PMP Exam Prep Cheat Sheet Flashcards

Mindset and Decision-Making Strategy

• Core Purpose: The Project Manager mindset provides essential decision-making strategies to select optimal actions across Predictive, Adaptive (Agile), and Hybrid project management environments.

• PMI Code of Ethics Principles:

  • Responsibility: Taking ownership of decisions, commitments, and actions.

  • Respect: Demonstrating high regard for self, team members, stakeholders, and project resources.

  • Fairness: Making decisions impartially, objectively, and without bias.

  • Honesty: Understanding the truth and acting in an authentic, truthful manner.

• Guiding Principles (Do's and Don'ts):

  • Always Be Proactive: Follow established processes, procedures, and documentation without bypassing them. Ensure compliance and resolve issues within the team to maintain autonomy and efficiency.

  • Embody Servant Leadership: Always prioritize the team's needs and well-being to foster a supportive and collaborative environment.

  • Be an Accountable Leader: Prioritize actions that maximize customer and business value.

  • Ethical Conduct and Integrity: Maintain high ethical standards and integrity in all aspects of project management.

  • Collaborate with Stakeholders: Involve stakeholders actively in the decision-making process and never pass problems on to them.

  • Act After Complete and Accurate Data: Avoid making hasty decisions without thorough analysis and maintain ownership of Project Manager responsibilities. Never delegate core PM duties.

  • Corrective Actions Are Essential: Tackle deviations and problems head-on. Use management as a resource and reach out to management only as a last resort.

  • Be an Effective Mediator: Resolve conflicts within the team and stakeholders proactively. Avoid unnecessary escalation by resolving issues within the team whenever possible.

  • Flexibility and Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances and unexpected challenges.

  • Continuous Improvement: Regularly seek ways to improve processes and outcomes by learning from past projects and implementing best practices.

  • Tailoring: Tailor project approaches, processes, governance, and delivery methods based on context, complexity, stakeholder needs, uncertainty, and desired outcomes.

Tackling Questions and Problem-Solving Frameworks

• Contextual Constraints: Rely solely on provided information without making outside assumptions. Identify the root cause (e.g., change, communication, risk) before selecting an answer, applying PMI best practices from PMBOK Guides.

• Tail Questions and Tail Words:

  • Read the last sentence (the tail question) first to determine the precise intent of the question.

  • Underline tail words (e.g., first, next, best, prevent, address, do) to align response timing and focus:

  • Timing: Clarifies when the action should occur (before, during, or after an event).

  • Response Type: Indicates required action type (preventive, corrective, or immediate).

  • Actor: Identifies who must take action (Project Manager, Team, or Product Owner).

  • Mindset: Reflects how PMI expects the Project Manager to think (ethical, proactive, process-driven).

  • Option Elimination Rules:

  • "Immediately": Selected only for safety, legal, regulatory, ethical, or critical operational concerns requiring urgent response.

  • "Escalate": Selected only after complete impact analysis and attempted resolution within team authority.

  • "Replace a Team Member": Rarely the first choice; considered only after documented coaching, HR mandates, or severe policy/ethical violations.

  • "Add Resources": Requires formal justification and proper approval.

  • "Change Scope": Must follow formal Integrated Change Control.

• The A.R.T.U. Root Cause Sequence:

  • $\text{A.R.T.U.} = \text{Assess} \rightarrow \text{Review} \rightarrow \text{Take Action} \rightarrow \text{Update Documents}$

  • 1. Assess / Analyze: Identify the underlying root cause of the issue. Gather information, analyze the situation, engage stakeholders, and evaluate impacts before reviewing artifacts or taking action. Analysis is performed before taking action.

  • 2. Review: Review the project management plan, project artifacts (such as scope, schedule, cost, risk, and quality information), governance requirements, organizational policies, and compliance needs to ensure alignment with project objectives and value delivery.

  • 3. Take Action: Follow a sequential approach. Prioritize preventive actions over reactive ones (e.g., engage relevant stakeholders, implement approved risk responses, and ensure actions are practical, achievable, and aligned with project constraints).

  • 4. Update Documents: Revise relevant project artifacts, decisions, actions, lessons learned, and outcomes to support governance, traceability, communication, and ongoing performance.

  • Exceptions:

  • Do not take immediate action unless there is a safety, legal, ethical, or compliance concern.

  • If an approved response, escalation path, governance decision, or risk response already exists, execute the approved action directly instead of reanalyzing the issue.

Action Keywords and Decision Rules

• Do: Take the appropriate course of action after assessing impacts, approvals, constraints, and governance requirements. Evaluate how issues affect project scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, and objectives. Identify, analyze, and prioritize risks, dependencies, and root causes before implementing solutions.

• Do First / Do Next:

  • Review relevant project documents, plans, and registers to determine root causes or needed corrective actions.

  • Assess immediate consequences of current issues, such as resource allocation, shortages, or excesses.

  • Prioritize critical path or high-impact activities.

  • Engage team and stakeholders before deciding on corrective/preventive actions.

  • Rule on Proactive vs. Passive Actions: Prioritizing "do first" actions like reviewing or analyzing might not always be the best approach if a passive action is chosen over a proactive one. For example, if midway through a project new stakeholders with different roles are identified, updating the Stakeholder Management Plan is preferred over merely reviewing the Stakeholder Register because updating the plan is a proactive measure ensuring all interests are considered.

• Have Done: Reflects preventive or proactive measures established during planning (e.g., detailed project management plan created, continuous risk identification process established).

• Not Do / Not Have Done:

  • Ignore stakeholder feedback or fail to incorporate input.

  • Disregard risks or fail to continuously identify, assess, monitor, and address risks.

  • Overlook team morale, collaboration, or unresolved conflicts.

  • Neglect project scope or allow uncontrolled scope creep.

  • Bypass formal change control or approval processes.

  • Allow unauthorized increases in scope, budget, resources, or staffing without approval.

  • Escalate issues prematurely without attempting resolution with the team.

• Never Do:

  • Avoid extreme measures such as terminating contracts, firing team members, withholding payments, shutting down projects, or escalating issues without analysis and due process.

  • Be cautious of choices using extreme or absolute terms (always, never, must, only) unless directly related to ethics, safety, or legal compliance.

• Least Likely vs. Most Likely:

  • Select actions based on a strict sequence from most important to least important tasks.

  • Example Scenario: A project is behind schedule and nearing a deadline.

  • Most Likely Action: Analyze the issue, implement corrective actions, adjust resources or schedule, and communicate with stakeholders.

  • Least Likely Action: Ignore the delay and continue without corrective action or communication.

• Ethical & Emergency Priorities: Ethical, safety, or legal issues take priority and require immediate action by the Project Manager as per the PMI Code of Ethics.

Risk versus Issue Management Framework

• Risk: An uncertain event that might occur in the future and could impact the project positively or negatively. Addressed through preventive responses.

  • Keywords to Identify: May, Might, Could, Possible, Potential.

  • Initial Action: Identify the risk.

  • Documentation Steps:

  1. Identify the risk.

  2. Record the risk in the Risk Register.

  3. Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis (probability and impact).

  4. Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis for selected, prioritized risks when numerical analysis is needed.

  5. Plan Risk Responses.

  6. Implement Risk Responses (including contingency or fallback plans if risk materializes).

  7. Monitor Risks.

  • Artifact Rule: New individual risks are recorded in the Risk Register, not the Risk Management Plan. The Risk Management Plan is updated only if changes to the risk approach, thresholds, or governance are required.

• Issue: A problem that has already occurred or is actively happening in the project. Once a risk occurs, it becomes an issue. Addressed through corrective responses.

  • Keywords to Identify: Already Happened, Currently Happening.

  • Initial Action: Identify and acknowledge the issue.

  • Documentation Steps:

  1. Identify the issue.

  2. Record in the Issue Log.

  3. Assess impact, urgency, and priority.

  4. Implement corrective action (if within authority).

  5. Raise a Change Request if a baseline is impacted (reviewed by Change Control Board / CCB).

  6. Communicate with relevant stakeholders.

  7. Update logs and lessons learned.

  8. Close the issue once resolved and verified.

  • Authority Check:

  • If within PM authority: Fix, update logs, close issue.

  • If outside PM authority (e.g., using management reserves without sponsor approval): Raise formal Change Request for CCB/Sponsor decision.

• Key Artifacts: Risk Register (for risks) vs. Issue Log (for issues).

Lifecycle Stages and Process Group ITTO Keywords

• Initiating:

  • Keywords: Authorize, Charter, Identify stakeholders.

  • Specific Phrase: "The project has just started."

• Planning:

  • Keywords: Plan, Estimate, Define.

  • Specific Phrase: "Requirements are unclear."

• Executing:

  • Keywords: Manage, Conduct, Implement, Direct, Acquire, Develop, Perform.

  • Specific Phrase: "Work is underway."

• Monitoring and Controlling:

  • Keywords: Monitor, Control, Validate, Review, Measure, Compare.

  • Specific Phrase: "A change is requested" (triggers Integrated Change Control).

• Closing:

  • Keywords: Finalize, Close, Handover, Sign-off, Lessons Learned.

  • Specific Phrase: "Near the end of the project."

Delivery Approaches: Predictive, Adaptive, and Hybrid

• Predictive (Waterfall / Traditional):

  • Core Mindset: Formal planning, baselines, documentation, approvals, and formal change control.

  • Key Characteristics: Change Control Board (CCB), scope statement, baseline, phase gate, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), formal change requests, detailed upfront planning.

• Adaptive (Agile):

  • Core Mindset: Facilitation, coaching, feedback, self-management, and iterative or incremental delivery.

  • Key Characteristics: Product Backlog, sprint/iteration, Product Owner, velocity, burndown chart, retrospective, self-managing team.

• Hybrid:

  • Core Mindset: Tailored combination of predictive governance and adaptive delivery.

  • Key Characteristics: Predictive planning with adaptive delivery, scope baseline with details refined in the backlog, sprints or iterations with formal approvals, change requests and backlog refinement.

Comparative Mindset Matrix across Delivery Approaches

• Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Predictive: Identify and analyze stakeholders throughout the project; engage formally at milestones.

  • Adaptive: Collaborate with Product Owner for backlog prioritization; engage stakeholders continuously.

• Team & Leadership Style:

  • Predictive: PM coordinates and assigns work (often via functional managers); directive/controlling leadership.

  • Adaptive: Team self-manages; PM acts as servant leader, coach, mentor, and adaptive advocate.

• Planning and Action:

  • Predictive: Comprehensive documentation maintained and contractually required.

  • Adaptive: Adaptive planning; lean, "just enough" documentation.

• Scope and Quality:

  • Predictive: Evaluate scope changes formally; customers verify deliverables against baselines.

  • Adaptive: Adaptive teams deliver quality increments continuously; backlog prioritized iteratively.

• Communication:

  • Predictive: Tailored communication for each stakeholder; formal status reporting.

  • Adaptive: Face-to-face communication, daily standups, co-location, information radiators.

• Conflict Resolution:

  • Predictive: Resolve conflicts based on project objectives and formal structure.

  • Adaptive: Value conflict as a learning opportunity; maintain psychological safety.

• Performance Measurement:

  • Predictive: Measured against original baseline plan (on time, on budget, as specified).

  • Adaptive: Measured by delivery of value and customer satisfaction.

• Project Closure:

  • Predictive: Formal closure process even for early termination.

  • Adaptive: Continuous delivery reviews and iteration retrospectives.

Team Management and Work Allocation

• Trusting Team Expertise: Team members are subject matter experts. Seek their expertise for decisions, fostering collaboration without micromanagement. Empower teams to self-organize and take ownership.

• Addressing Underperformance:

  • Incorrect Action: Immediately firing or replacing an underperforming member.

  • Correct Action: Check the performance management plan, conduct 1-on-1 private discussions, and provide coaching.

• Skill Gaps and Training:

  • Provide training based on project needs. The Agile PM should not lead technical training unless they are a subject matter expert.

  • After training, use lightweight visual aids and information radiators to reinforce learning and knowledge retention.

• Virtual Teams:

  • Accommodate teams via video conferencing, time zone adjustments, and cultural awareness (language, dressing).

  • Select co-location when all team members share the same physical space.

• Role Responsibilities Matrix:

  • Business Case Development: Sponsor or business leadership.

  • Product Backlog Prioritization: Product Owner.

  • Team Conflict Resolution: PM facilitates resolution and collaboration.

  • Performance Issues: PM provides private coaching, mentoring, and feedback before formal escalation.

  • Technical Decisions: Project team or Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

Specialized Conflict Resolution and Scenario Guidelines

• Interpersonal Conflict: Work individually with each conflicting member first before bringing them together for face-to-face resolution.

• Resource Constraints: Resolve resource conflicts with the Functional Manager to see if resources can be freed or hired before escalating to the PMO.

• Safety Violations: Stop all activities immediately to assess and address safety risks.

• Legal Implications: Consult experts for legal implications and ensure strict compliance.

• Health / Mandatory Regulations / Environmental Emergencies: Stop work and manage emergencies through change control procedures. Immediate safety action comes first; formal change control follows as appropriate.

• Vendor Issues:

  • Review procurement management plans and contracts.

  • Communicate face-to-face or via direct call.

  • Evaluate alternatives and audit procurement processes.

  • Escalate unresolved claims to Claims Administration.

  • Meet with the team to brainstorm solutions for vendor delays or quality issues. Delays are sometimes unavoidable; assess impact rather than rejecting outright.

• Missed Scope Scope Creep: Submit formal change requests. Assess value and impact before accepting or rejecting.

• Overall Guidance: Consult the Project Management Plan for detailed guidance; consult the Project Charter for overarching corporate business alignment.

• Schedule Delays: Analyze the critical path first to assess delays and determine the best course of action.

• New Laws / Mandates: Update the Risk Register and adjust project plans via formal change control to comply.

Mindset Recap by Domain

• People Domain:

  1. Lead with emotional intelligence and collaboration.

  2. Practice servant leadership and remove obstacles.

  3. Foster psychological safety through open communication.

  4. Resolve conflicts using root cause analysis.

  5. Empower teams to plan and estimate work.

  6. Establish clear roles and team charters early.

  7. Provide coaching, mentoring, feedback, and recognition.

  8. Adapt leadership to team and stakeholder needs.

  9. Engage stakeholders proactively throughout the project.

  10. Demonstrate integrity, fairness, honesty, and respect.

• Process Domain:

  11. Base decisions on verified information only.

  12. Apply A.R.T.U.: Assess, Review, Take Action, and Update Documents.

  13. Tailor predictive, adaptive, or hybrid approaches.

  14. Follow governance and formal change control.

  15. Treat change as expected and manageable.

  16. Manage risks and issues separately.

  17. Address underlying problems through root cause analysis.

  18. Prioritize preventive actions before corrective actions.

  19. Build quality into processes and deliverables.

  20. Continuously identify and manage risks.

  21. Use lessons learned for continuous improvement.

  22. Maintain and update project documentation regularly.

  23. Use metrics and data for decisions.

  24. Escalate only beyond authority or governance limits.

• Business Environment Domain:

  25. Focus on value delivery and customer outcomes.

  26. Balance constraints, risks, and business value.

  27. Align outcomes with organizational strategy and goals.

  28. Adapt to regulatory, environmental, and market changes.

PMBOK 8 Framework & Performance Domains

• Overview: PMBOK Guide 8th Edition is structured around Performance Domains, Tailoring, and Models, Methods, and Artifacts.

• Seven Interconnected Performance Domains:

  1. Governance: Establishing frameworks for authority and direction.

  2. Scope: Defining boundaries and managing complete deliverables.

  3. Schedule: Managing project timelines and activity flow.

  4. Finance: Planning and controlling budgets, costs, and funding.

  5. Stakeholders: Aligning expectations and engaging key individuals.

  6. Resources: Assigning and optimizing human and physical assets.

  7. Risk: Managing uncertainty and potential threats/opportunities.

• Development Approach Types:

  • Predictive: Upfront planning; linear/sequential single delivery; best for known scope.

  • Adaptive (Agile): Iterative/incremental delivery; frequent feedback; best for evolving needs.

  • Iterative: Repeated cycles improve the solution through feedback before final delivery.

  • Incremental: Frequent smaller usable deliveries provided in functional parts.

  • Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Used when timelines are fixed to prioritize critical features, balance scope feasibility, and validate assumptions early.

• Project Leadership Roles:

  • Project Sponsor: Issues Project Charter, authorizes project, secures funding, approves high-level scope changes, and maintains business case.

  • Project Manager: Leads execution, manages day-to-day operations, aligns outcomes with value delivery, and acts as servant leader (Agile) or structured director (Predictive).

  • Functional Manager: Manages operational department; provides domain expertise and SME allocation.

  • Operations Manager: Ensures business sustainability and seamless operational handover after project completion.

Performance Domain 1: Governance

• Business Case vs. Benefits Management Plan:

  • Project Business Case: Cost-benefit analysis and feasibility study explaining why the project should be started. Created before project initiation.

  • Project Benefits Management Plan: Defines how project benefits will be measured, realized, maximized, and sustained over time.

• Project Charter vs. Project Management Plan:

  • Project Charter: Formally authorizes the project; contains high-level objectives, business needs, summary milestones, preapproved budget, and PM authority limits.

  • Project Management Plan: Formal comprehensive document outlining detailed execution, monitoring, and control mechanisms for scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, resources, and change management.

• Change Request Sequence (Predictive):

  • Event Identified $\rightarrow$ Change Request Formally Submitted $\rightarrow$ Change Request Logged $\rightarrow$ PM & Team Conduct Impact Analysis $ ightarrow$ CCB Reviews $ ightarrow$ CCB Decision (Approve, Reject, Defer, More Info) $ ightarrow$ Execute Approved Updates & Communicate.

• Close Project or Phase:

  • Sequence: Confirm deliverable completion $\rightarrow$ Validate acceptance criteria $\rightarrow$ Close contracts $\rightarrow$ Transfer ownership to operations $\rightarrow$ Capture lessons learned $\rightarrow$ Archive records in OPA $ ightarrow$ Release resources $ ightarrow$ Evaluate stakeholder satisfaction.

  • Mandatory requirement: Every project, whether completed or halted early, requires formal structured closing.

Performance Domain 2: Scope

• Product Scope vs. Project Scope:

  • Product Scope: Features, functions, and attributes of the final deliverable. Measured against requirements.

  • Project Scope: Work required to create the deliverable. Measured against the project management plan.

• Scope Baseline Components: Approved Scope Statement + Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) + WBS Dictionary.

• Scope Baseline Creation Sequence:

  1. Collect Requirements $\rightarrow$ Requirements Documentation & Traceability Matrix.

  2. Define Scope $ ightarrow$ Project Scope Statement.

  3. Create WBS $ ightarrow$ Work Breakdown Structure & Work Packages.

  4. Develop WBS Dictionary $ ightarrow$ Component activity descriptions.

  5. Validate Scope $ ightarrow$ Accepted Deliverables.

  6. Finalize Scope Baseline $ ightarrow$ Combined Scope Baseline.

• Decomposition: Sequence: Scope $\rightarrow$ WBS $\rightarrow$ Work Packages $\rightarrow$ Activity List.

• Validate Scope vs. Control Quality:

  • Control Quality: Internal technical verification by team/SMEs ensuring correctness and quality standard compliance (produces Verified Deliverables). Performed before Validate Scope.

  • Validate Scope: Formal customer/sponsor inspection and acceptance of deliverables (produces Accepted Deliverables).

Performance Domain 3: Schedule

• Progressive Scheduling Approaches:

  • Rolling Wave Planning: Near-term work planned in granular detail; future work kept at a high level until more data is available.

  • Adaptive Planning: Continuous modification of long-term plans based on ongoing feedback loops.

• Lead and Lag:

  • Lead: Overlap between dependent activities where a successor begins before predecessor finishes.

  • Lag: Mandatory delay inserted between dependent activities.   

    

• Resource Optimization:

  • Resource Leveling: Adjusts dates for overallocated/limited resources; may delay schedule and change critical path.

  • Resource Smoothing: Adjusts activities within available free/total float; does not delay finish date or alter critical path.

• Estimation Tools & Techniques:

  • Expert Judgment: Specialized SME historical knowledge.

  • Bottom-Up: Aggregating lower-level WBS estimates. Most accurate, but time-consuming.

  • Analogous: Top-down estimate using similar past project parameters. Low-to-medium accuracy.

  • Parametric: Algorithm based on historical data and parameters (e.g., cost per square foot, hours per meter). Medium-to-high accuracy.

  • Three-Point Estimating Formulas:

  • Triangular Distribution (used when data is limited/uncertain):       $E = \frac{O + M + P}{3}$

  • Beta / PERT Distribution (used with expert historical data):       $E = \frac{O + 4M + P}{6}$

  • Agile Estimation: T-Shirt Sizing, Wideband Delphi, Planning Poker (story points).

• Schedule Compression:

  • Fast-Tracking: Performing sequential tasks in parallel. Increases risk/rework; does not increase direct cost.

  • Crashing: Adding resources to critical path tasks. Increases cost; evaluate when $CPI > 1.0$.   

    

Performance Domain 4: Finance

• Project Budget Structure:

  • $\text{Cost Baseline} = \text{Work Cost Estimates} + \text{Contingency Reserves}$

  • $\text{Total Project Budget} = \text{Cost Baseline} + \text{Management Reserves}$

  • Contingency Reserves: Allocated for identified risks (known-unknowns). Included in cost baseline.

  • Management Reserves: Allocated for unidentified risks (unknown-unknowns). Excluded from cost baseline; requires sponsor/CCB approval.   

    

• Earned Value Management (EVM) Formulas:

  • Earned Value (EV):     $EV = \text{Actual \% Complete} \times \text{BAC}$

  • Planned Value (PV):     $PV = \text{Planned \% Complete} \times \text{BAC}$

  • Actual Cost (AC): Realized cost spent for work performed.

  • Schedule Performance Index (SPI):     $SPI = \frac{EV}{PV}$

  • $SPI > 1.0 \rightarrow \text{Ahead of schedule}$

  • $SPI = 1.0 \rightarrow \text{On schedule}$

  • $SPI < 1.0 \rightarrow \text{Behind schedule}$

  • Cost Performance Index (CPI):     $CPI = \frac{EV}{AC}$

  • $CPI > 1.0 \rightarrow \text{Under budget}$

  • $CPI = 1.0 \rightarrow \text{On budget}$

  • $CPI < 1.0 \rightarrow \text{Over budget}$

  • Schedule Variance (SV):     $SV = EV - PV$

  • Cost Variance (CV):     $CV = EV - AC$

  • To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI):     $TCPI_{BAC} = \frac{BAC - EV}{BAC - AC}$

  • Variance at Completion (VAC):     $VAC = BAC - EAC$

Performance Domain 5: Stakeholders

• Stakeholder Identification Tools: Brainstorming, Questionnaires/Surveys, Interviews, Nominal Group Technique (brainstorming ranking), Crawford Slip Method (multi-source input collection), Affinity Diagrams (grouping ideas by themes).

• Categorization Frameworks:

  • Power/Interest Grid:

  • High Power / High Interest: Manage closely.

  • High Power / Low Interest: Keep satisfied.

  • Low Power / High Interest: Keep informed.

  • Low Power / Low Interest: Monitor only.

  • Directions of Influence: Upward (Sponsors/Executives), Downward (Team/Contributors), Outward (Customers/Regulators/Vendors), Sideward (Peers/Functional Leads).

• Engagement Assessment Matrix: Unaware $\rightarrow$ Resistant $\rightarrow$ Neutral $\rightarrow$ Supportive $\rightarrow$ Leading.

Performance Domain 6: Resources

• Team Charter (Social Agreement): Collaborative rules established early defining expected behaviors, communication norms, and conflict resolution processes.

• Tuckman Ladder Model:

  1. Forming: Team meets, acts independently; PM Directs.

  2. Storming: Conflicts arise over status/power; PM Coaches.

  3. Norming: Roles stabilized, trust built; PM Supports.

  4. Performing: High competence, autonomous work; PM Delegates.

  5. Adjourning: Task completed, team disbands; PM Releases team.

• Leadership Styles: Affiliative, Charismatic, Coaching, Commanding (Autocratic), Consultative, Democratic (Collaborative), Interactional, Laissez-Faire, Pacesetting, Servant, Situational, Transactional, Transformational, Visionary.

• Motivation Theories:

  • Herzberg's Theory: Hygiene factors prevent dissatisfaction; Motivators encourage high achievement.

  • Theory X vs. Theory Y vs. Theory Z:

  • Theory X: Assumes workers are naturally lazy; requires strict control.

  • Theory Y: Assumes workers are self-motivated; uses participative management.

  • Theory Z: Focuses on long-term employment, trust, and well-being.

• Conflict Management Strategies:

  • Collaborate / Problem Solve (Win-Win): Incorporates multiple viewpoints to forge consensus. Best long-term solution.

  • Force / Direct (Win-Lose): Enforces one viewpoint using formal authority. Used in emergencies.

  • Compromise / Reconcile (Lose-Lose): Seeks partial solutions satisfying both parties.

  • Smooth / Accommodate: Downplays differences to maintain harmony.

  • Withdraw / Avoid: Delays or steps back from conflict.   

    

Performance Domain 7: Risk

• Risk Types: Event Risk, Non-Event Risk, Variability Risk, Ambiguity Risk, Emergent Risk.

• Quantitative Risk Technique:

  • Monte Carlo Analysis: Statistical modeling technique assessing project uncertainty across schedule or cost scenarios.

• Residual vs. Secondary Risk:

  • Residual Risk: Remaining risk exposure after mitigation responses.

  • Secondary Risk: New risk arising directly from implementing a risk response.

• Threat Strategies: Avoid, Accept, Mitigate, Transfer, Escalate.

• Opportunity Strategies: Exploit, Enhance, Accept, Share, Escalate.

Communication, Quality, and Procurement Domains

• Communication Management:

  • Communication Channels Formula:     $\text{Channels} = \frac{N(N - 1)}{2}$

  • Example: For 10 stakeholders, $\text{Channels} = \frac{10(10 - 1)}{2} = 45$.

• Quality Management:

  • Dimensions: Performance, Conformity, Reliability, Resilience, Satisfaction, Uniformity, Efficiency, Sustainability, Compliance.

  • Grade vs. Quality: Grade represents feature capability level; Quality measures fulfillment of specified requirements.

  • Quality Tools:

  • Affinity Diagrams: Grouping defect causes.

  • Cause-and-Effect (Fishbone / Ishikawa / Why-Why): Root cause analysis.

  • Control Charts: Variance limits tracking (Rule of 7: 7 consecutive points on one side of mean indicates process out of control).

  • Flowcharts: Process mapping.

  • Histograms: Defect counts bar graph.

  • Run Charts: Performance line graph over time without control limits.

  • Scatter Diagrams: Correlation between variables.

• Procurement Management:

  • Bid Documents: RFI (capabilities inquiry), RFP (solution proposal), RFQ (pricing quote).

  • Contract Types:

  • Fixed-Price (FFP, FPIF, FPEPA): Well-defined scope; cost risk sits with seller.

  • Cost-Reimbursable (CPFF, CPIF, CPAF, CPF/CPPC): Evolving scope; cost risk sits with buyer.

  • Time and Materials (T&M): Hybrid model for uncertain duration/scope using fixed labor rates.

Tailoring and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in PM

• Tailoring Factors: Project size, complexity, risk/uncertainty, regulatory needs, stakeholder engagement, organizational culture, team expertise, delivery cadence.

• Artificial Intelligence Integration:

  • Hierarchy: Artificial Intelligence $\rightarrow$ Machine Learning $\rightarrow$ Deep Learning $\rightarrow$ Generative AI.

  • Levels of AI Application:

  • Automation: Low-complexity routine tasks (meeting summaries, task tracking).

  • Assistance: Decision support (scheduling, risk forecasting).

  • Augmentation: Strategic enhancement (portfolio optimization, sentiment analysis).

Agile Practice Guide (2nd Edition, 2026) and Scrum Framework

• Agile Manifesto Values:

  1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

  2. Working software over comprehensive documentation.

  3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.

  4. Responding to change over following a plan.

• Agile Work Hierarchy:

  • Theme: Strategic overarching focus guiding business goals.

  • Epic: Large work item spanning multiple sprints; broken down into user stories.

  • User Story: Specific feature request told from end-user perspective ($\text{As a , I want , so that }$).

  • 3 C's: Card, Conversation, Confirmation.

  • INVEST Criteria: Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable.

  • Task: Specific steps required to complete a user story.   

    

• Team Velocity & Tracking:

  • Velocity Formula:     $\text{Average Velocity} = \frac{\text{Total Story Points Completed}}{\text{Number of Iterations}}$

  • Progress Charts:

  • Burndown Chart: Work remaining over iterations.     

    

  • Burnup Chart: Work completed versus total scope.

  • Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD): Workflow across stages; highlights bottlenecks and WIP limits.     

    

• Scrum Roles and Ceremonies:

  • Roles:

  • Product Owner: Owns product vision, manages and prioritizes Product Backlog, maximizes product value.

  • Scrum Master: Servant leader, coaches team, removes impediments, facilitates Scrum events.

  • Developers: Cross-functional team delivering working increments each sprint.

  • Ceremonies:

  • Sprint Planning: Defines Sprint Goal and Sprint Backlog (timeboxed to max 8 hrs for 1-month sprint).

  • Daily Scrum: 15-minute daily synchronization for developers.

  • Sprint Review: Demo increment to stakeholders and collect feedback (timeboxed to max 4 hrs for 1-month sprint).

  • Sprint Retrospective: Team inspects processes and identifies continuous improvements (timeboxed to max 3 hrs for 1-month sprint).

  • Backlog Refinement: Ongoing grooming and estimation of Product Backlog items.