PMN cheat sheet

A project is a temporary endeavor producing a unique product, service, or result; operations are ongoing and repetitive - the temporary/unique test separates them.

Triple constraint: scope, time, cost are interdependent; a change to one forces adjustment in at least one other (quality sits at the center as the outcome).

Project life cycle phases are sequential and end with a phase gate or kill point; the product life cycle is typically longer and can span multiple projects.

Predictive (waterfall) suits stable, well-understood scope; adaptive (agile) suits high-uncertainty scope delivered in iterative increments; hybrid blends both.

Organization types: functional (PM has little authority, reports to a functional manager), weak/balanced/strong matrix (PM authority rises with matrix strength), and projectized (PM has full authority, staff co-located).

PMO types: supportive (templates, best practice, low control), controlling (compliance to frameworks, moderate control), directive (PMs report to the PMO, high control).

Project vs. program vs. portfolio: a program is a group of related projects managed together for shared benefits; a portfolio is a collection of projects/programs selected to meet strategic objectives.

A stakeholder is anyone who can affect or be affected by the project; governance bodies (steering committee, sponsor) define escalation paths and decision rights.

The project charter formally authorizes the project and the PM; it is issued by the sponsor (or initiating entity) and typically precedes detailed planning.

Charter contents: purpose and business case, measurable objectives and success criteria, high-level scope boundaries, high-level risks, milestones, budget summary, sponsor and PM authority.

The business case justifies the investment (cost-benefit, ROI, payback, strategic alignment); it precedes the charter and is owned by the sponsor.

Assumption log records unverified beliefs as facts; issue log records things that have occurred and are actively affecting the project - an assumption that fails becomes an issue.

Stakeholder register fields: identification, role, contact, requirements, expectations, influence, interest, and engagement classification.

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

Engagement levels run unaware → resistant → neutral → supportive → leading; the engagement assessment matrix records current (C) versus desired (D) levels.

Stakeholder engagement plan defines communication methods, frequency, channels, and the approach for each stakeholder group; it is a subsidiary of the project management plan.

Scope management sequence: collect requirements → define scope → create WBS → verify scope (formal acceptance of deliverables) → control scope.

WBS decomposition is deliverable-oriented; the work package is the lowest level, and the rule of thumb is the 8/80 heuristic (work packages of roughly 8 to 80 labor hours).

Scope creep is uncontrolled expansion without approved change control; gold plating is adding unrequested features - both are scope control failures.

Critical path is the longest path through the network and determines the shortest project duration; its total float is zero, and any delay on it delays the project.

Float (slack) = LS − ES = LF − EF; total float is shared along a path, free float is the delay an activity can take without affecting the early start of its successor.

PERT expected duration = (Optimistic + 4×Most Likely + Pessimistic) / 6; standard deviation = (Pessimistic − Optimistic) / 6.

Schedule compression: crashing adds resources/cost to shorten duration; fast tracking overlaps activities, increasing rework risk.

Earned value: EV = % complete × BAC; CV = EV − AC (positive is good); SV = EV − PV (positive is good); CPI = EV/AC; SPI = EV/PV.

EAC forecast: EAC = BAC/CPI when current cost performance is expected to continue; ETC = EAC − AC; VAC = BAC − EAC; TCPI = (BAC − EV)/(BAC − AC).

Quality management: plan quality (standards and metrics) → manage quality (audits, process improvement) → control quality (inspect outputs, verify deliverable conformance).

Quality vs. grade: low quality is always a problem; low grade (fewer features) may be acceptable if the scope allows it. Prevention over inspection - cost of prevention is lower than cost of failure.

Cost of quality: cost of conformance (prevention, appraisal) plus cost of nonconformance (internal failure, external failure); rework is an internal failure cost.

Risk management sequence: plan risk management → identify risks → perform qualitative analysis → perform quantitative analysis → plan risk responses → implement responses → monitor risks.

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

Risk register fields: risk ID, cause, potential effect, probability, impact, risk score (P × I), owner, response, trigger, residual and secondary risks.

Contract types: fixed-price (seller bears cost risk; FFP, FP-EPA, FPIF), cost-reimbursable (buyer bears cost risk; CPFF, CPPC, CPAF), and time-and-materials (hybrid, risk to buyer for volume).

Procurement documents: RFP asks for a solution/approach, RFQ asks for price on a well-defined item, IFB is a sealed bid for a defined item; source selection uses weighted criteria or a screening system.

A contract change must be formalized by written amendment; the PM typically has authority to administer the contract but not to change its terms unless delegated.

Direct and manage project work produces deliverables and work performance data; control quality and validate scope convert data to information, and monitoring/controlling converts information to reports.

Integrated change control: every change goes through a written change request, impact analysis across scope/schedule/cost/quality/risk, approval by the change control board or delegated authority, then update the baselines and logs.

Configuration management ensures the correct version of documents and deliverables is identified and controlled; a change to an approved baseline requires re-baselining only after formal approval.

Performance reviews: variance analysis (planned vs. actual), trend analysis, and earned value analysis; status reports compare actual vs. baseline, progress reports summarize accomplishments.

Team development stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning; conflict is best resolved collaboratively (problem solving/confronting) and worst by forcing or avoiding.

Motivation and team theories: Maslow (hierarchy of needs), Herzberg (hygiene factors vs. motivators), McGregor (Theory X vs. Y), and Tuckman (team stages).

Quality control tools: cause-and-effect (fishbone) for root cause, Pareto for the vital few, control charts for process stability (rule of seven), and scatter diagrams for correlation.

Monitoring uses the work performance information to forecast against baselines; corrective action realigns future performance, preventive action lowers the probability of future deviation, defect repair fixes nonconforming product.

Closing processes: confirm acceptance of deliverables (validate scope), obtain final sign-off, transfer ownership to operations, release resources, and archive project documents.

Close project or phase outputs: final product transition, final report, organizational process assets updates (lessons learned, templates, historical data), and procurement closure.

Lessons learned are captured throughout the project, not only at the end; they are a key organizational process asset for future projects.

Administrative closure covers records, financial closure, and contract closure; contract closure verifies all work is complete and all claims are settled before final payment.

Benefits realization occurs after project closure, often at the program/portfolio level; the business case defines expected benefits and the measurement method.

Benefits mapping links each benefit to an outcome, a metric, a baseline, a target, and an owner; benefits are typically tracked in a benefits register.

A post-implementation review compares realized benefits against the business case at defined intervals after go-live; benefits may be tangible (revenue, cost savings) or intangible (satisfaction, brand).

Project closure is not complete until the final report is issued, the team is released, and the sponsor accepts the deliverable - premature closure leaves unresolved issues and unclaimed benefits.

A project is temporary and unique; operations are ongoing and repetitive.

Triple constraint: scope, time, and cost are interdependent; changing one affects the others.

Predictive life cycle suits stable scope; adaptive (agile) suits high uncertainty via iterative increments.

Functional organization: PM has low authority; projectized: PM has high authority; matrix sits between.

PMO types: supportive (low control), controlling (compliance), directive (PMs report to PMO).

Program = related projects managed for shared benefits; portfolio = projects/programs aligned to strategy.

Charter authorizes the project and PM; it is issued by the sponsor before detailed planning.

Stakeholder = anyone who can affect or be affected by the project; governance defines escalation paths.

Charter contents: purpose, measurable objectives, high-level scope, risks, milestones, budget, and PM authority.

Business case justifies the investment and precedes the charter; the sponsor owns it.

Assumption log holds unverified beliefs; issue log holds things that already occurred.

Stakeholder register records role, requirements, expectations, influence, and interest.

Power/interest grid: manage closely (high/high), keep satisfied (high power/low interest), keep informed (low power/high interest), monitor (low/low).

Engagement levels: unaware, resistant, neutral, supportive, leading; the matrix records current vs. desired.

Stakeholder engagement plan defines communication methods, frequency, and channels per group.

A failed assumption becomes an issue; it is moved to the issue log and managed.

Scope sequence: collect requirements → define scope → create WBS → verify scope → control scope.

WBS is deliverable-oriented; work packages use the 8/80 heuristic and are the lowest level.

Scope creep = unapproved expansion; gold plating = unrequested added features.

Critical path = longest path; total float is zero; any delay there delays the project.

Float = LS − ES = LF − EF; free float does not delay a successor's early start.

PERT = (O + 4M + P)/6; SD = (P − O)/6.

Crashing adds resources and cost; fast tracking overlaps activities and raises rework risk.

EV = % complete × BAC; CV = EV − AC; SV = EV − PV; CPI = EV/AC; SPI = EV/PV.

EAC = BAC/CPI if current performance continues; ETC = EAC − AC; VAC = BAC − EAC; TCPI = (BAC − EV)/(BAC − AC).

Quality sequence: plan quality → manage quality (audits) → control quality (inspection).

Low quality is always a problem; low grade may be acceptable if scope allows.

Cost of quality = conformance (prevention, appraisal) + nonconformance (internal, external failure); rework is internal failure.

Risk sequence: plan → identify → qualitative → quantitative → plan responses → implement → monitor.

Threat responses: avoid, transfer, mitigate, escalate, accept; opportunity responses: exploit, share, enhance, escalate, accept.

Risk register: cause, effect, probability, impact, score (P × I), owner, response, trigger, residual risk.

Fixed-price: seller bears cost risk; cost-reimbursable: buyer bears cost risk; T&M is a hybrid.

RFP asks for a solution; RFQ asks for price on a defined item; IFB is a sealed bid.

Contract changes require a written amendment; PM authority to administer does not imply authority to change terms.

Work performance data → information (control quality, validate scope) → reports (monitoring and controlling).

Change control: written request → impact analysis → CCB approval → update baselines and logs.

Configuration management controls document and deliverable versions; re-baselining requires formal approval.

Performance reviews: variance analysis, trend analysis, earned value analysis; status reports compare actual vs. baseline.

Team stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning; problem solving is the preferred conflict mode.

Theories: Maslow (needs hierarchy), Herzberg (hygiene vs. motivators), McGregor (X vs. Y), Tuckman (team stages).

QC tools: fishbone (root cause), Pareto (vital few), control chart (rule of seven), scatter diagram (correlation).

Corrective action realigns future performance; preventive action lowers the probability of future deviation; defect repair fixes nonconforming product.

Closure steps: confirm acceptance, obtain sign-off, transfer ownership, release resources, archive records.

Close project or phase outputs: final product transition, final report, OPA updates, procurement closure.

Lessons learned are captured throughout the project, not only at the end.

Administrative closure covers records, financial closure, and contract closure before final payment.

Benefits realization occurs after closure, often at program/portfolio level; the business case defines expected benefits.

Benefits mapping links benefit → outcome → metric → baseline → target → owner; tracked in a benefits register.

Post-implementation review compares realized benefits to the business case at defined intervals.

Closure is incomplete until the final report is issued, the team is released, and the sponsor accepts the deliverable.