Project Management Foundations LinkedIn Lesson

how does organizational culture affect projects?

- organization's mission shapes its culture projects that support company's culture is likely to get more resources - leadership and authority management defines clear goals and delegates responsibilities - work environment with a + environment people are motivated to get things done

Turn WBS into a schedule

1. put tasks in sequential order 2. estimate the time each task will take 3. assign tasks to project team members 4. calculate task duration 5. account for deadlines and other constraints

to document project deliverables

1. start with the end 2. then intermediate 3. define the deliverables due between status reports

bell curve

50% are greater than average, 50% are less than average have the best, typical and worst estimates when communicating time-lines with clients tell them a number that is between the typical and worst case scenarios

Tiko and Camille's boss has a project in which the solution is a bit unclear. Tiko wants to use a waterfall approach and Camille wants to use the Agile approach. Which approach is best and why?

Agile is best because it delivers partial solutions are regular intervals it uses short iterations or sprints to deliver partial solutions while customer feedback improves the overall solution

After the plan is approved and project work begins, Tara's boss is not happy about a project delay for an upgrade. The vendor thought Tara's team would do the upgrade, and Tara thought the vendor would do it. What was missed in this situation?

An assumption was not identified. Assumptions are created during the project initiation phase when you do not know everything that will happen, and thus this one was missed.

Projectized Organization

Any organizational structure in which the project manager has full authority (budget) to assign priorities, apply resources, and direct the work of persons assigned to the project. resources are dedicated to projects

Banton is defining his project deliverables. Which statement describes what a project deliverable is?

Deliverables are the results that the project delivers and help define the project scope.

A project that you manage is behind schedule. You have identified an approach that would get the project back on track, but it would require you to break one of your organization's policies. What is the best course of action?

Determine if the rule is one that can be broken and come up with an alternative plan of action if your approach doesn't work. Some rules can't be broken without severe consequences. If you determine that the rule can be broken, you can deliver earlier with minor consequences. You must have a plan for what you will do if you break the rule and don't deliver earlier.

what are the five process groups of the project life cycle?

Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing process

Strong matrix

PM and staff work full-time on projects

The sponsor of Project T5 assigned you as the project manager, and the project has already been approved. What is the first thing you need to do as the project manager?

Review what has been done and complete any tasks not addressed. Since the project was approved before the project manager was chosen, the project manager needs to take these steps next.

Sakait has done some extra work to appease a client. Now the client is asking her to do one more task, which is significant and not part of project scope. What should Sakait do?

Sakait should tell the client the task is not within scope and add the task using the change control process. This is the best approach for Sakait and would help to prevent any further scope creep.

one way to define clear objectives is to use SMART

Specific: prevents misunderstanding, inform what needs to achieved Measurable: show how much has been achieved Achievable: tell what can be done with resources available Realistic Time- Related: identify when

Rudolph, the project manager, is trying to obtain customer approval of project deliverables. It is taking longer than he anticipated because the customer wants to discuss the results. What is the most likely reason for these delays?

The success criteria aren't clear and quantifiable. Success criteria that are unclear or not quantifiable can make it difficult to determine whether deliverables are acceptable.

You are managing a project that is implementing a new financial system. You need to include some of the finance department's resources on the team. Which stakeholder should you approach?

a functional or line manager This stakeholder is most accountable for the resources that are needed for a project.

James is managing a project in which he has some authority to make decisions. In which type of organizational structure is James most likely managing this project?

a matrix organization

Your boss has asked you to be the project manager of an approved software implementation project. Which project document identifies your authority and responsibilities?

a project charter

The boss has asked you to research project management tools that will help with building and planning tasks on a timeline. Which type of tool would you most likely consider?

a scheduling program

risk

a situation or event that might occur define these early on in the project process

Krisha is gathering information on her stakeholders, such as department names, factors that motivate them, who they listen to, and their contributions on the project. What is this document called?

a stakeholder analysis

what are the components that differentiate a project from operational work?

a unique goal, a temporary endeavor and a budget

functional managers

achieve department goals manage team members

planning

answers the questions: what are we going to do? how are we going to do it? how will we know when it's done?

matrix

are still functional hierarchies but support projects more can be weak, balanced or strong depending on emphasis on projects PM has some authority resources report to two managers (PM and functional)

building a WBS

as a team you decide what the high level summary tasks are then break them down

delphi technique

ask several experts to come up with estimates and then compute an average

there is more than one way to achieve goals so it is important to

brainstorm to generate many alternative ideas it is important to evaluate the ideas using a strategy decision matrix

executing

bring resources on board, get them settled in and explain rules using to run the project

parametric model

calculate work and cost based on measured unit works when you have data from many similar projects

performance objectives

catch all ex. finish project by 06/08/22

monitoring and controlling

checking the progress of the project and compare to what was supposed to happen

when determining success criteria make sure they are

clear and quantifiable

Problem statement

clearly defines the problem or opportunity

strategy decision matrix

compares strategies lists how many objectives the strategy satisfies rate the performance for each objective

deliverables help you

define the project scope (what is and is not included in the project) measure progress

Project objectives help you flesh out a project by _____.

defining project scope

initiating includes

defining your scope assessing your scope determining resources needed identify stakeholders ask for approval sponsor gives the "go ahead" assign a PM make a project charter

Project Scope

describes the boundaries of the project be sure to get this in writing (to avoid scope creep)

scope statement

documents that spells out the project scope includes: success criteria assumptions risks constraints out of scope section (what the project won't address)

Your organization runs numerous projects and wants to choose the most appropriate resources for each project team. Which of the following is the best tool for identifying project resources?

enterprise project management software (offers tools to find resources with the right skills and availability)

materials cost

equipment being installed construction materials consumable goods

bottom up cost

estimate cost of each task and add them up

Top-down cost estimating

estimate phases or major components and break estimates into smaller tasks

During which process group does the project manager orient team members to the project and expectations?

executing (at the beginning of this process group you kick off the project, get resources on board and explain the rules for the project)

you can use assumptions to

fill missing information but be sure to revisit them and modify as necessary

Which technique would you most likely use to gather valid requirements and get buy-in from various departments?

focus groups This type of requirements gathering is usually face-to-face and is best for obtaining buy-in or agreements from several groups.

types of organizational structures

functional (hierarchy), matrix, projectized

Agile Approach

goes through changes iterations produce deliverables at regular intervals planning/initiating: define goal and build plan to achieve it (develop plans for each iteration) execution: work on each iteration one at a time monitor and control more closely each iteration has its own closing process (when final iteration is accepted- the project is complete) best for projects when the solution is unclear

objectives

help define the project scope, the approach you choose and the success criteria you have to meet

summary tasks

higher level tasks in WBS describe parts of the project represent phases completed by different parts of an organization how many levels depends on the size of the project

skills matrix

how many people you need with specific skills estimate number of resources needed for each skill

rosanne's boss asks her to manage a project. Which question requires understanding of objectives, requirements, deliverables, and success criteria to answer?

how will you know when you are done?

work break down structure

identify the work that has to be done makes it easier to estimate time and cost makes it easier to assign tasks to people contains summary tasks and work packages

staffing plan

identify where you plan to get resources when do you need resources identify if the employees need training

Your team has identified possible strategies for a project. The team is now evaluating them using a decision matrix. What is the purpose of weighting the objectives?

identifying the importance of each objective Weighting objectives allows you to determine which strategy addresses the most important objectives.

burdened cost

includes salary and benefits

financial objectives

increase revenue by 15% decrease expenses by 10%

what are the techniques for gathering requirements

interviews focus groups observation survey analyze existing documents

once you select the top rated strategy from your strategy decision matrix you should ask

is the strategy feasible? are the risks are acceptable? does the strategy fit the culture of the organization?

how do you most effectively navigate a company's culture

know the boundaries respect change management and respect local culture

work packages

lowest level in WBS detailed work needed to finish deliverables break down in 8 to 80 hour tasks match frequency of statue reports how you know when the task is complete

Ramesh is creating objectives for his project. Which SMART step will help him identify actual progress?

measurable

project management software: scheduling

microsoft project oracle primavera liquidplanner smartsheet wrike asana

Your project seems to be going off track, so you take action to resolve the problem. In which project management process group are you working?

monitoring and controlling this process group checks on the status of the project and compares it to what was planned

project charter

officially authorizes the project and describes the authority of the PM includes: 1. project name 2. purpose 3. high level project description (scope, risks, assumptions, requirements) 4. milestone schedule 5. rough-cost estimate 6. stakeholders 7. PMs name responsibilities, authority 8. formal declaration of sponsor's support

functional (hierarchy)

one person reports to only one supervisor (functional manager) PM has almost no authority because projects are not the priority functional manager is in charge of budget resources do not report to PM PM has divided responsibilities

project customer

person or group with a problem to solve funds the project informs what needs to be done approves deliverables

Your client has asked for a project that will fix productivity concerns with the customer service department. After asking "why" several times, you are able to determine the cause and create a _____.

problem statement This is what clearly defines the problem or opportunity that the project will address.

traditional approach (waterfall)

process groups of life cycle occur one after the other processes flow from one to the next works well when the goal and solution are clearly defined and scope and deliverables are clear cut the more you know about the project simple projects with little uncertainty (risk), familiar technology, team members have worked on similar projects in the past (experienced resources)

project budget

realistic estimate of how much the project will cost labor, materials, travel, etc.

time based resources also need to be included in the budget

rental equipment leased office space

known unknowns

risks that you are aware of include weather delays unavailable resources

resource management plan

roles responsibilities reporting structure skills staffing

organizational culture

set of factors that guide people's behaviors and decisions within an organization shared values, beliefs, habits, etc.

closing

short get client to accept that project is complete document project performance close contracts help resources move to next assignment

project organization chart

shows the hierarchy and reporting structure of the project

technical objectives

similar to technical specifications for equipment ex. introduce mobile equipment for hospital, ambulance, and emergency site

As part of the project definition, Bisa identifies risks for the project. What is the purpose of doing this during project initiation?

so management can decide whether the risks are serious enough to warrant denying the project

quality objectives

specify how good results have to be ex. decrease staph infections by 80%

responsibility matrix

spells out who can make decisions RICA Responsible-needs to be informed- consult before a decision- accountable for decisions and delegations

project plan

splitting the work up into small pieces answers who, how long and how much need to take into account the number of resources you have and how you will use them used over the life of the project directs people's tasks track project aids in course corrections communicates progress with stakeholders

You are hiring a new project manager to take over a project with several teams that often disagree on what they are supposed to do. Which competency would you feel is most important in a candidate for this situation?

strong leadership skills this skill is needed to help guide and inspire the team to do the right things and work together

business objectives

support your business' goals ex. inc. market share to 25% ex. provide world-class health care

stakeholders include

the customer, project sponsor, department and team members need to know what they need from the project and how they can contribute to tit

project goal

the end result that the customer wants delivers solves a problem

which organizational factor would you use when having to make a difficult decision?

the organization's mission when a project supports the organization's mission, the project will likely get more support and resources

Ravi took on a system implementation project that he estimated would take six months to complete, but the work keeps continuing. What is the likely cause?

the project is not clearly defined when the work on a project keeps goin, it is a sign the project is not well defined

Several stakeholders for a project disagree on the priorities of many project objectives. Who would you ask first for help resolving this issue?

the project sponsor The project sponsor wants the project to succeed and has enough authority to help you resolve issues, particularly with other stakeholders.

You are the project manager for a healthcare system implementation project. The sponsor has asked you to create a project definition. What will the sponsor use this document for?

to decide whether to approve the project By defining the project, the customer or sponsor can make an informed decision whether the project makes sense for the organization.

you work with a core planning team

to determine the initial time and cost benefits

Why is it important to document the project scope?

to remind stakeholders what they agreed to and to prevent scope creep With the project scope in writing, you will be able to identify whether requests are within scope or need to be handled by change management.

what are the project management approaches?

traditional (waterfall) agile

unknown unknowns

unforeseeable events - be sure to set contingency funds

stakeholder analysis

used to categorize and define the stakeholders includes what dept./company they're from what their position is who their advisors are what their objectives are how much influence they have what they will contribute and if they will be resistant (concerns)

what are the benefits of the agile approach?

value is delivered sooner more customer involvement (provide continuous feedback) project teams are smaller and experienced and thus don't require as much supervision

project sponsor

wants the project to succeed helps prioritize objectives talks to stakeholders suggests improvements

labor cost

what you pay people vendors, contractors, and employees

what is scope creep?

when stakeholders ask to add requirements to the project

enterprise level software

works well for organizations that run many projects at the same time helps to provide resources for the scales you need helps you track risk and build a library