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Wednesday, 11 September 2013

Define Activities - PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition

6.2 Define Activities

Define Activities

Define Activities Process:

The Define Activities process is concerned with decomposing the Work package into a list of relevant activities. In most of the projects, the Create WBS and Define Activities are done as part of the same process. In order to create a WBS that covers all the work packages within the scope, the whole team must be involved in the process. It is natural from there for the team to breakdown to the initial activity list. Also, when the project manager actually starts with the project schedule, the starts with the preliminary activity list and then goes onto relate those (with a project management software like MPP), allocates, durations for each of the activities along with the resources to come up with a detailed schedule. So, most of the processes in the schedule management knowledge area overlap without distinct demarcation.

Define Activities Process - Introduction

Inputs:

1. Schedule Management Plan: The Schedule Management Plan has the process to decompose the WBS to an activity list relevant to the project objectives.

2. Scope baseline: The Scope baseline covers the scope statement, scope management plan and WBS. When coming up with the activity list, it is good to keep in mind what is the scope and the baseline is a good input to that effect.

3. Enterprise Environmental Factors: For all the planning processes, enterprise environmental factors are a vital input since the planning phase needs to factor the proper conditions under which work will be carried out.

4. Organizational Process Assets: Initial Process outline, process tailoring guidelines for this customer, context.

Define Activities Process Inputs

Tools & Techniques:

1. Expert Judgment: Expert opinion from team and SMEs is very important in order to define activities.

2. Decomposition: Breaking down the work package to one or more activities, while work package is assigned to a team , the activities are allocated to individual resources.

3. Roll Wave Planning: When the WBS is broken down to work packages and then the individual work packages are broken down to activities, not all of the work packages in the WBS are broken down, only work packages relevant to current project phase are broken down keeping the other deliverables at the high-level. This process is called roll wave planning. Plan what you want to execute in the coming next period say, a week or two.

Define Activities Process Tools & Techniques

Outputs:

1. Activity List: It is a list of activities for a work package. Each individual activity has an activity identifier and an activity description.

2. Activity Attributes: Any further details useful while developing the schedule can be part of activity attributes - any unique characteristics for each of the activity gets added as activity attributes.

3. Milestone List: While activities have durations attached during estimate activity duration process, milestones are pre-marked or they have zero duration. They are mostly delivery-related and are checkpoints.

Define Activities Process Outputs

Define Activities Process - Match the Following

Define Activities Process - Match the Following (Answers)

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Sunday, 8 September 2013

Plan Schedule Management - PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition

6.1 Plan Schedule Management

The Plan Schedule Management Process is concerned with creating the schedule management plan. The schedule management plan is concerned with keeping the project schedule managed, monitored and controlled, in case of any changes to schedule.

6.1 Plan Schedule Management

The Plan Schedule Management Process has the "process" for -

1. Decomposing the WBS to an activity list.

2. Documenting the activity interrelationships in the form of a network diagram.

3. Doing activity resource estimates.

4. Doing activity duration estimates.

5. Developing the detailed schedule

6. Controlling Schedule in case if there is a variance

The tools and techniques for the different schedule processes are also decided and documented in the schedule management plan looking at the project constraints and the competing objectives.

Plan Schedule Management - Introduction

Inputs:
1, PM Plan: The Project Management Plan is an important input to the plan schedule management process because, planning by itself is an iterative process. The PM Plan mostly starts with an outline for each section and then, each of the sections get elaborated into a detailed subsidiary plan as the project planning gains momentum.
So, the subsidiary plans are an input to develop project management plan process and PM Plan is a vital input to each of the subsidiary plans.
2. Project Charter: The Project Charter is the most detailed document when the project enters the planning phase. It also has the high-level details with respect to all the knowledge areas. This is where it becomes a reference document in the first few iterations of project planning.
3. Enterprise Environmental Factors: What are the external factors influencing the project? Is the project being done by a virtual team? Are there are labor unions in the organization? What positive or negative impacts can the external environment have on the project?

Plan Schedule Management - Inputs - Part 1

4. Organizational Process Assets: Templates are very important input in the first iteration of planning. What is the process followed so far in coming up with a plan in previous similar projects?

Plan Schedule Management - Inputs - Part 2

Tools and Techniques:
1. Expert Judgment: Opinions from experienced managers or SMEs in similar projects are taken into account while detailing the plan.
2. Analytical Techniques: Brainstorming , delphi technique or taking surveys / polls and any other techniques relevant to collecting facts , data or opinions to analyze and come up with a well derived plan.
3. Meetings: The SMEs and the PM spend time in meetings during planning to walk through all objectives, gather opinions and come up with the best approach relevant to the project.

Plan Schedule Management - Tools & Techniques

Outputs:
The Schedule Management Plan is the output from Plan Schedule Management process and it has the details about how other processes within the Project Time Management Knowledge area will be performed and also how they will be monitored and controlled once the baseline is approved.

Plan Schedule Management - Outputs

Plan Schedule Management - Match the following

Plan Schedule Management - Match the following (Answers)

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Control Procurements Process (PMBOK® 5th edition) - http://pm-prep35.com/chaptertests.aspx - First-Ever Completely Free Online Contact Hours for PMP Exam

Control Procurements Process (PMBOK® 5th edition)

Introduction:
1. Control Procurements, part of Monitoring and Controlling process group, is concerned with managing the procurement relationship , measuring performance and doing corrective actions if performance is not upto the mark.

2. Controlling Procurement process is sensitive because it has legal implications so it is necessary to have a good understanding of the contractual obligations at both the buyer and seller ends. Due to this reason, Contract administration is usually a separate function in an organization and the Procurement Administrator reports to a manager in that department and plays a consulting role to the project team

3. Usually, Whenever the project team lacks the competency to deliver a particular function or busy with existing work , the function is procured externally. Due to this reason, procurement can get integrated with any of the project management processes. For instance, the deliverables or part of it, created as part of Direct and Manage Project Work, might be procured externally. Similarly, Control risks process of the performing organization should take main care of the procurement relationship.

4. Control Procurements has a financial component, mostly attached to the performance of the seller. So, constant checks in the procurement process are inevitable. The performance is recorded so that it is useful in future project procurements and any corrective actions in the ongoing procurement , if need be. The recording of procurement performance is also useful to facilitate smooth closure.

5. Changes to agreements are possible anytime until the contract is open.

Inputs:
1. Project Management Plan: The master plan with link to other subsidiary plans is very useful input for both planning as well as monitoring and controlling processes, in order to check if the work meets the baseline and then, to record and control performance, if need be.
2. Procurement documents: Any supporting documents, prepared by the buyer or seller during contract initiation, like SoW, which acts the guiding document for the contract work.
3. Agreements: Agreements contain the inclusions decided during project initiation. This acts as the guideline for both the buyer and the seller for smooth procurement process.
4. Approved Change Requests: Approved Change requests are generally an important input for monitoring and controlling processes because of the "control" aspect, in order to implement
the corrective action.
5. Work Performance reports: The summarized report of current project health to check if the procurement process is as such doing fine or if any corrective action will affect the current project health.
6. Work Performance Data: The raw data coming from the project team confirming the project health.

Tools and Techniques:
1. Contract Change Control System: Since procurement is done externally using a team outside the project team, a need for a separate change control system, in case of contract is needed. This will have different levels of escalations and project actions.
2. Procurement Performance reviews: These are review cycles specific to procurement involving probably senior management or the concerned legal department that handles procurement to ensure that everything is monitored and controlled according to the contract.
3. Inspections and audits: As with all monitoring and controlling processes, inspections and audits are random checks to ensure that the procurement results meet what was agreed upon and taking corrective actions, if need be.
4. Performance reporting: How is the procurement performing? - in the format that is agreed and assigning appropriate responsibilities to the right owners in case of escalations and corrective actions.
5. Payment Systems: What was agreed to be paid at what point and what are the implications of not meeting certain aspects of the contract?
6. Claims Administration: Workflow for processing payments.
7. Records management system: How records would be managed and what lifecycle they will follow until contract closure. They are also useful for smooth closure of the contract because they provide reasons for certain actions taken.

Outputs:
1. Work Performance Information: As part of project monitoring process, any information collected for further analysis.
2. Change Requests: As part of project monitoring process, any new changes identified become documented as change requests to be passed onto the change control board.
3. Project Management Plan Updates: Project Management Plan can get updated as part of controlling process in case of approved changes.
4. Project Document Updates: Risk register updates are classic example of project document updates.
5. Organizational Process Assets Updates: New records or documents as part of procurement management process get updated to organizational process assets for future reference.

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Develop Project Management Plan Process - PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition

Develop Project Management Plan Process

4.2 Develop Project Management Plan

Introduction:
The Develop Project management Plan process is concerned with detailing the project management plan from the different subsidiary plans. Note that planning is an iterative process and the subsidiary plans are an input to create the detailed PM Plan while the PM Plan becomes an input for development of each of the subsidiary plans.

Introduction - Part 1

Planning and executing are iterative by nature. This aspect is also the basis for progressive elaboration and roll-wave planning.

The PM Plan is the baseline document to come up with change requests and also in deciding if change requests must be approved weighing different project constraints and objectives stated in the PM Plan.

Introduction - Part 2

Inputs:
Project Charter: This is an important document during the initial iteration of development of the project management plan since it has the high-level milestones, assumptions and requirements apart from risks and other aspects.
Subsidiary Plans: These are the outputs from other planning processes useful in building the PM Plan because the PM Plan is the holder for all the other plans.
Enterprise Environmental Factors: These factors are an important input mainly for the initiating and the planning processes because they set up the project constraints.
Organizational Process Assets: Template to build the PM Plan is one of the assets used among others like the wide-spread process followed to build PM plan for other similar other projects, tailoring guidelines etc.

Inputs - Part 1

Inputs - Part 2

Tools & Techniques:
Expert Judgment: PMO intervention in terms of setting standards, project management tool selection and also providing tailoring guidelines.
Facilitation Techniques: Planning usually factors-in opinions coming from different levels. So, the participants need to be encouraged to express their views. Techniques like brainstorming, and meetings are effective in these lines.

Tools and Techniques

Outputs:
Project Management Plan: The PM Plan, once approved, becomes the baseline document and any changes need to follow the change control process in order for the plan to be rebaselined. The subsidiary plans are considered part of the pm plan. All the client requirements and objectives stated in the project charter need to be factored in the PM Plan for the project manager to track effectively and control the same in case of any variation.

Outputs

Match the following

Match the following (Answers)

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Chapter 1 - Introduction - PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition

Introduction

The statement that PMBOK guide identifies that subset of project management body of knowledge generally recognized as good practice is mainly to highlight the aspect that it is left to the discretion of the project manager what is actually correct and important to the project context. Thoroughness with PMBOK does not make you a project manager but, it definitely is a guideline to see where you stand and you are following the correct process.

Purpose of the PMBOK® Guide - Part 1

Ethics are an important aspect for any profession. It is no different to project management. While following processes is important, it is important to be ethically correct. Using licensed software, not paying bribes and being within law are all aspects dealing with ethics and professional conduct.

Purpose of the PMBOK® Guide - Part 2

The definition about project is one of the most thorough definitions any PMP aspirant would remember. I remember times during my preparation this used to be my favorite definition. There used to be questions and if i or anyone for that matter finds it, will really be happy!

A Project is a temporary endeavor to create a unique product, service or result.
Temporary here means definite beginning and ending. Here how long is the duration is not important, It is just about having a definite begin and end dates.
Endeavor means an attempt. So, a project is just an attempt. Not necessary it needs to be successful although the intent is to be successful. A project need not be successful, can get cancelled midway or maybe foreclosed for some other reason.
Unique because the team working on it might be different, the timeline might be different even if the team is same. So, there is something unique about the whole combination. So, the end-result as such is stated as unique.
The project can result in a product, service or result. A result is research finding, which again might result in a product or service.

What is a Project? - Part 1

A project will have an impact on the society or on people. The impact can be socio, economic or environmental. Simple example of social impact is facebook, Economic impact is launch of a cheaper iPhone. Environmental impact is launch of pollution-free vehicle, say, petrol-less car.

Again, presence of repetitive elements like a reusable component or the same set of team, does not change the uniqueness of the end-result since the timeline would be different or people involved will be different. A project need not be done by a team, it can be done by a single person or by an organizational unit. I build pm-prep35.com as a personal goal. My personal objective is driving this project. It is unique in terms of many aspects. It is built by me, it is the first free site, the approach followed in creating the tests is unique. So, the project as such is unique.

What is a Project? - Part 2

A project becomes operational once people start using it. pm-prep35.com is currently operational in terms of people being able to take the chapter tests any number of times after they register.

What is an Operation?

A group of projects is a program. Projects in a program are mostly inter-related. Think of creating a elearning website with two parts, one with pm-prep35.com side and another part with content for TOGAF certification. Although there might be hand-shakes between the two in terms of reusing the create user and administration aspects but then, the two have different objectives, mostly different users too. Since programs are bigger in terms of the impact since there are multiple objectives and multiple stakeholders involved, a program manager is assigned and he mostly handles multiple project managers, each of them assigned to one project.
Portfolio management involves multiple programs. It is used just to group work based on common seller, buyer or technology. It is similar to a bucket. If you have one client who gives you data entry work, technical work and operational work, call it a portfolio and expand it with proper allocations as more work comes.

Portfolios, Programs and Projects - Part 1

Portfolios, Programs and Projects - Part 2

Portfolios, Programs and Projects - Part 3

Resource optimization is an important goal of these classifications. A program manager needs to be aware of what are the resource allocations and needs to ensure resources are effectively used across the program.
The portfolio manager is more interested in the strategic objectives. What is the return on investment, profit of the account, how to improve it? how to handle customer requirements, give the best options to the customer, maintain customer relationship, ensure portfolio is aligned with organizational objectives etc.
Normally project management is first-level. program management is mid-level management and portfolio management is senior-level management.
Project manager - operational
Program manager - tactical
Portfolio manager - strategical

Portfolios, Programs and Projects - Part 4

Portfolios, Programs and Projects - Part 5

Portfolios, Programs and Projects - Part 6

PMO is project management office. These days, PMOs are reduced to personal assistants, to do documentation or any first-level jobs in many of the companies but, the main role of a PMO is to be able to weight objectives and make decisions for the project team. They must be able to maintain templates and decide which one fits the concerned project. They are responsible to provide project guidance, groom new managers. They are governance body. Any vital decisions or documentations must be approved by them.

Project Management Office (PMO) - Part 1

Refer Chapter 1 in ITTO Section for different types of PMOs like Supportive, Controlling and Directive.

Project Management Office (PMO) - Part 2

Project Management Office (PMO) - Part 3

What is Project Management? - Part 1

There are 5 process groups in project management. Initiating and closing are ideally applied during project (or phase) start and closure respectively. Note that these process groups can be applicable for both phase-level and project-level.