PM Chapter 3: Initiating Projects – Flashcards
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Process
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A series of actions directed toward a particular result.
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Initiating Processes (alpha 2% vs average 1%)
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The actions to define and authorize (begin) new projects and project phases. (Project charter, kick-off meeting, etc)
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Planning Processes (21% vs 11%)
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The actions that involve devising and maintaining a workable scheme to ensure that the project meets its scope, time and cost goals as well as its organizational needs. (Document for start and end times, plan for internal and external work, etc)
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Executing Processes (69% vs 82%)
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The actions that involve coordinating people and other resources to carry out the project plans and produce the deliverables of the project.
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Deliverable
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A product or service produced or provided as part of a project. (Blueprints, cost estimates, progress reports, surveys, training materials, classes, etc)
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Monitoring and Controlling Processes (5% vs 4%)
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The actions taken to measure progress toward achieving project goals, monitor deviation from plans and take corrective action to match progress with plans and customer expectation.
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Closing Processes (3% vs 2%)
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The actions that involved formalizing acceptance of the project orphans and brining it to an orderly end. (archiving project files, closing out contracts, documenting lessons, received formal acceptance of the deliverables, smooth transition of the results to the responsible operational group)
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Mapping the Process Groups to Knowledge Areas
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1) Project Charter (initiating) 2) Project Management Plan (planning) 3) Direct and Manage project work (executing) 4) Monitor and control project work and perform integrated change control (monitor and controlling) 5) Close project or phase (closing)
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Template
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A file with a preset format that serves as a starting point for creating various documents to that the format and structure do not have to be re-created.
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Standard (Developing a Project Management Methodology)
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A document that descries best practices for WHAT should be done to manage a project. (PMBOK Guide)
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Methodology
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A plan that describes HOW things should be done to manage a project.
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PRojects IN Controlled Environments (Prince 2)
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A project management methodology (originally developed for IT) with eight process groups.
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Rational Unified Process (RUP) framework
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A project management methodology that uses an iterative software development process that focuses on team productivity and delivers software best practices to all team members.
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Six Sigma
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A comprehensive and flexible system for achieving, sustain, and maximizing business success; uniquely driven by close understanding of customer needs, disciplined use of facts, data, and statistical analysis, and diligent attention to managing, improving and reinventing business processes.
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Agile
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Popular software development method that use in iterative workflow and incremental delivery of software in short iterations.
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Scrum
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The leading agile development method for completing projects within a complex, innovative scope of work.
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Kanban
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A technique that provides visual cues to guide workflow.
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Champion
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Senior manager who acts as a key proponent for a project. (help with resources, approval, cooperation, mentoring)
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Project Management Office (PMO)
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An organizational entity created to assist project managers in achieving project goals. (Goals: collect, organize and integrate project data, research, develop and share, coordinate training, etc)
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A) Pre-initating processes and Outputs
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Good practice to lay the groundwork for a project before it officially starts. After a project is approved, senior managers should meet to: Determine scope, time and cost, identify sponsor, select manager, develop business case, meet with project manager and determine if it should be divided into smaller projects.
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Business Case
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A document that provides justification for investing in a project. (includes: intro/background, business object, current situation/problem/opportunity, critical assumptions, analysis, preliminary requirements, budget estimate and financial analysis, schedule, potential risk and exhibits.
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B) Initiating Processes and Outputs
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Identifying stakeholders, creating the project charter and holding a kick-off meeting.
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Stakeholder Register (public)
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A document that includes details related to the identified project stakeholders. 1) Identification Information: Names, postions, locations, roles, contact info 2) Assessment information: The stakeholder's major requirements and expectations, potential influences, phases of the project where there is most interest 3) Stakeholder classification: Internal/external, supporter/resister, etc
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Stakeholder Analysis (private)
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A technique for analyzing information to determine which stakeholders' interests to focus on and how to increase stakeholder support throughout the project.
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Stakeholder Categories
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1) Unaware: Unaware of the project and its potential impacts on them. 2) Resistant: Aware of the project yet resistant to change. 3) Neutral: Aware of the project yet neither supportive nor resistant 4) Supportive: Aware of the project and supportive of change. 5) Leading: Aware of the project and its potential impacts and actively engaged in helping it succeed.
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Project Charter
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A document that formally recognizes the existence of a project and provides a summary of the project's objectives and management. (Includes: title and date, manager name and contact info, summary schedule, summary of cost, desperation of objectives, planned approach for managing the project, roles and responsibilities, sign off section, comments section)
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Kick-off Meeting
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A meeting held at the beginning of a project os that stakeholders can meet each other, review the goals of the project and discuss future plans. (Agenda: meeting objective, agenda, section for documenting action items, document time and date of next meeting.
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In which of the five project management process groups is the most time and money usually spend?
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Executing
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In which of the five project management process groups are activities performed that relate to each knowledge area?
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Planning
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The best of "alpha" project mangers spend more time on every process group than other project managers except for which?
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Executing
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What document provides justification for investing in a project?
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Business Case
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What document formally recognizes the existence of a project and provides direction on the project's objectives and management?
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Project Charter
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What is a crucial part of the project charter - a section in which key project stakeholders acknowledge their agreement on the need for the project?
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Sign-off
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Which project document should not be made available to all key project stakeholders due to its sensitive nature?
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Stakeholder analysis
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All project meetings with major stakeholders should include:
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An Agenda
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Preparing a stakeholder register and performing a stakeholder analysis are part of which knowledge area?
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Project Stakeholder Management
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Which of the following is recombined in this text but is not an output of initiation in the PMBOK Guide?
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none of the above
