PMP certification

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• The WBS is a decomposition of all the deliverables the project will create
• Inspections may also be known as:
a. Reviews
b. Product reviews
c. Audits
d. Walk-throughs
• Graphical evaluation and review technique (GERT) models allow for loops and
conditional branching
• Crashing adds more resources to activities to decrease their duration, which typically
adds cost
• Project calendar This calendar shows when work is allowed on the project. For
example, a project may require the project team to work nights and weekends so as
not to disturb the ongoing operations of the organization during working hours. In
addition, the project calendar accounts for holidays, working hours, and work shifts
that the project will cover
• Resource calendar The resource calendar controls when resources, such as project
team members, consultants, and SMEs are available to work on the project. It takes
into account vacations, other commitments within the organization, or restrictions on
contracted work, overtime issues, and so on
• Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) uses a weighted average
formula to predict the length of activities and the project. Specifically, PERT uses a
'pessimistic,' 'optimistic,' and 'most likely' estimate to predict when the project will be
completed
• The critical path is the longest path to completion in the network diagram.
• Activities on the critical path have no float or slack.
• Free float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the next
activity's scheduled start date.
• Total float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the
project end date.
• Heuristic is simply a rule of thumb
• Crashing involves adding resources, which typically increases cost.
• Fast tracking adds risk as tasks are allowed to overlap
• Each resource in the project must be accounted for and assigned to a cost category.
Categories include the following:
a. Labor costs
b. Material costs
c. Travel costs
d. Supplies
e. Hardware costs
f. Software costs
g. Special categories (inflation, cost reserve, and so on)
• There are three generally accepted categories of estimating accuracy:
a. Rough order of magnitude This estimate is “rough” and is used during the
Initiating processes and in top-down estimates. The range of variance for the
estimate can be –25 percent to +75 percent.
b. Budget estimate This estimate is also somewhat broad and is used early in
the planning processes and also in top-down estimates. The range of variance
for the estimate can be –10 percent to +25 percent.
c. Definitive estimates This estimate type is one of the most accurate. It is used
late in the planning processes and is associated with bottom-up estimating. The
range of variance for the estimate can be –5 percent to +10 percent.
• The opportunity cost is the amount of the project that was not chosen
• Quality is the sum of the characteristics of a product that allow it to meet the demands
or expectations of the project
• Grade, according to the PMBOK, “is a category or rank given to entities having the
same functional use but different technical characteristics.”
For example, there are different grades of paint, different grades of metal, and even
different grades of travel.
• The design of experiments (DOE) approach relies on statistical what-if scenarios to determine what variables within a project will result in the best outcome.
• Design of experiments is an analytical technique that identifies the elements or
variables that will have the greatest effect on overall project outcomes
• There are five types of powers the project manager yields: (R F C E R)
a. Reward
b. Formal
c. Coercive (penalty) d. Expert
e. Referent
• Among the above powers Reward, Formal & Coercive (penalty) come with the "Position"
• Expert & Reward are considered the best types of powers and Coercive (penalty) is "Least" for obvious reasons
• Seven reasons for conflict, in order of most common to least common:
a. Schedules
b. Priorities
c. Resources
d. Technical beliefs
e. Administrative policies and procedures
f. Costs
g. Personalities
• Five different approaches to conflict resolution
a. Problem solving (win - win) [BEST]
b. Forcing (win - lose)
c. Compromising (lose - lose)
d. Smoothing
e. Withdrawal
NOTE: Forcing (win - lose) and Problem Solving (win - win) are the ONLY two modes that result in a RESOLUTION to the conflict.
• The halo effect is the promoting the person to manage projects since he/she is good at a technology
• Confronting (Problem Solving) is the best problem-solving technique since it meets the problem directly
• In a Weak Matrix structure, functional management will have more authority than the
project manager
• Within communicating there are five characteristics that affect the message:
a. Paralingual: pitch, tone, and voice inflections
b. Feedback: sender confirmation of the message by asking questions, for a
response, or other confirmation signals
c. Active listening: receiver confirms message receipt
d. Effective listening: receiver offers confirmation of the message, such as nodding
their head, asking questions, or other interactions.
e. Nonverbal: facial expressions, hand gestures, and body language
• One of the first inputs to risk management is the project charter
• Historical information is always an excellent source of information for risk identification
• Brainstorming is likely the most common approach to risk identification
• Force Majuro is a powerful and unexpected event, such as a hurricane or other disaster
• Contracts are known by many names:
a. Agreement
b. Subcontract
c. Purchase order
d. Memorandum of understanding
• All contracts in the United States are backed by the US court systems
• According to the Guide to the PMBOK, the project charter should be published by a manager external to the project but with sufficient power and authority to carry it off.
• When a project is performed under contract, the contract can serve as the project charter
• Cost reimbursable contracts are used when the degree of uncertainty is high and when
the project requires a large investment prior to completion of the project
• The scope statement contains an exhaustive list of the project deliverables, their requirements, and measurable criteria used to determine project completion
• The scope statement is an output to the Scope Definition process and is used to create the WBS
• Cause-and-effect diagrams, also called Ishikawa or fishbone diagrams, show the relationship between the effects of quality problems and their causes
• The primary function of the Closing process is to formalize project completion and disseminate this information to the project participants
• According to the Guide to the PMBOK, the project manager is identified and assigned as an output of the Initiation process. In practice, project managers are very often
assigned at the beginning of this process.
• The work package level is the lowest level in the WBS. Time and cost estimation is easily determined at this level as are resource assignments. Quality control
measurements can be determined at this level as well.
• The code of accounts is assigned to the elements in the WBS
• Each element in the WBS is assigned a unique identifier. These are collectively known as the code of accounts
• The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) links project roles and responsibilities with project activities
• The WBS is the deliverables-oriented hierarchy of project work.
• The staffing management plan details how and when human resources will be added to
and taken off the project. It is an output of Organizational Planning
• Analogous estimating is not a qualitatively based technique. It is a top-down estimating technique that considers previous similar activities when calculating estimates
• Mandatory dependency, also known as hard logic. Mandatory dependencies are inherent in the nature of the work
• Discretionary dependencies, also called preferred logic, preferential logic, and soft logic, are defined by the project management team
• "Best Practice” often refers to a specific sequence of work, described in terms of “Soft
Logic”. Sometimes "Experience" is also attributes to Soft Logic
• Finish to start is the most commonly used logical relationship in PDM and most project management software packages
• There are three major documents and each has a specific purpose:
a. Project Charter. Formally authorizes the project.
b. Project Scope Statement. States what work is to be accomplished and what deliverables need to be produced.
c. Project Management Plan. States how the work will be performed
• Philip Crosby devised the zero defects theory, meaning do it right the first time. Proper
Quality Planning leads to less rework and higher productivity
• According to Bruce Tuckmann, “Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing ” are the
stages of team development

• The performing stage is similar to Maslow’s self-actualization
• Myers Brigg’s theory states that “Sensing” and “Intuition” personality types are related
to “Information” preference in other words ‘Hard Data verses what might be’

• Juran = Fitness for use, conformance. Quality by design.
• Joseph M. Juran is noted for his fitness for use premise. Simply put, this means the
stakeholders’ and customers’ expectations are met or exceeded.
• W. Edwards Deming suggested that as much as 85 percent of the cost of quality is a
management problem
• Shewhart = Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle.
• TQM = Quality must be managed in and must be a continuous process
• Six Sigma = Six Sigma is a measurement-based strategy; no more than 3.4 defects per million.
• Kaizen = Continuous improvement; improve quality of people first.
• Continuous improvement = Watch continuously for ways to improve quality.
• Statement of work (SOW) comprises of
15 Business Need
16 Product Scope Description and
17 Strategic Plan
• Conflict should be addressed early and usually in private, using a direct, collaborative approach
• Organization, Environmental & external assumptions should be addressed by the Project Charter
• WBS Dictionary” is a document which describes the details for each component in the WBS. It includes a brief description of the of the “Scope” or “Statement of the work” ,defined deliverables, a list of associated activities, and a list of milestones
• Project Manager must consider “cultural differences” while deciding upon recongnization and rewards during team development.

• Organization Structure
- Functional
- Matrix
- Weak
- Balanced
- Strong
• Organization Structure And Project Characteristics
1) Functional-
- PM's Authority [Little or none]
- Resource Availability [Little or none]
- Who controls Project Budget [Functional Manager]
- PM's Role [Part - Time]
- PM Admin Staff [Part - Time]
2) Weak Matrix-
- PM's Authority [Limited]
- Resource Availability [Limited]
- Who controls Project Budget [Functional Manager]
- PM's Role [Part - Time]
- PM Admin Staff [Part - Time]
3) Balanced Matrix-
- PM's Authority [Low to moderate]
- Resource Availability [Low to moderate]
- Who controls Project Budget [Mixed]
- PM's Role [Full - Time]
- PM Admin Staff [Part - Time]
4) Strong Matrix-
- PM's Authority [Moderate to high]
- Resource Availability [Moderate to high]
- Who controls Project Budget [Project Manager]
- PM's Role [Full - Time]
- PM Admin Staff [Full - Time]
5) Projectized-
- PM's Authority [High to almost total]
- Resource Availability [High to almost total]
- Who controls Project Budget [Project Manager]
- PM's Role [Full - Time]
- PM Admin Staff [Full - Time]

Q.A project manager does not have much time to spend planning before the
Mandatory start date arrives. He therefore wants to move through planning as
effectively as possible. Which of the following would you recommend?

A.Make sure you have a completed preliminary project scope statement and then start the WBS.
B.Create an activity list before creating a network diagram
C.Document all the known risks before you document the high-level assumption
D.Finalize the quality management plan before you determine quality metrics

Ans:- ???

Q.The WBS and WBS dictionary are completed. The project team has begun working on identifying risks. The sponsor contacts the project manager,requesting that the responsibility assignment matrix be issued. The project has a budget of U.S.$100,000 and is taking place in three countries using 14 human resources. There is little risk expected for project and the projects similar to this one. what is the next thing to do?

A.Understanding the experience of the sponsor on similar projects
B.Create an activity list
C.Make sure the project scope is defined
D.Complete risk management and issue the responsibility assignment matrix

Ans-?

Q.The high-level project schedule constraints have just been determined. What
Project management process group are you in?

A. Initiating
B. Planning
C. Executing
D. Monitoring & controlling
Ans-??

Q. The project sponsor has just provided the preliminary project scope statement.
What is the NEXT thing to do?

A. Begin to complete work packages
B. Complete scope verification
C. Start integrated change control
D. Start to create management plans

Ans:-??

Q.Which of the following is NOT an input to the initiating process group?

A. Company processes
B. The company culture
C. Historical WBSs
D. Project scope statement

Ans:-

Scheduling tool
Bar charts (or Gantt charts) are used to display tasks and their dates in a graphical fashion. They are used to display information of the type task 1 is scheduled from date A to date B. Typically the date range is displayed in the X-axis and the tasks on the Y-axis. Bar charts do not show task dependencies. They are generally used to track progress and show to the team.
Milestone charts are similar to bar charts but display only major events. They display major milestones (for example bridge design completed). They are used to report status to Management.
Network diagrams are used to display activities and their dependencies. Network diagrams can be used to perform critical path analysis. Network diagrams can also be used to perform crashing and fast tracking of the project.
There are two type of network diagrams -
Activities on Node (or Precedence)
Activities on Arrow (or AOA)
Precedence is most commonly used. AON and AOA cannot have loops or conditional relationships.

Planned Value (PV) refers to what the project should be worth at this point in the schedule. It is also referred as BCWS (Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled).
Earned Value (EV) is the physical work completed to date and the authorized budget for that. It is also referred as BCWP (Budgeted Cost of Work Performed).
Actual Cost (AC) is the actual amount of money spent so far. It is also referred as ACWP (Actual Cost of Work Performed).
Estimate At Completion (EAC) refers to the estimated total cost of the project at completion.
CPI refers to Cost Performance Index. It is defined as
CPI = EV/AC
If CPI is less than 1, this means that the project is over budget.
BAC refers to Budget at Completion. It is related to EAC.
EAC = BAC/CPI
ETC refers to Estimate to Completion. It is defined as
ETC = EAC - AC
CV refers to Cost Variance. It is defined as
CV = EV - AC
SV refers to Schedule Variance. It is defined as
SV = EV - PV
Negative cost or schedule variance means that project is behind in cost or schedule.
SPI refers to Schedule Performance Index. It is defined as
SPI = EV/PV
VAC refers to Variance At Completion. It is defined as
VAC = BAC - EAC

10.Which of the following describes the BEST use of historical records from previous projects?

A.Estimation life cycle costing and project planning
B.Risk management estimating and creating lessons learned
C.Project management planning estimating and creating a status report
D.Estimating risk management and project planning

Ans:-????