“A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. The temporary nature of projects indicates a definite beginning and end.”

1. Project Management Framework (Fundamentals)
You are guaranteed to get at least 5 questions from this section. Following are
important topics you need to cover in this section
Definitions of Project and Project Management
Project
“A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or
result. The temporary nature of projects indicates a definite beginning and end.”,
PMBOK Guide, 4th edition, 2008.
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Temporary does not necessarily mean short in duration.
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Temporary does not generally apply to the product, service, or result created by
the project.
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Progressive Elaboration is one of the main characteristics of the project.
Project Specifications;
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A project is different from day-to-day business and it has a specific Start date and
End date.
The ongoing work effort is generally a repetitive process because it follows an
organization’s existing procedures and that’s why Project is different from
operations and maintenance...etc.
A project creates a unique product, service, or result, although repetitive
elements may be present in it.
Because of the unique nature of projects, there may be uncertainties about the
products, services, or results that the project creates.
The end is reached when:
 The stakeholders expectations are met or exceeded, or

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The project is terminated because its objectives will not or cannot
be met, or the project is terminated because the need for it no
longer exists.
To determine if some activity is a project or not, ask the questions:
 Is it unique?
 Does the project have a limited time frame?
 Is there a way to determine when the project is completed?
 Is there a way to determine stakeholder satisfaction?
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

2. Project Stakeholders
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Stakeholders are those people or organizations with a vested interest in the
project. They have something to either gain or lose as a result of the project.
Stakeholders often have very different or conflicting objectives.
Key stakeholders should be identified and contacted early on to get their input
for the project overview, goals, and deliverables
Forgetting an important stakeholder could be a project killer.
The project sponsor, generally an executive in the organization with the
authority to assign resources and enforce decisions regarding the project. He is a
stakeholder.
The customer is a stakeholder as are contractors and suppliers.
The project manager and the managers from other departments in the
organization are stakeholders as well.
Cost, Risk and uncertainty vs. Time
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

3. Project Management
“The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to describe,
organizes, execute, and monitor the work of project activities in order to meet or
exceed stakeholder requirements from a project.”
Managing a project typically includes:
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Identifying requirements,
Addressing the various needs, concerns, and expectations of the stakeholders as
the project is planned and carried out, then, managing various constraints to
accomplish objectives.
Balancing the competing project constraints including, but not limited to:
 Scope,


Resources, and

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Budget,

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Schedule,

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Quality,
Risk.
To manage Projects effectively those constraints should be divided into Phases
and smallest possible sub phases. This iterative process should go up to the level
where further division creates confusion rather than helping the project. In
database terminology we call this as "Atomic level”.
PMI defined 42 project management processes / Atomic processes to handle all
aspects of a project life.
PMBOK guide defines Knowledge Areas for the Project Managers. Managers will
use these skills (Knowledge) to work on given INPUTS using TOOLS to produce
OUTPUTS. Those are;
1. Project Integration Management
2. Project Scope Management
3. Project Time Management
4. Project Cost Management
5. Project Quality Management
6. Project Human Resource Management
7. Project Communications Management
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

4. 8. Project Risk Management.
9. Project Procurement Management
PM processes apply to the 5 phases of a project life:
1. Initiating,
2. Planning,
3. Executing,
4. Monitoring and Controlling, and
5. Closing.
Project, Program and Portfolio
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A program is defined as a group of related projects managed in a coordinated
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way to obtain benefits and control which not available from managing them
individually. A project may or may not be part of a program but a program will
always have projects.
A portfolio refers to a collection of projects or programs and other work that are
grouped together to facilitate effective management of that work to meet
strategic business objectives. The projects or programs of the portfolio may not
necessarily be interdependent or directly related
Project Management Office (PMO)
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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.
A primary function of a PMO is to support project managers in a variety of ways
which may include, but are not limited to:
 Identifying and developing project management methodology, best
practices, and standards;

Developing and managing project policies, procedures, templates, and
other shared documentation (organizational process assets);

Coaching, monitoring, training, and oversight;

Monitoring compliance with project management standards, policies,
procedures, and templates via project audits;

Managing shared resources across all projects administered by the PMO;
and
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

5. 
Coordinating communication across projects.
Project Manager’s Role
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Project managers are assigned by the performing organization to achieve the
project objectives.
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Project manager is in charge of all aspects of the project including, but not
limited to:
 Developing the project management plan and all related component
plans,


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Keeping the project on track in terms of schedule and budget,
Identifying, monitoring, and responding to risk, and
 Providing accurate and timely reporting of project metrics.
The project manager is the lead person responsible for communicating with all
stakeholders, particularly the project sponsor, project team, and other key
stakeholders.
Good Project Manager’s Skills
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Communication skills
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Organizational and Planning Skills
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Budgeting Skills
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Problem Solving and Decision making
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Negotiating and Influencing
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Leadership Skills
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Team Building and Human Resources
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

6. Project Triple-Constraint
Project Organizational Structure
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Organizational Structures; project organizations need to have a structure to deliver
undertaken project.
- There are 3 major types of organizations:
 Functional Organizations

Projectized Organizations

Matrix Organizations
 Weak Matrix organizations

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Strong Matrix organizations
 Balanced Matrix organizations
Variations and combinations may exist.
The level of authority the project manager enjoys is denoted by the
organizational structure.
1. Functional Organization;
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Organizations is centered on specialties and grouped by function.
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Each department will do its project work independent of others.
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Each employee reports to only one manager.
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It is important to know and respect the chain of command.
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Project managers have little to no formal authority.
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

7. -
Good communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills on the part of the
project manager are required to bring about a successful project under this
structure.
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

8. 2. Projectized Organization
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Projectized organizations are nearly the opposite of functional organizations. It
aims to develop loyalty to the project, not to a functional manager.
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The focus of this type of organization is the project itself.
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Most of the organization’s resources are involved in project work,
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Team members are often co-located,
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Project managers have a great deal of independence and authority.
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

9. 3. Matrix Organization
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Matrix organizations are a blend of functional and projectized characteristics.
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Weak matrix maintains many of the characteristics of a functional organization,
and the project manager role is more of a coordinator or expediter than that of a
true project manager.
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Strong matrix has many of the characteristics of the projectized organization,
and can have full-time project managers with considerable authority and fulltime project administrative staff.
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Balanced matrix organization recognizes the need for a project manager; it does
not provide the project manager with the full authority over the project and
project funding.
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Employees in a matrix organization report to one functional manager and at
least one project manager.
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It’s possible that employees could report to multiple project managers if they are
working on multiple projects at one time.
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Functional managers pick up the administrative portion of the duties and assign
employees to projects. They also monitor the work of their employees on the
various projects.
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Project managers are responsible for executing the project and giving out work
assignments based on project activities.
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Project managers and functional managers share the responsibility of
performance reviews for the employee.
Strong Matrix Organization
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The project managers have a great power.
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They have the ability to strong-arm the functional managers into giving up their
best resources for projects.
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When competing for resources, project managers may negotiate resources
among each other.
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

10. -
Functional Manager handles only the administrative aspect of his employees’
life.
Weak Matrix Organization
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The functional managers have all the power in this structure.
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Project managers are really project coordinators or expeditors with part-time
responsibilities on projects in a weak matrix organization.
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Project managers have little to no authority, just like in the functional
organization.
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On the other hand, the functional managers have a lot of authority and make all
the work assignments. The project manager simply expedites the project.
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

11. Organizational Structure
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

12. Project Management vs. Organization
Project Expediter, Coordinator, Manager
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Depending on the type of Organization, the project manager’s role and power
can be very limited
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Project Expediter


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Acts primarily as a staff assistant
As communications coordinator.
 Cannot personally make or enforce decisions.
Project Coordinator
 has some power to make decisions

Has some authority

reports to a higher-level manager
Organizational Process Assets
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Processes & Procedures;

Organizational standard processes such as standards, policies
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

13. 
Standardized guidelines, work instruction, proposal evaluation criteria,
and performance measurement criteria


Financial control procedures

Procedures for prioritizing, approving, and issuing work authorization

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Templates
Etc.
Corporate Knowledge Base;

Process measurement databases

Project files

Historical information & lesson learned knowledge bases

Issue and defect management databases

Configuration management knowledge bases

Financial databases

Etc.
Keynotes;
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Be able to describe the difference between projects and operations. A project
is temporary in nature with a definite beginning and ending date. Operations are
ongoing.
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Be able to denote some of the skills every good project manager should
possess. Communication, budgeting, organizational, problem solving,
negotiation and influencing, leading, and team building.
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Be able to differentiate the different organizational structures. Organizations
are usually structured in some combination of the following: functional,
projectized, and matrix (including weak matrix, balanced matrix, and strong
matrix).
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Be able to name the five project management processes. Initiation, Planning,
Executing, Controlling, and Closing.
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

14. Note:
1. A process is a set of interrelated actions and activities performed to achieve a
pre-specified product, result, or service. Each process is characterized by its
inputs, the tools and techniques that can be applied, and the resulting outputs.
2. To successfully deliver project, team needs to consider "Project related
Processes" and "Product Related Process". Always remember - Product is the
output that project produces and Project is work that needs to be done to
produce the Product. PMBOK Guide 4th Edition considers Project related
processes only.
Triple Constraints:
- Time, Cost, Scope are initially known as Triple constraints. This means that, if one
of these constraints has been changed the other two constraints will be directly
impacted. Project Management methodology is evolving Quality and Risk were also
added to those constraints.
PMBOK 4th Edition: Process ChartInitiation
Planning
Integration
1.1 Develop1.2 Develop Project
Project Charter Management Plan
Executing
1.3 Direct &
Manage Project
Execution
Monitoring and
Controlling
Closing
1.4 Monitor & Control
1.6 Close
Project Work
Project or
4.5
Phase
Perform Integrated
Change Control
Scope
2.1 Collect Requirements
2.2 Define Scope
2.3 Create Work Breakdown
Structure (WBS)
2.4 Verify Scope
2.5 Control Scope
Time
3.1 Define Activities
3.2 Sequence Activities
3.3 Estimate Activity
Resources
3.4 Estimate Activity
Durations
3.5 Develop Schedule
3.6 Control Schedule
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD

15. Cost
4.1 Estimate Costs
4.2 Determine Budget
Quality
5.1 Plan Quality
5.2 Perform Quality 5.3 Perform Quality
Assurance
Control
6.1 Develop Human
Resources Plan
6.2 Acquire Project
Team
6.3 Develop Project
Team
6.4 Manage Project
Team
7.2 Plan Communications
7.3 Distribute
Information
7.4 Manage
Stakeholder
Expectations
HR
Communications
7.1 Identify
Stakeholders
Risk
8.1 Plan Risk Management
8.2 Identify Risks
8.3 Perform Qualitative Risk
Analysis
8.4 Perform Quantitative
Risk
Analysis
8.5 Plan Risk Responses
Procurement
9.1 Plan Procurements
4.3 Control Costs
7.5 Report
Performance
8.6 Monitor and
Control Risks
9.2 Conduct
Procurements
9.3 Administer
Procurements
By: Mohamed Salah ElDien Mohamed Aly, MSc, PMP®, DIT, MCAD
9.4 Close
Procurements