Chapter 1
Project Management Framework Fundamentals

This chapter introduces the basic terminology and topics the Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) covers and provides a general outline for the PMP exam material. The Project Management Institute (PMI) was formed in 1969 as a group dedicated to the discipline of project management. PMI published the first draft of the PMBOK in 1986 as a study guide for the PMP certification exam and a standard collection of project management best practices. The current PMBOK version is the result of changes in the project management discipline, as well as standardization of project management concepts. The topics in this chapter correspond to the first three chapters of the PMBOK, including project introduction, project life cycle, and project processes.

The Project Management Framework

Understand the Project Management Framework

The Project Management framework is the first section of the PMBOK and serves as the foundation for the document. Briefly stated, it presents the structure used to discuss and organize projects. The PMBOK uses this structure to document all facets of a project on which consensus has been reached among a broadly diverse group of project managers. The PMBOK is not only the document that defines the methods to manage projects; it is also the most widely accepted project management foundation. This document provides a frame of reference for managing projects and teaching the fundamental concepts of project management.

Note that the PMBOK does not address every area of project management in all industries. It does, however, address the recognized best practices for the management of a single project. Most organizations have developed their own practices that are specific to their organization.

It is important that you read the PMBOK. Although many good references and test preparation sources can help prepare for the PMP exam, they are not substitutes for the PMBOK itself.

What a Project Is and What It Is Not

The starting point in discussing how projects should be properly managed is to first understand what a project is (and what it is not). According to the PMBOK, a project has two main characteristics that differentiate it from regular, day-to-day operation. Know these two characteristics of projects.

A Project Is Temporary

Unlike day-to-day operation, a project has specific starting and ending dates. Of the two dates, the ending date is the more important. A project ends either when its objectives have been met or when the project is terminated due to its objectives not being met. If you can’t tell when an endeavor starts or ends, it’s not a project. This characteristic is important because projects are, by definition, constrained by a schedule.

A Project Is an Endeavor Undertaken to Produce a Unique Product or Service

In addition to having a discrete timeframe, a project must also have one or more specific products or services it produces. A project must “do” something. A project that terminates on schedule might still not be successful—it must also produce something unique.

Programs, Portfolios, and the PMO

It is common practice for an organization to have more than one project active at a time. In fact, several projects that share common characteristics or are related in some way are often grouped together to make management of the projects more efficient. A group of related projects is called a program. If there are multiple projects and programs in an organization, they can further be grouped into one or more portfolios. A portfolio is a collection of projects and programs that satisfy the strategic needs of an organization.

Many organizations have found that project management is so effective that they maintain an organization unit with the primary responsibility of managing projects and programs. The unit is commonly called the project management office (PMO). The PMO is responsible for coordinating projects and, in some cases, providing resources for managing projects. A PMO can make the project manager’s job easier by maintaining project management standards and implementing policies and procedures that are common within the organization. According to the PMBOK, the PMO supports project managers by

“Managing shared resources across all projects administered by the PMO.”

“Identifying and developing project management methodology, best practices, and standards.”

“Coaching, mentoring, training, and oversight.”

“Monitoring compliance with project management standards policies, procedures, and templates via project audits.”

“Developing and managing project policies, procedures, templates, and other shared documentation (organizational process assets).”

“Coordinating communication across projects.”

What Project Management Is

According to the PMBOK, “Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.” In other words, project management is taking what you know and proactively applying that knowledge to effectively guide your project through its life cycle.

The purpose of applying this knowledge is to help the project meet its objectives. Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? The PMP exam tests your project management knowledge, but it’s more than that. It is also a test that evaluates your ability to apply your knowledge through the use of skills, tools, and techniques. The application of project management knowledge is what makes the exam challenging. Understanding project management is more than just memorization. You do have to memorize some things (and we’ll let you know what those are), but it’s more important to know how to apply what you know. Some of the hardest questions on the exam look like they have two, or even three, correct answers. You really have to understand the PMBOK to choose the most correct answer.

Changes in the PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition

PMI is constantly reviewing its documents and exams for currency and applicability to today’s project management practices. The PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition was released in 2008 as an update to the previous edition, the PMBOK Guide, Third Edition. There are several changes in the new edition. None of the changes are major, although the PMBOK has been slightly reorganized to better reflect current project management practices. The changes from the Third Edition focus on increasing the consistency and clarity of the guide. Here is a summary of the knowledge area changes that are included in the PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition:

Completed the change to verb noun format for all processes.

Added data flow diagrams to clarify input sources and output destinations for each process.

Added two new processes, deleted two, and reorganized six processes into four. The PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition defines a total of 42 processes (down from 44 defined in the PMBOK Guide, Third Edition).

Clarifies the differences between the Project Management Plan and the Project Documents.

Added a new appendix on project management people skills.

To summarize the process additions, deletions, and name changes, Table 1.1 lists the processes that have changed in the PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition. (Some processes only change the section number where they appear in the document. We only highlight name changes here.)

TABLE 1.1 Process Name Changes in the PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition

In addition to the process name changes, each knowledge area incorporates changes from the PMBOK Guide, Third Edition that help to clarify the document and make the various sections more cohesive. Be sure you focus on the changed material as you study for the exam if you are already comfortable with a previous PMBOK edition.

Project Management Knowledge Areas

The PMBOK organizes all the activities that define a project’s life cycle into 42 processes. These processes represent content from nine knowledge areas. It is extremely important to have a good understanding of each of the project processes and how they relate to one another. We’ll go into more details of each process in a later section. For now, understand the nine knowledge areas and what purposes they serve for the project. The PMBOK itself is organized by knowledge areas. There is a separate chapter for each knowledge area. Table 1.2 shows the nine knowledge areas and gives a brief description of each.

TABLE 1.2 Project Management Knowledge Areas

Figure 1.1 shows each of the project management knowledge areas and the specific processes contained in each one.

FIGURE 1.1 Project management knowledge area and processes.

Cram Quiz

Answer these questions. The answers follow the last question. If you cannot answer these questions correctly, consider reading this section again until you can.

1. You are a project manager working for a large utility company. You have been assigned the responsibility to manage a project that performs monthly security vulnerability assessments and addresses any identified vulnerabilities. You question the assignment because

A. Security vulnerability assessments do not materially contribute to your organization’s products and should not be considered important enough to be classified as a project.

B. This endeavor cannot be considered a project because no start date is specified.

C. The recurring nature of the assessment in addition to the lack of ending date means that this endeavor is not a project at all.

D. A security vulnerability assessment produces no specific product, so it is not a project.

2. Which project knowledge area contains the processes that ensure the project includes the work required to successfully complete the project, and no more?

A. Project scope management

B. Project quality management

C. Project integration management

D. Project risk management

Cram Quiz Answers

1. Answer C is the best answer. As explained in this question, recurring security vulnerability assessments with no ending date cannot be considered a project. Projects must have time boundaries. Answer A is incorrect because the project product does not have to be directly related to an organization’s main product(s). Answer B is incorrect because the lack of a specific start date in the question description would not automatically disqualify the assessment as a project. Answer D is incorrect because a security vulnerability assessment does create at least one product—the vulnerability assessment report.

2. Answer A is the best answer. Project scope management is mainly concerned with defining the work a project needs to accomplish. This definition is used to ensure all the necessary work is done and no unnecessary work is done. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because these knowledge areas focus on areas of a project other than scope.

Organizational Frameworks

Explain Organizational and Environmental Factors

In nearly all cases, the project exists within a larger organization. Some group or organization creates each project, and the project team must operate within the larger organization’s environment. Simply put, no project exists in a vacuum. Every process within every project is affected to some degree by organizational culture and practices. Let’s explore some of the most common organizational effects on projects.

Working with Organizational Politics and Influences

In many cases, the extent to which the initiating organization derives revenue from projects affects how projects are regarded. In an organization where the primary stream of revenue comes from various projects, the project manager generally enjoys more authority and access to resources. On the other hand, organizations that create projects only due to outside demands will likely make it more difficult for the project manager to acquire resources. If a particular resource is needed to perform both operational and project work, many functional managers will resist requests to assign that resource to a project.

Another factor that influences how projects operate with respect to sponsoring organizations is the level of sponsorship from the project’s origin. A project that has a sponsor who is at the director level typically encounters far less resistance than one with a sponsor who is a functional manager. The reason for this is simple: Many managers tend to protect their own resources and are not willing to share them without sufficient motivation. The more authority a project sponsor possesses, the easier time the project manager has when requesting resources from various sources.

In addition to the previous issues, the sponsoring organization’s maturity and project orientation can have a substantial effect on each project. More mature organizations tend to have more general management practices in place that allow projects to operate in a stable environment. Projects in less mature organizations might find that they must compete for resources and management attention due to fewer established policies. There can also be many issues related to the culture of an organization, such as values, beliefs, and expectations that can affect projects.

The last major factor that has a material impact on how projects exist within the larger organization is the management style of the organization itself. The next section introduces the main types of project management organizations and their relative strengths and weaknesses.

Differentiating Functional, Matrix, and Projectized Organizational Structures

Each organization approaches the relationship between operations and projects differently. The PMBOK defines three main organizational structures that affect many aspects of a project, including

The project manager’s authority

Resource availability

Control of the project budget

The project manager and administrative staff roles

Functional Organizational Structure

A functional organization structure is a classical hierarchy in which each employee has a single superior. Employees are then organized by specialty, and work accomplished is generally specific to that specialty. Communication with other groups generally occurs by passing information requests up the hierarchy and over to the desired group or manager. Of all the organizational structures, this one tends to be the most difficult for the project manager. The project manager lacks the authority to assign resources and must acquire people and other resources from multiple functional managers. In many cases, the project’s priority is considered to be lower than operations for which the functional manager is directly responsible. In these organizations, it is common for the project manager to appeal to the senior management to resolve resource issues.

Matrix Organizational Structure

A matrix organization is a blended organizational structure. Although a functional hierarchy is still in place, the project manager is recognized as a valuable position and is given more authority to manage the project and assign resources. Matrix organizations can be further divided into weak, balanced, and strong matrix organizations. The difference between the three is the level of authority given to the project manager (PM). A weak matrix gives more authority to the functional manager (FM), whereas the strong matrix gives more power to the PM. As the name suggests, the balanced matrix balances power between the FM and the PM.

Projectized Organizational Structure

In a projectized organization, there is no defined hierarchy. Resources are brought together specifically for the purpose of a project. The necessary resources are acquired for the project, and the people assigned to the project work only for the PM for the duration of the project. At the end of each project, resources are either reassigned to another project or returned to a resource pool.

There are many subtle differences between each type of structure. Table 1.3 compares the various organizational structures and the roles of the project manager and the functional manager.

TABLE 1.3 Organizational Structures

Understanding Enterprise Environmental Factors

It is the responsibility of the project manager to understand the project environment. All projects operate within a specific environment or blend of environments. In addition to understanding the organizational structure, a project manager needs to understand the effects enterprise environmental factors play in managing projects. The most obvious enterprise environmental factors for projects are

Organizational culture and structure

Human resources currently in place

Political climate

Government or industry standards and regulations

Infrastructure

Marketplace conditions

Stakeholder risk tolerances

Organizational Process Assets

Two of the goals of project management are to make projects repeatable and to do a better job with each new project. To this end, organizations that are committed to effective project management develop shared, and often standardized, resources to help project managers do their jobs well. These resources are called organizational process assets and include formal and informal plans, policies, procedures and guidelines.

These assets might begin as a simple set of templates and project-related documents. As these assets are put to use, they tend to be altered and refined. New documents often become necessary or useful as well. All lessons learned from previous projects should be examined to apply any necessary changes to the process assets. This continuous process of improvement encourages the base of assets to become a critical core of resources for any project. You will see organizational process assets mentioned in many of the project management processes. The assets can include many types of documents, including

Organizational policies

Operational guidelines

Templates used to create many project process outputs

Project closure procedures

Communication requirements and procedures

Change control procedures

Financial control procedures

Quality control procedures

Project historical files

Pertinent organizational knowledge bases

Cram Quiz

Answer these questions. The answers follow the last question. If you cannot answer these questions correctly, consider reading this section again until you can.

1. You are managing a project that will implement a new accounting software package. You have assigned the resources, both personnel and equipment, and want to keep the IT manager in the loop by informing her of your decisions. Which type of organizational structure are you working in?

A. Projectized

B. Strong matrix

C. Weak matrix

D. Functional

2. During your accounting software implementation project, two project team members have difficulty working together. They come to you, the project manager, for help with resolving the issues. You immediately set up a meeting that includes the functional manager. After the meeting you and the functional manager discuss the issues and agree on a solution. This type of management probably indicates you are working in what type of organizational structure?

A. Functional

B. Weak matrix

C. Balanced matrix

D. Projectized

Cram Quiz Answers

1. Answer B is correct. In a strong matrix, the project manager has the preeminent position of authority. Because the functional manager does still have authority, a good project manager will keep the functional manager in the loop as much as possible. Answer A is incorrect because projectized organizations do not have functional managers. Answers C and D are incorrect because in a weak matrix in a functional organization the project manager does not have greater authority than the functional manager. The project manager would have to defer to the functional manager, not just keep her in the loop.

2. Answer C is correct. In a balanced matrix the project manager and functional manager work together to meet the needs of the department and the project. Answers A and B are incorrect because the functional manager has greater authority and would likely handle problems directly in a functional or weak matrix structure. Answer D is incorrect because the project manager would handle such issues directly in a projectized organization.

Project Life Cycle and Organization

Describe the Project Life Cycle

Projects occur in the context of an organization that is larger than the project itself. It is important to understand the structure of a project and how it matures from beginning to end to properly manage the work of the project. This section examines the lifecycle of projects and how they are organized to be effective and repeatable.

Understanding Project Life Cycles

The project manager and project team have one shared goal: to carry out the work of the project for the purpose of meeting the project’s objectives. Every project has an inception, a period during which activities move the project toward completion, and a termination (either successful or unsuccessful). Taken together, these phases represent the path a project takes from the beginning to its end and are generally referred to as the project life cycle.

The project life cycle is often formally divided into phases that describe common activities as the project matures. The activities near the beginning of a project look different from activities closer to the end of the project. Most projects share activity characteristics as the project moves through its life cycle. You might see several questions on the exam that ask you to compare different phases in a project’s life cycle. In general, here are the common comparisons of early and late project life cycle activities:

The least is known about the project near its beginning—As the project matures, more is learned about the project and the product it produces. This process is called progressive elaboration. As you learn more about the project, all plans and projections become more accurate.

The level of uncertainty and risk is the highest at the beginning of a project—As more is learned about the project and more of the project’s work is completed, uncertainty and risk decrease.

Stakeholders assert the greatest influence on the outcome of a project at the beginning—After the project starts, the stakeholder influence continually declines. Their influence to affect the project’s outcome is at its lowest point at the end of the project.

Costs and personnel activity are both low at the beginning of a project, are high near the middle of the project, and tend to taper off to a low level as the project nears completion.

The cost associated with project changes is at its lowest point at the project’s beginning—No work has been done, so changing is easy. As more and more work is completed, the cost of any changes rises.

One of the more important relationships to understand throughout the project life cycle is the relationship between project knowledge and risk. As stated earlier, knowledge of a project increases as more work is done due to progressive elaboration, and risk decreases as the project moves toward completion. Figure 1.2 depicts the relationship between knowledge and risk.

Another important relationship present in a project’s life cycle is the relationship between the declining influence of stakeholders on the outcome of a project and the cost of changes and error corrections. Because little or no work has been accomplished near the beginning of a project, changes require few adjustments and are generally low in cost. At the same time, stakeholders can assert their authority and make changes to the project’s direction. As more work is accomplished, the impact and cost of changes increase and leave stakeholders with fewer and fewer viable options to affect the project’s product. Figure 1.3 shows how the influences of stakeholders and cost of changes are related to the project life cycle.

FIGURE 1.2 Project risk versus knowledge of project.

FIGURE 1.3 Stakeholder influence and cost change impact through the life of a project.

Although all projects are unique, they do share common components or processes that are normally grouped together. Here are the generally accepted process groups defined in the PMBOK:

Initiating

Planning

Executing

Controlling

Closing

Moving from one phase in the life cycle to another is generally accompanied by a transfer of technical material or control from one group to another. Most phases officially end when the work from one phase is accepted as sufficient to meet that phase’s objectives and is passed onto the next phase. The work from one phase could be documentation, plans, components necessary for a subsequent phase, or any work product that contributes to the project’s objectives.

Who Are the Stakeholders?

A project exists to satisfy a need (remember that a project produces a unique product or service). Without a need of some sort, a project is not necessary. Needs originate with one or more people; someone has to state a need. As a result, a project fills the need and likely affects some people or organizations. All people and organizations that have an interest in the project or its outcome are called project stakeholders. The stakeholders provide input to the requirements of the project and the direction the project should take throughout its life cycle.

The list of stakeholders can be large and can change as the project matures. One of the first requirements to properly manage a project is the creation of a key stakeholder list. Be very careful to include all key stakeholders. Many projects have been derailed due to the political fallout of excluding a key stakeholder. Every potential stakeholder cannot be included in all aspects of a project, so it is important to identify the stakeholders who represent all other stakeholders.

Although it sounds easy to create a list of stakeholders, in reality they are not always easy to identify. You often need to ask many questions of many people to ensure you create a complete stakeholder list. Because stakeholders provide input for the project requirements and mold the image of the project and its expectations, it is vitally important that you be as persistent as necessary to identify all potential stakeholders. Key stakeholders can include

Project manager—The person responsible for managing the project.

Customer or user—The person or organization that will receive and use the project’s product or service.

Performing organization—The organization that performs the work of the project.

Project team members—The members of the team who are directly involved in performing the work of the project.

Project management team—Project team members who are directly involved in managing the project.

Sponsor—The person or organization that provides the authority and financial resources for the project.

Influencers—People or groups not directly related to the project’s product but with the ability to affect the project in a positive or negative way.

Project management office (PMO)—If the PMO exists, it can be a stakeholder if it has responsibility for the project’s outcome.

The Project Manager

One of the most visible stakeholders is the project manager. The project manager is the person responsible for managing the project and is a key stakeholder. Although the project manager is the most visible stakeholder, he does not have the ultimate authority or responsibility for any project. Senior management, specifically the project sponsor, has the ultimate authority for the project. Senior management issues the project charter (we’ll discuss that in the next chapter, “Understand Project Initiating”) and is responsible for the project itself. The project manager is granted the authority by senior management to get the job done and to resolve many issues. The project manager is also in charge of the project but often does not control the resources.

Look at these chapters in the PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition for more detailed information on the project manager’s roles and responsibilities:

“The Project Management Framework Introduction,” Chapter 1

“Project Life Cycle and Organization,” Chapter 2

“Project Human Resources Management,” Chapter 9

“Interpersonal Skills,” Appendix G

Managing Project Constraints

Managing projects is a continual process of balancing the various competing project variables, or constraints. Historically, project managers have focused on the three most common constraints of scope, time, and cost. But in reality, there are more than just three constraints. Each of the project constraints are related and have an effect on the outcome of the project. The project manager must manage the competing constraints to successfully complete a project. Too much attention on one generally means one or more of the others suffer. A major concern of the project manager is to ensure each of these variables is balanced with the others at all times. The project constraints include, but are not limited to

Scope—How much work is to be done? Increasing the scope causes more work to be done, and vice versa.

Quality—What quality standards must the project fulfill? Higher quality standards often require more work, impacting other constraints.

Schedule—The time required to complete the project. Modifying the schedule alters the start and end dates for tasks in the project and can alter the project’s overall end date.

Budget—The cost required to accomplish the project’s objectives. Modifying the cost of the project generally has an impact on the scope, time, or quality of the project.

Resources—Resources that are available to conduct the work of the project.

Risk—Each decision made in the planning and execution of a project comes with risk. Riskier decisions might have consequences that affect other constraints.

Any change to one of the variables has some effect on one, or several, of the remaining variables. Likewise, a change to any of the variables has an impact on the overall outcome of the project. The key to understanding the project constraints is that they are all interrelated. For example, if you decrease the cost of your project, it is likely that you decrease the quality and perhaps even increase the risk. With less money, less work gets done. Or, you might find that it takes more time to produce the same result with less money. Either way, a change to cost affects other variables.

Even though this concept is fairly straightforward, a project manager must stay on top of each one to ensure they are balanced. In addition to managing the project constraints, the project manager also is responsible for explaining the need for balance to the stakeholders. All too often, stakeholders favor one constraint over another. You have to ensure that the stakeholders understand the need for balancing all constraints.

Project Management Process Groups

As we discussed earlier in this chapter, work executed during the project can be expressed in specific groups of processes. Each project moves through each of the groups of processes, some more than once. These common collections of processes that the PMBOK defines are called process groups. Process groups serve to group processes in a project that represent related tasks and mark a project’s migration toward completion.

Remember that the five process groups defined by the PMBOK are

Initiating—Defines the project objectives and grants authority to the project manager

Planning—Refines the project objectives and scope and plans the steps necessary to meet the project’s objectives

Executing—Puts the project plan into motion and performs the work of the project

Monitoring and Controlling—Measures the performance of the executing activities and compares the results with the project plan

Closing—Documents the formal acceptance of the project’s product and brings all aspects of the project to a close

Figure 1.4 depicts how the five process groups provide a framework for the project.

FIGURE 1.4 Process groups flow.

Each process group is discussed in detail throughout the rest of this book. Be sure you are comfortable with how a project flows from inception through each of the process groups. The PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition has added new figures that depict process flows, inputs and outputs, and interaction between process groups. Look at the PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition Chapter 3 for these figures. Use them—they will help you remember how the processes flow throughout the project.

Understanding Project Life Cycle and Project Management Processes Relationships

The PMBOK defines 42 project processes, grouped into five process groups. These processes define the path a project takes through its life cycle. The processes are not linear; some overlap others. In fact, some processes are iterative and are executed multiple times in a single project. It is important to become comfortable with the process flow and how it defines the project life cycle.

Throughout the life of a project, different processes are needed at different times. A project starts with little activity. As the project comes to life, more tasks are executed and more processes are active at the same time. This high level of activity increases until nearing the completion of the project (or project phase). As the end nears, activity starts to diminish until the termination point is reached.

Figure 1.5 shows how the process groups interact in a project.

FIGURE 1.5 Process group interactions.

Processes, Process Groups, and Knowledge Areas

The best way to prepare for questions that test your knowledge of the project management processes is to know and understand each of the processes, along with its process group and knowledge area assignment.

Table 1.4 shows how all 42 processes are grouped by process group and are related to the knowledge areas.

Understanding Process Interaction Customization

The five process groups defined in the PMBOK are general in nature and common to projects. However, all projects are unique and some do not require all 42 individual project processes. The processes defined in the PMBOK are there for use when needed. You should need the majority of the processes to properly manage a project, but in some cases you will not require each process.

Because projects differ from one another, a specific process can differ dramatically between projects. For example, the process of developing a communication plan is simple and straightforward for a small project with local team members. However, the process is much more involved and complicated if the team is large and located in several countries.

Understand the five process groups and 42 processes as defined in the PMBOK. But, more importantly, understand when and how to use each process. The exam focuses more on process implementation than process memorization. Be prepared to really think about which processes you need for a particular project.

TABLE 1.4 Grouping Processes by Group and Knowledge Areas

Cram Quiz

Answer these questions. The answers follow the last question. If you cannot answer these questions correctly, consider reading this section again until you can.

1. Which of the following statements best describes the influence of stakeholders over the life of a project?

A. Stakeholders ultimately direct all project activities.

B. Stakeholder influence is low at the beginning and tends to grow throughout the project.

C. Stakeholder influence is the highest at the beginning and tends to decrease throughout the project.

D. Stakeholders do not directly influence the project’s outcome; they only provide authority and resources.

2. During your accounting software implementation project, you find that training is not progressing as quickly as the schedule requires and the users are not well-trained after the sessions are over. After investigating the cause, you find that the trainers you have retained do not have the proper experience and knowledge to effectively train your users. Which statement best describes the effect on the project and the effect of the action required to fix the problem?

A. The schedule is suffering. To fix the situation, you have to hire more experienced trainers and schedule extra training sessions. Your schedule returns to planned values while cost increases.

B. The quality and schedule are being negatively impacted. To fix the situation, you likely have to hire more experienced trainers at a higher rate and schedule extra training sessions. Quality and schedule returns to planned values while cost increases.

C. This problem is the responsibility of the organization that provided the trainers. They provide replacement trainers who are qualified at the same price to continue the training required.

D. Although your training looks like it is behind schedule, you wisely built in enough slack time to cover such a problem. You simply find replacement trainers and continue the training.

3. You have just completed the defining activities, estimating activity resources, and estimating activity durations processes. Which process have you left out?

A. Sequence Activities

B. Develop Schedule

C. Control Schedule

D. Create WBS

Cram Quiz Answers

1. Answer C is the best answer. Stakeholder influence is greatest at the beginning of the project. When the initial objectives are being developed, the stakeholders have a lot of input. After the main project parameters are agreed upon, the project manager and project team start working on those objectives and the stakeholder involvement decreases. Answer A is incorrect because the project manager directs project activities, not the stakeholders. Answers B and D are incorrect because they do not reflect the stakeholder involvement.

2. Answer B is correct. The question states that training is not meeting the schedule and the result is that the training is not getting people properly trained. That means both schedule and quality are suffering. Of all the solutions, Answer B provides the best description of the effects on your project. Answer A is incorrect because it does not mention the impact on project quality. Answer C is incorrect for several reasons. The problem might be the responsibility of the organization that supplied the trainers, but the responsibility of the impact on the project is the project manager’s. Answer C also ignores the quality issue. Answer D is incorrect because is implies that the project manager padded the schedule. This is not an ethical practice. Your estimates should be realistic. If you expect such problems to occur, you should address them in the beginning of the project, along with appropriate recovery methods. By padding the schedule, you hide a real risk to the project.

3. Answer A is correct. The PMBOK places sequencing activities between defining activities and estimating activity resources. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because they do not follow the PMBOK flow. You will see questions similar to this one on the PMP exam. Know your process flows.

What Next?

If you want more practice on this chapter’s exam topics before you move on, remember that you can access all of the Cram Quiz questions on the CD. You can also create a custom exam by topic with the practice exam software. Note any topic you struggle with and go to that topic’s material in this chapter.