PMP PREPARATION : INTEGRATION : IMPORTANT POINTS

  I cleared my PMP on 26th may 2014. I have gone through all the three books PMBOK, RITA MULCAHY'S and HEAD FIRST. During preparation I made few notes. so the material has been picked up from all the three books and these are just the key points. 
 NOTE : IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ONE SHOULD READ THESE POINTS IN DETAIL FROM THE BOOKS (which ever interests you more) AND ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED A THOROUGH READING, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THESE POINTS FOR CONSOLIDATION.

PMP PREPARATION : INTEGRATION 

1. The sponsor is the person who pays for the project.
2. Project charter authorizes the PM to do the project.
3. Big part of project management part tells you how to handle a changes when problems come up.
4. What to do when you encounter a change : consult the project management plan 
5. Where will you find Scheduling and configuration management information : PMIS
6. How well your team performed : WPI (work performance information) : by measuring how well the processes from each knowledge area are being performed 
7. Direct and Manage Project Work : where you and your team actually do the project work. to produce the deliverable
8. DELIVERABLE : every single document, Plan, Schedule, Budget, Blueprint, incl all project management documents
9. PERFORM INTEGRATED CHANGE CONTROL : get your change approved from the change control board, review the change and document its impact.
10. DEFECT : what you wanted to happen at the first place did not happen. it does not need to be documents the PM plan. 
11. PREVENTIVE ACTION : change the way you are doing the work , you see problems even though they have not happened yet.
12. CORRECTIVE ACTION : when you make a course change on your project
13. Defect Repair also has to be approved by the CCB
14. CHANGE CONTROL : how you deal with changes to your project management plan
15. CHANGE CONTROL SYSTEM : Set of procedures that let you make those changes in an organized way
16. corrective or preventive : all changes have to go through the CCB 
17. FORECAST : when people predict problems
18. you always have an authority to change your project (make changes) if they dont affect cost schedule or scope (or the other constraints)
19. INTEGRATION MANAGEMENT :  making sure that all the processes work together seamlessly to make your project successful
20. WORK AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM : ensure that every work package is performed at the right time and in the proper sequence 
21. Who decides the priority of the changes : PROJECT MANAGER
22. Once a change is requested, all of the work that you do fall under Perform Integrated Change Control

note : study CHANGE from the HEAD FIRST . explained really well.

PMP PREPERATION : FRAMEWORK

                  I cleared my PMP on 26th may 2014. I have gone through all the three books PMBOK, RITA MULCAHY'S and HEAD FIRST. During preparation I made few notes. so the material has been picked up from all the three books and these are just the key points. 
 NOTE : IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ONE SHOULD READ THESE POINTS IN DETAIL FROM THE BOOKS (which ever interests you more) AND ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED A THOROUGH READING, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THESE POINTS FOR CONSOLIDATION.

FRAMEWORK 

this part is boring :( but important :)

• OPM : ORGANIZATIONAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT

          1. Framework for keeping the org as a whole focussed on overall strategy.

          2. Provides directions for how portfolios, programs, projects and other org work should be                         prioritized, managed, executed and measured to best achieve the strategic goal

• PMO : PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE : mainly three types

          1. SUPPORTIVE : Only provide support, low level of control

          2. CONTROLLING : Provides support + guides + provide training on PMS (project management software) + assists with tools + ensure compliances

Moderate level of control

          3. DIRECTIVE : Provides PM (Project Manager) + responsible for the result 

High level of control

• PROJECT CONSTRAINTS : Total Six (some say seven)

    main three : Scope, Time and Cost

    next three : Quality, Risk and Resources

    one more : Customer Satisfaction

• PROJECTIZED ORGANIZATIONS :

    1. Team only works for the project

    2. Project ends - team has no home - new project for team members 

    3. Team members loyal to the project

    4. No specialization

    5. More effective communication then functional

    6. Less efficient use of resources

• FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION : such org are grouped by areas of specialization eg. HR, accounting

    1. Team members come from different departments, maintain home after project

    2. Project in one department, help from all departments, PM have to request to HODs

    3. Team does department work + project work

    4. Gives more importance to the dept work

    5. Clear career path - in area of work specialization

    6. Centralized resources as coy is grouped by specialization 

• MATRIX ORGANIZATION : 

    1. Maximum utilization of scarce resources

    2. Extra administration required

    3. More then one boss

    4. More complex (resource allocation + maintenance and control)

    5. Different priorities

    6. Higher potential for conflicts 

• PROJECT MANAGER'S ROLE IN A WEAK MATRIX 

1. Project EXPEDITOR : 

          a. Acts primarily as a staff assistant and communication coordinator

          b. Can not personally make or enforce decisions

2. Project COORDINATOR : 

         a. Same as above

         b. Has some power to make decisions, some authority, reports to a higher level manager

• TIGHT MATRIX :  Colocation, project team in the same room, nothing to do with type of organization

• PROJECT BASED ORG : Temporary framework around the project

• PMIS (PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM) : Different softwares used during/ for a project. e.g.

                          1. scheduling software

                          2. time tracking software

                          3. work authorization software etc.

• EEF (ENTERPRISE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS) : Company culture + existing system + PMIS 

             outside the control of project team 

• OPA (ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS ASSETS) : Really are processes, procedures and                                     historical info + past coy experience + corporate knowledge base

• LESSONS LEARNED : Technical + project management + management  

realized throughout the project, finalized during closing

• WPD (WORK PERFORMANCE DATA) :  Collected during execution phase e.g. numbers,       dates data, rates

• WPI (WORK PERFORMANCE INFORMATION) :  during monitoring & controlling, data       is analyzed, make sure conforms to PM plan

• WPR (WORK PERFORMANCE REPORTS) :  Organized information, distributed to                various stakeholders, output of Monitoring & Controlling

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS. I SHALL REPLY IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE INFORM IF YOU FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I SHALL CHECK AND CORRECT IT :)