PMP Exam

studying for pmp exam

Ishikawa Diagram

• fishbone/cause and effect diagram

• used to identify cause of defect

Pareto Diagram

• histogram

• display frequency

• used for quality

Scatter Diagram

shows degree + direction of trends

Control Chart

• tells if a process is in control

• identifies rule of seven

Rule of Seven

must be 7 consecutive points above/below middle line for process to be out of control

Project

temporary endeavor that produces a unique product

Operation

things that never ends

Progressive Elaboration

as time is progressing things in a project become more elaborate

Project Management

• application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to satisfy project requirements

• people management

Program Management

group of projects coordinated to obtain benefits not available managed individually

Program Manager

manages team of project managers

Project Management Office (PMO)

structure that standardizes processes and facilitates sharing of resources

Supportive PMO

supports PM, providing templates/lessons

Controlling PMO

determines framework and use of specific forms

Directive PMO

controls project, PM assigned and reports to PMO

Portfolio

collection of projects + programs managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives

Operation Management

deals with ongoing production (ex sales, IT, accounting)

Phase

collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of deliverables

Life Cycle

representation of the phases that a project goes from start to finish

System

set of interacting and interdependent components that function as a unified whole

Authority

right to exercise power and control individuals

Leadership

motivate people toward common goal, inspire them to align individual efforts in favor of collect efforts

Leading KPI

predicts changes or trends

Lagging KPI

measure project deliverables, provide info after the fact

SMART

specific, meaningful, achievable, relevant, and timely

Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF)

things that impact the project but are not part of the project itself

Organization Process Assets (OPA)

assets provided by business to help project

Project Management Plan

doc that defines how the project is executed, mc, and closed

PM Information System (PMIS)

automated system used to help PM optimize schedule + keep track of all docs and deliverables

Work Performance Data

raw data of status of work done

Work Performance Report

• overall status report

• work performance data compared against plan

Strong Matrix

full time PM and moderate to high control over resources

Weak/Functional Matrix

part time PM and resource availability controlled by the functional manager

Project-Oriented Structure

PM has high to complete control over resources

Hybrid Stucture

multiple structures of functional and project oriented PM

Project Charter

• doc formally authorize project

• outlines project objectives

• defines authority of PM

• includes business case, PM benefit plan, and agreements

Project Benefits Management Plan

describes main benefits the project will produce once completed and how to measure the benefits

Business Case

necessary info that determines whether or not project is worth investing

Assumption Log

list of things perceived to be true (assumptions) and things that might constrain the project

Stakeholder Grid

3D method to support mapping of stakeholder interest, power, and influence

Salience Model

power, legitimacy, and urgency

Stakeholder Register

contains contact info, role on project, communication requirements, expectation, affect, power influence level

Product Scope

features and functions that characterize a product/service

Project Scope

work needed to be accomplished to deliver a product with specified features and functions

Gold Plated

extra work not in scope

Scope Creep

unauthorized work added to scope

Scope Management Plan

how scope will be defined, developed, mc, and verified

Affinity Diagram

large ideas that are grouped together and sorted for further review and analysis

Context Diagrams

used to visually show how business process, other systems, and people interact

Requirement Traceability Matrix

once a requirement is created a table is created that will link requirement back to its source

Project Scope Statement

describes in detail project deliverables and work required to produce those deliverables

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

subdividing project deliverables and work into smaller more manageable components

Scope Baseline

3 components:

• project scope statement

• WBS

• WBS dictionary

WBS Dictionary

document detailing contents of the WBS, expanding info

Work Packages

broken down into activities

Activities

process of identifying and documenting specific actions to be performed to product deliverables

Rolling Wave Planning

near term work packages able to be defined in much great detail

Milestone List

key dates

Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)

• graphical representation of all work needed to be performed

• represents flow of project

• what work packages tie into another work package

Finish to Start

• most commonly used

• start of successors work package depends upon completion of its predecessor work package

Finish to Finish

completion of successor work package depends on completion of the predecessor work package

Start to Start

Start of successor work package depends upon start of its predecessor work package

Start to Finish

Completion of successor works package depends upon start of its predecessor work package

Mandatory Dependencies

• hard logic

• tangible limitation of packages that are tied together

• one work package must be completed before subsequent begin

• ex turn on computed before writing code

Discretionary Dependencies

• soft logic

• work packages tied together but don't have physical limitations

• work in unison or tandem

• ex cook dessert and dinner at the same time

External Dependencies

• work package relationship between project and non project activities

• non project activities outside project team control

• ex gas stations receive gas before can fill up gas tank

Internal Dependencies

project activities within control of the team

Lead

• amount of time successor activity can be advanced with respect to predecessor activity

• ex windows installed 3 wks before siding installed

Lag

• delay in successor work

• ex windows can't be scheduled to be installed until walls have been installed

Project Schedule Network Diagrams

system wide drawings show entire project work packages from start to finish

Analogous/Top Down Estimating

• rely on historical info to predict estimates for current project

• used when there is limit info

• costs less in time and money but gives least accuracy

Bottom Up Estimating

• takes a very long time to complete but highly accurate

• breaks down work to lowest levels and then aggregate work back up to find overall duration

Parametric

technique that uses statistical relationship between historical data and other variables to calculate estimate for activity parameters

Three Point Estimate

• calculates expected duration using weight avg 3 estimated optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely

• (O + P + 4M)/6

Basis of Estimates

how estimates were developed and their range

PERT

• scheduling tool that uses weighted average formula to predict length of activities and the project

• (optimistic + (4 x realistic) + pessimistic/6

Standard Deviation

(pessimistic - optimistic)/ 6

Triangle Distribution

(optimistic + realistic + pessimistic)/3

Critical Chain Method

method of planning and managing projects that puts more emphasis on the resources required to execute project tasks developed

Crashing Schedule

adding resources to a project activity

Fast Tracking

activities performed in parallel

Critical Path Method

• Used to identify longest sequence of dependent tasks required to complete a project

• Determines minimum total time needed to complete project and pinpoint tasks that can't be delayed without impact final project

Calculate Float/Slack

Float = LS-ES or LF-EF

Forward Pass

ES + Duration - 1 = EF

Backward Pass

Critical Path (LF) - duration + 1 - LS

Free Float

• amount of time task can be delayed without delaying early start of its immediate successor

• ES of next activity - EF of current activity - 1

Total Float

amount of time task can be delayed without delaying overall project completion date

Float

LF - EF

Definitive Estimate

-5% to +10%

Budget Estimate

-10% to + 25%

Rough Order of Magnitude Estimate

-25% to +75%

RACI chart

Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed, and prevents bottlenecks by clearly defining task ownership

Calculate Communication Channels

Channels = n(n-1)/2

n = number of people on the project

Negative Risks

threats

Positive Risks

Opportunities

Firm Fixed Price

Price stated in the agreement does not change, regardless of any type of environmental change.

Fixed Price Incentive Fee

Fixed-price contract with bonuses for meeting goals

Fixed Price Economic Price Adjustment

provides for upward and downward revision of the stated contract price upon the occurrence of specified contingencies

Time and Material Contract

• Time and material contract when buyer pays for both labor and material

• Buyer takes all the risk of cost overrun for both the labor and materials

• Should only be used when scope is high level

5 Levels of Stakeholder Engagement

unaware, resistant, neutral, supportive, and leading