GAQM PPM cheat sheet

Triple constraint: scope, time, and cost are interdependent; a change to one forces a compensating change in at least one other, with quality and risk as balancing concerns.

Critical path method: the critical path is the longest path through the network and has zero total float; any delay on it delays the project finish date.

Float (slack) = LS − ES = LF − EF; total float is shared along a path, free float is the delay possible without affecting the earliest start of any successor.

Earned value formulas: CV = EV − AC; SV = EV − PV; CPI = EV/AC; SPI = EV/PV; EAC = BAC/CPI when current cost performance is expected to continue.

Forecast variants: EAC = AC + (BAC − EV) when remaining work proceeds at planned rate; EAC = AC + (BAC − EV)/(CPI × SPI) when both cost and schedule trends persist.

TCPI = (BAC − EV)/(BAC − AC) measures the cost efficiency needed on remaining work to meet the budget; TCPI > 1 means the team must outperform the plan.

Risk response types: for threats - avoid, transfer, mitigate, accept, escalate; for opportunities - exploit, share, enhance, accept, escalate.

Quality vs. grade: grade is a category of deliverables with the same functional use, while quality is the degree to which requirements are fulfilled; low grade is acceptable, low quality is not.

Contract types: fixed-price shifts cost risk to the seller, cost-reimbursable shifts it to the buyer, and time-and-materials splits risk with a not-to-exceed cap often applied.

Project vs. program vs. portfolio: a project creates a unique product; a program groups related projects for shared benefit; a portfolio is the collection of projects and programs aligned to strategy.

PMO types: supportive (templates, training, best practice), controlling (compliance with methods and standards), and directive (PMO staff directly manage projects).

Project charter authorizes the project and names the project manager; it is issued by the sponsor or initiating authority, not by the project manager.

WBS rule: work packages are the lowest level, are decomposed to a level where cost and duration can be reliably estimated, and use the 100% rule - children sum to the parent.

Change control: a change request is evaluated for impact on scope, schedule, cost, quality, and risk, then approved or rejected by the change control board or designated authority.

Stakeholder power/interest grid: high power–high interest = manage closely; high power–low interest = keep satisfied; low power–high interest = keep informed; low–low = monitor.

Configuration management keeps the product and document baselines identified, controlled, and audited; the performance measurement baseline is scope + schedule + cost baselines.

Closing processes: verify deliverables are accepted, obtain final acceptance, release resources, archive records, and capture lessons learned in the organizational process assets.

Estimate ranges: rough order of magnitude is typically −25% to +75%; budgetary is about −10% to +25%; definitive is about −5% to +10% (ranges vary by source - know the ordering, not just the numbers).

PERT expected duration = (O + 4M + P)/6; PERT standard deviation = (P − O)/6; use the weighted average to reflect estimate uncertainty.

Schedule compression: crashing adds resources to critical-path activities for cost; fast tracking overlaps activities and increases rework risk.

Monte Carlo simulation models combined uncertainty of cost or schedule by sampling activity distributions; the output is a probability distribution of outcomes, not a single number.

Decision tree expected value = sum of (probability × payoff) across branches; choose the branch with the highest expected monetary value when risk-neutral.

EMV of a risk = probability × impact; for threats the impact is negative, for opportunities positive; contingency reserves cover identified risks, management reserves cover unidentified ones.

Resource leveling changes start and finish dates to resolve over-allocation and can extend the critical path; resource smoothing adjusts within float and does not change the finish date.

Quality control uses statistical sampling and control charts; a process is out of control when points fall outside control limits or show seven consecutive points on one side of the mean.