PMP Terms 21

Plan Risk Responses

The process of developing options, selecting strategies, and agreeing on actions to address individual risks and overall project risk exposure.

Risk responses should be:

• Appropriate

• Cost-effective

• Timely

• Agreed upon

• Assigned to a responsible owner

Approved responses are documented in the Risk Register and may require updates to schedules, costs, assumptions, assignments, or other project plans.

Example (Izzy's Ice Cream):
Izzy’s identifies a risk that the supplier of black sesame paste may run out before the Black Sesame Brown Sugar Crunch launch. The team qualifies a backup supplier, assigns an owner, and updates the ingredient purchasing schedule.

Memory hook: Plan Risk Responses = decide what we’ll do, who owns it, and when.

Manage Project Execution

The process of performing the work defined in the Project Management Plan to achieve project objectives.

• Lead and coordinate the team and resources

• Produce deliverables

• Implement approved change requests

• Collect work performance data

• Record issues in the Issue Log

Approved changes must be incorporated into affected schedules, costs, resources, and project work.

Example (Izzy's Ice Cream):
The team develops and launches the new Maple Miso Pretzel Crunch flavor, implements an approved change to expand the tasting event, records actual costs and hours worked, and logs a supplier problem that arises during production.

Memory hook: Manage Project Execution = do the approved work and produce the deliverables.

Manage Project Execution

The process of ensuring project processes are effective, appropriate, and followed consistently so the project is more likely to meet its quality objectives.

• Focuses on process quality

• Includes audits, standards, compliance, and process improvement

• Helps identify ineffective processes and causes of poor performance

Example (Izzy's Ice Cream):
Izzy’s is developing a new Cardamom Rose Pistachio flavor. Quality assurance checks whether the team is consistently following the agreed recipe-development, tasting, allergy-review, and approval processes.

Memory hook: QA = Are we using the right process, the right way?

Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control

Quality Assurance (QA) → focuses on processes
Are we following effective processes, standards, and procedures?

Quality Control (QC) → focuses on deliverables/results
Does the actual product meet the required specifications?

Example (Izzy's Ice Cream):

• QA: Verify the flavor-development team follows the approved testing and allergy-review process.

• QC: Test the finished Cardamom Rose Pistachio batch to confirm taste, texture, temperature, and allergen-label requirements.

Memory hook: QA = process. QC = product.