Chapter 3 - Project Management Processes

Question 1

Project life cycle

Answer 1

The performing organization’s methodology for managing a project, i.e. the logical breakdown of what you need to do to produce the deliverables of the project

Question 2

Development life cycle

Answer 2

The collective phases within the project life cycle

Question 3

What is the development life cycle used for?

Answer 3

To ensure that the expected/planned result of each phase is achieved

Question 4

Difference between the project life cycle and project management process

Answer 4

• The project life cycle is what you need to do the work
• The project management process is what you need to do to mange the work

Question 5

Plan-driven project life cycle

Answer 5

Plan-driven projects have predictive development life cycles that require scope, schedule, and cost to be determined in detail early in the life of a project - before the work begins to produce the project deliverables

Question 6

Change-driven project life cycle

Answer 6

• Change-driven projects use iterative, incremental, or adaptive (agile) development life cycles, and have varying levels of early planning for scope, schedule, and cost

Question 7

Incremental development life cycle

Answer 7

Delivers a complete, usable portion of the product for each iteration

Question 8

Iterative development life cycle

Answer 8

The complete concept is built in successive levels of detail to create the end result

Question 9

Adaptive development life cycle

Answer 9

• Involves a fixed schedule as well as fixed costs
• Scope is broadly defined, with the understanding that it will berefined throughout the project
• The customer’s requirements are documented and prioritized in a backlog
• Work is planned in short increments to allow the customer to change and reprioritize requirements within the time and cost constraints

Question 10

Hybrid development life cycle

Answer 10

Combination of a predictive and adaptive life cycle

Question 11

In hybrid development life cycle approach, where to use preditive life cycle?

Answer 11

Used to manage the project requirements that are well defined

Question 12

In hybrid development life cycle approach, where to use adaptive life cycle?

Answer 12

Used to manage the requirements that are less clear

Question 13

Phase gate

Answer 13

• Occurs at the end of each phase
• Involves analyzing the results of the completed phase by comparing the results of the phase with the business documents, the project charter, and the PMP
• Based on the analysis, a decision is made whether to redo the phase, move forward with the next phase, or choose not to continue with the project

Question 14

Key points of Initiating phase

Answer 14

• PM decides whether the business case and benefits management plan can be achieved, and does high level planning to see if project can be completed given the constraints, scope, risks, etc.
• Stakeholders are identified
• Stakeholder analysis is performed
• Project is formally authorized when the sponsor signs the project charter

Question 15

Major actions in Initiating phase

Answer 15

• Develop project charter
• Identify stakeholders

Question 16

Outputs of Initiating phase

Answer 16

• Project charter
• Stakeholder register

Question 17

Progressive elaboration

Answer 17

The process of continually refining estimates and scope definition

Question 18

Reasons why project initiating is begun

Answer 18

1. There’s a business need
2. A new phase of the project has begun
3. The project has so many problems that you reevaluate the business need

Question 19

Key points of Planning phase

Answer 19

• PMP is developed, including plans for how to plan, execute, M+C, and close the project
• When PMP is complete, the sponsor approves it

Question 20

Major actions of Planning phase

Answer 20

• Develop PMP
• Plan scope management
• Collect requirements
• Define scope
• Create WBS
• Plan schedule management
• Define activities
• Sequence activities
• Estimate activity durations
• Develop schedule
• Plan cost management
• Estimate costs
• Determine budget
• Plan quality management
• Plan resource management
• Estimate activity resources
• Plan comms management
• Plan risk management
• Identify risks
• Perform qualitative/quantitative analysis
• Plan risk responses
• Plan procurement management
• Plan stakeholder management

Question 21

Reasons for entering project Planning

Answer 21

• Project initiating is complete
• Project executing necessitates ongoing planning
• Project M+C necessitates additional planning

Question 22

Outputs of Planning phase

Answer 22

• PMP
• Project documents that guide execution and control of the project

Question 23

Rolling wave planning

Answer 23

• A form of progressive elaboration, where the earliest parts of the project are planned in sufficient detail for work to begin
• Later phases are planned at a high level
• As the project progresses, plans are elaborated in sufficient detail to accomplish the work

Question 24

Project scope statement

Answer 24

Consists of the following:

• Description of the project deliverables
• Work required to complete the deliverables
• Acceptance criteria for the deliverables

Question 25

When to return to the Planning phase?

Answer 25

* **New stakeholders** are identified * **New risks** are identified * **Rolling wave planning** * **New info** becomes available through **progressive elaboration**

Question 26

Key points of Executing phase

Answer 26

* Team **completes work** according to **PMP** * Focus is on **leading** and **managing** the project

Question 27

Major actions of Executing phase

Answer 27

* **Direct and manage work** * **Manage project knowledge** * **Acquire resources** * **Develop team** * **Manage team** * **Manage comms** * **Implement risk responses** * **Conduct procurements** * **Manage stakeholder engagement**

Question 28

Reasons for entering Executing phase

Answer 28

* **Project planning** is **completed** * **PICC results** in a **changed PMP**

Question 29

Focus of Executing phase

Answer 29

**Managing** the **people, physical resources**, and the **work to accomplish** the project as planned

Question 30

Focus of M+C phase

Answer 30

**Ensuring** the project is **progessing** according to the plan, and **approving necessary changes** to the plan to meet the organization's **strategic objectives** and **delvier the expected benefits**

Question 31

Monitoring

Answer 31

* Requires the PM to focus their attention on **how the project is progressing** * PM must assess **how stakeholders** are **participating, communicating,** and **feeling about the project,** the **work,** and the **uncertainties that have been identified**

Question 32

Controlling

Answer 32

Requires **evaluating hard data** on **how the project is conforming to the PMP** and taking action to **address variances** that are outside of acceptable limits

Question 33

Key points of M+C phase

Answer 33

* **Progress is assessed** according to the **baselines** established in the PMP * If **variances** occur that warrant **changes**, the changes are evaluated in the **Perform Integrated Change Control (PICC)** process to **determine their impact** on the project, **identify** the **best options** for **dealing** with them, and decide whether they should be **approved/rejected/deferred**

Question 34

Reasons for entering M+C phase

Answer 34

* **Requested changes, including recommended corrective and preventive actions and defect repair, from all sources** * **Work performance data** * **Deliverables**

Question 35

Major actions of M+C phase

Answer 35

* **Monitor and control work** * **PICC** * **Monitor/control knowledge areas, i.e.,:** * **Validate/control scope** * **Control schedule** * **Control costs** * **Control quality** * **Control resources** * **Control procurements** * **Monitor comms** * **Monitor risks** * **Monitor stakeholder engagement**

Question 36

Key points of Closing phase

Answer 36

* Includes **admin activities** and **technical work** to **confirm that the final product is acceptable** * Will also include any work needed to **transfer the completed project** to those **who will use it** and to **solicit feedback** from the customer

Question 37

Reasons for entering Closing phase

Answer 37

* **Project phase is complete** * **Project is complete** * **Project is terminated**

Question 38

In what phases can changes be requested?

Answer 38

**Executing** and **M+C,** and in **P****lanning**during**rolling wave planning**