PMP - MAY 12, 2008

All this hard work paid off - on May 12, 2008 (around noon) I officially earned my PMP! I thought the test was challenging - even to the point I think I got the hard test.

Points:
1. Schedule the test
2. Prepare to take the test
3. When taking the test: Monitor your time, and don't panic. My experience is, I was running out of time on the last 20 questions - and flew through them. I did not do a review because my own personal experience is that it doesn't work out for me, so I hit the end key and prayed for the best.

Notes:
1. If you pass - CONGRATULATIONS!
2. If you need to re-schedule - do so as soon as possible - don't wait.
3. Let's say in the unlikely event you do not pass, don't fret - because NOW you know what the test is all about. Take another review course, practice test taking while evaluating what might of happened. Then SCHEDULE again, because in the end - you will get your PMP and it is worth the effort.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the study groups and supported me in this effort.

Brain Dump - Initial

Not bad for my first initial brain dump considering the exam is only 3 weeks away (who's counting)?.

Check this out:
Brain Dump April 21, 2008

Rita’s Process Chart

Initiating
Select PM
Determine Culture and existing Systems
Collect Processes, Procedures and Lessons Learned
Divide Project into Phases
Determine Stakeholders
Document Business Needs
Determine Project Objectives
Define Assumptions and Constraints
Develop Project Charter
Develop Preliminary Project Scope

Planning
Develop ‘how to plan’ planning documents
Develop Project Scope
Select Project Team
Develop WBS and WBS Dictionary
Develop Activity List
Create Network Diagram
Estimate Resource Requirements
Estimate Time and Cost
Determine Critical path
Develop Schedule
Develop Budget
Determine Quality standards, processes and metrics
Define Roles and Responsibilties
Develop Communications plans,
Develop Risk identification, qualitative & quantitative risk analysis, & response planning
Iteration
Determine what to purchase
Prepare Procurement documents
Finalize how to ‘execute’ and control aspects of all management plans
Create Process Improvement Plan
Develop final PM plan and performance Measurement baselines
Gain Formal Approval
Conduct Kick off meeting

Executing
Acquire final team
Execute the PM plan
Work to produce product
Recommend changes and corrective actions
Send and Receive Information
Implement approved changes, defect repair, preventive and corrective actions
Continuous improvement
Follow processes and procedures
Team Building
Give and receive recognition
Hold progress meetings
Use work authorization system
Request seller responses
Select seller

Monitoring and Controlling
Measure against performance baselines
Measure against performance management plans
Determine variances and if they warrant a corrective action or a change
Scope Verification
Configuration Management
Recommend changes, defect repair, preventive and corrective action
Integrated Change Control
Approve Changes, defect repair, preventive and corrective action
Risk Audits
Manage Reserves
Use Issue logs
Facilitate Conflict resolution
Measure team member performance
Report on performance
Create Forecasts
Administer Contracts


Closing
Develop Administrative Closing procedures
Perform Contract Closure
Scope Verification
Gain Formal acceptance of the product
Final Performance reporting
Index and Archive Project Records
Lessons Learned
Hand off Product
Release Resources

Project Management (I saw the car quickly hit Chris's rear plate)
Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, HR, Communications, Risk and Procurement

Integration
Project Charter
Project Scope
Develop PM plan
Direct and Manage Project Execution
Monitor and Control
Integrated Change Control
Closing

Scope Management
Scope Planning
Scope Definition
Create WBS
Scope Verification
Scope Closing

Time Management
Activities Definition
Activity Sequencing
Activity Resource Estimating
Activity Duration Estimating
Schedule Development
Schedule Control

Cost
Cost Estimating
Cost Budgeting
Cost Control

Quality

Quality planning
Quality Assurance
Quality control

Human Resource
Human Resource Planning
Acquire Project Team
Develop Project Team
Manage Project team

Communications
Communications Planning
Information Distribution
Performance Reporting
Manage Stakeholders

Risk
Risk Management Planning
Risk Identification
Qualitative Risk Analysis
Quantitative Risk Analysis
Risk Response Planning
Risk Monitoring and Controlling

Procurement
Plan Purchases and acquisitions
Plan Contracting
Request Seller Responses
Select Sellers
Contract Administration
Contract Closure


Formulas – the best I can do on 4/21/08

Know some basics: Always Fixed Values:
AC, PV, and BAC!

Know that Earned value analysis compares three values:

PV – Planned Value
(BCWS)
(The cost on what you planned)
(PMB: Performance Measurement Baseline)
EV – Earned Value
(Calculated ratio on how close you are to the plan)
(Percentage of the total budget equal to the percentage of work actually completed.)
(Also called BCWP – Budgeted Cost of Work Performed)
AC – Actual Cost
(ACWP)
Cost based on your timesheets

Variance – Always a subtraction, EV is first
SV = EV – PV
CV = EV – AC

Performance – index (always a division, EV on top)
SPI = EV/PV
CPI=EV/AC

Communications: N(N-1)/2 yeah! I remembered that one!!!
This is about all I can remember.

This is where you have to memorize!!!
PROJECTIONS
It is about EV
Note: 2 ESTIMATE AT COMPLETION formulas
EAC = AC + BAC – EV (Actual costs, Budget at Completion, and Earned Value)
EAC = BAC / CPI (Budget at Completion / Cost Performance Index)


Note: 1 VARIANCE AT COMPLETION formula
VAC = BAC – EAC (Budget at Completion – Estimate at Completion)


O.K., you might think this is repetitive, but my memory is always an uphill battle and I'm not sure who is winning this one!

PROJECT COST MANAGEMENT - REVIEW

For you:

After Reviewing the Time Management chapter 6, I am now reviewing Cost Management, Chapter 7 – page 210 in Rita’s book has a nice exercise which clarified for me, the meaning behind each cost element. I recommend this exercise:

PV: What is the estimated value of the work planned to be done (BCWS)
EV: What is the estimated value of the work actually accomplished (BCWP)
AC: What is the actual cost of Work performed (ACWP)
BAC: Budget at Completion
CV Cost Variance (EV-CV)
CPI: Cost Performance Index (CPI=EV/AC)
SV: Schedule Variance (SV=EV-PV)
SPI: Schedule Performance Index (SPI=EV/PV)
EAC: Estimate At Completion (BAC/CPI)
ETC: EAC – AC
VAC: BAC – EAC

There are many formulas for EAC. See page 207 in RITA’s book (or look up in (PMBOK). Memorize this. Do the exercises – they help.
Points; EV comes first in every formula.
If it is a variance, the formula is EV minus something.
If it is index, it is EV divided by something
If the formula relates to cost, use AC
If the formula relates to schedule, use PV
For interpretation, negative is BAD and positive GOOD. (SV and CV)
For interpretation, greater than one is GOOD, less than one is BAD (SPI and CPI)

KEEP ON GOING - STUDY AND REVIEW

I am continually reviewing. I was taking the MeasureUp exam and came across a question requiring that you know how to determine float in a network diagram. This required knowledge of how to do a FORWARD and BACKWARD Pass, then compute the FLOAT for a particular task.

KNOW THIS!
Calculate Early Start and Early Finish values using Forward pass.
EF = ES + DUR -1 on subseuent activites is greast EF + 1

Calculate Later Finish and Late STart Values using Backward pass
LS = LF - DUR + 1, LF on previous activities is least LS - 1.

I sent an e-mail out to the study group detailing my hours worth of review. Maybe you will benefit from that.

Calculate FLOAT
F = LS - ES (also called SLACK)

The following review is RITA's PROCESS CHART
(recommend strongly that you know this, it will help with your sense of understanding all the KNOWLEDGE areas, integration with the Process areas).

INITIATION

Select PM
Identify Cultures, Existing Systems
Collect Processes, Procedures and lessons Learned
Divide Project into Phases
Select Stakeholders
Document Business Needs
Identify Business Objectives
Document Assumptions and Constraints
Develop Project Charter
Develop Preliminary Project Scope


PLANNING

Develop PM ‘how to plan’ documents
Determine Team
Develop Project Scope
Develop WBS and WBS dictionary
Develop Activity List
Develop Network Diagram
Estimate Resources
Estimate Time and Cost
Develop Critical Path
Develop Schedule
Develop Budget
Determine Quality, Assurance, Monitor and Control (Metrics)
Determine Roles and Responsibilities
Develop Communications Plan
Develop Risk Management plan (Quantitative, Qualitative, monitor and control)
Iterations – GO BACK
Identify what to purchase
Develop Procurement documents
Develop ‘how to execute and control’ plans
Create Process Improvement plans
Develop final PM plan and performance measurement documents
Gain final approval
Hold Kick off Meeting

EXECUTING

Acquire
Work to produce product scope
Recommend changes, defect repair, preventive and corrective action
Send/Receive communications
Implemented approved changes, defect repairs, preventive and corrective action
Continuous process improvement
Follow processes
Team Building
Give recognitions and rewards
Hold Progress meetings
Use Work Authorization
Request Seller responses
Select Seller


MONITORING AND CONTROL

Measure according to PM plans
Measure according to performance baselines
Determine variances
Scope Verification
Configuration Management
Recommend changes, defect, preventative and corrective Actions
Integrated Change Control
Approve Changes, defect, preventative and corrective Actions
Risk audits
Manage Reserves
Issue Logs
Facilitate Conflict Resolution
Measure Performance
Report on Performance
Forecasts
Administer Contracts


CLOSING

Develop Closing Procedures
Complete Contract closures
Confirm Work is done to requirements - Verify product scope requirements
Gain Formal Acceptance
Final Performance reporting
Index and Archive records
Document Lessons Learned
Hand off completed product
Release resources

Mid-point Review

The mid-point review consists of:

The PMP and the exam; preparing for it (a review); and signing up!
1. I put that first because it is important to commit. What are your intentions?

The Framework of Project Management
I took a review class, my first PMP review - I have to tell you, I did not know what I was getting myself into - sometimes (alot of times) I walk into these things - totally blind. The class made no sense to me. Why was I doing Project Management and what does PMBOK have to do with it. 5 processes and 9 knowledge areas? What does 44 activities have to do with it and what about 'integration'? Now that I am wiser, this makes absolute sense to me. I may not know it all, but I understand what it is about, it's purpose, and I know the goal.

The Framework:
From the American heritage Dictionary, Framework definition:

1. A structure for supporting or enclosing something else, especially a skeletal support used as the basis for something being constructed.
2. An external work platform; a scaffold.
3. A fundamental structure, as for a written work.
4. A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality.

I highlighted my favorite definitions. The Framework, as I know it to be in the PMP - PMBOK-3 definition - it is a structure to define the Project Management set up - the roof and the foundation, the Processes and the nine knowledge areas.

The five processes are:

Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, Closing

In every Knowledge area of Project Management - it touches one or more of the five processes - some will involve all 5 processes, some only two. The 9 knowledge areas are:

(using this tip to remember:

I saw the car quickly hit Chris's rear plate....

Integration Management

Scope Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Quality Management

HR Management

Communications Management

Risk Management

Procurement Management

The 44 activities are inside the framework and touch both a knowledge area (only one) and touches a process area (at least one, sometimes all 5 process areas).

The Framework must be understood, not memorized, but understood well. The process and knowledge areas will become very, very familiar as we progress forward in the PMBOK studies.

I use this blog to talk to myself, so - here is RITA's PROCESS CHART (my test to myself) - if you are listening, MEMORIZE THIS!!!

INITIATION

Select project Manager, Determine Company Culture and existing Systems, Collect processes, procedures and historical information, Divide project into phases, identify stakeholders, Determine Business Needs, Document Project Objectives, Document Assumptions and Constraints, Develop Project Charter, Develop Preliminary Scope Statement

PLANNING

Define plans on how to plan, part of PM plans;

I will update this later... Do you know the rest of the process chart?

Project Time Management - notes

Good Evening! This is my third, fourth, fifth time delving into Project Time Management. There is so much to this chapter and to top that off, it closely parallels Project Cost Management. They go hand in hand. It is a HUGE impact if your scheduling is not done right for a project - that the costs - are also 'hugely' affected by that. For example: Because of a 6 month delay in software development by the vendor (yes, it was), it impacted out costs. If we extended implementation out by one month, it would have cost too much money - I want to say 10% more - it was a bunch. Instead, it was decided to implement and accept in the same month (30 day acceptance period) - our warranty is still in affect and the risk is somewhat minimal.

I am summarizing RITA's Chapter 6 - Schedule Management Planning tonight. It's all I can concentrate on at this time. - sharpen your pencil and get ready.

"In order to answer time management questions correctly, you need a thorough understanding of the PROCESS of scheduling a project. In the real world, we use software to help us with the network diagram. In the PMBOK exam world, you must know how to manually draw the network diagram. Anyway, the project management software available can be extremely helpful for scheduling 'what if' scenarios and status reporting functions, but it does not tell you how to manage a project. " You cannot follow software, you must make it conform to your needs".

MEMORIZE RITA's process chart - this will truly help you understand. For the Project Time Management chapter, we are dealing with very specific tasks in the Planning and the Monitoring and Controlling Process areas.

PLANNING: Determine how you will do planning (schedule) - part of the pm plans; create activity list; estimate resource requirements; estimate time and cost; determine critical path; develop schedule; iterations - go back; Finalize the "how to execute and controls' aspects of all management plans; Develop final PM plan and performance measurement baselines.

MONITORING & CONTROLLING: Measure against the performance measurement baselines; Measure according to the management plans; Determine variances and if they warrant corrective actions or a change; Recommend changes; defect repair; preventive and corective actions.

IN SUMMARY:

Time Management Process Done During

Activity Definition Planning Process group
Activity Sequencing Planning Process group
Activity resource estimating Planning Process group
Activity duration estimating Planning Process group
Schedule development Planning process group
Schedule Control Monitoring and Controlling

THINGS TO KNOW FOR THE EXAM:
1. Estimating is based on WBS (to improve accuracy)
2. Estimating should be done by the person doing the work whenever possible (Expert Judgement - Tool & Technique)
3. Historical Information from past projects (Organizational Process Assets)
4. A schedule baseline (cost, scope, quality and resource baselines) and can only be changed by approved change requests. "A baseline is a specific version of the project plan/schedule approved and accepted by the project management team"
5. The schedule should be managed to the Schedule baseline.
6. Integrated Change Control
7. Estimates are more accurate to the smaller size work components established (refer to activity list information - break down from WBS )
8. Corrective and preventive actions should be recommended when schedule problems (cost, scope, quality and resource problem ) occure
9. A PM should never just accept requirements from management, but rather analyze the needs of the project, come up with her own estimates and reconcile any differences to produce realistic objectives.
10. Plans should be revised as necessary during completion of work
11. How to get a good estimate
12 Padding is not acceptable PM practice
13. The PM must meet any agreed upon estimates
14. What to do with the estimates when received
15. How to keep the estimates realistic

REMEMBER: Incorrect PM practices will be listed as choices on the exam. Study and be clear on Project Time Management.

RITA says: You will frequently see one-time estimate per activity used on the exam,. This method is not always the best, but it is a quick way to improve your undersatnding of finding critical paths, and drawing network diagrams. Using one-time estimates also allows for a dquick calculation and proof that you understand those concepts.

TIME MANAGEMENT:

The first process is PLANNING! How will I go about planning the schedule for the project?
How will I effectively manage and control the project to the schedule baseline, and manage schedule variances?

A schedule management plan requires that the project be measured to the baseline along the way of the project....

The schedule management plan will help make the schedule estimating process faster by providing guidelines on how estimates should be made (stating that estimates must be in hours or days). During the direct and manage project exxecution process, the schedule management plan can help determine if a vaiance is over the allowable threshold. . .
The schedule management plan can also help detemine the types of reports required on the project relating to schedule....

Next STep after the SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT PLAN has been developed. . .

ACTIVITY SEQUENCING . . . Stay tuned....

Testing, Memorizing and studying

I really enjoy the study group. It provides both consistency and motivation. TIP: Get your PMBOK-3 PMP before January. Otherwise, you will be faced with preparing for PMBOK-4. AFter all this preparation, how much more do you want to put into this?

Consistency - this is a key as well. I have been so busy with a project at work, it has been very disruptive in my studying for the PMP. I can tell the difference - my motivation is waning and my memory for PMBOK is too. :)

So here we go, I'm re-committing to my studies.

The basics - Rita's Process Chart. I have a couple of the processes memorized - the others 'kind of' - so if you get bored with this - move on and post a blog of a different sort.

HAVE YOU MEMORIZED RITA's PROCESS CHART?

Test yourself. . . . . .

Initiation:

1. Select the PM = this is good time to choose who
2. Determine Company Culture and existing systems
3. Collect Processes, procedures and historical records
4. Divide project into phases
5. Identify stakeholders
6. Document business needs
7. Document project objectives
8. Document Assumptions and Constraints
9. Develop Project Charter
10. Develop Preliminary Project Scope

NOTE: Everyone should know by now the INITIATION Process pretty well, as well as the INPUTS, TOOL & TECHNIQUES, and OUTPUTS

PLANNING
1. Determine how to plan - 'project management plan'
2. Develop Project Scope
3. Determine the Team
4. Create WBS and WBS Dictionary
5. Create Activity List
6. Create Network Diagram
7. Estimate Time and Cost
8. Determine Resources
9. Determine Critical Path
10. Develop Schedule
11. Develop Budget
12. Determine Quality, Quality Control, Quality Assurance
13. Determine Roles and Responsibilites
14. Develop Communications Plan
15. Determine Risks, Risks Reponses, Risks Control
16. Iterations
17. Determine what to purchase
18. Develop Procurement documents
19. Prepare final "how to execute and monitor' pm plans
20. Create Process Improvement Plans
21. Prepare final PM plans and measurement baselines
22 Gain Formal Approval
23. Conduct Kick off meeting

Executing
1. Acquire the team
2. Execute the PM Plan
3. Complete Project work
4. Recommend changes and corrections
5. Send and Receive
6. implement changes, corrections and defect repairs
7. Chris - Continuous Improvement
8. Follows - follow Processes
9. Given - Recognition and Reward
10. Hold - Hold Progress Meeting
11. Useful - Use Issue Logs
12. Requests - Request Seller Reponses
13. Select Seller

Well - I know 50%, maybe alittle more on the EXECUTING process - STUDY - STUDY - STUDY - Note: Someone in our study group recites this before going to sleep - that's an idea!

MONITORING AND CONTROLLING

1. Measure against the baselines
2. Measure against the performance measurement baselines
3. Measure according to the management plans
4. Determine variances and if they warrant corrective action or a change
5. Scope verification
6. Configuration Management
7. Recommend changes, defect repair, preventive and corrective actions
8. Integrated Change Control
9. Approve changes, defect repair, preventive and corrective actions
10. Risk Audits
11. Manage Reserves
12. Use Issue Logs
13. Facilitate conflict resolution
14. Measure team performance
15. Report on performance
16. Create forecasts
17. Administer Contracts

The key is to Study and LOGIC this one out.

CLOSING

1. Develop Closing Procedures

2. Complete Contract Closure

3. Confirm Work is done to REquirements

4. Gain Formal Acceptance of the product

5. Final Performance Reporting

6. Index and Archive records

7. Update Lessons Learned Knowledge Base

8. Hand off completed Project

9. Release Resources

STudy STUDY STUDY and RECITE, RECITE, RECITE, RECITE