Ruankao System Integration Project Management Engineer (Intermediate) cheat sheet

Information system = hardware + software + data + people + procedures; all five components must exist for a system to function.

OSI seven layers bottom-up: Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, Application; TCP/IP merges Session/Presentation/Application into Application.

TCP is connection-oriented and reliable (three-way handshake, retransmission); UDP is connectionless, low-latency, no delivery guarantee.

Common ports: HTTP 80, HTTPS 443, FTP 21, SSH 22, SMTP 25, DNS 53, POP3 110, Telnet 23.

Relational model: primary key uniquely identifies a tuple; foreign key references another table's primary key and enforces referential integrity.

SQL DDL = CREATE/ALTER/DROP; DML = SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE; DCL = GRANT/REVOKE; TCL = COMMIT/ROLLBACK.

Normalization: 1NF atomic values; 2NF no partial dependency on a composite key; 3NF no transitive dependency on non-key attributes.

Encryption: symmetric (AES, DES) uses one shared key and is fast; asymmetric (RSA, ECC) uses a public/private pair and supports digital signatures.

Digital signature = hash of message encrypted with sender's private key; verifies integrity, authentication and non-repudiation but not confidentiality.

A project is temporary, produces a unique product/service/result, and has a definite start and end; operations are ongoing and repetitive.

Project vs program vs portfolio: project = one deliverable set; program = related projects managed together for combined benefit; portfolio = collection aligned to strategy.

PMO types: supportive (templates, training), controlling (compliance with methods), directive (project managers report to the PMO).

Functional organization: PM has little authority, staff report to functional managers; Projectized: PM has high authority and full-time team; Matrix sits between.

Weak matrix = coordinator role with limited power; balanced matrix = shared authority; strong matrix = PM controls budget and schedule.

Project life cycle phases typically: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, closing; cost and staffing peak during execution.

Stakeholder = anyone affected by or able to affect the project; identify early and analyze power/interest for engagement strategy.

Triple constraint: scope, time, cost are interdependent; quality sits at the center and change to one constraint affects the others.

Organizational process assets (OPA) = plans, procedures, lessons learned, templates; enterprise environmental factors (EEF) = culture, market, regulations, systems.

The project charter formally authorizes the project and the project manager; it is issued by the sponsor or initiating organization.

Charter content: purpose, measurable objectives, high-level requirements, high-level risks, summary milestone schedule, summary budget, approval requirements, assigned PM.

The charter gives the PM authority to apply organizational resources; without it the PM has no formal mandate.

Business case documents the justification (cost-benefit, strategic alignment); benefits management plan describes how benefits will be measured and realized.

Project selection methods: benefit measurement (NPV, IRR, payback, scoring models) and constrained optimization (linear, integer, dynamic programming).

NPV > 0 means the project adds value; higher NPV and higher IRR are preferred; shorter payback period is preferred.

The stakeholder register is created during initiation and records identification, assessment, and classification of stakeholders.

The project statement of work (SOW) describes the product scope and deliverables and is an input to developing the charter.

Assumption log records assumptions and constraints identified during initiation and is updated throughout the project.

Scope management processes: plan scope management, collect requirements, define scope, create WBS, validate scope, control scope.

Product scope = features and functions of the product; project scope = work required to deliver the product.

WBS decomposes deliverables into work packages; the lowest level should be estimable and assignable, typically 8-80 hours of work.

WBS rules: 100% rule (children sum to parent), mutually exclusive branches, deliverable-oriented rather than activity-oriented.

Scope baseline = scope statement + WBS + WBS dictionary; it is the reference for change control.

Validate scope = formal acceptance of completed deliverables by the customer; control quality = verifying correctness before acceptance.

Scope creep = uncontrolled expansion of scope without approved change; gold plating = adding unrequested features.

A change request must go through integrated change control; approved changes update the scope baseline and related plans.

Requirements traceability matrix links requirements to their source, WBS deliverables, test cases and acceptance criteria.

Processes: plan schedule management, define activities, sequence activities, estimate activity durations, develop schedule, control schedule.

PDM dependencies: FS (finish-to-start, most common), SS, FF, SF; dependencies can be mandatory, discretionary, or external.

Critical path = longest path through the network; it determines shortest project duration and has zero total float.

Total float = LS - ES = LF - EF; free float = ES of successor - EF of current activity.

Forward pass computes early start/finish; backward pass computes late start/finish; float = LS - ES.

Three-point estimate: triangular = (O + M + P)/3; PERT beta = (O + 4M + P)/6; standard deviation = (P - O)/6.

Schedule compression: crashing adds resources and raises cost; fast tracking overlaps phases and raises risk of rework.

Resource leveling changes the schedule (often extends duration) to resolve resource over-allocation; resource smoothing does not change the critical path.

A milestone has zero duration and marks a significant point or event; lead is an advance, lag is a delay between activities.

Processes: plan cost management, estimate costs, determine budget, control costs.

Cost baseline = sum of all activity and work package costs plus contingency reserves, distributed over time; management reserve is not in the baseline.

Contingency reserve covers known-unknowns (identified risks); management reserve covers unknown-unknowns and sits above the cost baseline.

Earned value: PV (planned value), EV (earned value = % complete x BAC), AC (actual cost), BAC = total budget.

SV = EV - PV; CV = EV - AC; SPI = EV/PV; CPI = EV/AC; negative variance and index < 1 indicate problems.

Forecasting: EAC = BAC/CPI when current performance continues; EAC = AC + ETC; ETC = EAC - AC.

VAC = BAC - EAC; TCPI = (BAC - EV)/(BAC - AC) for meeting BAC, or (BAC - EV)/(EAC - AC) for meeting EAC.

A CPI of 1.0 means cost performance is exactly on budget; an SPI below 1.0 means the project is behind schedule.

Cost estimating types: analogous (top-down, fast, less accurate), parametric (unit rate x quantity), bottom-up (accurate, costly), three-point.

Processes: plan quality management, manage quality, control quality; the modern view is prevention over inspection.

Quality = degree to which requirements are fulfilled; grade = category of technical characteristics; low grade is acceptable, low quality is not.

Cost of quality: prevention costs + appraisal costs (conformance) plus internal failure + external failure costs (nonconformance).

Prevention and appraisal costs rise early but reduce failure costs; external failure cost is usually the most damaging.

Quality tools: cause-and-effect (fishbone) diagram for root causes; Pareto chart for the vital few; histogram for frequency distribution; control chart for process stability.

Control chart rule of seven: seven consecutive points on one side of the mean indicate a non-random process needing investigation.

A control chart's upper and lower control limits are set by the process, not by specification limits; points within spec but outside control limits signal a process problem.

Quality audit is a structured review to determine whether project activities comply with policies, processes and procedures.

Manage quality = quality assurance (process-oriented); control quality = quality control (product-oriented, inspecting deliverables).

Processes: plan resource management, acquire resources, develop team, manage team, plan communications, manage communications, monitor communications.

Leadership styles: autocratic, democratic/participative, laissez-faire; situational leadership selects style based on team maturity and task.

Tuckman team stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning; the PM should coach through storming rather than avoid it.

Maslow hierarchy: physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualization; lower needs must be satisfied before higher ones motivate.

Herzberg two-factor theory: hygiene factors (salary, conditions) prevent dissatisfaction; motivators (achievement, recognition) create satisfaction.

McGregor Theory X assumes workers dislike work and need control; Theory Y assumes workers are self-motivated and seek responsibility.

Conflict resolution: collaborating/confronting is best for long-term win-win; forcing is win-lose; avoiding and smoothing are temporary; compromising gives partial satisfaction.

Communication model: sender encodes, message travels through a medium, receiver decodes, feedback closes the loop; noise distorts the message.

Communication channels = n(n - 1)/2, where n is the number of people; 10 people yield 45 channels.

Processes: plan risk management, identify risks, perform qualitative analysis, perform quantitative analysis, plan responses, implement responses, monitor risks.

Risk = uncertain event that, if it occurs, affects objectives; risk includes threats (negative) and opportunities (positive).

Risk register records risk ID, description, cause, probability, impact, score, owner, response and status.

Qualitative analysis uses probability x impact matrix and urgency to prioritize; quantitative analysis uses Monte Carlo simulation, decision trees, EMV.

EMV = probability x impact; for a decision, choose the path with the most favorable expected monetary value.

Threat strategies: avoid, transfer (insurance, fixed-price contract), mitigate, accept (active or passive); escalate.

Opportunity strategies: exploit, share (partnership), enhance, accept; escalate.

Contingency reserve covers residual risk of accepted risks; a risk response plan is documented in the risk register and updated in change control.

Risk triggers are symptoms or warning signs; a watchlist monitors low-priority risks, and risk audits evaluate the effectiveness of responses.

Processes: plan procurement management, conduct procurements, control procurements; contract types: fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, time and materials.

Fixed-price (FP) contracts put cost risk on the seller; cost-reimbursable contracts put cost risk on the buyer; T&M blends both and is common for staff augmentation.

FPI (fixed price incentive) and FP-EPA (economic price adjustment) are fixed-price variants; CPIF and CPFF are cost-reimbursable variants.

Make-or-buy analysis decides whether to produce internally or procure; procurement documents include RFI, RFQ, RFP and IFB.

Source selection: seller proposals are evaluated against weighted criteria; a bidder conference ensures all sellers receive identical information.

The contract is a legally binding agreement; a change to it must be made in writing through contract change control.

Claims and disputes are handled through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, then litigation; arbitration is usually binding.

Procurement audits review the procurement process from plan through closeout to identify lessons learned.

Case analysis structure: identify the problem, cite the violated process or principle, propose corrective action, then state the result or lesson.

Common case defects: no project charter, missing WBS, no change control board, no risk register, no quality inspection, no configuration management.

Configuration management: identify configuration items, baseline them, control changes, record status, perform configuration audits.

Integration testing order: unit test, integration test, system test, acceptance test; test cases trace back to requirements via the traceability matrix.

System integration project characteristics: multiple vendors, heterogeneous technologies, interface coordination, and heavy stakeholder involvement.

Change control flow: request, impact analysis (scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk), CCB decision, implement, verify, update baseline and documents.

Lessons-learned repository is updated at project closeout and becomes an organizational process asset for future projects.

Earned value and milestone trend analysis are used in case questions to judge schedule and cost status from given PV, EV, AC values.

Core professional ethics: integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, competence, and compliance with law; disclose conflicts of interest.

The bidder must not collude (bid rigging) or bribe; tender documents must not specify a brand-name product without an acceptable equivalent.

Bidding law principles: open, fair, just and honest; a bid bond is returned to unsuccessful bidders after the winning bidder is determined.

A contract is void if it violates mandatory legal provisions or public interest; fraud, coercion and malicious collusion make a contract void.

Copyright protects software source code and documentation; using pirated software in a project is both a legal and an ethical violation.

Personal information protection requires minimal collection, purpose limitation, consent, and security safeguards for personal data.

Confidentiality obligation: project information, client data and trade secrets must not be disclosed without authorization, even after the project ends.

Standard system in China: national standards (GB), industry standards, local standards, group standards and enterprise standards; GB is mandatory where stated.