PMP Exam Preparation

Points to Remember-1
9 Aprojectisatemporaryendeavortocreateauniqueproductorservice.Operationsareongoingactivities. 9 Progressiveelaborationistheprocessoftakingaprojectconceptthroughtotheprojectplan.Astheplanningand researchactivitiescontinue,themoredetailedandfocusedtheconceptbecomes.Progressiveelaborationhappens throughouttheproject.Itistheprocessofelementswithintheprojectbecomingmoreandmoreexactasadditional informationanddetailsbecomeavailable. 9 Milestonesarecompletedbytheprojectteamastheresultsofactivities. 9 Projectscopedefinestherequiredwork,andonlytherequiredworktocompletetheproject. 9 Scopeverificationistheproofthattheprojectmanagerhascompletedtheproject. 9 Qualitypolicyistheorganizationwiderulesandrequirementsforquality. 9 Programsareacollectionofprojectswithacommoncause. 9 Businessesexisttomakemoney. 9 Customers,internalorexternal,arethemostimportantstakeholdersinaproject. 9 Adifferenceinrequirementsresolvedinfavorofthecustomer.However,itistheprojectmanager'sresponsibilityto informthecustomerofotheroptions. 9 Theprojectmanagementofficecanbeestablishedtoofferservicesrangingfrombasicsupporttototalmanagementofall projects. 9 Maintenanceactivitiesarenotpartofprojects. 9 Managementbyobjectivestriestofocusallactivitiesonmeetingthecompany'sobjectives.Iftheproject'sobjectivesare notinlinewiththecompany'sobjectives,theprojectmaybeimpactedorcancelled. 9 Theprojectcoordinatorreportstoahigherlevelmanagerandhasauthoritytomakesomedecisions.Theproject expediterhasnoauthoritytomakedecisions. 9 Crossdisciplinarymeansthattheprojectcoversmorethanonedepartmentortechnicalareaofexpertise.Insuchacase, amatrixorganizationisneededwithrepresentativesfromeachdepartmentordiscipline.

 9 Effectiveprojectmanagementrequiresalifecycleapproachtorunningtheproject. 9 ThePMOdetermineswhetheraprojectsupportstheorganization'sstrategicplanandcanauthorizeexceptionsto projectsnotlinkedtothestrategicplan. 9 Itisaresponsibilityoftheprojectmanagementofficetoprioritizethecompany'sprojects.Whenprioritizationisclear,itis easiertoallocateresourcesamongprojects. 9 VerifyScopeprocessoccursduringprojectmonitoringandcontrolling,butproductverificationisdoneduringproject closing. 9 Deliverablesaredeterminedinpartbythecustomer,butnotthesponsor. 9 Theprojectmanagerortheprojectmanagementteamdetermineshowbesttoaccomplishtheproject. 9 Duringthemonitoringandcontrollingprocessgroup,projectperformanceismeasured,andneededchangesare identifiedandapproved. 9 Theprojectchartergivesauthorizationtobeginaprojectorprojectphase.Theprojectcharterisapprovedintheinitiating processgroup. 9 EnterpriseEnvironmentalFactorsOrganizationalProcessAssetsmustbetakenintoaccountforeveryprocess,evenif theyarenotexplicitlylistedasinputsintheprocessspecification. 9 ProjectManagementTeamActivities: 9 Analyzeandunderstandthescope.Thatincludestheprojectandproductrequirements,criteria,assumptions, constraints,andotherinfluencesrelatedtoaproject,andhoweachwillbemanagedoraddressedwithintheproject. 9 Understandhowtotaketheidentifiedinformationandthentransformitintoaprojectmanagementplanusinga structuredapproach. 9 Performactivitiestoproduceprojectdeliverables. 9 Measureandmonitorallaspectsoftheproject'sprogressandtakeappropriateactiontomeetprojectobjectives. 9 Scope,Schedule,andCostBaselineswillbecombinedintoaPerformanceMeasurementBaselinethatisusedasan overallProjectBaselineagainstwhichintegratedperformancecanbemeasured. 9 ThePerformanceMeasurementBaselineisusedforEarnedValueMeasurements. 9 ConfigurationManagementSystem(CMS):IsasubsystemofthePMIS,whichincludestheprocessesthatdefinehow projectdeliverablesanddocumentsarecontrolled,changed,andapproved.AnditincludestheChangeControlSystemto provideastandardized,effective,andefficientwaytocentrallymanageapprovedchangesandbaselineswithinaproject. 9 ConfigurationManagementActivities:1.ConfigurationIdentification,2.ConfigurationStatusAccounting,and3. ConfigurationVerificationandAudit.

 9 Faitaccompli:Anaccomplishedfact;anactionwhichiscompletedbeforethoseaffectedbyitareinapositiontoqueryor reverseit. 9 WBS:WBSadeliverableorientedhierarchicaldecompositionoftheworktobeexecutedbytheprojectteam.TheWBSis finalizedbyestablishingControlAccountsfortheworkpackagesandauniqueidentifierfromacodeofaccounts.The WBSrepresentsallproductandprojectwork,includingtheprojectmanagementwork(Thisissometimescalledthe100% rule). 9 TheWBScanbestructuredasanoutline,anorganizationalchart,afishbonediagram,orothermethod. 9 Differentdeliverablescanhavedifferentlevelsofdecomposition. 9 Excessivedecompositioncanleadtononproductivemanagementeffort,inefficientuseofresources,anddecreased efficiencyinperformingthework. 9 Decompositionmaynotbepossibleforadeliverableorsubprojectthatwillbeaccomplishedfarintothefuture. 9 WorkPerformanceInformation:FocusonWHAThasbeendone(providesinformationontheStatusofaDeliverable. 9 PerformanceReports:FocusonHOWitwasdone.(FocusonCost,Time,andQualityperformance).ActualResultsare comparedagainsttheBaselinestoshowhowtheprojectisperformingagainstthePlan. 9 ProjectCostBaseline=ProjectEstimates+(Cost)ContingencyReserves. 9 ProjectCostBudget=ProjectCostBaseline+ManagementReserves 9 ResidualRiskscompriseof:1.Riskthatremainafterapplyingriskresponsestrategies,and2.RisksthatwesimplyACCEPT ifithappens,ithappens,wehaveaplantodealwithit. 9 ContingencyPlansdealwiththeoutcomeofResidualRisksonproject. 9 ContingencyReservecoverstheoutcomeofResidualRisk,andaccountforthe"KnownUnknowns". 9 FallbackPlansareemployedforResidualRiskswhentheContingencyPlansfail. 9 SecondaryRisksarenewrisksthatemergeasaresultofRiskResponsePlan. 9 Watchlist:Allnoncritical/nontop/lowratingrisksareputontheWatchlistandmonitored(Watched)regularly.Itis createdatPerformQualitativeRiskAnalysisProcess. 9 ManagementReservesaccountfortheUnknownUnknowns. 9 UtilityTheory:AnappropriatemethodfordescribingRiskTolerance.

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RiskAverse:Wherethereismoremoneyatstake,theRiskAverter'ssatisfactiondiminishes;heorsheprefersamore certainoutcomeanddemandsapremiumtoacceptprojectsofhighrisk. RiskNeutral:Toleranceforriskremainsthesameasthemoneyatsakeincreases. RiskSeeker:Thehigherthestakes,thebetter;asriskincreases,theriskseeker'ssatisfactionincreases;heorsheiseven willingtopayapenaltytotakeonprojectsofhighrisks. ForceMajeureRisks,suchasEarthquakes,Floods,ActsofTerrorism,Etc.,shouldbecoveredunderDisasterRecovery ProceduresinsteadofRiskManagement. MonteCarloAnalysiswouldshowyouWHERESCHEDULERISKEXISITS(PointsofScheduleRisk).ItisaComputerbased Analysis&usefulforrevealingScheduleRisks Committeedecisionscanhavetheparadoxoutcome,thatajointlymadeorapproveddecisionisnotdesiredbyany individualgroupmember. Whatisaconstructivechange?Adirectionbythebuyeroranactiontakenbythesellerthattheotherpartyconsidersan undocumentedchangetothecontract." Liquidateddamages(LDs)arecontractuallyagreedpaymentsinordertocoverthecustomer'scostscausedbylate completionorfailuretomeetspecificationsbythecontractor.

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