Project Management Basics-The Environment in which Projects Operate

Factors that influence a system:

- Governance frameworks - Management elements - Organizational structure types

EEFs External to the organization

- Marketplace conditions - Social and cultural influences and issues - Legal restrictions - Commercial databases - Academic research - Government or industry standards - Financial considerations - Physical environmental elements

Governance Framework influences how:

- objectives of the organization are set and achieved - risk is monitored and assessed - performance is optimized

EEFs Internal to the organization

-Organizational culture, structure, and governance -Geographic distribution of facilities and resources -Infrastructure -Information technology software -Resource availability -Employee capability

List of employees

All of the following are potential information in organizational knowledge repositories EXCEPT:

Management Elements

Components that dictate the principles and functions of management in an organization.

Which of the following describes project tailoring?

Determining the appropriate combination of processes, inputs, tools, techniques, outputs, and life cycles phases to manage a project.

Why is project tailoring necessary?

Each project is unique.

What is the purpose of the Standard for Project Management?

Identifies the processes that are considered good practices on most projects, most of the time.

Organizational process assets (OPAs)

Internal to the organization, and may arise from the organization itself. Examples: Existing templates and reporting methods.

The PMBOK Guide is the standard for:

Managing most projects most of the time

All of the following are external environmental factors EXCEPT:

Organization values and principles

The interaction of the various system components creates the organizational culture and capabilities that are important for the project. Which role is typically responsible for establishing the system?

Organization's management

Configuration management and issue defect management data are examples of which of the following?

Organizational knowledge repositories

Organization knowledge bases, processes, policies, and procedures.

Organizational process assets (OPAs) influence the management of projects. Which one of the following BEST describes the important categories of OPAs?

Enterprise environmental factors (EEFs)

Originate from the environment outside the project and often outside the enterprise. Examples: Legal regulations or infrastructure. Uncontrollable conditions that influence, constrain, or direct the project. Internal or external to the organization. Positive or negative influence on the outcome of the project. Considered as inputs to project management processes, especially those around planning.

Organizational Structure Type Functional (centralized)

People are organized in entities based on their specialties (like marketing, IT, and procurement) and entities (like departments or teams.) Managers control and decide on most of the operational aspects. Also, managers are the ones coordinating any projects.

Which of the following are processes, policies and procedures for conducting project work during initiation and planning?

Product and project life cycles, preapproved supplier lists and various types of contractual agreements.

Projects operate within the constraints imposed by the organization through their structure and governance framework. The system factors include all of the following EXCEPT:

Project management processes

Which of the following is the least likely project consideration regarding tailoring?

Project manager's skills and competency

Influences

Projects exist and operate in environments that may have an influence on them. They can have either a favorable or unfavorable impact on the project.

Project Management Office (PMO) degree of influence it has on a project

Supportive: Provides consultative role: Control level low Controlling: Provides support/Requires compliance: Control level medium. Directive: Provides takes control/Manages projects: Control level high.

Governance is the framework within which authority is exercised in organizations. This framework includes all of the following components EXCEPT:

Techniques

Management elements key functions:

The authority given to perform work The division of work using specialized skills and availability to perform work. Any discipline of action. Being paid fairly for work performed. Demonstrating that the goals of the organization take precedence over individual goals.

Organizational Structure Types factors to consider include:

The degree of alignment with organizational objectives. Specialization capabilities The span of organizational control, efficiency, and effectiveness, and A clear path for the escalation of decisions.

Management elements, governance frameworks, and organizational structure types.

The interaction of multiple factors within an individual organization creates a unique system that impacts the project operating in that system. Which of the following are system factors?

Organization's management

The interaction of the various system components creates the organizational culture and capabilities that are important for the project. Which role is typically responsible for establishing the system?

Project closing guidelines

The organization's processes and procedures for conducting project work during Executing, Monitoring, and Controlling include all of the following EXCEPT:

Project closing guidelines

The organization's processes and procedures for conducting project work during project Executing, Monitoring, and Controlling include all of the following EXCEPT:

Harmonizing PMOs strive to reduce conflict and improve harmony among project team members.

The types of project management office (PMO) structures in organizations include all of the following EXCEPT:

The organization's processes and procedures for conducting project work during project initiation and planning include all of the following EXCEPT:

Traceability matrices

Information technology software and marketplace conditions

Which of the following are examples of internal and external enterprise environmental factors?

Issue and defect management procedures, and change control procedures.

Which of the following are processes, policies, and procedures for conducting project work during executing, monitoring, and controlling?

Supportive, controlling, and directive.

Which of the following are types of project management office (PMO) structures?

A system

a collection of various components that produce results not obtainable by the individual components alone.

A system component

an identifiable element that provides a particular function or group of related functions

Organizational Structure Type Project management office (PMO)

an organizational structure that standardizes project-related governance, processes and facilitates, the sharing or resources, methodologies, and tools and techniques, across a department or the entire organization.

Organizational Structure Type Hybrid

combines a different type of organizational structure; like a multidivisional structure with functional or balanced with a strong matrix structure.

Organizational Structure Type Multi-divisional

composed from multiple divisions which act independently. There is a higher entity (the parent company) who has the high-level control but, at the same time, gives a lot of autonomy to its divisions.

Organizational systems

creates the organizational culture and capabilities. Comprised of multiple factors that creates a unique structure and can impact the project operating in that system.

Organizational Structure Type Virtual

disseminated entities require specific tech to work and communicate. Usually, it employs similar structures with other functional structures, but with entities located in different areas.

Governance

organizational arrangements designed to determine and influence the behavior of the organization's members.

Organizational Structure Type Matrix-balanced

people are organized in entities based on their specialty. However, in this entity, one of the employee assumes the role of project manager and has double responsibility-operational and for the project.

Organizational Structure Type Organic or Simple

presumes flat reporting and a large number of employees for each manager. The interactions between employees tend to be equal in terms of authority.

Project governance

refers to the framework that guides project management activities in order to meet organizational, strategic, and operational goals.

Organizational Structure Type Matrix-weak

similar to the functional org structure because people are organized in entities based on their specialty. Project coordination by a group of employees. They coordinate the project and have operational responsibilities which they need to attend primarily.

Organizational Structure Type Matrix-strong

similar to the functional organizational structure because people are organized in entities based on their specialty. There is a dedicated entity, often called a project management office, which includes all the project managers. They have a project director and are responsible only for project activities.

Organizational Structure Type Project-oriented

structured and oriented around projects. Org's entities are created to manage, support and implement a specific project. At the end of the project, if no other project is started, the entities are adjourning and employees move to another organization.