resource allocation, resource optimization, resource leveling, and activity duration uncertainty
- The resource-constrained critical path is known as the critical chain
What is resource leveling?
- A resource optimization technique
- Start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply
- Can be used when shared or critically required resources are only available at certain times, or in limited quantities, or over-allocated, or to keep resource usage at a constant level
- Can often cause the original critical path to change, usually to increase
What is resource smoothing?
- A resource optimization technique
- Adjusts the activities of a schedule model such that the requirements for resources on the project do not exceed certain predefined resource limits
- The project’s critical path is not changed
- Activities may only be delayed within their free and total float
- May not be able to optimize all resources
What is simulation?
- A modeling technique
- Involves calculating multiple project durations with different sets of activity assumptions, usually using probability distributions constructed from three-point estimates (PERT) to account for uncertainty.
- Most common simulation technique is Monte Carlo analysis
What is what-if scenario analysis?
- Process of evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect, positively or negatively, on project objectives
- Schedule network analysis is performed
- Outcome is used to assess the feasibility of the project schedule under adverse conditions, and in preparing contingency and response plans
What is crashing?
- A schedule compression technique
- Used to shorten the schedule for the least incremental cost by adding resources
- Examples: overtime, bringing in additional resources, paying to expedite delivery to activities on the critical path
- Works only for activities on the critical path where additional resources will shorten the activity’s duration
- Does not always produce a viable alternative
- May result in increased risk and/or cost
What is fast tracking?
- A schedule compression technique
- Activities or phases normally done in sequence are performed in parallel for at least a portion of their duration
- May result in rework and increased risk
- Only works if activities can be overlapped to shorten the project duration
TT
- Develop Schedule
What is a scheduling tool?
- Automated schedule tools contain the schedule model
- Expedite the scheduling process
- Can be used in conjunction with other project management software as well as manual methods
What are the attributes of trend analysis?
- A technique used for performance reviews
- Examines project performance over time to determine wither performance is improving or deteriorating
What are the attributes of earned value management?
- Methodology that combines scope, schedule, and resource measurements to assess project performance and progress
- Integrates scope, cost, and schedule baseline to form the performance baseline
- SV and SPI used to assess the magnitude of variation to the original schedule baseline
- Total float and early finish variances essential
- Develops and monitors three key dimensions for each work package and control account:
1) Planned value
2) Earned value
3) Actual cost - Monitors variances
1) Schedule variance
2) Cost variance
3) Schedule performance index
4) Cost performance index
What are the attributes of cost of quality?
- Assumptions about COQ may be used to prepare the activity cost estimate
TT
- Estimate Costs
- Plan Quality Management
What are attributes of vendor bid analysis?
- Analysis based on responsive bids from vendors
What are the attributes of cost aggregation?
- Cost estimates are aggregated by work packages in accordance with the WBS
- Work package cost estimates are then aggregated for higher component levels of WBS and ultimately for the entire project
What are the characteristics of funding limit reconciliation?
- Fund expenditures should be reconciled with funding limits
- A variance between limits and planned expenditures will sometimes necessitate rescheduling of work to level out the rate of expenditures (imposed date constraints)
TT
- Determine Budget
What are attributes of historical relationships?
- Historical relationships that result in parametric or analogous estimates involve project characteristics (parameters) to develop mathematical models to predict total project costs
- May be simple or complex
- Models most likely to be reliable when:
1) Historical information accurate
2) Parameters are readily quantifiable
3) Models are scalable
What are the attributes of forecasting?
The project team may develop a forecaset fo rthe estmate at completion (EAC) that may differ from the budget at completion (BAC) based on project performance.
Forecasting the EAC involves making projections of conditions and events in the project’s future based on current performance information and other knowledge available at the time of the forecast
- Based on work performance data
What are the attributes of the to-complete performance index (TCPI)?
- Measure of the cost performance that is required to be achieved with the remaining resources in order to meet a specified management goal, expressed as the ratio of the cost to finish the outstanding work to the remaining budget.
- Uses BAC or EAC
- If BAC not viable, consider forecasted EAC
What are the attributes of performance reviews?
- Compare cost performance over time, schedule activities or work packages overrunning and underrunning the budget, and estimated funds needed to complete work in progress.
- If EVM is being used, the following information is determined:
1) Variance analysis
2) Trend analysis
3) Earned value performance
What are the attributes of flowcharts?
- One of the seven basic quality tools
- Known as process maps
- Show activities, decision points, branching loops, parallel paths, overall order
- Helpful in understanding and estimating cost of quality in a process
What are the attributes of cause-and-effect diagrams?
- One of the seven basic quality tools
- Known as fishbone or Ishikawa diagrams
- Problem statement placed at head of fishbone
- Attempts to trace back to actionable root cause
What are the attributes of checksheets?
- One of the seven basic quality tools
- Known as tally sheets
- May be used as a checklist when gathering data
- Organize facts when collecting data about problems
- Especially useful for gathering data while performing inspections to ID defects
What are the attributes of a Pareto diagram?
- One of the seven basic quality tools
- Special form of vertical bar chart
- ID vital few sources responsible for causing most of the problem’s effects
What are the attributes of a histogram?
- One of the seven basic quality tools
- Special form of bar chart
- Describe central tendency, dispersion, and shape of statistical distribution
- Does not consider the influence of time
What are the attributes of control charts?
- One of the seven basic quality tools
- Determine whether or not a process is stable
- Upper lower specification limits based on agreement
- For repetitive process, control limits generally set at +/- 3 s around process mean set at 0 s
- Process out of control when:
1) Data point exceeds control limit
2) 7 consecutive plots above or below mean
+/- 3 s = 99.7% of the data
+/- 2 s = 95.5% of the data
+/- 1 s = 68.3% of the data
What are the attributes of scatter diagrams?
- One of the seven basic quality tools
- Plot ordered pairs
- Known as correlation charts
- Direction of correlation can be proportional (positive), inverse (negative), or a pattern of correlation may not exist (zero)
- If correlation can be established, can calculate regression line
What are the attributes of design of experiments (DOE)?
- Statistical method for ID which factors may influence specific variables
- May be used during the Plan Quality Management process to determine the # and type tests and their impact on COQ
- Provides statistical framework for systematically changing all important factors, rather than changing factors one at a time
What are the attributes of statistical sampling?
- Involves choosing part of a population of interest for inspection
- Substantial body of knowledge on statistical sampling
What are the additional quality planning tools?
1) Brainstorming
2) Force field analysis
3) Nominal group technique
4) Quality management and control tools
What are the seven basic quality tools?
- Known as 7QC or Ishikawa tools
- Used within the context of PDCA cycle to solve quality-related problems
1) Cause-and-effect diagrams
2) Flowcharts
3) Checksheets
4) Pareto diagrams
5) Histograms
6) Control charts
7) Scatter diagrams
What are the attributes of brainstorming?
- Technique used to generate ideas
What are the attributes of a force field analysis?
- Diagrams of the forces for and against change
What are the attributes of nominal group technique?
- Used for ideas to be brainstormed in small groups then reviewed by larger group
- May be used to prioritize a list of brainstormed ideas
What are the attributes of a cost-benefit analysis?
- Compares the cost of the quality step to the expected benefit
- Meeting quality requirements:
1) Less rework
2) Higher productivity
3) Lower costs
4) Increased stakeholder satisfaction
5) Increased profitability
TT
- Plan Quality Management
What are the quality management and control tools?
The Perform Quality Assurance process uses the tools and techniques of the Plan Quality Management and Control Quality processes. In addition, other tools that are available include:
1) Affinity diagrams
2) Process decision program charts (PDPC)
3) Interrelationship digraphs
4) Tree diagrams
What are the attributes of affinity diagrams?
- Similar to mind-mapping techniques
- Used to generate ideas linked to form organized patterns of thought
- Creation of WBS may be enhanced to give structure to the decomposition
What are the attributes of process decision program charts (PDPC)?
- Used to understand a goal in relation to the steps for getting to the goal
- Useful for contingency planning (aids in anticipating intermediate steps that could derail goal achievement
What are the attributes of interrelationship digraphs?
- Adaptation of relationship diagrams
- Provide process for creative problem solving in moderately complex scenarios that possess intertwined logical relationships for up to 50 relevant items.
- May be developed from other tool’s data (affinity diagram, tree diagram, or fishbone diagram)
What are the attributes of tree diagrams?
- Known as systematic diagrams
- May be used to represent decomposition hierarchies (WBS, RBS (risk breakdown structure0, and OBS.
- Useful in visualizing parent-to-child relationships
- Useful as decision trees
What are the attributes of prioritization matrices?
- Identifies key issues and suitable alternatives to be prioritized as a set of decision
- Criteria are prioritized and weighted, then applied to all alternatives to obtain a mathematical score that ranks options
What are the attributes of activity network diagrams
- Known as arrow diagrams
- Include both AOA, and, most commonly used, AON formats of network diagrams
- Used with PERT, CPM, and PDM
What are the attributes of matrix diagrams?
- Used to perform data analysis within the org structure created in the matrix
- Seeks to show the strength of relationships between factors, causes, and objectives between rows and columns that form the matrix
What are the attributes of quality audits?
- Structured, independent process to determine if project activities comply with policies, processes, and procedures
- Objectives may include: ID good/best practices, nonconformity, gaps, and shortcomings, share good practices, proactively offer assistance, highlight contribution in lessons learned
What are the attributes of process analysis?
- Follows the steps in the process improvement plan
- Examines problems experienced, constraints experienced, and NVA activities ID’d during process operation
- Includes root cause analysis
What are the attributes of approved change requests review?
All approved change request should be reviewed to verify that they were implemented as approved
What are attributes of networking?
- Formal/informal interaction with others in an org, industry, or professional environment
- Constructive way to understand staffing management option factors
- Improves knowledge of and access to HR assets
- Examples:
1) Proactive correspondence
2) Luncheon meetings
3) Informal conversations
4) Meetings
5) Events - Useful at beginning of project
- Enhances professional development during and after the project
What are the attributes of organizational theory?
- Provides information regarding the way in which people, teams, and organizational units behave
TT
- Plan Human Resource Management
What are attributes of organization charts and position descriptions?
- Documents team member roles and responsibilities
- Three types:
1) Hierarchical: WBS, OBS, RBS
2) Matrix: RAM, RACI (type of RAM)
3) Text-oriented: detailed descriptions, outline form, known as position descriptions and role-responsibility-authority forms - Objective: to ensure each work package has an unambiguous owner and all team members have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
What are the attributes of pre-assignment?
- Selecting project team members in advance
- Can occur if the project is the result of specific people ID’d as part of a competitive proposal, dependent upon expertise of particular persons, or staff assignments in charter
What are the attributes of negotiation?
- Staff assignments negotiated on many projects
- Project management team may negotiate with:
1) Functional managers
2) Other PM teams within the performing org
3) External organizations
What are the attributes of acquisition?
- Used if the performing organization is unable to provide necessary staff
- Can involve hiring consultants or subcontracting to another organization
What are the attributes of virtual teams?
- Creates new possibilities
- Groups of people with a shared goal who fulfill their roles with little or not time spent meeting face-to-face
- Communication technology availability makes possible
- Disadvantages: misunderstandings, isolation, sharing knowledge and experience, cost of technology
What are the attributes of multi-criteria decision analysis?
- Selection criteria used as part of acquiring project team
- Criteria developed and used to rate/score potential team members, weighted according to relative importance
- Examples of criteria: availability, cost, experience, ability, knowledge, skills, attitude, international factors
What are the attributes of interpersonal skills?
- Sometimes known as soft skills
- Behavioral competencies that include:
1) Emotional intelligence
2) Conflict resolution
3) Negotiation
4) Influence
5) Team building
6) Group facilitation
7) Leadership
8) Effective decision making - Can be technical, personal, and conceptual
- Appropriate use allows PM to capitalize on team member strengths
What are the attributes of training?
- Includes all activities designed to enhance the competencies of the project team members
- Can be formal or informal
- Examples: classroom, online, computer-based, on-the-job, mentoring, coaching
- Takes place as stated in the HR management plan -or- unplanned as a result of observation, conversation, and project performance appraisals
What are the attributes of team-building activities?
- Varies from 5-minute agenda item to a professionally facilitated experience
- Designed to help individual team members work together effectively
- Valuable when members operate remotely
- Ongoing process
- Tuckman’s stages
TT
- Develop Project Team
What are the attributes of ground rules?
- Establish clear expectations of acceptable behavior
- Decreases misunderstandings, increases productivity
- Areas discussed: code of conduct, communication, working together, meeting etiquette
- All members share responsibility for enforcing
TT
- Develop Project Team
What are the attributes of colocation?
- Referred to as tight matrix
- Many or all of most active project team members in same physical location
- Can be temporary or permanent
- Can include war room
- Considered good practice
- Virtual teams can bring more skilled resources, reduced costs, less travel & relocation expenses, better proximity to suppliers, customers, or other key stakeholders
What are the attributes of recognition and rewards?
- Part of team development process
- Originally developed during the Plan HR Management process
- Effective only if it satisfies a valued need
- Decisions made during project performance appraisals
- Should consider cultural differences
- Good strategy: give recognition throughout the life cycle of the project
What are the attributes of personal assessment tools?
- Insight into areas of strengths and weaknesses
- Help PM’s assess team preferences, aspirations, ID how team process/organize info, make decisions, interact with people
- Includes attitudinal surveys, specific assessments, structured interviews, ability tests, and focus groups
What are attributes of observation and conversation?
- Used to stay in touch with the work and attitudes of team members
- Used to monitor progress toward deliverables, accomplishments that are a source of pride, and interpersonal issues
What are attributes of project performance appraisals?
- Objectives can include clarifying role responsibilities, providing constructive feedback, issue discovery, training plan development, establish future goals
- Can be formal or informal
- Need depends on project length, complexity, organizational policy, labor contract requirements, and amount/quality of communication
What are attributes of conflict management?
- Factors that influence methods:
1) Relative importance/intensity
2) Time pressure
3) Positions taken
4) Motivation to resolve - General techniques:
1) Withdraw/avoid
2) Smooth/accommodate
3) Compromise/Reconcile
4) Force/direct
5) Collaborate/Problem Solve
What are attributes of communication requirements analysis?
- Determines the information needs of project stakeholders
- Requirements defined by combining type/format of info w/value analysis
- Only use project resources for communicating info that is value added, or if lack of comms can lead to failure
- Common sources of info typically used
1) Org charts
2) Project org & stakeholder relationships
3) Disciplines, Depts, and specialties involved
4) Logistics of how many persons & their locations
5) Internal & External info needs
6) Stakeholder register requirements
What are the attributes of communications technology?
- Methods used to transfer information
- Can range from brief conversations to extended meetings
- Factors that affect choice of communications technology:
1) Urgency of the need for information
2) Availability of technology
3) Ease of use
4) Project environment
5) Sensitivity and confidentiality of information
What are the attributes of communication models?
- Sequence of steps in a basic communication model:
1) Encode
2) Transmit message
3) Decode
4) Acknowledge
5) Feedback/response - Noise = distance, unfamiliar technology, inadequate infrastructure, cultural differences, lack of background information
What are attributes of communication methods?
- Broadly classified:
1) Interactive communication
2) Push communication
3) Pull communication
What are attributes of information management systems?
- Captures and distributes information to stakeholders about project costs, schedule, and performance
- Can consolidate reports
- Project information is managed and distributed using a variety of tools:
1) Hard-copy document management: letters, memos, reports, and press releases.
2) Electronic communications management: e-mail, fax, voice mail, telephone, video/web conferencing, websites, and web publishing.
3) Electronic project management tools: web interfaces, project management software, meeting/virtual office support software, portals, collaborative work management tools. - Examples of distribution formats:
1) Table reporting
2) Spreadsheet analysis
3) Presentations
What are attributes of performance reporting?
- Act of collecting and distributing performance information, including status reports, progress measurements, and forecasts
- Involves periodic collection/analysis of baseline versus actual data
- Status reports may contain:
1) Scope, schedule, cost, quality
2) Analysis of past performance
3) Current status of risks and issues
4) Work completed during period
5) Work to be completed
6) Summary of approved changes
7) Other relevant material
What are the attributes of documentation reviews?
- Structured, including plans, assumptions, previous project files, agreements, and other information
- Check for quality and consistency between plans.
What are examples of information gathering techniques used in identifying risks?
- Brainstorming
- Delphi technique
- Interviewing
- Root cause analysis
What are the attributes of checklist analysis?
- Based on historical information and knowledge
- Lowest level of RBS (risk breakdown structure) can be used
- Impossible to build exhaustive one
- Review during project closure
What are the attributes of assumptions analysis?
- Explores the validity of assumptions as they apply to project
- Identifies risks due to inaccuracy, instability, inconsistency, or incompleteness of assumptions
What are some examples of risk diagramming techniques?
- Cause and effect diagrams
- System or process flow charts
- Influence diagrams
What are the attributes of SWOT analysis?
- Examines the project from each of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats perspectives.
What are the attributes of the risk probability and impact assessment?
- Investigates the likelihood that each specific risk will occur
- Investigates the potential effect on project objectives (negative and positive)
- Assesses probability and impact for each risk
- Risks assessed in meetings or interviews
What are the attributes of the probability and impact matrix?
- Prioritizes risks further
- Uses color coded chart
- Risk-rating rules specified by org in advance of the project
What are the attributes of risk data quality assessment?
- Evaluates the degree to which the data about risks is useful
- Examines the degree to which the risk is understood and the accuracy, quality, reliability, and integrity of the data
What are the attributes of risk categorization?
- Risks can be categorized by:
1) Source of risk (using RBS)
2) Area of project affected (using WBS)
3) Other useful categories, such as phases, root causes
What are the attributes of risk urgency assessment?
- For risks requiring near-term responses
- Sometimes combined with risk raking to give a final risk severity rating
What are the attributes of data gathering and representation techniques?
- Interviewing
- Probability distributions
What are the attributes of quantitative risk analysis and modeling techniques?
- Sensitivity analysis (Tornado diagram)
- Expected monetary value analysis (EMV) (Decision tree diagram)
- Modeling and simulation
TT
- Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
What are the attributes of strategies for negative risks or threats?
- Typically deal with threats/risks that may have negative impact if they occur: avoid, transfer, and mitigate
- Another deals with threat/risk or threat/opportunity: accept
- Four strategies:
1) Avoid: eliminate threat or protect project. Examples: extend schedule, change strategy, reduce scope.
2) Transfer: shift impact to 3rd party. Examples: insurance, performance bonds, warranties, guarantees
3) Mitigate: reduce possibility of occurrence. Examples: adopting less complex processes, conducting more tests, choosing a more stable supplier
4) Accept: acknowledge and take no action until risk occurs. Can be passive or active. Most common active strategy is to establish a contingency reserve of time, money or resources to handle the risks.
What are the attributes of strategies for positive risks or opportunities?
- Three used for risks with potentially positive impact on project objectives
- Forth used for negative or positive risks
- Four strategies:
1) Exploit: ensure the opportunity is realized. Examples: assigning talented resources, technology upgrades.
2) Enhance: increase probability and/or impact of opportunity. Examples: adding more resources to finish early.
3) Share: allocating ownership to 3rd party best able to capture opportunity. Examples: risk-sharing partnerships, teams, special-purpose companies, joint ventures
4) Accept: being willing to take advantage of the opportunity but not actively pursuing it.
What are the attributes of contingent response strategies?
- For use only if certain events occur.
- Should define and track trigger events
- Also called contingency plans or fallback plans
What are the attributes of risk reassessment?
- Scheduled regularly to ID new risks, reassess current risks, and close outdated risks
What are the attributes of risk audits?
- Examine and document the effectiveness of risk responses and the risk management process
- Frequency defined in risk management plan
- May be included during routine project review meetings
- Format/objectives should be clearly defined prior to audit
What are attributes of variance and trend analysis?
- Compare planned results to actual results
- Review trends using performance information
- Outcomes may forecast potential deviation of project
What are the attributes of technical performance measurement?
- Compares technical accomplishments to schedule of technical achievement
- Requires definition of objective, quantifiable measures of tech performance (weight, transaction times, # delivered defects, storage capacity)
What are the attributes of reserve analysis?
- Compares the amount of contingency reserves remaining to the amount of risk remaining to determine if remaining reserve is adequate
What are the attributes of make-or-buy analysis?
- Used to determine whether work can be best accomplished by project team or purchased from outside sources.
- Budget constraints influence decisions
- Available contract types are considered
TT
- Plan Procurement Management
What are the attributes of market research?
- Includes examination of industry and specific vendor capabilities
- Info gained at conferences, online reviews, etc.
What are the attributes of bidder conferences?
- Sometimes called contractor conferences, vendor conferences, or pre-bid conferences
- Meetings between the buyer and all prospective sellers prior to the submittal of a bid or proposal
- Used to ensure all sellers have clear and common understanding of requirements
- Fairness addressed by collecting questions and arranging field visits
TT
- Conduct Procurements
What are the attributes of proposal evaluation techniques?
- For complex procurements where weighted criteria used
- Formal evaluation review process as defined by buyer’s procurement policies
What are the attributes of independent estimates?
- Estimate of costs prepared by outside professional estimator to serve as benchmark
- Significant differences can be an indication of deficient, ambiguous, or misunderstood SOW
What are the attributes of advertising?
- Used to expand lists of potential sellers
- Placing ads in general circulation (newspapers), or specialty (trade publications), or online to communicate solicitations with vendor community
- Sometimes required in government contracts
TT
- Conduct Procurements
What are attributes of analytical techniques?
- Used to identify readiness of vendor to provide desired end state, determine cost expected to support budgeting, and avoid change-induced cost overruns
- Examines past performance information to ID areas that may have more risk
What are attributes of procurement negotiations?
- Clarify structure, requirements, and other terms of purchases
- Subjects covered: responsibilities, change authority, applicable terms & law, tech and business approaches, proprietary rights, financing, tech solutions, overall schedule, payments, and price
- Can be a independent process with inputs and outputs of its own
- Project manager might not be the lead negotiator.
What are attributes of contract change control system?
- Defines the process by which the procurement can be modified
- Includes paperwork, tracking systems, dispute resolution procedures, and approval levels for change authorization
- Integrated with the integrated change control system
What are attributes of procurement performance reviews?
- Structured review of seller’s progress to deliver scope and quality within cost and on schedule, compared to contract
- Can include review of seller-prepped docs and buyer inspections, and quality audits
- ID performance successes/failures, progress, compliance
- May take place as part of project status reviews
What are attributes of inspections and audits?
- Conducted during execution of project to verify compliance in seller’s work processes or deliverables
- If in contract, teams can include buyer procurement personnel
What are attributes of performance reporting?
- Evaluate work performance data/reports against agreement requirements
- Provides management with info about contract objective effectiveness
What are attributes of payment systems?
- Typically processed by accounts payable system of buyer following certification
- Made and documented per contract terms
What are attributes of claims administration?
- Variously called claims, disputes, appeals
- Documented, processed, monitored, and managed throughout the contract life cycle, per contract terms
- If parties cannot resolve, may have to be handled via ADR
- Negotiation is preferred settlement method
What are attributes of records management system?
- Specific set of processes, related control functions, and automation tools consolidated and combined as part of PMIS
- Contains a retrievable archive of contract docs/correspondence
What are the attributes of stakeholder analysis?
- Technique of systematically gathering and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data
- Used to determine whose interests should be taken into account
What are the attributes of procurement audits?
- Structured review of procurement process
- Objective is to ID successes/failures warranting recognition
What are the attributes of procurement negotiations?
- Goal is final equitable settlement of all outstanding issues, claims, and disputes
- If not able to negotiate, then ADR, including mediation or arbitration possible
- Litigation is final option
What are examples of interpersonal skills?
- Building trust
- Resolving conflict
- Active listening
- Overcoming resistance to change
What are examples of Management skills?
- Facilitate consensus toward project objectives
- Influence people to support the project
- Negotiate agreements to satisfy the project needs
- Modify organizational behavior to accept the project outcomes
