PMP Exam Prep Training - Brewster Tech

PMP Exam Prep Training

Day 1

Theresa Brown, PMP, CPCCertified Coach and Career StrategistThe PM Trainer

[email protected]

/thepmtrainer

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Unit 1: Introduction

© The PM Trainer™ 2017 – All rights reserved 3

4

PMBOK® Guide

PMPREP

PMP® Handbook

PMP® Exam Content

PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Learning Materials & Reference

© The PM Trainer™ 2017 – All rights reserved

Understand PMI’s approach to project management

Internalize PMI-isms to better understand exam questions and the provided answers

Understand how the PMP exam is structured and what kinds of questions will be asked

Be very familiar with all sections of the PMBOK

Possess various tricks, tips, and techniques to help you retain information for the exam

Course Objectives

5


Be prepared to take and pass the PMI PMP certification examination on the first try

Understand knowledge gaps and develop strategies to overcome them

Possess exam taking strategies

Provide students with tools and other reference material as study aids to assist in learning

Course Objectives

6


Use knowledge and experience to present learning material in a manner that is easily understood and digested by students.

Provide a safe learning environment where students are encouraged to participate in their learning, take risks, make mistakes, grow and learn without fear of embarrassment or ridicule.

Respect each student’s knowledge and experience and connect the dots between what the student already knows and what they need to know to pass the exam.

Act as a mediator of varying viewpoints and disagreements, but when necessary, act as the arbiter of last resort.

Ensure each student has access to success without regard to any personal characteristic such as age, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, country of origin, disability, economic status or sexual orientation.

Course ValuesThe Role of the Instructor


Partner with the instructor to achieve the lessons learning objectives.

Selfishly pursue learning goals by participating in class, asking questions, and sharing insights and observations about material being studied.

Reflect on your role as a project manager and connect what you are learning to what you already know.

Be open minded and motivated to learn new ideas and new ways of doing things that you already know.

Recognize that there are no mistakes, only discoveries of new ways of thinking about the material being studied.

Course ValuesThe Role of the Student


Be on Time

Stay on Task

Active Listening

Limit Side Conversations

Use Cell Phones Courteously

Reflect

Compare/Contrast

Develop a Personal Action Plan

Live Lecture - Ground Rules


Each person writes down three facts about themselves, one of which is not true.

Each person takes a turn reading their list aloud and the class writes down the one they think is not true.

Each person in turn tells which one they thought was not true and why.

Icebreaker

Learning Syles



Learning Styles ExerciseCourse Plan Guide p. 24


Learning Styles

Develop a Learning Plan



Study Tips for Kinesthetic Learners:Assemble Charts and

Diagrams Take Breaks When StudyingCombine an Activity with

StudyingUse Tools Such as Flashcards

and MnemonicsKeep Your Fingers Busy

While Studying


Study Tips for Auditory Learners: Study in groups and talk

things out Get a small tape recorder Record lectures, tutoring and

study groups (makes a verbal record for review)

Read texts out loud or into recorder

Listen to lecture/text tapes while driving


Study Tips for Visual Learners: Take lecture notes Underline, highlight, or

circle printed material Draw pictures in notes to

illustrate ideas Use a variety of colors-in

pens, highlighters, note cards, etc ...

After reading, review notes or underlined material to reinforce learning

Write it out!

© The PM Trainer™ 2017 – All rights reserved18

Study Tips for Tactile Learners: Study or brainstorm while

walking or working out Use musical rhythms for

memorization patterns Rewrite information to be

remembered Write, copy, underline and

highlight with bright colors Draw charts or diagrams of

relationships Take frequent study breaks

Learning Style: Dominant Tactile

Tactile Leaners learn

through touching. Touching

They like to touch things and interact with their environment. Participating in activities that involve building, touching,

moving.

Likes hands-on

work.

Focusing and listening to a lecture without doing something is difficult


19

Break Time

minutesTimes Up!

minutesminutesminutesminutes

The PMP Exam

20


The key to passing the exam is to understand PMI’s view of project management.

For questions regarding procurement, assume you are the customer procuring services from an external vendor.

The project manager is in control of the budget, the timeline, and the resources. You are the project manager.

You are following all the formal PMI processes.

You have access to historical project information.

The PMP Exam focuses on your understanding of information found in the guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide).

Take as many practice exams as you can, as often as you can.

The PMP Exam


Do not try to memorize the material.

With fill-in the blank questions, the correct answer may not be grammatically correct.

Teach someone you know each concept, topic, definition, etc.

Draw mind maps that link important concepts.

Participate in a study group.

The PMP Exam


200 multiple choice questions (25 pre-test questions)

You will receive a pass/fail result

Only correct answers count, no negative markings

You will have four hours to complete the exam

You are not allowed to take anything except your ID in the exam room

Inside the examination center you will be provided with scratch paper and pencils.

Exam Format

PMP Eligibility Requirements

• Education

• Experience

• Training



Exam Content

200 questions

4 hours

DomainPercentage of items on Test

Number of Items on Test

I. Initiating 13% 26

II. Planning 24% 48

III. Executing 31% 62

IV. Monitoring and Controlling 25% 50

V. Closing 7% 14

Total 100% 200


PMP Exam questions are designed to test your ability to

analyze project management scenarios

apply your general project management knowledge and experience

determine the correct course of action

The correct answers will be based on PMI’s point of view and the questions should be answered accordingly.

Types of Exam Questions

Types of Exam Questions

• Question Types:

Situational

Ambiguous

Computational

Interpretational

True Statements

Confusing


Costs?

Fee Member Non-Member

Exam Fee $405 $555

Re-Exam $275 $375

Membership in PMI is $139 (including $10 application fee).

The cost of membership and the member exam fee is: $544,

compared to the non-member exam fee of: $555.



Test Taking Tips

• Before the Test:

Allow yourself sufficient time to study so that you are well prepared for the test.

Develop a study plan

Develop a test taking strategy

Get proper rest the night before the test


Test Taking Tips

• Before the Test:

Eat a light snack before the exam

Record formulas and other relevant information on the blank paper provided to you by the test administrator during the 15 minutes tutorial on how to take the exam

Test Taking Tips

• During the Test:

Project Managers manage projects with data and facts –look out for answers that are based on an emotional response.

Eliminate obviously wrong answers, then rank the others in most correct order.

Manage your stress and frustration levels.


Test Taking Tips


You are allowed to mark questions to review later.

Read the entire question. Formulate your answer and then read the provided choices from the bottom up.

Watch for words that tend to be incorrect: always, never, must, completely, all.

Watch for words that tend to be correct: often, sometimes, perhaps, may, generally –these words are qualifiers.


Test Taking Tips


Be careful with negating questions, which use words like except, not and so on. Make sure you understand the concept.

Words like integrate, coordinate, communicate, study, and similar words as well as their derivatives (integrative, integration etc.) are good signals in answers that a statement may be accurate.

If the question is really difficult: First identify those answers that you can eliminate. Then compare the remaining answers again with the question.



Take a moment and think about some test taking strategies.

Write them down your ideas.

Activity – Testing Taking Plan

7 Habits of Successful Test Takers

Develop a study plan

Invest time into their study plan daily

Use multiple learning channels

Practice active learning

Develop a test taking strategy

Take multiple practice tests

Schedule their test immediately following the training class while the information is still fresh



36

Break Time

minutesTimes Up!

minutesminutesminutesminutes

Unit 2

Project Management Framework


By the end of this unit, you will

Understand the role of the project manager

Describe the differences between project work and operational work

Compare and contrast between project, program, and portfolio management

Differentiate between a project and product life cycle

Unit 2: Learning Objectives

Unit 2: Pre-Test

39

Foundational Concepts

40

The PMBOK® Guide

41PMBOK is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.


The standard for managing a project is described by PMI in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®

Guide)

The PMBOK® Guide identifies a subset of the project management body of knowledge that is generally recognized as good practice.

The PMBOK® Guide provides and promotes a common vocabulary within the project management profession for discussion and for applying project management concepts.

PMBOK® Guide


The first PMBOK® Guide was published by PMI is 1996.

In 1998, the Project Management Institute (PMI) was

recognized as a standards developer by the American

National Standards Institute (ANSI).

History of the PMBOK® Guide

44

A standard is a "Document approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common

and repeated use, rules, guidelines, or characteristics for products, processes or services with which compliance are not

mandatory."

What is a Project?

45

46

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.

These definitions are taken from the Glossary of Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2013.

47

A project is temporary…

…with a definitive start and finish

48

When does the project begin?


begins when you decide what you are going to do

A project …


When does the project end?

51

the objectives have been met, OR

the objective cannot or will not be met, OR

the need for the project no longer exists, OR

the client wants to end it.

A project ends when …


Test Your Understanding

How many different ways can a project be ended?

4

53

1. When the result has been created.

2. When the objective cannot or will not be met.

3. When the need no longer exist.

4. When the client wants it to end.

What are they?

54

A project creates a unique result…

55

…a product or component

…a service or capability

…an improvement

…an outcome

A unique result…


A project is a endeavor undertaken to create a product, service, or result.


temporaryunique

Operations

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58

What are operations?


…an organizational function performing the ongoingexecution of activities that produce the same product or provide a repetitive service.

…permanent endeavors that produce repetitive outputs, with resources assigned to do basically the same sets of tasks according to the standards institutionalized in a product life cycle.

Operations are…

These definitions are taken from the Glossary of Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2013.


Examples…

production operations

manufacturing operations

accounting operations

Human resource operations

Projects vs Operations

61

Projects are temporaryproducing unique results

vs

Operations are ongoingproducing repetitive results


63

Project vs. Operational Work

Project Work Operational Work

Projects are temporary Operations are ongoing

Projects create a unique product, service, or results

Operations produce the same product, service, or result

Projects work is performed to achieve a new business objective

Operational work is performed to keep the organization functioning


Which of the following is an operation, which is a project?

Activity Project Operations

Building an extension on a house

Knitting a scarf

Changing the oil in your car every 3 months or

3000 miles

Organizing a training program

Walking the dog everyday

Baking a cake

Stapling programs for a play

Watering your plants twice a week

Running an assembly line in a toy factory

Shelving books at the library

XX

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


65

What questions do you have?

Project vs. Program vs. Portfolio Management

66

Project Management is…

67

68


The application of knowledge,

skills, tools and techniques to

project activities to meet the

project requirements.


• 47 processes, logically organized

into 5 process groups:



10 Knowledge Areas

Professional and Social Responsibility


Integration Scope Time

Cost Quality Human Resources

Communications Risk Procurement

Stakeholder Management

71

A Program is…

72

…a group of related projects managed in a coordinatedway to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually.

A Program is…

Program

Project Sub-ProgramOther Related

Work

Sub-ProjectSub-Project Project


…. a group of inter-related and inter-dependent projects managed as a group to achieve desired benefits.

… is focused on achieving the strategic objectives and benefits of the integrated projects and other related activities.

A Program is…

Program Management

74


Program Management is …

…the centralized, coordinated management of a program to achieve the

program’s strategic objectives.

Program


Work



Programs may include elements of related work outside the scope of the discrete projects in the program.

Program Management is …


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

Think about it…

A Portfolio is…

78


A Portfolio is…

Program


Work


Portfolio

Sub-PortfolioProject

Project Program


Work


… a group of related or non-related

projects, or programs.

A portfolio may consist of several non-related projects without having a single

program.

Project

Portfolio

ProjectProject


A Portfolio Management is…

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82

…. centralized management of portfolios which includes identifying, prioritizing, authorizing, managing, and controlling projects, programs, and other related work to achieve strategic business objectives.

…focuses on ensuring that projects and programs are reviewed to prioritize resource allocation, and that the management of the portfolio is consistent with and aligned to organizational objectives.

Portfolio Management is…

What do all projects, programs, and

portfolios have in common?

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84

Portfolio, program, and project management are aligned with or

driven by organizational strategies.

PMBOK® Guide p. 7

Project vs. Program vs. Portfolio

• Strategies & Priorities• Progressive Elaboration• Governance• Disposition on change requests• Impacts from changes in other

portfolios, programs, or projects

•Performance Reports•Change requests with impact on other portfolios, programs, or projects

Highest Level

Portfolios

Projects

Projects

Projects

ProjectsProjects

Higher Level

ProgramsHigher Level

Programs

Lower Level

Programs

Lower Level

Programs

Lower Level

Portfolios

Single Objective

Organizational Objective

Program Strategic Objective


Comparative Overview

Adapted from PMBOK® Guide, 5th Edition p. 35

Monitoring

Success

Management

Planning

Change

Scope

Projects

Projects have defined objectives. Scope is progressively elaborated .

Project managers expect change and implement processes to keep change

managed and controlled.

Project managers monitor and control the work of producing the products, services or results that the project was undertaken to

produce.

Project Managers progressively elaborate high-level information into detailed plans

throughout the project life cycle..

Protect managers manage the project team to meet the project objectives.

Success is measured by product and project quality, timeliness, budget compliance, and

degree of customer satisfaction.

Programs

Programs have a larger scope and provide significantly more benefit.

The program manager must expect change from both inside and outside the program

and be prepared to manage it.

Program managers monitor the progress of program components to ensure the overall

goals, schedules, budget, and benefits of the program will be met

Program managers develop the overall program plan and create high-level plans to guide detailed planning at the component

level..

Program managers manage the program staff and the project managers; they

provide vision and overall leadership..

Success is measured by the degree to which the program satisfies the needs and

benefits for which it was undertaken..

Portfolios

Portfolios have a business scope that changes with the strategic goals of the

organization.

Portfolio managers continually monitor change in the broad environment.

Portfolio managers monitor aggregate performance and value indicators.

Portfolio managers create and maintain necessary processes and communication

relative to the aggregate portfolio.

Portfolio managers may manage or coordinate portfolio management staff.

Success is measured in terms of aggregate performance of portfolio components.


87


A university wanted to build admissions web sites for all of their departments. They realized that all of the sites would be feeding into the same registration interface and decided to manage all of them together in order to save time.

Project, Program, or Portfolio

Program

88


A consulting company wanted to increase the amount of billable time for each consultant so they started several company-wide initiatives, a few locally based projects, and a employee engagement program to help consultants to get more productivity out of each year.


Portfolio

89


A company wanted to switch from a paper-based Human Resources process to a software-based one. The spent some time looking into the best software packages for the job, and decided to manage all of the HR functions together since they needed the same people to help with all the work.


Program



A software game company wanted to build up its online presence. So, it started several marketing and sales initiatives, created some new games, and re-wrote some old ones in order to reach more gamers online.


Portfolio



A company wanted to build a better reporting interface so that it could have more accurate data on year end goals.


Project



A construction company bid on several parking garage projects at the same time. They won one of the bids and built the garage a month under schedule and $5000 under budget.


Project

OPM vs. OPM3



Organizational Project Management (OPM) is a strategy execution framework used to deliver organizational strategy.

OPM ensures consistency and predictability in the delivery of organizational strategy using PPPM and other organizational operational work.

Organizational Project Management


Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3) is a process improvement model is a standard produced by PMI to measure an enterprises project management process maturity.

OPM3


OPM is a strategy execution framework

OPM3 is a measurement model that assess an organizations project management maturity.

OPM vs. OPM3

A PMO is…



A Project Management Office (PMO) is an organizational body or entity assigned various responsibilities related to the

centralized and coordinated management of those projects under its domain.


The responsibilities of a PMO can range from providing project management support functions to actually being responsible for the direct management of a project.

Project Management Office (PMO)


Manage shared resources

Identify and develop project management methodology, best practices, and standards

Manage the interdependencies between projects

The PMO may…


• Coordinate communications across projects

• Develop and manage project policies, procedures, templates, and other shared documentation (organizational process assets)

The PMO may…


Supportive

Controlling

Directives

Types of PMOs


Supportiveprovides support to projects by supplying templates, best practices, training, access to information and lessons learned from other projects.

Types of PMOs


Controllingprovides support and requires compliance to items such as: adopting project management frameworks or methodologies, using specific templates, forms and tools, or conformance to governance.

Types of PMOs


Directivetakes control of projects by directly managing them.

Types of PMOs

106

Break Time

minutes

…and we’re back!

107

Project Manager Characteristics

108


The project manager is the person assigned by the performing organization to achieve the project objectives.

Effective project management requires that the project manager possess the following characteristics: Knowledge

Performance

Personal Effectiveness

What is a Project Manager?


Knowledge What the project manager knows about project

management.

What does it take to be a good Project Manager?


Performance What the project manager is able to do or accomplish while

applying their project management knowledge.




How the project manager behaves when performing the project or related activity.

Encompasses attitudes, core personality characteristics and leadership—the ability to guide the project team while achieving project objectives and balancing project constraints.



In the following scenarios, which project manager characteristic was neglected:

Test Your Knowledge

The project was delivered early, but it didn’t have all of the features

that the customer asked for. The VP had suggested a new

requirements gathering technique, but the PM shot it down because

he had never heard of it.

Knowledge



Test Your Knowledge

The project was late because the team couldn't meet the

company's standards for productivity. They were always coming

into work late and leaving early and taking long lunches. It

seemed like the project manager just didn’t think the project was

important.

Performance



Test Your Knowledge

The project manager thought his job was to meet the deadline above

all else. So he demanded that the product be released on the date it

was due, regardless of quality. The team wanted to create a high

quality product, and fought the PM throughout the project to try to get

him to change his mind. In the end , the team washed their hands of

the product after it was released and refused to support it.




Test Your Knowledge

The project team had so many conflicts during the

project that they couldn’t work together. They made

decisions that undercut each other, and in the end they

couldn’t deliver anything at all.




Test Your Knowledge

The project was late because the team cut corners that

led to sloppy work, and they had to go back and fix all

their mistakes.

Performance



Test Your Knowledge

The project manager refused to learn to use the scheduling

software and templates the company had bought the team.

Instead, he kept track of the schedule in his head and on his

whiteboard. Near the end of the project, he realized that he’d

forgotten about some important tasks and his ship date slipped

by two months.

Performance


Effective communication

Influential Leadership

Leadership

Motivation



Negotiation And Conflict Management

Decision Making

Political And Cultural Awareness

Team Building


Project Life Cycle Phases

121


Projects vary in size and complexity, but all projects can be mapped to the project life cycle structure.

Project Life Cycle Phases

Start

Organize & Prepare

Carry out the work

Close the project


Divisions within a project where extra control is needed.

Typically completed sequentially, but can overlap.

Allows the project to be segmented into logical subsets for ease of management, planning, and controlling.

Project phases are elements of the project life cycle.

A project phase is NOT a project management process group.

Project Phases


Stakeholder influence, risk, and uncertainty are greatest at the start of a project.

As the project progresses, changes, course corrections, and errors are more costly.

Stakeholder Influence

Project Life Cycle Types

125


PMI recognizes three distinct project lifecycle concepts:

Predictive

Iterative

Adaptive

Project Life Cycle

Predictive Lifecycle

127


Predictive, sometimes called ‘plan driven’ or ‘waterfall’ life cycle phases defines the product and scope at the beginning of the project.

Predictive Project Lifecycle

Project End

Planning

Requirements

Analysis

Design

Code

Test

Handover

Project Start

Predictive Approach“Waterfall”

Best used when…

…the product to be delivered is well understood

…there is a substantial base of industry practice, or

… a product is required to be delivered in full to have value to stakeholder groups.

Project Phases


Using this approach, the three major constraints of the project – scope, time, and cost are determined early in the project.

The project is split into a series of phases that can be either sequential or overlapping.


Project End

Planning

Requirements

Analysis

Design

Code

Test

Handover

Project Start


Scope, Schedule, and Budget determined

early


In a predictive life cycle, the detailed scope of the project is determined at the beginning.

Detailed planning can either be done at the beginning of the project, OR the project manager can use rolling wave planning (progressive elaboration).

With rolling wave planning, high-level planning is done for the entire project at the beginning, but detailed planning is done at the beginning of each phase for the work that’s coming up.


Project End

Planning

Requirements

Analysis

Design

Code

Test

Handover

Project Start


Iterative Project Lifecycle

131


Iterative or incremental life cycle also splits the project into phases which can be sequential or overlapping.

High Level Vision

Detailed scope elaborated on iteration at a time.


Concept Plan

Design

Plan

Design

Plan

Design

Build Build Build Close

Iterative Life Cycle


All project management process groups are typically addressed in each iteration.


Concept Plan

Design

Plan

Design

Plan

Design

Build Build Build Close

Iterative Life Cycle


Iterative life cycles are preferred under the following conditions:

• When scope is not well defined or is subject to change.

• When a deliverable with partial functionality is a viable option. Future iterations are used to add functionality.

• When stakeholder feedback and lessons learned will help to reduce the complexity of large project.



Adaptive life cycles, sometimes called change-driven or agile methods, are used in project environments where there are high levels of change, risk, and uncertainty.

Adaptive life cycles, like iterative life cycles are incremental, but differ in that the iterations are very short (typically 2 to 4 weeks) and have a fixed time and cost.

Adaptive Project Lifecycle

136

Adaptive Project Lifecycle

24 hours

Product Backlog: Prioritized product features desired by Product Owner.

Sprint Backlog: Features assigned to sprint, estimated by team.

Backlog Tasks: Expanded by the team 2 – 4

weeks

Daily Scrum Meeting:• What’s been completed since last

meeting?• What will you do today?• What obstacles do you have?

Sprint Review Meeting:• Features reviewed.• Sprint Lessons Learned

Potentially Shippable Product Increment

Sprint Planning Meeting:• Review product backlog.• Estimate Sprint Backlog.• Commit to 2 – 4 weeks of work.

Adaptive Life Cycle

“Scrum”


Types of Project Life CyclesPredictive Iterative Adaptive (agile)

Project Phases Sequential, overlapping Sequential, overlappingSequential, overlapping,

parallel

High-Level Scope Yes Yes Yes

Detailed Scope At beginning of projectOnly for each phase or

iteration

Only for each phase or

iteration

High-Level Planning Yes Yes Yes

Detailed PlanningAt beginning of project

OR rolling wave


iteration


iteration

When Used Product is well understood Large and complex projects

Product is not well

understood, rapidly

changing environments

Customer

involvement

Beginning, when scope

changes, and project endPeriodic Continuous


Care should be taken to distinguish between a project and a product life cycle.

One product may have several projects associated with it.

Project vs. Product Life Cycle

The output of the project

can be created in any of

the product life cycle

phases.

Organizational Influences

139


Project operate within the confounds of an organizational environment

The three major influences are: Stakeholders

EEFs and OPAs

Organizational Structure

The Project Environment


141


Stakeholders are persons or organizations who are actively involved in the project, or

whose interests may be positively or negatively affected by the performance or completion of the project

both internal and external

Very simply a stakeholder is anyone that is impacted by or has influence over the completion of the project deliverables.

Stakeholders


Stakeholders


The project management team must: Identify all stakeholders Determine all of their requirements Determine their expectations Communicate with them Manage their influence

To ensure a successful outcome the project manager must manage the influence of the various

stakeholders in relation to the project requirements. The project manager must manage the sometimes conflicting

requirements and expectations of the stakeholders.



Project Manager’s Responsibility Stakeholder Engagement

Expectations Management

Communication


Balancing conflicting interests and

requirements


146


Culture

Style

Structure

Organizational Influences

Matrix Organization

FunctionalWeak

Matrix

Balanced

Matrix

Strong

MatrixProjectized

Project Manager Authority


The organizational culture, style, and structure influence how projects are performed and are Enterprise Environmental Factors.

If working with external entities, the project will be influenced by their organizational culture as well.

Organizational culture and style manifest in many ways: Shared visions, values, norms, beliefs, and expectations Policies, methods, and procedures View of authority relationships Work ethic and work hours



Functional Organization The most common form of organization

Grouped by areas of specialization—production, marketing, engineering, and accounting

Projects generally occur within a single department independent of other departments



Projectized Organization Team members are often co-located

Organized by projects

Project Managers have a great deal of independence and authority



Matrix Organization

A blend of functional and projectized characteristics

In matrix organizations, the team members have two bosses

Communications go to both bosses, the project manager and the functional manager

Strong matrix organizations have many of the characteristics of projectized organizations; power rests with the project manager



Matrix Organization

Weak matrix organizations have many of the characteristics of functional organizations; power rests with the functional manager

Balanced matrix organizations recognizes the need for a project manager; power is shared between the project manager and the functional manager



• Project Managers have some authority, but are not in charge of the project resources.

• Tbe more of a project coordinator or project he project manager’s role might expediter.

• The project expediter has no decision making authority.

• The project coordinator has some authority to make decisions and reports to a higher level manager.

• Major decisions are still made with the approval and/or cooperation of the functional manager.

Weak Matrix Organization

Strong Matrix Organization

• The project manager has considerable authority and full-time project administrative staff.

• The team is graded based on project performance as well as technical expertise.



Project managers share decision making authority with the functional managers.

Balanced Matrix Organization


Most modern organizations involve all these structures at various levels. A functional organization may create a special project team

to handle a critical project.

Composite Organization

Organizational Structure Comparison


Project Characteristic

Functional

Matrix

ProjectizedWeak Matrix

Balanced Matrix

Strong Matrix

Project Manager’s Authority

Little to None

LimitedLow to

ModerateModerate to

HighHigh to

Almost Total

Resource AvailabilityLittle to

NoneLimited

Low to Moderate

Moderate to High

High to Almost Total

Who Controls the budget

Functional Manager

Functional Manager

MixedProject

ManagerProject

Manager

Project Manager’s Role

Part-time Part-time Full-time Full-time Full-time

Project Management Administrative Staff

Part-time Part-time Part-time Full-time Full-time



On the exam, unless the organizational structure is mentioned, assume it’s a matrix organization.

Focus on the Exam

Enterprise Environmental Factors

and Organizational Process Assets

159


…are project constraints outside the direct control of the project team.

…are inputs to processes in all 10 knowledge areas

…are inputs into all process groups except Closing.

Enterprise Environmental Factors…

Project

Team

• Corporate culture

• Organizational structure & hierarchy

• Stakeholder risk tolerance

• Work authorization systems

• Governmental or industry standards

• Project management information systems

• Human resource practices (hiring / retaining)

• Market conditions


…are any artifact, practice, or knowledge from any or all of the organizations involved in the project that can be used to perform or govern the project

…are inputs to processes in all 10 knowledge areas

…are inputs into all process groups including Closing.

Organizational Process Assets…

Project

Team

• Shared Documentation

• Project policies, procedures, and templates

• Historical Information

• Knowledge base

• Lessons Learned

• Completed Schedules

• Risk Data

• Earned Value Data

Questions?

162

Pre-Test Discussion

163

Answers to Pre-Test Questions

164

1. All of the following are characteristics of a project EXCEPT:

A. Temporary

B. Definite beginning and end

C. Interrelated activities

D. Repeats itself every month


165

2. In which organization type, does the project manager have the most authority.

A. Tight matrix

B. Strong matrix

C. Weak matrix

D. Balanced matrix


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3. The project management process groups are:

A. Initiating, planning, expediting, and control.

B. Plan, organize, develop, and control.

C. Plan, do, observe, commit.

D. Initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closeout.


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4. A person who is involved in or may be affected by the activities or anyone who has something to gain or lose by the activity of the project is called a:

A. Team member

B. Customer

C. Stakeholder

D. Supporter


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5. During the full life cycle of the project, a plot of the project’s expected expenditures will usually follow a characteristic “S” shape. This indicates that:

A. There is a cyclic nature to all projects.

B. Problems will always occur in the execution phase.

C. There are high expenditures during closeout.

D. The bulk of the project budget will be spent in the execution phase.


169

6. A group of related projects that are managed in a coordinated way that usually include an element of ongoing activity is called a:

A. Major project

B. Project office

C. Program

D. Group of projects


170

7. A manager that manages a group of related projects is called a:

A. Project manager

B. Project expediter

C. Program coordinator

D. Program manager


171

8. Which phase of the project is likely to have the greatest amount of its funding spent?

A. Initiating

B. Executing

C. Planning

D. Closeout


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9. A project manager works in a company favoring the weakest authority for the project manager. The type of organization that holds the project manager to be the weakest is:

A. Projectized organization

B. Strong matrix organization

C. Weak matrix organization

D. Balanced matrix


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10. What are the major advantages of the functional type of organization?

A. Team members report to one supervisor

B. Project orientation

C. Multifunctional teams are easy to form

Post - Test

174

Answers to Post-Test

175

Answers to Post-Test Questions

176

1. In matrix management organizations, if the organization maintains many of the characteristics of the functional organization and the project managers are considered more like project coordinators or expediters, it is called a:

A. Strong matrix

B. Project team

C. Weak matrix

D. Project office


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2. The organization that is a formalized structure directed toward the support of the project community within the organization is called:

A. Matrix organization

B. Project office

C. Project team

D. Project management office


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3. In a large organization a project expediter is being used to manage a project for an important client. The position of project expediter would be found in what kind of an organization?

A. Strong matrix

B. Weak matrix

C. Functional

D. Projectized


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4. All of the following are the responsibility of a project manager EXCEPT?

A. Maintain the confidentiality of customer’s confidential information.

B. Determine the legality of company procedures.

C. Ensure that a conflict of interest does not compromise the legitimate interest of the customer.

D. Provide accurate and truthful representations in cost estimates.


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5. A project manager will manage a large complicated project that is located in a remote part of Africa. The project will last for five years and will produce a nuclear reactor that will generate 900 megawatts of power at start-up. The best kind of organization for managing this project is:

A. Strong matrix management

B. Weak matrix management

C. Projectized organization

D. Functional organization


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6. You are a new project manager who has never managed a project before. You have been asked to plan a new project. It would be BEST in this situation to rely on during planning in order to improve your chance of success:

A. your intuition and training

B. stakeholder analysis

C. historical information

D. configuration management


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7. During the project life cycle, in which part of the life cycle will risk be the lowest?

A. Initiation

B. Planning

C. Execution

D. Closeout


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8. Enterprise environmental factors refer to both internal and external environmental factors that surround or influence a project’s success. All of the following are true about these factors EXCEPT:

A. Enterprise environmental factors include organizational culture, structure, and processes.

B. Enterprise environmental factors include government or industry standards, such as regulatory agency regulations, codes of conduct, product standards, quality standards, and workmanship standards.

C. Enterprise environmental factors include project management information systems (e.g., an automated tool, such as a scheduling software tool, a configuration management system, an information collection and distribution system, or web interfaces to other online automated systems).

D. Enterprise environmental factors do not include personnel administration functions (e.g., staffing and retention guidelines, employee performance reviews and training records, overtime policy, and time tracking) because these are considered to be functions of the Human Resources department.


184

9. Projects are authorized typically as a result of one or more of the following strategic considerations EXCEPT:

A. Market demand

B. Business need

C. Utilizing free resources

D. Customer request


185

10. Program management focuses on project interdependencies and these inter-dependencies include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Resolution of resource constraints and/or conflicts that affect multiple projects within the program

B. Alignment of organizational/strategic direction that affects project and program goals and objectives

C. Resolution of issues and change management within a shared governance structure

D. Resolution of client-related issues and conflicts


186

11. Which of the following is not a stakeholder?

A. The project manager who is responsible for building the project.

B. A project team member who will work on the project.

C. A customer who will use the final product.

D. A competitor whose company will lose business because of the product.


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12. A primary function of a project management office (PMO) is to support the project manager in a variety of ways which generally include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Delivering specific project objectives and controlling the assigned project resources to best meet objectives of the project.

B. Managing shared resources across all projects administered by the PMO.

C. Identifying and developing project management methodology, best practices, and standards.

D. Coaching, mentoring, training, and oversight.


188

13. All of the following are true about projects and operations EXCEPT:

A. Operations are ongoing, repetitive, and permanent endeavors while projects are temporary endeavors.

B. Projects require project management while operations require business process management or operations management.

C. Projects can intersect with operations at various points during the product life cycle. At each point, deliverables and knowledge are transferred between the project and operations for implementation of the delivered work.

D. Projects, because of their temporary nature, cannot help achieve an organizations goal. Therefore, strategic activities in the organization can be generally addressed within the organizations normal operations.


189

14. The PMBOK® Guide is the standard for:

A. Managing all projects all of the time across all industries.

B. Managing all projects all of the time across some types of industries.

C. Managing most projects most of the time across many types of industries.

D. Managing some projects some of the time across few types of industries.


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15. The collection of generally sequential and sometimes overlapping project phases, whose name and number are determined by the management and control needs of the organization or organizations involved in the project, is known as the:

A. Project waterfall

B. Project life cycle

C. Project life stages

D. Project Management process groups

PMP Exam Prep:Welcome to Unit 3

Unit 3: PROJECT

MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

192


Understand the five project management process groups.

Describe the knowledge and skill required for each process group.

Discuss the tasks involved in each process group.

Classify the project management process into the 11 knowledge area

Learning Objectives

Unit 3 Pre-Test

194


What is a process?

A process is a set of interrelated actions and activities performed to achieve a pre-specified product, result, or service.

Each project management process is characterized by Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs (ITTO).

Project Management Processes

What are the Five Process Groups



To manage a project effectively, the project manager must use the appropriate processes.

Project Management processes ensure the effective flow of the project throughout its existence.

Smaller projects may use the processes sequentially, in an overlapping fashion.

Larger projects may repeat the processes for each phase of the project life cycle.

Project Management Processes

The Five Process Groups

PlanDo

Check & Act

Initiating – start the cycle

Planning - plan

Executing – do

Monitoring and Controlling – check &

act

Closing – end the cycle


The five process group are based on a variant of the Shewhart-Deming Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle


In order for a project to be successful, the project team must:

Select appropriate processes required to meet the project objectives

Use a defined approach that can be adopted to meet requirements

Comply with requirements to meet stakeholder needs and expectations

Recognize and manage all six project constraints: time, cost, scope, resources, quality, and risk to produce the specified product, service, or result

Project Management Success

Project Knowledge Areas

200

Knowledge Area

A knowledge area is an area of specialization or discipline

characterized by a combined set of concepts, terms, and activities.

Project

Management

Quality

ManagementLegal Profession

General

Management

Accounting


Project Management Knowledge Areas

Project

Management

InSummerTheCruelQueenHasColdRunnyPorridgeSnacks

Integration

Management

Scope

Management

Time

Management

Cost

Management

Quality

ManagementHuman

Resource

Management

Communi-

cations

Management

Risk

Management

Stakeholder

Management

Procurement

Management



To pass the PMP exam you must:

Understand the 47 processes identified in the PMBOK

Understand the 5 process groups

Understand the 10 knowledge areas

Understand where each of 47 processes fit within the 5 process groups and 10 knowledge areas

Understand the Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs (ITTO) of each of the 47 processes

Know that the project processes are performed by the project team.

Know that the project manager, in collaboration with the project team, is always responsible for determining which processes are appropriate, and the appropriate degree of rigor for each process.

Focus on the Exam

Process Grid Exercise

204

205

Follow the instructions in your course plan guide p. 29

Complete the Process Grid on p. 30

Answer the questions on p. 31 - 32

Process Grid Exercise Instructions

Pre-Test Answers

206


207

1. The five Project Management Process Groups are:

A. Planning, Checking, Directing, Monitoring and Recording

B. Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling and Closing

C. Planning, Executing, Directing, Closing and Delivering

D. Initiating, Executing, Monitoring, Evaluating and Closing


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2. Project Management Process Groups are:

A. Overlapping activities that occur throughout the project.

B. Overlapping activities that generally occur at the same level of intensity within each phase of the project.

C. Generally discrete, one-time events.

D. Discrete, repetitive events that occur generally at the same level of intensity throughout each phase of the project.


209

3. The linkages between Project Management Process Groups are best described by the following:

A. The work breakdown structure links Process Groups.

B. Process Groups are linked by their planned objectives—the summary objective of one often becomes the detailed action plan for another.

C. Process Groups are linked by the outputs they produce—the output of one process generally becomes an input to another process or is a deliverable of the project.

D. There are no significant links between discrete Process Groups.


210

4. The relationship between Project Management Process Groups and project life cycle phases is best described by the following:

A. They are unrelated, incompatible concepts.

B. They are the same concept described by different terms to satisfy application area extensions.

C. Phases cross Process Groups such that closing one Process Group provides an input to initiating the next phase.

D. Process Groups interact within each project phase and are normally repeated for each phase.


211

5. For a project to be successful, the project team must generally do all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Comply with requirements to meet stakeholder needs and expectations.

B. Balance the competing demands of scope, time, cost, quality, resources, and risk to produce the specified product, service, or result.

C. Apply knowledge, skills, and processes within the Project Management Process Groups uniformly to meet the project objectives.

D. Select appropriate processes within the Project Management Process Groups to meet the project objectives.


212

6. All of the following are characteristics of Project Management Process Groups EXCEPT:

A. Project Management Process Groups are linked by the outputs they produce.

B. The Process Groups are seldom either discrete or one-time events; they are overlapping activities that occur throughout the project.

C. All of the processes are generally needed on all projects, and all of their interactions apply to all projects or project phases.

D. When a project is divided into phases, the Process Groups are invoked as appropriate to effectively drive the project to completion in a controlled manner.


213

7. The Initiating Process Group consists of the processes performed to:

A. Define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.

B. Deploy risk mitigation strategies to enhance the likelihood of project success.

C. Establish and describe the need for a project selection process.

D. Approve the market analysis to ensure resolution of potential contract disputes.


214

8. Invoking the Initiating processes at the start of each phase:

A. Is wasteful and should be avoided whenever possible.

B. Helps keep the project focused on the business need the project was undertaken to address.

C. Helps ensure that the project continues regardless of changes in the success criteria.

D. Helps ensure continuous employment of project team members even if the project is unlikely to satisfy the business need that it was undertaken to address.


215

9. Identifying quality requirements and/or standards for the project and product and documenting how the project will demonstrate compliance should be developed in the:

A. Conceptual phase

B. Planning process

C. Project implementation phase

D. Identify Risks process


216

10. The schedule control process for a project:

A. Focuses on starting the project earlier than scheduled to help mitigate schedule risk.

B. Is necessary for monitoring the status of the project and managing changes to the schedule baseline.

C. Is concerned mainly with activities that are on the critical path.

D. Should focus entirely on activities that are difficult to carry out.

Post-Test

217

Answers to Post-Test

218


219

1. All of the following processes form part of the Executing process group EXCEPT:

A. Performing activities in accordance with the project management plan.

B. Managing changes to the deliverables.

C. Completing the work in accordance with the defined quality framework and specification.

D. Coordinating people and resources.


220

2. The processes included in project communication management are:

A. Collect Requirements, Plan Communications Management, Manage Communications, Manage Expectations and Control Communications.

B. Identify Stakeholders, Collect Requirements, Plan Communications Management, Manage Communications, Manage Stakeholder Expectations and Control Communications.

C. Plan Communications Management, Manage Communications, and Control Communications.

D. Collect Requirements, Plan Communications Management, Manage Communications, Update Project Documentation and Control Communications.


221

3. The Control Costs process includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Informing appropriate stakeholders of all approved changes and associated costs.

B. Influencing factors that create changes in the authorized cost baseline.

C. Developing the cost performance baseline.

D. Acting to bring expected cost overruns within acceptable limits.


222

4. All of the following statements are true about product and project life cycles EXCEPT:

A. Generally a product lifecycle is contained within a project lifecycle.

B. A project life cycle is determined by the organization and generally consists of phases that may be sequential or overlapping.

C. A product lifecycle is determined by the organization and generally consists of sequential phases.

D. Generally a project lifecycle is contained within a product lifecycle.


223

5. All of the following are true concerning enterprise environmental factors (EEF) EXCEPT:

A. EEF do not include the organization’s purchasing guidelines because this type of function is managed by the Accounts Department.

B. EEF include the tools, systems and software that comprise the project management information system (PMIS).

C. EEF incorporates the organization’s culture, structure and processes.

D. EEF include all relevant laws, regulations and standards imposed by all levels of government, industry bodies and society.


224

6. Project management process groups have all of the following characteristics EXCEPT:

A. All of the process groups are needed on all projects and all of their interactions apply to each phase of a project as well as the overall project.

B. The process groups are seldom one time, discrete events; they are overlapping activities that occur throughout the project.

C. Where a project is divided into phases, the process groups are invoked as appropriate.

D. The process groups are linked by the outputs they produce.


225

7. What is the purpose of a project charter?

A. To formally authorize a project or a phase and document initial requirements which satisfy the stakeholder’s needs and expectations.

B. To document how the project will be planned, executed, monitored/controlled, and closed.

C. To link the project, which is going to be planned, executed, and monitored/controlled to the ongoing work of the organization.

D. To describe the process of performing the work defined in the project management plan in order to achieve the project’s objectives.


226

8. Which of the following documents is not used as input for the Validate Scope process?

A. The project management plan, containing the scope baseline consisting of the project scope statement and its associated WBS and WBS dictionary.

B. The validated deliverables, completed and checked for correctness by the Control Quality process.

C. The requirements traceability matrix, linking requirements to their origin and tracing them throughout the project lifecycle.

D. The RACI matrix, describing accountabilities in case of product rejection.


227

9. Which document is developed along the risk management processes from identify risks through plan risk responses to Control Risks?

A. List of risk triggers

B. Risk register

C. Risk mitigation

D. Decision tree


228

10. The cost baseline is developed during which process?

A. Perform integrated change control

B. Estimate costs

C. Develop schedule

D. Determine budget


229

11. You are going to take over a new project as the project manager in an enterprise unknown to you. What should you investigate during the chartering process?

A. Enterprise environmental factors

B. Project management plan

C. Project risk register

D. Team performance reports


230

12. Which of the following may be considered as the outputs of performing Quality Assurance?

A. Requested changes, organizational process assets, project management plan.

B. Requested changes, requested preventive actions, Quality metrics

C. Quality management plan, Quality metrics, Quality baseline

D. Quality control measurements, recommended preventive actions


231

13. You are the project manager for a construction project. You have just finished creating a list of all the people who will directly affected by the project. What process group are you in?

A. Initiating

B. Planning

C. Executing

D. Monitoring and Controlling


232

14. In which particular phase do the project sponsors have the greatest influence on the quality, scope, time and cost of the project?

A. Execution phase

B. Development phase

C. Close-down phase

D. Concept phase


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15. _____________ is the process of performing the work defined in the project management plan to achieve the project’s objectives.

A. Validate Scope

B. Achieving Deliverables

C. Direct And Manage Project Work

D. Administrative Closure Procedure

Have a Great Day!

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Documents

PMP Exam Prep Training - Brewster Tech