PMP Authorized Exam Prep

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Student Edition
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PMI® Authorized PMP® Exam Prep

1
Course Setup, Introduction, and Glossary
Licensed For Use Only By: Dhanapalan Kangeyan 2207105 Oct 12 2021 1:22PM
Notices
DISCLAIMER
While Project Management Institute, Inc. takes care to ensure the accuracy and quality of these materials, we cannot guarantee
their accuracy, and all materials are provided without any warranty whatsoever, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties
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of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Any name used in the data files for this course is that of a fictitious company.
Any resemblance to current or future companies is purely coincidental. We do not believe we have used anyone’s name in creating
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this course, but if we have, please notify us and we will change the name in the next revision of the course. The use of screenshots,
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No such use should be construed to imply sponsorship or endorsement of the book by nor any affiliation of such entity with Project
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Management Institute, Inc. This courseware may contain links to sites on the Internet that are owned and operated by third parties
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TRADEMARK NOTICES
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Logical Operations, the Logical Operations logo, and CHOICE LMS are registered trademarks of Logical Operations, Inc. and its
affiliates.
PMBOK®, Project Management Institute (PMI)®, Project Management Professional (PMP)®, and Certified Associate in
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Project Management (CAPM)® are registered trademarks of Project Management Institute, Inc. in the U.S. and other
countries. The PMI TALENT TRIANGLE and the PMI Talent Triangle logo are registered marks of Project
Management Institute, Inc. The other products and services discussed or described may be trademarks or
or
registered trademarks of Project Management Institute, Inc. Allother product and service names used may be
common law or registered trademarks of their respective proprietors.
Materials in this class are based on the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)
– Sixth Edition,Project Management Institute, Inc., © 2017.
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Glossary definitions for terms indicated in blue italic text with an asterisk are taken from A Guide to the Project
Management Body ofKnowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., © 2017 and
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Agile Practice Guide, Project Management Institute, Inc., © 2017.

Copyright © 2021 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. Screenshots used for illustrative purposes
are the propertyof the software proprietor. This material is being provided by Logical Operations, Inc. under
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license with the Project Management Institute, Inc. This publication, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic ormechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage
in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without express written permission of Project Management
Institute, Inc.
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email legal@pmi.org.
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Using the PMI® Authorized PMP® Exam Prep
Student Guide
Welcome!
Thank you for choosing the PMI® Authorized PMP® Exam Prep
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course.
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To make the best use of the PMI® Authorized PMP® Exam Prep
course materials, be sure to review all of the components of
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the PMI CHOICE platform. The PMI CHOICE platform is developed
and hosted by Logical Operations (CHOICE LMS®) and has been
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customized specifically for PMI Authorized content.
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Preparing for Class
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This document follows the course slide by slide. You can take
notes in this file and highlight concepts you want to revisit
or you can refer to the "Notes Handouts" documents and take
notes there.
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Estimated Learning Time
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The lesson durations given in the course content are estimates
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based on a typical class experience. The five lessons in this

course are intended to be presented in a total of
approximately 35 hours of instruction. The numbers below
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reflect maximum duration per lesson.

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• Introduction: 30 minutes
• Lesson 1 (7 topics): 8 hours
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Course-Specific Technical Requirements

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Hardware
You will need complete systems to access your virtual

classroom. You will need Microsoft Office applications to
access the sample documents and templates. You need the
following general hardware configurations:
• 1 gigahertz (GHz) 64-bit (x64) processor.
• 2 gigabytes (GB) of Random Access Memory (RAM).
• 32 GB available storage space.
• Monitor capable of a screen resolution of at least 1,024
× 768 pixels, at least a 256-color display, and a video
adapter with at least 4 MB of memory.
• Keyboard and mouse or a compatible pointing device.
• Internet access (contact your local network
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administrator).
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Software
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• Microsoft® Office 365™ license (which provides the
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Microsoft Office apps)
• Microsoft® Windows® 10 Professional or Mac OS
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Setting Up the Course
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For each student and the instructor:
• Provide a system with Internet access and the given
hardware requirements.
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• Install Microsoft Windows 10.
• Log in to https://login.microsoftonline.com then on the
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Office 365 home page, select Install Office > Office 365
apps.
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Install the Course Data Files

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To install the course data files:

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1. From the course Files tile on CHOICE, download the

ATPPMP1Files<ver>.zip file to any location that is
convenient for you.
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2. Go to the download folder and locate and unzip (extract)

the ATPPMP1Files<ver>.zip file. This will create a local
ATPPMP1Files<ver> folder.
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3. Open the ATPPMP1Files<ver> folder. It contains separate

subfolders with your course overheads and the course data
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files.
4. Move or copy the ATPPMP1Data folder to the root of your C
drive. This installs the data files to the location
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specified in the course activities.

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About This Course
Course Description
The course enables candidates to develop professionally,
increase their project management skills, apply a formalized
and standards-based approach to project management, and seek
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career advancement by moving into a formal project manager job
role, as well as to apply for the Project Management
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Institute, Inc. (PMI)® Project Management Professional (PMP)®
certification.
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Student Profile
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This course is for individuals, who have on-the-job project
management experience regardless of whether their formal job
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role is project manager, who are not certified project
management professionals, and who might or might not have
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received formal project management training.
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To ensure success in this course, you should have experience
with basic project management concepts and have some working
experience with project management. You can obtain this level
of skills and knowledge by taking the following PMI courses:
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• Introduction to Project Management

• Project Management Basics
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• Introduction to Agile
Course Objectives
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In this course, you will learn how to build and manage a team
that will plan, execute, and complete a project that is
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aligned with the business environment. You will explore the

following topics:
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Lesson Creating a High- Assemble and prepare the human

1 Performing Team resource element of your
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project
Lesson Starting the Project Plan for success by learning
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2 the tools and techniques

employed by successful project
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managers
Lesson Doing the Work Execute and assess project work
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Lesson Keeping the Team on Support and motivate your team
4 Track members as individuals and as a
cohesive unit
Lesson Keeping the Business Ensure the project is aligned
5 Environment in Mind with business strategy and its
ecosystem
The PMI CHOICE Home Screen

Login and access information for your CHOICE environment will
be provided with your class experience. The CHOICE platform is
your entry point to the CHOICE learning experience, of which
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this course manual is only one part.
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On the CHOICE Home screen, you can access the CHOICE Course
screens for your specific courses. Visit the CHOICE Course
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screen both during and after class to make use of the world of
support and instructional resources that make up the CHOICE
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experience.
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Each CHOICE Course screen will give you access to the
following resources:
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• Classroom: A link to your training provider’s classroom
environment. or
• eBook: An interactive electronic version of the printed
book for your course.
• Files: Any course files available to download.
• Checklists: Step-by-step procedures and general
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guidelines you can use as a reference during and after

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class.
• Spotlights: Brief animated videos that enhance and
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extend the classroom learning experience.

• Assessment: Items you can complete for self-assessment
of your level of understanding of the course content.
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• Social media resources that enable you to collaborate

with others in the learning community using professional
communications sites such as LinkedIn or microblogging
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tools such as Twitter.
Visit your CHOICE Home screen often to connect, communicate,

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and extend your learning experience!

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How to Use the Student’s Edition

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This document is divided into lessons and topics, covering a

subject or a set of related subjects.
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Checklists of procedures and guidelines can be used during

class and as after-class references when you’re back on the
job and need to refresh your understanding.
Course Iconography
• Notes to help you contextualize the material are in
purple.
Notes indicate extra

information that can
help you.
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Examples are given in
boxes cued with this
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icon.
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These icons indicate
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ideas for further
thinking or exploration
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of a topic. These are
optional. or
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Introduction
Duration: 30 minutes
This brief, introductory module explains the course and the

PMP certification.
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Welcome and thank you for joining the course!
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Let’s get to know a little about each other’s
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background.
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Meet your Instructor! This slide should be
customized with their professional
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information.
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Now it’s time to introduce yourself to the

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class.
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Let’s review the requirements for the PMP

certification.
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• In addition to studying and your

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academic preparation, your project

management experience is very important.
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• The exam is not a test of your ability

to read and memorize exam preparation
materials. The questions are scenario-
based and written by working PMPs.
• So, think about how you apply the
concepts we will learn and explore this
week in your work.
Course Introduction 8
‘The Project Economy’ is a term PMI coined
during the 50th anniversary Transformation—it
describes the work that we do and is a good
introduction to the organization.
• PMI had its 50th anniversary in 2019.
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• Earning your PMP essentially means
becoming a part of the PMI community.
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• Globally recognized and demanded, the
PMP demonstrates that those with this
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designation have the experience,
education, and competency to lead and
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direct projects. Once you pass the exam,
you maintain the credential by obtaining
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Professional Development Units (PDUs).
This is similar to the Certified Public
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Accountant (CPA) exam and professional
development requirements.
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Watch the short “Project
Economy” video (1m 21s) from
the PMI web site:
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https://www.pmi.org/The-
Project-Economy
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Note: To further explore the PDU

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requirements, you can access the

Spotlight on Earning PDUs
presentation from the Spotlight
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tile on the CHOICE Course screen.

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This slide introduces the new exam and the

PMI Talent Triangle focus on people, process,
and business environment.
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We’ll follow the guidance of both the PMI

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Talent Triangle and the PMP Exam Content

Outline in this course.
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Our three focus points this week will follow

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the shape of the PMI Talent Triangle. The

study topics focus on:
• People, or project leadership;

• Process, or how to do the work; and
• Business environment, or how project
managers and teams are leaders in an
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organization that support strategic
goals and business health.
This slide introduces the ECO as a study aid.

This course does not explicitly reference the
ECO by number. As it would be impossible to
cover the entire breadth of the document in a
week, we recommend that you use it as a
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checklist against your knowledge base and as
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guidance for what you need to learn as you
prepare to take the exam.
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The exam content was revised by a global
committee of PMPs. They devised the topics on
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the new Exam Content Outline, or the ECO. The
ECO is a detailed list of all the domains and
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tasks relevant to project management work.
You should be familiar with this document as
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a study aid. Use it to check what you know
and what you still need to know.
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• Domains are defined as the high-level
knowledge areas that are essential to
the practice of project management.
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• Tasks are the underlying

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responsibilities of the project manager

within each domain area.
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We have also listed deliverables and tools or

process actions relevant to each task, for
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your reference. These are helpful to know, as

you should be familiar with the tools,
processes, and deliverables that correlate
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with the different areas of work in project

management.
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Note: You can access the PMP® ECO

mapping document from the Files
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tile on the CHOICE Course screen.

This helps to map the ECO content
to the course.
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Note: You can download a copy of

the ECO from the PMP® Certification
page on PMI.org.
https://www.pmi.org/certifications/
project-management-pmp
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This slide introduces the format of the new
exam.
The new version of the PMP exam went live in

January 2021. In addition to multiple choice
questions, it now features new question
formats.
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We’ll explore the ECO over five (5) lessons.
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1. Creating a High-Performing Team: We
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begin with the people, or leadership,
element—specifically how we create a
high-performing team.
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2. Starting the Project: Then we begin
looking at “process”, and what’s
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involved in starting a project.
3. Doing the Work: A further development of
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the “process” element with a closer look
at how we do the actual work of the
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project.
4. Keeping the Team on Track: A return to
the “people” element with how to keep
the team on track.
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5. Keeping the Business in Mind: And

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finally, we look at how your role is

tied to organizational and business
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strategy.
Are you ready to start?

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Glossary of Terms
80/20 rule
A general guideline with many applications; in terms of
controlling processes, it contends that a relatively
large number of problems or defects, typically 80%,
are commonly due to a relatively small number of
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causes, typically 20%.
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AB testing
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A marketing approach used to determine user preferences
by showing different sets of users similar services
with one independent variable.
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AC (Actual Cost)
The realized cost incurred for the work performed on an
activity during a specific time.
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accept
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A strategy for managing negative risks or opportunities
that involves acknowledging a risk and not taking any
action until the risk occurs.
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acceptance criteria
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A set of conditions that is required to be met before

deliverables are accepted.
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active listening
A communication technique that involves acknowledging
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what you hear and clarifying the message to confirm

that what you heard matches the message that the
sender intended.
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activity attributes
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Multiple attributes associated with each schedule

activity that can be included within the activity
list.
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activity dependency
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A logical relationship that exists between two project

activities. The relationship indicates whether the
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start of an activity is contingent upon an event or

input from outside the activity.
activity duration estimates

The quantitative assessments of the likely number of
time periods that are required to complete an activity.
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activity list
A documented tabulation of schedule activities that
shows the activity description, activity identifier,
and a sufficiently detailed scope-of-work description
so project team members understand what work is to be
performed.
activity
A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during
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the course of a project.
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administrative closure
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Involves verifying and documenting project results to
formalize project or phase completion.
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Affinity diagram
A technique that allows large numbers of ideas to be
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classified into groups for review and analysis.
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agile life cycles
A project life cycle that is iterative or incremental.
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Also referred to as change- driven or adaptive, they
work well in environments with high levels of change
and ongoing stakeholder involvement in a project.
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Agile project management

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A project management methodology that uses an iterative

and incremental approach that focuses on customer value
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and team empowerment. In agile project management, the

product is developed in iterations by small and
integrated teams.
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Agile release planning

A process in which you determine the number of
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iterations or Sprints that are needed to complete each

release, the features that each iteration will
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contain, and the target dates of each release.
agreements
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Any documents or communication that defines the initial

intentions of a project. Examples include contracts,
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memorandums of understanding (MOUs), service level

agreements (SLAs), letters of agreement, letters of
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intent, verbal agreements, email, or other written

agreements.
analogous estimating
A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an
activity on a project using historical data from a
similar activity or project.
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approved change requests
Change requests that have been reviewed and approved by
the change control board (CCB) and are ready to be
scheduled for implementation.
assumption and constraintanalysis

A process that explores the validity of the project
assumptions within the constraints and identifies risks
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from any incompleteness or inaccuracy of these project
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assumptions.
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attribute sampling data
Data that is counted such as the number of product
defects or customer complaints.
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auditing
An examination of a project’s goals and achievements,
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including adequacy, accuracy, efficiency,
effectiveness, and the project’s compliance with
applicable methodologies and regulations. It tends to
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be a formal, one-sided process that can be extremely
demoralizing to team members.
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autocratic
Using this group decision-making method,
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one member of the group makes the decision. In most

cases, this person will consider the larger group’s
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ideas and decisions and will then make a decision

based on that input.
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avoid
A strategy for managing negative risks or threats that
involves changing the project management plan to
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remove the risk entirely by extending the schedule,

changing the strategy, increasing the funding, or
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reducing the scope.
BAC
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(Budget at Completion) The sum of all budgets established

for the work to be performed.
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bar chart
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A graphic display of schedule-related information. In the

typical bar chart, schedule activities or WBS components
are listed down the left side of the chart, dates are
shown across the top, and activity durations are shown as
date-placed horizontal bars. See also “Gantt chart”.
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benchmarking
The comparison of actual or planned products,
processes, and practices to those of comparable
organizations to identify best practices, generate
ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for
measuring performance.
benefit cost analysis

A financial analysis tool used to determine the
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benefits provided by a project against its costs.
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benefits management plan
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The documented explanation defining the processes for
creating, maximizing, and sustaining the benefits
provided by a project or program.
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bidder conferences
The meetings with prospective sellers prior to the
preparation of a bid or proposal to ensure all
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prospective vendors have a clear and common
understanding of the procurement. Also called vendor
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conferences, pre-bid conferences, or contractor
conferences.
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bottom-up estimating
A method of estimating project duration or cost by
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aggregating the estimates of the lower- level

components of the WBS.
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brainstorming
A technique that involves a facilitator to help a group
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identify project risks in a free-form session where

ideas are generated, built on, and recorded.
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breach of contract
The failure to meet some or all the obligations of a
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contract.
burndown chart
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A tool that is used to track the progress of the

project by plotting the number of days of Sprint
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against the number of hours of work remaining.

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business case
A documented economic feasibility study used to
establish the validity of the benefits of a selected
component lacking sufficient definition and that is
used as a basis for the authorization of further
project management activities.
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business risk
The inherent risk in any business endeavor that carries
the potential for either profit or loss. Types of
business risks are competitive, legislative, monetary,
and operational.
business value
The net quantifiable benefit derived from a business
endeavor. The benefit may be tangible, intangible, or
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both.
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CCB
(Change Control Board) A formally chartered group
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responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving,
delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for
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recording and communicating such decisions.
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cease and desist letter
A document sent to an individual or a business to stop
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(cease) allegedly illegal activities and to not
undertake them again (desist).
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change control form
A document used to request a project change. They can
also be recommendations for taking corrective or
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preventive actions. See also “change request”.

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change control system

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A set of procedures that describes how modifications

to the project deliverables and documentation are
managed and controlled.
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change management
The process of managing project changes in a structured
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and standardized manner.

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change management plan

A component of the project management plan that
establishes the Change Control Board, documents that
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extent of its authority, and describes how the change

control system will be implemented.
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change request
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Request for change sent to the upper management or the

Change Control Board (CCB) for its evaluation and
approval. See also “change control form”.
checklist analysis
A technique for systematically reviewing materials
using a list for accuracy and completeness.
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CI
(Continuous Improvement) The ongoing effort to improve
products, services, or processes.
Close Project or Phase process

The process of finalizing all activities for the
project, phase, or contract.
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close-out meetings
Sessions held at the end of a project or phase; they
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involve discussing the work and capturing lessons
learned.
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co-location
An organizational placement strategy where the project
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team members are physically located close to one
another in order to improve communication, working
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relationships, and productivity.
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coaching
The act of giving guidance and direction to another
or
person so that they can make better decisions.
code of accounts
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A numbering system used to uniquely identify each
component of the WBS.
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Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

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A PMI® publication that describes the ethical and

professional behavior expectations of an individual
working as a project management professional.
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communication methods
A systematic procedure, technique, or process used to
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transfer information among project stakeholders.

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communication models
A description, analogy, or schematic used to represent
how the communication process will be performed for the
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project.
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communication requirements analysis

An analytical technique to determine the information
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needs of the project stakeholders through interviews,

workshops, study of lessons learned from previous
projects, etc.
communication styles assessment

A technique to identify the preferred communication
method, format, and content for stakeholders for
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planned communication activities.
communication technology
Specific tools, systems, computer programs, etc., used
to transfer information among project stakeholders.
communications management plan

A component of the project, program, or portfolio
management plan that describes how, when, and by whom
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information about the project will be administered and
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disseminated.
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completion contract
A type of contract that is completed when the vendor
delivers the product to the buyer and the buyer
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accepts the product.
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configuration management
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A tool used to manage changes to a product or service
being produced as well as changes to any of the
project documents such as schedule updates.
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configuration management plan
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describes how to identify and account for project
artifacts under configuration control and how to record
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and report changes to them.

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configuration management system

A collection of procedures used to track project
artifacts and monitor and control changes to these
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artifacts.
conflict management
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The application of one or more strategies for dealing

with disagreements that may be detrimental to team
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performance.
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context diagram
A visual depiction of the product scope showing a
business system (process, equipment, computer system,
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etc.), and how people and other systems (actors)

interact with it.
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contingency plan
A risk response strategy developed in advance, before
risks occur; it is meant to be used if and when
identified risks become reality.
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contingency reserves
Time or money allocated in the schedule or cost
baseline for known risks with active response
strategies.
contract change control system

The system used to collect, track, adjudicate, and
communicate changes to a contract.
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contract
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A mutually binding agreement that obligates the seller
to provide the specified project or service or result
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and obligates the buyer to pay for it.
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control account
A management control point where scope, budget, actual
cost, and schedule are integrated and compared to
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earned value for performance measurement.
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Control Procurements process
The process of managing procurement relationships,
or
monitoring contract performance, making changes and
corrections as appropriate, and closing out contracts.
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controlling PMO
A type of PMO that provides support and requires
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compliance through various means. Compliance may

involve adopting project management frameworks or
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methodologies; using specific templates, forms, and

tools; or conformance to governance.
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CoQ
(Cost of Quality) All costs incurred over the life of
the product by investment in preventing nonconformance
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to requirements, appraisal of the product or service

for conformance to requirements, and failure to meet
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requirements.
cost aggregation
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Summing the lower-level cost estimates associated with

the various work packages for a given level within the
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project’s WBS or for a given cost control account.

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cost baseline
The approved version of the time-phased project
budget, excluding any management reserves, which can
be changed only through formal change control
procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to
actual results.
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cost management plan
A component of a project or program management plan
that describes how costs will be planned, structured,
and controlled.
cost of conformance
The money spent during a project to avoid failures.
This includes prevention costs that build a quality
product and appraisal costs that assess the quality.
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cost of non-conformance
The money spent after a project is complete because of
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failures. This includes internal and external failure
costs.
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cost-reimbursable contract
A type of contract involving payment to the seller for
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the seller’s actual costs, plus a fee typically
representing the seller’s profit.
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CPAF contract
or
(Cost Plus Award Fee contract) A category of contract
that involves payments to the seller for all
legitimate actual costs incurred for completed work,
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plus an award fee representing seller profit.
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CPFF contract
(Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract) A type of cost-
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reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the

seller for the seller’s allowable costs (allowable
costs are defined by the contract) plus a fixed amount
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of profit (fee).
CPI
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(Cost Performance Index) A measure of the cost

efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the
ratio of earned value to actual cost.
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CPIF contract
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(Cost Plus Incentive Fee contract) A type of cost-

reimbursable contract where the buyer reimburses the
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seller for the seller’s allowable costs (allowable

costs are defined by the contract), and the seller
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earns its profit if it meets defined performance

criteria.
critical path activity

Any activity on the critical path in a project
schedule.
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critical path
The sequence of activities that represents the longest
path through a project, which determines the shortest
possible duration.
cultural awareness
Understanding the cultural differences of the
individuals, groups, and organizations in the project
stakeholder community so you can adapt communication
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strategies to avoid or reduce miscommunication and
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misunderstandings.
CV
ib
(Cost Variance) The amount of budget deficit or surplus
at a given point in time, expressed as the difference
tr
between the earned value and the actual cost.
is
daily standup
A short, 15-minute meeting in which the complete team
D
gets together for a quick status update while standing
in a circle. Also referred to as a daily scrum.
or
de facto regulations
Regulations that are widely accepted and adopted
through use.
e
at
de jure regulations
Regulations that are mandated by law or have been
approved by a recognized body of experts.
lic
debriefing
up
A less formal, more cooperative means of discussing the

positives and the negatives of the project, what
worked, and what will be done differently next time.
D
This discussion includes technology issues, people

issues, vendor relationships, and organizational
culture.
ot
decision making
N
The process of selecting a course of action from among

multiple options.
o
decision tree analysis

D
A diagramming and calculation technique for evaluating

the implications of a chain of multiple options in the
presence of uncertainty.
decomposition
A technique used for dividing and subdividing the
project scope and project deliverables into smaller,
more manageable parts.
21
deliverable
Any unique and verifiable product, result, or
capability to perform a service that is required to be
produced to complete a process, phase, or projects.
directions of influence
A classification model that groups stakeholders based
on how they influence the project: upwards (senior
e
management), downwards (team or specialists), outwards
ut
(external), sidewards (project manager’s peers), and
prioritization.
ib
directive PMO
A type of PMO that takes control of projects by
tr
directly managing the projects.
is
discretionary dependency
D
A relationship that is established based on knowledge
of best practices within a particular application area
or an aspect of the project where a specific sequence
is desired.
or
document analysis
e
A technique used to gain project requirements from
current documentation evaluation.
at
DoD
lic
(Definition of Done) A team’s checklist of all the

criteria required to be met so that a deliverable can
be considered ready for customer use.
up
DoR
(Definition of Ready) A team’s checklist for a user-
D
centric requirement that has all the information the

team needs to be able to begin working on it.
ot
EAC
(Estimate at Completion) The expected total cost of
N
completing all work expressed as the sum of the actual

cost to date and the estimate to complete.
o
EEF
D
(Enterprise Environmental Factors) Conditions that are

not under the immediate control of the team, and that
influence, constrain, or direct the project, program,
or portfolio.
effect-based risk classification

A way of analyzing the major risks inherent to a
project that could have an impact on its success.
22
These major risks include time, cost, quality, and
scope.
effort
The number of labor units required to complete a
scheduled activity or WBS component, often expressed
in hours, days, or weeks. Contrast with duration.
EI
e
(emotional intelligence) The ability to identify,
ut
assess, and manage the personal emotions of oneself
and other people, as well as the collective emotions
ib
of groups of people. EQ is also a commonly used
abbreviation.
tr
elapsed time
The actual calendar time required for an activity from
is
start to finish.
D
EMV
(Expected Monetary Value) A method of calculating the
average outcome when the future is uncertain.
or
enhance
A strategy for managing positive risks or
e
opportunities that involves increasing the probability
at
that the opportunity will happen, or the impact it

will have by identifying and maximizing enablers of
these opportunities.
lic
escalate
up
The strategy in which you determine that a threat is

outside the scope of the project or beyond the project
manager’s authority. You then forward the threat to a
D
person or part of the organization at a higher level.
ETC
ot
(Estimate to Complete) The expected cost of finishing

all the remaining project work.
N
EV
(Earned Value) A measure of work performed expressed
o
in terms of the budget authorized for that work.

D
EVM
(Earned Value Management) A methodology that combines
scope, schedule, and resource measurements to assess
project performance and progress.
expert judgment
Judgment provided based upon expertise in an
23
application area, knowledge area, discipline,
industry, etc., as appropriate for the activity being
performed. Such expertise may be provided by any group
or person with specialized education, knowledge,
skill, experience, or training.
explicit knowledge
Knowledge that can be codified using symbols such as
words, numbers, and pictures. This type of knowledge
e
can be documented and shared with others.
ut
exploit
ib
A strategy for managing positive risks or
opportunities that involves attempting to make sure
that the opportunity happens.
tr
is
external dependency
Types of activity dependencies that exist between
project activities and non-project activities and can
D
be out of the project’s control.
facilitated workshops
or
Organized working sessions held by project managers to
determine a project’s requirements and to get all
e
stakeholders together to agree on the project’s
outcomes.
at
facilitation
lic
A skill used to lead or guide an assembled group toward

a successful conclusion such as making a decision or
finding a solution.
up
FF
(Finish-to-Finish) A logical relationship in which a
D
successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor

activity has finished.
ot
FFP contract
(Firm Fixed Price contract) A type of fixed price
N
contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount

(as defined by the contract), regardless of the
o
seller’s costs.
D
fixed price contract

An agreement that sets the fee that will be paid for a
defined scope of work regardless of the cost or effort
to deliver it.
24
float
Also called slack. See also “total float” and “free
float”.
focus groups
An elicitation technique that brings together pre-
qualified stakeholders and subject matter experts to
learn about their expectations and attitudes about a
proposed product, service, or result.
e
ut
FPEPA contract
(Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment contract)
A fixed-price contract, but with a special provision
ib
allowing for pre-defined final adjustments to the
contract price due to changed conditions, such as
tr
inflation changes, or cost increases (or decreases)
for specific commodities.
is
FPIF contract
D
(Fixed Price Incentive Fee contract) A type of
contract where the buyer pays the seller a set amount
(as defined by the contract), and the seller can earn
or
an additional amount if the seller meets defined
performance criteria.
e
free float
at
The amount of time that a schedule activity can be

delayed without delaying the early start date of any
lic
successor or violating a schedule constraint.
FS
up
(Finish-to-Start) A logical relationship in which a

successor activity cannot start until a predecessor
activity has finished.
D
functional organization
An organizational structure in which staff is grouped
ot
by areas of specialization and the project manager has

limited authority to assign work and apply resources.
N
funding limit reconciliation

The process of comparing the planned expenditure of
o
project funds against any limits on the commitment of

D
funds for the project to identify any variances between

the funding limits and the planned expenditures.
Gantt chart
A bar chart of schedule information where activities
are listed on the vertical axis, dates are shown on the
horizontal axis, and the activity durations are shown
as horizontal bars placed according to start and finish
25
dates.
IFB
(Invitation for Bid) Generally, this term is equivalent to
request for proposal. However, in some application areas,
it may be a narrower or more specific meaning. A type of
procurement document that is most commonly used when
deliverables are commodities for which there are clear
specifications and when the quantities are very large. The
e
invitation is usually advertised, and any seller may
submit a bid. Negotiation is typically not anticipated.
ut
These are sometimes used interchangeably with RFPs.
ib
impediment
An obstacle that prevents the team from achieving its
tr
objectives.
is
increment
A functional, tested, and accepted deliverable that is
D
a subset of the overall project outcome.
incremental life cycle

or
An adaptive project life cycle in which the deliverable
is produced through a series of iterations that
successively add functionality within a predetermined
e
time frame. The deliverable contains the necessary and
at
sufficient capability to be considered complete only

after the final iteration.
lic
Influence/impact grid
A classification model that groups stakeholders on the
up
basis of their involvement in and impact on the

project.
D
influencing
The act of presenting a good case to explain why an
idea, decision, or problem should be handled a certain
ot
way, without resistance from other individuals.

N
information radiator
The generic term for visual displays placed in a
visible location so everyone can quickly see the
o
latest information. In agile practice, also known as

D
“Big Visible Chart”.
insurable risk
A risk that has only the potential for loss and no
potential for profit or gain. An insurable risk is one
for which insurance may be purchased to reduce or
offset the possible loss. Types of insurable risks are
direct property, indirect property, liability, and
26
personnel- related.
interactive communication
An exchange of information between two or more people
that ensures common understanding for everyone
participating in that exchange.
internal dependency
A type of activity dependency that exists between
e
project activities and is usually under the project’s
ut
control.
ib
interpersonal skills
Skills used to establish and maintain relationships
with other people.
tr
is
interview
A formal or informal approach to elicit information
D
from stakeholders by talking with them directly.
IRR
(Internal Rate of Return) The interest rate that makes
or
the net present value of all cash flow equal to zero.
issue
e
A current condition or situation that may have an

at
impact on the project objectives.

lic
issue log
A document where information about issues is recorded
and monitored.
up
iteration
A timeboxed cycle of development on a product or
D
deliverable in which all of the work that is needed to

deliver value is performed.
ot
iterative life cycle

A project life cycle where the project scope is
N
generally determined early in the project life cycle,

but time and cost estimates are routinely modified as
the project team’s understanding of the product
o
increases. Iterations develop the product through a

D
series of repeated cycles, while increments

successively add to the functionality of the product.
JAD
(Joint Application Design) Specialized workshops that
include both SMEs and the development team together to
discuss and improve on the software development
process.
27
job shadowing
See “observations”.
Kanban board
A visualization tool that enables improvements to the
flow of work by making bottlenecks and work quantities
visible.
e
knowledge management
ut
Connecting individuals, in person or virtually, to
share knowledge and collaborate together.
ib
KPI
(Key Performance Indicator) A set metric used to
tr
evaluate a team’s performance against the project
vision and objectives.
is
lag
D
The amount of time whereby a successor activity will be
delayed with respect to a preceding activity.
or
lead
The amount of time whereby a successor activity can be
advanced with respect to predecessor activity.
e
at
leadership
The ability to step up and guide others to achieve
results. Leadership abilities are gained through
lic
experience, building relationships, and taking on

initiatives.
up
lean
An agile method used primarily in manufacturing that
D
focuses on achieving outcomes with little or no waste.
lessons-learned register
ot
A project document used to record knowledge gained

during a project so that it can be used in the current
N
project and entered into the lessons-learned

repository.
o
lessons-learned repository
D
A store of historical information about lessons learned

in projects.
majority
A group decision-making method in which a majority of
group members agree on the course of action to take.
28
make-or-buy analysis
The process of gathering and organizing data about
product requirements and analyzing them against
available alternatives including the purchase or
internal manufacture of the project.
make-or-buy decisions
Decisions made regarding the external purchase or
internal manufacture of a product.
e
ut
management reserves
An amount of the project budget or project schedule
ib
held outside of the performance measurement baseline
(PMB) for management control purposes, that is
reserved for unforeseen work that is within the scope
tr
of the project.
is
mandatory dependency
A relationship that is contractually required or
D
inherent in the nature of the work.
matrix organization
or
An organizational structure in which the project
manager shares responsibility with the functional
e
managers for assigning priorities and for directing the
work of persons assigned to the project.
at
MBI
lic
(Minimum Business Increment) The smallest amount of

value that can be added to a product or service that
benefits the business.
up
milestone
A significant point or event in a project, program, or
D
portfolio.
ot
milestone charts
A type of project schedule bar chart that only includes
milestone or major deliverables as points in time.
N
milestone list
o
A document that contains the significant points or

events in a project.
D
mind mapping
A technique used to consolidate ideas created through
individual brainstorming sessions into a single map to
reflect commonality and differences in understanding
and to generate new ideas.
29
mitigate
involves taking action to reduce the probability of
occurrence or the impact of a risk.
Monte Carlo simulation

An analysis technique where a computer model is
iterated many times, with the input values chosen at
random for each iteration driven by the input data,
e
including probability distributions and probabilistic
ut
branches. Outputs are generated to represent the range
of possible outcomes for the project.
ib
motivation
The inner drive that keeps people involved and wanting
tr
to complete work of high quality in a timely fashion.
is
multi-criteria decision analysis
This technique utilizes a decision matrix to provide a
D
systematic analytical approach for establishing
criteria, such as risk levels, uncertainty, and
or
valuation, to evaluate and rank many ideas.
MVP
e
(Minimum Viable Product) The smallest collection of
features that can be included in a product for
at
customers to consider it functional. In Lean

methodologies, it can be referred to as “bare bones”
lic
or “no frills” functionality.
negotiated settlements
up
Are undertaken to arrive at a final equitable

settlement of all outstanding issues, claims, and
disputes by negotiation.
D
negotiation
An approach used by more than one individual to come to
ot
an agreement or resolution.
N
nominal group technique

A technique that enhances brainstorming with a voting
o
process used to rank the most useful ideas for further

brainstorming or for prioritization.
D
NPS
(Net Promoter Score) Measures a customer’s willingness
to recommend a provider’s products or services to
another on a scale of -100 to 100.
30
NPV
(Net Present Value) The present value of all cash
outflows minus the present value of all cash inflows.
observations
The techniques used to gain knowledge of a specific
job role, task, or function in order to understand and
determine project requirements. This is also known as
job shadowing.
e
ut
OPA
(organizational process assets) Plans, processes,
policies, procedures, and knowledge bases that are
ib
specific to and used by the performing organization.
tr
opportunity
A risk that would have a positive effect on one or more
is
project objectives.
D
organizational theory
The study of how people, teams, and organizations
or
behave to look for common themes for the purpose of
maximizing efficiency and productivity, problem
solving, and meeting the stakeholder requirements of a
e
project.
at
outsourcing
Moving beyond the organization to secure services and
lic
expertise from an outside source on a contract or

short-term basis.
up
overlapping relationships
A type of phase-to-phase relationship that contains
phases that start prior to the previous phase ending.
D
parametric estimating
ot
An estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to

calculate cost or duration based on historical data and
project parameters.
N
Pareto chart
o
A histogram that is used to rank causes of problems in

a hierarchical format.
D
PDM
(Precedence Diagramming Method) A technique used for
constructing a schedule model in which activities are
represented by nodes and are graphically linked by one
or more logical relationships to show the sequence in
which the activities are to be performed.
31
phase gate
A point review at the end of a phase in which a
decision is made to continue to the next phase, to
continue with modification, or to end a project or
program.
planning package
A WBS component below the control account with known work
content but without detailed schedule activities.
e
ut
plurality
Decisions made by the largest block in a group, even if
ib
a majority is not achieved.
PMIS
tr
(Project Management Information System) An information
system consisting of the tools and techniques used to
is
gather, integrate, and disseminate the outputs of
project management processes.
D
PMO
(Project Management Office) A management structure that
or
standardizes the project-related governance processes
and facilitates the sharing of resources,
methodologies, tools, and techniques. PMOs are more
e
common in larger organizations because of the number
at
of projects that can be in process all at the same

time.
lic
political awareness
The ability to recognize the power structure internal
up
to the organization, and the ability to navigate the

relationships.
D
portfolio management
The centralized management of one or more portfolios to
achieve strategic objectives.
ot
portfolio
N
Projects, programs, subsidiary portfolios, and operations

managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives.
o
Power/influence grid
D

basis of their levels of authority and involvement in the
project.
Power/interest grid
basis of their levels of authority and interest in the
project.
32
precedence relationship
A logical dependency used in the precedence diagramming
methods.
predictive life cycle

A form of project life cycle in which the project
scope, time, and cost are determined in the early
phases of the life cycle.
e
ut
probability and impact matrix
A grid for mapping the probability of occurrence of each
ib
risk and its impact on project objectives if that risk
occurs.
tr
probability distribution
is
The scattering of values assigned to likelihood in a
sample population. It can be visually depicted in the
D
form of a probability density function (PDF).
procurement
or
The acquisition of goods and services from an external
organization, vendor, or supplier to enable the
deliverables of the project.
e
at
procurement audit
The review of contracts and contracting processes for
completeness, accuracy, and effectiveness.
lic
procurement documents
The documents utilized in bid and proposal activities,
up
which include the buyer’s invitation for bid, invitation

for negotiations, request for information, request for
quotation, request for proposal, and settler’s
D
responses.
ot
procurement management plan

A component of the project or program management plan that
describes how a project team will acquire goods and
N
services from outside of the performing organization.

o
procurement SOW
Describes the procurement item in sufficient detail to
D
allow prospective sellers to determine if they are

capable of providing the products, services, or results.
product analysis
For projects that have a product as the deliverable, it
is a tool to define scope that generally means asking
questions about a product and forming answers to describe
33
the use, characteristics, and other relevant aspects of
what is going to be manufactured.
product backlog
A prioritized list of customer requirements and the
first step of Scrum in which priority is based on the
riskiness and business value of the user story.
e
product box exercise
A technique used to explain an overarching solution
ut
wherein stakeholders try to describe aspects of a
solution in the same way a marketer might describe
ib
product features and benefits on a box.
tr
product owner
An individual or an organization who is responsible for
is
gathering inputs about a product from the customer and
translating the requirements into the product vision for
the team and stakeholders.
D
product roadmap
or
A high-level visual summary of the product or products of
the project that includes goals, milestones, and potential
deliverables.
e
at
program management
The application of knowledge, skills, and principles to a
program to achieve the program objectives and obtain
lic
benefits and control not available by managing program

components individually.
up
program
Related projects, subsidiary programs, and program
activities that are managed in a coordinated manner to
D
obtain benefits not available from managing them

individually. A project may or may not be part of a
ot
program, but a program will always have projects.
progressive elaboration
N
The iterative process of increasing the level of detail

in a project management plan as greater amounts of
o
information and more accurate estimates become

available.
D
project artifact
Any document related to the management of a project.
project charter
A document issued by the project initiator or sponsor
that formally authorizes the existence of a project and
34
provides the project manager with the authority to apply
organizational resources to project activities.
e
ut
ib
tr
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
35
project governance
The framework, functions, and processes that guide
project management activities to create a unique product,
service, or result to meet organizational, strategic, and
operational goals.
project life cycle
e
A series of phases that a project passes through from
its start to its completion.
ut
project management plan
ib
The document that describes how the project will be
executed, monitored and controlled, and closed.
tr
project management software
is
A computer application that helps plan, organize, and
manage project resources and develop resource estimates
D
for activities.
project management
or
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and
techniques to project activities to meet the project
requirements.
e
at
project manager
The person assigned by the performing organization to
lead the team that is responsible for achieving the
lic
project objectives.
up
project phase
A collection of logically related project activities
that culminates in the completion of one or more
deliverables.
D
project requirements
ot
For a project, these are the agreed-upon conditions or

capabilities of a product, service, or outcome that a
project is designed to satisfy.
N
project schedule network diagram

o
A graphical representation of the logical relationships

among the project schedule activities. project schedule.
D
An output of a schedule model that presents linked

activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and
resources.
project scope statement

The description of the project scope, major
deliverables, assumptions, and constraints.
36
project scope
The features and functions that characterize a product,
service, or result.
project team
A set of individuals who support the project manager in
performing the work of the project to achieve its
objectives.
e
ut
project
A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique
ib
product, service, or result.
tr
projectized organization
A structure where a project manager and a core project
is
team operate as a separate organizational unit within the
parent organization.
D
prototypes
A method of obtaining early feedback on requirements by
or
providing a working model of the expected product before
actually building it.
e
pull communications
Messages that require the interested people to access the
at
information based on their own initiative.

lic
push communications
Messages that are sent out to people who need to
receive the information.
up
PV
(Present Value) The current value of a future sum of
D
money or stream of cash flows given a specific rate of

return.
ot
PV
(Planned Value) The authorized budget assigned to
N
scheduled work.
QFD
o
(Quality function deployment) Workshops that are

D
commonly used in the manufacturing field to determine

new product development requirements.
qualified vendors
The vendors who are approved to deliver the products,
services, or results based on the procurement requirements
identified for a project.
37
qualified vendors list
Contains details regarding vendors who meet the
organization’s requirements and to whom requests can be
sent.
qualitative risk analysis

A technique used to determine the probability of
occurrence and the impact of identified risk.
e
ut
quality audit
A structured, independent process to determine if project
ib
activities comply with organizational and project
policies, processes, and procedures.
tr
quality gate
is
A special type of gate located before a phase that is
strongly dependent upon the outcome of a previous
D
phase. The quality gate process is a formal way of
specifying and recording the transition between stages
in the project life cycle.
or
quality management plan
e
describes how applicable policies, procedures, and
guidelines will be implemented to achieve the quality
at
objectives.
lic
quality metric
A description of a project or product attribute and how
to measure it.
up
quality
The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics
D
fulfills requirements.
ot
quantitative risk analysis

Technique used to assess the risk exposure events to
overall project objectives and determine the
N
confidence levels of achieving the project objectives.

o
questionnaires
Written sets of questions designed to quickly accumulate
D
information from a large number of respondents.
RACI chart
(Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) A
common type of Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
that uses responsible, accountable, consult, and inform
statuses to define the involvement of stakeholders in
38
project activities.
RAM
(Responsibility Assignment Matrix) A grid that shows
the project resources assigned to each work package.
RBS
(risk breakdown structure) A hierarchical
representation of potential sources of risk.
e
recognition
ut
A more personalized, intangible, and experiential event
that focuses on behavior rather than outcome.
ib
regulations
Requirements imposed by a governmental body. These
tr
requirements can establish product, process, or service
is
characteristics, including applicable administrative
provisions that have government-mandated compliance.
D
relative authority
The project manager’s authority relative to the functional
or
manager’s authority over the project and the project team.
requirements documentation
e
A description of how individual requirements meet the
business need for the project.
at
requirements management plan

lic

describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented,
and managed.
up
requirements traceability matrix

A grid that links product requirements from their
D
origin to the deliverables that satisfy them.

ot
resource calendar
A calendar that identifies the working days and shifts
upon which each specific resource is available.
N
resource levelling
o
A resource optimization technique in which adjustments

are made to the project schedule to optimize the
D
allocation of resources and which may affect the

critical path.
resource management plan

describes how project resources are acquired,
allocated, monitored, and controlled.
39
resource requirements
The types and quantities of resources required for each
activity in a work package.
reward
A tangible, consumable item that is given to a person
based on a specific outcome or an achievement.
e
reward and recognition plan
ut
A formalized way to reinforce performance or behavior.
RFI
ib
(Request for Information) A type of procurement document
whereby the buyer requests a potential seller to provide
tr
various pieces of information related to a product or
service or seller capability.
is
RFP
D
(Request for Proposal) A type of procurement document
used to request proposals from prospective sellers of
products or services. In some application areas, it may
or
have a narrower or more specific meaning.
RFQ
e
(Request for Quotation) A type of procurement document

at
used to request price quotations from prospective

sellers of common or standard products or services.
lic
Sometimes used in place of request for proposal and, in

some application areas, it may have a narrower or more
specific meaning.
up
risk appetite
The degree of uncertainty an organization or individual
D
is willing to accept in anticipation of a reward.
risk categorization
ot
Organization by sources of risk (e.g., using the RBS),

the area of the project affected (e.g., using the WBS),
N
or other useful category (e.g., project phase) to

determine the areas of the project most exposed to the
effects of uncertainty.
o
D
risk impact
The likely effect on project objectives if a risk event
occurs.
risk management plan

management plan that describes how risk management
activities will be structured and performed.
40
risk probability
The likelihood that a risk event will occur or prove
true during the project.
risk register
A repository in which outputs of risk management
processes are recorded.
e
risk threshold
ut
The level of risk exposure above which risks are addressed
and below which risks may be accepted.
ib
risk tolerance
The maximum amount of risk, and the potential impact of
tr
that risk occurring, that a project manager or key
is
stakeholder is willing to accept.
D
risk workshop
A technique that uses a special meeting conducted for the
purpose of identifying project risks. In addition to the
or
project team members, this workshop might also include
the project sponsor, SMEs, customer representatives, and
other stakeholders, depending on the size of the project.
e
at
risk
An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has
a positive or negative effect on one or more project
lic
objectives.
ROI
up
(Return on Investment) A financial metric of

profitability that measures the gain or loss from an
investment relative to the amount of money invested.
D
root cause analysis

An analytical technique used to determine the basic
ot
underlying reason that causes a variance or a defect or a

risk. A root cause may underlie more than one variance or
N
defect or risk.
o
SAFe
(Scaled Agile Framework) A knowledge base of integrated
D
patterns for enterprise-scale lean- agile development.
salience model
basis of their level of authority, their immediate
needs, and how appropriate their involvement is in
terms of the project.
41
schedule management plan
establishes the criteria and the activities for
developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule.
scope baseline
The approved version of a scope statement, WBS, and its
associated WBS dictionary, that can be changed using
e
formal change control procedures and is used as a basis
ut
for comparison to actual results.
ib
scope creep
The uncontrolled expansion to product or project scope
without adjustments to time, cost, and resources.
tr
is
scope management plan
A component of the project management plan or program
D
management plan that describes how the scope will be
defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and validated.
or
Scrum master
The coach of the development team and process owner in
the Scrum framework. Removes obstacles, facilitates
e
productive events, and defends the team from
disruptions.
at
Scrum team
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Dedicated, self-managing, cross-functional, fully

empowered individuals who deliver the finished work
required by the customer.
up
Scrum
An agile framework for developing and sustaining complex
D
products, with specific roles, events, and artifacts.

ot
sequential relationships
A type of phase-to-phase relationship that contains
consecutive phases that only start when the previous
N
phase is complete.
o
servant leadership
A type of leadership style used in agile and other types
D
of projects which encourages the self-definition, self-

discovery, and self-awareness of team members by
listening, coaching, and providing an environment which
allows them to grow.
SF
(Start-to-Finish) A logical relationship in which a
predecessor activity cannot finish until a successor
42
activity has started.
share
A strategy for managing positive risks or opportunities
that involves allocating some or all of the ownership
of the opportunity to a third party.
simulation
An analytical technique that models the combined effect
e
of uncertainties to evaluate their potential impact on
ut
objectives.
ib
SLA
(Service Level Agreement) A contract between a service
provider (either internal or external) and the end
tr
user that defines the level of service expected from
is
the service provider.
D
SoS
(Scrum of Scrums) A technique to operate Scrum at scale
for multiple teams working on the same product,
or
coordinating discussions of progress on their
interdependencies, and focusing on how to integrate
the delivery of software, especially in areas of
e
overlap.
at
source selection criteria

A set of attributes desired by the buyer which a seller is
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required to meet or exceed to be selected for a contract.

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source-based risk classification

A method of analyzing risk in terms of its origins.
SPI
D
(Schedule Performance Index) A measure of schedule

efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned value to
planned value.
ot
Sprint backlog
N
A list of work items identified by the Scrum team to be

completed during the Scrum sprint.
o
Sprint planning
D
A collaborative event in Scrum in which the Scrum team

plans the work for the current sprint.
Sprint retrospective
This critical part of the Scrum process is attended by the
Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Scrum team to analyze
from a process perspective what is working well and what
43
is not and to agree upon changes to implement.
Sprint review
A review at the end of each iteration with the Product
Owner and other customer stakeholders to review the
progress of the product, get early feedback, and review an
acceptance from Product Owner of the stories delivered in
the iteration. Also referred to as a Demo.
e
Sprint
ut
A timeboxed iteration in Scrum.
ib
SS
(Start-to-Start) A logical relationship in which a
tr
successor activity cannot start until a predecessor
activity has started.
is
stakeholder analysis
D
A technique of systematically gathering and analyzing
quantitative and qualitative information to determine
whose interests should be taken into account
throughout the project.
or
stakeholder cube
e
A three-dimensional classification model that builds
on the previous two-dimensional grids to group
at
stakeholders.
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Stakeholder Engagement Assessment Matrix

A matrix that compares current and desired stakeholder
engagement levels.
up
stakeholder engagement plan

D
identifies the strategies and actions required to

promote productive involvement of stakeholders in
ot
project or program decision making and execution.

N
stakeholder register
A project document including the identification,
assessment, and classification of project stakeholders.
o
D
stakeholder
An individual, group, or organization that may affect,
be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a
decision, activity, or outcome of a project, program,
or portfolio.
standard
A document established by an authority, custom, or
44
general consent as a model for example.
statistical sampling process

A process that involves dividing sampling data into two
categories—attribute and variable— each of which is
gathered according to sampling plans. As corrective
actions are taken in response to analysis of statistical
sampling and other quality control activities, and as
trend analysis is performed, defects and process
e
variability should be reduced.
ut
statistical sampling
ib
Choosing part of a population of interest for
inspection.
tr
storyboarding
is
The prototyping method that uses visuals or images to
illustrate a process or represent a project outcome.
Storyboards are useful to illustrate how a product,
D
service, or application will function or operate when it
is complete.
or
supportive PMO
The type of PMO that provides a consultative role to
e
projects by supplying templates, best practices,
training, access to information, and lessons learned
at
from other projects.

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SV
(Schedule Variance) A measure of schedule performance
expressed as the difference between the earned value
up
and the planned value.
SWOT analysis
D
An analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,

and threats of an organization, project, or option.
ot
T&M contract
(Time and Material contract) A type of contract that is
N
a hybrid contractual arrangement containing aspects of

both cost- reimbursable and fixed-price contracts.
o
T-shaped
D
Refers to a person with one deep area of specialization

and broad ability in the rest of the skills required by
the team.
tacit knowledge
Personal knowledge that can be difficult to articulate
and share such as beliefs, experience, and insights.
45
task board
Used to visualize the work and enable the team and
stakeholders to track their progress as work is
performed during an iteration. Examples of task boards
include Kanban boards, to-do lists, procedure
checklists, and Scrum boards.
e
team building
The process of continually supporting and working
ut
collaboratively with team members in order to enable a
team to work together to solve problems, diffuse
ib
interpersonal issues, share information, and tackle
project objectives as a unified force.
tr
team charter
is
A document that records the team values, agreements,
and operating guidelines as well as establishing clear
expectations regarding acceptable behavior by project
D
team members.
team management plan

or
A component of the resource management plan that describes
when and how team members will be acquired and how long
e
they will be needed.
at
team resource management

The processes necessary to organize, manage, and lead
lic
the people on the project team as well as the

processes needed to procure and manage physical
resources for a project.
up
team-building activities
The specific functions or actions taken to help the team
D
to develop into a mature, productive team. They can be

formal or informal, brief or extended, and facilitated by
ot
the project manager or a group facilitator.
teaming agreement
N
A legal contractual agreement between two or more

parties to form a joint venture or any other
o
arrangement as defined by the parties to meet the

requirements of a business opportunity. The parties
D
can be internal or external to the organization

executing the project.
term contract
A type of contract that engages the vendor to deliver a
set amount of service—measured in staff-hours or a
similar unit—over a set period of time.
46
threat
A risk that would have a negative effect on one or more
project objectives.
three-point estimating
A technique used to estimate cost or duration by
applying an average or weighted average of optimistic,
pessimistic, and most likely estimates when there is
e
uncertainty with the individual activity estimates.
ut
timebox
ib
A fixed period of time; for example, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3
weeks, or 1 month.
tr
tolerance
is
The quantified description of acceptable variation for
a quality requirement.
D
total float
The amount of time that a schedule activity can be
or
delayed or extended from its early start date without
delaying the project finish date or violating a
schedule constraint.
e
TQM
at
(Total Quality Management) An approach to improve

business results through an emphasis on customer
lic
satisfaction, employee development, and processes

rather than on functions.
up
training
An activity in which team members acquire new or
enhanced skills, knowledge, or attitudes.
D
transfer
ot

involves shifting the impact and ownership of the risk to
a third party and paying a risk premium to the party
N
taking on the liability of the risk.

o
trend analysis
An analytical technique that uses mathematical models to
D
forecast future outcomes based on historical results.
trigger condition
An event or situation that indicates that a risk is
about to occur.
47
unanimity
Agreement by everyone in the group on a single course
of action.
unique identification code

A specific configuration of a code of accounts that
assigns a particular alphanumeric sequence of characters
to each element of a WBS.
e
user story
ut
A brief description of deliverable value for a specific
user. It is a promise for a conversation to clarify
ib
details.
tr
Validate Scope
The process of formalizing acceptance of the completed
project deliverables.
is
D
value stream mapping
A lean enterprise technique used to document, analyze,
and improve the flow of information or materials
or
required to produce a product or service for a
customer.
e
value stream
An organizational construct that focuses on the flow of
at
value to customers through the delivery of specific

products or services.
lic
variable sampling data

Data from a sample that is measured on a continuous scale
up
such as time, temperature, or weight.
variance
D
A quantifiable deviation, departure, or divergence away

from a known baseline or expected value.
ot
variance analysis
A technique for determining the cause and degree of
N
difference between the baseline and the actual

performance.
o
version control
D
A system that records changes to a file, in a way that

allows you to retrieve previous changes made to it.
virtual team
A group of people with a shared goal who fulfill their
roles with little or no time spent meeting face-to-
face.
48
waiver
The giving up of a contract right, even inadvertently.
warranty
A promise, explicit or implied, that goods or services
will meet a predetermined standard.
e
WBS dictionary
A document that provides detailed deliverable,
ut
activity, and scheduling information about each
component in the work breakdown structure.
ib
WBS
(work breakdown structure) A hierarchical decomposition of
tr
the total scope of work to be carried out by the project
team to accomplish the project objectives and create the
is
required deliverables.
D
work package
The work defined at the lowest level of the work breakdown
structure for which cost, and duration are estimated and
or
managed.
e
work performance data
The raw observations and measurements identified during
at
activities being performed to carry out the project

work. They can be recorded in the PMIS and project
lic
documents.
work performance information

up
The performance data collected from controlling

processes, analyzed in comparison with project
management plan components, project documents, and
D
other work performance information.
work performance report

ot
The physical or electronic representation of work

performance information compiled in project documents,
N
intended to generate decisions, actions, or awareness.

o
work shadowing
An on-the-job technique that enables someone to learn
D
about and perform a job while observing and working

with another more experienced person, or mentor
49
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up
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Student Edition
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up
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N
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Lesson 1
Create a High-Performing Team
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team 1
Creating a High-Performing Team
Lesson Time: 8 hours
Lesson Introduction
The success of your project depends on the people involved. The project team
e
members are vital to doing the work of the project efficiently and effectively. The
stakeholders connected to the project have the ability to help or hinder a project’s
ut
success and therefore need to be kept engaged along the way. A key role of a
project manager is the assembling and managing of the project team and any
ib
additional stakeholders. High-performing teams have a shared understanding of and
commitment to the project and possess the appropriate training that empowers them
tr
to do the work.
is
In this lesson, you learn what’s involved in creating a high-performing project team.
D
This lesson addresses tasks from the People domain of the PMP® Exam Content
Outline. or
Lesson Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn how project managers and teams:
e
• Determine project team member requirements, appraise team skills, and

at
maintain team knowledge transfer.

• Collectively define project ground rules based on context, such as
lic
organizational rules and team dynamics.

• Determine a negotiation strategy and negotiate project agreements.
• Organize around team strengths and support team task accountability.
up
• Ensure team members and stakeholders are adequately trained.

• Continually evaluate the effectiveness of virtual team member engagement.
• Reach consensus and support the outcome of the parties’ agreement.
D
Lesson Topics
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Title Slides
Topic A Build a Team 2-27
N
Topic B Define Team Ground Rules 28-39

Topic C Negotiate Project Agreements 40-56
o
Topic D Empower Team Members and Stakeholders 57-67

Topic E Train Team Members and Stakeholders 68-81
D
Topic F Engage and Support Virtual Teams 82-93

Topic G Build a Shared Understanding About a 94-112
Project
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team 1
Topic A
Build a Team
You need talent, skill, and people who can get the project going. Let’s take a look at
what it takes to build a team!
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ut
ib
tr
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Build a Team
D
Finding the talent, giving the motivation and inspiration to
or
do their best—this is your first and foremost
responsibility.
e
at
Deliverables and Tools

This is a list of the deliverables and tools associated with
lic
this topic. These slides are provided to help you match

up project tools and deliverables with tasks.
up
Building a Team
D
Project Resource Management includes the processes to

identify, acquire, and manage the human resources
ot
needed to successfully complete a project.

N
Resource management is the project management area

focused on categorizing, allocating, managing, and
releasing human resources.
o
D
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team | Topic A 1
Project Team (Definition)
A project team is a set of individuals who support the

project manager in performing the work of the project to
achieve its objectives.
Roles on the project team can include:

✓ Project management staff members who perform
e
activities such as budgeting, scheduling, reporting
ut
and control, risk management, and project
communications. This role may be supported by a
ib
PMO.
✓ Project staff members who perform the work to
create the project deliverables.
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✓ Supporting experts who perform work to develop
is
the project management plan. These roles can
include legal, logistics, engineering, testing, and so
on.
D
✓ Business partner members that support the
business partnership.
or
Project Teams
e
at
As a critical part of project resource management, you

need to be able to do the following:
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• Estimate, acquire, and manage teams of people.

• Estimate the other resources those team
members will need to carry out the work.
up
• Obtain the people.

• Develop the team, improve their competencies,
facilitate interactions, and create an effective
D
teaming environment.
• Track team performance, create, and execute
improvements based on feedback, resolve
ot
issues, and manage team personnel changes

N
Project Team Member Requirements

o
These are a few of the major considerations you should

D
think about when building a team.
• The team will need to have enough of the relevant

skill sets to perform the work and produce the desired
results.
• Try to avoid single-points-of- failure, where only one
resource has a needed skill to perform a particular
type of work.
• Make use of what are called generalizing specialists,
who have a core competency but have general skills
in other areas that can be leveraged as needed by
the team to support its objectives.
• In addition to the team members themselves, you will
need to identify the other physical supports that the
team members will require to be able to perform—
equipment, access rights, etc.).
e
• The Plan Resource Management process
ut
encompasses both planning for the team members
and for the physical resources those team members
ib
will require to perform.
tr
Stakeholder (Definition)
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A stakeholder is an individual, group, or organization that
may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be
D
affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project,
program, or portfolio.
or
• Stakeholders for a project, as the name implies, have
a stake in the project and its deliverables.
• You need to be able to perform the following tasks:
e
o Identify stakeholders
at
o Plan stakeholder engagement

o Manage stakeholders
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o Monitor stakeholder engagement

• Managing stakeholder influence and engagement
throughout the project will have a large impact on a
up
project's outcomes and success. That is why you

need to engage with them strategically.
• Stakeholders may have competing interests, needs,
D
priorities, and opinions. They may have conflicting

visions for the project's outcomes, so managing them
ot
carefully is an important part of your role.

N
Project Stakeholders
o
• Stakeholders take on a variety of roles and

D
responsibilities on a project, and can include

members of the project team, customers, end users,
and many other individuals and groups of people.
• Stakeholders may or may not be actively involved in
project work and could affect or be affected by a
decision, an activity, or an outcome of a project.
Idea: Ask you to categorize the
named stakeholders in the
graphic according to the
parameters above—i.e., which
are typically members of the
project team, which are not?
Which are typically active in
project work?
e
ut
Stakeholder Identification
ib
• Identify internal and external stakeholders of a project
tr
as early as possible, learn what their needs are, and
secure their participation in defining the project's
is
parameters and success criteria.
• Although it may be difficult to negotiate a consensus
D
early in the project, it is far less painful and costly
than getting to the end of the project only to learn that
or
someone's needs were not met or were
misunderstood.
• Stakeholders are the people best able to help the
project succeed, as they have a specific interest in
e
the project objectives and its success.

at
• Once created, the communications management plan

and stakeholder engagement plans should describe
lic
the stakeholders and the planned engagement

model.
Stakeholder Identification – Tools & Techniques
up
• Identify project stakeholders regularly and analyze

D
and document relevant information regarding their

interest, involvement, interdependencies, influence,
and potential impact on project success.
ot
• As the project progresses, Change Logs, Issue Logs,

or Requirements documents can also unearth
N
additional stakeholders.
• The stakeholders’ lists may be affected by different
organizational environment factors.
o
• Existing templates and stakeholder registers from

D
previous projects may be useful.
Stakeholder Register (Definition)
A list of individuals or organizations who are actively

involved in the project, whose interests may be
negatively or positively affected by the performance or
completion of the project and whose needs or
expectations need to be considered.
e
Documents like the Business Case and Benefits
ut
Management Plan should provide the names of the
stakeholders.
ib
Stakeholder Register
tr
• Name or organization – Stakeholders can be
is
individuals or entities.
• Project Role – Position on the project or job title in
D
the organization.
• Major Requirements – Which of the project
or
requirements are they concerned with?
• Expectations – Take note of their expectations of the
project. You will have learned this during an interview,
e
for example.
• Influence – What degree of impact can this
at
stakeholder have on the project. Use descriptive

terms and ensure everyone understands what the
lic
terms mean.
• Areas of Interest – Take note of project areas where
you expect they will have inputs or interest.
up
• Internal/External – Is their role inside the company

or not?
• Supporter? – Note this stakeholder’s view of the
D
project. Is it supportive, tolerant, resistant, critical, and

so on? Use descriptive terms so that this information
ot
can be useful.
RACI Chart (Definition)
N
A RACI chart is a common type of Responsibility

Assignment Matrix (RAM) that uses responsible,
o
accountable, consult, and inform statuses to define the

D
involvement of stakeholders in project activities.
RACI stands for: Responsible, Accountable,

Consulted, Informed
Note: The RACI chart is also
called a RASI chart, where "S"
stands for "Support."
A use case about circuit board production is given on the

next slide.
e
RACI Chart Example
ut
The RACI matrix helps identify who is responsible for
making decisions and how the people responsible are
ib
supported. RACI is generally used to provide clarity on
the roles and responsibilities assigned to each project
tr
team member.
is
Team Skills Appraisal
D
The project leader needs to perform an assessment of
team members for skills, aptitude, attitude, work style,
or
and other characteristics.
Assessments of the team members and the team

e
holistically enable the team to:
• Identify its strengths and weaknesses
at
• Help assess opportunities for improvement

• Build trust
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• Establish communications mechanisms
These may help to better identify:

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• Team preferences
• Aspirations
• Information processing and organization
D
• Decision-making processes
• Interactions with other team members
ot
Pre-Assignment Tools
N
These are a few ways of assessing team members.

o
There are a number of tools and techniques to support

D
skills appraisals. These may include:

• Attitudinal surveys
• Specific assessments
• Structured interviews
• Ability tests
• Focus groups
Idea: Have you used any of
these in a project? Think about
some examples.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or DEI, is an established
e
human resource component or initiative in most global
workplaces.
ut
• Here, we need to emphasize that every single project
ib
has diversity. People come from different
backgrounds of gender, language, ability or disability,
tr
nationality, and so on.
• DEI initiatives work towards establishing equitable
is
and “psychologically safe” workplaces, which is a
practice element in Disciplined Agile.
D
• You should seek to create an environment that takes
advantage of this diversity and builds a team climate
of mutual trust.
or
• Team DEI development objectives might include:
• Improving team knowledge and skills to reduce
cost and time and improve quality.
e
• Improving trust to raise team morale, reduce
at
conflict, and improve teamwork.

• Creating a collaborative culture to improve
individual and team performance and facilitate
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cross- training and mentoring.

• Empowering the team to participate in decision
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making and own the solutions they create.
Resource Management Plan (Definition)

D
The Resource Management Plan is a component of the

ot
project management plan that describes how project

resources are acquired, allocated, monitored, and
controlled.
N
Resource Management Plan

o
Part of your project team's resource management plan

D
will include a resource schedule. The resource

management plan might encompass the following:
• Identification of resources
• Acquisition of resources
• Roles and responsibilities
• Roles—The function of the person in the project.
• Authority—Rights to use resources, make decisions,
accept deliverables, etc.
• Responsibility—Assigned duties to be performed.
• Competence—Skills and capacities required to
complete the desired activities.
• Project Organization Chart—Defines the project team
members and their reporting relationships.
• Team resource management—Guidance on the
e
lifecycle of the team resources, how they are defined,
ut
staffed, managed, and eventually released.
• Training strategies and requirements.
• Team development methods to be used.
ib
• Resource controls for the management of physical
resources to support the team.
tr
• Recognition Plan—How team members are rewarded
and recognized.
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As the project manager and team estimate activity
D
resources, they will produce a resource calendar that
identifies the following:
or
• Working days, shifts, hours, weekends, and holidays
• Physical resource availability
• When and for how long resources will be available
e
during the project
• Attributes such as skills, experience levels, and
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geographies
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Virtual Teams
up
Many project teams now are virtual teams with members

that are not co-located.
D
Virtual teams:
• Are defined as a group of people with a shared goal
who fulfill their roles with little or no time spent
ot
meeting face-to-face.
• Create opportunities for finding team members with
N
greater skills, at lower costs, and allow a project to

avoid relocation expenses.
• Create challenges for managing communications and
o
enabling effective team performance.

D
• Can leverage technology solutions to facilitate face-to-

face communications, store and share files, create
threaded discussions and wikis, and manage the
team’s calendar.
• Can be difficult, for a number of reasons, including:
o Bonding and team identity can be hard to create
when team members are geographically dispersed
because finding ways to provide a sense of team
spirit and cooperation may be difficult.
o Communication and information sharing needs to
rely on various forms of technology because teams
cannot meet face-to-face. However, managing
electronic collaboration so that everyone on the
team can reliably transmit and access information
from one another can be challenging.
e
o Because roles, reporting, and performance can be
ut
harder to track on a dispersed team, individual
contributions may be overlooked.
ib
Virtual Team Considerations
tr
Let’s follow and fill in this flow chart about virtual team
work.
is
• Top row – Considerations or benefits of virtual teams
D
• Middle row – Challenges associated with virtual
teams
• Bottom row – Solutions to the challenges
or
Idea: We’ve proposed two
possible solutions to the
e
challenges of “managing
at
communications” and “Enabling

effective team performance”.
lic
Can you think of solutions to

these challenges and to the third
one, “Bonding and team dynamic
up
might be difficult to develop”?

Assign Project Responsibilities
D
Defining the responsibilities within the project team

depends on a number of factors.
ot
• Teams that use a traditional approach explicitly

define and delegate individual and team
responsibilities as part of an overall work breakdown
N
structure.
• Whereas teams using an agile or hybrid approach
o
self-organize, and the members of the team

determine who will perform which work.
D
Whether through assigning or self-organizing, open

communications and effective collaboration are critical to
tailor the approach to project and team needs.
In general, though, identifying a suitable resource to

perform a responsibility might be based on the following:
• Experience: Does the team member have the
relevant experience to carry out the activity?
• Knowledge: Does the team member have relevant
information about the customer need, prior
implementations, and the nuances of this project?
• Skills: Does the team member have the relevant
skills?
e
• Attitude: Does the team member have the ability to
ut
collaborate with the other team members?
• International factors: Consider team member
location, time zone, and communications needs.
ib
Rates
tr
Each resource has a cost factor. This explains how you
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work with the cost factor of resources.
D
The project manager is responsible for project budget
and disbursements. Resource requirements should be
met using the most cost-effective resource given the
or
needs of the project, resource availability, and other
factors.
e
Resource Assignment
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The project manager is expected to document the team

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members assigned to the project, their roles and

responsibilities, and may include a project team
directory, project organization charts, and project
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schedules.
These assignments make up an important part of the

D
project management plan, and it is broader in scope than

the resource management plan. Resource assignment
ot
details in the project management plan include:
Team members assigned to the project

N
Their roles and responsibilities

Project team directory
o
Project organization charts

Project schedules
D
Nurturing Team Performance
When you are setting up your team, you should be

thinking ahead about how you will support them. This is
the subject of Lesson 4, but you need to plan for it during
this stage.
e
Knowledge Transfer in and Between Teams
ut
Make a plan for how you will capture and share
knowledge within your team and then make it available
ib
for concurrent or future teams. Let’s take a look at how
project managers set up teams for successful knowledge
tr
sharing and transfer.
is
Facilitate collaboration and promote visibility of work.
Manage knowledge sharing among team members,
D
especially on virtual teams.
Check the team charter for knowledge sharing
or
methods, including:
o Frequency of updates
o Version control
o Supporting tools and agreed approach to their
e
use
at
Use information radiators to provide seamless

visibility into project status across the stakeholder
lic
community.
up
D
ot
N
o
D
TOPIC B
Define Team Ground Rules
In order for the team to perform effectively, they need to collectively define project
ground rules based on context, such as organizational rules and team dynamics.
e
Define Team Ground Rules
ut
After we’ve built the team, the next step is establishing
ib
working ground rules.
tr
is
This is a list of the deliverables and tools associated
D
with this topic. These slides are provided to help you
match up project tools and deliverables with tasks.
or
e
Teams Norms
at
Team norms are the agreed standards of conduct for all

project team members.
lic
• Establish these norms early in the project, to set the

stage for appropriate range of behaviors and
up
actions.
• Team norms are a shared set of mutually-agreed
rules. It’s a means of keeping a standard and
D
accountability in case of problems.

• Align your team norms with the PMI Code of Ethics
ot
and Professional Conduct.

PMI® Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
N
The PMI® Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

describes the ethical and professional behavior
o
expectations of any individual working as a project

D
management professional.
The four most important are:

• Responsibility
• Respect
• Fairness
• Honesty
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team | Topic B 12
Teams should adopt a similar set of ethics that sets
expectations among the team members for honesty,
integrity, and commitment to supporting the team’s
objectives in an ethical manner.
Team Charter (Definition)
e
The team charter is a document that enables the team
ut
to establish its values, agreements, and practices as it
performs its work together
ib
tr
Team Charter
is
A good team charter should include:
D
• The team’s shared values.
• Guidelines for team communications and the use of
tools.
or
• How the team makes decisions.
• How the team resolves conflicts when disagreements
arise.
e
• How and when the team meets.
• Other team agreements (such as shared hours,
at
improvement activities).
lic
Ideally the charter should be produced by the team, or

at least with the team’s active participation. The team
up
charter can and should be reviewed and updated as

needed on a periodic basis.
D
Ground Rules (Definition)
•
ot
Ground rules are clearly set, written expectations

regarding the code of conduct for team members.
• Ground rules include all actions that are considered
N
acceptable and unacceptable in the project

management context.
o
• Ground rules are included in the project charter.

D
Ground Rules
• By committing to a clearly defined set of ground

rules, the team sets expectations for performance,
decreases the risk of confusion, and improves
performance.
• High performance teams need to have visibility into
each other's work, clear rules on expectations and
communications, and how to handle conflicts among
the team members when they inevitably occur.
• By establishing clear ground rules up front, and
deciding how violations will be dealt with, the team
sets expectations for itself, and provides itself a tool
to maintain and norm its performance.
e
• The project manager seeks to create an environment
where the teams can perform effectively and build
ut
trust.
• Ground rules contribute to these ends by enabling
ib
the team to take ownership of its rules, set
expectations for itself around how the team will
tr
operate together, and establish effective
mechanisms to handle conflicts that will inevitably
is
occur.
• Key objectives include:
D
• Facilitating effective team collaboration
• Promoting visibility of work and progress
• Enabling the team to self-organize and self-
or
manage as much as practicable
e
Negotiation Skills
at
Every team will negotiate roles and responsibilities,

priorities, assignments, and deliverables. All team
lic
members should develop good skills in negotiation

among themselves and with other stakeholders as
required.
up
Internal and External Team Member

D
Communication
ot
The team will need to have regular communications

with stakeholders outside the team. In many cases, the
project team may have dependencies with other
N
external teams, and collaboration will be required in

order to ensure effective expectations—i.e.,
o
management among the various stakeholders. Part of

an effective team charter may include communications
D
protocols inside the team (team meetings, shared

calendars, etc.) as well as periodic communication with
external stakeholders to generate feedback, manage
dependencies, and ensure alignment.
Conflict Management
Conflict is inescapable, but clearly set ground rules can

help avoid or mitigate conflict.
The team should focus on its core values when

addressing “serious” violations. Accountability, shared
expectations, and transparency are paramount.
e
ut
Idea: Have you been on a project
in which clear ground rules would
have prevented conflict?
ib
GUIDELINES: Manage and Rectify Ground
tr
Rule Violations
is
• When the team establishes its charter, it sets
D
expectations for the ground rules about how the
team is to operate, and what methods will be used
to handle conflicts that occur.
•
or
For violations of the team’s ground rules, the team
and the project manager should assess
opportunities for remediation
e
• If the violation is serious—and it’s a good idea to
at
define levels of violations—the team may need to

remove or replace the offending team member.
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
TOPIC C
Negotiate Project Agreements
Now that the team has been assembled, you might need to facilitate negotiations to
reach an agreement about the project objectives.
e
Negotiate Project Agreements
ut
This is the third topic in Lesson 1. We explain a few
ib
concepts and artifacts in the first few slides before
discussing the negotiations process.
tr
is
D
or
e
Project Agreement Objectives
This is an overview of how you’ll be able to monitor the
at
work in a project and judge when work is completed.

lic
An important part of the project agreement is clarity on

how the respective parties will report on and verify that
the objectives of the project are met.
up
In a project using traditional methods, each deliverable is

identified and objective acceptance criteria for each are
D
identified.
ot
In an agile project, since the actual deliverables will vary

as the product backlog is added to, reprioritized, and so
forth, each story needs to have clearly defined
N
acceptance criteria approved by the customer.

o
The project may also specify a Definition of Done for the

project, releases, iterations, and user stories.
D
Agreements
This slide is about agreements in general. An SLA is
depicted on the slide, so that is explained, below.
Agreements:
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team | Topic C 16
• Help to define relationships between a service
provider (internal or external) and the end user.
• Describe the level of service expected from the
service provider.
• Can incorporate expectations for service utility
(functional performance) and service warranty
(including availability, speed, security, continuity, and
other usability expectations).
e
• Can take the form of contracts, MOUs, SLAs, letters,
verbal, or email correspondence.
ut
SLAs govern a service after a project is delivered and
ib
define the expected level of performance. Ideally,
effective SLAs should reflect business-driven metrics,
tr
including such things as transaction processing,
customer satisfaction, etc.
is
Reaching Agreements in Negotiations
D
As we learned in the first topic, negotiations are
discussions that are aimed at reaching an agreement.
or
As part of an external procurement, the agreement may
specify the rights, obligations, and terms of a purchase in
e
order to facilitate a mutual agreement prior to signing a
contract.
at
Soft skills like active listening are extremely useful during

lic
negotiations.
Negotiation Strategy
up
While an external negotiation should be led by a member

of the procurement team authorized to sign contracts,
D
the project manager and project team members assist as

needed.
ot
If using a traditional project approach, strive to clearly

describe the project’s intended deliverables, how
N
completion and quality will be measured, and what the

cost will be.
o
In a more agile approach, the exact deliverables will be

D
variable as the customer modifies, adds, and

reprioritizes items in their product backlog. So, you need
to ensure that performance levels for the deliverables
are defined and agreed.
Negotiations
This list of items comprises what we use to reach

agreements in a negotiation and also what’s produced
as a result of an agreement.
Idea: Can you differentiate

between the items in this list?
e
Which are used in reaching an
ut
agreement and which are the
produced because of an
agreement?
ib
Prioritization Techniques
tr
When thinking about what work needs to be done to
is
produce project deliverables or outcomes, you have to
prioritize.
D
Project managers may be asked to help the customer
prioritize the list of work. In this case, you can use a
or
prioritization technique.
Prioritization techniques include:

e
• Product backlog - In agile approaches, you maintain

at
and manage a product backlog. The product backlog

is owned by the customer—or the product owner in
lic
Scrum—and reflects a list of desired capabilities,

written as User Stories, and a prioritized list, with the
items that have the highest business value and
up
highest business risk listed first.

• Kano model - Identifying certain features or
capabilities as Basic, Performance, or Excitement
D
helps in the prioritization of which capabilities are truly

must-have, what features may create meaningful
ot
competitive differentiators, etc.

• MoSCoW (MSCW) analysis - Categorize features as
Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, and Won’t
N
Have (for now). This helps customers organize their

thinking about what are truly must- have capabilities
o
and enables identification of a Minimum Viable

Product (MVP).
D
• Paired Comparison Analysis - Looking at each pair

of stories and prioritizing one over the others.
• 100 Points Method - Each stakeholder is given 100
points and can multi-vote their points across all the
stories, which then give a weighted priority when
combined.
Performance Reports
Part of the negotiation is defining how project

performance will be captured and reported.
Example metrics might include:
• Percentage of work completed
e
• Quality and technical
ut
performance metrics
• Start and finish of scheduled
activities
ib
• Change requests
• Defects
tr
• Actual costs and durations
is
Work performance data is defined as the raw
observations and measurements identified during
D
activities that are part of project work.
Work performance data is integrated and contextualized

or
in reports that should:
• Generate decisions
e
• Raise issues, actions, and awareness
at
Agile projects may also include:

• Stories completed and accepted
lic
• Progress tracked using a product backlog

• Team delivery of stories against iteration plans
up
Expert Judgment (Definition)

D
Expert judgment is a key input of many project

management processes.
ot
N
Experts
o
As part of negotiating a project agreement, the project

D
manager needs to identify relevant subject matter

expertise to use during the project.
• Help assess needs.

• Identify potential solutions and approaches.
• Ensure understanding of the larger project
context.
Resource Calendars (Definition)
The resource calendar identifies working days, shifts,

and when specific resources are made available to the
project.
Resource Calendars
e
ut
Use a calendar to determine resource availability during
a planned activity period. Then take this into account
when estimating project activities.
ib
The calendar may also identify key resource attributes
tr
such as skills and experience levels to ascertain if the
resources with the proper skills to carry out certain types
is
of work will be available during different aspects of the
project.
D
Review Team Performance and Identify Lessons
Learned Regularly
or
You may not think this is a task to complete before
project kickoff, but it is.
e
at
In the context of estimating project requirements and

negotiating, team performance metrics and lessons
lic
learned data from current or past projects are helpful.
Therefore, ensure that you are planning for team

up
performance reviews and ensure that lessons learned, or

project retrospectives are part of your project team
strategy. This data will be helpful in the current moment
D
and in the future.

Lessons Learned Register (Definition)
ot
A lessons learned register records knowledge gained

during a project so that it can be used in the present
N
moment and also made into an artifact for later use.

o
D
Lessons Learned
We’re using the term “lessons learned” here, but these
ideas are similar in agile project retrospectives.
An effective project team should regularly review its

performance and identify specific improvements that will
increase the team's overall efficiency and effectiveness.
Having this register can improve the team's project
performance and potentially that of other teams and
other projects as well.
Agile teams schedule a ceremony called a retrospective

at the end of each iteration to identify potential issues,
solutions, and improve the processes the team uses to
improve its overall performance.
e
Special Intervals
ut
Down time during work often causes disruption and
ib
distress, so be sure to identify and include reasons for
down time in your negotiations and agreements for
tr
project work.
is
“Blackout” or “Go Live” times are often necessary during
production of work.
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
TOPIC D
Empower Team Members and Stakeholders
Project managers need to get a feel for their teams, identify and organize around
team strengths, and set up systems to ensure the teams are accountable for their
tasks.
e
ut
Empower Team Members and Stakeholders
ib
Welcome to the fourth topic in this lesson! Let’s discuss
why empowering team members and stakeholders is an
tr
essential part of building a high-performing project team.
is
D
or
e
Team Strengths
at
When forming teams, it is critical to understand the

lic
needed competencies and to identify individual as well as

team strengths. This includes skills, knowledge, working
up
practices—any aspect or characteristic that will promote

project success.
In addition, you should identify any challenges that the

D
team will need to overcome to obtain better performance.

ot
Use a technique such as SWOT (Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to identify
N
team strengths and weaknesses that may be addressed

during the project.
Team Decision-Making Tools
o
D
Decision-making is a core function of all teams. They

need to make decisions about activities, risks, estimates,
and many other challenges.
Forming a team includes deciding how the team will

make decisions together, and how they will handle
conflict resolution when disagreements arise.
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team | Topic D 22
As the initial Team Charter is produced, the team needs
to address decision making and conflict resolution.
For example, it may be highly desirable to

seek consensus, but the team may want
to identify how they will respond when
consensus can't be reached; for example,
e
by deciding in advance to take the highest
estimate in case of persistent
ut
disagreements.
ib
Brainstorming
tr
Brainstorming is an ideation technique. It empowers team
is
members and stakeholders by enabling everyone to
become involved in generating the ideas that lead to
solutions and decisions.
D
In brainstorming, a facilitator works with the team to
or
identify a series of potential solutions to a given problem
and then performs various types of analyses to assist the
team in selecting the most appropriate alternatives.
e
at
Estimates
lic
Estimating tasks should be performed by the people

doing the work; they are the ones closest to it and have
the best knowledge of the risks, level of effort, and
up
potential pitfalls associated with the task.
There are a few methods of estimating tasks:

D
• In general, traditional project managers use hours of

effort to identify the length of time a task will take,
ot
often with some caveats.

• Three-point estimates, which estimate the best
N
case, normal case, and worst-case timescales, might

be used to provide a clearer sense of the level of
uncertainty and to set expectations appropriately.
o
• Agile projects tend to avoid using absolute time

D
estimates as the level of uncertainty in the work is

often high. Instead, a relative measure like Story
Point estimating is used.
Story Point estimating can be helpful as an integrated

assessment of risk, innovation, and pure effort involved in
carrying out a particular task because it allows for not
knowing everything that's needed to know to provide a
precise time estimate. In addition, this technique allows
the team to have a useful benchmark for the overall level
of effort and the customer to have a meaningful sense of
how much work the team can perform in an iteration.
Team Task Accountability
e
Promote accountability by empowering people to take
ut
responsibility for work. Effective project managers
generally encourage the team members themselves to
ib
"self-organize" for them to determine the work that must
be done in order to meet an objective, to identify how to
perform that work and who should perform it.
tr
is
Focus on visibility and collaboration by using Gantt charts
or Kanban boards.
D
It is critical to have visibility on who is performing which
tasks and when to ensure effective collaboration and use
or
of team resources. This may be tracked and managed as
part of a large project schedule or more simply on team
task boards that facilitate collaboration and promote
e
visibility across the team.
at
lic
Retrospective
Continual improvement has long been an objective in all

up
aspects of business, but much of the time operational

work, firefighting, and other reactive activities have
crowded out the opportunity for teams to seek real
D
improvements in their processes and practices.
Agile practices like Scrum have popularized a ceremony

ot
called a Retrospective, which time specifically set aside

for the team to reflect on its performance and practices,
N
identify and solve problems, and identify specific

proposed improvements for how the team works
together.
o
D
Retrospective
There are literally hundreds of different methods and

techniques for running a retrospective, but they generally
follow a model like this.
• Set the Stage - Do some kind of check-in activities

to engage the team.
e
• Gather and Share Data - Team Performance
ut
metrics, Earned Value Analysis, etc.
• Generate Insights - What’s working? Where are
challenges? Problem Analysis.
ib
• Make Decisions - Agree on 1-2
improvements/changes to try in the subsequent
tr
iteration.
• Close - New Information, Appreciation, and Thank-
is
Yous.
D
GUIDELINES: Evaluate Demonstration of Task
Accountability
or
The project manager should determine how task
accountability will be tracked and managed.
e
at
As part of developing a Work Breakdown Structure

(WBS), tasks to produce the deliverables should be
identified, preferably by the team members who will be
lic
performing the work. When a WBS dictionary (or work

package) is produced, each of the relevant tasks and
up
assignees to produce the deliverable is identified,

tracked, and managed.
D
In a more agile approach, task identification and tracking

are generally handled by the team themselves as part of
iteration planning. Generally, each of the committed user
ot
stories for that iteration are decomposed into the required

tasks, which then are tracked and managed by the team
N
using an information radiator like a Kanban or task board.

As work is pulled in for execution, the team member
takes ownership of the tasks and works to complete
o
them. The entire team is accountable for ensuring that all

D
of the work required in the iteration is performed to

deliver the committed stories for that iteration.
GUIDELINES: Determine and Bestow Levels of
Decision-Making Authority
In general, it is good management practice for decisions

to be made at the “right” level. Therefore, project
managers should defer appropriate decisions to the
team, while maintaining control and visibility into the
overall plan and progress.
e
ut
• Enable team members to identify, plan, and manage
tasks as much as possible by the team members
themselves. They are the ones closest to the work
ib
and will have the best visibility into what needs to be
done to perform the work and deliver the needed
tr
results.
• Teams performing the work also should estimate the
is
work. Especially in teams where a number of
different people are sharing the overall workload, not
D
every team member can perform a certain amount of
work in the same time. Using relative estimates helps
or
the team focus on the rough overall level of work
without getting too precise on the exact number of
hours it will take; hour estimates may differ widely
based on risk, the level of innovation required, and
e
who will actually be performing that work and their

at
relative skills and experience.

• Empower the teams to drive their own improvement.
lic
Techniques like retrospectives emphasize that it is

important for project success for the teams to set
aside time for their own continual improvement. The
up
efficiencies teams develop by doing continual

improvement far outweigh the time set aside to do it.
D
ot
N
o
D
TOPIC E
Train Team Members and Stakeholders
Another key objective of the project manager is to make sure team members and
stakeholders are adequately trained.
e
Train Team Members and Stakeholders
ut
This is the fifth topic in this lesson.
ib
tr
is
D
this topic. These slides are provided to help you match up
project tools and deliverables with tasks.
or
e
Training and Coaching Plan
at
To enable the best performance from your team, training

and coaching need to be an integral part of your team
lic
functions.
Team members may need to be trained in different

up
aspects of the project, the customer environment, and the

solution approach. Users, customers, and other
stakeholders will require training and other knowledge
D
transfer to ensure successful onboarding of the solution.

This is a critical component of the overall organizational
ot
change management work required to ensure customer

readiness.
N
Training and Coaching
Training provides specialized skill building for individuals

o
and the team.

D
Coaching is a long-term relationship between individuals,

which aims to transfer skill sets and knowledge from the
more experienced party to the less experienced party.
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team | Topic E 27
Training and Coaching Plan
The team should have a plan for training, coaching and

mentoring activities.
Here are some guidelines:

• When – Timing is important. Skill training for a
deliverable (product or service) should happen close
e
to the time of delivery or implementation to avoid
ut
delays and to ensure the customer accepts the
product or service successfully.
• Which – How do you decide which training, coaching,
ib
and mentoring activities you need to have for your
high-performing team? A gap analysis is a great
tr
method.
• Formalization through certification – Consider
is
whether the team, the project, or the organization
would benefit from pursuing specialized certifications.
D
They can be a valuable investment.
• Scope – In addition to technical and practical skills,
also consider soft skill training, or knowledge or
or
experience sharing.
T-Shaped Skills
e
Focus on enabling team members to think of themselves

at
as “T-shaped”.
lic
It’s no longer enough for most of us to be experts in one

focused area. We need to develop competencies and
expertise across a broad range of areas. So, consider the
up
depth as well as breadth of team members’ knowledge.

Required Competencies
D
We mentioned using a gap analysis to identify required

competencies. Here is some further detail:
ot
• Identify the required competencies before

N
executing a training plan.

• Think about which “hard” and “soft” skills are
o
needed.
• What type of training do the various stakeholders
D
need? Some will require more in depth or different

training than others.
• Finally, you may need to tailor team training to
ensure they are familiar with the customer’s
business, culture, desired outcomes, and project
context.
Elements of Training
Training is a well-known and versatile way of imparting

knowledge and skills to individuals, small groups, or whole
teams.
Consider from the many forms of training available:

• Instructor-led, classroom – physically present or co-
e
located
• Virtual classroom, instructor-led
ut
• Self-paced eLearning
• Document review
ib
• Interactive simulations
• On-the-job training
tr
Training Options
is
This table describes some of the training methods we just
listed. Let’s explore them a bit more.
D
This course is delivered as either a live (in-person) or
or
online, instructor-led training through a virtual
environment. Simulated, hands-on labs are often made
available this way as well.
e
Self-paced eLearning is another option. It is scalable and

at
can include rich-media video, simulated lab exercises, etc.

lic
Training Cost and Schedule
Training costs are part of a project budget. But they are

up
also elements that need to be scheduled!
• Use a training calendar to publish and support

D
training
• Ensure stakeholders can see the training schedule
• Facilitate and confirm registration through the
ot
calendar, ideally
• Track attendance with class rosters
N
• Use the schedule to manage the training schedule

in alignment with the project schedule
o
Pairing and Coaching

D
Pairing enables collaboration between stakeholders. They

can learn together, and within the pairing, use
collaboration to reinforce concepts and knowledge.
Coaching fosters team building and collaboration.

Coaching can happen informally, or opportunities can be
made deliberately.
Certifications
Training does not always lead to formal certification, and

certification is not always necessary. However, sometimes
it is useful.
Some trainings end with a training credential, or topical

certification: a certificate or badge are examples.
e
ut
Beyond that are professional certifications. An industry
certification demonstrates credibility of expertise or skill.
Industry credentials are portable and may be a desirable
ib
reward for the certification holder, as this demonstrates
their knowledge and skills to a wider audience for
tr
advancement or employment opportunities. Investing in
certification for your team shows them that you and/or the
is
organization are helping them improve their skill set.
D
The PMP®, for example, is an industry-
recognized and premier professional
certification.
or
Baseline and Post-Training Assessments
e
at
You can and should measure the efficacy of training.
One technique for doing this is baselining, where

lic
attendees are provided a pre- assessment to measure

pre-existing skills, then a post-assessment after the
up
training is completed to demonstrate the new levels of

competence.
GUIDELINES: Ensure Training Occurs
D
Scheduling and procuring suitable training are only the

ot
first step in a project manager’s role of ensuring the team

is properly trained. Some other actions might include:
• Creating awareness among the stakeholders about
N
available training.
• Creating invitations to attend the training.
o
• Engaging with customer management to obtain their

buy-in and commitment for their employees to attend
D
the training programs.

• Sending registration confirmation notices and
reminders prior to the training event to ensure they
have not forgotten.
• Create rosters for each delivery of the training,
capturing signatures to confirm attendance and
participation in any pre- or post-assessments.
e
ut
ib
tr
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
TOPIC F
Engage and Support Virtual Teams
Projects almost always use virtual teams. In this topic, you will look at how to stand
up and help your virtual team become effective and high- performing, and to
continually evaluate the effectiveness of virtual team member engagement.
e
ut
Engage and Support Virtual Teams
ib
This is the sixth lesson in this topic. We mentioned virtual
teams earlier, noting especially the challenges. Now, it’s
tr
time to delve a bit deeper in this topic.
is
D
or
e
Collaboration Technology
at
This is about the technology used to communicate in

virtual teams. Planning for communication in virtual teams
lic
is discussed in later, in slide 89.
Virtual teams need collaboration tools and technology.

up
While technologies to enable team planning, collaboration,

and communications are important, they are not a
substitute for good team planning activities. We will
D
discuss this in a few moments.

ot
Team working choices will have substantial implications

for collaboration technology; not only which technologies
the team uses, but how they use the tools.
N
For example: If the team values and

o
prioritizes transparency, then collaboration

and working methods will need to be highly
D
visible to all.
Here is a list of some common collaboration tools used for

virtual teams:
• Shared task boards and burndown/burnup charts to
promote visibility.
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team | Topic F 32
• Shared messaging and chat boards to enable quick
ad hoc communications.
• Knowledge repositories to store shared documents.
• Video-conferencing tools to create more opportunity
for face-to-face collaboration.
Any combination of these types of tools can be useful, if

your team has decided how to use the tools to help the
e
team promote visibility and enable collaboration.
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Virtual Team Member Needs
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Let’s shift now to what a virtual team needs to thrive.
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The list begins with the basics:
• A shared goal
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• A clear purpose
• Clarity on their role and what is expected of them.
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Because the team is not co-located, project managers of
or
virtual teams will spend a substantial amount of their time
"knocking down virtual walls" to ensure the teams are
able to effectively collaborate and operate as a team, and
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not just a series of isolated individuals.
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Virtual Team Member Engagement

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Managing engagement with virtual team members

requires persistence and a focus on good team dynamics,
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especially transparency, accountability, and active

attention to effective communications.
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Teams communicate better face-to-face, and there is lots

of evidence of the criticality of being able to assess body
language and tone of voice to ensure that team members
ot
have bought into the approaches they are using together

to solve problems.
N
So how do we set up a virtual team for success? There

are two main methods:
o
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• Investment in and active use of videoconferencing

tools enable team meetings to more fully integrate all
aspects of the team and to ensure that the team
members are committed to their solution approaches.
• Another key area is visibility into work and work
status. Even a small team will have trouble aligning
its work activities unless effective tools are
implemented to collaborate and promote visibility.
Many tools enable the use of Kanban-style boards to
visualize the work to do, to track (and limit) work-in-
progress, and to note when work activities are
completed, and objectives have been met.
Note: While these technologies can

certainly support your team’s endeavors,
e
how the team uses the tools and how
well the tools' use reflects the team’s
ut
values and priorities is critical.
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For example: If the team doesn't keep
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the information on a task board current,
it's always out of date, and people can't
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make decisions or pull work based on
what the board says, thus defeating a lot
D
of the purpose.
Communication
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While it's trite to say that communication is key, it clearly
is. Successful teams get to be successful by working
e
together to execute work, solve problems, and produce
solutions.
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In a virtual team, the need for effective communications is

lic
even greater due to the lack of opportunity for osmotic

learning from just being around your other team members.
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Part of an effective team charter is to make decisions as

a team about how, when, and why you communicate with
one another, and what the shared expectations are. This
D
may include shared work hours for scheduling team

meetings, how the team is expected to use and not use
ot
tools like threaded discussion groups, shared document

repositories, and even webcams.
N
A team that has made a commitment to itself to manage

communications effectively will experiment on how to use
o
the tools in the most effective way; the emphasis must be

on getting results.
D
Good retrospectives often focus on specific ways the

team can improve communication, collaboration, and the
use of their tools to improve visibility.
Engagement Assessment
When a team is first engaged, care should be taken to

identify team members who will be able to successfully
form a coherent working team and work together to
achieve the team’s objectives. While all teams need
people with certain subject matter expertise and
capabilities, effective teamwork, collaboration, and
e
communications are especially important in whether the
ut
virtual team will be able to perform effectively.
This is especially important in virtual teams.
ib
As new members may join the team over time, the team
tr
itself will need to go through the process of re-forming,
storming as necessary to produce a new set of team
is
norms, and then begin the process of continual
improvement as the team strives for greater efficiency and
D
effectiveness.
Idea: What’s been your experience

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working in virtual teams? What has
worked and what has not? How have
visibility, transparency, and
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communication played a part in your
at
virtual team experiences?

Communications Plan
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In the same way the project manager establishes a

communications plan for engaging with other project
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stakeholders, a communications plan for the team itself

should be created and executed. Again, the objective is
effective collaboration and broad, accurate visibility across
D
all of the relevant stakeholders.

ot
This may include:

• Working times - When will the team meet? When are
shared hours? Do they hold daily stand-up meetings?
N
Grooming meetings to clean their backlogs? Sprint

Planning meetings? Sprint Reviews? Retrospectives?
o
You need to make these decisions and document

them in the communications plan.
D
• Working methods - How do team members update

status on team task boards and/or burndown charts?
How often do team members update their work
status?
• Communications method - What are their preferred
communications approaches? Chat channels?
Phone? E-mail? Shared task boards? Plan for initial
communications expectations for the team, and then
encourage the team to adopt its own practices and
experiment with ways to drive iterative improvements
to their communications approaches.
GUIDELINES: Implement Options for Virtual
Team Member Engagement
e
Key guidelines for implementing effective virtual teams
include:
ut
• Focus on collaboration and team norms before
focusing too much on tools. Allow team members to
ib
figure out how and why they need to communicate
and collaborate with one other, then look at how
tr
technologies and tools can help.
• Recognize that team formation in a virtual
is
environment is difficult, so it's critical to reinforce the
teams' mutual commitments, achievements, and
D
opportunities.
• Virtual teams will require a significant amount of
feedback and reinforcement of the team goals and
or
objectives, or collaboration will quickly devolve to
individual behavior and performance instead of the
team’s shared goals.
e
• When possible, provide opportunities for the virtual
team members to meet in person, build relationships,
at
have fun together, and nurture their shared

commitment to the project’s goals.
lic
Calendar Tools
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• Shared calendars are available in many tools to help

team members plan meetings, coordinate feedback,
D
and improve visibility into project goals and activity

status.
• In general, timeboxing meetings is a good idea. It:
ot
o Improves focus,
o Encourages the team to set clear agendas
N
and objectives, and

o Helps with keeping the work on track.
o
As part of team formation, the team should make

D
decisions about how best to manage its calendars with an

overall goal of promoting visibility among the team and the
other relevant stakeholders.
Variance Analysis
Because the virtual team environment is so complex and

potentially challenging, you are well-served by assessing
performance more often.
The project manager may produce variance analysis of

different kinds as the team carries out its work. Variance is
e
defined as a quantifiable deviation, departure, or
ut
divergence away from a known baseline or expected
value. Variance analysis may include:
• Accuracy of team estimates
ib
• Delivery in a sprint or by an established milestone
• Team performance against targets—perhaps
tr
measured by story points completed or successful
burndown during an iteration.
is
Results of a variance analysis may be shared with the
D
team as part of a retrospective and may serve as the
basis for problem solving, identification of lessons learned,
and proposed experiments to improve team performance
or
in subsequent iterations.
Use the results to motivate and challenge team members

e
in positive ways.
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Virtual Team Best Practices

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Let’s review a few of the things we discussed in this topic.

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ot
N
o
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TOPIC G
Build Shared Understanding about a Project
One of the first goals in onboarding a team for a project is to ensure that they reach
consensus and support the outcome of the parties' agreement.
e
Build a Shared Understanding About a Project
ut
This is the final topic in this lesson.
ib
A shared understanding is more than scope, schedule,
tr
and objectives. It’s enabling our team to understand the
importance of the project to the organization’s strategic
is
objectives.
D
or
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Project Vision
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A vision is a desired end-state, often described as a set

lic
of desired objectives and outcomes. When a new project

begins, it is critical to have a clear vision of the desired
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end objectives.
Depending on how well defined the deliverables of the

project are, a more traditional waterfall approach or a
D
more agile approach might be adopted. The more agile

the approach, the more likely it is that the specific
ot
components of the solution are not clearly understood

and subject to change.
N
The project vision should be sufficiently immutable to

serve as the “north star” for the project; the various
o
components may change or adapt, but the vision should

be reasonably consistent.
D
Many projects may begin with the creation of a vision

statement. This may describe the product or solution,
intended users or consumers of the solution, key desired
objectives, differentiators from competitive approaches,
key features and benefits, etc.
Lesson 1: Creating a High-Performing Team | Topic G 38
Project Charter (Definition)
A project charter is a document issued by the project

initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence
of a project and provides the project manager with the
authority to apply organizational resources to project
activities.
e
The project initiator or sponsor is a person who provides
ut
resources and support for the project and is accountable
for enabling the project's success. An effective project
charter conveys why the project is being initiated and
ib
what the project's outcomes will be, ensures that you
have support for the project, and gives you the authority
tr
to apply resources to project activities.
is
Project Charter Contents
D
The project charter contains much of the information that
a team member needs to understand the value, content,
or
and importance of a project.
Idea: Brainstorm exactly how

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each of these elements can
contribute to a greater shared
at
understanding of a project.
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Project Overview Statement
Another document that conveys the intent and vision of a

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project is the overview statement.
It should:
D
• Be brief and clear.

• Capture the project’s objective, the problem or
opportunity it solves, and list the success criteria.
ot
N
How to Run the Project

Traditional, agile, and hybrid are covered extensively
later on. This is an overview.
o
D
Project management methodologies are adaptable and

able to suit any kind of project. You need to be able to
understand the benefits and suitability for each approach
in order to choose your Way of Working, or WoW.
Kickoff Meeting
Once you have all of these elements in place, it’s time for
kickoff.
This is the moment in the project where the planning

leads to action. It’s usually a meeting in which a few
things need to happen:
e
• Establish the project context
• Assist in team formation
ut
• Ensure that the team is aligned to the overall project
vision
ib
Activities during kickoff may include:
tr
• Define the vision statement
• Define the team charter
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• Facilitate creation of the following with your customer
or product owner:
D
o User story writing
o Estimation of effort
o Prioritization planning
or
o Initial product backlog
Iteration Planning
e
If you’ve decided to work in an agile or hybrid mode, then

at
you’ll be working in iterations. These are intervals of work

in which product development moves along in a
lic
successive, phased approach.
In this case, teams will perform iteration planning, or

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sprint planning, to:

• Review the highest prioritized user stories, or key
outcomes,
D
• Ask questions,
• Agree on forecasts for story completion, and
ot
• Once agreed, determine the activities needed to

deliver iteration objectives.
N
Overview – Agile Ceremonies (1 of 2)

o
This is an overview of some terms used in agile projects.

D
Scrum is an agile framework for developing and

sustaining complex products, with specific roles,
events, and artifacts.
A sprint is a timeboxed iteration in Scrum.
In a sprint planning meeting, the team collaborates
to plan work for the current sprint.
Overview – Agile Ceremonies (2 of 2)
Continued.
Hold daily standups—short (10-15 minute) daily

meetings—for the team to reaffirm commitment to
objectives for the iteration, identify potential blockers,
and coordinate the day’s work.
In a Sprint Review at the end of each iteration, the
e
Product Owner and other customer stakeholders
ut
review progress and receive feedback for that
iteration.
A Scrum Master facilitates a Sprint Retrospective
ib
for the team to identify improvements. They review
the team’s processes and practices and identify ways
tr
to improve performance and collaboration.
is
Task Boards
D
Task boards are a fantastic way of enabling shared
understanding. By making data visible, everyone has
access to it. This creates an atmosphere of transparency
or
and information-sharing.
Consensus (Definition)
e
at
Reaching consensus shows that the project operates in

collaborative, shared decision-making mode.
lic
Don’t forget to use your negotiation skills here! And in the

next slide, let’s look at ways of getting consensus quickly
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and fairly.
Reach Consensus
D
Depending on the kind of problem you are trying to solve,

one method may be better than the other.
ot
Idea: Can you think of examples

of when each of the methods
N
would be useful? Explain how or

why.
o
Estimation Techniques
D
Teams will need to make estimations of time or effort

during a project. So that everyone knows that these
estimates are not made arbitrarily or autocratically, we can
employ one of these techniques.
XP Metaphor
If you need to describe how a program works in an IT

project, the team may use an XP metaphor—to put the
concept into words anyone can understand.
Product Box – Collaboration Game
e
ut
Another technique of explaining a solution is “product
box”. It can work like an “elevator pitch”. Basically, we are
encouraging the explanation of a complex idea in parts so
ib
that everyone can understand.
tr
GUIDELINES: Reach Consensus and Support the
Outcome of the Parties’ Agreement
is
D
Once the consensus is reached, everyone has to support
it, even if they have a different, personal point of view.
or
People won’t always agree. But this is the challenge of
leadership: to set the stage for the best performance of
our human resources and to engender a high-performing
e
team.
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End of Lesson 1
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This is the end of the first lesson. The next lesson takes
us into the “Process” element of project management:
How to start a project. We’ll take up the “People” element
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again in Lesson 4, when we come back to the topic of

keeping your team motivated and on track.
D
ot
N
o
D
e
ut
ib
tr
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Student Edition
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or
e
at
lic
up
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N
o
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Lesson 2
Starting the Project
Starting The Project
Duration: 10 hours
Lesson Introduction
Now that you've assembled a high-performing, engaged, and empowered project
team, you are ready to plan and start the project.
e
ut
Planning includes all aspects of a project, including budget, schedule, scope, quality,
project activities, procurement, and closure. You also need to determine the
appropriate project methodology or method.
ib
tr
Learning Objectives
is
D
• Assess project needs, complexity, and magnitude to determine the appropriate
project methodology/methods and practices.
• Plan and manage the scope.
or
• Plan, prepare, modify, and manage the project schedule based on methodology.
• Plan and manage the budget and resources.
e
• Plan and manage the quality of products and deliverables.
•
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Integrate project planning activities.

• Plan and manage procurement strategy.
• Establish the project governance structure.
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• Plan and manage project/phase closure.

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Lesson Topics
D
Title Slides
Topic A Determine Appropriate Project Methodology/Methods & 2-17
ot
Practices
Topic B Plan and Manage Scope 18-86
Topic C Plan and Manage Schedule 87-133
N
Topic D Plan and Manage Budget and Resources 134-152

Topic E Plan and Manage Quality of Products and Deliverables 153-172
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Topic F Integrate Project Planning Activities 173-184

Topic G Plan and Manage Procurement 185-209
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Topic H Establish Project Governance Structure 210-219

Topic I Plan and Manage Project/Phase Closure 220-234
Topic A
Lesson 2: Starting the Project 2
Determine Appropriate
Project Methodology/Methods and Practices
Every project is unique, even if it’s been done before. You need to understand which
methods suit the type of work and outcomes. There is no one way to manage every
project. Knowing and understanding project management best practices is one part
of the equation. Determining and applying the most appropriate methodology and
e
practices to your project is another part.
ut
ib
Here’s what we’ll cover in this lesson. Let’s learn about
how to start project work!
tr
is
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Determine Appropriate
or
Project Methodology/Methods and Practices
This is the first topic in our learning about how to start a

project. We’ll learn about project management methods
e
and practices.
at

lic

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Business Case and Business Needs Documents

ot
Most projects start with the business case. This may be

preceded by a business needs document. These
documents contain the seeds of your project. So, let’s
N
make sure you understand what they are.

o
A business case is a documented economic feasibility

D
study used to establish the validity of the benefits of a

selected component that is lacking sufficient definition. In
other words, it’s the first step in authorizing project
activities.
A business needs document is a related, less-detailed

deliverable that may precede the formal business case.
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic A 3
The business needs document expresses the goal—what
needs to be created or what needs to be performed.
The business case explains the justification, feasibility,

and return on investment (ROI) involved in pursuing that
goal.
Project Implementation Plan
e
ut
The goal of any project is to deliver some product or
service for a customer, whether internal or external to the
ib
organization.
Depending on what the product or service is, the team
tr
should select the methodology that fits. Usually, this
is
means which method delivers value to the organization
most quickly. Additionally, project planning should ensure
minimal negative disruption to the business and address
D
concerns relative to the project and business
environment.
or
Project Implementation Plans should consider all
stakeholders, schedules, risks, budgets, and quality
e
standards.
at
Depending on the method used, the team will be creating

outputs or deliverables, or a combination of both. You
lic
plan for these in the project plan.
• Project deliverables may be delivered all at once,

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at the end of the project.

• Project outputs are delivered throughout the
project.
D
Rolling Wave Planning (Definition)

ot
Planning rarely happens all at once and at the beginning of

N
the project anymore. So-called “rolling wave” planning

enables you to begin work, even if terms and conditions
o
are uncertain and subject to change.

D
Rolling Wave Planning
Let’s look at some characteristics of rolling wave planning.
• It can be used in either agile or predictive

approaches or teams
• It enables you to begin working even if you don’t
have a full picture or all of the details
• It’s a form of progressive elaboration (we’ll define
that in the next slide), that you apply to work
packages, planning packages, or release planning.
Rolling wave planning works in this way: teams

decompose work down to level of known detail during
strategic planning. And as work progresses, they continue
e
decomposing work packages into activities.
ut
We will ensure you understand each of these terms later in
this lesson.
ib
Progressive Elaboration (Definition)
tr
Progressive elaboration is the iterative process of
is
increasing the level of detail in a project management plan
as greater amounts of information and more accurate
D
estimates become available.
Overview: Project Management Methodologies,

or
Methods, and Practices
e
There may not be an ideal approach to manage your
project, but experienced project managers can choose the
at
best approach, depending on the resources, timelines,

stakeholders, industry, the project work, and many other
lic
factors.
Every project and situation require an assessment of what

up
method, or way of working, will work the best.
Let’s consider the three major methods of, or approaches

D
to, project management: Agile, Predictive or Plan-driven,

and Hybrid.
ot
• Agile – This is a more modern approach wherein

the team works collaboratively with the customer to
N
determine the project needs, quickly building

outputs based on those assumptions, getting
o
feedback, and continuing forward or adapting as

much as needed.
D
o The aim is to deliver value early by regularly

confirming and incorporating input.
o The team’s work, together with the
customer’s input, drives the project forward.
• Predictive / Plan Driven - A more traditional
approach wherein, as much as possible, the project
needs, requirements, and constraints are
understood at the beginning of the project, and
plans are developed accordingly.
o Those plans drive the project forward.
o The more well planned out, the more
predictive and controlled the project is.
• Hybrid – A third option is to incorporate components
of both approaches.
e
Examples are:
• Using a particular strategy or
ut
technique from one methodology
for a certain need.
ib
• Blending the various approaches
concurrently on the project.
tr
• Switching approaches based on
need, changing work
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requirements, or circumstances.
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Types of Life Cycles
A life cycle is a way of describing the nature and trajectory

or
of a project.
• There are two major types of project life cycles:

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predictive and adaptive.
at
• ‘Hybrid’ is exactly that, a blend of the two.

• In adaptive life cycles, we use iterative, incremental,
lic
or agile approaches.
Predictive Life Cycle (Definition)
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• A predictive life cycle is a form of project life cycle in

which the project scope, time, and cost are
determined in the early phases of the life cycle.
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• In other words, in a predictive life cycle, you

determine project scope, time, and cost as early in
ot
the project as possible.

• This is a preferred cycle to use when project
N
outcomes are well understood and known, such as

enhancements to an established product.
• Predictive cycles are formal and enable the project
o
team to stay focused on each phase of the project

D
before having to move forward into the next phase.
Predictive Life Cycle
Just as the name suggests, predictive life cycles are very

good when you have fixed requirements and fixed
expectations of those requirements. There is a high
element of control—and, thus, predictability—in projects
which follow a predictive life cycle.
Adaptive and Hybrid Life Cycles
e
ut
There may be fewer and fewer cases of projects that can
adopt purely predictive life cycles. That’s because we are
ib
living in an age of high complexity and change, where
predicting outcomes is fraught with difficulty, and business
tr
needs and conditions, as well as external environmental
factors change rapidly and without notice.
is
The adaptive life cycle enables projects to operate with
D
flexibility so that plans can respond effectively to change.
Hybrid Methods or
A balance of the two life cycles is often the necessary
compromise. Teams can combine predictive and adaptive
e
approaches to adopt a hybrid method of working and to
balance the business’s need for predictable outcomes
at
along with a way of managing change effectively.

lic
In these blended approaches, organizations typically using

shorter delivery time frames, iterative product releases,
and involve stakeholders regularly, but they tend to do
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more in-depth planning and requirements gathering up

front.
Adaptive Life Cycles
D
You need to have a good understanding of what ‘iterative’

and ‘incremental’ mean. Agile life cycles are discussed in
ot
depth on the next slide. It’s included in this graphic

because agile is also an adaptive life cycle.
N
An adaptive life cycle can be helpful in uncertain or

undefined environments.
o
D
For example: When developing a brand-

new product, the high-level vision for the
product exists, but all the details such as
limitations, size, and functions, will be
discovered and identified as each phase
is completed (progressive elaboration).
This type of life cycle is also beneficial when managing a
changing objective and scope or when partial delivery of
the objectives provides value.
Usually, the sequence of the phases defined by most

project life cycles involves some type of handoff or
deliverable. Most often, deliverables from one phase are
approved before work begins on the next phase.
e
For example: Design specifications are
approved and handed off before the
ut
design phase begins. However, a
subsequent phase may begin before
ib
approval is gained on the deliverables of
a previous phase, if the risks are
tr
considered acceptable. It helps the
project management team plan work to a
is
greater level of detail as the project
progresses.
D
This cycle is like an extension or corollary of the
overlapping relationship, but in this case the same phase
or
repeats itself multiple times—once in every iteration.
• In an iterative life cycle, the project scope is

e
generally determined early in the project life cycle,
at
but time and cost estimates are routinely modified

as the project team's understanding of the product
lic
increases. Teams develop a product through a

series of repeated cycles—or iterations—while
increments successively add to the functionality of
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the product.
o Achieving the project objectives via iterations
is best accomplished when leveraging the
D
learning and successes—as well as

failures—from the previous iterations. By
capturing and applying the lessons learned
ot
at the end of each iteration, typically in the

form of a retrospective session, teams can
N
improve, grow, and become more efficient

with every iteration.
o Stakeholder engagement is critical to
o
continuous improvement and driving towards

D
the optimal solution. Frequent and

meaningful feedback from all involved in the
project enables the product evolution across
iterations.
• In an incremental life cycle, the deliverable is

produced through a series of iterations that
successively add functionality within a
predetermined time frame. The deliverable contains
the necessary and sufficient capability to be
considered complete only after the final iteration.
Both types of life cycles include project phases that are

intentionally placed and repeated as the team's
understanding of the deliverables is developed and
e
understood. In most cases, the team will work with a high-
level vision because the deliverables will be defined up
ut
front and developed with more detail and characteristics as
the project moves through each phase.
ib
Adaptive Life Cycles
tr
is
Moving on from iterative and incremental, we have the
world of ‘agile’, which has become a catch-all for non-
predictive approaches. But let’s try to understand what
D
they really are.
or
Agile life cycles can be iterative or incremental in nature.
They are sometimes also called ‘change-driven’ or
‘adaptive’.
e
• They work well in environments with high levels of
change and ongoing stakeholder involvement in a
at
project.
• This is similar to iterative and incremental life
lic
cycles, but they move at a much more rapid pace.

• Agile life cycles are used in a highly flexible,
interactive, adaptive organization where project
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outcomes are realized while the project work is

being completed, and not at the beginning of the
project.
D
• This method is used when dealing with a rapidly

changing environment, when scope and
ot
requirements are difficult to define in advance, and

small incremental deliverables have value to
N
stakeholders.
o
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Typical Use Cases
As mentioned, the approach best suited for your project

depends on many factors. Project managers must assess
the needs, complexity, and magnitude of the work, but also
the expectations of stakeholders.
Idea: Look at the examples on the first
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two rows. Can you think of examples for
ut
the last three rows?
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tr
is
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or
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at
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up
D
ot
N
o
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Topic B: Plan and Manage Scope
The project team must complete work in order to achieve project outcomes.
What that work is, what must be done, guiding that work, ensuring the work is done,
and setting criteria as to what “done” is, so it can be properly validated are all
elements the project team must plan for and manage throughout the project.
e
Plan and Manage Scope
ut
In the second (and longest) topic of this lesson, we look
ib
at how to plan for the project’s scope. As we’ll see,
there is a lot of work involved in managing the effort and
tr
the scope of the project.
is
D
or
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Scope Management Plan (Definition)
at
A scope management plan is a component of the

lic
project management plan or program management plan

that describes how the project scope will be defined,
developed, monitored, controlled, and validated.
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Scope Management Plan

D
As a project manager, you will reference the project

charter and any subsidiary plans of the project
management plan when developing the scope
ot
management plan.
N
Another factor you must consider during the

development is whether or not any environmental
o
factors are pertinent to the project.

D
The scope management plan provides guidance to you

on how you'll manage scope-related activities that
range from collecting requirements, writing the scope
statement, to breaking down the work that needs to be
done.
11
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic B
Scope Management Tools and Techniques
Use the following tools and techniques to help develop

the scope management plan.
• Use internal and external experts that have

experience in similar projects to apply expert
judgment. These individuals can be consulted
e
when you are ready to put the plan together.
•
ut
Alternatives analysis is a technique used to
identify different ways of collecting requirements,
elaborating the project and product scope,
ib
creating the product, and validating and
controlling the scope. This analysis can have an
tr
influence on the scope management plan.
• Hold meetings with any team member who will
is
be involved with the creation of the scope
management plan.
D
Project Requirements (Definition)
or
Project requirements are the agreed-upon conditions or
capabilities of a product, service, or outcome that the
e
at
Requirements are the determined and documented

needs and expected project outcomes and expectations
of the project customer, sponsor, and stakeholders.
lic
Product Requirements (Definition)

up
Distinct from project requirements, product

requirements are the agreed-upon conditions or
capabilities of a product, service, or outcome that the
D

ot
Project and Product Requirements

N
Some high-level requirements may already be

documented and in the project charter, but as the
project manager, you must verify that all requirements
o
are determined and documented during this process.

D
Requirements create the foundation for building the

WBS and are verified regularly during the project
execution process.
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic B 12
For example: Some of the
requirements for a new house might
include the square footage of each
room; the type of counter tops needed
in the kitchen and each bathroom; a
central vacuuming system; and the
size and materials used for a deck.
e
Any project will have many requirements, and it is
important to determine the requirements early in the
ut
project.
ib
Throughout the life of the project, the requirements may
change. Stakeholders might add new requirements
tr
during the project—sometimes even during project
execution—as well as changing others.
is
Project Scope (Definition)
D
This is the work performed to deliver a product, service,
or result with the specified features and functions.
or
“Project scope” may include “product scope.”
e
Product Scope (Definition)
at
The product scope is the statement of features and

functions that characterize a product, service, or result.
lic
up
Project and Product Scope

D
Let’s make sure we understand project and product

scope properly. Make sure you are differentiating
between ‘project’ and ‘product’ scope.
ot
N
Tolerances
o
Tolerance is a quantified description of acceptable

variation for a quality requirement. It applies to budget,
D
time, quality, and non-functional requirements.
With established tolerances for a project—areas within

the purview of the project manager—project managers
can effectively manage certain issues and control the
project without having to escalate to the project board
for review and approval.
For example: Project A has set a
tolerance so that the project manager
can control issues with a budget or
time variance of less than 5% but be
required to escalate any variances that
exceed that threshold.
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs) –
e
(Definition)
ut
EEFs are things outside out the project team’s control.
ib
These are internal or external conditions that influence,
constrain, or direct the project at organizational,
tr
portfolio, program, or project level.
is
Organizational Process Assets (OPAs) –
D
(Definition)
or
OPAs are assets that influence the management of the
project. This includes plans, processes, policies,
procedures, and knowledge bases that are specific to
e
and used by the performing organization.
at
EEFs and OPAs

lic
EEFs and OPAs are two major categories of project

influences.
up
D
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)
Idea: Can you think of examples

ot
of actual EEFs, using the

information and cues in the
N
table?
o
Organizational Process Assets (OPAs)

D
Here, we review the characteristics of OPAs. We said

they include the processes, policies, and procedures of
an organization. So, the project needs to co-exist within
the parameters set by the OPAs.
Project work, in turn, can influence and affect OPAs.
Document Analysis (Definition)
Document analysis is a technique used to gain project

requirements from current documentation evaluation.
Document Analysis
e
ut
The document analysis method can be used to derive
new project requirements from existing documentation
such as business plans, service agreements, marketing
ib
materials, current process diagrams, application
software documentation, and more.
tr
is
Focus Groups (Definition)
D
Focus groups are an elicitation technique that brings
together pre-qualified stakeholders and subject matter
experts to learn about their expectations and attitudes
or
about a proposed product, service, or result.
e
Focus Groups
at
Focus groups can be small events or discussions that

are designed to be less structured and more for
lic
information-sharing sessions within a small group of

people.
up
Project managers will use focus groups to bring

together SMEs and other stakeholders to gain further
information and clarification on specific project
D
requirements.
ot
These events are typically conducted by a trained

moderator who will propose pre-selected questions and
keep the discussions on track with the selected theme.
N
For example: A focus group

o
might be used to gather customer

feedback for a product that is
D
scheduled to be updated.
Questionnaires and Surveys (Definition)
Questionnaires are written sets of questions designed

to quickly accumulate information from a large number
of respondents. They typically target a specific area or
subject.
Questionnaires and Surveys
e
ut
This technique is useful when the group is varied and
located in multiple locations.
ib
The results of the questionnaires and surveys can be
tr
sent out and returned quickly and the results can be
analyzed in a timely manner.
is
In most cases, the results will be used to conduct a
D
statistical analysis and used by decision makers to
prioritize, categorize, and determine requirements.
or
For example: You might survey
users of a banking application to
see how they are using the
e
system.
at
Benchmarking (Definition)
lic
Benchmarking is the comparison of actual or planned

products, processes, and practices to those of
comparable organizations to identify best practices,
up
generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for

measuring performance.
D
Benchmarking
ot
This technique can be helpful in determining a project's

requirements by comparing current requirements
N
against a proven or best practice standard within the

same professional field or product area.
o
A benchmark can be used to measure performance and

D
to generate ideas for project requirements.
Interviews (Definition)
An interview is a formal or informal approach to elicit

information from stakeholders by talking with them
directly.
Interviews
e
ut
Through discussion, you can record any pertinent
information you need for your project requirements.
ib
With this information, you can further identify and define
specific project outcome features and functions.
tr
For example: An interview might
is
be helpful when you need to get
specific feedback from an end
D
user of a product or service to
find out what is useful and what is
or
not.
Group Decision-Making Techniques
e
Decision-making techniques are used by a group to
at
reach a decision. This technique is an assessment

process that can have multiple alternatives and can
lic
lead to many outcomes.
• Voting is a way of factoring in a lot of input

up
before making a decision.

• In autocratic decision-making, one team
member makes the decision for the group.
D
• Teams can use multicriteria decision analysis

to make decisions. This involves the use of
systematic and analytical approaches.
ot
Types of Voting
N
If teams use voting to make a decision, they first

consider and discuss the alternatives and outcomes.
o
Then team members can indicate their choice. Here is

an overview of the different types of voting:
D
• Unanimity - Agreement by everyone in the

group on a single course of action.
• Majority - The majority represents more than
50% of the group's ideas. This is a good method
to use with large groups, but it can be difficult
with extremely large groups with a wide diversity
in views about a subject.
• Plurality - Decisions made by the largest block
in group, even if a majority is not achieved.
• Autocratic - Using this method, one person
makes the decision. In most cases, this person
will consider the larger group's ideas and
decisions and will then make his or her decision
based on the best decision.
e
• Agile methods – Fist of five, thumbs
ut
up/down/sideways, planning poker, and so on
Data Representation
ib
Visual representations of data are powerful tools for
tr
showing data so that you can then make a decision.
Mind mapping and affinity diagrams are two such ways.
is
We explore a few of these methods later in this lesson.
D
Observations (Definition)
Observations, also referred to as job shadowing, is a

or
technique used to gain knowledge of a specific job role,
task, or function in order to understand and determine
project requirements.
e
at
This technique allows decision makers to directly

observe a job when a job or task is complex and
lic
detailed and cannot be described easily.
For example: For a product assembly

up
improvement project, project team

members might observe the actual
assembling of the product in a
D
manufacturing plant to better

understand a process and determine
project requirements.
ot
Facilitated Workshops (Definition)

N
Facilitated workshops are organized working sessions

held by project managers to determine what a project's
o
requirements are and to get all stakeholders together to

agree on the project's outcomes.
D
There are different types of workshops used depending

on the industry you are working in.
Context Diagrams (Definition)
A context diagram is a visual depiction of the product

scope showing a business system (process, equipment,
computer system, etc.), and how people and other
systems (actors) interact with it.
Context Diagrams
e
ut
The diagram includes the business process, equipment,
or computer system and what roles interact with those
ib
systems.
tr
The diagram depicts specific business and actor inputs
to the business system, as well as the business and
is
actor outputs of the system.
D
Storyboarding (Definition)
or
Storyboarding is a prototyping method that can use
visuals or images to illustrate a process or represent a
project outcome.
e
Storyboards are useful to illustrate how a product,

at
service, or application will function or operate when it is

complete.
lic
For example: In software development,

a storyboard might be used to show
up
how a customer service application will

function from a user's perspective by
showing the results of each option
D
available within the application.

Prototyping (Definition)
ot
Prototyping is a method of obtaining early feedback on

N
requirements by providing a working model of the

expected product before actually building it.
o
The prototype can be used for evaluation and

D
experimentation by project stakeholders and other team

members.
The results of the evaluation can then be analyzed and

assembled into a prioritized list of redesign ideas for the
prototype, or a detailed list of project requirements.
This process can be cyclical with many prototype
revisions until the project requirements are determined.
Requirements Documentation
Requirements documentation is a description of how

individual requirements meet the business need for the
project.
The documentation is composed of all the individual
e
requirements needed for a project to meet the business’
ut
and stakeholders’ needs.
ib
The composition of the documents will vary depending
on the specific needs of a project. For example, very
detailed and categorized, to a simple list of high-level
tr
requirements.
is
Requirements documentation can include any or all of
the following components:
D
• Business requirements
•
or
Stakeholder requirements
• Solution requirements
• Transition and readiness requirements
e
• Support and training requirements
• Project requirements
at
• Quality requirements
lic
Types of Requirements
Collecting requirements is an important step in defining

up
project scope. Let’s examine this list of requirements

types that a project team needs to collect in order to
properly describe the scope.
D
Nonfunctional Requirements
ot
These are the supplementary or contextual

requirements that support the functional requirements
N
for the product or project.

o
They include:
• Availability
D
• Capacity
• Continuity
• Security
Requirements Management Plan (Definition)
The requirements management plan is a component of

the project or program management plan that describes
how requirements will be analyzed, documented, and
managed.
Requirements Management Plan
e
ut
This plan provides guidance on how the process of
collecting requirements will be managed.
ib
Components of the requirements management plan
tr
require project managers to choose the most effective
relationships to aid in the project's success and
is
document this approach in the plan.
D
These components include:
• How requirements activities will be planned,
tracked, and reported.
or
• Configuration management activities
• Requirements prioritization process
• Metrics used and the rationale for using them.
e
• Traceability structure
at
Requirements Traceability Matrix (Definition)

lic
The requirements traceability matrix is a grid that links

product requirements from their origin to the
deliverables that satisfy them.
up
D
Requirements Traceability Matrix
This is a blank requirements traceability matrix

ot
template. Let’s learn about and identify what’s needed

to complete the matrix.
N
The purpose of this matrix is to justify each requirement

determined and to link it directly to the business and
o
project objectives.
D
This matrix can be used to track the progress of

requirements throughout the project life cycle and to
verify that the requirements have been met once the
project closes out.
It can also be helpful to manage a project’s scope and any
proposed changes to the scope.
Here’s a list of the tracing requirements included in the

traceability matrix:
• Business needs, opportunities, goals, and
objectives.
• Project objectives.
• Project scope and WBS deliverables.
e
• Product design.
• Product development.
ut
• Test strategy and test scenarios.
• High-level requirements to more detailed
ib
requirements.
• Work package mapping.
tr
• Stakeholder reference, so you can track each
individual requirement to a stakeholder.
is
GUIDELINES: Collecting Project Requirements
D
Review:
• the scope management plan for clarity as to
or
how project teams will determine which type of
requirements need to be collected for the
project.
e
• the requirements management plan for the

at
processes that will be used throughout the

collect requirements process to define and
lic
document the stakeholder needs.

• the stakeholder engagement plan to
understand stakeholder communication
up
requirements and the level of stakeholder

engagement in order to assess and adapt to the
level of stakeholder participation in requirements
D
activities.
• the project charter for the high-level description
of the product, service, or result so that detailed
ot
requirements can be developed.

• the stakeholder register to identify
N
stakeholders who can provide information on the

requirements.
o
Use tools and techniques such as interviews, focus

D
groups, facilitated workshops, interpersonal and team

skills, decision-making techniques, questionnaires and
surveys, observations, prototypes, benchmarking,
context diagrams, and document analysis to collect
requirements for the project.
Project Scope Statement (Definition)
The project scope statement is the description of the

project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and
constraints.
e
Project Scope Statement
ut
Stakeholders and other project members can refer to
the scope statement when scope development needs to
ib
be verified against the scope baseline, updated, or
changed during the course of a project.
tr
A project scope statement will be different for every
is
project, it may include any, or all, of the following
components:
D
• Project scope description
• Acceptance criteria
• Deliverable
or
• Project exclusion
• Constraints
• Assumption
e
Scope Tools and Techniques

at
Let’s review the tools and techniques that project

lic
managers use to determine scope:
• Expert judgment - Used to analyze the

up
information needed to develop the project scope

statement. Such judgment and expertise can be
applied to any technical detail.
D
• Alternatives analysis - This data analysis

technique is used to develop as many potential
ot
options as possible to identify different

approaches to execute and perform the work of
the project.
N
• Multi-criteria decision analysis - A decision-

making technique used to analyze ideas to
o
ultimately evaluate and prioritize (by ranking) the

ideas to assist in defining the project scope.
D
• Facilitation - Encouraging the key players to

participate in facilitated workshops can help to
reach a cross-functional and common
understanding of the project objectives and their
limits.
• Product analysis - For projects that have a
product as a deliverable, product analysis is a
tool that generally means asking questions about
a product and forming answers to describe the
use, characteristics, and other relevant aspects
of what is going to be manufactured.
Product Analysis (Definition)
Product analysis is a tool to define scope that generally

means asking questions about a product and forming
e
answers to describe the use, characteristics, and other
ut
relevant aspects of what is going to be manufactured.
ib
Product Analysis
tr
Depending on the product the project is delivering, you
can use a number of analysis methods to create a
is
working understanding of it and to develop the scope.
These methods include product breakdown, systems
D
analysis, requirements analysis, systems engineering,
value engineering, and value analysis.
or
GUIDELINES: Develop a Project Scope
Statement
e
You can use the following guidelines when creating the
at
scope statement for your project:
•
lic
Review the scope management plan for the

activities for developing, monitoring, and
controlling the project scope.
up
• Review the project charter for the high-level

project description, product characteristic, and
project approval requirements.
D
• Review the requirements documentation to

select the requirements that will be included in
the project.
ot
• Review the OPAs such as policies, procedures,

template for a project scope statement, project
N
files from previous projects, and lessons learned

from previous phases or projects.
• Use tools and techniques such as expert
o
judgment, product analysis, alternatives analysis,

D
and facilitated workshops to define the project

scope.
• Document the project scope statement and
update any project documents, as needed.
Work Breakdown Structure (Definition)
The work breakdown structure (WBS) is a hierarchical

decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried
out by the project team to accomplish the project
objectives and create the required deliverables.
e
Work Breakdown Structure (Definition)
ut
A WBS defines the total scope of work required to
complete the project.
ib
The deliverables and their component sub-deliverables
tr
are represented on the WBS in levels of descending
order.
is
The WBS shown in the figure is a specialized approach
D
known as DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve,
and Control). This approach is commonly used in Six
Sigma types of projects.
or
Code of Accounts (Definition)
e
A code of accounts is a numbering system used to

at
uniquely identify each component of the WBS.

lic
A code of accounts system allows project managers to

track individual WBS components by using a unique
identification code, which is especially helpful in the
up
areas of performance, reporting, and cost.

WBS Dictionary (Definition)
D
The WBS dictionary is a document that provides

detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information
ot
about each component in the work breakdown

structure.
N
WBS Dictionary
o
D
The document can be used as a reference when

assigning and researching individual WBS component
information.
The WBS dictionary can include any of the following:
• Code of account identifier
• Description of work
• Assumptions and constraints
• Responsible organization
• Schedule milestones
• Associated schedule activities
• Resources required to complete the work
• Cost estimations
• Quality requirements
• Acceptance criteria
• Technical references
e
• Agreement information
ut
Decomposition (Definition)
ib
Decomposition is a technique used for dividing and
subdividing the project scope and project deliverables
tr
into smaller, more manageable parts.
is
Decomposition - Example
D
The work package is the smallest chunk from the WBS,
or
which includes the to-do activities, so you can ascribe
duration and estimated cost.
e
The level of decomposition is based on specific project
needs and the level of granularity needed to manage
at
the project effectively.

lic
There are a number of steps involved in the

decomposition process:
• Identify the deliverables and the work tasks
up
necessary to accomplish the deliverable.

• Structure and organize the WBS.
• Decompose high-level WBS scope components
D
into low-level components.

• Develop and assign a unique identification code
ot
to each component.
• Review the decomposition of work packages and
verify that they align with the project
N
requirements.
Control Accounts, Work and
o
Planning Packages
D
Let’s look at the definitions of these terms, ‘control

account’. ‘work package’ and ‘planning package’ before
we see—in a graphic illustration—how they all work
together.
Control Account (Definition)
A control account is a management control point where

scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated
and compared to earned value for performance
measurement.
Control points are tracked by finance to verify that costs
e
are within budget.
ut
These accounts associated with different work
packages within the WBS can be tracked and verified
ib
against the earned value of a project to check
performance.
tr
Work packages will be assigned to a control account
is
and the work will be managed within that account
throughout the project.
D
Control accounts may contain more than one work
package, but each work package should be assigned to
or
only one control account.
Planning Package (Definition)
e
A planning package is a WBS component below the

at
control account with known work content but without

detailed schedule activities.
lic
In other words, a placeholder for work that is yet to be

up
determined by a requirement. It is placed within the

control account but does not have specific activities
applied.
D
The planning package work can be anything that must

be designated within the control account but does not
ot
have a cost or a budget applied yet.

Work Package (Definition)
N
The work defined at the lowest level of the work

o
breakdown structure for which cost and duration are

estimated and managed.
D
Planning Work Using a WBS
A work package must describe a deliverable that can be

adequately scheduled, budgeted, and assigned to an
individual person or group.
An important distinction to be made here is that the

"work" referred to in a WBS is actually the products or
e
deliverables that are a result of an individual work
ut
package, not necessarily the work itself.
Each level of the WBS breaks down the work into more
ib
and more layers until the work package is at a level that
can be assigned, estimated for cost and duration, and
tr
tracked individually.
is
The goal is to eventually roll up each work package into
the level above within the WBS hierarchy to gain the
D
overall time and budget requirements.
Scope Baseline (Definition)
or
The scope baseline is the approved version of a scope
statement, WBS, and its associated WBS dictionary,
e
that can be changed using formal change control
procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to
at
actual results.
lic
Scope Baseline
With these approved versions, the scope baseline for a

up
specific project can be incorporated into the project

management plan.
This is the baseline that you are monitoring and
D
measuring against throughout the project.
If the data collected does not align with the scope

ot
baseline, then action may need to be taken depending

on the variance.
N
A scope baseline may include any of the following

o
components:
• Project scope statement
D
• WBS
• Work package
• Planning package
• WBS dictionary
GUIDELINES: Create a WBS
• Review the scope management plan that

specifies how to create the WBS from the
detailed project scope statement and how the
WBS will be maintained and approved.
• Review the project scope statement for a
description of the requirements that need to be
e
satisfied and the work that will be excluded from
ut
the scope. Include a list and description of the
specific internal or external restrictions or
limitations that may affect the execution of the
ib
project.
• Review the requirements documentation to
tr
understand what needs to be produced as the
result of the project and what needs to be done
is
to deliver the project and its final products.
• Review the Enterprise Environmental Factors
D
(EEFs) such as industry-specific WBS standards
(such as ISO) that are relevant to the nature of
or
the project and that may serve as external
reference sources for creating the WBS.
• Review Organizational Process Assets (OPAs)
e
such as policies, procedures, template for the
WBS, project files from previous projects, and
at
lessons learned from previous projects.

• Use tools and techniques such as decomposition
lic
to divide and subdivide the project scope into

smaller, more manageable parts.
• Use expert judgment to analyze the information
up
needed to decompose the project requirements

into smaller component parts to create an
effective WBS.
D
• Include notes on work products that may be

delivered incrementally.
•
ot
Document the scope baseline and update any

project documents, as needed.
N
Product and Iteration Backlogs
The work and activities from the work breakdown

o
structure (WBS) or similar processes can be placed in

D
backlogs.
A product backlog is essentially a list of all the expected

work to deliver the product. A project’s product backlog
changes throughout the project.
Product backlog items (PBI) drop off when work is
completed. PBIs are edited and clarified as more is
known or as product requirements may change.
PBIs are continually added as necessary when more

work must be done. As such, grooming and refining the
product backlog is an ongoing exercise, typically
scheduled in weekly or monthly intervals.
e
The product backlog grooming also orders the items
based on priority and other criteria.
ut
To better manage the vast amount of work that must be
ib
completed, teams set up iterations with its own backlog
based on items from the product backlog.
tr
In an Iteration Backlog, the team determines what items
is
from the product backlog can conceivably be completed
within that time period based on the team’s capacity.
D
Hence, teams must estimate the effort size of the work
and understand the priorities of the business.
or
User Stories (Definition)
e
Short descriptions of required functionality; told from the
user’s point of view.
at
lic
User Stories
up
Projects are created to deliver value of some kind—

whether that is increased profits, an enlarged customer
market, improved use, and so on. To retain focus on
D
what the value is to the user, teams can use user

stories.
ot
User stories aim to frame the need or desire of who is to

N
benefit from the work of the team.
Typically, the value is described in a template such as

o
"As a [user name or persona], I want to [objective or

intent], so that I can [why the objective brings value]."
D
There are many variations of the sentence. As long as

the sentence encapsulates the value to be created, you
have a story.
Framing the user's desire as a story rather than a

detailed requirement or specification enables the team
to focus more on what the user actually values over
simply delivering to a specification.
Tools and Techniques for Verifying Scope
The following tools, techniques, and approaches can be

used to verify the scope.
Definition of Done (DoD) - A team's checklist of all the
e
criteria required to be met so that a deliverable can be
ut
considered ready for customer use.
ib
Definition of Ready (DoR) - A team's checklist for a
user-centric requirement that has all the information the
team needs to be able to begin working on it.
tr
is
Acceptance Criteria - A set of conditions that is
required to be met before deliverables are accepted.
D
Validate Scope - The process of formalizing
acceptance of the completed project deliverables. This
or
usually involves reviewing the deliverables with the
project customer or sponsor to ensure that they are
satisfied with the final deliverable and securing their
e
formal acceptance for the completeness of the
deliverable.
at
Iteration Reviews - At or near the conclusion of a

lic
timeboxed iteration, the project team shares and

demonstrates all the work produced during the iteration
with the business and other stakeholders.
up
Variance Analysis - A technique for determining the

cause and degree of difference between the baseline
D
and actual performance. Any variances must be

analyzed to determine whether they are acceptable or
ot
they merit corrective action to keep the performance

within specifications.
N
Trend Analysis - An analytical technique that uses

mathematical models to forecast future outcomes based
o
on historical results. Review the project performance

over time to determine if it indicates improvement or
D
deterioration.
Topic C: Plan and Manage Schedule
The project schedule in its most basic form is simply a representation of how long a
project takes to complete.
It includes a number of components, including the activities that will be performed to

execute the project scope, the duration of each activity, and how the activities are
e
related to each other.
ut
Plan and Manage Schedule
ib
We have just learned about how you plan and manage
scope. The next step is the schedule.
tr
is
Deliverables and Tools (1 of 2)
D
or
This list is continued on the next slide.

e
Tools, Activities & Processes – Continued

at
lic
up
Project Schedule
D
The project schedule is an output of a schedule model

that presents linked activities with planned dates,
ot
durations, milestones, and resources.

N
This visual presentation can include the project team's

plan for starting and finishing activities on specific dates
o
and in a certain sequence.

D
The schedule also specifies planned dates for meeting

project milestones. With its supporting detail, the
schedule is the main output of the develop schedule
process.
The purpose of the project schedule is to coordinate

activities into a master plan in order to complete the
32
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic C
project objectives on time.
It is also used to track schedule performance and to keep

upper management and project stakeholders informed
about project status.
Benchmarks and Historical Data
Benchmarking in the context of scheduling is the
e
comparison of a project schedule to a schedule for a
ut
similar product or service produced elsewhere.
ib
For example: If a widget can be
designed in six months by other
companies, your design for a comparable
tr
widget should not take a year.
is
Benchmarks can be useful in the initial stage of
D
scheduling, to help assess the feasibility of a project.
Historical data, on the other hand, can come from other

or
projects completed within an organization for which
detailed information is available.
e
Such data is very useful when scheduling phases or
at
individual activities of a project. It provides a good

“starting point” for how long something should take, prior
to detailed analysis.
lic
Schedule Management Plan (Definition)

up
A schedule management plan is a component of the

project or program management plan that establishes the
criteria and the activities for developing, monitoring, and
D
controlling the schedule.

ot
Schedule Management Plan

N
It describes how activities will be defined and

progressively elaborated and identifies a scheduling
method and scheduling tool that will be used for a
o
project.
D
It also determines the format of the schedule and

establishes criteria for developing, monitoring, and
controlling the project schedule.
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic H 33
Components of the Schedule Management Plan
• Project schedule model - The project schedule

model is the methodology and tool that will be used
to develop the project schedule. Maintenance of the
project schedule describes how to update the status
and record the progress of the project during the
project execution.
e
• Accuracy - Level of accuracy is the acceptable
ut
range used to determine realistic activity duration
estimates and may include an amount for risk
contingency.
ib
• Units - Units of measure are defined for each
resource such as staff hours, days, and weeks.
tr
• Organizational links - The WBS is used as the
framework for the schedule management plan so
is
that there is consistency with the estimates and
resulting schedules.
D
• Control thresholds - Control thresholds are the
defined variance thresholds for monitoring schedule
or
performance before action is taken. Expressed as
percentage deviations from the baseline plan; for
example, 10% behind schedule or 15% ahead of
e
schedule.
• Rules - This includes the rules of performance
at
measurement; for example, Earned Value

Management (EVM) rules.
lic
• Reporting - Reporting formats define frequency and

formats for schedule-related reports.
• Process descriptions - Process descriptions
up
describe how the schedule management processes

are documented.
D
Schedule Management Considerations for Agile/

Adaptive Environments
ot
Although a final completion date may be scheduled in an

agile/adaptive approach, activities throughout the project
N
tend to use iterative scheduling with a backlog or on-

demand scheduling.
o
This allows priorities to be adjusted as the project

D
environment evolves.
The agile approach uses short cycles for work, review,

and adaptations or adjustments.
The rapid feedback about the approach and deliverables

received becomes the basis for iterative scheduling and
on-demand pull-based scheduling.
Processes involved in Project Schedule Management

include:
• Plan Schedule Management
• Define Activities
• Sequence Activities
• Estimate Activity Durations
e
• Develop Schedule
• Control Schedule
ut
Iterative Scheduling with Backlog
ib
This method uses progressive elaboration (rolling wave)
tr
techniques to develop and schedule activities in a
specified time window, often two weeks, based on
is
requirements defined in user stories.
D
Iterative Scheduling with a Backlog Process
or
The stories are prioritized and selected based on how
long each will take and then the highest priority is
constructed first, allowing a team to deliver business
e
value early and incrementally.
at
Remaining stories are added to the backlog and will be

constructed in subsequent time cycles based on their
lic
priority.
A benefit of this scheduling approach is that it allows

up
changes/adaptations during the entire project, but it does

not work well with activities that have complex
dependency relationships.
D
On-Demand Scheduling
ot
This method does not use traditional schedules at all, but

rather has team members "pull" work from a queue as
N
their availability allows.
Based on Kanban and Lean methodologies, this

o
approach also provides incremental business value,

D
while leveling out the work of the team members.
It works best when work can be divided into relatively

equal amounts.
Does not work well with activities that have complex

dependency relationships.
GUIDELINES: Develop a Schedule Management
Plan
• Review the project management plan for

information to develop the schedule such as the
scope baseline and other scheduling-related
information such as risk decisions.
• Review the project charter for a summary, high-
e
level milestone schedule for the project, and for
ut
who will approve the project schedule.
• Review the EEFs such as organizational culture
ib
and structure, resource availability and skills, use
of project management software, published
commercial information, and organizational work
tr
authorization systems.
•
is
Review the OPAs such as monitoring and
reporting tools; historical information; lessons
learned; schedule control tools; existing schedule
D
control-related policies, procedures, and
guidelines; templates; project closure guidelines;
or
change control procedures; and risk control
procedures.
• Use tools and techniques such as expert judgment
e
and historical information to give the project team
advice on schedule development and
at
management from previous similar projects.

• Use meetings to develop the schedule
lic
management plan.
• Document the schedule management plan for the
project.
up
Project Activity (Definition)

D
An activity is a distinct, scheduled portion of work

performed during the course of a project.
ot
N
Project Activities
o
Activities lay the foundation for estimating, scheduling,

executing, monitoring, and controlling the project work.
D
The characteristics of an activity are:

• It has an expected duration. (How long will it
take?)
• It consumes budget or human resources. (Who
will do the work?)
• It has a performance-based name. (What is being
accomplished?)
Work packages from the WBS can be broken into smaller

components called activities.
Activities do not appear on the WBS. They are

documented separately in an activity list.
e
Additionally, they may be entered in the project schedule
or documented in an individual's own work plans.
ut
For example: A work package named
ib
"reserve conference room" might be
broken down into the following activities:
tr
• Determine budget
• Determine size requirement
is
• Determine date needed
• Identify possible room
D
alternatives
• Select room
• Call to reserve room
or
Feature (Definition)
e
A set of related requirements that allows the user to
at
satisfy a business objective or need.

lic
Epic (Definition)
up
A very large collection of user stories. Epics can be

spread across many sprints.
D
ot
Features and Epics

N
Features can be used to group related functionality

together that delivers business value.
o
The activities and efforts—including work such as

D
documentation, bug fixes, testing, quality/defect repairs

to correct current functionality—to deliver capability that
can be estimated, tracked, and managed as a set.
Working with Features
Scheduling aligned to features ensures associated work

is coordinated.
Estimating features gives a view of when blocks of

functionality can be released to the business and end
users.
e
ut
Progress can be measured based on the features
accepted by the business compared to the features
remaining.
ib
Milestones (Definition)
tr
A milestone is a significant point or event in a project,
is
program, or portfolio.
D
Milestones
or
Milestones have no duration and trigger a reporting
requirement or require sponsor or customer approval
e
before proceeding with the project.
at
Milestones serve as markers and are defined by the

lic
project manager, customer, or both.

Milestone Chart
up
A milestone chart provides a summary level view of a

project's schedule in terms of its milestones.
D
Milestones are typically listed from the left to right of the

chart, and icons or symbols are used to show scheduled
ot
milestone events.
Time intervals—divided into hours, days, weeks, or

N
months—are usually presented horizontally across the

top or bottom of the chart, as illustrated in the figure.
o
Milestone charts can be effective in demonstrating the

D
project's overall schedule to project team members,

stakeholders, and upper management.
It is especially useful for upper management, who are

usually not concerned with the level of detail shown in a
Gantt chart.
GUIDELINES: Estimating Project Activities
• Review the schedule management plan for

information on the level of detail needed to manage
the project work.
• Review the scope baseline for the WBS, deliverables,
assumptions and constraints.
• Review the EEFs such as organizational culture and
e
structure, published commercial information, and
ut
project management information systems.
• Review the OPAs such as lessons learned,
standardized processes, templates and organizational
ib
policies, and procedures and guidelines for
scheduling.
tr
• Analyze and decompose each work package of the
WBS into activities (if desired) that will be required to
is
produce the deliverable:
o Conduct brainstorming sessions with the project
D
team to ensure that no required activities are
overlooked.
or
o Consult the scope statement to ensure that
activities will enable you to meet the project
objectives.
o Consult subject matter experts (SMEs) about
e
unfamiliar material.
at
o Evaluate all constraints and assumptions for their

possible impact on activity definition.
lic
• Once you have decomposed each work package into

activities, evaluate your activity list:
o Ensure that the descriptions accurately reflect the
up
actions to be performed.
o Verify that the activity descriptions are as specific
as possible.
D
For example: If the desired outcome is a

ot
revised user manual, describe the activity

as “revise user manual,” rather than
“produce new user manual.”
N
o Confirm that the activities listed for each work

o
package are necessary and sufficient for

satisfactory completion of the deliverable.
D
o Verify that the list is organized as an extension of

the WBS.
Activity Dependency (Definition)
An activity dependency is a logical relationship that exists

between two project activities.
Activity Dependency
e
ut
The relationship indicates whether the start of an activity
is contingent upon an event or input from outside the
activity.
ib
Activity dependencies determine the precedence
tr
relationships.
is
For example: an architect has designed
a residence and has a vision for the room
D
layouts.
or
However, he will not be able to assess
the functionality of the design until the
builders have framed in the structure with
e
walls, windows, and a roof.
at
Once the structure is in place, he will be

able to reassess the plans to determine if
lic
modifications are necessary.

Types of Activity Dependencies
up
Activity dependencies can be categorized as either

mandatory or discretionary, and they can be either
D
internal or external.
Activity dependencies categories include the following:

ot
• Mandatory - A relationship that is contractually

N
required or inherent in the nature of the work.

They are referred to as hard logic or hard
dependencies, where there is no way around this
o
sequence.
D
For example: the sidewalk form must

be built before the concrete can be
poured.
• Discretionary - A relationship that is established
based on knowledge of best practices within a
particular application area or an aspect of the
project where a specific sequence is desired. They
are also called soft logic. They are not necessary
and can be modified as the project progresses,
and a better sequence is found or the schedule
needs to be condensed.
• External - A relationship between project
e
activities and non-project activities.
ut
For example: The delivery of a part
ib
that is needed to build a prototype.
tr
• Internal - A dependency between project activities
is
and is usually under the project's control.
D
For example: The software testing is
dependent on the software being written
or
by a software development team.
Precedence Relationships
e
at
A precedence relationship is a logical dependency used

in the precedence diagramming methods (PDMs).
lic
In other words, the precedence relationship exists

between activities that describe the sequence in which
up
the activities should be carried out.
Each activity has two open points: start and finish.

D
Precedence relationships consider appropriate logic

while connecting these points.
ot
Precedence indicates which of two activities drives the

relationship (the predecessor activity) and which is driven
N
by it (the successor activity).
In most situations, predecessors occur earlier in time

o
than successors.
D
Precedence relationships are always assigned to

activities based on the dependencies of each activity.
A finish-to-start relationship is an example of the

precedence relationship: Drywall installation must finish
before painting can begin.
Types of Precedence Relationships
There are four precedence relationship types.

Predecessor activities come before a dependent activity
and successor activities come after another activity.
1. Finish-to-Start (FS) - A logical relationship in

which a successor activity cannot start until a
e
predecessor activity has finished.
ut
For example: The foundation for the
house must be finished (Activity A)
ib
before the framing can start (Activity B).
The total time for these two activities is
tr
the sum of A + B.
is
2. Finish-to-Finish (FF) - A logical relationship in
which a successor activity cannot finish until a
D
predecessor activity has finished.
For example: Construction must be

or
finished (Activity A) before the building
inspection can be finished (Activity B).
The total time to complete both activities
e
is the sum of A + B, minus any overlap.
at
3. Start-to-Start (SS) - A logical relationship in

lic
which a successor activity cannot start until a

predecessor activity has started.
up
For example: The building design must

start (Activity A) before the electrical
layout design can start (Activity B). As
D
with the FF example, the total time for

activities A and B will vary, depending
on when Activity B starts. But in SS,
ot
there is a longer window of time during

which Activity B can begin.
N
4. Start-to-Finish (SF) - A logical relationship in

which a successor activity cannot finish until a
o
predecessor has started.

D
For example: Ticket sales (Activity B)

don't end until the concert (Activity A)
starts. The total time for two activities in
an SF relationship is either A or B,
whichever is longer.
GUIDELINES: Sequence Project Activities
• Review the schedule management plan for

information on the scheduling method and tool,
and information on how activities may be
sequenced.
• Determine the dependencies among project
activities by using your activity list and product
e
descriptions.
•
ut
Identify predecessor and successor activities by
reviewing the activity attributes for each activity,
including predecessor or successor relationships.
ib
• Review the milestone list for the dates for specific
schedule milestone events.
tr
• Review the project scope statement for the scope
description, deliverables, constraints, and
is
assumptions that may affect activity sequencing.
• Review the EEFs such as government or industry
D
standards, Project Management Information
System, scheduling tool, and work authorization
or
systems.
• Review the OPAs such as activity planning
policies, procedures, guidelines, and templates.
•
e
Use tools and techniques such as Precedence
Diagramming Method (PDM), dependency
at
determination, and leads and lags to develop the

project schedule network diagram.
lic
• Document the project schedule network diagram

and update any project documents as needed.
up
Activity Duration Estimates
Activity duration estimates are the quantitative

D
assessments of the likely number of time periods that are

required to complete an activity.
ot
These estimates do not include any lags between the

finish of one activity and the start of the next one. Each
N
activity will have one duration associated with it, for

example, two days, one week, or one month.
o
Remember that duration includes only working times, not

D
non-working periods such as weekends or holidays.
You can refer to the schedule management plan for

considerations that might affect activity durations.
Examples of things that might be
affected are:
• Domestic and international
holidays
• Unit of measurement used for
durations
• Other projects and operations
e
Elapsed time is the actual calendar time required for an
ut
activity's completion. An activity that requires two weeks
to complete would take four calendar weeks of elapsed
time if there's a two- week plant shutdown in the middle.
ib
Effort is the number of labor units required to complete a
tr
scheduled activity or WBS component, often expressed
in hours, days, or weeks. Contrast with duration. The
is
estimates of effort provide the basis for cost estimating
and resource allocation.
D
GUIDELINES: Estimate Activity Durations
or
Accurate activity duration estimates form the basis of an
accurate project schedule. To ensure your estimates are
as accurate and realistic as possible, follow these
e
guidelines:
at
• Involve the work package owners or others who

are familiar with the work of the activity.
lic
• Consult lessons learned and historical information.

• Are there any detailed records from previous
up
earlier iterations of this project or from similar

projects that you could use to derive your
estimates?
•
D
Are there any relevant commercial duration

estimating databases?
• Do any project team members have experience
ot
with similar activities?

• Review the schedule management plan to
N
determine the appropriate estimation method to

use and the level of accuracy needed to estimate
activity durations.
o
• Determine how you want to quantify the work that

D
needs to be done, in terms of the estimated hours

of labor that will be needed, the number of units to
be produced, and the number of customers to be
served.
Schedule Presentation Formats
The project schedule can be presented in different

formats, depending on the circumstances.
Three commonly used schedule formats are:

• Gantt chart
• Milestone chart
e
• Project schedule network diagram with dates
ut
Gantt Chart (Definition)
ib
Created by Henry Gantt, the Gantt chart is a bar chart of
schedule information where activities are listed on the
tr
vertical axis, dates are shown on the horizontal axis, and
the activity durations are shown as horizontal bars placed
is
according to start and finish dates.
Gantt Chart
D
Tasks in the Gantt chart are listed down the left side and
or
dates are listed across the top or bottom with bars to
indicate start and finish dates.
e
Time is represented with horizontal bars that correspond
to the activities.
at
Gantt charts may also show the dependencies of the

lic
project activities, as well as the percentage of the activity

completed to date and the actual progress in relation to
planned progress.
up
These charts are often used when presenting project

status to upper management. A detailed view of the chart
D
is used when reviewing project status with the project

team.
ot
Project Schedule Network Diagram with Dates

and Dependencies
N
Adding dates to the project schedule network diagram

o
helps when assigning start and finish dates to activities

on the project schedule network diagram.
D
These types of charts can be useful when you need to

communicate the project status in terms of activity
precedence relationships.
Critical Path Method (Definition)
Estimates the minimum project duration and determines

the amount of schedule flexibility on the logical network
paths within the schedule model.
Critical Path Activity (Definition)
e
ut
A critical path activity* is any activity on the critical path in
a project schedule.
ib
Generally, for all activities along the critical path, ES = LS
and EF = LF. There can be no flexibility in the start time
tr
or the finish time for these activities. Activities that are not
on the critical path usually have some flexibility in their
is
start and finish times. Activities on the critical path have a
total float of zero.
D
Use the Critical Path Method
or
Here is a very simple example of a critical path diagram.
Let’s look at how we use it:
• Sequence activities to represent the longest path
e
through a project
at
• Goal is to determine the shortest possible project

duration.
• Use early start (ES); early finish (EF); late start
lic
(LS); and late finish (LF) dates for all activities.

• Do not factor in resource limitation.
up
About Float
•
D
Float is also called slack. It is known as the amount

of time an activity can be delayed from its ES without
delaying the project finish date or the consecutive
ot
activities. Float occurs only in activities that are not

on the critical path. There are two types: total float
N
and free float.

• Total float is the amount of time that a schedule
activity can be delayed or extended from its early
o
start date without delaying the project finish date or

D
violating a schedule constraint. Total float for an

activity can be calculated by subtracting its EF from
its LF or its ES from its LS.
• Free float is the amount of time that a schedule
activity can be delayed without delaying the early
start date of any successor or violating a schedule
constraint. It allows flexibility of the start or finish time
within that activity only.
If there is a string of activities with float, free float will
be available for the activity only at the end of the
string. Free float on the activity is calculated by
subtracting the EF of an activity from the ES of its
successor activity.
Agile Release Planning
e
The Agile methodology focuses on creating a number of
ut
product releases, each containing completed features
that are ready for customer use.
ib
Each release consists of iterations, in which a piece of
the product is designed, developed, and tested.
tr
is
Release planning focuses on creating the summary
timeline for the project's product release.
D
In the Agile release planning process, you determine the
number of iterations or Sprints that are needed to
or
complete each release, the features that each iteration
will contain, and the target dates of each release.
e
This enables customers to see the dates when the
features that they want are expected to be available.
at
Ongoing Progress Based on Methodology

lic
Measuring the project’s progress with respect to the

schedule consists of monitoring the status of the project
up
to update the project schedule and managing changes to

the schedule baseline.
D
During this process, the project manager continually

monitors schedule performance by comparing actual
work completed to the amount of work that was planned
ot
to be completed.
N
In addition, the project manager and the Change Control

Board (CCB) monitors, coordinates, and implements
changes to the project schedule and evaluates the
o
impact of those changes on other performance baselines

D
and the original scope definition.
Schedule performance measurement is any technique

used to determine how the project is performing in terms
of time as compared to its planned performance.
Schedule performance measurement tells the project
manager how much variance exists between the actual
work completed and the work scheduled.
Performance measurement techniques such as Earned

Value Management (EVM), trend analysis, and variance
analysis are used to help determine if the schedule
variance is potentially detrimental to the project and if
corrective actions are needed to ensure on-time
e
deliverables.
ut
By using the approved schedule baseline as the standard
for measuring progress, the project manager collects
ib
reporting information for each activity and uses a bar
chart to summarize the data.
tr
If an agile approach is used to manage the project,
is
progress can be evaluated with the following steps:
• Compare the total amount of work delivered and
D
accepted with the estimate of the work to be
completed for the current time period.
or
• Review the completed work in the regular Sprint
demos.
e
• Conduct scheduled reviews to record lessons
at
learned (also known as retrospectives) for

correcting and improving processes.
lic
• Determine the rate at which deliverables are

produced, validated, and accepted in the given
up
time per iteration.

Resource Optimization Techniques
D
You need to make sure that your project uses its

resources as efficiently as possible. This means aligning
ot
resource contributions with the schedule to ensure their

use is optimized. Consider their own schedules, the
project’s schedule, EEFs such as holidays, time off, and
N
any mandated working-time directives that apply.

Smoothing and Levelling
o
D
In general, these are the main ideas:

• Use Resource Optimization to adjust the start and
finish dates of activities.
• Adjust planned resource use so that it’s equal to or
less than resource availability.
• Adjust the schedule model due to demand and
supply of resources.
• Use smoothing and levelling techniques.
Smoothing/Levelling
So, what are these techniques for smoothing and

levelling resources?
Smoothing –
• Adjusts the activities of a schedule model to keep
e
resource requirements within predefined resource
ut
limits and within free and total floats.
• Does not change the critical path is not changed
ib
nor delay the completion date.
• This method may not be able to optimize all
tr
resources.
is
Levelling –
• Adjusts start and finish dates based on resource
D
constraints.
• Goal is to balance demand for resources with
available supply.
or
• Use when shared or critically required resources
have limited availability or are over- allocated.
• Can change the critical path.
e
Schedule Compression Techniques

at
Another approach to optimize delivery times is to

lic
compress the entire schedule.
Idea: Can you think of suitable uses of

up
schedule compression? What problems

might arise when you use it?
D
Schedule Compression Techniques

ot
Schedule compression does not come without significant

risks and cautions. You can do one of two things to
N
compress the schedule: crash it or fast-track.
Crashing – In this scenario, you add resources to shorten

o
schedule duration. But the negative factors or cautions

D
are that crashing:

• Results in increased risk or cost
• Only works for activities on the critical path
• Does not always product a viable result
Fast-tracking – In this scenario, you perform activities in

parallel to reduce total time on the project. However, this
depends on resource availability and also carries some
negative factors. Fast-tracking can result in:
• Rework
• Increased risk
• Increased cost
Coordination with Other Projects
e
If the project is part of a program or a portfolio, the
schedule status of the project should be evaluated for
ut
any effect it has on the other components of the program
or portfolio.
ib
In some situations, a delay (or acceleration) of a project
tr
may not impact other projects.
is
However, if the delay or acceleration is caused by
activities on the project’s critical path and that project is
D
critical to the schedule of other projects, the overall effect
can be significant.
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic D: Plan and Manage Budget and Resources
Without proper management of project costs, expenses can get out of control
quickly. You must be prepared to make adjustments and apply the correct costs to
resources, activities, and services that align with your budget. The cost management
plan helps you plan, react to, and update project costs when issues or changes arise
throughout the life cycle of a project.
e
Plan and Manage Budget and Resources
ut
In this topic, we look at how to plan and manage a
ib
project budget and resources. In this case, by
‘resources’, we mean all of the tangible and intangible
tr
requirements needed to do project work.
is
D
or
e
Cost Estimates
at
• Estimating costs consists of developing an

approximation of the cost for each activity in the
lic
project.
• That cost should include direct labor, materials,
up
equipment, facilities, services, information

technology, contingency reserves, and indirect
costs.
•
D
Logical estimates provide a basis for making

sound decisions about projects, and they
establish baselines against which the success of
ot
the projects can later be measured.

• Whether your organization or project uses
N
traditional or Lean funding models, cost

estimates are a requirement.
o
Estimating Techniques - Advantages and

Disadvantages
D
In the graphic - “Thumbs up” indicates a benefit and

“thumbs down” is a drawback.
Analogous estimating
• Uses the cost of a previous project with similar
scope or activities to predict the cost of future
activities.
51
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic D
• Can ensure no work is inadvertently omitted from
work estimates.
• Can sometimes be difficult for lower- level
managers to apportion cost estimates.
Parametric estimating
• Relies on the statistical relationship that exists
between historical information and variables so
e
as to arrive at an estimate for parameters such
ut
as duration and cost.
• Is not time consuming.
• May be inaccurate, depending on the
ib
• integrity of the historical information used.
tr
Bottom-up estimating
• Estimates the cost of individual activities then
is
"rolls up" to higher levels.
• Is accurate and gives lower-level managers more
D
responsibility.
• May be time consuming and can be used only
or
after the WBS has been well- defined.
Three-point estimating (not on this slide, but you

e
should also know it)
Incorporates three types of estimates into a singular
at
cost estimate scenario:

− most likely
lic
− optimistic
− pessimistic
up
Common Estimate Types

D
This graphic describes some common estimate types

and their associated degrees of accuracy.
ot
Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM)

Generally made early in the project. Developed without
N
basis of detailed data and often based on high-level

historical data, expert judgment, or a costing model.
Accuracy: –25% to +75%.
o
D
Definitive estimate (or "control" or "detailed")

Based on detailed information about the project work.
Developed by estimating the cost for each work
package in the WBS. Accuracy: –5% to +10%.
Phased estimate (or "rolling wave" or "moving

window")
Allows the use of a less-detailed estimate (perhaps
ROM) for some later parts of the work, whereas work
that must be done earlier in the project life cycle is
estimated more accurately (perhaps at the definitive
level).
Project Governance
Governance, as applied to cost estimates, can be
e
described as managing project phases.
ut
A different type of cost estimate and level of accuracy
ib
may be required for different phases of the project life
cycle.
tr
A cost estimating method might be chosen due to:
• Software availability
is
• Team member experience
• Project life cycle phase
D
• Time constraints
• Project definition
or
• Personal preference
Compliance
e
This topic is covered fully in Lesson 5, so this is a quick
note about compliance and how it affects the budget.
at
With regards to budget, you need to factor in the cost of

lic
compliance. These are budget items that are often

underestimated. Think about the actual cost, but also
the allocation and cost of resources to ensure
up
compliance.
Lessons Learned Register
D
Lessons learned from earlier in the project can be

applied to later work, to take advantage of knowledge
ot
previously acquired.
N
Experiences gleaned from previous projects is also an

important component of the budgeting process.
o
Lessons-Learned registers contain valuable information

D
about cost-estimating successes and shortcomings that

can be used to develop cost estimates for activities and
work packages in similar projects.
GUIDELINES: Estimate Costs
Accurately estimating project costs will avoid overruns

and unforeseen expenditures. Making good cost
estimates will help you to create a strong cost baseline,
which will ultimately be used for measuring project cost
performance. Here are some guidelines for estimating
costs:
e
•
ut
When possible, the cost figures that go into the
cost estimates for individual work packages
should be provided by those who will actually
ib
provide the resources. As always, it is the people
who will do the work, provide the service, or
tr
supply the material that can best estimate what
the associated costs will be. It is the project
is
manager's responsibility to compile these cost
figures into realistic estimates.
D
• For some projects, though, the project manager
will be solely responsible for generating the cost
or
estimates.
• Even in such cases, the project manager may
want to do a reality check with the resource
supplier to make sure no incorrect assumptions
e
have been made.

at
• Gather any relevant input information that may

help you prepare the estimates such as
lic
estimating publications and resource rates.

• Determine which estimating technique to use.
• Look for alternative costing options such as using
up
stock components versus custom-made,

stretching the duration of an activity to eliminate
overtime charges, leasing versus purchasing of
D
capital equipment, and outsourcing as opposed

to handling the work in-house.
•
ot
Determine the units of measure that will be used.

• Consider possible risks that may impact cost.
• Ensure that all cost estimates are assigned to the
N
appropriate account, according to the chart of

accounts.
o
• Make sure your cost estimates include the

following key elements:
D
o Estimated costs for all resources that will be

charged to the project. Use the WBS and
resource requirements document to develop
the estimates.
o The level of estimate (degree of certainty).
o A list of assumptions made when developing
the estimates.
GUIDELINES: Estimate Budget
• Aggregate the estimated costs of individual

activities or work packages to establish an
authorized cost baseline.
• Ensure budget contains funding needed to
complete the project as defined in the scope
baseline and the project schedule.
e
• Measure project cost performance against this
ut
cost baseline
Cost Baseline (Definition)
ib
A cost baseline is the approved version of the time-
tr
phased project budget, excluding any management
reserves*, which can be changed only through formal
is
change control procedures and is used as a basis for
comparison to actual results.
D
Cost Baseline
or
Cost baseline is developed by adding the estimated
costs of project components by period.
e
The cost baseline typically includes a budget
contingency to accommodate the risk of incurring
at
identifiable, but not normally occurring, costs within the

defined scope.
lic
Cost baselines will vary from project to project,

depending on each project's unique budget and
up
schedule.
GUIDELINES: Estimate Cost Baseline
D
• You can estimate a cost baseline to assist in the

monitoring and measuring of cost performance
ot
throughout the project life cycle.

• You can use the following guidelines to estimate
N
the cost baseline:

o Gather the inputs you will need to
establish the baseline, such as the WBS,
o
the project schedule, the cost estimates,

D
and the risk management plan.

o Use the project schedule to determine
when work will take place.
• Using one of the methods for assigning costs,
allocate funds for each work package for the time
period in which it will take place.
• Consider adding a contingency reserve to
accommodate the risk of incurring extra
expenses.
• Avoid adding contingency reserves for work
packages with low-risk values.
• Total the costs for each time period.
• Plot the costs for each period on a chart to create
an S-curve of the baseline.
• Publish and distribute the cost baseline to the
e
appropriate project stakeholders.
ut
Budget Challenges
ib
Ideally, a budget is set during project planning and does
not change. However, most projects do not exist in a
tr
perfect world and one of several things can happen to
pose a challenge to the project manager:
is
• New or changed project requirements, which can
be based on data collected by the organization
D
regarding how the organization intends to use
the project's deliverables.
• New risks, or changes to the probabilities or
or
impacts of existing risks.
• Changes to cost estimates resulting from
economic factors, procurement contract
e
modifications, resource costs, etc.
at
Response to Budget Challenges

lic
When any of these things occur, one or more of the

following must change:
• The project budget.
up
• The project cost.

• The project schedule.
• The scope.
D
If the budget remains fixed and additional funds are not

ot
available, then the project must change.

N
However, agile budgeting and Lean-based funding

methods offer flexibility to projects prone to change.
Agile budgeting happens in shorter intervals—quarters,
o
instead of years, for example. And Lean, which is about

just-in-time delivery, enables you to allocate budgeted
D
funds just in time for use.
Funding Limit Reconciliation (Definition)
The process of comparing the planned expenditure of

project funds against any limits on the commitment of
funds for the project to identify any variances between
the funding limits and the planned expenditures.
Funding Limit Reconciliation
e
ut
Most budgets are created on the premise of steady
incoming and outgoing flows.
ib
Large, sporadic expenditures are usually incompatible
with organizational operations.
tr
Therefore, funding limits are often in place to regulate
is
the outgoing capital flow and to protect against over-
spending.
D
Budgets must be reconciled with such limits. This will
or
affect the scheduling of project work and possibly
reshuffle WBS work packages entirely.
e
The schedule, in turn, can affect the distribution or
acquisition of resources.
at
For example: Customers set funding

lic
limits for large projects based on

internal considerations such as when
their fiscal years begin and end, and
up
how healthy their cash flows are. A

customer who wants to spread the
costs of a project over two quarters
D
might authorize $250,000 in spending

during Quarter 1 and $350,000 during
Quarter 2. In response, the project
ot
manager would need to align the

resources, schedules, and activities
N
so that the project work does not

exceed those limits on funding.
o
GUIDELINES: Anticipate Future Budget

D
Challenges
While you cannot plan for all eventualities, here are a

few guidelines to help you plan for future budget
challenges:
• Keep the stakeholder register current and be
aware of changes to project requirements if new
stakeholders are added to the project.
• Monitor risks frequently to look for new risks and
changes to existing ones.
• Monitor the performance of suppliers and
vendors.
• Monitor all changes to the project and follow the
Change Management System to try to keep them
within budget.
e
GUIDELINES: Determine a Budget
ut
To determine a project budget effectively:
ib
• Review the cost management plan* for
information on how project costs will be managed
tr
and controlled, and the method used and level of
accuracy for estimating activity cost.
is
• Review the resource management plan for
staffing attributes, personnel rates, and reward
D
and recognition information.
• Review the scope baseline for the project scope
statement, WBS, and WBS dictionary.
or
• Check the project schedule for type, quantity,
and duration of resources needed for project
activities.
e
• Review the risk register to consider any risks that
at
may impact cost estimation.

• Review the OPAs that can influence this process
lic
such as cost estimating policies, cost estimating

template, historical information, and lessons
learned.
up
• Use tools and techniques such as cost

aggregation, reserve analysis, expert judgment,
historical information, and funding limit
D
reconciliation to determine a budget for the

project.
• Document the project budget and create a cost
ot
baseline.
• Understand project funding requirements. This
N
includes ensuring that project expenses are not

incurred faster than project income is received.
• Update project documents, as needed.
o
D
Topic E: Plan and Manage Quality of Outputs and
Deliverables
All projects must be of a certain quality. What that level of quality is, the expectations
around the quality, how the project’s quality is to be measured, how it will be aligned
to the project’s objective, and how the quality is to be tracked and reported are a few
e
important aspects of managing project quality. There is a lot to do and consider
when it comes to assuring and delivering quality deliverables and products.
ut
Plan and Manage Quality of Outputs and
ib
Deliverables
tr
This is the fifth topic in lesson 2. We’ve looked at
methods, scope, schedule, and resources. Now it’s time
is
to turn our attention to deliverables.
D
or
e
at
Quality (Definition)
lic
Quality is the degree to which a set of inherent

characteristics fulfills requirements.
up
Remember that quality represents what the stakeholders

expect from the project.
D
The stated and implied quality needs are inputs for

devising project requirements. In business, quality should
ot
be feasible, modifiable, and measurable.
The quality standards that need to be met must be

N
managed throughout the life of the project. At the

beginning of the project, you should plan quality policies
o
and procedures that can then be managed and controlled

throughout the project using the organization's quality
D
management system.
Continuous process improvement activities also need to

be considered for the benefit of the project. Project quality
may be affected by applicable standards and regulations.
59
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic E
Quality Standards and Regulations
• A standard is a document established by an authority,

custom, or general consent as a model or example.
Standards are typically voluntary guidelines or
characteristics that have been approved by a
recognized body of experts such as the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO). In some
e
cases, the standards body will provide certification
ut
that suppliers conform to the requirements of their
standards. Often, the conformance to standards is a
customer requirement.
ib
• Regulations are requirements imposed by a
governmental body. These requirements can establish
tr
product, process, or service characteristics, including
applicable administrative provisions that have
is
government-mandated compliance. Standards often
start out as accepted or de facto best practices
D
describing a preferred approach and may later
become de jure regulations such as using the critical
path method in scheduling major construction
or
projects.
Verified Deliverables
e
• Project team verifies deliverables based on quality

at
standards and requirements

• The verified deliverables are presented to and
lic
accepted (or validated) by the customer – resulting in

accepted deliverables.
• Measure products and outputs against the project’s
up
quality standards.
• Implement corrections and controls when quality
standards are neither met nor within acceptable
D
ranges.
Quality Management Plan (Definition)
ot

N
describes how applicable policies, procedures, and

guidelines will be implemented to achieve the quality
o
objectives.
D
Quality Management Plan
Describes the activities and resources necessary for

the project management team to achieve the quality
objectives.
May be formal or informal, detailed, or broadly framed.
Style and level of detail are determined by project
requirements.
For example, physical products will require different

details about expected quality than will service or process
improvement products.
Review the quality management plan early in the project.
e
Benefits:
• Decisions based on accurate information
ut
• Sharper focus on the project’s value proposition
• Cost reductions
ib
• Mitigate schedule overruns from rework
Cost of Quality (CoQ)
tr
is
CoQ is all costs incurred over the life of the product by
investment in preventing nonconformance to
requirements, appraisal of the product or service for
D
conformance to requirements, and failure to meet
requirements.
or
Quality Metrics
You need to ensure a description of the project or product

e
that is measurable. Then, the team needs to decide how

at
that quality will be measured and what kind of tolerances

should be set for quality.
lic
Quality Audit (Definition)

up
A structured, independent process to determine if project

activities comply with organizational and project policies,
processes, and procedures.
D
ot
Quality Audit
Quality audits, whether conducted regularly, on a

N
schedule, or in ad hoc fashion, improve quality

performance of a project.
o
Topics that can and should be audited include:

D
✓ Quality management policy

✓ Collection and use of information
✓ Analytical methods
✓ Cost of quality
✓ Quality process design
GUIDELINES: Manage Quality
• Ensure that random and/or scheduled quality audits

are conducted by qualified auditors.
• Use one or more of the quality assurance tools and
techniques to determine the causes of quality
problems of the project’s product, service, systems, or
processes.
e
• Identify and implement the appropriate actions to take
ut
to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the
project team’s work results.
ib
Control Quality Tools
These are presented here as an opportunity for an
tr
overview and compare and contrast. They are discussed
at length over the next 6 slides.
is
Let’s take a look at the tools project managers use to
D
control quality on a project:
• Data gathering
• Data analysis
or
• Data representation
Data Gathering
e
Questionnaires and surveys, checklists, and statistical

at
sampling are three commonly used data gathering

methods.
lic
Let’s look at what they are and their use cases.

up
Questionnaires and Surveys

• Written set of questions, quickly accumulates
information from a large number of respondents.
D
• Useful for varied audiences, for quick turnaround, or

geographical dispersion of respondents
ot
Checklists
• Check Sheets
N
• A structured tool, usually component-specific

• Verifies performance of required steps or completion
o
of requirements
• Used to organize facts to facilitate data collection
D
about a potential quality problem

• Useful for gathering attribute data while performing
inspections for defects.
Statistical sampling
• Choosing part of a population of interest for
inspection.
• Determine characteristics of an entire population
based on measurement of representative sample.
Data Analysis
Performance Reviews
Technique that is used to measure, compare, and
analyze actual performance of work in progress on the
project against the baseline.
e
• Critical chain method
ut
• Earned value management
• Trend analysis
• Critical path method
ib
Root Cause Analysis
tr
Analytical technique used to determine the basic
is
underlying reason that causes a variance, defect, or a
risk.
• Using gathered data, identify the cause of the
D
problem.
• Goal is to pinpoint the exact cause.
or
• Follow issue back to the initial trigger.
• Use RCA tools - Failure Modes and Effects
Analysis (FMEA), a fishbone diagram, a Pareto
e
chart, a scatter diagram
at
Data Representation
(1 of 4)
lic
We need to be able to see work. Gaining visibility means

greater transparency on projects.
up
Cause and effect diagrams break down the causes of a

problem statement , helping to identify the main or root
D
cause of a problem.
These are also called ‘fishbone’. ‘Ishikawa’, or ‘why-why’

ot
diagrams.
N
Data Representation
(2 of 4)
o
D
Scatter diagrams use a traditional graph to represent the

relationship between any element of a process,
environment, or activity on one axis and a quality defect
on the other axis.
Data Representation
(3 of 4)
A control chart is a tool used to determine the

predictability, behavior, and stability of a process over
time.
✓ A graphic display of project data against
e
established control limits to reflect both the
ut
maximum and minimum values.
✓ Gives visibility to where corrective actions can
prevent further problems.
ib
✓ Ideal for repetitive processes with predictable
results.
tr
Data Representation
is
(4 of 4)
D
A Pareto chart is a histogram used to rank causes of
problems in a hierarchical format.
✓ Use to help determine the most frequent defects,
or
complaints, or other factors that affect quality.
✓ Demonstrates the frequency of occurrence
✓ Analyzes data sets related to a specific problem or
e
issue.
at
✓ Does not define the root cause of a problem.

GUIDELINES: Control Product Quality
lic
• Conduct inspections to detect quality errors during

project work.
up
• Use Pareto diagrams to focus corrective actions

on the problems with the greatest effect on quality.
• Use control charts to analyze and communicate
D
the variability of a process or project activity over

time.
ot
• Identify ways to eliminate causes of unsatisfactory

results.
• Use flowcharts to identify redundancies, missed
N
steps, or the source of quality performance

problems.
o
• Initiate process adjustments by implementing

corrective or preventive actions.
D
• Continue to monitor, measure, and adjust quality

throughout project life cycle.
Topic F: Integrate Project Planning Activities
This is where it all starts coming together. Project teams need to merge or integrate
all of the planning activities we’ve been discussing into a cohesive plan.
Integrate Project Planning Activities
e
In the sixth topic, we turn our attention into integrating
ut
planning activities, aligning scope, budget and resources,
timelines along with any other necessary plans.
ib
Integration Management
tr
In this step, the team assesses and coordinates all plans
is
and activities that are built, maintained, and executed
throughout a project.
D
A holistic, integrated view ties plans together, aligns
or
efforts, and highlights how they depend on each other.
An integrated view of all plans can identify and correct

e
gaps or conflicts.
at
A consolidation of the plans encapsulates the overall

project plan and its intended business value.
lic
Project Management Plan

up
This is the document that describes how the project will

be executed, monitored, controlled, and closed.
D
Project Integration Management Processes

ot
We are looking at a graphic from the PMBoK 6th edition

N
(Figure 4-1, page 71). It is a visual representation of

Project Integration Management processes.
o
You do not need to memorize the 7 processes listed

D
here. But you should understand the general sequence,

and that these processes will overlap each other. Also
expect that iterations will include activities in more than
one process.
65
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic F
Project Management Information System (PMIS)
How will you integrate these processes? Managing so

much information and keeping it visible is a challenge.
Microsoft Project is one product that offers the capability

of managing process integration.
Project Management Plan Components
e
ut
Project management plan components are a combination
of essential and supporting—or subsidiary—processes
ib
used to run a project.
tr
Ensure the essential plans and processes are in place.
These are scope, schedule, and cost, which we have
is
already discussed.
D
Next, you adapt and tailor the supporting plans and
processes to your project. Consider the needs of the
project to determine which components of the project
or
management plan are needed.
Project Management Plan Tools and Techniques
e
Rely on expert judgment, meetings, data gathering, and

at
interpersonal and team skills to create an effective

project management plan.
lic
Managing Change
up
We just saw that a change management plan can be a

supporting plan in your project. Rarely will projects be
D
completed without any change. But often, this is one of

the gravest challenges for projects. Change, if not
ot
managed, can derail your project irreparably.
Managing change effectively begins with good leadership

N
and communication, as it hinges directly on

organizational culture and the capacity or tolerance for
o
change.
D
Finally, project managers also play critical roles in

enterprise-level change, or transformations. These are
organizational-level, multi-layered, complex, and holistic
change projects.
Configuration Management Plan/ Change
Management Plan
Let’s understand the difference between the

configuration and change management plans.
• Configuration management plans identify and

account for project artifacts under configuration
e
control and how to record and report changes to
ut
them.
• Change management plans provide direction for
managing the change control process and
ib
documents the roles and responsibilities of the
change control board (CCB).
tr
Change Management Plan
is
A change management plan answers the following
D
questions:
• Who can propose a change?
• What exactly constitutes a change?
or
• What is the impact of the change on project
objectives?
• What are steps to evaluate a change request
e
before approving or rejecting it?
at
• When a change request is approved, what project

documents will record the next steps (actions)?
• How will you monitor these actions to confirm
lic
completion and quality?

GUIDELINES: Develop a Project Management
up
Plan
• Review:
D
o Project charter - for the high-level

boundaries of the project
ot
o Outputs from other processes

o EEFs and OPAs
•
N
Use tools and techniques.

• Use facilitation techniques.
• Document the project management plan.
o
• Assess incremental delivery options.

D
Factoring in Dynamic Change
In a growing number of cases, a traditional project

management plan will not cope with the degree and type
of change impacting a project.
In this case, let’s look at a few agile approaches for
managing change:
• Disciplined Agile (DA) - a hybrid tool kit that

harnesses hundreds of agile practices to devise
the best “way of working” (WoW) for your team or
organization.
• Scrum of Scrums - A technique for operation of
Scrum at scale for multiple teams working on the
e
same product, coordinating discussions of
ut
progress on interdependencies, and focusing on
how to integrate the delivery of software,
especially in areas of overlap.
ib
• Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®) - A knowledge
base of integrated patterns for enterprise-scale,
tr
lean-agile development.
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic G: Plan and Manage Procurement
While procurement is not the primary responsibility of the project manager, we do
need to understand why and how a project manager needs to plan and manage for
procurement of goods and services for a project.
Plan and Manage Procurement
e
ut
Procurement is the process by which organizations
endeavor to contract or outsource products or services.
Though this is not typically the responsibility of the project
ib
manager, we need to cover the points related to
procurement planning and management.
tr
is
D
or
Procurement Strategy
e
at
The procurement strategy is the approach by the buyer to

determine the project delivery method and the type of
lic
legally binding agreement(s) that should be used to

deliver the desired results.
up
Think about how you can best acquire the product or

service, then what sort of legal agreement is most
suitable for provision of said goods and services, and
D
then how you will navigate the phases of procurement.

Delivery Solution
ot
The goal of procurement is to deliver goods or services to

the project. Let’s take a closer look at what happens in
N
each phase.
o
1. Planning and analysis – Document your

requirements
D
2. Detailed design – Document the solution

3. Implementation/installation – Implement or install
the solution
4. Testing – Test the solution
5. Training – Ensure those who need training to use
the solution have it.
6. Handover – Conduct formal handoff of the product
69
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic G
or service from vendor to supplier
7. Support and maintenance – Ensure ongoing
support is ready and available for the solution
Make or Buy?
When you consider your team’s requirements against

budget and timeline, you can make choices about how a
required product or service can be procured.
e
ut
Do we buy it? Or should we try to make it in house?
ib
Other approaches include borrowing a resource from
another team or outsourcing a product or service
temporarily, rather than buying.
tr
Statement of Work (SOW) – (Definition)
is
Error in the slides: This should say “to the project by a
vendor”
D
An SOW is a narrative description of products, services,
or
or results to be delivered to the project by the vendor.
Procurement SOW
e
at
A procurement SOW describes the item in sufficient

detail to allow prospective vendors to determine if they
can provide the product or service.
lic
Use information from the project scope baseline to create

the procurement SOW.
up
Procurement Management Plan (Definition)

D
A component of the project or program management plan

that describes how a project team will acquire goods and
ot
services from outside of the performing organization.

N
Procurement Management Plan

o
• Specifies the types of contracts that will be used

• Describes the process for obtaining and evaluating
D
bids
• Mandates standardized procurement documents
• Describes how providers will be managed
Source Selection Criteria
Source selection criteria are a set of attributes desired by

the buyer which a seller is required to meet or exceed to
be selected for a contract. Some of these are:
✓ Overall or life-cycle cost

✓ Understanding of need
e
✓ Technical capability
✓
ut
Management approach
✓ Technical approach
✓ Warranty
ib
✓ Financial capacity
✓ Production capacity and interest
tr
✓ Business size and type
✓ Past performance of sellers
is
✓ References
✓ Intellectual property rights
D
✓ Proprietary rights
Qualified Vendors
or
Most organizations have a working list of qualified
vendors. This does not mean you can’t opt for using
e
someone new, but ensure that any new vendors are fully
vetted and set up with your organization.
at
Bidder Conferences
lic
A way of attracting top talent is to ask vendors to

up
compete for work. Once you have given a clear

understanding of the procurement requirements and
terms and conditions, bidders can prepare a competitive
D
bid to provide the service.

External Resource Requirements and Needs
ot
We mentioned outsourcing earlier. Contract workers or

services are a means of outsourcing work on a short-term
N
basis, or to fill temporary gaps.

o
Outsourcing to external vendors enables your project or

organization to focus on your core competencies.
D
For example: Training is often

outsourced, especially in specialized
knowledge areas.
Supplier and Contracts
Contract types are explained in a few slides, so just
mention them here!
A contract is a mutually binding agreement that obligates

the seller (supplier) to provide the specified project or
service or result and obligates the buyer to pay for it.
e
Contracts are:
• Customized for each agreement
ut
• Contract types:
o Fixed-price
ib
o Cost-reimbursable
o Time-and-material (T&M)
tr
• Agile contract types
o Capped Time and Materials Contracts
is
o Target Cost Contracts
o Incremental Delivery Contracts
D
Communicating with Suppliers and Vendors
or
Communicate with project suppliers and vendors during
negotiations and during the contract period.
e
Your organization may require formal progress reports—
typically this is documented in the SOW. In case formal
at
reports are not required, you should check in with the

supplier to ensure work is proceeding as expected, on
lic
time, and within cost parameters.
When work is complete you will need to arrange a formal

up
acceptance of the deliverables from the supplier.

Components of Contracts
D
When you are negotiating and creating the contract for

your vendor, you’ll need to include the following
ot
information:
• Description of the work being procured for the
N
project, its deliverables, and scope

• Delivery date and schedule information
• Identification of authority, where appropriate
o
• Responsibilities of both parties

D
• Management of technical and business aspects

• Price and payment terms
• Provisions for termination
• Applicable guarantees and warranties
Traditional Contract Types
These are our traditional types of contracts.
A fixed-price contract:
• Is an agreement that sets the fee that will be paid
for a defined scope of work regardless of the cost
or effort to deliver it.
e
• Is also known as a lump sum contract.
• Provides maximum protection to buyer but
ut
requires a lengthy preparation and bid evaluation.
• Is suited for projects with a high degree of
ib
certainty about their parameters.
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A cost-reimbursable contract:
• Involves payment to the seller for the seller's
is
actual costs, plus a fee typically representing the
seller's profit.
D
• Includes incentives for meeting certain objectives,
such as costs, schedule, or technical performance
targets.
or
• Is suited for projects with uncertain parameters.
A time-and-material (T&M) contract:

e
• Is a hybrid contractual arrangement containing
at
aspects of both cost-reimbursable and fixed-price

contracts?
• Combines a negotiated hourly rate and full
lic
reimbursement for materials.

• Includes not-to-exceed values and time limits to
up
prevent unlimited cost growth.

• Is suited for projects when a precise statement of
work cannot be quickly prescribed.
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Agile Contract Types

ot
If your project or team is agile, these types of contracts

may be prevalent:
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A capped time and materials contract works like the

traditional time and materials contracts. However:
o
• An upper limit is set on customers’ payment.

• Customers pay up for the capped cost limit.
D
• Suppliers benefit in case of early time-frame

changes.
In target cost contracts, the supplier and the customer

agree on the final price during project cost negotiation.
These contracts:
• Are primarily for mutual cost savings, if contract
value runs below budget.
• Allow both parties to face additional costs if it
exceeds budget.
Finally, in incremental delivery contracts:

• Customers review contracts during the contract life
cycle at pre-negotiated designated points of the
contract lifecycle.
e
• Customers can make required changes, continue,
or terminate the project at these points.
ut
Control Procurements Process (Definition)
ib
The process of managing procurement relationships,
monitoring contract performance, making changes and
tr
corrections as appropriate, and closing out contracts
is
D
Accounts Payable
Suppliers and vendors are given instructions on how to

or
submit invoices for payment—usually in the SOW.
However, project managers need to notify the appropriate
entity when work has been fulfilled, or, typically, authorize
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payment of the invoice.
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Contract Change Control System

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This is the system used to collect, track, adjudicate, and

communicate changes to a contract. It:
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• Might be a component of the integrated change

control system or a separate system.
• Specifically dedicated to control contract changes.
D
• Specifies the process by which project contract

changes can be made.
•
ot
Includes the documentation, dispute-resolution

processes, and approval levels to authorize the
changes to contract specifications.
N
Next, let’s look at the types of contract changes.

o
Types of Contract Changes

D
• Administrative changes are non-substantive and

are usually about the way the contract is
administered.
• Contract modification is a substantive change to
the contract requirements, such as a new or different
deadline or change in product requirements.
• A supplemental agreement is an addendum to the
contract which is negotiated separately.
• Constructive changes are caused by the buyer
through action or inaction.
• Termination of contract happens when the vendor
defaults or for the customer’s convenience.
For example: Defaults are due to either
non-performance, such as late
e
deliveries and poor quality, or non-
performance of some or all project
ut
requirements.
Legal Concepts when Managing Disputes
ib
When a change leads to a dispute, you’ll need to seek
tr
legal advice to ensure the terms of the contract are
is
observed. Remember to use your negotiation skills to
reach a final, equitable settlement of all issues, claims,
and disputes.
D
Briefly, here are the legal concepts you should know, as
or
they relate to contracts:
• Warranty – This is the promise, explicit or implied,
that goods or services will meet a pre-determined
e
standard. The standard may cover reliability,
fitness for use, and safety.
at
• Waiver - The giving up of a contract right, even

inadvertently.
lic
• Breach of Contract - Failure to meet some or all

of the obligations of a contract. It may result in
damages paid to the injured party, litigation, or
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other ramifications.
• Cease and Desist Letter - A letter sent to an
individual or a business to stop (cease) allegedly
D
illegal activities and to not undertake them again

(desist). Often used as a warning of impending
ot
legal action if it is ignored.

GUIDELINES: Handle Disputes
N
• Be aware of important legal terms e.g., ’warranty’,

’waiver’, and ‘breach of contract’ that can, if
o
ignored, have a significant impact on the project.

D
• Consult with the legal department or an outside

legal expert so you thoroughly understand any
contracts that affect your project.
• If your contract isn't written specifically to exclude
inadvertent waivers, avoid waiving your contract
rights by:
• Accepting a product that fails to meet standards
for quality or performance.
• Accepting late deliveries.
• Overlooking an aspect of nonconformance to
contractual obligations.
GUIDELINES: Manage Suppliers and Contracts
• Index and store all contract correspondence for

ease of retrieval.
e
• Develop and implement an effective contract
ut
change control system.
• Evaluate the risk of each contract change request.
•
ib
Document all contract changes and incorporate
any effects of the changes into the project plan.
• Develop and implement an effective performance
tr
reporting system for the seller.
•
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Specify any performance reporting criteria to the
seller.
• Set performance milestones to monitor project
D
progress.
• If work is performed at another site, conduct site
or
visits to determine how the seller’s work is
progressing.
• Submit approved invoices for payment in
e
accordance with the contract and the project’s
payment system.
at
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up
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ot
N
o
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Topic H: Establish Project Governance Structure
Project governance is the realm of experienced or senior project managers, but it’s
important to know how your projects are supported by the organization.
Establish Project Governance Structure
e
Project governance is mostly likely in place before you
begin work. It’s often a function of the PMO and in the
ut
purview of senior project managers. But let’s make sure
you know how it works.
ib
tr
is
D
or
Project Governance
Effective project governance helps to ensure that every

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project team can function as they are intended to. So,
at
let’s have a closer look at what underpins successful

project management teams.
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Project Governance (Definition)

up
The framework, functions, and processes that guide

project management activities in order to create a unique
product, service, or result to meet organizational,
D
strategic, and operational goals.

ot
Project Governance
N
Project governance covers:

• Project success and deliverable acceptance criteria
o
• Processes to identify, escalate, and resolve issues

• Relationships between project team, organizational
D
groups, and external stakeholders

• Project organization chart with project roles
• Communication processes and procedures
• Processes for project decision-making
• Guidelines for aligning project governance and
organizational strategy
• Project life cycle approach
77
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic H
• Process for stage gate or phase reviews
• Process for review and approval of changes above
the project manager's authority
• Process to align internal stakeholders with project
process requirements
Project Phases
We just learned that project governance enables the
e
process for phase reviews. Before we take a look at how
ut
governance is applied to the project life cycle, we need to
understand project phases.
ib
Project phases are a collection of logically related project
activities that culminates in the completion of one or more
tr
deliverables.
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• Produce one of more deliverables in a phase
• A phase can be sequential or overlapping with
D
another
• Outputs from one phase are generally inputs to the
next phase
or
Apply Governance to the Project Life Cycle
e
Think of governance as the exterior workings of every

at
project in your organization.

lic
• At the beginning of a phase, verify and validate the

former assumptions made to the project, analyze
risks, and provide detailed explanation of the phase's
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deliverables.
• After the phase’s key deliverables are produced, a
review ensures completeness and acceptance.
D
• A phase can be closed, or the project terminated

when huge risks are involved for the project or when
the objectives are no longer required.
ot
Phase Gates
N
A phase gate is a review at the end of a phase in which a

decision is made to continue to the next phase, to
o
continue with modification, or to end a project or

program.
D
We use phase gates to verify fulfillment of exit criteria

and eligibility to move to the next phase.
Note: Phase gates are also known as
‘governance gate’, ‘tollgate’ or ‘kill point’.
Software development projects use a
specialized type of phase gate called a
‘quality gate’.
Phase-to-Phase Relationships
We just mentioned that phases can be sequential and/or

overlap with one another. Let’s take a closer look at how
that works.
e
ut
Sequential relationships contain consecutive
phases that start only when the previous phase is
ib
complete. This relationship reduces the level of
uncertainty, which may eliminate the option for
shortening a project's schedule.
tr
Overlapping relationships contain phases that start
is
prior to the previous phase ending. This relationship
increases the level of risk and may cause rework if
D
something from the previous phase directly affects the
next phase. or
GUIDELINES: Determine Appropriate
Governance for a Project
e
• Involve the organization’s decision managers, i.e.,

at
senior managers.
• Choose the most appropriate governance goals and
lic
try to keep them simple.

• Select a group of experienced individuals to be
responsible for all governance activities.
up
• Practice governance for projects, programs, and

portfolios.
• Keep the governance process transparent to the
D
project stakeholders.
• Remember that governance is an evolutionary
process and take advantage of the lessons you have
ot
learned during it.

N
o
D
Topic I: Plan and Manage Project/Phase Closure
This is about how we wrap it all up and close down a project.
Plan and Manage Project/Phase Closure
This is the final topic in this lesson about starting a
e
project. Closing phases or a project is a set of measured
ut
steps.
ib
tr
is
D
Close Project or Phase
or
During project closeout, several important activities
occur:
e
• The planned work is completed.

at
• Project or phase information is archived.

• Project team resources are released to pursue other
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endeavors.
Close Project or Phase Criteria
up
Closure Reasons:
D
• The project or phase successfully met its completion

objectives.
• Requirements changed during execution and the
ot
project is no longer feasible.

• Funding is no longer available to complete the
N
requirements.
• Significant risks make the successful completion of
o
the project impossible.

• The organization no longer needs the project
D
deliverables.
• External factors eliminate the need for the project.
Examples of these factors include:
Change in laws or regulations.
Merger or acquisition that affects the
organization.
Global or national economic
80
Lesson 2: Starting the Project | Topic I
changes.
Close Procurements
• Close procurements when the contract terms of a

procurement have been satisfied by both buyer and
seller.
e
• This occurs throughout the life of the project, not
ut
during project closure.
• Keep contracts open only for the necessary period,
ib
to avoid erroneous or unintentional charges against
the contract.
tr
Acceptance of Project Deliverables
is
• Project deliverables are deemed accepted when
acceptance criteria have been met.
D
• These criteria generally refer to some or all of the
requirements that were established at the beginning
of the project (and which might have been modified
or
during the project’s life cycle).
• Deliverables that meet these acceptance criteria are
formally signed off and approved by the customer or
e
sponsor.
at
Payments
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• Payments made to a supplier or vendor are made in

accordance with the terms of the contract between
the buyer and the supplier or vendor.
up
• Unless a contract is closed at the completion of the

project or phase, payment will most likely have been
made at the time of contract closure.
D
• It should not be delayed until project or phase

closure (unless specified in the contract), to avoid the
ot
potential for accidental charges to the contract.

Knowledge Management
N
This is a key business focus of project management.

Though it’s major activities traditionally occurred during
o
the close-down phase of projects, knowledge

D
management is an ongoing function in projects.
It includes how we prioritize and take care of learning

points and capture data formally and informally—through
lessons learned, retrospectives, and information logs.
Use the Lessons-Learned Register
Types of data to capture:

• Scheduling
• Conflict management
• Sellers
• Customer
• Strategic
e
• Tactical
• Any other aspects of the project life cycle
ut
Knowledge Management (Definition)
ib
A store of historical information about lessons learned in
tr
projects.
is
D
During project or phase closure, knowledge management

or
activities consist of finalizing the lessons-learned register,
which is compiled throughout the project life cycle.
e
This document should then be added to the lessons-
at
learned repository, which is a database of lessons

learned from multiple projects.
lic
At the close of the project, the lessons learned should be

added to the Knowledge Management/Lessons Learned
up
repository.
Transition Planning Artifacts
D
Coordination and strategy about how to best deliver and

transition the product and other deliverables is needed.
ot
Releasing and deploying deliverables in the most suitable

manner ensures end-user awareness and increases the
N
proper usages and adoption of outputs.

o
Preparation artifacts related to:

• Training
D
• Documentation
• Communication
• Support
Transition Readiness
Releasing, delivering, and deploying the project’s work

into an environment that is not ready may negate its
value. This includes physical as well as soft infrastructure
such as budget and training.
Examine the readiness of all of the following parties and
e
prepare them for delivery:
• End users
ut
• The business
• The physical resources
ib
• The project team
tr
Readiness is most critical in situations where an existing
product or service is getting an upgrade or improvement.
is
Assess the readiness of all parties, implement the
D
transition plans accordingly, and capture lessons learned
for the next release or project.
or
GUIDELINES: Close Out a Project or Phase
• Review the project management plan.

e
• If applicable, use a project termination checklist.
• Gather and organize performance measurement
at
documentation, product documentation, and other

relevant project records.
lic
• Confirm project's products meet compliance

requirements.
• Release project resources.
up
• Update records to ensure that they reflect final

specifications.
• Be sure to update the resource pool database to
D
reflect new skills and increased levels of proficiency.

• Analyze project success and effectiveness and
ot
document lessons learned.

• Prepare lessons-learned reports and a final project
report.
N
• Obtain project approval and formal project

acceptance.
o
• Archive a complete set of indexed project records.

• Celebrate the success of the project with the team
D
and other stakeholders.
End of Lesson 2
In the next lesson, “Doing the Work,” we continue

learning about work in the project life cycle.
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Student Edition
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Lesson 3
Doing the Work
Lesson 3: Doing the Work
Doing the Work
Lesson Introduction
Now that you have a project plan and have determined the requirements for
e
managing the project from initiation to closure, you are ready to execute the project.
ut
The time and effort spent on planning will come to fruition as the project team starts
doing the work of the project. During project execution, the ultimate goal is to deliver
business value to the customer.
ib
This lesson addresses tasks from the Process domain of the PMP® Exam Content
tr
Outline.
is
Lesson Objectives
D
• Assess and manage the risk landscape inherent in every project.

•
or
Execute a project to deliver business value.
• Manage the communications in a project.
• Engage all project stakeholders.
e
• Create project artifacts.
•
at
Manage project changes.

• Manage project issues.
• Ensure knowledge transfer to ensure project continuity.
lic
Lesson Topics
up
Title Slides
Topic A Assess and Manage Risks 2-31
D
Topic B Execute Project to Deliver Business Value 32-48

Topic C Manage Communications 49-63
Topic D Engage Stakeholders 64-71
ot
Topic E Create Project Artifacts 72-84

Topic F Manage Project Changes 85-94
N
Topic G Manage Project Issues 95-103

Topic H Ensure Knowledge Transfer to Project 104-118
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Continuity
D
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Introduction 2
Topic A
Assess and Manage Risks
Up to this point, you have laid out all your project activities, developed a schedule,
and planned a project budget. Now what will you do when something unforeseen
happens that affects all the plans you have made? How will you react? Risk
management provides you with specific actions to take for responding to project
e
risks.
ut
ib
tr
is
D
Assess and Manage Risks
or
Risk assessment and management is a major project
management function or task. In general, the project
manager takes care of the risks, issues, blockers,
impediments, and so on so that the team can be free
e
to do their work unhindered. Additionally, sometimes

at
risks can turn into opportunities, giving you a chance

to optimize or even transform your project’s results.
lic
There’s quite a bit of nuance involved here, so you

will need to use technical as well as soft skills.
up

D

ot
N
Risk (Definition)
An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a

o
positive or negative effect on one or more project

D
objectives.
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Topic A 3
Risk
All risks are not equal.
• Positive risks, or opportunities, produce a

positive project outcome.
• Negative risks, or threats, have a negative
impact on the project.
e
ut
Let’s look at a few useful definitions first.
Trigger Condition (Definition)
ib
An event or situation that indicates that a risk is about
tr
to occur.
is
D
Project Risk Management (Definition)
or
The project management knowledge area that
includes the processes of conducting risk
management planning, identification, analysis,
response planning, response implementation, and
e
monitoring risk on a project.

at
Defining Risk Management Approach

lic
When defining your risk management approach, you’ll

need to consider:
• The likelihood that the risk event will occur and
up
• The potential impact of the risk.

D
Risk Management Plan (Definition)

ot
management plan that describes how risk

management activities will be structured and
N
performed.
o
Risk Management Plan

D
These are some of the concepts that need to be

factored into a risk management plan.
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Topic E 4
Risk Management Plan
This is a list of what you’ll need to include in a risk

management plan:
• Risk strategy
• Methodology
• Roles and responsibilities
• Funding
e
• Timing
ut
• Risk categories
• Stakeholder risk appetite
• Definition of risk probability and impact
ib
• Probability and impact matrix
• Reporting formats
tr
• Tracking documents
is
Risk Identification Techniques
D
Use the following techniques to identify risks in your
project environment:
or
• Expert judgment
• Data gathering
• Data analysis
e
• Interpersonal and team skills
at
• Prompt lists
• Meetings
lic
Risk Classification Approaches

(Effect-Based)
up
An effect-based approach to risk classification

involves classifying risks according to their effects on
schedule, cost, quality, and scope.
D
It typically also includes identifying causes of risks

ot
and developing redress or improvement measures.

Risk Classification Approaches
N
(Sourced-Based)
o
It’s also possible to classify risks based on their

sources. Here are some possible categories for a
D
source-based risk classification:
• Internal
• External
• Technical
• Non-technical
• Industry-specific
• Generic
Risk Classifications
Let’s look at the four types of risk classifications:
• Known known - Information that is fully

studied and well understood
e
• Known unknown - Information that is
understood to exist but is not in the possession
ut
of the person seeking it
• Unknown unknown - Something
ib
unforeseeable
• Unknown known - Information that an
tr
individual or organization has in its possession
but whose existence, relevance or value has
is
not been realized
D
Idea: Think of some examples of
project risks and ask you to
classify and discuss them.
or
Here is a list to get you started:
• Covid-19
e
• Key team member
at
resignation
• Supply chain disruption
• Vendor under contract
lic
goes out of business

Risk Threshold (Definition)
up
The maximum amount of risk, and the potential impact of

that risk occurring, that a project manager or key
D
stakeholder is willing to accept

ot
Risk Appetite (Definition)

N
The degree of uncertainty an organization or

individual is willing to accept in anticipation of a
o
reward.
D
Risk Tolerance (Definition)
The level of risk exposure above which risks are

addressed and below which risks may be accepted.
GUIDELINES: Iteratively Identify, Assess, and
e
Prioritize Risks
ut
• Identify risks in every project segment and work
ib
package before the project begins.
• Perform a structured review with key
tr
stakeholders of documentation from other
planning processes to ensure understanding.
is
• Identify risks and triggers using risk identification
techniques.
D
• Be consistent with risk approach but be mindful
of emerging special circumstances.
• Consult relevant historical information for
or
problems and resolutions—e.g., risk response
plans, final reports, and lessons learned from
previous, similar projects.
e
• Group identified risks into categories reflecting
at
common, relevant risks.

• Use analysis results to initiate the risk register.
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Qualitative Risk Analysis (Definition)
The process of prioritizing individual project risks for

up
further analysis or action by assessing their

probability of occurrence and impact as well as other
characteristics.
D
Qualitative Risk Analysis

ot
This analysis focuses on high-priority risks, is

N
subjective, and is based on a team’s perception of

risks.
o
The qualitative risk analysis enables you to make a

D
prioritized list of risks, so that you can take further

actions.
Probability and Impact Matrix (Definition)
A grid for mapping the probability of each risk

occurrence and its potential impact on project
objectives.
Probability and Impact Matrix
e
This text and graphic are taken from the PMBoK
ut
Guide, 6th edition, page 408. The example shows a
possible numeric risk scoring scheme.
ib
• Opportunities and threats are represented in a
tr
common probability and impact matrix using
positive definitions of impact for opportunities and
is
negative impact definitions for threats.
• Descriptive terms—such as very high, high,
D
medium, low, and very low.
• Numeric values can be used for probability and
impact. Where numeric values are used, these
or
can be multiplied to give a probability-impact
score for each risk, which allows the relative
priority of individual risks to be evaluated within
e
each priority level.
at
Quantitative Risk Analysis (Definition)

lic
The process of numerically analyzing the combined

effect of identified individual project risks and other
sources of uncertainty on overall project objectives.
up
Quantitative Risk Analysis

D
As you’d expect, quantitative risk analysis qquantifies

ot
overall project risk exposure. It does this by providing

additional quantitative, or data-based, risk information
to support risk response planning.
N
This type of analysis is costly, so it is best suited for:

o
• Large or complex projects

• Strategically important projects
D
• When required by contract or a key stakeholder
Risk Response (Definition)
An action to address a risk.
Risk Response
e
ut
After you’ve identified, classified, qualified, and
possibly quantified risks, you need to take some sort
ib
of action.
tr
The following are possible actions you will take to
address a risk:
is
• Assign a person to implement an action.
• Develop options, select strategies, and agree on
D
actions to address overall risk exposure and
response.
• Address risks by priority–greatest to least.
or
• Add resources and activities to the budget,
schedule, and project management plan to
support risk responses.
e
• Assign a response to each risk.
• Choose from various risk response strategies to
at
determine a response for each risk.

• Develop a fallback plan in case the primary
lic
strategy is not effective.

• Review secondary risks - These are risks that
could occur as a result of implementing a risk
up
response.
Risk Response Strategies
D
Prepare strategies for threats (negative) as well as

opportunities (positive).
ot
You can make the most of an opportunity presented

N
by a positive risk by following this action pathway:
Escalate > Exploit > Share > Enhance >

o
Accept
D
Conversely, you can avoid the fallout that a negative

risk threatens to make by following this action
pathway:
Escalate > Avoid > Transfer > Mitigate >

Accept
Remember that you need to plan and implement
strategies for individual project risks and overall
project risk.
Idea: Each of these action

pathways begin and end with the
same action. Think of a scenario
e
for each type of risk and then try
ut
to think of what the steps in the
action pathway might look like.
ib
Contingency Response Strategies
tr
(Definition)
is
Responses which may be used in the event that a
specific trigger occurs. Also known as “contingency
D
plan” or “fallback plan”.
or
Contingency Response Strategies
Effective project managers develop strategies in

e
advance, before things go wrong. You need to use
them if, and when, identified risks become issues.
at
Your strategy should allow you to react quickly and

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appropriately to the risk event, mitigating its negative

impact or increasing its potential benefits.
up
Strategies should be holistic, including time, cost, and

impact estimates.
D
GUIDELINES: Determine and Implement Risk

Responses
ot
• Examine identified risks to determine causes and

effects on project objectives.
N
• Brainstorm strategies for each risk.

• Choose the most effective response strategy for
o
each identified risk.

• Ask the project sponsor for help if the rating will
D
exceed organization’s risk threshold.

• Identify backup strategies for risks with high risk
factor scores.
• Quantify contingency reserve requirement to deal
with accepted and unknown risks.
• Consult the risk management plan to understand
the content and format of the risk response plan.
• Incorporate the risk response plan into the overall
project plan to implement and monitor strategies.
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up
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Topic B
Execute Project to Deliver Business Value
Projects exist to deliver business value—whether that is monetary value, an
improvement on a product or service, or otherwise.
e
Execute Project to Deliver Business Value
ut
Project managers essentially work in a value-based
delivery system. All of the planning and work that we
ib
do in our teams is converted into something of value
to the customer or organization.
tr
is
D
or
Lead on Value Delivery
e
This is just a brief mention of a leadership element.
Lesson 3 focuses on process elements—lessons 1
at
and 4 focus on leadership. But it’s correct to say that

stronger leaders can act in more effective ways!
lic
It’s no surprise that communication is at the top of this

short list, and along with servant leadership. You
up
need to ensure the team knows the value of the

project to the organization—How this work helps it to
achieve its strategic vision. That will help the team
D
feel motivated that their work is making a direct and

positive impact on the organization.
ot
Your leadership style should focus on modelling

positive behaviors for the team. Aim to encourage
N
productivity and help the team to align their efforts

with the organization’s vision.
o
We will discuss this in greater depth in the next

D
lesson on leadership.
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Topic B 12
Create a Culture of Urgency for Value
Delivery
You need to help your team to cultivate and establish

a sense of urgency in your team culture. This is an
ongoing task.
There are a few ways to do this. For one, lead by
e
communicating the project's importance and vision,
ut
as we just discussed. But also represent the voice of
the customer to the team. Show them why the project
ib
matters. This will create relevancy and personalize
the value.
tr
Business Value (Definition)
is
The net quantifiable benefit derived from a business
endeavor. The benefit may be tangible, intangible, or
D
both.
or
Business Value
e
Let’s take a look at some of the different kinds of

at
value we can derive from projects. This isn’t an

exhaustive list, but it should get you thinking about
lic
the kinds of outcomes that projects can produce.
Here are some types of business value:

up
• Financial gain
• Social
D
• Improvements
• New customers
•
ot
First to market
• Technological improvement
N
Example: Use this mini case

study of a successful project.
o
Review the different types of

business value that project
D
management brought to Global

Green Books. (5 minutes)
Link to “Global Green Books”

mini case study on PMI.org
Examine Business Value
We use critical thinking and analysis to determine

what is of value to the business. Think beyond the
primary value benefits and really try to understand
how else your project imparts value to the business
Let’s look at a few ways of deriving value or showing
e
how the project delivers value.
ut
Product Roadmap (Definition)
Further information follows on the next slide.
ib
A strategic document and plan which guides why the
tr
product will be delivered and how the product will
meet objectives and the product vision.
is
Product Roadmaps
D
This is also a tool of the product manager. In it, we
or
should see a clear and deliberate value proposition.
Product roadmaps:
• Vary in appearance and presentation.
e
• Display the strategy and direction of the product

at
and the value it will deliver.

• Lead with the overarching vision of the product.
lic
• Are progressively elaborated over time with

information and work inputs and refinement of
vision.
up
• Use themes (goals) to provide structure and

associations.
• Provide short-term and long-term visualizations
D
of the product.
Incremental Delivery
ot
Long production cycles ending in a perfect product

N
are a thing of the past. Businesses want to start

obtaining value from projects before the end of the
project.
o
D
Incremental delivery enables the project to deliver

value sooner than the end of the project. Following on
from that, we can also consider the following benefits:
• Higher customer value and increased market
share.
• Partial delivery (or previews) to customers—
this often creates excitement for the product
and can build customer loyalty.
• Enables early feedback for the project team
allowing for adjustments to the direction,
priorities, and quality of the product.
Let’s look at an example of what incremental delivery

looks like next.
Untitled Graphic – Figure 6-20 Relationship
e
between Product Vision, Release Planning,
ut
and Iteration Planning
This is from the PMBoK 6th edition, page 216, “Agile
Release Planning”
ib
Idea: Review the relationships in
tr
the graphic.
is
D
Minimum Viable Product (MVP) (Definition)
Further information is on the next slide.
or
The smallest collection of features that can be
included in a product for customers to consider it
functional ("bare bones" or "no frills" functionality in
e
Lean).
at
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

lic
The MVP is a vehicle for quick value release on a

project. If perfection is not required, there are a good
many advantages to consider:
up
• Allows stakeholders to see and experience

project outcomes during the project
D
• Channels feedback and idea generation

• Seeing results quickly provides inspiration to
ot
the team and models urgency

Minimum Business Increment (MBI)
N
(Definition)
A term used in Disciplined Agile approaches, an MBI

o
is the smallest amount of value that can be added to

D
a product or service that benefits the business.
Minimum Business Increment (MBI)
MBI is more viable when an MVP might disrupt the

users and business, especially when a basic
preliminary product, to gauge interest, is not
necessary.
Optimize use of MBIs by:
e
✓ Ensuring the product and functions are
ut
understood.
✓ Pinpointing an incremental value increase.
ib
Advantages of MBIs:
✓ Enable project team to deliver value sooner.
✓ Help team validate improvements.
tr
✓ Enable team to incrementally build on success
or pivot as needed.
is
Cycles and Timeboxes
D
Following up with planning the project schedule,
which we did in the last lesson, let’s introduce agile
or
release planning methods.
Working this way, we organize work into release

e
cycles and work in time blocks. Making better use of
at
the project schedule also is a clear business value or

benefit.
lic
Here are the benefits:

• Timeboxes allow for better telemetry over time—
up
so your time is used more efficiently.

• Timeboxes create a sense of urgency.
• Cycling the project through similar timeboxes
D
provides progress measurements from one

timebox to the next.
• Teams gain more predictable measurements that
ot
can communicate expectations of cycle times,

throughput, and velocity.
N
GUIDELINES: Measure Ongoing Progress

o
• Define value from the customer’s, business,

and/or user’s perspective.
D
• Determine value expectations.

• Set targets and baselines based on expectations.
• Employ metrics that communicate progress
towards value expectations.
• Use efficient data collection metrics and
methods.
• Collect data at regular intervals.
• Present progress data to stakeholders.
• Compare progress with baselines and
expectations.
• Improve on success or correct areas where
progress does not meet expectations.
e
ut
ib
tr
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic C
Manage Communications
To keep the team working in high-performance mode, your communications
strategy, plan, and management—not to mention skills!—need to be sharp.
e
Manage Communications
ut
Information, relationships, progress—everything
depends on successful communication. Let’s learn
ib
how to make a successful project communications
plan.
tr
is
D
or
Communications
e
It’s a skill—both personal and strategic. How will you

at
manage the volume of informal and formal

conversations, emails, documents, and so on?
lic
Project Communications
up
Consider these dimensions:

• Internal and external stakeholders
D
• Formality or informality - content and format

• Hierarchy – adjust tone upward, downward, or
ot
horizontally
• Official or unofficial need e.g., annual reports or
governance related vs. project team
N
communication
• Written or verbal – remember tone, inflection, and
o
nonverbal gestures are influential!

D
Communications Management Plan

(Definition)

management plan that describes how, when, and by
whom information about the project will be
administered and disseminated.
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Topic C 18
Communications Management Plan Example
Let’s have a look at an example communications

management plan.
e
Communications Management Plan –
ut
Components
ib
A communications management plan includes:
tr
• Stakeholder communications requirements
• Information to be communicated, including language
is
to be used
• Reason
D
• Time frame and frequency
• Responsible person – i.e., release of confidential
information
• Receivers
or
• Methods or technologies of conveyance
• Time and budget allocation
e
• Escalation process for issues that need visibility
•
at
Update method for the plan

• Glossary of common terminology
• Flowcharts depicting flow of information
lic
• Constraints due to regulation or policies

Communication Requirements Analysis
up
We mentioned stakeholder communications requirements

at the top of the list of components in the communications
D
management plan.
ot
How do you know what these requirements are?
Quite simply, you’ll need to ask them directly. Doing so

N
leads to a clear articulation of the stakeholder’s

communication needs and enables you to make the right
choice of how you’ll communicate with them, including
o
the kind of technology that will work best.

D
This analysis takes the form of a grid, questionnaire, or

survey that documents the communications and
technology requirements for each stakeholder.
Communication Types
Think of the diversity of communication methods

available for use on projects. With technology factored in,
you need to think about suitability of use in addition to
security and encryption matters for communication of
project work.
e
Here’s our list:
ut
• Face-to-face meetings
• Email
• Fax
ib
• Instant Messaging – using third-party apps
• Text Messaging – direct phone to phone
tr
• Print media and documents
• Video and voice conferencing (virtual meetings)
is
• Social media
• Company website
D
Idea: Can you think of other ways we
or
communicate on projects?
e
Communication Models (Definition)

at
A description, analogy, or schematic used to represent

lic
how the communication process will be performed for the

project.
up
Communication Model
D
Let’s look at a communication model diagram that uses

the sender-receiver model. Notice that it includes
technical as well as personal data. ‘Soft’ skills such as
ot
interpersonal communication and emotional intelligence

are essential in healthy communication models.
N
Communication Methods (Definition)

o
A systematic procedure, technique, or process used to

D
transfer information among project stakeholders
Communication Methods
Communicating using the push method entails telling

and being direct and forthcoming with information.
The pull method, on the other hand, puts the onus of

learning information on the recipient.
e
Interactive communication is a democratic method.
ut
Examples:
ib
A person giving a presentation is using
the push method because they are giving
information.
tr
When that person asks questions of
is
participants, they are employing the pull
method to obtain information.
D
A free discussion period is interactive,
or
because everyone contributes.
Feedback
e
• Communication is a two-way street.
at
• Both critical and affirming feedback are key.

• Feedback can be positive if received and understood
lic
as intended.
• Feedback can be negative because of
misunderstanding.
up
• No feedback provides an implicit acceptance of the

message by the receiver.
• Effective feedback is clear, specific, and offered in a
D
timely manner.
GUIDELINES: Effectively Manage
ot
Communication
•
N
Gather and distribute contact information for all

involved parties.
• Determine the communication needs of project
o
stakeholders.
•
D
Tailor amount of detail and frequency to recipient

needs; project team members may require more
detail on a more frequent basis. Senior management
typically requires summary information on a less
frequent basis.
• Analyze the value to the project of providing the
information.
• Evaluate any constraints and assumptions to
determine their possible impact on communication
planning.
• Determine the appropriate communications
technologies to use for communicating project
information.
• Ensure your communications management plan
includes all key elements.
• Integrate the communications management plan into
e
the project plan.
ut
• Distribute the plan to project stakeholders.
ib
tr
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic D
Engage Stakeholders
Back to the stakeholders now, we need to ensure that they stay committed to the
project.
e
Engage Stakeholders
ut
How are the stakeholders performing? From
customers to experts, you need to be able to get the
ib
most from each stakeholder to ensure work stays on
track and of high quality. In this topic, we explore how
tr
project managers can encourage stakeholders to stay
focused and give their best effort to a project.
is
D
or
e
Stakeholder Categories
at
Let’s start with a quick reminder of our stakeholder

types or categories.
lic
• Sponsors
•
up
Customers and users

• Seller
• Functional managers
• Organizational groups
D
• Business partners
• Other stakeholders
ot
Stakeholder Register
N
And a quick look at the stakeholder register. This is

the main output of the Identify Stakeholders process
o
we discussed in Lesson 1.
D
The stakeholder register includes:

• Identification information - Name, position,
contact details, etc.
• Assessment information - Major requirements,
expectations, influence on project outcomes,
primary involvement
• Stakeholder classification -
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Topic C 23
o Internal, external
o Impact/influence/power/interest
o Upward/downward/outward/sideways
Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
A strategy drives your connection with the project

stakeholders. Your strategy should do three things:
e
• Involve each project stakeholder based on needs,
ut
expectations, interests, and potential impact on the
project.
ib
• Enable development of appropriate management
strategies to engage stakeholders.
tr
• Create and maintain relationships between the
project team and stakeholders.
is
(Definition)
D
A matrix that compares current and desired stakeholder
engagement levels.
or
e
at
- Example
An easy way of keeping track of engagement levels is

lic
use of the matrix. In very simple and visible terms,

assess each stakeholder’s current state of
up
engagement and then indicate your desired level of

engagement.
D
Then you can easily see who needs motivating and

by how much.
GUIDELINES: Develop, Execute, and
ot
Validate a Strategy for Stakeholder

Engagement
N
• Review the Project management plan,

o
Stakeholder register, EEFs and OPAs

•
D
Use tools and techniques such as expert

judgment.
• Hold meetings with experts and the project team.
• Use analytical techniques to classify stakeholder
engagement levels.
• Document the stakeholder engagement plan.
e
ut
ib
tr
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic E
Create Project Artifacts
We are all familiar with the copious amounts of data generated by projects. Let’s
take a closer look now at project artifacts.
e
Create Project Artifacts
ut
Now it’s time to understand what project work looks
like—these are your artifacts. And just like an
ib
archaeologist, they are physical pieces of your project
that you produce and then can use to conduct
tr
research or further work, or even on other projects.
is
D
or
Artifacts vs. Deliverables and Project
e
Documents
at
On slide 82, “Version Control” – the third bullet

wrongly identifies some project documents as
lic
artifacts.
Artifacts are created by project teams during project

up
work. Artifacts facilitate management of the project.
Examples:
D
Spreadsheets, emails, and

meeting minutes are project
artifacts. We’ll see a longer list in
ot
a few slides.
N
Project documents are integral documents for a

project; they define and support the work of the
project. They are regularly updated by project
o
D
Examples:
A scope management plan is a
project document.
A deliverable is any unique and verifiable product,
result, or capability (tangible or intangible) to perform
a service, that is required to be produced to complete
a process, phase, or project.
Examples:
A planned software improvement
is a deliverable.
e
Project Artifact
ut
Artifacts are like historical artifacts; in that they can
show us what work was done and how it was done.
ib
It’s a historical repository that can be useful for future
projects.
tr
Your work will be largely creating and maintaining
is
these key pieces of work.
D
Project Artifact Examples
This is a list of typical project artifacts used on

or
projects. Artifacts unique to agile projects are on the
next slide.
e
• Acceptance Criteria
•
at
Assumptions
• Business Case
• Change Requests
lic
• Constraints
• Lessons learned
• Minutes of status meetings
up
• Project Charter
• Slide decks
• Requirements
D
• Scope
• Scope Baseline
ot
• Subsidiary project management plans

N
Project Artifact Examples – Agile

o
• Product Backlog
D
• Product Increment
• Product Roadmap
• Product Vision Statement
• Release Plan
• Sprint Backlog
Configuration Management (Definition)
A tool used to manage changes to a product or

service being produced as well as changes to any
project documents.
This is important to know, as it’s the means by which

we manage and organize project artifacts.
e
Configuration Management System
ut
(Definition)
ib
A collection of procedures used to track project
artifacts and monitor and control changes to these
tr
artifacts.
is
Configuration Management
D
We discussed this briefly in Lesson 2, as a separate
entity from the change management plan. Let’s take a
closer look.
or
Configuration management is applied to a product,
e
not the project.
at
This process:
• Controls product iterations.
lic
• Controls the steps for reviewing and approving

product prototypes, testing standards, and
up
drawings or blueprints.
• Ensures that product specifications are current.
In terms of project artifacts, remember that this is how

D
we track, monitor, and control the changes to

artifacts.
ot
Version Control (Definition)

N
A system that records changes to a file in a way that

allows you to retrieve previous changes made to it.
o
D
Version Control
Please see the correction to this slide noted, below.
• Each time a file is updated, give it a new version

number.
• Include a date/time stamp and the name of the
user who made the changes, providing a digital
“paper trail” of the document’s history.
e
ut
Note: The third bullet on this
slide incorrectly identifies the
ib
project management plan as a
project artifact.
tr
• Use version control for important artifacts such
as the project management plan, subsidiary
is
project management plans, the scope and other
documents.
D
Storage and Distribution of Artifacts
or
Here are some good practices for storage and
distribution of artifacts:
• Store artifacts in an accessible location for users.
e
• Use a storage and distribution system that
at
matches the complexity of the project –

• Use cloud-based document storage and retrieval
lic
systems for larger projects, especially where team

members are geographically distributed.
• Typical systems may include:
up
o Built-in version control

o Document check-out and check-in
o User-based document security
D
o Automatic email notification to specified

users when a document is created or edited
ot
Project Artifact Management
An effective archive management system includes:

N
• A simple way to produce and control

documents
o
• Standardized formats and templates

• A structured process for the review and
D
approval of documents
• Version control and security
• Timely distribution of documents
Topic F
Manage Project Changes
Managing project changes can be one of the greatest challenges for even a
veteran project manager. Let’s look at key techniques and leadership attitudes that
will help you manage change effectively.
e
ut
Manage Project Changes
ib
Change is inevitable, but it is rarely insurmountable.
Let’s look at strategies, tools, and techniques for
tr
managing project changes!
is
D
or
e
Projects are about Change

at
Your project itself is a change to the organization.

lic
But how do you deal with changes to the project?

Let’s have a look at how to keep abreast of project
up
changes in this lesson.

Causes of Project Changes
D
First, let’s consider causes of changes to projects.

ot
Typically, these are:

N
• Inaccurate initial estimates – Arise from lack of

experience, lack of information, or precedence to
inaccurate data, excessive optimism,
o
technological difficulties, and unreliable

D
resources. Getting those original estimates to be

as realistic and accurate as possible makes the
control process more manageable.
• Specification changes - Project work can open
up new avenues of development and design that
were not considered during the initial planning of
the project work and scope. As new options for a
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Topic F 30
product or service become apparent, customers,
sponsors, or the project manager may broaden
the project's scope to include new specifications
and deliverables.
• New regulations - As project work progresses,
new governmental or industry-specific regulations
may be enacted. This can be especially true for
lengthy projects. If the new regulations are
e
related to the ongoing project, project change
ut
becomes necessary. Accommodating new
regulations or legislation can also mean revisiting
the planning process to determine the effect the
ib
new regulations will have on resource needs,
schedule durations, and quality specifications.
tr
• Missed requirements - Many times the
requirements are understood by reviewing the
is
documentation and interviewing the end users
and policy makers. However, there are times
D
when complete and comprehensive
understanding may not be possible. The
or
interviewer feels that he/she has understood the
point, and the interviewee feels that he has
expressed all that matters. Although a
Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) is
e
prepared, the same confusion might arise in a

at
written document. Prototyping is used where a

demonstration of functional and/or technical
lic
requirements is done. Although all these

techniques reduce the chances of missing any
requirements, it cannot guarantee that every
up
requirement is captured.
Change Control Systems (Definition)
D
A set of procedures that describes how modifications

to the project deliverables and documentation are
ot
managed and controlled.

N
Change Control Systems

o
An effective change control system includes the

D
forms, tracking methods, processes, and approval

levels required for authorizing or rejecting requested
changes.
Change Control Board (Definition)
A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing,

evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes
to the project, and for recording and communicating
such decisions.
e
Change Management Process (Flowchart)
ut
Let’s take a look at the process that all project
changes will go through. Every change ends in one of
ib
two ways—either it is rejected, or the project is
rebalanced.
tr
Approved Change Requests (Definition)
is
Requests that have been received and approved in
D
accordance with the integrated change control plan
and are ready to be scheduled for implementation.
or
Change Requests
e
The four types of change requests are:

at
• Corrective action – Adjusts the performance

lic
of the project work with the project

management plan.
• Preventive action – Ensures future
up
performance of the project work with the

project management plan.
• Defect repair – Modifies a non-conformance
D
within the project.

• Update – Modifies a project document or plan.
ot
N
o
D
Topic G
Manage Project Issues
Projects do not always go smoothly, and situations can arise which have the
potential to affect the scope, schedule, or cost if left unattended. Risks in a project
can become issues, which require resolution. This topic addresses how to handle
them.
e
ut
Manage Project Issues
ib
Risks are not always negative, but if they become
project issues, then you need to take action and resolve
tr
them. We learn how in this section.
is
D
or
e
Issues (Definition)
at
Further discussion on next slide.

lic
A current condition or situation that may have an impact

on the project objectives - an action item that the project
team must address.
up
Issues
D
Issues can arise in many project management

processes, most often during monitoring and
ot
controlling—or in an agile project, at any moment. Areas

prone to issues include:
• Scope change control
N
• Schedule control
• Cost control
o
• Project variance analysis

• Quality
D
• Risk
• Procurement
• Communications
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Topic G 33
Risks and Issues
There is a big difference between risks and issues. A

risk is generally defined as an event that might impact a
project, whereas an issue is a risk that has happened
and will impact the project.
Example:
e
ut
Risk Issue
A supplier A supplier has gone
ib
might go on on strike.
strike.
tr
Issue Log (Definition)
is
An example follows on the next slide.
D
A document where information about issues is recorded
and monitored. or
It is used to track problems, inconsistencies, or
conflicts that occur during the life of the project and
require investigation in order to work toward a
e
resolution.
at
Issue Log
lic
The due date represents the date by which the issue

should be resolved. Your goal is to close every issue
before the project is closed, but this might not always
up
happen—the issue might be outside of your control.
An issue should be assigned to only one person, who

D
will act as the focal point for resolving it. In this case,
think of the issue owner as similar to a work package
ot
owner.
An issue log is not a to-do list. If in doubt about

N
whether something belongs in the issue log, re-visit

the definition of an issue and confirm if it applies to
o
the situation at hand.

D
Issue Resolution
You need to add every issue to the issue log as it

arises. Each issue should have an owner who is
responsible for tracking the progress of the
workaround and reporting back to the project
manager. The due date should be realistic, and every
reasonable attempt should be made to meet it.
Issues should be a regular topic of every status

meeting, with the goal to keep the number of open
issues to a manageable number. Don’t hesitate to
escalate an issue to the project sponsor if it begins to
have a major effect on the project.
e
GUIDELINES: Resolving Issues
ut
• Use your organization’s Issue Log template; in
the absence of one, create an Issue Log.
ib
• Train project team members to promptly report
potential issues.
tr
• Enter the issue into the Issue Log and assign an
owner and a due date.
is
• Monitor progress and discuss each open issue at
every project status meeting.
D
• Develop a response (also known as a
workaround) to the issue.
• Assess the impact of the response.
or
• Approve the response.
• Close the issue.
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic H
Ensure Knowledge Transfer for Project
Continuity
It is important for project team members to obtain the right knowledge at the time
when they need it to do their job. Knowledge is an asset to project teams and this
e
lesson is about how to optimize it.
ut
ib
Ensure Knowledge Transfer for Project
Continuity
tr
You need to know how to collect and manage
is
knowledge so that your team can use it. You should
also know how to transfer this knowledge to other
D
projects, so they can benefit from it.
or
Under review - Deliverables and tools should include
Lessons Learned and Retrospective meetings;
e
meetings; active listening; training plan, among
others.
at
lic
Knowledge Types
up
Knowledge can be divided into two main types:

explicit and tacit.
•
D
Explicit knowledge - Can be codified using

symbols such as words, numbers, and
pictures.
ot
• Tacit knowledge - Is personal knowledge that

can be difficult to articulate and share such as
N
beliefs, experience, and insights.
You need to know how to manage both types of

o
knowledge to take advantage of the knowledge, skills,

D
and experiences that your project team members

have gained throughout the project.
Although collecting and gathering explicit knowledge

is relatively easy to do, there is the risk of capturing
only the facts and not the context surrounding the
facts. Both are important to know.
Lesson 3: Doing the Work | Topic H 36
To manage tacit knowledge, you’ll need to create and
maintain trust among those involved in the project so
they are willing to share their experiences with
everyone else. By obtaining those personalized
experiences of the project, the team is able to more
fully understand and leverage the knowledge.
e
ut
Think of knowledge management as a three-level
system: individual, project, and organization.
ib
• At the individual level, each team member
needs to know how to perform their work in
tr
accordance with each assigned task’s scope,
schedule, and cost—all while maintaining an
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acceptable level of quality. If a person does not
possess the required knowledge for a particular
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task, they must acquire it by one of three
methods:
o Research the topic to learn what they do not
or
know.
o Collaborate with other team members to fill in
the knowledge gap.
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o Examine the project’s or organization’s

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knowledge repository.
• At the project level, the focus is on achieving the
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goals of the current project. The project manager

will solicit knowledge from project managers or
project leaders involved with other projects. Their
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experience can then be applied to the current

project. The Project Management Office (PMO) is
also an excellent source of knowledge, as it
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exists for the purpose of defining and maintaining

standards for project management within an
organization.
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• The organizational level of knowledge is about

managing programs or portfolios. The program
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manager or portfolio manager can seek

information from peers who manage other
programs or portfolios, in an effort to adapt this
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knowledge to their specific need.

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Lessons Learned (Definition)
The knowledge gained during a project which shows

how project events were addressed or should be
addressed in the future for the purpose of improving
future performance.
Lessons Learned
Knowledge gained during a project can be useful to

subsequent phases of a project and to other projects,
and this knowledge is referred to as lessons learned.
It can take the form of both positive and negative

experiences that occur throughout the project life
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cycle.
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"Reinventing the wheel" is both time-consuming and
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costly. The amount of time and effort used to
document what went well and what did not happen as
planned can pay big dividends long into the future.
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Considerations for Lessons Learned
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Here are some typical topics covered in lessons
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learned:
• Scheduling - Include any relevant scheduling

or
problems or issues. They also document the
management strategies implemented to deal with
schedule or resource constraints. These capture
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beneficial approaches to implement as new best
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practices.
• Conflict management - Include any issues that
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arose within the team or between the team and

customers. They include documentation of the
nature and source of the conflict and the impact
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the conflict had on the project. The

documentation should also specify how
management intervened in response to the
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conflict.
• Customers and vendors - If a vendor or
customer is excessively litigious or unreasonable
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to work with, that information should be conveyed

to the sales and legal departments and
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documented in the lessons learned repository. If

the customer or vendor experience is positive,
then capture the potential for future sales or
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working together.
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• Strategic – These typically affect some aspect of

the organization’s project management
methodology or significantly improve a template,
form, or process. These address the questions:
Can we reuse this project's artifact to get more
done with the same resources and deliver work
sooner?
• Tactical – These answer the question: If you
were to do this type of project again, what should
you stop, start, and continue so you can execute
the project flawlessly? These types of lessons
learned focus on developing recommendations,
reviewing recommendations with other managers
in other departments, developing implementation
plans, and implementing those plans
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Lessons Learned Register (Definition)
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Since we covered this topic in Lesson 2 also, take
note here about the continued use of the register
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during the project and how it helps with ensuring
knowledge continuity.
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As the project progresses, you will continuously add
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information to the lessons-learned register to help
identify specific strengths as well as areas of
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improvement.
At the conclusion of the project, a team member can

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edit and compile the information into a cohesive
document. It can be discussed in the project closure
meeting and archived for future reference, as a
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means of ensuring retention and continuity of
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knowledge.
Lessons Learned Repository (Definition)
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Create a register for each project and then put the

register into your Lessons Learned Repository. This
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repository will become an organizational process

asset for current and future project teams. They will
be able to capitalize on the organization's knowledge
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base about work that has already been done and

avoid repeating mistakes, and also leverage the
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ongoing organizational learning.

Project Responsibilities within the Team
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This is an overview of the interpersonal skills that you

can use to manage knowledge
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• Leadership - To communicate the

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organization’s vision and inspire the project

team to focus on the goals of the project.
• Facilitation - To effectively guide a group to a
successful solution to a problem.
• Political awareness - To keep the project
manager aware of the organization’s political
environment.
• Networking - To facilitate relations among
project stakeholders so that knowledge is
shared at all levels.
Project team members also should use these same

interpersonal skills to various degrees, as they are
assigned by the project manager to manage tasks,
lead meetings, etc.
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ut
All project team members should be skilled at active
listening, to reduce misunderstandings, and improve
communication and knowledge sharing.
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Working Environment Expectations
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The project manager is responsible for the successful
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sharing and transfer of project knowledge. Early in the
project, the project manager should set expectations
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of how this is to occur. The project kickoff meeting is
an excellent venue for this to take place, because key
members of the project team will be present—either
or
in-person or virtually.
Typical expectations for sharing and transferring

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project knowledge at the kickoff meeting include the
at
following:
• Knowledge is not constant: what you knew
yesterday can change based on what you did
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today.
• Continuously evaluate the project environment
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for new risks and follow the risk management

plan to proactively address them before they
become issues that will affect the project
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objectives.
• Don't hoard knowledge; follow the
communications management plan and inform
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stakeholders when something changes that might

affect their work.
• Use appropriate tools to share knowledge with
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stakeholders:
o Face-to-face during formal meetings
o
o Face-to-face during informal meetings and

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discussions
o Telephone
o Email
o Wikis
o Intranet
o Printed documents
Knowledge Transfer Approach
Knowledge transfer consists of connecting

individuals, in person or virtually, to share tacit
knowledge and collaborate together.
Knowledge Transfer Techniques
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ut
Keep your team invigorated about learning.
Knowledge transfer opportunities can be among the
ib
most exciting moments at work.
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Try one of these techniques:
• Networking
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• Facilitating special interest groups
• Meetings, seminars, and various other types of
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in-person and virtual events that encourage
people to interact and exchange ideas and
knowledge
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• Training that involves interaction between
attendees
• Work shadowing and reverse shadowing
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provide a more individualized method to the
exchange of specialized knowledge
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GUIDELINES: Maintain Team and

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Knowledge Transfer
• Follow your PMO’s guidelines on documenting

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new knowledge.
• Be alert to new sources of project knowledge
and follow the communications management
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plan to convey that knowledge to stakeholders.

• Proactively seek new knowledge.
•
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Compile a lessons-learned register throughout

the project’s lifecycle and add it to a lessons-
learned repository with registers from other
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projects.
End of Lesson 3
o
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That wraps up the “Process” section of the course.

The next lesson takes us back to the
“People/Leadership” aspect of project management.
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tr
is
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or
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at
lic
up
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Student Edition
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Lesson 4
Keeping the Team on Track
Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track 1
Lesson Introduction
Now that the project team has been assembled and is doing the work of the project,
you need to ensure that the team stays on track. As the project manager, you need
e
to demonstrate the type of leadership that facilitates collaboration among the team
ut
and stakeholders, manages conflict, removes obstacles, and supports the team's
performance. In this lesson, you will keep your project team on track.
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This lesson addresses tasks from the People domain of the PMP® Exam Content
Outline (ECO).
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Lesson Objectives
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• Inspire, motivate, and influence team members and stakeholders.
• Appraise team performance against key performance indicators.
•
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Determine, prioritize, and remove impediments, obstacles, and blockers for
the team.
• Investigate and interpret the source and stage of a conflict and recommend
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an appropriate conflict resolution solution.
•
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Evaluate stakeholder engagement needs and influence stakeholders to

accomplish project objectives.
• Recognize mentoring opportunities and mentor relevant stakeholders.
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• Promote team performance through the application of emotional intelligence.

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Lesson Topics
Title Slides
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Topic A Lead a Team 2-16

Topic B Support Team Performance 17-49
Topic C Address and Remove Impediments, Obstacles, and 50-64
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Blockers
Topic D Manage Conflict 65-74
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Topic E Collaborate with Stakeholders 75-85

Topic F Mentor Relevant Stakeholders 86-96
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Topic G Apply Emotional Intelligence to Promote Team 97-117

Performance
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Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track 2
Topic A
Lead A Team
There are many ways to lead a team. No one approach is perfect for every situation.
The appropriate leadership style depends on the situation, the project, the
stakeholders, your skills, and many other factors. A project manager must be astute
in various leadership styles to apply the most suitable technique for the moment.
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Lead A Team
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Teams are made up of individuals with different skill sets,
backgrounds, experiences, and attitudes.
Cohesive, collaborative teams typically are productive

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and effective. Leadership is a trait required of everyone

at
on the project team. If you are the project lead, then you
also need to lead on leadership!
lic

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Leadership
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There is no one in the project better suited to convey the

vision and goals of the project, while also speaking about
the team’s progress toward those goals, than the project
o
manager.
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A project manager serves as a visionary leader who

helps by educating the team and other stakeholders of
the value achieved or targeted, promoting teamwork and
collaboration, assisting with project management tools
and techniques, removing roadblocks, and articulating
the project’s mission.
Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track | Topic A 3
Promoting the project's mission and value inspires the
team to remain focused and feel pride. Seeing and
guiding the project towards near- and long-term goals
keeps the project moving forward and aligned to the end
users’ and customers’ expectations.
Leadership Skills
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As a project manager, you must possess and apply
ut
leadership skills that enable a good working environment
and guide your project team toward accomplishing the
ib
desired result.
This requires a balance of ethical, interpersonal, and
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conceptual skills that help you analyze situations and
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interact appropriately. Project managers work with and
communicate with a number of different people
throughout the life cycle of a project, so having strong
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people and leadership skills is critical.
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Qualities and skills necessary in an effective leader
include the abilities to:
• Manage relationships
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• Build trust
• Collaborate with others
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• Solve problems
• Exhibit integrity, and
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• Guide the team toward a successful project close.
Depending on the project manager's personality and a

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project's environment, the leadership style that is used

can vary from servant leadership style to a more direct
approach.
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Diversity Awareness and Cultural Competencies

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Cultural and diversity aspects are important elements to

implementing effective leadership modes. The
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motivations and working styles of individuals and groups

vary greatly based on their experiences, age, culture, job
roles, and many more influencers.
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Communication and openness to learn from others builds

trust and improves the optimal options to lead various
team members and stakeholders.
Some general guidelines to develop leadership
competencies include:
• Be mindful of individual and team aims and working
relationships. It is a skillful balancing act to keep
people engaged while moving the team forward at
the same time.
• Use a leadership approach and style that best suits
the situation and the stakeholders. This means
observing and acknowledging different capabilities,
lifestyle and working requirements, cultural norms,
language and translation needs, and so on.
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• Understand that motivations and working styles of
individuals and groups vary based on experiences,
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age, culture, job roles, and other influences.
• Projects with diverse locations, industries,
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stakeholders, and cultures require communication
and openness to build trust
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Leadership ≠ Management
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Leadership is not the same as management.
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Leadership refers to guiding the team by using
discussion and an exchange of ideas, whereas
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management refers to directing actions using a
prescribed set of behaviors.
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Not all team members and other stakeholders are
motivated and inspired the same way. Recognize and act
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upon the most suitable and reasonable approach to lead

the project team.
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Whether that approach is to take charge or quietly work

behind the scenes, a project manager must adapt
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leadership style to the situation and the stakeholders.

This demands awareness of individual and team aims
and working relationships, or emotional intelligence.
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Lead and Manage

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Consider the difference between the management action

on the left side of this table and the leadership action on
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the right:
Management Leadership
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Direct using positional Guide, influence, and

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power collaborate using

relational power
Maintain Develop
Administrate Innovate
Focus on systems and Focus on relationships
structure with people
Rely on control Inspire trust
Focus on near-term goals Focus on long-range
vision
Ask how and when Ask what and why
Focus on bottom line Focus on the horizon
Accept status quo Challenge status quo
Do things right Do the right things
Focus on operational Focus on vision,
issues and problem alignment, motivation, and
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solving inspiration
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Idea: Think about how leading
and managing are two distinct
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actions by comparing and
contrasting the examples in the
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management and leadership
columns.
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Leadership Traits
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These are the traits that are typical of leaders.
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• Strong personal ethics, integrity, and
trustworthiness
• Interpersonal skills
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• Conceptual and analytical skills
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However, everyone on a project needs to develop

leadership skills, not just the project leader.
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Servant Leadership (Definition)

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The practice of leading through service to the team, by

focusing on understanding and addressing the needs
and development of team members in order to enable
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the highest possible team performance.

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Servant Leadership
Rather than manage projects and teams, trying to keep

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the project on plan and the team in line, servant leaders

help teams develop and grow as a group and as
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individuals.
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They facilitate the team's work by providing coaching and

training, remove blocks that impede work progress, either
from people or processes, and focus on team
accomplishments rather than team misfires. To help
reflect this change in orientation, many organizations use
the term project leader rather than project manager.
Servant leadership means leading by supporting the
team and addressing their needs. This style aims to
understand the team's needs and take action to enable
the team to perform and deliver.
Support the team so they can accomplish objectives in a

conducive environment. Lead with communication by
removing distractions or roadblocks.
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You are working for the team; therefore, you must focus
ut
on their needs. Being a servant leader requires skills
such as active listening, coaching, awareness, and
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facilitation.
Challenge the Status Quo
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Challenging the status quo can open new ideas and
perspectives. Challenging the way things were done, or
are being done, at the present time assures all involved
D
that this is the best approach and the best product. It also
breaks complacency and blind acceptance.
or
Encouraging healthy skepticism on all aspects of the
project and its vision helps stakeholders not overlook
e
anything and assume too much.
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Here are some guidelines:

• Let past experiences and processes provide
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guidance to but not dictate your actions.

• Commit to a growth mindset to continuously
improve and innovate, to find new ideas and
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perspectives.
• Discover the best approach through challenge and
introspection.
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• Avoid complacency and blind acceptance.

360 View of Stakeholders
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• Good leadership is based partially on your

N
influence and the influence of the other project

stakeholders.
• Use tools and techniques to ensure that you
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understand your stakeholders. Some examples:

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Team Building
Project teams perform better when there is increased

cohesion and solidarity. Good project leadership
facilitates the bonding between project team members.
Facilitating team building activities builds unity, but also
builds trust, empathy, and focus on the team over the
individual.
Team Building
A reward and recognition plan is a formalized way to

reinforce performance or behavior. Reward and
recognition plans are generally standardized throughout
an organization and approved through corporate
e
channels. The purpose is to motivate the team to perform
ut
well.
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Rewards can include monetary gifts, additional vacation
time or other perks, company plaques or trophies, or
small gifts. Although it is common for the terms “reward”
tr
and “recognition” to be used interchangeably, they are
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different.
• You can recognize a person without giving them a
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reward.
• However, you should never reward a person
or
without recognizing them.
Reward - A tangible, consumable item that is given to a

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person based on a specific outcome or an achievement.
Rewards can also have a defined start and finish, or fixed
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time, and are usually expected when the specified goal is

achieved or attained; for example, receiving a bonus
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after a successful year is a reward.
Recognition - A more personalized, intangible, and

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experiential event that focuses on behavior rather than

outcome. Recognition is not restricted to a set time, is
usually unexpected by the receiver, and is intended to
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increase an individual’s feeling of appreciation.

GUIDELINES: Lead a Team
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To effectively lead a project team, follow these

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guidelines:
Use emotional intelligence and other leadership

o
methods to motivate the team.

D
Adapt your leadership style to work best with each

stakeholder.
Establish good communication among team members,
internally and externally.
Monitor performance of team members on an ongoing
basis.
Manage conflict by using the appropriate approach
based on the circumstances and the individuals
involved.
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Topic B
Support Team Performance
You want to get the most from your team. In this topic, we will explore a few
practices to provide support for the team.
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Support Team Performance
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Supported team members perform better and are
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motivated to do their best work. You’ll need strategies to
maintain support to individual as well as for the whole
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team.
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or
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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) (Definition)
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Metrics used to evaluate an organization’s progress

toward meeting its goals and objectives. Usually defined
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by organizational leadership.
To match team performance with the project vision and

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objectives, you can use key performance indicators

(KPIs). Performance evaluation measured with KPI
metrics can help team members to see how well they are
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doing and where they can make improvements.

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The KPI metric uses a few core examples to let the team
and others know that what they are doing is feeding into
project success.
N
Use the SMART acronym to define good KPIs: specific,

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measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

D
Specific - Means the goal is appropriately focused and

targeted, not overly general or vague. The target must be
specific to the objective at hand; many targets that are too
general could be affected by dozens of factors not
associated with the improvement.
Measurable - Means the change can be quantified and
Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track | Topic B 10
assessed on that basis. You must be able to measure the
target; this means figuring out how to get accurate data to
assess current and future performance.
Achievable - Means that it is plausible and realistic.

Ensure the target is a realistic one; you need to be able to
achieve it within the size and scope of proposed
improvement.
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Relevant - Ensures that the KPI is meaningfully related to
ut
its associated critical success factor(s). The target needs
to be relevant in the context of the larger objectives and
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critical success factors.
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Time-bound - Means the goal is not open-ended but can
be assigned a specific target duration. The timescale
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used needs to assess whether the improvement has
achieved the desired results.
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Supporting your Team
or
Strive to shape a team with a healthy culture of working
autonomy and a shared sense of responsibility for their
work.
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Beyond sharing relevant performance data with team

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members, effective team leaders foster a culture of

autonomous working, where people contribute their best
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because they feel proud of their work.
Idea: Think about positive team

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environments where you’ve felt

supported. How do you think the team
leader and the workplace environment
D
help to foster that feeling?

Team Structure and Workspaces
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The environment and location of a project team are

N
extremely important elements to leading and managing

projects.
o
In agile projects, meaningful interaction is a core tenet. To

D
encourage frequent, free flowing interaction, the team

structure and workspaces must be conducive to this
need. You need a team that can contribute everywhere
and at any time. If the team feels involved and engaged,
their interactions will be more meaningful.
Give people autonomy in their work so that they are
empowered to take initiative when they need to. Your
KPIs will help you detect and monitor sub-par
performance easily.
Open Workspaces
Setting up the physical environment supports the whole

team engagement. Co-locating all involved in a shared
workspace fosters more informal and immediate
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collaboration and exchange of information. Ensure private
ut
spaces for those who need to work in solitude.
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Even the passive information that is absorbed from the
surroundings—such as ad hoc discussions, side
conversations, whiteboard drawings, physical body
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language have value. Being immersed in the team
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physically and mentally improves the team's ability to
work faster, more collaboratively, and more unified.
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Virtual Teams
We discussed virtual teams in the first lesson. It’s easy to

or
feel disconnected in a virtual environment, so check in
with people individually as often as possible and
encourage positive network-building activities.
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Empowerment and Unity

lic
In projects, the team is the most important part. Without a

good, unified team, the project falls apart and project
management becomes insufficient.
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The team needs to be empowered to make decisions

without burden and in a timely manner. This increases the
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team's responsibility to deliver a product with complete

ownership.
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Another important aspect of team empowerment is that

the team should be a part of clarifying and prioritizing
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requirements, splitting requirements into tasks, and

estimating the effort. This is essential to ensure the
o
commitment of the entire team even at the beginning of

the project.
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In case of any challenges during the course of the project,

this involvement leads to an increased sense of
ownership among team members.
Autonomy and Teamwork
Use a light management touch. Any interference with the

team is disruptive, and it can reduce the members’
motivation to work.
Encourage the team to foster team collaboration and

decision making. The team does not depend on heavy-
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handed discipline. The team must recognize the power
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and influence they possess. As an empowered cohesive
unit, they depend on each other to make decisions and
solve problems to deliver targeted value quickly.
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Keep the Tone Positive and Fluid
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Establishing a culture of fluid communication and
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engagement in a workspace that promotes those positive
interactions makes leading and managing teams much
D
easier.
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Team Building Activities
To foster team building within a project team, a project

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manager might ask each of the veteran employees on the
team to partner with a less experienced team member,
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offering coaching as needed and sharing knowledge,

information, and expertise.
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But it does not need to be a formal event. Consider short,

regular activities as well as longer ones. Your
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participation is a signal
Team Building
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Team building activities unify. Working collaboratively

toward a shared goal is a great way for team members to
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help each other reach a higher level of performance.

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Team-building activities are the specific functions or

actions taken to help the team to develop into a mature,
productive team. They can be formal or informal, brief or
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extended, and facilitated by the project manager or a

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group facilitator.
Team Performance Assessments
All project team members have their own areas of

expertise that, if identified and used appropriately, can
help in completing the project successfully. Team
performance assessments help to identify the potential of
each team member in order to help improve interaction
between team members, solve issues, and deal with
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conflicts.
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A team's technical success is measured on the basis of
meeting the project objectives and finishing the project on
ib
time and within the decided budget. Continual formal or
informal evaluations of the team's performance is an
tr
effective way to improve the skills and competencies of
project team members and increase team cohesiveness.
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You can follow these guidelines to assess team
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performance:
Ask key questions of the team members - Questions
may include their work experience, likes and dislikes
or
about the projects assigned to them, tasks that they
are confident about, and project tasks they will prefer
to do.
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Speak to team members frequently – Communicate
at
through one-to-one meetings and regular project

meetings wherein the team may talk about project cost
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and schedule adherence, milestones, deliverables,

change management, risk management, and quality
management.
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Provide constructive criticism and acclaim to team

members, as necessary - Team successes should be
announced publicly while coaching or addressing
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negative performance should be done in private.

Encourage knowledge transfer - Provide team
members with convenient, reliable methods for storing
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and accessing project knowledge and assess them on

how well they provide and retrieve that information.
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Evaluate individual performance - Project managers

must listen to the team members before responding
and must be objective and flexible when necessary.
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Removal - In situations where a team member is not

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performing at the desired level, it may be necessary to

remove them from the team and reassign his or her
work to another resource. If this is not possible due to
the workload and expertise of the other team
members, it may be necessary to replace the under-
performing resource and to assign his or her work to
the new resource.
Performance Assessment Tasks
You can use performance assessment to accomplish a

number of tasks, including:
• Comparing performance to goals.
• Re-clarifying roles and responsibilities.
• Delivering positive as well as negative feedback.
• Discovering unknown or unresolved issues.
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• Creating and monitoring individual training plans.
• Establishing future goals.
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Team Development
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Commit time and effort to developing your team, as a
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team. Though people will come and go, having a strong
group identity is essential.
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Your team will naturally progress and regress. This is
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normal. Focus on acknowledging diversity—both cultural
and of personal characteristics. Promote trust,
communication, and respect.
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Team Development Stages
(Tuckman ladder)
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When it comes to managing the dynamics of your project

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team, refer to “Tuckman's Stages of Group

Development.”
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Teams might occasionally get stuck

in a particular stage, or even revert
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to an earlier one.
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1. Forming
Team members are wondering whether the decision to
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join the team was a wise one. They are making initial
judgments about the skills and personal qualities of their
teammates, as well as worrying about how they
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personally will be viewed by the rest of the team. During

this stage, conversations tend to be polite and
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noncommittal, as people hesitate to reveal too much

about their personal views. In addition, team meetings
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tend to be confusing, as the team tries to figure out who is

in charge.
2. Storming
Team members begin to assert themselves and control
issues as they emerge. Personality differences begin to
arise. Conflicts result as team members differ on the way
they want to do the project work, or the way they want to
make decisions.
3. Norming
The team begins to work productively, without worrying
about personal acceptance or control issues. There are
still conflicts; however, they tend to be focused on
process issues rather than personality differences. The
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team begins to operate off mutual dependence and trust.
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4. Performing
The team is working at optimum productivity. It is
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collaborating easily, communicating freely, and solving its
own conflict problems. Team members feel safe in
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reporting problems, trusting their fellow team members to
help them create the best solution for the team as a
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whole.
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5. Adjourning
The team members complete their assigned work and
shift to the next project or assigned work. This phase is
or
sometimes known as "mourning."
The process of forming, storming, norming, performing,

e
and adjourning is not done in a "lock step" fashion by the
at
team. Team members keep coming in and going out of

the team. Whenever a new member joins, forming takes
place, even if the rest of the team has already crossed the
lic
forming stage. So, these stages are not followed one after
the other but rather are situational.
up
Manage with Objectives
Teams are typically more productive and driven when

D
they have clear objectives to meet. Project managers can

support the team by setting objectives collaboratively with
ot
the team.
Project managers and the team can determine joint

N
objectives that are challenging, yet attainable.

o
Objective setting can be conducted at the start of a

project or phase, but is commonly done throughout the
D
project life cycle, such as in an Iteration Planning session

in which the team sets the targets and commitments for
the upcoming time period.
Feedback
We mentioned this earlier in the course, but it’s an

important point. Feedback is crucial communication, and
it should be done regularly, and in both directions—giving
and receiving. Asking for feedback from your team means
they know you are willing to listen to them.
Performance Tracking Techniques
e
ut
Tools can track performance and render visualizations.
This is a powerful method of showing work contributions.
ib
Scrum/Agile/Kanban boards - Based on the Kanban
tr
management method of using cards, physical or
electronic boards can track work as it progresses across
is
various stages or categories.
Throughput Metrics - Measurement of the team’s work
D
that has moved from one stage to another stage over a
certain time.
or
Cycle Time - Measurement of work that has progressed
all the way from plan to completed or delivered.
e
Quality Metrics - Various measurements to track quality

at
deliverables, defects, and acceptable output.

lic
Earned Value - Tracking cost and effort performance

against a planned value.
up
Bar Charts (Gantt) - Using the project schedule to track

performance over time.
D
Velocity - Measurement of total output from an iteration

to attempt to predict future iteration outputs.
ot
Work Performance by the Numbers

N
The monetary value of the work contribution is another

way of supporting and measuring performance.
o
D
Earned Value Management (EVM) – (Definition)
A methodology that combines scope, schedule, and

resource measurements to assess project performance
and progress.
Earned Value Management (EVM)
e
ut
You can measure project progress by comparing actual
schedule and cost performance against planned
performance as laid out in the schedule and cost
ib
baselines.
tr
Assessing the value of work requires first determining
what work has actually been performed and therefore
is
what value it has contributed to the project. These
performance reviews are usually included in each project
D
status review meeting.
or
During planning, project work is broken down into work
packages and activities. Each work package is assigned
a budget and a schedule.
e
Because each increment of work is time-phased, a

at
schedule variance results when work is not completed

when it was scheduled to be completed.
lic
Cost and Schedule Performance

The EVM approach to monitoring cost and schedule
up
performance provides metrics that show variances from

the baselines. Armed with this information, the project
manager can identify appropriate corrective actions.
D
When cost and schedule variance analysis is conducted

at the appropriate time intervals and levels, it can be
ot
effective in controlling against further cost and schedule

problems.
N
EVM Variables
o
EVM involves determining three independent variables to

assess and monitor project cost and schedule
D
performance progress. These three variables are used to

provide measures of whether or not work is being
accomplished as planned and to forecast project cost at
completion. The variables are:
• Planned Value (PV)

• Earned Value (EV)
• Actual Cost (AC)
Let’s look at those next.

Earned Value Management (EVM)
Planned Value
Planned Value (PV) is the authorized budget assigned to
scheduled work. This amount is specified in the project's
e
cost baseline. In simpler terms, PV indicates the value of
ut
work scheduled to be done during a particular time
period.
ib
Earned Value
Earned Value (EV) is the measure of work performed
tr
expressed in terms of the budget authorized for that work.
is
In other words, EV is a composite measurement of both
cost and time performance in relation to scheduled or
planned cost and time performance.
D
EV is calculated by multiplying the percentage of work
completed by the budgeted cost for the activity as laid out
or
in the cost baseline.
Earned Value (EV) = % completed x Planned Value (PV)

e
In order to determine the EV of the project work to date,
you will have to look back at the cost baseline to
at
determine how costs were assigned originally. If the PV

was determined by the percentage completed to date
lic
method, you will apply the same method of assessing the

EV. In other words, EV indicates the value of work
actually performed during a particular time period.
up
Actual Cost
D
Actual Cost (AC) is the realized cost incurred for the work
performed on an activity during a specific time period. AC
ot
refers to the total amount of costs incurred while

performing work, either during completion of a schedule
activity or during the completion of a WBS component.
N
Actual cost is calculated and documented once the work

o
is complete. In other words, AC indicates the actual

money that has been spent for work that has been
D
completed.
EVM Measures for Schedule Control
The most commonly used EVM measures for schedule

control are:
Schedule Variance (SV) is a measure of schedule
performance expressed as the difference between the
earned value and the planned value. (SV = EV – PV)
o A positive SV indicates that the project is ahead
e
of schedule.
ut
o A zero SV indicates that the project is on
schedule.
o A negative SV indicates that the project is
ib
behind schedule.
Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is a measure of
tr
schedule efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned
value to planned value. (SPI = EV / PV)
is
o An SPI number greater than 1.0 indicates that
the project is ahead of schedule.
D
o An SPI of 1.0 means the project is on
schedule.
o An SPI number less than 1.0 indicates that the
or
project is behind schedule.
EVM Measures for Cost Control
e
The most commonly used EVM measures for cost control

at
are:
Cost Variance (CV) is the amount of budget deficit or
lic
surplus at a given point in time, expressed as the

difference between the earned value and the actual
cost. (CV = EV – AC)
up
o A positive CV indicates that the project is

performing under budget.
o A zero CV indicates that the project is on
D
budget.
o A negative CV indicates that the project is
ot
performing over budget.

Cost Performance Index (CPI) is a measure of the
cost efficiency of budgeted resources expressed as the
N
ratio of earned value to actual cost. (CPI = EV / AC)

o A CPI number greater than 1.0 indicates that
o
the project is under budget.

o A CPI of 1.0 means the project is on budget.
D
o A CPI number less than 1.0 indicates that the

project is over budget.
Estimate at Completion Analysis (EAC)
The current projected final cost of the project is referred to

as the Estimate at Completion (EAC).
It is based on the current spending efficiency (the CPI),

and is calculated from the following formula, where
Budget at Completion (BAC) is the sum of all budgets
e
established for the work to be performed.
ut
ib
tr
Estimate to Complete Analysis (ETC)
is
During execution, you might need to know how much
D
more money you will need to complete the project. This
amount is called the Estimate to Complete (ETC).
or
It is based on the current spending efficiency of the
project and is calculated from the following formula.
e
at
lic
Performance Report Types

up
Reporting and displaying team progress and what the

D
team is accomplishing is extremely important for the

team, but also for communicating to others about the
great work of the team.
ot
Information Radiators - Big visual boards to display in

N
high traffic public locations about the project and the

advancement of the project. The aim is to radiate
information to all about the project work.
o
D
Example: Posters on a hallway wall

showcasing team progress and printed
out examples of work.
Burndown Chart - A graph to show the progress by

plotting the burning down of work during an iteration or
other time period.
Burnup Chart - A graph to show the progress and gains

made by the project team over time.
(not pictured) Velocity chart - Graphs the completion

rate of the team over time and helps predict future
iterations.
e
(not pictured) Iteration Cumulative Flow Diagram -
ut
Graphs the throughput of work in the various defined
stages during a timeboxed period.
ib
Earned Value Management Reports - Graphs and
tr
values based on the earned value management (EVM)
equations.
is
Variance Analysis Reports - Graphs and their analysis
D
comparing actual results to planned or expected results.
Work Performance Reports - The physical or electronic

or
representation of work performance information* compiled
in project documents, intended to generate decisions,
actions, or awareness.
e
at
Example: Status reports, memos,

justifications, information notes,
recommendations, and updates.
lic
up
Quality Reports - Charts and reports based on the

quality metrics collected.
D
Example: Control charts, Pareto

diagrams, run charts, and histograms.
ot
N
Dashboards (Physical or electronic) - Summaries of

the progress, usually with visuals or graphics to represent
o
the larger data set.

D
Task Boards (Physical or electronic) - Depictions of the

work that must be done and their current state.
Example: Kanban boards, To-Do lists,

procedure checklists, and Scrum boards.
Value Stream Map (Definition)
A Lean enterprise technique used to document, analyze,

and improve the flow of information or materials required
to produce a product or service for a customer.
Value Stream Map
e
ut
Work must flow and be fluid. Bottlenecks, slowdowns,
delays, or other forms of non-value effort creates waste
and distraction. Anything not delivering or attributing to
ib
value is wasteful.
tr
Producing a Value Steam Map can call out how
information and materials in the project and between
is
team members may be diluted, clogged, or otherwise
wasted of its value.
D
The Value Stream Map presents visual representation of
or
a process and the actions in each step to spot efficiencies
as well as wasteful efforts.
Value stream is an organizational construct that focuses

e
on the flow of value to customers through the delivery of

at
specific products or services.

lic
Retrospectives and Lessons Learned
Supporting the team’s performance also extends beyond

up
the measurement tools and feedback forums and

methods. Gather lessons learned constantly and/or at set
D
times throughout the project. Apply that learning into

supporting actions to improve the performance and
project environment.
ot
In agile projects, retrospectives are the most important

N
practice for gathering lessons learned from the team on

how to improve and recognize success. Retrospectives
occur after every iteration and at the end of every project.
o
D
Conducting a retrospective encourages the team to

review what went well and what could have been done
better. This assessment includes the work on the product,
but also the processes, team dynamics, and other areas
that influence the effectiveness of the team.
Implement Results of Retrospectives/Lessons
Learned
Retrospectives are not just about capturing those lessons

learned; retrospectives are also about how to take those
lessons learned and analyze and apply them moving
forward.
e
To do this productively, in the spirit of agile, you can
ut
involve everyone and respect everyone's input. These
sessions are not blame games; they are learning and
growth opportunities. The output of the retrospective is a
ib
plan on how to make improvement in the ensuing iteration
and beyond.
tr
You must facilitate the retrospectives to seek
is
improvements and recognize successes. Often there are
more lessons learned that can be implemented.
D
Stack rank the opportunities by importance and urgency.
or
Then incorporate tasks to realize these improvements in
the ensuing iterations or apply some of the ideas to the
team environment where appropriate.
e
GUIDELINES: Conduct a Retrospective
at
Here are some suggested steps to conduct a

retrospective and address improvements and changes:
lic
Prepare mentally or prepare some notes with some

ideas or areas of focus in case the team needs some
up
inspiration or ideas.
Place two large sheets marked “What Went Well” and
“What Could Be Improved” on a board.
D
Ask the attendees to identify items that went well in

the iteration and add them to the first sheet.
Ask them to identify items that could be improved and
ot
add them to the second list.

Allow each participant to identify the reason for the
N
improvement.
Ask the moderator to look for common items that
need improvement and mark them.
o
Narrow the list down to one or two areas to improve

D
upon and bring value in the next Sprint.

Get team consensus on the plan improvement.
Update these tasks to the Product Backlog after a
discussion with the Product Owner.
Implement changes.
Topic C
Address and Remove Impediments, Obstacles,
and Blockers
Throughout the project, you will encounter impediments, obstacles, or constraints.
These elements will restrain, slow down, or block the team’s progress towards the
e
project’s objectives. The interference can range from minor to catastrophic. In minor
ut
cases, the team may experience inconvenience, but sometimes a hindrance
threatens to stop work completely.
ib
Address and Remove Impediments, Obstacles,
tr
and Blockers
is
In this topic, you learn how to keep the project path clear
of hindrances by employing project management
D
strategies and skills.
or
e
at
lic
Impediments, Obstacles, and Blockers
These are the main enemies of project success. We will

up
learn the differences between them in a moment, but this

is the main point: Any hindrance on the project team or
any member of the team reduces productivity and ability
D
for the project to meet its objectives.

ot
Any actions a project manager can take to address and

remove the conditions or causes restricting the team’s
productivity helps the team and the project produce
N
value. The speed of action, as well as efficacy are

important.
o
D
Impediments (Definition)
Situations, conditions, and actions that slow down or

hinder progress.
Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track | Topic C 25
Obstacles (Definition)
Barriers that should be able to be avoided or overcome

with some effort or strategy.
Blockers (Definition)
e
ut
Events or conditions that cause stoppages in the work or
advancement.
ib
tr
Impediments, Obstacles, and Blockers
is
Let’s consider some examples of impediments,
obstacles, and blockers.
D
Projects can be blocked for many reasons. The type of
or
hindrances varies greatly based on industry,
stakeholders, the project and business environment, and
the project itself.
e
Impediments reference situations, conditions, and

at
actions that slow down or hinder progress.

lic
For example: The team cannot agree on

a file-saving solution.
up
This disagreement should not stop work

from happening, but it will slow it down. In
this case, an analytic decision-making
D
technique or even an autocratic decision

could work.
ot
Obstacles reference barriers that should be able to be

moved, avoided, or overcome with some effort or
N
strategy.
o
For example: The construction crew is

unable to arrive at the work site before
D
permits are signed.
This will slow down progress until

someone makes the effort to obtain the
permit.
Blockers reference events or conditions that cause
stoppages in the work or any further advancement.
For example: The company has halted

the use of any products in a certain firm
until a new contract is signed.
In this case, someone needs to intervene

and get the contract signed, or work will
e
stop.
ut
The number and weight of impediments may vary
throughout a project. The variation may even fluctuate
ib
throughout the day.
tr
As the team identifies an impediment, they need to alert
others on the team. The project manager assists in
is
facilitating the evaluation of the impediments and how
they could or could not impact the team’s ability to work.
D
Based on those judgements, the team figures out how to
address the impediments. Often, the resolution, or
occasionally the research, is performed by the project
or
manager to enable the team to focus on more
meaningful, productive tasks.
e
Over time, the obstacles may become more or less
at
cumbersome. The blockage may become unblocked.

Due to the dynamic nature of projects, the impediments,
obstacles, and blockers, as well as any effort undertaken
lic
by you and the team to address them, must be re-

assessed continually throughout the project. This also
up
includes recognizing new impediments, such as those

that emerged because of the actions and efforts used to
address other impediments.
D
Assess Product Backlog

ot
Impediments and obstacles may block work or planned

efforts from moving forward. As a result, the product
backlog, scheduled activities, and other lists of work
N
items must be assessed in reference to the hindrances.

o
Evaluating the impediments against the pending work

forces the team and business stakeholders to assess the
D
backlogged work in terms of value and priority.
Backlog assessment and refinement can also explore

alternatives to overcome or avoid the risk; or in some
instances, remove the work item or blockage altogether.
Daily Standup (Daily Scrum) - (Definition)
.
A brief, daily collaboration meeting in which the team

reviews progress from the previous day, declares
intentions for the current day, and highlights any
obstacles encountered or anticipated.
e
Daily Standup
ut
One practice to assist with uncovering the impediments
ib
impacting the team in a timely manner is a Daily Standup
meeting.
tr
Also known as a Daily Scrum, the Daily Standup is a
is
short, 15-minute meeting in which the complete team
gets together for a quick status update while standing in
D
a circle. Ideally, the standup meetings should be
conducted at the start of working hours, and the
presence of all team members involved in the Sprint is
mandatory.
or
During the meeting, these questions are answered:
e
What has been done since the last meeting?
What needs to be done before the next meeting?
at
What does anyone need help with?

lic
Tracking Impediments
Project teams tracking impediments as they are raised,

up
addressed, and resolved enables increased

communication and proper oversight.
D
Impediments task boards can be as simple as sticky

notes denoting impediments, potential causes,
responsibilities, and status posted on a whiteboard or
ot
wall near the project team's co-location to a sophisticated

software capturing greater detail and communication
N
features.
o
In whatever format works best for the team, the board

must convey the status and efforts associated with the
D
identified impediments.
Risk Reviews/Risk Register
Impediments may be due to or result from project risks or

issues. Risks that are raised during the daily standup
meetings, iteration reviews, and other meetings, as well
as everyday conversations, are added to the risk list.
A rigorous review of project risks ensures that risks are
e
identified and documented. Newly identified and existing
ut
risks on the project risk list must be updated based on
the current knowledge and situation.
ib
Handle Impediments as a Servant Leader
tr
As a servant leader, a project manager aims to create an
unobstructed path for the project team so they may
is
contribute and deliver.
D
Project managers want to optimize the workplace to be
free of obstacles and other impediments. This extends
from the physical team space to shielding the team from
or
non-value activities.
Removing distraction, randomization, and other

e
confusion enables the project team to be more effective
and efficient.
at
Project managers can take on most of the burden of

lic
addressing and removing impediments so the team can

do their best work on the project to achieve its desired
objectives.
up
GUIDELINES: Working with External

Stakeholders, Other Projects, and Work
D
Demands
ot
Impediments emerge from the internal project team, but

also from external sources. Here are guidelines to work
with external stakeholders.
N
• Discuss with the team to assess and evaluate the

o
impediment.
• Review efforts previously attempted or
D
considered.
• Discuss impact and solutions.
• Relay the impediment to the external source.
• Establish a single point of contact (SPOC) within
the team, typically the project manager or person
with the most subject matter knowledge. Shield
the rest of the team as appropriate so they may
focus on other work.
• Create action plan and schedule.
• Follow up and communicate per agreements.
• Document resolution and lessons learned for
future reference.
GUIDELINES: Prioritize Critical Impediments,
Obstacles, and Blockers
e
• Define the categories or levels of prioritization
ut
appropriate for your team, project, and/or
organization. Redefine levels as needed.
ib
• Anchor the priority levels with real examples.
• Clarify the new and still open impediments.
•
tr
Review the impact or potential impact to the team
and to the project objectives.
is
• Assign a priority to each impediment as a team or
a selected sub-group based on connection to the
D
impediment.
• Communicate the priorities levels in an easily
accessible area, such as a software tool,
or
information radiator posted on a wall, or
communal message board.
• Begin creating action plans for the highest priority
e
impediments.
• Reassess continually to ensure impediments,
at
obstacles, and blockers for the team are being

addressed.
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic D
Manage Conflict
Working as a team and with a variety of stakeholders, there are bound to be
conflicts. Conflict in projects is inevitable. Conflict is natural. Conflict can be a positive
benefit to the project and its outcomes, if managed and cultivated properly.
e
Manage Conflict
ut
An extremely important part of the role is maintaining a
ib
peaceful, productive working environment. In this section,
we learn how to deal with conflicts, so that when they
tr
arise, you can attend to them.
is
D
or
Project Manager’s Role
e
at
Managing conflict is a responsibility of all stakeholders.

The direction and handling of conflict is heavily
lic
influenced by the project manager.
In agile projects, the project manager may assist in

up
facilitating conflict resolution sessions or the team is

empowered to resolve conflicts as they best see fit.
D
Skills and Leadership Techniques
As a servant leader, a project manager can assist in the

ot
removal of impediments or sources of conflict to support

the team’s performance.
N
Your interpersonal and team skills play a major role in

ensuring the results of positive aspects of conflict rather
o
than the negative aspects. Skills such as empathy and

D
emotional intelligence are primary examples.
Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track | Topic D 31
Causes of Conflict
Conflict arises in most groups and working situations.

Causes of conflict include:
• Competition
• Differences in objectives, values, and perceptions
• Disagreements about role requirements, work
activities, and individual approaches
e
• Communication breakdowns
ut
You should be aware of certain characteristics of conflict
that will help them effectively handle conflicts when they
ib
arise.
tr
Conflict is natural and forces the need for exploring
alternatives. It is a team aspect, and openness about the
is
situation or opinions can resolve conflicts.
D
While resolving conflicts, focus should be on the issues
and not on individuals. Also attend to the present
situation and not on the past.
or
Conflict Management (Definition)
e
The application of one or more strategies to deal with
disagreements.
at
lic
Conflict Management
up
Effective conflict management can lead to improved

understanding, performance, and productivity.
D
Conversely, ineffective or nonexistent conflict

management can lead to destructive behavior, animosity,
poor performance, and reduced productivity, all of which
ot
threaten successful completion of the project's

deliverables.
N
Conflict Management Approaches

o
Your approach to managing conflict will depend on :

• The intensity and importance of the conflict
D
• The time given to resolve the conflict

• The positions of the conflicting parties, and
• The motivation to resolve conflicts on a short-term
or long-term basis.
There are five basic approaches for handling conflicts;
each is effective in different circumstances:
1. Smooth/Accommodate
2. Withdraw/Avoid
3. Compromise/Reconcile
4. Force/Direct
5. Collaborate/Problem Solve
You will need to use leadership skills and your expert

judgment to assess the situation and choose a conflict
resolution method. Let’s explore each of these in greater
e
depth next.
ut
Conflict Management Approaches (1 of 2)
ib
Smooth/Accommodate
• Emphasize areas of agreement rather than areas of
difference.
tr
• Concede your position to the needs of others to
is
maintain harmony and relationships.
Withdraw/Avoid
D
• Retreat from an actual or potential conflict situation.
• Postpone the issue to be better prepared or to be
or
resolved by others.
Compromise/Reconcile
e
• Search for solutions that bring some degree of
satisfaction to all parties.
at
• Temporarily or partially resolve the conflict through

compromise.
lic
Conflict Management Approaches (2 of 2)

up
Force/Direct
• Pursue your viewpoint at the expense of others.
• Offer only win/lose solutions, usually enforced through
D
a power position to resolve an emergency.
Collaborate/Problem Solve
ot
• Incorporate multiple viewpoints and insight from

differing perspectives.
N
• Enable cooperative attitudes and open dialogue to

reach consensus and commitment.
o
D
Topic E
Collaborate with Stakeholders
Project success depends on engagement and appropriate collaboration of project
stakeholders. The more collaboration and alignment, the better ability for the project
to deliver value and progress towards those ends. Working collaboratively requires
e
constant effort and balance. The tighter the collaboration, the more aligned and
accurate the deliverables.
ut
Collaborate with Stakeholders
ib
We’ve already discussed identifying stakeholders and
tr
learning how to best communicate with them. Beyond
this is establishing meaningful and collaborative
is
relationships.
D
or
e
at
Engaging Stakeholders
lic
Keeping stakeholders engaged is crucial to the success

of your project. With their support, you can determine a
up
project's requirements quicker and know that they are

accurate.
D
Do they trust you? Do you have their trust?

How do you work together?
Is it productive, or does interaction seem shallow?
ot
These are questions you will need to ask regularly to be

N
an effective project manager and work in collaboration

with stakeholders. We learned that collaborative
working is the underpinning of agile projects—projects
o
develop in and through this collaboration.

D
Stakeholder Engagement Plan (Definition)
Identifies the strategies and actions required to promote

productive involvement of stakeholders in project or
program decision making and execution.
Documenting a stakeholder engagement plan:
Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track | Topic E 34
• Provides a clear, actionable plan that will be used
when interacting with project stakeholders to
support the project's interests.
• Documents how the project will interact with the
identified project stakeholders for the life of the
project.
• Identifies the management strategies required to
effectively engage stakeholders.
e
• Project managers should be aware of the sensitive
nature of the stakeholder engagement plan and
ut
take appropriate precautions when distributing the
plan to other team members.
ib
The stakeholder engagement plan goes further than the
tr
stakeholder register, providing additional information
such as:
is
• Desired and current engagement level of key
stakeholders.
D
• Scope and impact of change to stakeholders.
• Identified interrelationships and potential overlap
between stakeholders.
or
• Stakeholder communication requirements.
• Information to be distributed to stakeholders.
• Reason for the distribution of that information and
e
the expected impact to stakeholder engagement.
at
• Time frame and frequency for the distribution of

required information.
• Method for updating and refining the stakeholder
lic
engagement plan.
Effective Collaboration
up
Foster an environment of effective collaboration on your

team. In agile teams, the term “psychological safety” is
D
key. It is the ability to speak openly and freely about the

work, in the interest of the work. This can seem difficult
ot
at first but remember that your team has established

clear ground rules of respect. Ensure that team
members stay respectful, but open to speak up and
N
offer helpful opinions.

Collaboration
o
D
Effective collaboration builds trust between all parties.

Open dialogue and meaningful communication optimize
the understanding of the aims, as well as the
expectations of the results and what needs to be done
in order to realize those expectations.
Everyone’s involvement and engagement in the project
may fluctuate or remain constant. That level of
engagement is evaluated and reevaluated throughout
the project.
Keeping discussions transparent ensures appropriate

stakeholders are knowledgeable and expectations are
set. Engagement also builds appreciation for others’
needs and constraints.
e
Communication skills, interpersonal skills, feedback,
meeting management, among other management skills,
ut
are leveraged to maximize the feedback loop and
engagement between stakeholders.
ib
Collaboration Activities
tr
Stakeholders collaborate every day in a project. Some
is
stakeholders may be engaged less frequently; for
example, a Project Sponsor who gets updates monthly
or a Product Owner who only engages with the
D
development team three or four times during an
iteration.
or
The frequency of engagement is based on mutual
needs and expectations. Nearly constant engagement
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amongst the core project team is common. Encouraging
that regular collaboration can be supported by daily
at
stand-up meetings and co-locating teams near each

other for more face-to- face communications.
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More infrequent collaboration can be supported by

scheduled sessions such as milestone reviews, backlog
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grooming sessions, and project update meetings.

Determining and optimizing collaboration activities is an
ongoing team effort spearheaded by the project
D
manager.
Develop a Stakeholder Engagement Plan –
ot
(Part 1 of 2)
N
Guidelines to developing, executing, and validating a

strategy for stakeholder engagement are as follows:
• Review the project management plan for information
o
such as life cycle selected for the project,

D
description of how work will be executed, description

of how resource requirements will be met, how
changes will be monitored and controlled, and the
need and techniques for communication among
stakeholders.
• Review the stakeholder register for information
needed to plan appropriate ways to engage project
stakeholders.
• Review the organizational culture, structure, and
political climate to help in determining the best
options to support a better adaptive process for
engaging stakeholders.
• Review the lessons-learned database and historical
information, as they provide insight on previous
stakeholder engagement plans and their
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effectiveness.
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Develop a Stakeholder Engagement Plan –
(Part 2 of 2)
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• Use expert judgment to decide upon the level of
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engagement required at each stage of the project
from each stakeholder.
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• Hold meetings with experts and the project team to
define the required engagement levels of all
D
stakeholders.
• Use analytical techniques to classify the level of
engagement for stakeholders.
•
or
Document the stakeholder engagement plan.
Maximize Meeting Time
e
If you want to make the most of meeting times, try these

at
three strategies:
• Be organized
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• Timebox
• Collaborate – Though you might be running the
meeting, be open to ideation or problem
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resolution during meetings.

GUIDELINES: Facilitating a Meeting
D
Make certain that the meetings are appropriate to

the stakeholder’s engagement in the project.
ot
Appropriateness is determined by an array of

variables, such as, but not limited to:
N
o timing
o context
o stakeholders' experiences, knowledge, input
o
o location
D
o technology
o urgency
Set and distribute an agenda prior to the meeting
start.
Projects are managed with a sense of urgency.
Meetings should support that sense of urgency by
starting promptly.
Review the agenda set prior to the meeting and
make amends as stakeholders deem necessary.
Allow others to speak and share as appropriate.
Take notes or record the meeting, with permission.
Keep the meeting discussions on topic. Save
outside discussions for after the meeting or for
another scheduled meeting with appropriate
stakeholders.
Recap the meeting and any action items to follow
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the meeting.
Thank everyone for attending.
ut
Adjourn the meeting per the scheduled time or
earlier.
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Distribute the meeting notes or recording as agreed.
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or
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o
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Topic F
Mentor Relevant Stakeholders
Project management is an art and a science. You improve with practice, learning,
and experience. You learn from others every day. You are learning from this
course. Likewise, there are plenty of opportunities for you to share your knowledge
e
and experience with others.
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Mentor Relevant Stakeholders
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Project management is constantly growing and refining
the best practices that make us all successful. Increasing
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the knowledge base and the skill sets of all project
stakeholders sets up for more successful and effectively
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managed projects.
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or
e
at
Interacting with Relevant Stakeholders

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Here are some examples of ways in which you can

mentor relevant stakeholders.
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• When refining the backlog, mentor the Product Owner

on best practices.
•
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When onboarding a new project team member, guide

them on team processes.
• When a team member must purchase material for the
ot
project, show them the procurement best practices

and processes for the organization.
N
Coaching and Mentoring

o
Coaching and mentoring others helps both parties

become more proficient team members. This, in turn,
D
makes for a more proficient team. Raising the abilities of

the team increases their output and their value. That
increased knowledge spreads throughout the
organization and across the discipline.
Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track | Topic F 39
Make Time for Mentoring and Coaching
Time and resources are limited, so making time for

coaching and mentoring activities may seem challenging.
Begin with mentoring relevant stakeholders associated

with your project and expand from there.
e
Let’s look at some ways of cleverly working mentoring
ut
and coaching into your schedule.
Individual Mentoring and Coaching
ib
Mentoring and coaching relevant stakeholders can come
tr
in many forms. The expansive range of project
management knowledge – in academic, explicit form and
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in experience based tacit form – can be passed onto
others in various modes.
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Process/Task One-on-One Mentoring
• Encouraging others to take the lead on activities
or
• Facilitating meetings and sessions
• Practice taking on new roles
• Informal opportunities
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• Formal opportunities
• Transferring skills
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• Modeling behaviors
• Teammates assist each other
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Share Explicit Knowledge with an Individual

while Performing a Task
up
Self-organizing teams coach and mentor each other

every day in their work. Taking a cue from them, here are
D
a few more ways of sharing knowledge while working:

• Encourage self-organization and initiative
• Facilitate opportunities for others to practice project
ot
management tasks
• Coach individuals on how to contribute in other
N
project roles
• Coach an individual with tacit knowledge
o
• Lead formal training sessions

• Transfer skills
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• Demonstrate desired skills and best practices every

day
Mentor and Coach as a Group
Mentoring and coaching also occurs in whole team

settings. When project managers are demonstrating the
best means to complete a project management task, all
involved in the activity are learning.
Project managers can call out and explain what is
e
happening and why. Others in the group can contribute
ut
and guide the practice. The entire team learns and grows
as a unit.
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Training and Sharing Plans
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When an environment encourages and values learning
and knowledge sharing, all stakeholders gain. Setting
is
aside time for sharing and learning can increase the
opportunities to capitalize on mentoring.
D
Formal or informal plans can be established for training
and sharing. Setting times during meetings – such as at
or
the end of a status meeting or project review session –
can be ideal times for sharing what has been learned.
e
Retrospectives and lessons learned sessions can be
leveraged to call out successes and failures in the
at
management and operation of the project. In projects

where the emphasis is on self-organizing and supportive
lic
teams, a few minutes every day can be set aside for

mentoring and coaching.
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Scheduling training sessions formalizes mentoring and

coaching. These sessions can be facilitated by anyone.
You, as project manager, can train others on the project
D
management best practices. A process owner can guide

others on the best practices for that process.
ot
Facilitation
N
Project managers generally take the lead when it comes

to facilitating project management activities. Modeling
o
good project facilitation skills is observed and internalized

by all. Encouraging participation from stakeholders in the
D
activities builds their knowledge and comprehension.
Guiding and offering advice provides relevant feedback

and confidence in what they are doing. Increasing the
abilities of all project stakeholders increases the shared
understanding and efficiency of project tasks and
practices.
Transformation Skills
The project organization, the business, and the world are

constantly changing and evolving. Supporting change as
the organization progresses from one way of doing things
or understanding to another level requires patience and
compassionate mentoring. Making the change to an agile
operating system can be frightening for team members
e
who are accustomed to a more deliberate style of
ut
planning and delivering.
The most high-performing teams remain adaptable in the
ib
face of dynamic change. Remember, the skill set you and
your project team hold, or utilize, today may be obsolete
tr
or limited tomorrow, especially in a digital world.
is
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or
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at
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up
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ot
N
o
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Topic G
Apply Emotional Intelligence to Promote Team
Performance
Emotional intelligence is essential in working with teams. The human resource is
sentient and responsive to emotional triggers. Let’s learn about how to use this skill
e
appropriately.
ut
ib
Apply Emotional Intelligence to Promote Team
Performance
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The interpersonal skills related to emotional intelligence
is
are the topic of this section. Learning how to motivate
team members, assess tricky situations, and inspire the
D
team begins with your keenest attention to your human
resources. or
e
at
lic
Emotional Intelligence
Slide may have been omitted (optional).
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Idea: Think about how your

current workplace supports your
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emotional health (or not). What

programs are in place to attend
to employee well-being and
ot
emotional health?
Emotional Intelligence
N
An important interpersonal skill of all project managers

o
is Emotional Intelligence (EI). EI helps you understand

your emotions and those of others to help minimize
D
conflict. The notion of EI evolved in the 1990s and is

now recognized as a key set of personal and
interpersonal skills.
The personal side includes self-awareness, self-

regulation, and motivation, whereas the interpersonal
side comprises social skills and empathy.
Lesson 4: Keeping the Team on Track | Topic G 43
• Self-awareness measures how well you know
your own emotions in a variety of situations.
• Self-regulation defines how well you can control
those emotions.
• Motivation describes your intrinsic reasons for
achievement.
• Social skills address how well you build
e
relationships and rapport with others.
• Empathy is how well you read and understand
ut
the emotions of others.
• Being able to read the emotions and feelings of
ib
others, as well as recognizing how your emotions
and behaviors positively or negatively affect
tr
others, is crucial for effective management and
team performance. The following sections
is
describe the elements of the five EI skills.
Self-Awareness Elements
D
Each emotional intelligence skill is made up of, or
or
influenced by, a number of components. Self-
awareness elements include the following.
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Emotional Awareness
• Knowing which emotions you're feeling and the root
at
cause, or causes, of those feelings.

• Being aware of the connections between your
lic
feelings, thoughts, and behavior.

• Recognizing how your emotions affect your
performance.
up
• Being conscious of, and living by, your guiding

values and goals.
D
Accurate self-Assessment
• Perceiving your strengths and weaknesses.
ot
• Becoming aware of your blind spots.

• Knowing which scenarios trigger your emotional
reactions.
N
Self-Confidence
o
• Expressing opinions that may not be popular.

• Willing to take risks for what you believe is right.
D
• Displaying poise, self-assurance, and charisma.

• Having a firm knowledge of your self-esteem and
proficiencies.
• Being decisive, even when facing opposition and
resistance and resistance
Self-Regulation Elements
Being aware of your feelings and what causes them

provides a foundation that enables you to manage and
channel your emotions in constructive, positive ways -
to practice behavior that will strengthen your
relationship with your associates and your company.
Here are self-regulation elements.
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ut
Self-control
Remaining cool, calm, and even-tempered under
pressure
ib
Staying focused and quick-witted in a stressful
environment.
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Effectively controlling your rash and destructive
emotions.
is
Trustworthiness
D
Acknowledging your own errors, and challenging
immoral conduct in others.
Establishing confidence through your reputation
or
for honesty and credibility.
Standing by your principles, even if others don't
share your beliefs.
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Behaving in a morally correct way, above
at
suspicion.
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Conscientiousness
Having a well-ordered, meticulous approach to
work
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Being accountable for fulfilling your goals.

Satisfying obligations and delivering on promises.
D
Adaptability
Adjusting your strategies and responses to adapt
to changing events.
ot
Interpreting events in a flexible way.

Easily handling numerous demands and changing
N
priorities.
Interpersonal and Team Skills
o
EI belongs to the larger set of interpersonal and team

D
skills a project leader is expected to have. Let’s look at

that list quickly:
• Active listening
• Communications styles assessment
• Emotional intelligence
• Influencing
• Motivation
• Nominal group technique
• Political awareness
• Transparency
Motivation Elements
Motivation is the EI skill associated with your personal,

internal abilities. It's about raising your ambition to attain
e
peak performance. Let’s review this while thinking about
ut
how to nurture and grow these factors in yourself and
the team.
ib
Achievement drive
• Setting tough goals and taking chances.
tr
• Driving hard to get results and satisfy, or exceed,
is
aspirations and ideals.
• Discovering how to upgrade your capabilities.
• Striving to minimize uncertainty and discovering
D
ways to improve.
Commitment
or
• Relying on your team's core principles to make
decisions.
e
• Realizing a benefit in a comprehensive quest.
• Gladly sacrificing to fulfill a substantial company
at
goal.
• Enthusiastically searching for opportunities to help
lic
achieve the team's mission.
Initiative
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• Working toward goals beyond what's essential or

anticipated.
• Inspiring others through extraordinary, resourceful
D
feats.
• Cutting through official rules and processes, when
ot
required, to finish the job.

• Being prepared to grab opportunities.
N
Optimism
• Hoping to succeed instead of fearing failure.
o
• Seeing reversals as caused by controllable factors

instead of a personal defect.
D
• Steadily working toward goals regardless of barriers

and glitches.
Empathy
Empathy is a critical emotional intelligence skill that

profoundly affects your ability to relate to, and establish
a rapport with, others. It expands vision and decision-
making beyond the immediate circumstance and your
individual priority.
Empathy – Looking Inward
e
ut
Let’s consider some empathetic traits that make
individuals more able to contribute to collaborative,
ib
high-performing teams:
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Understanding others
Being of service to others based on their particular
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needs and emotions.
Readily observing emotional cues and listening
D
carefully.
Displaying tact and appreciating, or sharing, others'
points of view.
or
Service orientation
Happily providing proper help.
e
Understanding a customer's point of view; serving as
a faithful guide.
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Looking for strategies to increase consumers'

contentment and loyalty.
lic
Recognizing consumers' needs and matching them

to products or services.
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Empathy – Looking Outward
And now let’s see how an empathetic culture can help

D
teams.
Developing others – Empathetic teams make this a

ot
priority
Recognizing and rewarding the talents and
N
achievements of others.
Providing helpful criticism and determining people's
o
development needs.
Coaching and mentoring, when appropriate, and
D
providing tasks that stretch and nurture a person's

abilities.
Leveraging diversity
Appreciating various life philosophies and being
conscious of group contrasts without judging.
Viewing variety as favorable circumstances,
establishing conditions where different types of
groups can thrive.
Showing consideration for and connecting with
people from diverse groups.
Objecting to discrimination and bigotry.
Political awareness
Understanding the political truths and realities of
e
companies.
Grasping the influences that determine opinions
ut
and behaviors of clients, consumers, or rivals.
Recognizing critical social systems.
ib
Correctly interpreting crucial power connections.
Social Skills - Elements
tr
is
Social skills draw on other emotional intelligence skill
sets to build strong relationships with people and affect
D
change in the organization.
Here are some critical social skills for high-performing

teams:
or
Communication
Building Bonds
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Collaboration/Cooperation
Change Catalyst
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Conflict Management
Influence
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Leadership
Team Capabilities
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Let’s explore them in the next few slides.

Social Skills Elements
D
(Part 1 of 4)
ot
Communication
Managing tough problems directly.
Effectively exchanging information, and adjusting
N
your message based on emotional cues you're

perceiving.
o
Cultivating clear communication and being open

to both unfavorable and positive news.
D
Achieving a mutual awareness by listening

carefully and sharing information without
reservation.
Building bonds
Building and maintaining friendly connections
with colleagues.
Establishing and maintaining large, casual
networks.
Keeping others informed.
Searching for mutually rewarding relationships.
(Part 2 of 4)
e
Collaboration and Cooperation
ut
Fostering an amiable, collaborative environment.
Recognizing and cultivating options for
ib
cooperation.
Balancing job duties and professional
tr
relationships.
Working together and sharing strategies,
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knowledge, and assets.
D
Change catalyst
Challenging the current situation to appeal to the
need for change.
or
Advocating for change and recruiting others to
strive for the transformation.
Appreciating the importance of change and doing
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away with obstacles.
Exhibiting the change anticipated of others.
at

lic
(Part 3 of 4)
Conflict management
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Detecting possible clashes, moving disputes into

the open, and helping to reduce them.
Managing difficult individuals and stressful
D
scenarios with finesse and sensitivity.

Urging open discussion of issues.
ot
Engineering a resolution that is mutually

advantageous.
N
Influence
Appealing to listeners by polishing presentations.
o
Winning people over skillfully.

Coordinating impressive events to convincingly
D
sell an idea.
Building solidarity and approval through intricate
strategies.
(Part 4 of 4)
Leadership
Expressing and stimulating interest for a
collective vision and goal.
Modeling effective leadership.
Taking on a leadership role based on necessity,
e
regardless of official title.
ut
Directing others' performance while maintaining
their accountability.
ib
Team capabilities
Building team character, camaraderie, and
tr
dedication.
Attracting group members into committed and
is
passionate involvement.
Displaying team characteristics such as civility,
D
supportiveness, and collaboration.
Safeguarding the team and its good name.
or
Now let’s move on to organizational theory and a few
things you need to keep in mind.
e
Organizational Theory (Definition)
at
Further detail on the next slide.
The study of how people, teams, and organizations

lic
behave.
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Organizational Theory
D
We use organizational theory to look for common

themes in workplaces for the purpose of:
ot
Maximizing efficiency and productivity

Problem solving
Motivating people
N
Meeting the stakeholder requirements of a

project.
o
IDEA: Which of these have you

D
heard of? Which are new? Make

a note to do a little research in
this area!
Renowned Organizational Theorists

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a popular theory that
places the needs of an individual in a pyramid or
triangle. The theory states that a lower-level need must
be satisfied before a higher-level one can be
addressed.
McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y apply to the

management of labor. Theory X states that people
generally do not like to work and are not motivated to
e
work. Management feels the need to supervise labor to
ut
maintain productivity. Theory Y is essentially the
opposite: people want to work and enjoy it, and
management does not need to "hover" and constantly
ib
supervise. Sometimes, Theory X is called the "old-
school" approach, and Theory Y is a more modern
tr
approach.
is
McClelland's Achievement Theory has three
components: achievement, power, and affiliation.
D
Achievement relates to success, power to influence
other people, and affiliation to belonging to a team.
or
Herzberg's Motivation Theory says that success in
the workplace is based upon two elements. Hygiene
factors relate to working conditions, a stable job, and
e
good relationships with management and co-workers.
at
Motivating factors relate to feelings of achievement,

recognition, and career advancement. Herzberg said
lic
that people are not generally motivated by money.
Active Listening
up
You will hear this term a lot in project management.

Active listening is a communication technique that
D
involves acknowledging what you hear and clarifying

the message to confirm that what you heard matches
ot
the message that the sender intended.
Let’s look at the aspects of active listening that will help

N
you communicate more effectively with your

stakeholders.
o
Reflecting: Most people are aware of the reflecting

D
aspects of active listening, which includes repeating

the gist of a message to clarify you understood it
correctly.
Attending: To show that you are paying attention to
the speaker, you can lean slightly toward them, stay
at the same eye-level, and maintain eye contact
without staring.
Following: To demonstrate your understanding of
the conversation, you can respond with a non-verbal
gesture such as nodding your head, or a verbal
word or phrase, such as "yes," or "um- hmm." You
can also ask occasional open questions or provide
silent pauses so the speaker can collect their
thoughts.
GUIDELINES: Building Emotional Intelligence
with Key Stakeholders
e
ut
Recognize your own emotions and behaviors.
Assess how your emotions, attitudes, actions,
ib
behaviors control you.
Observe how your emotions affect those around
tr
you.
Take note of physical nonverbal cues of others,
is
such as a shrug or smile.
Interpret those cues against the context,
D
situation, and your emotions.
Remain mindful of the emotions of others.
Mirror the behaviors of others when suitable to
or
become better connected.
Practice controlling or changing your emotions to
better suit the situation.
e
End of Lesson 4
at
That wraps up the “People” element of the course. Next,

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we move on to “Strategy and the Business

Environment”.
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D
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Student Edition
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up
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N
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Lesson 5
Keeping the Business in Mind
Lesson 5: Keeping the Business in Mind | Topic B 1
Lesson Introduction
Projects don't exist in a vacuum. Internal and external
business environments can influence and affect the work of a
e
project. As the project manager, you need to manage compliance
ut
requirements and ensure that the project is delivering
benefits and value. Keeping a handle on the changes in both
the internal and external business environments are the
ib
project manager's responsibility. Employing a continuous
process improvement plan will ensure that the project's
tr
success can be consistently repeated within your organization.
is
In this lesson, you will learn how to keep the business in
mind during the life of the project.
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Lesson Objectives or
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Determine necessary approach and action to address
compliance needs.
at
Evaluate delivery options to achieve benefits and value.

Continually review internal and external business
lic
environment for impacts on project scope/backlog.

Evaluate the impact of the project to the organization
and determine required actions.
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Assess the existing continuous improvement framework and

execute continuous improvement steps.
D
Lesson Topics
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Title Slides
Topic A Manage Compliance Requirements 2-23
Topic B Evaluate and Deliver Project 24-50
N
Benefits and Value

Topic C Evaluate and Address Internal and 51-60
o
External Business Environment

Changes
D
Topic D Support Organizational Change 61-73

Topic E Employ Continuous Process 74-85
Improvement
Lesson 5: Keeping the Business in Mind 2
Topic A
Manage Compliance Requirements
Compliance requirements are typically related to the
political, business, and industry contexts of your project’s
product or service. Whatever they are, you are in charge of
ensuring that your project activity and outcomes are aligned
e
with legal or regulatory standards, as necessary.
ut
ib
tr
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D
Manage Compliance Requirements
Let’s look at how project managers meet
or
and maintain these requirements throughout
a project.
e
at

This is a list of the deliverables and
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tools associated with this topic. These

slides are provided to help you match up
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Compliance Requirements
D
Most projects have compliance

requirements—that is, aspects of their
ot
solutions that are subject to legal or

regulatory constraints. Your team is
N
responsible for researching, identifying,

tracking, and managing compliance
requirements throughout the project.
o
D
Note: Compliance requirements

can include requirements for
specific practices, privacy
laws, handling of sensitive
information, and many other
areas.
Lesson 5: Keeping the Business in Mind | Topic A 3
Lessons learned registers from
similar projects are a great
starting place for your
compliance research.
Use of the Risk Register
During the project, you have tracked and
e
managed risks using a risk register. Some
of these risks will relate to compliance
ut
with legal and regulatory requirements.
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Non-compliance itself is a risk—Waiting
until delivery time to ensure compliance
or perform a summary check of compliance
tr
is a risk. If the team identifies
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disparities late, you will likely trigger
project time and cost overruns.
D
Compliance management includes creating
suitable testing and validation plans
or
during development to ensure that the
project's deliverables meet compliance
requirements.
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at
Compliance-related Risks
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The risk register should provide the

following useful information for your
compliance checklist:
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The identified risk

Risk owner
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Impact if the risk is realized

Risk responses (potentially
including avoidance, transfer,
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mitigation strategies, and

acceptance of residual risk)
N
Configuration Management System

o
We reviewed the configuration management

D
system in the “Process” lessons. Here,

let’s note its relationship to compliance
management.
All of the project’s deliverable

components should be tracked in a
configuration management system, which
describes the deliverable, defined key
attributes of the deliverable, and allows
for tracking, versioning, and control.
This configuration information should be
handed over along with project
deliverables and will continue to be
tracked in the customer’s configuration
management system.
e
ut
One of the key attributes you will want to
track is compliance information, including
proof of validation for each deliverable
ib
that it meets the identified compliance
requirements.
tr
So, this is where you are able to
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demonstrate to the customer that the
deliverable meets the relevant compliance
D
requirements.
Compliance Categories Classification
or
Let’s take a moment to explore compliance
categories. If you are new to a company,
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country/region, or industry, you will need
to do some research to understand the
at
compliance requirements relevant to your

project.
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Beyond these, organizations often incur

tertiary standards or validations for
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their products, and these will have

compliance requirements.
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Environmental Risk
Workplace Health and Safety
Ethical/Non-Corrupt Practices
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Social Responsibility
Quality
N
Process Risks
For example: Consumer-facing

o
classifications related to
D
quality and social

responsibility would include
“b-corp” or “vegan”
certifications.
Compliance Reporting
The kinds of information you’ll need to
record to maintain compliance reporting
requirements may include:
Regular work performance reports –

these will provide details of workplace
e
standards and practices
ut
Checklists with:
o Project activities and changes
o Team improvements
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o Deliverable status
o Overall progress
tr
o Risk status
Information about compliance-related
is
risks, such as:
o Risk management actions
D
o Testing and validation activities
o Audits
o Other actions to verify deliverable
or
compliance
Variance Analysis
e
Along with reporting on execution, project

at
managers will regularly report on any

project variances, along with actions
lic
taken to control the project and keep

things on track.
up
Variances related to compliance are

critical as they could potentially impact
the usability of the project’s
D
deliverables.
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The variance analysis should detail the

variance identified, plans for bringing
the project or deliverable back into
N
compliance, along with any proposed

changes required in order to meet
o
Potential Threats to Compliance
D
So, what could be your main threats

related to compliance? Some are:
Identification of new vulnerabilities
in your product service.
Changes in legal or regulatory
requirements.
Errors in testing and validation to
confirm compliance.
Errors or bugs in deliverables.
Lack of awareness of compliance
requirements.
Hopefully, if you have put the recommended
e
plans in place, the last threat can be
ut
avoided. For the rest of the list, you
handle them just as you would handle a
risk.
ib
Signoffs and Approvals
tr
A designated stakeholder should be
is
accountable for each compliance
requirement in your project. This
stakeholder is authorized to sign off and
D
approve compliance. Depending on the
requirement and the project, this may be a
or
list of stakeholders who need to approve
and sign off.
e
While many of these approvals may not be
possible until shortly before project
at
completion, many others may be subject to

ongoing testing and validation during the
lic
project.
This can be very helpful as it will

up
provide you with an early warning of

potential threats to compliance, allow you
to capture the variances, and determine an
D
appropriate course of action to remediate

the issue before it impacts the project
timeline, causes cost overruns, or creates
ot
large project risks.

GUIDELINES: Analyze the Consequences
N
of Noncompliance (Identifying and

managing compliance requirements)
o
D
Define the legal, regulatory, and other

constraints, and define the business
rules based on compliance requirements
that will constrain the project
solution and improve the likelihood of
maintaining compliance.
Define parts of the potential solution
subject to compliance requirements, the
scope of the compliance requirement,
and the stakeholders responsible for
reviewing, approving, and signing- off
on compliance of the component.
Track and manage the review and
approval activities related to
e
Track and manage the risks and risk
ut
responses related to compliance
requirements.
ib
Next Section: Deliver Benefits and
Value
tr
Now let’s discuss how projects deliver
is
benefits and value. Your role as project
manager in value delivery is to ensure
D
good results for the business. This takes
a combination of the technical and soft
skills we just learned.
or
You also should identify how the project
aligns with the business’s overall
e
strategy. The more you know here, the
better you can tailor the project work and
at
outcomes to help to further the growth of

the business.
lic
Control Quality to Help Ensure

Compliance
up
A proven method of aiding compliance

management on any project is having
D
excellent quality controls. Logically, if

attention to quality is high on a project,
then it likely is a well-run, high
ot
standard project that already has some

formal quality requirements.
N
Let’s turn our attention now to the

subject of quality.
o
Quality Management Plan (Definition)

D
A component of the project management plan

that describes how applicable policies,
procedures, and guidelines will be
implemented to achieve the quality
objectives.
Quality Management Plan
The Quality Management Plan describes the
resources and activities needed for the
project team to achieve the necessary
quality objectives and is an appropriate
place to set expectations for the
project's quality requirements. Quality
e
requirements might include:
ut
Quality standards to be used.
Quality objectives of the project.
Quality roles and responsibilities.
ib
Project deliverables and processes
subject to Quality review.
tr
Quality Control and Quality Management
activities planned for the project.
is
Quality tools to use.
Major procedures relevant for dealing
D
with nonconformance, corrective action
procedures, and continuous improvement
or
procedures.
Control Quality Process Outputs
e
As the project team produces deliverables,
at
your control quality process will review

the deliverable, verify that it meets both
functional and nonfunctional requirements,
lic
and often identify and suggest potential

improvements.
up
This process validates whether the

deliverables align with compliance
requirements and provides feedback on any
D
variances identified and potential

approaches to cure any defects or other
ot
noncompliance.
As the project continues, the project

N
manager will want to monitor the quality

reporting and recommendations and
o
coordinate with the project team to

address defects or manage any identified
D
noncompliance issues.
Escalation Procedures
When the team identifies a noncompliance
issue, they should determine whether it is
within tolerance. Can the project manager
handle it, or will it need to be
escalated?
e
For any noncompliance issue outside of the
ut
project manager’s purview, identify the
stakeholders who are authorized to review
it and assign it to them to manage.
ib
This procedure should be defined during
tr
project and risk planning.
is
Quality Audits (Definition)
D
A process conducted by an external team
that confirms the implementation of
approved change requests including
or
updates, corrective actions, defect
repairs, and preventive actions.
e
Audits
at
Quality audits are processes that verify

lic
compliance with organizational policies,

processes, and procedures. Generally, they
are conducted by a team external to the
up
project, such as an internal audit team or

PMO.
D
Audits are generally used to do the

following:
ot
Identify use of good and best

practices.
N
Identify any nonconformity, gaps, and

shortcomings.
Share good practices from other
o
projects in the organization or

D
industry.
Proactively offer improvements to
improve productivity.
Highlight contributions to lessons
learned.
Any remediation should reduce the overall
cost of quality and increase customer
acceptance of the project's deliverables.
They may also be used to verify
implementation of change requests
including updates, corrective actions,
defect repairs, or preventive actions.
Sampling
e
Another process that can help ensure
ut
compliance is sampling. Because it may not
be viable for quality assurance to inspect
ib
every single product or deliverable, the
sampling method assists in quality review.
tr
An appropriate sampling approach can
is
provide similar results in identifying
quality issues and reducing the costs of
quality, thus helping to better align the
D
quality assurance costs with the overall
value to the project.
or
GUIDELINES: Measure Project
Compliance
e
Use QA outputs to confirm deliverable

at
and process compliance and identify the

needs for corrective actions.
lic
Establish project tolerances and enable

the project manager to either initiate
corrective actions within tolerances or
up
to quickly escalate any noncompliance

outside of the tolerances.
Establish a clear Quality Management
D
Plan and execute it on an ongoing basis

to identify any noncompliance issues as
early as possible.
ot
Establish where external audit teams

can confirm and validate use of
N
appropriate processes and procedures

and how audit results can enable the
team to identify improvements.
o
Leverage effective QA tools and

D
techniques to assess quality

deliverables and identify improvements,
corrective actions, or defect repairs
required.
Topic B
Evaluate and Deliver
Project Benefits and Value
A project is undertaken to meet the objectives and
e
requirements of its stakeholders, and the project manager is
ut
responsible for delivering what these stakeholders expect.
ib
Evaluate and Deliver Project Benefits
and Value
tr
Great project managers think
is
strategically. They have their eye on a
project’s benefit and value to the
D
organization. So, remember to look up from
your schedules and data and ensure you
understand your project’s relationship to
or
the business.
First, we will look at methods of

e
accelerating value delivery in a project

at
and then some ways of measuring it.

lic

up

D
Business Value (Definition)

ot
The net quantifiable benefit derived from

a business endeavor, the benefit of which
N
may be tangible, intangible, or both.
Components of business value include:

o
Shareholder value—in a publicly traded

D
company, the part of capitalization

that is equity as opposed to debt; for
example, the number of outstanding
shares multiplied by the current share
price.
Customer value—the value received by
the customer of a product or service.
Employee knowledge—an asset of the
business, a frequently overlooked
component of business value.
Channel partner value—the value of a
business’s partners.
Benefits Management Plan

(Definition)
e
A document that describes how and when the
ut
benefits of a project will be derived and
measured.
ib
Benefits Management Plan
tr
A benefits management plan typically
is
includes the following components:
Target benefits—the expected tangible
D
and intangible business value to be
realized from the project.
or
Strategic alignment—how the benefits
align with the business strategies of
the organization.
e
Timeframe—when the benefits (short-term
and long-term) will be realized,
at
usually by project phase.

Benefits owner—the person or group that
lic
monitors, records, and reports the

benefits.
Metrics—the direct and indirect
up
measurements of the realized benefits.

Risks—the risks associated with
achieving the targeted benefits.
D
This plan is prepared before the project

is initiated, and it is referenced after
ot
the project has been completed. It is not

a subsidiary component of the project
N
management plan, but instead is a business

document.
o
Sprint Reviews/Demos
D
In an agile project, at the end of each

iteration or sprint, the team will host
other stakeholders and conduct a sprint
review or demo.
Part of the purpose of agile approaches is

that the team is focused on completing
whole user stories in each sprint; in
other words, everything is done, and the
capability is “potentially shippable.”
At an early stage, the team should gain

acceptance of the story from the product
owner because it should meet all of the
defined acceptance criteria and to get
e
early feedback from other stakeholders,
ut
which may unearth changes or additional
undefined requirements.
ib
The sprint review then is used to review
progress on the overall product, and to
tr
get feedback early while it’s still
relevant if certain aspects of the
is
solution need to be changed or enhanced in
certain ways to optimize business value.
D
Release Management
or
One of the fundamental benefits of agile
projects is the ability to convert high
e
value capabilities into delivered
solutions early.
at
Part of the job of the Product Owner in an

lic
agile project is to define the initial

capabilities that make up a Minimum Viable
Product; in short, enough solutions to
up
start using it, and start generating real

value for the business and real feedback
for the teams.
D
In a traditional project, release occurs

at the end, when everything is done. In
ot
practical terms, virtually all solutions

have an ongoing lifecycle so the idea of
N
being forever done with a solution is

largely a mirage and work is hardly ever
“done”.
o
Disciplined Agile (Definition)

D
A hybrid tool kit that harnesses hundreds

of agile practices—agile, lean, and
traditional sources—to guide you to the
best way of working (WoW) for your team or
organization.
Disciplined Agile (DA) Approaches
Use DA approaches to support dynamic
work environments.
A Product Owner creates a minimum
business increment (MBI) that defines
work requirements to deliver the stated
value.
e
o The MBI creates value quickly and
ut
incrementally, so the business can
start using and benefitting from
it.
ib
Advantages:
tr
Feature or capability assessment
Improve organizational tolerance for
is
change
A time cadence for subsequent releases
D
Benefit Cost Analysis (Definition)
Further information on the next slide.
or
A systematic approach to estimating the
strengths and weaknesses of alternatives
e
used to determine options which provide
the best approach to achieving benefits
at
while preserving savings. Also called

cost-benefit analysis.
lic
Benefit Cost Analysis

up
This is one method of measuring or

evaluating a project’s benefit and value.
D
Benefit cost analysis is frequently used

to compare potential projects to determine
which one to authorize, and to compare
ot
alternative approaches to the scope.

N
The goal in a benefit cost analysis is to

select the alternative whose benefits
outweigh its costs by the most amount.
o
An alternative whose cost exceeds its

D
benefit should never be chosen.
The value of a benefit cost analysis

depends on the accuracy of the estimates
of cost and benefit.
Present Value (PV) (Definition)
The current value of a future sum of money
or stream of cash flows given a specific
rate of return.
Present Value (PV) Calculation
e
ut
Although you might not need to memorize
how present value is calculated for the
ib
exam, seeing the formula will help you put
the concept into perspective. “PV” is
present value, “FV” is future value, “r”
tr
is interest rate, and “n” is number of
periods.
is
D
or
For example, if you need
e
$3,000 in three years and can
invest your money at 8 percent
at
interest, the present value

(your initial investment) is
lic
calculated as shown.
up
D
ot
Note: In financial formulas,

N
PV represents present value.

In Earned Value Management,
PV represents planned value.
o
Net Present Value (Definition)

D
The present value of all cash outflows

minus the present value of all cash
inflows. NPV is a financial tool used in
capital budgeting.
NPV compares the value of a currency unit
today to the value of the same currency
unit in the future, after taking inflation
and discount rate into account.
Internal Rate of Return (IRR)

(Definition)
The interest rate that makes the net
e
present value of all cash flow equal to
zero. IRR is also a financial tool often
ut
used in capital budgeting. IRR is the
discount rate at which the NPV of the
ib
project is zero. It is calculated
iteratively, by setting up the NPV
tr
calculation in a spreadsheet or other
software and changing the discount rate
is
until the NPV equals zero.
Return on Investment (Definition)
D
A financial metric of profitability that
or
measures the gain or loss from an
investment relative to the amount of money
invested.
It is sometimes called the “rate of
e
return” and is usually expressed as a

at
percentage. A positive ROI is interpreted

as a good investment, and a negative ROI
lic
indicates a bad investment.

Net Promoter Score (NPS)
up
Knowing how the customer or end-user

receives the product or service is another
excellent indication of value.
D
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures a

ot
customer's willingness to recommend a

provider's products or services to
another. NPS is simply calculated as the %
N
of Promoters - % of Detractors with the

resulting index of -100 to 100. Higher
o
scores indicate customer delight and

willingness to recommend the solution.
D
For the calculation, you assign a number

to the customer's self-reported
satisfaction on a 0-10 scale, with 10
being the most satisfied.
The reporters can be characterized in the
following way.
Detractors (0-6)
Would be very willing to work with another
provider, as some aspect of the solution
left them less than satisfied.
Passives (7-8)
e
Somewhat satisfied, but may be willing to
ut
try competitive offerings.
Promoters (9-10)
ib
Very satisfied, and would choose to work
with the provider again. May choose to
tr
evangelize the solution to other people.
is
A/B Testing
D
Another way of deriving benefit and value
information from the customer or end-user
or
is A/B testing. Feedback from real users
before final delivery is extremely
valuable during development.
e
In A/B testing, you might ask about user

at
preferences or desired capabilities. In AB

testing, different sets of users are shown
lic
similar services with one difference known

as the independent variable.
up
As a result of the AB testing, you can

optimize the solution to use the most
effective approach based on the results of
D
the experiment.
For example, you might change

ot
the color or position of a

button in an app you are
N
developing to see if people

behave differently based on
the different options.
o
D
Monte Carlo Simulation (Definition)

An analysis technique in which a computer
model is iterated many times, with the
input values chosen at random for each
iteration driven by the input data,
including probability distributions and
probabilistic branches.
Monte Carlo Simulation
Need to understand your project outcome’s
“bigger picture” to peruse options?
A Monte Carlo simulation generates outputs
e
to represent the range of possible
outcomes for a project. Monte Carlo refers
ut
to not one single analysis method but to a
wide class of techniques, mostly making
ib
use of sophisticated computers and inputs
of random numbers, probabilities, and
algorithms.
tr
is
It has a wide range of applications in
many fields, including finance and
engineering because it works effectively
D
with large inputs of numbers.
or
It is well suited for complex project
management problems in which more than a
few inputs such as costs, activity, and
e
duration are unknown.
at
Simulation (Definition)
lic
An analytical technique that models the

combined effect of uncertainties to
evaluate their potential impact on
up
objectives.
D
Using Simulations
ot
While we can’t predict the future,

simulations provide a means of
understanding the possibility of outcomes.
N
Simulations involve calculating several

o
possible project durations with varying

sets of activity assumptions.
D
A project simulation uses a model that

translates project uncertainties into
their potential impact on project
objectives.
The project model is run many times with
different variables to calculate a
probability distribution.
Decision Tree Analysis (Definition)
Further information follows on next slide.
A diagramming and calculation technique

for evaluating the implications of a chain
e
of multiple options in the presence of
uncertainty.
ut
Use Decision Trees to Find Benefit
and Value
ib
Decision trees allow decision makers to
tr
evaluate both the probability and impact
for each branch of every decision under
is
consideration, making it a useful tool for
risk analysis.
D
Solving the decision tree indicates the
or
decision that will provide the greatest
expected value when all the uncertain
implications, costs, rewards, and
subsequent decisions are quantified.
e
at
Expected Monetary Value

Expected Monetary Value (EMV) is a method
lic
of calculating the average outcome when

the future is uncertain.
up
Opportunities will have positive values

and threats will have negative values.
D
EMV is found by multiplying the monetary

value of a possible outcome by the
probability it will occur. This is done
ot
for all possible outcomes and their

figures are added together. The sum is the
N
EMV for that scenario.
This technique is used in decision tree

o
analysis; EMV must be calculated in order

D
for the analysis to find the best outcome.

The best outcome is the one resulting in
the greatest amount of net gain or the
least amount of net loss.
Topic C
Evaluate and Address Internal and External
Business Environment Changes
Effective project managers continually assess and evaluate
e
changes in their organization’s business environment as well
as changes in the industry. Be ready to respond to change to
ut
keep your project aligned with the business’s strategic
direction.
ib
Evaluate and Address Internal and
tr
External Business Environment
Changes
is
Projects operate in highly dynamic
D
environments while generating change for
that environment. Highly skilled project
or
managers embrace the qualities of
adaptability and resilience to navigate
these environments and optimize outcomes
for their projects and the organizations
e
in which they operate. Let’s take a closer

at
look.
lic

up

D
Internal Business Environment

ot
Organizational changes can make a dramatic

impact on the scope of a project.
N
The project manager and project sponsor

need to have visibility into business
o
plans, reorganizations, process changes,

D
and other internal activities.
Internal business changes might require

your project to respond with a:
Need for new deliverables, or
Reprioritization or removal of
existing deliverables.
Lesson 5: Keeping the Business in Mind | Topic D 21
Get to Know the External Business
Environment
You should have a few tools in your kit
for understanding business environments.
Here is a quick overview of some helpful
ones.
e
The PESTLE acronym identifies the external
ut
business environment factors that can
affect the value and desired outcomes of a
project. PESTLE considers political,
ib
economic, social, technical, legal, and
environmental factors as causes or agents
tr
of external change.
is
Others are:
✓ TECOP (technical, environmental,
D
commercial, operational, political)
✓ VUCA (volatility, uncertainty,
or
complexity, ambiguity)
These frameworks can help you to better

understand external factors that can
e
introduce risk, uncertainty, or provide

at
opportunities.
Update Baselines
lic
Now to the question of how to document or

up
facilitate any changes necessary as a

result of your changing environments.
In traditional project plans, the

D
completed initial plan is the baseline.

As changes occur in the project, you
ot
update the baseline to reflect any new

requirements.
N
Agile projects process change

continuously, in iterations or increments.
o
Work is prioritized and updated in the

product backlog or in the value stream
D
(Disciplined Agile)
Lesson 5: Keeping the Business in Mind | Topic E 22
Backlog Reprioritization
In agile projects, you work with the
product owner to re-prioritize the backlog
as stories or requirements change.
Business value—what will derive more value

and do so most quickly—determines the
e
priority of the changes.
ut
Recommended Options for Changes
ib
When change is proposed, the product
owner should focus on the intended
tr
business value of the change.
Give the project team discretion to
is
consider the change and identify
potential solution options.
D
Clear Governance Structure
or
We explored project governance earlier.
This was the external context of your
project—where it lives, so to speak.
e
Having a supportive project governance

at
structure in place becomes critical for

projects to be able to respond to changes.
lic
Governance Steering Committee

up
The governance steering committee usually

consists of the “Project Board” or overall
governance or steering committee that
coordinates the project. They are
D
responsible for clarifying the project

charter and objectives; and allocating
ot
resources to the project.
This committee might include:

N
The project sponsor

A senior user
o
PMO resources
D
GUIDELINES: Assessing the Impact on

Project Backlog Based on Business
Environment Changes
Understand the project’s
organizational context.
Understand the external factors that
may impact your project.
How is the project work prioritized?
What is the project governance model?
e
ut
ib
tr
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic D
Support Organizational Change
Project environments are influenced directly by organizational
culture, style, and structure. Understanding this broader
context helps ensure that work is carried out in alignment
with the organization’s goals and managed in accordance with
e
the organization’s established practices.
ut
In turn, projects can influence the strategic direction of
organizations. And enterprise-level change projects—or
ib
organizational transformations—are instrumental in
orchestrating change.
tr
Support Organizational Change
is
D
Envisioning your project as part of the
organization in which it “lives” means
being part of any change initiative that
or
the organization takes. This will mean
adapting your project as well as
realigning it with the changing business
e
objectives.
at
Let’s start by understanding how

organizations typically work, then
lic
consider a few different project

management setups, and finally how project
managers and PMOs roll out and support
up
change initiatives in organizations.

D

ot

N
Organizational Cultures and Styles

o
Organizations are companies or

D
governmental departments that are in place

to accomplish a purpose. Every
organization develops a unique culture and
style that represents its cultural norm
and affects how projects are performed. We
can think of this as an internal “brand”.
Lesson 5: Keeping the Business in Mind | Topic D 25
Culture is shaped by people's common
experiences such as:
Shared visions, missions, values,
beliefs, and expectations
Regulations, policies, methods, and
procedures
Motivation and reward systems
Risk tolerance
e
View of leadership, hierarchy, and
ut
authority relationships
Code of conduct, work ethic, and work
hours
ib
Operating environments
tr
As project manager, you should understand
that cultures have a strong influence on a
is
project's ability to meet its objectives.
D
For example, a company that
allows employees to work
flexible hours versus an 8-to-5
or
workday can directly affect how
a project manager schedules
resources, general morale, and
e
how the team interacts.
at
Organizational Structures
lic
An organizational structure dictates how

the various groups and individuals within
the organization interrelate. The
up
organizational structure also affects how

much authority the project manager has, as
well as the availability of resources and
D
how projects are performed.
Organizations will typically be configured

ot
in one of the main structural

implementations:
N
Functional Each department is

responsible for carrying
o
out a specific, similar

D
set of activities.
Multiple people perform
each type of activity.
Reporting is hierarchical,
with each individual
reporting to a single
manager.
The project manager's
authority is low, relative
to the functional
manager’s authority.
Projectized The project manager and a
core project team operate
as a completely separate
organizational unit within
e
the parent organization.
ut
Core team members are
responsible for the work
of extended team members
ib
in their functional area.
Team members are often co-
tr
located.
The project manager
is
reports to a program
manager and has a
D
significant amount of
authority and
independence.
or
Some projectized
organizations may contain
their own support systems
e
such as a separate
at
procurement or personnel
department or share
support systems with the
lic
parent organization.
Matrix A blend of functional and
up
projectized structures in
which individuals report
upward in the functional
hierarchy, but they also
D
report horizontally to one

or more project managers.
ot
The matrixed reporting

scheme may be permanent or
temporary.
N
This structure may be

characterized as weak,
o
balanced, or strong,
depending on the relative
D
authority of the project

manager to the functional
manager. An organization
is said to have a strong
matrix when the project
manager’s authority is
higher than that of the
functional manager.
Composite Most modern organizations
involve all these
structures at various
levels.
It is a combination of all
the other types of
organizations.
e
ut
The structural model used by an
organization will have a huge impact on
how project managers interact with team
ib
members and stakeholders. In many cases, a
project manager will interact with various
tr
levels in an organization such as middle
management, operations, strategic
is
functions, and senior management. Knowing
which individuals in the organization are
D
decision-makers or influencers and working
with them increases the probability of
project success.
or
Relative Authority in Organizational
Structures
e
Take notes as your instructor guides you
through the table on this slide.
at
Relative authority refers to the project

lic
manager’s authority relative to the

functional manager's authority over the
project and the project team. In a purely
up
functional organizational structure, the

project manager’s authority is low
relative to that of the functional
D
manager. Conversely, in the project-based

organizational structure, the opposite is
ot
true.
Project Management Office (PMO)
N
(Definition)
A management structure that standardizes
o
the project-related governance processes

D
and facilitates the sharing of resources,

methodologies, tools, and techniques. PMOs
are more common in larger organizations
because of the number of projects that can
be in process at the same time. A PMO can
offer assistance and guidance for all
projects in progress. PMI® does not provide
official guidelines or standards for a
PMO, so large organizations must use PMI
principles and best practices to implement
their PMO.
There are several types of PMO structures,

each varying in the degree of control and
influence they have on projects within the
e
organization:
ut
Supportive PMOs provide a
consultative role to projects by
ib
supplying templates, best practices,
training, access to information, and
tr
lessons learned from other projects.
Controlling PMOs provide support and
is
require compliance through various
means. Compliance may involve
D
adopting project management
frameworks or methodologies; using
specific templates, forms, and tools;
or
or conforming to governance.
Directive PMOs take control of
projects by directly managing the
e
projects. A relatively small number
at
of PMOs fall into this category.

Roll Out Plan
lic
Let’s take the context of an organization

embarking on a large, internal change
up
initiative. Once that change is approved

and built, the project manager needs to
plan for its successful implementation.
D
Roll out plans enable the project manager

to define the knowledge transfer,
ot
training, and readiness activities

required to implement the change.
N
Depending on the size and scope of the

change, the affected parties may include
both the project team and potentially
o
customer and user stakeholders. Depending

D
on the nature of the change, substantial

training and early life support activities
may need to be planned to support the
stakeholders as the change is adopted.
Project Management Plan Updates
Based on the scope of the change, the
project management plan may need to
undergo substantial updates. These may
include changes in scope, timelines, work
packages, and even individual team member
assignments.
e
ut
If the project is agile, the impact may be
limited to lower-value deliverables being
moved out of scope to make room for the
ib
change.
Training Plan
tr
is
Changes to the project plan likely will
impact the training plan. The changes may
D
include changes in the scope of the
training and knowledge transfer required,
changes in roles and responsibilities of
or
the stakeholders, and changes in the
timeline for when training will be
provided to the relevant stakeholders.
e
Training Artifacts
at
Changes to the plan and deliverable set

lic
mean that there will be necessary changes

to the training artifacts which may ,
including:
up
Training courseware
Lab configurations and exercises
Knowledge requirements and
D
potentially credentials, if
certification of skills is expected
Updates for the trainers to gain the
ot
necessary knowledge transfer required

to deliver the updated training
N
Whether in-house or outsourced, you have

to ensure these changes to training are
o
made.
D
Demos
Changes to software solutions may
require demonstration of changed
configurations, processes, workflows,
and roles and responsibilities.
Key customer and user stakeholders
need to review the demo and provide
feedback to ensure the changes work
as intended and do not impact the
workflow of the solution.
Early feedback allows for adaptation,
while the feedback is immediately
relevant and should improve the
quality of the change while reducing
e
overall cost and risk.
ut
GUIDELINES: Recommend, Plan, and
Facilitate Change
ib
(Part 1 of 2)
tr
Establish a single change request
method which includes:
is
o A description of the proposed
change
D
o The business value of the change
o Any risk and risk mitigation
recommendations
or
o Likely cost of the change
Ensure that a CCB can assess the
change cost, risk, and value, other
e
potential impacts to the project, and
at
make recommendations.
Check the project’s tolerance – Can
you approve the change, or do you
lic
need to escalate it to the governing

board for review and approval?
up
GUIDELINES: Recommend, Plan, and

Facilitate Change
(Part 2 of 2)
D
Follow organizational change

ot
management best practices:

o Build a compelling case for
change
N
o Get buy-in and commitment of key

stakeholders
o
o Communicate the change vision

o Enable other stakeholders to
D
engage
Ensure changes are properly aligned
and updates are made to relevant
project artifacts – i.e. project
plan, training plans, training
artifacts, and software
configurations or demos.
e
ut
ib
tr
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
Topic E
Employ Continuous Process Improvements
Every business wants to be the best and stay ahead of the
competition. In your role as project manager, you can make a
substantial contribution to this effort by espousing an
ongoing, positive attitude towards changing and improving
e
work.
ut
Employ Continuous Process Improvements
ib
Continuous process improvements are, quite
simply, a characteristic of organizations
tr
that indicates an ongoing, vigilant, and
is
positive response to change. As a project
manager, you need to participate in these
D
efforts, as they are a very visible
vehicle of strategic organizational
change.
or
e

at

lic
Continuous Improvement (Definition)

up
An ongoing effort to improve products,

services, or processes.
D
The Institute of Quality Assurance’s

definition of continuous improvement
ot
includes improving business strategy,

business results, and customer, employee,
and supplier relationships.
N
Continuous Improvement
o
Continuous improvement can include ongoing

D
efforts to improve products, services, or

processes—both small, incremental
improvements or large “breakthrough”
improvements.
Continuous improvement is a business

strategy that is developed at the
organizational level for projects to adopt
and use. It may also be implemented by an
organization’s PMO.
Culture of Continuous Improvement
Continuous improvement has been used in

business for nearly three-quarters of a
e
century. W. Edwards Deming was an early
leader in the field of process
ut
improvement, beginning with his work in
post-World War II Japan. He taught four
ib
concepts that have been the foundation of
the continuous process improvement
tr
movement:
Better design of products to improve
is
service
Higher level of uniform product
D
quality
Improvement of product testing in the
workplace and in research centers
or
Greater sales through global markets
Deming’s philosophy was about improving

e
quality to reduce expenses, increase
productivity, and thus increase market
at
share. His views on quality control and

quality management increased worldwide
lic
demand for Japanese products and soon

gained popularity in the United States and
worldwide.
up
Further Study in Quality Theory

Methods
D
As we approach the end of the course, we

encourage you to be guided by your own,
ot
personal continuous improvement—study,

reading, and research in the project
N
management discipline. Once you achieve

your PMP certification, keeping abreast of
research can count towards earning PDUs.
o
D
Some excerpts from popular theorists

follows on the next slide.
Quality Theory Methods - excerpts
Let’s look at some popular approaches to
quality. These are excerpts from total
quality management (TQM) theory. These
theories attempt to improve business
results through an emphasis on customer
satisfaction, employee development, and
e
processes rather than functions.
ut
Do any of these inform your current
approach to quality? Which resonate with
ib
you?
Continuous Improvement Approaches
tr
is
Agile is itself a means or process of
continuous improvement. Let’s look at two
D
other approaches:
Kaizen – A second idea emerging from

or
Japanese business (ca. 1980s). Its key
features include:
Improvements based on many small
e
changes.
Small changes less likely to require
at
major expenditures of capital.

Ideas come from workers—not expensive
lic
research, consultants, or equipment.

All employees should continually
improve their own performance.
up
All are encouraged to take ownership

of their work to improve motivation.
D
PDSA – Plan, Do, Study, Act – This

continuous improvement methodology,
ot
involves systematically testing possible

solutions, assessing the results, and
implementing those that work. The cycle is
N
then repeated to further improve a process

or product.
o
The four steps in this methodology are:

D
1. Plan – Define objectives and

processes to deliver a set of desired
results
2. Do – Execute the plan and collect
data to determine the effectiveness
of the processes.
3. Study – Evaluate the data and compare
the results to expected outcomes.
4. Act – Identify issues with the
process, determine their root causes,
and modify the process to improve it.
Planning for the next cycle can then
proceed.
Note: PDSA is also known as the
e
Deming Cycle, or PDCA (Plan,
ut
Do, Check, Act) depending on
your region.
ib
Continuous Improvement Tools
Once you’ve decided on your approach to
tr
quality and continuous improvement, you’ll
is
need to look into how to implement it.
Let’s consider a few appropriate tools:
D
Lessons Learned Register – This
important component of each project
or
can be a source of improving the
processes in other projects. Avoid
filing it away at the end of a
e
project and not referring to it.
Retrospectives – These are common in
at
agile projects at the end of each

iteration. They help the team look
lic
back at an iteration and plan

improvements for the next one.
Experiments – These provide a way to
up
improve team efficiency and

effectiveness. Some techniques
include A/B testing and team feedback
D
to identify improvements. However you

do it, perform experiments one at a
time to isolate the results so that
ot
you can analyze them and see how

they’re working.
N
Update to Process and Standards

o
The information from lessons learned at

the project level can apply to the
D
organization’s continuous improvement

process, in addition to the project
Escalate these lessons and evaluate them

for consideration at the organizational
level.
GUIDELINES: Execute Continuous
Improvement Steps
Review the organization’s continuous
improvement strategy.
Develop a continuous improvement
approach for your project, keeping in
mind the project goals and the
e
expectations of the stakeholders.
ut
Use lessons learned from your project
and other projects—as sources of
continuous improvement.
ib
For agile projects, use
retrospectives to improve the next
tr
iteration.
Use lessons learned at the project
is
level to improve the organization’s
continuous improvement process.
D
End of Lesson 5 or
This is the end of the course. Thank you
for your participation and best of luck to
you as you continue your preparations to
e
take the PMP® Certification exam!
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D
e
ut
ib
tr
is
D
or
e
at
lic
up
D
ot
N
o
D

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PMI® Authorized PMP® Exam Prep

Agile Practice Guide, Project Management Institute, Inc., © 2017.

based on a typical class experience. The five lessons in this

reflect maximum duration per lesson.

• Lesson 3 (8 topics): 8 hours

Course-Specific Technical Requirements

You will need complete systems to access your virtual

Install the Course Data Files

To install the course data files:

1. From the course Files tile on CHOICE, download the

2. Go to the download folder and locate and unzip (extract)

3. Open the ATPPMP1Files<ver> folder. It contains separate

specified in the course activities.

• Introduction to Project Management

aligned with the business environment. You will explore the

Lesson Creating a High- Assemble and prepare the human

2 the tools and techniques

The PMI CHOICE Home Screen

guidelines you can use as a reference during and after

extend the classroom learning experience.

• Social media resources that enable you to collaborate

tools such as Twitter.

Visit your CHOICE Home screen often to connect, communicate,

and extend your learning experience!

How to Use the Student’s Edition

This document is divided into lessons and topics, covering a

Checklists of procedures and guidelines can be used during

Notes indicate extra

This brief, introductory module explains the course and the

Now it’s time to introduce yourself to the

Let’s review the requirements for the PMP

• In addition to studying and your

academic preparation, your project

• The exam is not a test of your ability

• PMI had its 50th anniversary in 2019.

Note: To further explore the PDU

requirements, you can access the

tile on the CHOICE Course screen.

This slide introduces the new exam and the

We’ll follow the guidance of both the PMI

Talent Triangle and the PMP Exam Content

Our three focus points this week will follow

the shape of the PMI Talent Triangle. The

• People, or project leadership;

This slide introduces the ECO as a study aid.

• Tasks are the underlying

responsibilities of the project manager

We have also listed deliverables and tools or

your reference. These are helpful to know, as

with the different areas of work in project

Note: You can access the PMP® ECO

tile on the CHOICE Course screen.

Note: You can download a copy of

The new version of the PMP exam went live in

5. Keeping the Business in Mind: And

finally, we look at how your role is