Project Management Professional (PMI) Study Guide

Project Management
Professional (PMP)
Certification Study Guide

PMI Certification Materials
• To assist PMI candidates for completing the PMI
certification exam administered by the Project
Management Institute
• Content is from “A Guide To The Project
Management Body Of Knowledge” (PMBOK)
• www.pmi.org

Recurring Themes
• Historical Records – need to collect and use for
planning, estimating and risk
• Kickoff meetings are important
• Work Breakdown Structures
• Do not introduce benefits that are not stated in
requirements
• Needs of all stakeholders should be taken into account
during all projects
• Team Members must be involved in project planning
• Project Mangers must be pro-active

Chapter 1 – Introduction
• Project – temporary endeavor undertaken to
create a unique product or service
• Has a definite beginning and end and
interrelated activities
• Programs adopt new set of objectives and
continue to work; projects cease when declared
objectives have been attained

Chapter 1– Introduction
• Projects are unique – characteristics are
progressively elaborated
– Progressively: proceeding in steps
– Elaborated: worked with care and detail
• Scope of project should remain constant
even as characteristics are “progressively
elaborated”

Chapter 1 - Introduction
• Project Management: the application of
knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project
activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder
needs and expectations from a defined project –
balancing the following:
– Scope, time, cost, and quality
– Stakeholders’ expectations
– Requirements (needs) vs. unidentified requirements
(expectations)

Chapter 1 - Introduction
• Programs are groups of projects managed in a
coordinated way to obtain benefits not available
from managing the projects individually
• Most programs have elements of ongoing
operations
– Series of repetitive or cyclical undertakings
• Projects are often divided into “subprojects” for
more manageability
– Often contracted out to external organizations

Chapter 2 – Project Management
Context
• Project Phases are marked by the
completion of a deliverable
– Tangible, verifiable work product
– Review of deliverables and approval/denial
are “phase exits, stage gates, or kill points”
• Phases are collected into the Project Life
Cycle
– Set of defined work procedures to establish
management control

Context
• Project Life Cycle defines:
– Technical work performed in each phase
– Who is involved in each phase
• Project Phases can overlap – “Fast Tracking”
• Common Characteristics of Project Life Cycles:
– Cost and Staffing levels are low at start and move higher
towards the end
– Probability of successfully completing project is low at beginning,
higher towards the end as project continues
– Stakeholder influence is high at the beginning and progressively
lowers as project continues

Context
• Stakeholders: individuals and organizations
who are actively involved in the project
– Often have conflicting expectations and objectives
– In general, differences should be resolved in favor of
the customer – individual(s) or organization(s) that will
use the outcome of the project
– Stakeholder management is a proactive task
• Project Mangers must determine all stakeholders and
incorporate their needs into the project

Context
• Stakeholders are:
– Project Managers
– Customers
– Performing Organizations, owners
– Sponsor
– Team
– Internal/External
– End User
– Society, citizens
– Others: owner, funders, supplier, contractor

Context
• Organizational Systems: Project based vs.
Non-Project Based
– Project Based – derive revenues from performing
projects for others (consultants,
contractors),”management by projects”
– Non-Project Based – seldom have management
systems designed to support project needs
(manufacturing, financial services)

Context
• Organizational Cultures and Styles:
– Entrepreneurial firms more likely to adopt
highly participative Project Manager – accept
higher risk/reward
– Hierarchical firms less likely to adopt
participative Project Manager – take fewer
risks

Context
• Organizational Structures
– Functional (classical) marked by identifiable
superiors. Staff grouped by specialty .
Perceived scope of project limited by function
(Engineering, HR). Typically have part-time
Project Manager
– Projectized Organization –blend functional
and projectized characteristics. Mix cross-
department personnel with full-time Project
Manger

Context
• Project Management Skills
– General Business Management (consistently
producing results expected by stakeholders)
– Leading (establishing direction, aligning resources,
motivating)
– Communicating (clear, unambiguous, and complete)
– Negotiating (conferring with others to reach an
agreement)
– Problem Solving (definition and decision making)
• Distinguish causes and symptoms
• Identify viable solutions
– Influencing Organization (understanding power and
politics)

Context
• Socioeconomic Influences
– Standards – document approved that provides
common, repeated use, rules and guidelines
• Compliance is not mandatory
– Regulations – document that identifies products,
services or characteristics
• Compliance is mandatory
– Standards often become “de facto” regulations
– Internationalization
– Cultural Influences

Context
• Organization Structure Pro’s and Con’s
– Projectized
• Efficient Organization – No “home”
• Loyalty – Lack of Professionalism
• Effective Communication – Duplication of functions, less
efficient resource usage
– Matrix
• Visible Objectives – not cost effective
• PM Control – More than 1 boss
• More support – More complex to control
• Utilize scarce resources – Tough resource allocation
• Information distribution – Competition of priorities
• Coordination – Policies & Procedures
• Home based – Potential for conflict

Context
• Functional Organization
– Specialists – More emphasis on functions
– 1 supervisor – No career path in PM

Processes
• Project Management requires active
management of Project Processes
– Series of actions that achieve a result
– Project Management Processes
• Describing and organizing the work
– Product-Oriented Processes
• Specifying and creating the product

Processes
• Process Groups:
– Initiating processes: recognizing a project or phase
should begin
– Planning processes: devising and maintaining a
workable plan
– Executing processes: coordinating resources to
execute the plan
– Controlling processes: ensuring project objectives
are met; monitoring, correcting and measuring
progress
– Closing processes: formalized acceptance

Processes
• Process Groups are linked by the results each
produces
• Process Groups are overlapping activities with
various levels of intensity
• Process Group interactions cross phases –
“rolling wave planning”
– Provides details of work to complete current phase
and provide preliminary description of work for
subsequent phases
• Individual processes have inputs, tools and
techniques, and outputs (deliverables)

Processes
• Initiating and Planning Processes
• Committing the organization to begin
– Initiation, High-level planning, Charter
• Amount of planning proportional to the scope of
the project – Core Planning
– Scope Planning – written statement
– Scope Definition – subdividing major deliverables
into more manageable units
– Activity Definition – determine specific tasks needed
to produce project deliverables
– Activity Sequencing – plotting dependencies

Processes
• Core Planning (continued)
– Activity Duration Estimating – determine amount of work
needed to complete the activities
– Schedule Development – analyze activity sequences, duration,
and resource requirements
– Resource Planning – identify what and how many resources
are needed to perform the activities
– Cost Estimating – develop resource and total project costs
– Cost Budgeting – allocating project estimates to individual work
items
– Project Plan Development – taking results from other planning
processes into a collective document

Processes
• Planning/Facilitating Processes – manage the
interaction among the planning processes
– Quality Planning – standards that are relevant to the
project and determining how to meet standards
– Organizational Planning – identify, document, and
assigning project roles and responsibilities
– Staff Acquisition – obtaining the human resources
– Communications Planning – determining rules and
reporting methods to stakeholders

Chapter 3– Project Management
Processes
• Planning/Facilitating Processes (continued)
– Risk Identification – determining what is likely to
affect the project and documenting these risks
– Risk Quantification – evaluating risks and
interactions to access the possible project outcomes
– Risk Response Development – defining
enhancement steps and change control measures
– Procurement Planning – determining what to buy
and when
– Solicitation Planning – documenting product
requirements and identifying possible sources

Processes
• Planning/Facilitating Processes (continued)
– Order of events:
• Scope Statement
• Create Project Team
• Work Breakdown Structure
• WBS dictionary
• Finalize the team
• Network Diagram
• Estimate Time and Cost
• Critical Path
• Schedule
• Budget
• Procurement Plan
• Quality Plan
• Risk Identification, quantification and response development
• Change Control Plan
• Communication Plan
• Management Plan
• Final Project Plan
• Project Plan Approval
• Kick off

Processes
• Executing Processes
– Project Plan Execution – performing the activities
– Complete Tasks/Work Packages
– Information Distribution
– Scope Verification – acceptance of project scope
– Quality Assurance – evaluating overall project
performance on a regular basis; meeting standards
– Team Development – developing team and
individual skill sets to enhance the project
– Progress Meetings

Processes
• Executing Processes (continued)
– Information Distribution – making project
information available in a timely manner
– Solicitation – obtaining quotes, bids,
proposals as appropriate
– Source Selection – deciding on appropriate
suppliers
– Contract Administration – managing vendor
relationships

Processes
• Controlling Processes – needed to regularly
measure project performance and to adjust
project plan
• Take preventive actions in anticipation of
possible problems
– Change Control – coordinating changes across the
entire project plan
– Scope Change Control – controlling “scope creep”
– Schedule Control – adjusting time and project
schedule of activities

Processes
• Controlling Processes (continued)
– Cost Control – managing project budget
– Quality Control – monitoring standards and
specific project results; eliminating causes of
unsatisfactory performance
– Performance Reporting – status,
forecasting, and progress reporting schedule
– Risk Response Control – responding to
changes in risk during the duration of the
project

Processes
• Closing Processes
– Administrative Closure – generating necessary
information to formally recognize phase or project
completion
– Contract Close-out – completion and delivery of
project deliverables and resolving open issues
• Procurement Audits
• Product Verification
• Formal Acceptance
• Lessons Learned
• Update Records
• Archive Records
• Release Team

Processes
• Overall Processes
– Influencing the organization
– Leading
– Problem Solving
– Negotiating
– Communicating
– Meetings

Processes
• Project Selection Techniques
– Comparative Approach (similar projects)
• Benefit measurement method
– Constrained Optimization (mathematical
approach)
• Key aspect of scope verification is
customer acceptance
• Only 26 % of projects succeed

Chapter 4 – Project Integration
Management
• Project Integration Management
– Ensures that the project processes are properly coordinated
– Tradeoffs between competing objectives and alternatives in
order to meet stakeholder approval
• Project Plan Development
• Project Plan Execution
• Overall Change Control
– These processes may occur repeatedly over the project duration
– Historical Records are needed to perform project management
well, they are inputs to continuous improvement
• Files
• Lessons Learned
• Actual Costs
• Time Estimates
• WBS
• Benchmarks
• Risks

Management
• Project Plan Development
– Uses outputs from other planning processes to create
consistent document to guide project execution and
control
– Iterated several times
– Documents planning assumptions
– Documents planning decisions that are chosen
– Facilitates communication
– Defines key management reviews
– Provides a baseline to track progress measurement
and project control

Management
• Project Plan Development Inputs
– Other planning outputs: primarily the planning process
outputs (WBS, base documents, application area
inputs)
– Historical information – verify assumptions, records of
past project performance
– Organizational policies – quality management,
personnel administration, Financial controls
– Constraints – factors that limit performance,
contractual provisions, budget
– Assumptions – risk factors

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Plan Development
– Project Planning Methodology – any structured
approach (software, templates, forms, start-up
meetings
– Stakeholder Skills & Knowledge – tap into plan
development; use expertise for reasonableness
– PMIS – Out of the box approach to support all project
aspects through closure

Management
• Project Plan Development Outputs
– Project Plan is a collection that changes over time as more
information about the project becomes available
– Baseline will change only in response to approved scope change
– Project Plan includes some or all of the following:
• Project Charter
• Project Management approach or strategy
• Scope statement
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Budget, schedule, risks
• Key Staff, Major Milestones
• Change Control Plan, Management and Communications Plan

Management
• Project Plan Components (continued)
• Cost Estimates, scheduled start dates and responsibility
assignments
• Performance measurement baselines
• Major milestones and target dates
• Required Staff
• Risks, constraints and assumptions
• Subsidiary management plans (scope, schedule)
• Open Issues
• Pending Decisions

Management
• Supporting Details to the Project Plan
– Outputs from planning processes
– Technical documentation
– Business requirements, specifications, and
designs
– Relevant standards
– Additional information not previously known

Management
• Project Plan Execution
– Primary process for carrying out the project
plan
– Most costly aspect of project management
– Direction of organizational resources and
interfaces

Management
• Project Plan Execution Inputs:
– Project Plan
– Supporting Detail
– Organizational Policies
– Corrective Action – anything to bring expected
performance in line with the project plan

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Plan Execution
– General Management Skills
– Product Skills and Knowledge – defined as part of
planning, provided by staffing
– Work Authorization System – formal procedure for
sanctioning work to ensure completion – written or
verbal authorization
– Status review meetings – regular exchanges of
information
– Project Management Information System
– Organizational Procedures

Management
• Project Plan Execution Outputs
– Work results – the outcome of activities
performed is fed into the performance
reporting process
– Change Requests – expand/shrink project
scope, modify costs and schedule estimates

Management
• Overall Change Control
– Influencing factors that create change to ensure beneficial
results; ensure that change is beneficial
– Determining that change has occurred
– Managing actual changes as they occur
• Evaluate impact of change
• Meet with team to discuss alternatives
• Meet with management to present decision
• Change control requires
– Maintaining integrity of performance measurement baselines
(project plan)
– Ensuring changes to scope are accurately recorded
– Coordinating changes across knowledge areas (scheduling, risk,
cost, quality, etc.)
– Determine all factors that control change and pro-actively
preventing the occurrence; evaluate the impact of change

Management
• Inputs to Change Control
– Project Plan – baseline performance
– Performance Reports – issue tracking, risk
management
– Change Requests – orally or written,
externally or internally initiates, legally
mandated or optional

Management
• Change Control Tools & Techniques
– All Changes must be evaluated before a decision can
be reached
– Change Control System – collection of formal
procedures, paperwork, tracking systems, approval
levels
– Change Control Board – decision making authority
– Configuration Management – documented procedure
to apply technical and administrative direction
• ID and document functional and physical characteristics
• Control changes to these characteristics
• Record and report change and implementation status
• Audit items and system to verify requirements

Management
• Change Control Tools & Techniques
– Performance Measurement – earned value, plan
variance analysis
– Additional Planning – revised cost estimates, modify
activity sequences, plan adjustments
– Project Management Information System
– Change Control System may have
• Change Control Plan
• Change Control Board
• Change Control Procedures, Corrective Action plans
• Performance Statistics, Reports, Change forms
• Specification reviews, Demonstrations, Testing, Meetings
– Configuration Management

Management
• Change Control Outputs
– Project Plan Updates
– Corrective Actions
– Lessons Learned – variance causes and
reasoning documented for historical purposes

Management
• Configuration Management
– Rigorous Change Management as it relates to scope
• Subset of the change control system
• Work Authorization System
– Controls “gold plating”; defines what task is/is not
• Meetings
– Most are inefficient; keep minutes
– Status can be determined without meeting

Management
• Lessons Learned
– Project is not complete until a Lessons Learned is
completed
– What have we done, how can we do it better
• Technical Aspects of the project
• Project Management (WBS, plans, etc.)
• Overall Management (communications, leadership)
• Best to have whole team complete and made available
• Also called “Post – Mortem”

Management
• Integration is a result of need for communication
within a project
• Primary responsibility to decide what changes
are necessary is Management
• Project Managers must pro-actively define and
solve problems before reporting to superiors

Chapter 5 – Project Scope
Management
• Project Scope Management
– Processes required to ensure that the project includes
all, and only, work required
– Defining what “is/is not” included in the project
– Project scope – work that must be done – measured
against project plan
– Product scope – features and functions included in
the product or service – measured against
requirements

Management
• Initiation – process of formally recognizing that
a new project exists, or an existing project
continue to next phase
• Involves feasibility study, preliminary plan, or
equivalent analysis
• Authorized as a result of:
– Market Demand
– Business Need
– Customer Request
– Technological Advance
– Legal Requirement

Management
• Initiation Inputs:
– Product Description – characteristics of the
product/service that the project was to create
• Less detail in early phases, more comprehensive in latter
• Relationship between product/service and business need
• Should support later project planning
• Initial product description is usually provided by the buyer
– Strategic Plan – supportive of the organization's
goals

Management
• Initiation Inputs (continued)
– Project Selection Criteria – defined in terms of the
product and covers range of management concerns
(finance, market)
– Historical Information – results of previous project
decisions and performance should be considered

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Initiation
– Project Selection Methods:
• Benefit measurement models – comparative approaches,
scoring models, economic models
– Murder Boards
– Peer Review
– Scoring Models
– Economic Models
– Benefits compared to costs
• Constrained operation models – programming mathematical
– Linear Programming
– Integer Programming
– Dynamic Programming
– Multi-objective programming

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Initiation
– Project Selection Methods:
• Decision models – generalized and sophisticated techniques
– Expert judgment
• Business Units with specialized skills
• Consultant
• Professional and Technical Associations
• Industry Groups
• Delphi Technique – obtain expert opinions on technical
issues, scope of work and risks
– Keep expert’s identities anonymous
– Build consensus

Management
• Outputs from Initiation:
– Project Charter – formally recognizes project,
created by senior manager, includes:
• Business need/Business Case
• Product description & title
• Signed contract
• Project Manager Identification & Authority level
• Senior Management approval
• Project’s Goals and Objectives -
• Constraints – factors that limit project management team’s
options
• Assumptions – factors that are considered true for planning
purposes. Involve a degree of risk

Management
• Scope Planning – process of developing a
written statement as basis for future decisions
– Criteria to determine if the project or phase is
successful
• Scope Planning Inputs:
– Product description
– Project Charter
– Constraints
– Assumptions

Management
• Scope Planning Tools & Techniques
– Product Analysis - developing a better
understanding of the product of the project
– Cost/Benefit Analysis – estimating
tangible/intangible costs and returns of various project
alternatives and using financial measures (R.O.I.) to
assess desirability
– Alternatives Identification – generate different
approaches to the project; “brainstorming”
– Expert Judgment

Management
• Scope Planning Outputs
– Scope Statement – documented basis for making
project decisions and confirming understanding
among stakeholders. Includes:
• Project justification – business need, evaluating future
trade-offs
• Project Product – summary of project description
• Project Deliverables – list of summary of delivery items
marking completion of the project
• Project Objectives – quantifiable criteria met for success.
Addresses cost, schedule and metrics – unqualified
objectives indicate high risk (customer satisfaction)

Management
• Scope Planning Outputs (continued)
– Supporting detail – includes documentation
of all assumptions and constraints
– Scope Management Plan – how project
scope is managed, change control procedure,
expected stability, change identification and
classification
• Control what is/is not in the project; prevents
delivering “extra” benefits to the customer that
were not specified/required

Management
• Scope Definition – subdividing major
deliverables into smaller, manageable
components
– Improve accuracy of cost, time, and resource
estimates
– Define a baseline for performance measurement
– Clear responsibility assignments
– Critical to project success – reduces risk of higher
cost, redundancy, time delays, and poor productivity
– Defines “what” you are doing; WBS is the tool

Management
• Scope Definition Inputs:
– Scope Statement
– Constraints – consider contractual provisions
– Assumptions
– Other Planning Outputs
– Historical Information

Management
• Scope Definition Tools & Techniques
– Work Breakdown Structure – templates from
previous projects
– Decomposition – subdividing major deliverables into
manageable components:
• Major elements – project deliverables and project management
approach
• Decide cost and duration estimates are appropriate at level of detail
• Constituent elements – tangible verifiable results to enable
performance management, how the work will be accomplished
• Verify correctness of decomposition
– All items necessary and sufficient?
– Clearly and completely defined?
– Appropriately scheduled, budgeted, assigned?

Management
• Scope Definition Outputs
– Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) – a deliverable-
oriented grouping of project assignments that
organizes and defines the scope of the project
• Each descending level represents further detail; smaller and more
manageable pieces
• Each item is assigned a unique identifier collectively known as “code
of accounts”
• Work element descriptions included in a WBS dictionary (work,
schedule and planning information)
• Other formats:
– Contractual WBS – seller provides the buyer
– Organizational (OBS) – work elements to specific org. units
– Resource (RBS) – work elements to individuals
– Bill of Materials (BOM) – hierarchical view of physical resources
– Project (PBS) – similar to WBS

Management
– Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• First Level is commonly the same at the Project Life Cycle
(requirements, design, coding, testing, conversion and operation)
• First level is completed before the project is broken down further
• Each level of the WBS is a smaller segment of level above
• Work toward the project deliverables
• Break down project into tasks that
– Are realistically and confidently estimable
– Cannot be logically divided further
– Can be completed quickly (under 80 hours rule of thumb)
– Have a meaningful conclusion and deliverable
– Can be completed without interruption
• Provides foundation for all project planning and control

Management
– Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) - Benefits
• Prevent work slippage
• Project team understands how their tasks fit into the overall project
and their impact upon the project
• Facilitates communication and cooperation between project team
and stakeholders
• Helps prevent changes
• Focuses team experience into what needs to be done – results in
higher quality
• Basis and proof for estimating staff, cost and time
• Gets team buy-in, role identification
• Graphical picture of the project hierarchy
• Identifies all tasks, project foundation

Management
• WBS phrases
– Graphical hierarchy of the project
– Identifies all tasks
– Foundation of the project
– Very important
– Forces thought of all aspects of the project
– Can be re-used for other projects

Management
– Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) – Dictionary
• Designed to control what work is done and when
• Also known as a task description
• Puts boundary on what is included in a task and what is not included

Management
• Scope Verification Inputs
– Work results – partially/completed deliverables,
costs to date
– Product documentation – description available for
review (requirements)
• Scope Verification Tools & Techniques
– Inspection – measuring, examining, testing to
determine if results conform to requirements
• Scope Verification Outputs
– Formal acceptance – documentation identifying
client and stakeholder approval, customer acceptance
of efforts

Management
• Scope Change Control:
– Influencing factors to ensure that changes are
beneficial
– Determining scope change has occurred
– Managing changes when they occur
– Thoroughly integrated with other control
processes

Management
• Scope Change Control Inputs:
– Work Breakdown Structure
– Performance Reports - issues reported
– Change Requests – expansion/shrink of
scope derived from :
• External events (government regulations)
• Scope definition errors of product or project
• Value adding change – new technology
– Scope Management Plan

Management
• Scope Change Control Tools & Techniques
– Scope Change Control System – defines
procedures how scope change can occur
• All paperwork, tracking systems, approval levels
• Integrated with overall change control procedures
– Performance Measurement – determine what is
causing variances and corrective actions
– Additional Planning

Management
• Scope Change Control Outputs:
– Scope Changes – fed back through planning
processes, revised WBS
– Corrective Actions
– Lessons Learned – cause and reasoning for
variances documented for historical purposes

Management
• Management By Objectives (MBO)
– Philosophy that has 3 steps:
• Establish unambiguous and realistic objectives
• Periodically evaluate if objectives are being met
• Take corrective action
– Project Manager must know that if project is not aligned
or support corporate objectives, the project is likely to
lose resources, assistance and attention.
– MBO only works if management supports it

Chapter 6 – Project Time
Management
• Project Time Management
– Processes required to ensure timely
completion of the project
– No consensus concerning differences
between activities and tasks
– Activities seen as composed of tasks –most
common usage
– Other disciplines have tasks composed of
activities

Management
• Activity Definition: identifying and
documenting specific activities to produce
project deliverables identified in the WBS
– Must be defined to meet the project objectives

Management
• Activity Definition Inputs
– WBS – primary input
– Scope Statement – project justification &
project objectives
– Constraints
– Assumptions

Management
• Activity Definition Tools & Techniques
– Decomposition – outputs are expressed as
activities rather than deliverables
– Templates – reuse from previous projects

Management
• Activity Definition Outputs
– Activity List – all to be performed; extension to the
WBS and includes description to ensure team
members understand work to be performed
– Supporting Detail – organized as needed and
include all assumptions and constraints
– WBS Updates – identify missing deliverables and
clarify deliverable descriptions. WBS updates often
called refinements; more likely using new
technologies in project

Management
• Activity Sequencing – identifying and
documenting interactive dependencies
among activities. Support later
development of a realistic schedule
– Project Management software often used

Management
• Activity Sequencing Inputs:
– Activity List
– Product Description – product characteristics often affect
activity sequencing
– Mandatory Sequencing – physical limitations, hard logic,
prototypes needed; inherent in nature of work being done
– Discretionary Dependencies – defined by project management
team; “best practices” or unusual aspects of project – soft logic,
preferred logic, preferential logic
– External Dependencies – relationship between project activities
and non-project activities (company policies, procurement, etc.)
– Constraints
– Assumptions

Management
• Network Diagrams
– Shows how the project tasks will flow from
beginning to end
– Proves how long the project will take to
complete
– Takes project tasks from low levels of WBS
and placing them into their order of
completion (beginning to end)

Management
• Activity Sequencing Tools & Techniques
– Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) –
constructing network diagram using nodes to
represent activities and arrows to indicate
dependencies; also called Activity On Node (AON)
– Most project management software uses
– Includes 4 types of dependencies:
• Finish to Start – “from” activity must finish before “to” activity can begin;
most commonly used
• Finish to Finish – “from” activity must finish before the next may finish
• Start to Start – “from” activity must start before next “to” activity can start
• Start to Finish – task must start before next activity can finish
– Use caution with last 3 techniques - logical relationships often not
consistently implemented with project management software

Management
(continued)
– Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM) – uses
arrows to represent activities and connecting at
nodes to illustrate dependencies
• Also called Activity On Arrow (AOA)
• Only uses finish to start dependencies
• PERT and CPM only can be drawn using AOA

Management
(continued)
– Conditional diagramming methods
• GERT (Graphical Evaluation and Review
Technique)
• System Dynamic Models
• Allow for non-sequential activities (loops) or
conditional branches – not provided by PDM or
ADM methods

Management
(continued)
– Network Templates – standardized networks
can be used. Composed of subnets, or fragnets
• Subnets are several nearly identical portions of a
network (floors on a building, clinical trials, program
modules)
• Useful for several identical processes (clinical trials,
programming modules).

Management
• Activity Sequencing Outputs:
– Project Network Diagram – schematic
display of project activities and relationships
(dependencies). Should be accompanied by a
summary narrative that describes the diagram
approach
– Activity List Updates

Management
• Activity Duration Estimating
– Involves assessing number of work periods
needed to complete identified activities
– Requires consideration of elapsed time,
calendars, weekends, and day of week work
starts

Management
• Activity Duration Estimating Inputs:
– Activity Lists
– Constraints
– Assumptions
– Resource Requirements – amount of labor assigned to
activity
– Resource Capabilities – human and material
resources, expertise
• Project Files, or records of previous project results
• Commercial Duration Estimates – useful when durations are not
driven by actual work (approval periods, material resources)
• Project Team Knowledge

Management
• Activity Duration Estimating Tools & Techniques
– Expert Judgment – guided by historical information
should be used whenever possible; high risk without
expertise avail.
– Simulation – using different sets of assumptions (Monte
Carlo Analysis) to drive multiple durations
– Analogous Estimating – “top down estimating” – use
actual, similar, previous known durations as basis for
future activity duration. Used when limited knowledge
is available. Form of expert judgment

Management
• Activity Duration Outputs:
– Activity Duration Estimates – quantitative
assessments of work periods to complete an
activity. Should indicate a range +/- of
possible results
– Basis of Estimates – all assumptions should
be documented
– Activity List Updates

Management
• Schedule Development
– Determining start and finish dates for project
activities
– Without realistic dates, project unlikely to be
finished as scheduled
– Schedule development process often iterates
as more information becomes available
(process inputs)

Management
• Schedule Development Inputs:
– Project Network Diagram
– Activity Duration Estimates
– Resource Requirements
– Resource Pool Description – availability
patterns; shared resources are highly variable
– Calendars – define eligible work periods
• Project Calendars affect all resources
• Resource Calendars – affect specific resource pools or
individuals

Management
• Schedule Development Inputs (continued):
– Constraints
• Imposed Dates – may be required
• Key events or milestones – are initially requested and
become expected during project
– Assumptions
– Lead and Lag Time – dependencies may specify
time in order to satisfy relationship (example – 2
weeks to receive order)

Management
• Schedule Development Tools & Techniques
– Mathematical Analysis – calculating theoretical
early/late finish and start dates without regard for
resource pool limitations; indicate time periods which
activity should be scheduled given resource limits and
other constraints:
• Critical Path Method (CPM) – single early/late start and finish date for all
activities. Based on specified, sequential network and single duration
estimate. Calculates float to determine flexibility
• Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique (GERT) – probabilistic
treatment of network and activity duration estimates
• Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) - sequential network
and weighted average duration to calculate project duration – differs from
CPM by using mean (expected value) instead of most-likely estimate in CPM

Management
– Critical Path Method: refers to estimating based on one time
estimate per activity
• One time estimate per task (Most Likely)
• Emphasis on controlling cost and leaving schedule flexible
• Drawn using AOA diagrams
• Can have dummy task
– PERT (Program Review and Estimating Technique)
• 3 Time estimates per activity
– Optimistic
– Pessimistic
– Most Likely
• Emphasis on meeting schedule, flexibility with costs
• Drawn on AOA diagrams
• Can have dummy tasks

Management
– Monte Carlo Analysis
• Uses a computer with PERT values and network diagram
• Tells
– Probability of completing a project on any specific day
– Probability of completing a project for any specific amount of
cost
– Probability of any task actually being on the critical path
– Overall Project Risk
• Suggests that Monte Carlo simulation will create a project
duration that is closer to reality than CPM or PERT

Management
(continued)
– Duration Compression – look to shorten project
schedule without affecting scope
• Crashing – cost and schedule trade-offs to determine
greatest amount of compression for least incremental cost –
often results in higher costs
• Fast Tracking – performing activities in parallel that normally
would be sequenced – often results in re-work and usually
increases risk
– Simulation

Management
(continued)
– Resource Leveling Heuristics – leveling resources
that apply to critical path activities a.k.a. “resource
constrained scheduling” – when limitation on quantity
of available resources; sometimes called “Resource
Based Method” – often increases project duration
– Project Management Software

Management
(continued)
– Project Manger’s role
• Provide the team with the necessary information to properly
estimate the task
• Complete a sanity check of the estimate
• Formulate a reserve
– Project Team should be involved; determine task
estimates
• Historical Records
• Guesses
• Actual Costs
• Benchmarks
• CPM and PERT

Chapter 6– Project Time
Management
• Schedule Development Tools &
Techniques
– Critical Path Method: longest path through a
network diagram and determines the earliest
completion of the project
– Proves how long the project will take
– Indicates tasks that need most monitoring
– Almost always have no slack

Management
• Schedule Development Outputs:
– Project Schedule – includes planned start
and finish dates for each activity; remains
preliminary until resources assignments are
approved. Usually in following formats:
• Project Network Diagrams (with date information
added) – show logical and critical path activities
• Bar or Gantt charts – activity start and end dates,
expected durations
• Milestone Charts – identifies key deliverables and
interfaces
• Time-scaled network diagrams – blend of project
network and bar charts

Management
• Schedule Development Outputs (continued):
– Supporting Detail – all assumptions and constraints.
May also include:
• Resource requirement by time period (resource histogram)
• Alternative schedules (best/worst case)
• Schedule reserve/risk assessments
– Schedule Management Plan – how updates are
managed
– Resource requirement updates – leveling and
activity impact

Management
• Schedule Control:
– Influencing factors which create schedule changes to
ensure changes are beneficial
– Determining that schedule has changed
• Inputs to Schedule Control:
– Project Schedule – baseline approved, measure
against project performance
– Performance Reports – planned dates met, issues
– Change Requests
– Schedule Management Plan

Management
• Schedule Control Tools & Techniques
– Schedule Change Control System – defines
procedures for schedule changes, paperwork,
approval, tracking systems
– Performance Measurement – assess
magnitude of variations to baseline; determine
if corrective action is needed
– Additional Planning
– Project Management Software

Management
• Schedule Control Outputs:
– Schedule Updates – any modifications,
stakeholder notification
• Revisions change scheduled start and finish dates
– generally in response to scope changes. “Re-
baselining” may be needed in drastic situations
– Corrective Action – re-align performance
with project plan
– Lessons Learned

Management
• Key knowledge points not in PMBOK
– Need to know manual calculations of network
diagrams
• Created after project charter and WBS (task
estimates and dependencies are determined)
– Mandatory dependencies (Hard Logic) – inherent in
nature of work
– Discretionary dependencies (Soft Logic) – based on
experience, desire or results
– External dependencies – based on needs and desires
of organizations outside the project

Management
• Methods to draw network diagrams
– Activity on Node (AON) or Precedence Diagramming
Method (PDM)
• Boxes represent tasks
• Arrows show task dependencies
• 4 types of task relationships
– Finish to Start (task must finish before next can start)
– Finish to Finish (task must finish before next can finish)
– Start to Start (task must start before next can start)
– Start to Finish (task must start before the next can finish)
• No dummy tasks used

Management
– Activity on Arrow (AOA or Arrow
Diagramming Method (ADM)
• Arrows used to represent tasks
• Only Finish to Start relationships are used
• May use dummy tasks (show dependencies)
• PERT and CPM estimating techniques can only be
drawn using AOA
– CPM (Critical Path Method) – estimating based on one time
estimate per activity (the most likely time estimate)
» Emphasizes controlling cost and allowing schedule flexibility
» Can have dummy tasks

Management
– Activity on Arrow (AOA or Arrow
Diagramming Method (ADM) continued:
• PERT (Program Evaluation and Review technique)
– 3 time estimates per activity: Optimistic (O), Most Likely
(M), Pessimistic (P)
– Emphasizes meeting schedule, flexibility with cost
– Can have dummy tasks

Management
– PERT (Program Evaluation and Review technique)
– Estimating based on 3 formulas:
• PERT Duration: (P + 4M + O)/6
• Standard Task Deviation: (P – O)/6
• Task Variance:
• Total project estimate:
– Add up all Optimistic, Most Likely and Pessimistic values of the critical
path tasks and apply P + 4M + O/6
• Total project variance (+/-):
– Add up the individual task variances and take the square root of the
value. Use the value as a +/- figure to compute the Optimistic and
Pessimistic values. The total project estimate will serve as the basis.
[P – O]2
6

Management
• Monte Carlo Simulation:
– Uses a computer with PERT values (P, M, O) and a
network diagram but does not use the PERT formula
– Indicates
• Probability of completing project on a specific day
• Probability of completing project for any specific amount of
cost
• Probability of any task actually being on critical path
• Overall project risk

Management
• Estimating techniques in general:
– Should be performed by entire project team
• Project manager needs to provide information to allow team
to create estimates; sanity check; formulate reserve
– Estimates are:
• Guesses, Historical Records, Actual Costs, Benchmarks,
CPM, PERT
– Critical paths determines the earliest completion date and
identifies tasks that need monitoring
– Can be obtained by CPM, PERT and Monte Carlo estimating
techniques

Management
• Key Definitions:
– Slack (Float): the amount of time a task can be
delayed without delaying the entire project. Tasks on
critical path have no slack.
• Slack is calculated by the difference between Early Start and
Late Start of a task
– Free Slack (Float): the amount of time a task can be delayed
without delaying the early start date of its successor
– Total Slack (Float): the amount of time a task can be delayed
without delaying the project completion date
– Lag: inserted waiting time between tasks

Management
• General Comments:
– Projects can have more than 1 critical path (increases
risk) and can involve dummy tasks
– Negative float indicates that you are behind
– Resource Leveling involves possibly letting schedule
and cost slip
– Heuristics – just means “rule of thumb” e.g. 80/20 rule
– Schedules are calendar based – makes this different
than a time estimate
• Bar Chart a.k.a. Gantt chart (track progress, report to entire team
including stakeholders, control tool)
• Network Diagram (to show task inter-dependencies, show project
organization, basis for project control)
• Milestone chart (report to Senior management, shows major events)

Management
– To shorten project schedule examine the
critical path
• Crashing – add more resources to the critical path
tasks
– Usually results in increased cost
• Fast Tracking – performing tasks in parallel
– Can result in re-work and increased risk
– Best to select method that has least impact on
the project (is the importance on cost, risk or
schedule?)

Management
– Bar (Gantt) Charts
• Weak Planning Tool, effective progress and reporting tool
• Does not show interdependencies of tasks
• Does not help organize the project more effectively
– Network Diagrams (PERT, CPM, PDM)
• Shows task interdependencies
• Aids in effectively planning and organizing work
• Provides a basis for project control
– Milestone Charts
• Only shows major events
• Good for reporting to management and customer
– Flow Charts
• Depicts workflow and not commonly used for project management

Management
– Free Slack (Float) – amount of time a task can be delayed
without delaying the early start date of its successor
– Total Slack (Float) – amount of time a task can be delayed
without delaying the project completion date
• Lag – inserted waiting time between tasks
• Resource Leveling – level peaks of resource usage;
stable number of resources – allows schedule and cost
slip in favor of leveling resources
• Heuristic – rule of thumb (80/20 rule)

Chapter 7 – Project Cost
Management
• Project Cost Management
– Ensure that the project is completed within budget
– Concerned with cost of resources needed to complete
activities; consider effect of project decisions on cost
of using product “life-cycle costing”
– Most prospective financial impact of using the product
is outside the project scope
– Consider information needs of stakeholders,
controllable and uncontrollable costs (budget
separately for reward and recognition systems)

Management
• Project Cost Management
– Estimating should be based on WBS to improve
accuracy
– Estimating should be done by the person performing the
work
– Having historical records is key to improving estimates
– Costs (schedule, scope, resources) should be managed
to estimates
– A cost (schedule, scope, baseline) should be kept and
not changed
– Plans should be revised as necessary during completion
of work
– Corrective action should be taken when cost problems
(schedule, scope and resources) occur.

Management
• Resource Planning:
– Determining what physical resources and quantities
are needed to perform work
• Inputs to Resource Planning:
– Scope Statement – justification & objectives
– Resource Pool Description – what resources are
potentially available for resource planning
– Organizational Policies – staffing, procurement

Management
• Inputs to Resource Planning:
– Network Diagram
– Schedule
– Risks
– Scope Statement – justification & objectives
– Resource Pool Description – what resources are
potentially available for resource planning
– Organizational Policies – staffing, procurement

Management
• Resource Planning Tools & Techniques
– Expert Judgment
– Alternatives Identification
• Resource Planning Outputs:
– Resource Requirements – what type & how
many resources are needed for each activity
in the Work Breakdown Structure

Management
• Cost Estimating:
– Develop approximate costs of resources
– Distinguish estimating from pricing
• Estimating – likely amount
• Pricing – business decision
– Identify alternatives and consider realigning
costs in phases to their expected savings

Management
• Cost Estimating Inputs:
– Resource Requirements
– Resource Rates (if known)
– Historical Information – (project files, commercial
cost databases, team knowledge
– Chart Of Accounts – coding structure for accounting;
general ledger reporting

Management
• Cost Estimating Tools & Techniques
– Analogous Estimating – “top down”; using actual costs
from previous project as basis for estimate
• Reliable when previous projects are similar and individuals have
expertise – form of expert judgment
– Parametric Modeling – uses project characteristics in
mathematical models to predict costs (e.g.building houses)
• Reliable when historical information is accurate, parameters are
quantifiable, and model is scalable
– 2 types: Regression analysis, Learning Curve
– Bottom Up Estimating – rolling up individual activities into
project total – smaller work activities have more accuracy
– Computerized tools – spreadsheets, software

Management
– Pro’s and Con’s
– Analogous Estimating
• Quick - Less Accurate
• Tasks don’t need to be identified – Estimates prepared
with little detail and understanding of project
• Less costly – Requires considerable experience to do well
• Gives PM idea of management expectations – Infighting at
high levels of organization
• Overall project costs are capped – Difficult for projects with
uncertainty

Management
– Pro’s and Con’s
– Bottom Up Estimating
• More Accurate – Takes time and expense
• Gains buy-in from the team – Tendency for team to pad
estimates
• Based on detailed analysis of project – Requires that
project be defined and understood
• Provides a basis for monitoring and control – Team
infighting to get biggest piece of pie

Management
• Outputs from Cost Estimating
– Cost estimates – quantitative assessments of likely costs of
resources required to complete tasks
• For all resources of the project (labor, materials, supplies, inflation
allowance, reserve)
• Expressed in units of currency
• Description of scope (reference to the WBS)
• Documentation how estimate was developed
• Indication of range of possible results
• Assumptions
– Cost Management Plan – how cost variances will be managed
– Cost Risk: associated to seller for Fixed Price; associated to
buyer for Time and Materials budget

Management
• Cost Budgeting
– Involves allocation of total estimate to individual work
to establish a cost baseline to measure performance
• Cost Budgeting Inputs
– Cost Estimate
– Project Schedule – includes planned start and finish
dates for items costs are allocated to
• Needed to assign costs during the time period when the
actual cost will be incurred

Management
• Cost Budgeting Tools & Techniques
– Same as Cost Estimating Tools and Techniques
• Outputs from Cost Budgeting
– Cost Baseline – time phased budget to measure and
monitor cost performance
• Developed by summing estimated costs by period (S curve
of values vs. time)
• Larger projects have multiple baselines to measure different
aspects of cost performance

Management
• Cost Control
– Concerned with influencing factors that create
changes to the cost baseline that are beneficial
– Determining that the cost baseline has changed
• Monitor cost performance to detect variances
• Record all appropriate changes accurately in the cost baseline
• Preventing incorrect, unauthorized changes being included in the
cost baseline
• Informing stakeholders of authorized changes
– Determine the “why’s” of positive and negative variances
– Integrated will all other control processes (scope, change, schedule,
quality)

Management
• Inputs to Cost Control
– Cost Baseline
– Performance Reports – meet, exceed budget
• 50/50 Rule – task is considered 50% complete when it begins and gets credit for
remainder 50% only when completed
• 20/80 Rule - task is considered 20% complete when it begins and gets credit for
remainder 80% only when completed
• 0/100 Rule – task only credited when fully completed
– Change Requests
– Cost Management Plan
• Tools & Techniques of Cost Control
– Cost Change Control System – defines the procedures by which the cost
baseline may be changed
– Performance Measurement – assess magnitude of cost variations (Earned
Value Analysis) and what is causing the variance
– Additional Planning – examine alternatives
– Computerized Tools – forecast planned costs, track actual costs, forecast effect
of cost changes

Management
• Cost Control Outputs
– Revised Cost Estimate
• Modifications to cost information; require stakeholder approval and
adjustments to other project areas
– Budget Updates – changes to approved cost baseline; revised in
response to scope changes
– Corrective Action
– Estimate at completion – (EAC) – forecast of total expenditures
• Actual to date plus remaining budget modified by a factor (cost performance
index)
– Current variances are seen to apply to future variances
• Actual to date plus new estimate for remaining work
– Original estimates are flawed, or no longer relevant
• Actual to date plus remaining budget
– Current variances are typical and similar variances will not occur in the future
– Lessons Learned

Management
• Earned Value Analysis
– Integrates cost, schedule and scope
– Better that comparing projected vs. actual because
time and cost are analyzed separately
– Terms:
• BCWS – Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (how much work
should be done)
• BCWP – Budgeted Cost of Work Performed a.k.a. Earned
Value (how much work is budgeted, how much did we
budget)
• ACWP – Actual Cost of Work Performed (how much did the
completed work cost)

Management
– Terms:
• BAC – Budget at Completion (how much did you
budget for the total job)
• EAC – Estimate at Completion (what do we expect
the total project to cost)
• ETC – Estimate to Completion (how much more do
we expect to spend to finish the job)
• VAC – Variance at Completion (how much
over/under budget do we expect to be)

Management
– Formulas
• Variance (Plan – Actual)
• Cost Variance (CV): BCWP – ACWP; negative is
over budget
• Schedule Variance (SV): BCWP – BCWS;
negative is behind schedule
• Cost Performance Index (CPI): BCWP
ACWP
• I am only getting x¢ out of every $
BCWP
ACWP

Management
– Formulas
• Schedule Performance Index (SPI): BCWP
BCWS
– I am only progressing x % of the planned rate
• Estimate at Completion (EAC): BAC
CPI
– As of now we expect the total project to cost x$
• Estimate to Complete (ETC): EAC – ACWP; how much will
it cost from now to completion
• Variance at Completion: BAC – EAC; when the project is
over how much more or less did we spend (most common
way of calculating EVA
BCWP
BCWS
BAC
CPI

Management
– BCWP comes first in most formulas
– If it is a variance, BCWP comes first
– If it is an index, BCWP is divided by
– If the formula relates to cost, use AWCP
– If the formula related to schedule, use BWCP
– Negative is bad; positive results are good
– ETC refers to “this point on”; EAC refers to when job
is completed

Management
• Accuracy of Estimates
– Order of Magnitude Estimate: -25% - 75%;
usually made during Initiation Phase
– Budget Estimate: -10% - 25%; usually made
during the Planning phase
– Definitive Estimate: -5% - 10%; usually
made during the Planning phase

Management
• Accounting Standards
– Not usually part of the exam
– Present Value (value today of future cash
flows):
• PV = FV
(1 + r) N
FV = Future Value
R = Interest Rate
N = Number of time periods

Management
– Net Present Value: total benefits (income or revenue) less the
costs. NPV is the sum of each present value of each
income/revenue item
– Internal Rate of Return (IRR): company may select project
based on highest IRR
– Payback Period: number of time periods it takes to recover the
investment in the project before generating revenues
– Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR): compares costs to the benefits of
different projects
• Greater than 1 means benefits are greater than costs
• Less than 1 means costs are greater than benefits
– Opportunity Cost: opportunity given up by selecting one project
over another

Management
– Sunk Costs: expended costs. Sunk costs should not be
considered when determining to continue with a troubled project
– Law of Diminishing Returns: the more that is put in the less of
an outcome is received
– Working Capital: current assets – current liabilities
– Variable Cost: costs that change with the amount of production
or the amount of work (materials, wages)
– Fixed Cost: non-recurring costs that do not change
– Direct Cost: directly attributable to project work (travel, wages,
materials)
– Indirect Cost: overhead items or costs for the benefit of more
than one project (taxes, fringe benefits)

Management
– Depreciation: assets lose value over time
• Straight Line depreciation: same amount is taken each year
• Accelerated Depreciation: 2 forms
– Double Declining Balance
– Sum of the Years Digits
– Life Cycle Costing: includes operations and maintenance
phases
– Value Analysis: find a less costly way to do same work
– Make or Buy decisions – at Development (Planning)
phase, not conceptual phase

Management
– Project Objectives – are not necessarily needed to fund project
– Project Definition – focus on end product initially; costs and benefits
will be evaluated later
– 25% of project lifecycle expended at end of planning
– No guarantees; only most likely results
– Line of Balance charts are used for manufacturing
– Negative Float – the late start date is earlier than the early start
date
– Value Engineering/analysis – does not trade performance for
cost
– Prospectus – profitability and technical feasibility used to solicit
funding

Management
– Definitive Estimate –most precise/accurate estimate for
determining project costs
– Management Reserve – over time PM wants no change to
reserve; customers wants $ back
– Cost and Schedule Data – predicts future performance
– ROI, Nest Present Value and Discounted Cash Flow – all can
be used to measure total income vs. total $ expended
– Undistributed budget – budget that contains approved scope
changes but are not planned yet
– Depreciation is not a measurement of profitability
– Pay Back Period - # of periods required to recover the initial
investment

Chapter 8 – Project Quality
Management
• Project Quality Management
– Processes required to ensure that the project will
satisfy the needs for which it was designed
– Includes all activities of the overall management
function that determine the quality policy, objectives,
and responsibilities. These are implemented by
quality planning, quality control, quality assurance,
and quality improvement.

Management
• 3 major processes:
– Quality Planning – identifying quality standards that are
relevant to the project (Plan); Project Manager, Project Owner
– Quality Assurance – evaluating overall project performance
to provide confidence that project will satisfy relevant quality
standards (Implement or Execution); Project Team
– Quality Control – monitoring specific results to comply with
quality standards and eliminating unsatisfactory performance
causes (Check or Control); Project Manager, Project Team
• Compatible with ISO 9000 and 10000 series
• Proprietary and non-proprietary approaches (total quality
management
• Must address the management of the project and the product of the
project

Management
• Quality – the totality of characteristics of an entity that
bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs
– Critical aspect is to turn implied needs into stated needs through
project scope management
– Do not confuse with grade – category or rank given to entities
having the same functional use but different requirements for
quality
– Customer satisfaction – conformance to specifications (must
produce what is stated) and fitness for use (must satisfy real
needs)
– Prevention – avoid mistakes vs. cost of correction
– Management responsibility – requires participation of team;
responsibility of management to provide resources
– Processes within phases – plan-do-check-act cycle
• Recognize that the investment in product quality improvements may be
borne by the performing organization since the project may not last long
enough to reap reward

Management
• Quality Planning
– Identify quality standards are relevant and how to satisfy
• Inputs to Quality Planning
– Quality Policy – the overall intentions and direction of an
organization with regard to quality as expressed by management
– Scope Statement
– Product Description
– Standards and Regulations
– Other Process Outputs – processes from other knowledge
areas (procurement planning)

Management
• Tools &Techniques for Quality Planning
– Benefit/Cost Analysis – consider trade-offs, benefit is less
rework; cost is expense of project management activities
– Benchmarking – comparing actual or planned practices to
those of other projects
– Flowcharting
• Cause and effect diagramming (Ishikawa or fishbone diagrams)
illustrate how causes relate to potential problems or effects
• System or Process flowcharts – show how various elements of the
system interrelate
– Helps anticipation of what and where quality problems may occur
– Design of Experiments – analytical technique which defines
what variables have most influence of the overall outcome
• Cost and schedule tradeoffs

Management
• Outputs from Quality Planning
– Quality Management Plan – describes how team will implement
its quality policy; describes the project quality system –
organizational structures, responsibilities, procedures,
processes and resources needed to implement quality
management
– Operational Definitions – defines how an item is measured by
the quality control process. Also known as Metrics.
– Checklists – structured tool used to verify that a set of required
steps has been performed
– Inputs to other processes – may identify a need for further
activity in another area
• Quality Assurance
– All planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality
system to provide confidence that the project will satisfy quality
standards

Management
• Inputs to Quality Assurance
– Quality Management Plan
– Results of quality control measurements (testing)
– Operational definitions
• Tools & Techniques for Quality Assurance
– Quality planning tools & techniques
– Quality Audits – structured review of quality management activities to
identify lessons learned
• Outputs from Quality Assurance
– Quality improvements – taking action to increase the effectiveness
and efficiency of the project to provide added benefits to the
stakeholders
• Most likely will involve change control

Management
• Quality Control – monitoring specific results to
determine if they comply with quality standards and
identifying ways to eliminate causes of unsatisfactory
results
– Includes project (deliverables) and management (cost and
schedule performance) results
– Awareness of statistical quality control
• Prevention (keep errors out of process) and inspection (keep errors
from customers)
• Attribute sampling (result conforms) and variable sampling
• Special Causes (unusual events) and random causes
• Tolerances (acceptable range) and control limits (result falls within
range)

Management
• Inputs to Quality Control
– Work results – include process and product results
– Quality Management Plan
– Operational Definitions
– Checklists
• Tools & Techniques for Quality Control
– Inspection – activities such as testing to determine if results comply
with requirements
– Control Charts – plot results over time
– Pareto diagrams – frequency of occurrence that identifies type or
category of result (80/20 rule) – guides corrective action
– Statistical sampling – select population of interest for inspection
– Flowcharting
– Trend Analysis – forecast future outcomes based on historical results
• Technical performance (# of errors identified; # of errors that remain)
• Cost and Schedule performance (activities per period with significant variances)

Management
• Outputs from Quality Control
– Quality Improvement
– Acceptance Decisions (accept/reject)
– Rework – action to bring defective item into compliance
• Frequent cause of project overruns
– Completed checklists
– Process Adjustments – immediate corrective/preventive
actions
• Most likely involves change control

Management
• Tips from the Review Guide
– Philosophy: definition of quality, avoidance of “gold plating” –
giving customer extras, prevention over inspection
– “Conformance to requirements, specifications and fitness of use”
– Quality Management – processes required to ensure that the
project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken
– Continuous Improvement - small improvements to reduce
costs and ensure consistency
– Marginal Analysis – optimal quality is reached at the point
when revenue from improvement equals the costs to secure it
– Just in Time - decrease amount of inventory/decrease
investment

Management
– ISO 9000 or 10000 – standards to ensure that corporations
follow their own quality procedures
– Total Quality Management – continuous improvement in
business practices
– Normal Distribution – most common probability – used to
measure variations
– Standard deviation (sigma) – measure how far away
from the mean (dotted vertical line)
– 3 or 6 sigma – represents level of quality
• +/- 1 sigma equal to 68.26%

Management
– Responsibility to quality – entire organization
• Ultimate – employee
• Overall or Primary – Project Manager
• Design and Test Specifications – engineer
– Prevention over inspection – quality must be
planned in not inspected in

Management
– Cost of conformance vs. non-conformance
• Quality Training vs. rework
• Studies vs. Scrap
• Surveys vs. Inventory Costs and warranty costs
– Quality Planning (Plan) – determine what will be
quality on project and how quality will be measured –
done during Planning Phases
• Identifying which standards are relevant to project – how to satisfy
them
• Benchmarking – look at past projects to determine ideas for
improvement
• Cost Benefit Analysis
• Flowcharts (fishbone)
• Design of Experiments

Management
– Quality Assurance (Implement) – determine if
your measurement of quality is appropriate – done
during Execution phases
• Process of evaluating overall performance on a
regular basis
• Quality Audits – structured review of quality
activities that identify lessons learned

Management
– Quality Control (Check) – perform the
measurement and compare to the quality plan – done
during Control phases
• Process of monitoring specific project results to
determine if they comply with relevant quality
standards and identify ways of eliminating
unsatisfactory performance
• Performance of the measurement or process,
using quality control tools – checking work

Management
• Quality Control Tools
– Pareto Diagrams – 80/20 rule – the chart presents the
information being examined in its order of priority and
helps focus attention on the most critical issues
– Fishbone diagram (Cause and Effect)
» A creative way to look at the causes or potential
causes of a problem
» Helps stimulate thinking, organizes thoughts and
generates discussion
» Can be used to explore a desired future outcome
and the factors to which it relates

Management
– Checklists – list of items to inspect
– Control Charts – graphic displays of the results over time –
used to determine if a process is in control
» Upper and Lower Control Limits – two dashed lines –
show the acceptable range of a variation – range
determined by company’s quality standard (sigma)
» Mean – line in the middle – shows middle of the range of
acceptable results
» Specification Limits – 2 solid lines outside the upper and
lower control limits – represent the customer's
expectations/requirements of quality

Management
» Out of Control – process is out of control when:
» A data point falls outside of the upper or lower
control limit
» Non-random data points are within the upper control
and lower control limits
» Rule of 7 – non-random points outside the mean -
process should be investigated
» Assignable Cause – data point the requires
investigation to determine the cause of the variation

Management
• PMI and Deming
– Cost of conformance – 85% of costs of quality are
responsibility of Management
• Quality Training – Rework
• Studies – Scrap
• Surveys – Inventory and Warranty costs
• Crosby – absolutes of quality
– Performance standard is zero defects; measurement
system is cost of non-conformance
• Continuous Improvement
– Japanese (Kaizen)

Management
• Marginal Analysis – optimal quality is reached when
incremental revenue from improvement equals
incremental cost to secure
• Variable – characteristic to be measured
• Attribute – measurement (objective or subjective)
• Increase quality = increased productivity, increased
cost effectiveness, decreased cost risk

Management
• Review Guide Tips
– Primary responsibility for quality management is the PM
– Results of increase in quality
• Increased productivity
• Increased cost effectiveness
• Decreased cost risk
– Quality attributes – can be subjective, objective and
are specific characteristics for which a project is
designed and tested
– Quality assurance – example is team training
– Cost of Conformance = team training

Management
– Marginal Analysis: optimal quality is reached when
incremental revenue from improvement equals the
incremental cost to secure
– Standard Deviation: how far away from mean
– Variable: characteristic you want to measure
– Attribute: measurement (subjective or objective)
– Ultimate Responsibility – Employee
– Overall Responsibility – PM
– Design/Test Specifications - Engineer

Management
– If quality sample size increases, the quality control
band decreases
– Product Cost plus Operations and Maintenance costs
increase perceived value when balanced
– Cost of Conformance = training
– Crosby Absolutes of Quality – performance of
standard is zero defects and the measurement
system is the cost of non-conformance
– Deming & Japanese are associated with Quality
Improvement programs
– Quality Control – performed by operating personnel

Management
– Quality objectives are approved in conceptual stage
by project owner
– QA – auditing function that provides feedback to team
and client about quality of output being produced
– If sample size is a constant and acceptance numbers
increase, the producers risk decreases and consumer
risk increases
– 85% of costs of quality are direct responsibility of
management

Chapter 9 – Human Resource
Management
• Project Human Resource Management
– Processes required to make the most efficient use of
people
– 3 major processes:
• Organizational Planning
• Staff Acquisitions
• Team Development
– Keep in mind of transient nature of projects
– Apply techniques that apply to current project needs
– Ensure HR compliance with project management
activities

Management
– 1,9 manager = good relationship with team
– Project Organization
• Conflict between PM and Functional Managers
• Dual allegiance of team members
• Complex prioritization of resources
• Loss of developed procedures on project dissolution
– Compromise = both sides will lose
– Delegation
• Defer the decision
• Interpreted as passive
• Emphasize task vs. personnel
• Can be frequently used

Management
– If there is a team of experts, PM decisions will
promote high satisfaction
– Functional/Project Managers likely to exercise:
• Power
• Authority
• Influence
– Traditional organization forms have no single point of
contact for client/sponsor

Management
• Organizational Planning
– Identifying, documenting and assigning
project roles, responsibilities, and reporting
relationships
• Individual and group assignments
• Internal and external employees
• Linked with communication planning

Management
• Inputs to Organizational Planning
– Project Interfaces
• Organizational interfaces – formal and informal reporting
relationships among organizational units
• Technical interfaces - formal and informal reporting
relationships among technical disciplines
– Engineers, manufacturers, electrical, etc.
• Interpersonal interfaces – formal and informal reporting
relationships among individuals
– Staffing Requirements – define skill sets from
individual/group in particular time frames

Management
• Inputs to Organizational Planning
– Constraints – factors that limit project team’s
options
• Organizational structure (strong vs. weak matrix)
• Collective bargaining agreements – contractual
arrangements
• Preferences of project management team
• Expected staff assignments

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Organizational Planning
– Templates – reuse a similar project’s role and
responsibility definitions
– Human Resource Practices – corporate policies,
guidelines, and practices
– Organizational Theory – how organizations are
structured
– Stakeholder Analysis – needs of stakeholders are
ensured

Management
• Outputs from Organizational Planning
– Role and Responsibility Assignments – can vary over time,
closely linked to scope definition. Utilizes a Responsibility
Assignment Matrix (RAM) to define responsibility for each item in
the Work Breakdown Structure/task list
– Staffing Management Plan – when and how personnel are
included and removed from the project team
• Resource leveling, reduce transition periods, eliminate “dead time”
between assignments, sensitivity to morale
– Organizational Chart – display reporting relationships
• Organizational impact
• Job descriptions
• Training needs

Management
• Staff Acquisition
– Ensure resources are available for project work
• Inputs to Staff Acquisition
– Staffing Management Plan
– Staffing Pool Description
• Previous experience
• Personal interests
• Personal characteristics
• Availability
– Recruitment Practices

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Staff Acquisition
– Negotiations with functional managers and other
teams
• Staff utilization and corporate politics
– Pre-assignment – result of a competitive proposal, or
an internal initiative
– Procurement – outside services are needed (lacking
internal skills or availability can not be met)
• Outputs from Staff Acquisition
– Project staff assigned
– Project Team Directory – contact list

Management
• Team Development – enhancing stakeholders to
contribute along with maintaining the project team’s
functionality
– Personal development is the foundation
– Team members often balance responsibilities to a functional
manager and project manager
• Critical to success of project
• Inputs to Team Development
– Project Staff
– Project Plan
– Staffing Management Plan
– Performance Reports
– External Feedback
• Periodic measurements of performance

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Team Development
– Team-building activities
– General Management Skills
– Reward and recognition systems
• Promote desired behavior
• Must be achievable; apply to the project
• Cultural differences recognition
– Co-location – place members in physical location
– Training – enhance skills, knowledge, and capabilities of project
team
• Must be factored in cost analysis of project

Management
• Outputs from Team Development
– Performance Improvements
• Individual skills
• Team Behavior
• Identify more efficient methods of work
– Input for performance appraisals

Management
– Roles and responsibilities
• Project Manger – plan, estimate and schedule of project
• Team – help prepare the WBS, Network Diagrams, and estimate
time for tasks, complete tasks
• Senior Management – approve Overall project plan, budget and
schedule and to approve any changes that are made to those
figures
• The person experiencing the problem must try to solve it themselves
as long as means are in their control
– Powers:
• Formal (legitimate)
• Reward
• Penalty (coercive)
• Expert (earned)
• Referent – authority of a higher position

Management
– Best are Expert and Reward; Penalty is the worst
• Formal, Reward and Penalty derived from PM’s position within the
company
– Conflict
• Inevitable consequence of organizational interactions
• Can be beneficial
• Resolved by identifying the causes and problem solving by people
that are involved & their immediate manager
• Nature of project
• Limited power of the project manager
• Necessity for obtaining resources from functional managers

Management
– Avoid conflict
• Informing the team
• Clearly assigning tasks without ambiguity
• Challenging and interesting work assignments
– Conflict Sources (in order of frequency)
• Schedules
• Project Priorities
• Resources
• Technical opinions
• Administrative Procedures
• Cost
• Personality

Management
– Motivational Theories
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs – people work to get a
chance to contribute and use their skills
– ‘self-actualization’
• McGregor’s Theory of X and Y
– X – people need to be watched every minute
– Y – people willing to work without supervision
• Herzberg’s Theory – poor hygiene factors destroy
motivation but improving them will not improve motivation
– Motivating Agents
» Responsibility
» Self-actualization
» Professional growth
» Recognition

Management
– Responsibility Charts
• Matrix – cross references team members with tasks (does
not show time – when job is done)
• Histogram – months vs. number of resources
• Gantt Chart – shows when staff allocated to tasks
– Leadership Skills
• Directive
• Facilitating
• Coaching
• Supportive
– Team Building Skills

Management
– Projectized Organization
• Conflict between PM and Functional Managers
• Dual Allegiance of team members
• Complex prioritization of resources
• Loss of developed procedures on project dissolution
– Compromise – both sides will lose
– Delegation
• Defer the decision
• Interpreted as passive
• Emphasize task vs. personnel
• Can be frequently utilized

Chapter 10 – Project
Communications Management
• Project Communications Management
– Processes to ensure timely and proper generation,
collection, dissemination and disposition of project
information
– General communications management
• Communications Planning – determining informational
needs, who needs what and when; 90% of PM’s time is spent
communicating
• Information Distribution – making information available
• Performance Reporting – collecting and disseminating
project information
• Administrative Closure – formalize project/phase
completion

• Communications Planning
– Determining information requirements of stakeholders
– Tightly linked with organizational planning
• Inputs to Communications Planning
– Communication requirements – sum of the information
requirements of the stakeholders
• Define type and format of information with analysis of value of
information
• Project organization and stakeholder responsibility relationships
• Disciplines, departments and specialties involved in project
• Logistics of number of individuals at location
• External communication needs (media)

– Communication Technology – used to transfer
information
• Immediacy of need for information
• Availability of technology
• Expected project staffing – compatible with personnel
experience
• Length of project – will technology change during duration?
– Constraints – factors that limit project team’s options
– Assumptions

• Tools & Techniques for Communication Planning
– Stakeholder analysis – informational needs should be analyzed
to develop methodology suited for the project; eliminate
unnecessary information or technologies
• Outputs from Communications Planning
– Communication Management Plan
• Collection and filing structure to detail the gathering and storage of
information; updating and dissemination
• Distribution structure – who gets info in certain format; compatible
with project organization chart
• Description of information included – format, level of detail,
conventions
• Production schedules of each type of communication
• Methods for accessing information
• Method for updating and refining communications plan

• Information Distribution – making information
available in a timely manner by implementing the
communications plan; responding to requests for
information
• Inputs to Information Distribution
– Work Results
– Communication Management Plan
– Project Plan

• Tools & Techniques for Information
Distribution
– Communication Skills – used to exchange information.
Sender is responsible for clarity; receiver is responsible for
receipt and understanding
– Information retrieval systems – filing systems, software
– Information distribution systems – meetings,
correspondence, networked databases, video/audio
conferencing
• Outputs from Information Distribution
– Project Records – maintained in an organized fashion

• Performance Reporting
– Collecting and disseminating performance indicators to provide
stakeholders information how resources are achieving project
objectives
• Status reporting
• Progress reporting
• Forecasting
• Project scope, schedule, cost and quality, risk and procurement
• Inputs to Performance Reporting
– Project Plan
– Work Results – deliverables completed, % completed, costs
incurred
– Other Project records

• Tools & Techniques for Performance Reporting
– Performance reviews – meetings to assess status
– Variance Analysis – comparing actual results to planned or
expected results (baseline); cost and schedule most frequent
– Trend Analysis – examining results over time to determine
performance
– Earned Value Analysis – integrates scope, cost and schedule
measures – calculate 3 keys:
• Budgeted Cost of Work (BCWS) – portion of approved cost estimate
planned to be spent on activity during a given period
• Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP) – total of direct and indirect cost
incurred in accomplishing work on activity in a given period
• Earned Value (Budgeted Cost of Work Performed – BCWP) – percentage
of total budget equal to percentage of work actually completed
– Cost Variance (CV) = BCWP – ACWP
– Schedule Variance (SV) = BCWP – BCWS
– Cost Performance Index (CPI) = BCWP/ACWP
– Information Distribution Tools & Techniques

• Outputs from Performance Reporting
– Performance Reports – organize and summarize
information gathered and present results
• Bar charts, Gantt charts, S-curves, etc.
– Change Requests – handled as part of change control
• Administrative Closure
– Projects/phases after achieving results or terminated require
closure
– Verifying and documenting project results to formalize acceptance
– Collection of project records, analysis of effectiveness, reflect final
specifications and archiving of material

• Inputs to Administrative Closure
– Performance Measurement Documentation – includes planning
docs; all information that records and analyzes performance
– Documentation of product and project
– Other project records
• Tools & Techniques of Administrative
Closure
– Performance Reporting tools & techniques
• Outputs from Administrative Closure
– Product Archives –complete index of all records, database
updates
– Formal Acceptance – signoffs from client or sponsor
– Lessons Learned

• Tips from Review Guide
– Understand all concepts and major points
– Memorize the communications model
– Understand the inputs/outputs of Administrative
Closure
– Understand how administrative closure differs from
contract closeout
• Contract closeout has product verification and administrative
closeout but the contract terms may have special
provisions/procedures for closeout

• Communication Model
– Messages are encoded by sender and decoded by
receiver based on receiver’s education, experience,
language and culture
• Sender should encode message carefully
– Nonverbal
– Paralingual (pitch and tone)
– Active Listening – receiver confirms they are listening, confirms
agreement and ask for clarification
– Effective Listening – watching speaker, think before speaking,
ask questions, repeating and providing feedback

• Communication Methods
– Pick the form of communication that is best
for the situation
• Formal Written – complex problems, All Plans,
communicating over long distances
• Formal Verbal – Presentations, speeches
• Informal Written – memos, e-mail, notes
• Informal Verbal – Meetings, conversations

• Communication Blockers
– Noise, Distance, Improper en-coding, “bad idea”, Hostility, Language,
Culture
• Performance Reporting
– Status Reports (where project stands)
– Progress Reports (what has been accomplished)
– Trend Report (project results over time)
– Forecasting Report (projecting future status)
– Variance Report (actual results vs. planned)
– Earned Value
• Communication Channels – communications grow at a
linear rate
– N (N-1)/2 where N = the number of people
– Example 4 people equals 6 communication channels

• To determine if someone understands message feedback must be
obtained
• Unanimous Agreement
– All members committed
– Decisions reached slowly
– Integrity is developed
– Future decision making is enhanced
• Clearly defined group goals
– Motivate team behavior
– Cause tension until completed
– Encourage member identification
• Complex messages need oral, written and non verbal methods
• There are 5 directions of communication
• Façade – when an individual processed needed information but
withholds the information

• Least effective form of communication for complex situations is verbal and
formal
• If there are a team of experts, PM decisions will likely promote high
satisfaction
• Functional/Project Mangers likely to exercise
– Power
– Authority
– Influence
• Traditional organization forms have no single point of contact for
clients/sponsors
• To determine if someone understands message, must obtain feedback
• Unanimous Agreement – all members committed, decisions reached slowly,
integrity is developed, future decision making is enhanced
• Clearly defined group goals: motivate team behavior, cause tension until
completed, encourage member interaction
• Complex messages need oral, written and non verbal methods
• Least effective form of communication for complex issues: verbal and formal

Chapter 11 – Project Risk
Management
• Project Risk Management
– Includes identifying, analyzing, and responding to risk
areas; maximizing results of positive events and
minimizing consequences of adverse events
• Risk Identification – which are likely to affect the project
• Risk Quantification – evaluation of risk to assess the range of
possible outcomes
– Sometimes treated as single process; risk analysis/assessment
• Risk Response Development – defining enhancement steps for
opportunities and response
– Sometimes called response planning/mitigation
• Risk Response Control – responding to changes in risk over
course of project
– May be combined as risk management

Management
• Risk Identification
– Determining which risks are likely to affect the project
and documenting them
– Performed on a regular basis; address internal and
external risks
• Internal – project team has control/influence over
• External – beyond project team’s control
– Identify cause and effect and effects and causes;
what could happen vs. what outcomes should be
avoided

Management
• Inputs to Risk Identification
– Product Description – more risk associated with unproven
technologies (innovation/invention). Often described in terms of
cost and schedule impact
– Other Planning Reports
• WBS (any non-traditional approaches)
• Cost/Duration Estimates – aggressive schedules; limited amount of
information
• Staffing Plan – hard to replace/source skill sets
• Procurement Management Plan – market conditions
– Historical Information – previous projects
• Project Files
• Commercial Databases
• Project Team Knowledge – member experiences

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Risk Identification
– Checklists – organized by source of risk, included
project context, process outputs, product and
technology issues, internal sources
– Flowcharting – understand cause and effect
relationships
– Interviewing – conversations with stakeholders

Management
• Outputs from Risk Identification
– Sources of Risk – categories of possible risk events, all-inclusive
• Changes in requirements
• Design errors, omissions, misunderstanding
• Poorly defined roles and responsibilities
• Insufficiently skilled staff
– Include estimate of probability, range of possible outcomes, expected timing, anticipated frequency
– Potential Risk Events – discrete occurrences that may affect
project
• Identified when probability/magnitude of loss is high (e.g. turnover)
– New technologies obsolete need of product
– Socio, Political and Economic events
– Include estimate of probability, range of possible outcomes, expected timing, anticipated frequency
– Risk Symptoms – triggers that are indirect manifestations of
actual risk events (e.g. poor morale)
– Inputs to other processes – identify need in another area;
constraints and assumptions

Management
• Risk Quantification
– Evaluation of possible project outcomes and determining which
events warrant response
• Opportunities and threats can provide unanticipated results (e.g.
schedule delay considers a new strategy)
• Multiple effects from a single event
• Singular Stakeholder opportunities may force suffering in other
areas
• Reliance on statistics and forecasting (mathematical errors)
• Inputs to Risk Quantification
– Stakeholder risk tolerance
• More capital to expend; perceptions of severity
– Sources of Risk
– Potential Risk Events
– Cost Estimates

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Risk Quantification
– Expected Monetary Value – product of 2 numbers
• Risk Event Probability – estimate that event will occur
• Risk Event Value – estimate of gain or loss
– Statistical Sums – calculate range of total costs from
cost estimates for individual work items
– Simulation – representation or model; provide
statistical distribution of calculated results.
• Monte Carlo, Critical Path, PERT techniques
– Decision Trees – depicts key interactions among
decisions and possible outcomes
– Expert Judgment

Management
• Outputs from Risk Quantification
– Opportunities to pursue; threats to respond
– Opportunities to ignore; threats to accept
• Risk Response Development
– Defining enhancement steps for opportunities and
responses to threats
• Avoidance – eliminating threat by eliminating the cause
• Mitigation – reducing expected monetary value of event by
reducing the probability of occurrence
• Acceptance – accept the consequences (active -
contingency plan - or passive response)

Management
• Inputs to Risk Response Development
– Opportunities to pursue, threats to respond
– Opportunities to ignore, threats to accept
• Tools & Techniques for Risk Response
Development
– Procurement – acquire resources (exchange 1 risk for
another)
– Contingency Planning – defining action steps should a risk
event occur
– Alternative Strategies – change planned approach
– Insurance

Management
• Outputs from Risk Response Development
– Risk Management Plan – document procedures to manage risk
events. Addresses risk identification and quantification
processes, personnel responsible for managing areas of risk,
maintenance of identification and quantification process,
implementation of contingency plans and allocation of reserve
– Inputs to other processes – alternative strategies, contingency
plans, anticipated procurements
– Contingency Plans
– Reserves – provision in project plan to mitigate costs and
schedule risks. Used with a modifier (management, schedule,
budget) to provide further detail when type of reserve can be
used
– Contractual Agreements – insurance, services and other
functions to avoid and mitigate threats.

Management
• Risk Response Control
– Involves executing the risk management plan in order
to respond to risk events during the project
• Control and iteration are required; not all risks can be
identified
• Inputs to Risk Response Control
– Risk Management Plan
– Actual Risk Events – recognize occurrence
– Additional Risk Identification – surfacing of potential or
actual risk sources

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Risk Response
Control
– Workarounds – unplanned responses to negative risk events
(response was not defined in advance)
– Additional Risk Response Development – planned
response may not be adequate
• Outputs from Risk Response Control
– Corrective Action – performing the planned risk response
– Updates to Risk Management Plan

Management
– Definition of risk: a discrete occurrence that may
affect the project for good or bad
– Definition of uncertainty: an uncommon state of
nature, characterized by the absence of any
information related to a desired outcome
– Definition of risk management: The processed
involved with identifying, analyzing, and responding to
risk. Maximize results of positive events; minimizing
consequences of negative events

Management
– Inputs to Risk Management:
• All project background information
• Historical records
• Past Lessons Learned
• Project Charter
• Scope Statement
• Scope of work
• WBS
• Network Diagram
• Cost and Time estimates
• Staffing Plan

Management
– Risk Management Process
• Risk Identification – majority during Planning; onset of
project to close of project
– 2 Types
» Business: Risk of a gain or loss
» Pure (insurable): only a risk of loss
– Sources:
» External: Regulatory, environmental, government
» Internal: Schedule, cost, scope change, inexperience,
planning, people, staffing, materials, equipment
» Technical: Changes in technology
» Unforeseeable: small (only about 10%)

Management
• Risk Factors – determine:
– Probability that it will occur (what)
– Range of possible outcomes (impact, amount at stake)
– Expected Timing (when)
– Anticipated frequency (how often)
• Symptoms – early warning signs determined by PM
• Risk Tolerances – amount of risk that is acceptable

Management
– Common Stumbling Blocks
• Risk identification is completed without knowing enough about the
project
• Project Risk evaluated only by questionnaire, interview or Monte
Carlo; does not provided a per task analysis of risk
• Risk identification ends too soon
• Project Risk identification and Evaluation are combined – results in
risks that are evaluated when they appear; decreased total number
of risks and stops identification process
• Risks are identified too generally
• Categories of risks are forgotten (technology, culture)
• Only 1 identification method is used
• First risk response strategy is used without other consideration
• Risks are not devoted enough attention during the Execution phase

Management
• Risk Quantification – assess risks to determine range of
possible outcomes; which risk events warrant a response
– Probability
– Amount at stake (impact)
– Develop a ranking (priority) of risks
» Qualitative – take an educated guess
» Quantitative – estimation by calculation
• Risk Assessment = Risk Identification + Risk Quantification

Management
• Monte Carlo simulation – simulates cost and schedule
results of project
– Indicates risk of a project and each task by providing a percent
probability that each task will be on the critical path
– Accounts for path convergence (where tasks in a Network
diagram converge into 1 task – more risk)
• Expected Monetary Value – multiply probability by impact
– Helps define and prove what the project reserve should be
• Decision Trees
– Takes into account future events when making a decision today
– Makes use of expected value calculations and mutual
exclusivity
– Be able to draw one; boxes are decisions, circles are what can
happen as a result of the decision

Management
• Outputs from Risk Quantification
– Determination of top risks
– Opportunities to pursue
– Opportunities to ignore
– Threats to respond to
– Threats to ignore

Management
• Risk Response Development (what will be done,
how to make risk smaller or eliminate)
– Not all risks can be eliminated
– Alternative Strategies (risk mitigation)
» Avoidance – eliminate the cause
» Mitigation – effect the probability or impact of risk
» Acceptance – do nothing
» Deflection (transfer, allocate) – make another party
responsible, insurance, outsourcing

Management
• Outputs from Risk Response Development
– Insurance – exchange an unknown risk for a known risk
(response to pure risks)
– Contracting – hire experience to perform work
– Contingency Planning – specific actions to take if risk event
occurs
– Reserves (contingency) – recommended total of 10% to
account for known and unknown risks
• Risk Management Plan – documents risks identified and
how they are addressed; non-critical risks should be
recorded to revisit during the execution phase

Management
• Risk Response Control – executing and updating
the Risk Management Plan
– Workarounds – Unplanned responses to risks;
addressing risks that were unanticipated
– Contingency Plans – planned responses to risks; risk
response development actions

Management
– Risk Mitigation – does not involve ID of risks (they are
already known)
– Self Insurance – can lead to failure to ensure funds for low
probability events and confuse business risks with pure risks
– Risk mitigation – can purchase insurance
– Schedule Risk – critical path adjusted by High Risk activity
float
– Sensitivity Analysis – estimate the effect of change of one
project variable on overall project
– Standard Deviation of project completion –
relationship of uncertainty of critical path activities; indicator of
project end target confidence

Chapter 12 – Project Procurement
Management
• Project Procurement Management
– Processes required to acquire goods and services
from outside the organization
– Discussed from the perspective of the buyer
• Terms and conditions of the contract is a key input to many
processes
• Buyer is the customer, thus a key stakeholder
• Seller’s project management team must be concerned with
all processes of project management, not just their
knowledge area

Management
• Procurement Planning
– Identify project needs that can best be met by
acquiring resources
– Consideration whether to procure, how to, how much,
when to purchase
– Subcontractor decisions may provide flexibility
• Internal procurement does not involve formal solicitation and
contract

Management
• Inputs to Procurement Planning
– Scope Statement – boundary for needs and
strategies
– Product Description – broad technical issues, not to
be confused with a statement of work
– Procurement Resources – formal contracting group
(RFP)
– Market Conditions – supply and demand, what
services are available
– Other Planning Outputs – preliminary cost and
schedule, quality management plans, cash flow,
WBS, risks, staffing
– Constraints – factors that limit buying options
– Assumptions

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Procurement
Planning
– Make or Buy analysis – determine if the service can
be provided from within
• Include direct and indirect costs
• Factor ongoing need for items vs. 1-time usage
– Expert Judgment – assess input
– Contract type selection
• Fixed Price (lump sum) – incentives for meeting targets
• Cost Reimbursable Contracts – Time and Materials basis
• Unit Price – preset amount per unit of service

Management
• Outputs from Procurement Planning
– Procurement Management Plan – describes how
procurement process will be managed
• Type of contract
• Independent estimates needed?
• Autonomy of project team
• Standardized documents
• Multiple provider management?
• Incorporate with other project aspects (scheduling and performance
reporting)
– Statement of Work (SOW) – describes the procurement
in detail – clear, concise description of services
• Can also be a Statement of Requirements for problem-solving
activities

Management
• Solicitation Planning
– Preparing documents needed
• Inputs to Solicitation Planning
– Procurement Management Plan
– Statement of Work
– Other Planning Outputs
• Tools & Techniques for Solicitation Planning
– Standard Forms and Procedures
– Expert Judgment

Management
• Outputs from Solicitation Planning
– Procurement Documents – used to solicit proposals from
prospective sellers
• Bids, Request for Proposal, Request for Quotation, Contractor Initial
Response, etc.
• Structure to receive complete and accurate responses
– Description of desired form of response and any required contractual provisions
(e.g. non-disclosure statements)
– May be defined by regulation
– Flexible to allow seller suggestions
– Evaluation Criteria – rate proposals; objective or subjective
(previous experience)
• Price
• Understanding of need by seller
• Overall/Life Cycle cost (purchase plus operating cost)
• Technical Capability
• Management Approach
• Financial Capacity
– Statement of Work Updates

Management
• Solicitation
– Obtaining information from prospective sellers
• Inputs to Solicitation
– Procurement Documents
– Qualified Seller Lists – preferred vendors
• Tools & Techniques for Solicitation
– Bidder Conferences – mutual understanding meetings
– Advertising – primarily with Government projects
• Outputs from Solicitation
– Proposals – seller prepared documents describing willingness
and ability to provide the service

Management
• Source Selection
– Apply evaluation criteria (seldom straight-forward)
• Price (lowest price may not always result in lowest project
cost)
• Technical (approach) vs. commercial (price)
• Multiple sourcing may be needed for same service
• Inputs to Source Selection
– Proposals
– Evaluation Criteria
– Organizational Policies

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Source Selection
– Contract Negotiation – clarification and mutual agreement on
structure and requirements of contract prior to signature
• Responsibilities and authorities
• Applicable terms and law
• Financing
• Price
• Technical and business management
– Weighting – quantifying data to minimize personal prejudice of
source selection
• Assign numerical weight to evaluation criteria
• Rating sellers
• Multiply weight by rating and totaling overall score
– Screening System – establish minimum performance criteria
– Independent Estimates – “should cost” estimates

Management
• Outputs from Source Selection
– Contract – mutually binding agreement obligates
seller provide goods and services and buyer to make
payment.
• Legal relationship
• Legal review is most often necessary

Management
• Contract Administration
– Ensuring that the seller’s performance meets
contractual requirements
• Project Team must be aware of legal ramifications of all
actions taken
• Apply project management processes to contractual
relationships and integrate outputs within the project
– Project Plan Execution (authorize work)
– Performance Reporting (monitor cost, schedule)
– Quality Control (verify contractor’s output)
– Change Control
– Financial Management

Management
• Inputs to Contract Administration
– Contract
– Work Results – seller’s deliverables, quality
standards, actual costs
– Change Requests – modify contract, or
description of product/service
• May result in disputes, claims, appeals
– Seller Invoices

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Contract
Administration
– Contract Change Control System – defines
how a contract may be modified
• Includes paperwork, tracking system, dispute resolution
procedures and approval levels
– Performance Reporting
– Payment System – Accounts Payable

Management
• Contract Close Out
– Similar to administrative closure; involves product
verification and administrative paperwork
• Early termination is a special case
• Contract terms and conditions may prescribe procedures
• Inputs to Contract Close Out
– Contract Documentation – supporting schedules,
documentation

Management
• Tools & Techniques for Contract Close Out
– Procurement Audits – structured review of entire
procurement process; identify successes and failures
that warrant transfer to other procurement items
• Outputs from Contract Close Out
– Contract File – complete index of records
– Formal Acceptance and Closure – contract
administration responsibility to provide a formal notice
that contract has been completed

Management
– Most questions are process oriented
– Most questions are from the buyer’s perspective
– Contracts are formal agreements
– All requirements should be specifically stated in the
contract
– All contract requirements must be met
– Changes must be in writing and formally controlled
– US Government backs all contracts by providing a
court system

Management
– What forms a contract
• An offer
• An acceptance
• Consideration - something of value
• Legal Capacity – separate legal parties, competent parties
• Legal Purpose – can not perform illegal goods or services

Management
– Project Manager’s role for procurement
• Risk identification and evaluation
• Work within the procurement process
– Procurement Process
• Procurement Planning = Make or buy
• Solicitation Planning = Request for Proposal
• Solicitation = Questions and Answers
• Source Selection = Pick vendor
• Contract Administration = Admin
• Contract Closeout = Finish

Management
– Make or Buy: consider out of pocket costs and
indirect cost of managing procurement
– Buy – to decrease risk (cost, schedule, performance,
scope of work)
– Make
• Idle plant or workforce
• Retain control
• Proprietary information/procedures
• Buy vs. lease questions (use X = number of days when
purchase and lease costs are equal)

Management
– Contract Type Selection – reasonable risk between
the buyer and seller and greatest initiative for seller’s
efficient and economic performance
• Scope – well defined?
• Amount or frequency of changes expected after start date
• Amount of effort and expertise the buyer can devote to
manage the seller
• Industry standards

Management
– Cost Reimbursable (CR); seller’s cost are reimbursed;
buyer bears highest risk (cost increases)
• CPFF – cost plus fixed fee, buyer pays all costs – fee (profit)
established
• CPPC – cost plus percentage of costs; bad for buyers (seller
not motivated to control costs)
• CPIF – cost plus Incentive Fee; seller costs + fee + bonus for
meeting/exceeding target (incentive clause)

Management
– Time and Materials; priced on per hour basis,
elements of fixed price contract and cost
reimbursable contracts – buyer has medium risk
– Fixed Price (lump sum, or firm fixed price) - most
common (1 price for all work), risk of costs is upon
seller
• FPIF – Fixed Price Incentive Fee
• FPEPA – Fixed Price Economic Price Adjustment – long
duration projects
– Incentives – help bring seller’s objectives in line with
buyer’s

Management
– Incentive Fee and Final Price Calculations
• Must Have:
– Target Cost
– Target Fee
– Target Price
– Sharing Ratio (buyer/seller)
– Actual Cost
• Fee = (Target Cost – Actual Cost) x Seller Ratio (%)
• Total Fee = Fee + Target Fee
• Final Price = Actual Cost + Total Fee

Management
– Procurement Documents, Contract Type and
Scope of Work
• Request for Proposal – Cost Reimbursable – Performance
or Functional Scope (can be somewhat loosely defined)
• Invitation for Bid – Time & Materials – Design Scope
(moderately defined)
• Request for Quotation – Fixed Price – Any Scope (must be
detailed)

Management
– Terminology (Terms and Conditions)
• Force majeure – act of God
• Indemnification – who is liable
• Liquidated damages – estimated damages as a result of
contract breach
• Material breach – a breach so large the project may not
continue
• Special Provisions – provided by the Project Manager to
contracts so that particular needs are addressed
• Privity – contractual relationship
• Single Source – contract directly with preferred seller
• Sole Source – only one supplier available in market

Management
– Evaluation Criteria
• Understanding of need
• Overall or life-cycle cost
• Technical ability
• Management Approach
• Financial Capacity
• Project Management Ability
– Invitation for Bids are usually not evaluated with entire criteria
(lowest rate is chosen)

Management
– Solicitation
• Bidder’s Conference
– Benefit both buyer and seller
– Watch out for
» Collusion
» Sellers not asking questions in front of their competition
» Make sure all questions and answers are in writing and
issued to all sellers (respond to same scope in work)

Management
– Source Selection
• Negotiation Objectives
– Obtain a fair and reasonable price
– Development a good relationship with seller
» Project manager must be involved
– Main Terms to negotiate
» Responsibilities
» Authority
» Applicable Law
» Technical and Business Management approaches
» Contract Financing
» Price

Management
– Contract Administration – assure that seller’s
performance meets contractual requirements
• Project Managers must understand the contract and manage
its completion
– Sometimes contract is in conflict with Scope of Work
– Only the contracting officer (CO) can change contract language
» Often a source of conflict
» Need to deal with a different company’s set of procedures
» It is not as easy to “see” problems
» Greater reliance on reports to determine if a problem exists
» Greater reliance on relationships between buyer and seller’s
project managers

Management
– Contract Closeout – more attention to
documentation and completion of files
• All documentation must be preserved and filed
• Centralized vs. decentralized contracting
– Contract Interpretation
• Based on analysis of intent

Management
– Fee = Target Cost – Actual Cost X Seller Ratio ($)
– Total Fee = Fee plus Target Fee
– Final Price = Actual Cost plus Total Fee
– Contractor = seller
– Purchasing Cycle – define need, prepare and issue purchase
order
– Functional Spec – delineates specific end-use capabilities that
are tested in acceptance procedure
– Measurable Capabilities = Performance Specifications
– Requisition Cycle – review of specification completeness
– Requirements Cycle – develops the statement of work

Supplement – Professional
Responsibility
• 6th
Process area added
– Insuring Integrity and professionalism
– Contributing to the project management knowledge base
– Enhancing individual competence
– Balancing Stakeholders’ interests
– Interacting with team and stakeholders in a professional and
cooperative manner
• Could be approx. 30 questions in this area
• Understand Project Management Professional Code
of Conduct
– Ethics
– Legal Issues
– Cultural Sensitivity
– Managing conflicts of interest

Responsibility
• Integrity and Professionalism
– Understand the legal requirements surrounding the
practice of projects
– Know ethical standards that should govern the
behavior of project managers
– Comprehend the values of the community and the
various project stakeholders
– Practice proper judgment in the pursuit of successful
project work
– Compliance with all organizational rules and policies
• Upon a reasonable and clear factual basis report violations
• Responsibility to disclose circumstances that could be
construed as a conflict of interest or appearance of
impropriety

Responsibility
• Integrity and Professionalism
– Provide accurate and truthful representation to the
public
– Maintain and satisfy the scope and objectives of
professional services
– Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information
– Ensure a conflict of interest does not compromise
legitimate interests of client/customer or interfere with
professional judgment
– Refrain from accepting gifts, inappropriate payments,
compensation for personal gain unless in conformity
with applicable laws or customs

Responsibility
• Contribute to advancing the project management
profession
– Overall understanding of project management principles
– Understand the community and media surrounding projects
– Knowledge of research strategies available and proper
communication techniques
– Learn to communicate and transfer knowledge effectively as a
coach and mentor and to use available research strategies
– Respect and recognize intellectual property
• Enhance Individual Competence
– Understand the project manager’s strengths and weaknesses and
learning style – become aware of instructional processes and tools
– Know the useful competencies for project managers and possible
training
– Be able to perform self-assessment and competencies development
plan
– Ability to apply lessons learned

Responsibility
• Balance Stakeholder’s Objectives
– Understand the various competing stakeholders’ interests and
needs
– Comprehend the conflict resolution techniques useful in handling
differing objectives
– Be able to resolve conflicts in a fair manner
– Exercise negotiation skills based on proper information
• Interact with team and stakeholders in a professional
and cooperative manner
– Understand cultural diversity, norms and stakeholders’
communication styles
– Show flexibility towards diversity, tolerance and self control
– Becoming empathetic to differences

Project Management Professional (PMI) Study Guide

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Project Management Professional (PMI) Study Guide