Project Management with CompTIA Project+: On Track from Start to Finish

Title Page......Page 2
Copyright Page......Page 3
Dedication......Page 5
About the Author......Page 6
Contents......Page 9
Acknowledgments......Page 19
Introduction......Page 20
Defining Projects......Page 21
Exploring Project Characteristics......Page 22
Working with Project Management Entities......Page 23
Defining the Project Management Life Cycle......Page 25
Initiating the Project......Page 26
Executing the Project......Page 27
Monitoring and Controlling the Project......Page 28
Gathering Project Information......Page 29
Establishing the Project Requirements......Page 30
Possessing Multiple Personas......Page 34
Interviewing Management......Page 36
Interviewing the Stakeholders......Page 38
Working with a Business Case......Page 41
Creating Reasonable Expectations......Page 42
Project Charter Elements......Page 43
Establishing the Completion Date......Page 46
Chapter Summary......Page 53
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 54
Chapter Exercises......Page 56
Quiz Answers......Page 58
Exercise Solutions......Page 60
How to Plan......Page 63
Defining the Business Need......Page 65
Creating a Feasibility Study......Page 67
Executive Summary for Murray Enterprises......Page 71
Creating the Business Case......Page 73
Writing the Project Scope Statement......Page 74
Establishing Project Priority......Page 76
Obtaining Budget Dollars......Page 79
Creating an Approach......Page 82
Create a Milestone List......Page 83
Contingency Plans......Page 86
Introducing Agile Methodologies......Page 87
Introducing Scrum Agile Project Management......Page 88
Reviewing Agile Management Principles......Page 89
Chapter Summary......Page 96
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 97
Quiz Answers......Page 100
Exercise Solutions......Page 102
Defining the Organizational Structure......Page 105
Working in a Matrix Organization......Page 106
Presenting the Project to Management......Page 107
The WIIFM Principle......Page 108
Tailor the Presentation......Page 109
Role of a Salesperson......Page 111
Defining Management’s Role......Page 112
How Projects Get Initiated......Page 113
Management Theories......Page 117
Delegate Duties......Page 119
Focusing on the Results......Page 120
Set the Stage......Page 121
Defining the Purpose......Page 122
Creating Management Alliances......Page 123
Working Together......Page 124
Following Organizational Governance......Page 125
Dealing with Challenging Bosses......Page 126
Working with Good Bosses......Page 127
Chapter Summary......Page 132
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 133
Chapter Exercises......Page 136
Quiz Answers......Page 140
Exercise Solutions......Page 142
Creating the Project Scope......Page 146
Gathering Requirements Through Communications......Page 147
Working with the Balanced Scorecard Approach......Page 148
Writing the Project Scope Statement......Page 149
Defining the Work Breakdown Structure......Page 151
Coordinating WBS Components......Page 152
Defining a WBS Approach......Page 153
The Mechanics of Creating a WBS......Page 154
Why You Need a WBS......Page 155
Creating a WBS Dictionary......Page 156
Presenting to Key Stakeholders......Page 157
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 163
Chapter Exercises......Page 166
Quiz Answers......Page 171
Exercise Solutions......Page 172
5 Creating the Budget......Page 180
Budget Basics......Page 181
Implementing Bottom-Up Cost Estimates......Page 183
Allowance for Change......Page 187
Creating a PERT Estimate......Page 189
Using Parametric Modeling......Page 190
Budget at Completion......Page 191
Zero-Based Budgeting......Page 192
Determining Project Expenses......Page 193
The Cost of Goods......Page 194
Estimating Work Hours......Page 197
Runaway Projects......Page 199
Keeping Track of Expenses......Page 201
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 207
Chapter Exercises......Page 211
Quiz Answers......Page 212
Exercise Solutions......Page 214
6 Building the Project Plan......Page 216
Project Plan Documents......Page 217
Creating the Project Scope Management Plan......Page 219
Defining the Project Schedule Management Plan......Page 222
Building the Network Diagram......Page 230
Analyzing the Project Network Diagram......Page 232
Creating the Project Cost Management Plan......Page 235
Planning for Project Quality......Page 236
Preparing for Managing a Project Team......Page 237
Writing the Project Communications Management Plan......Page 239
Planning for Project Risk Management......Page 241
Creating the Stakeholder Management Plan......Page 246
Building the Project Procurement Management Plan......Page 247
Chapter Summary......Page 256
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 257
Chapter Exercises......Page 260
Quiz Answers......Page 262
Exercise Solutions......Page 264
7 Organizing a Project Team......Page 266
Experience Is the Best Barometer......Page 267
Résumés and Skill Assessments......Page 268
Create a Roles and Responsibilities Matrix......Page 269
Creating a Team......Page 270
Hello! My Name Is…......Page 271
Where Do You Live?......Page 272
Building Relationships......Page 273
Exploring the Project Coordinator Roles and Responsibilities......Page 274
Working with a Project Scheduler......Page 275
Managing Resources with the Project Scheduler......Page 276
Dealing with Team Disagreements......Page 277
Project Management Is Not a Democracy......Page 279
Dealing with Personalities......Page 280
Use Experience......Page 281
Disciplining Team Members......Page 282
Finding an Excellent IT Vendor......Page 283
Interviewing the Vendor......Page 285
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 291
Chapter Exercises......Page 294
Quiz Answers......Page 295
Exercise Solutions......Page 297
Leading the Team......Page 300
Establishing the Project Authority......Page 301
Decision Making......Page 302
Working with Team Members......Page 304
Meeting Purpose......Page 305
Meeting Minutes......Page 306
Maintaining Team Leadership......Page 307
Background and Experience......Page 308
Working Toward the Finish......Page 309
Project Completion and Team Members’ Growth......Page 310
Understanding Motivation......Page 311
What Team Members Need......Page 313
Theorizing on Management and Leadership......Page 314
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 319
Chapter Exercises......Page 322
Quiz Answers......Page 325
Exercise Solutions......Page 327
9 Implementing the Project Plan......Page 329
Focusing on the Work......Page 330
Hosting a Project Status Meeting......Page 331
Creating a Reporting Process......Page 333
Status Collecting Tools......Page 336
Communicating Project Status......Page 337
Tracking Actual Costs......Page 338
Determining Earned Value......Page 339
Controlling Finances......Page 340
Calculating the Cost Performance Index......Page 342
Predicting Project Performance......Page 343
Calculating the To-Complete Performance Index......Page 344
Communicating the Project Burn Rate......Page 345
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 350
Chapter Exercises......Page 353
Quiz Answers......Page 354
Exercise Solutions......Page 356
10 Revising the Project Plan......Page 357
Establishing Change Control......Page 358
Change Control Process......Page 359
Impacts of Change......Page 360
Project Change Request......Page 361
Change Impact Statement......Page 364
Internal Project Trouble......Page 365
Changes from Internal Forces......Page 367
Changes from External Forces......Page 368
Holding Issue Management Meetings......Page 369
Delaying a Project......Page 370
Coping with Vendor Delays......Page 371
Focus and Refocus......Page 372
Renewal of Commitment......Page 373
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 377
Chapter Exercises......Page 380
Quiz Answers......Page 382
Exercise Solutions......Page 384
11 Enforcing Quality......Page 386
Producing a Service......Page 387
Producing Goods......Page 389
Quality vs. Grade......Page 390
Quality of the Process......Page 391
Managing the Quality......Page 392
Web Solutions......Page 393
Quality Phases of Project Management......Page 394
Planning for Quality......Page 396
Traditional Quality Assurance......Page 398
Implementing Quality Control......Page 399
Analyzing Quality......Page 401
Creating a Strategy for Quality......Page 405
Revisiting the Iron Triangle......Page 406
Progress Reports......Page 407
Chapter Summary......Page 412
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 413
Chapter Exercises......Page 415
Quiz Answers......Page 416
Exercise Solutions......Page 418
12 Completing the Project......Page 419
Going the Distance......Page 420
Examine the Critical Path......Page 422
Reviewing for Quality......Page 423
Examining the Project’s Worth......Page 424
Third-Party Review......Page 425
Using a Project Transition Plan......Page 426
Application Development Acceptance Agreement......Page 427
Post-Project Audit......Page 428
Creating the Final Report......Page 429
Declaring Victory......Page 430
Cheers! Celebrating Victory......Page 431
Chapter Summary......Page 435
Q&A Chapter Quiz......Page 436
Quiz Answers......Page 439
Exercise Solutions......Page 441
Response Limits......Page 443
1.2 Classify Project Roles and Responsibilities......Page 444
1.3 Compare and Contrast Standard Project Phases......Page 445
1.6 Given a Scenario, Execute and Develop Project Schedules......Page 446
1.8 Explain the Importance of Human Resource, Physical Resource, and Personnel Management......Page 447
2.2 Explain the Importance of Risk Strategies and Activities......Page 448
3.2 Compare and Contrast Factors Influencing Communication Methods......Page 449
3.4 Given a Scenario, Use the Following Change Control Process Within the Context of a Project......Page 450
4.2 Given a Scenario, Analyze Project-Centric Documentation......Page 451
4.3 Identify Common Partner- or Vendor-Centric Documents and Their Purpose......Page 452
Qualifying for the PMP......Page 453
Earning the CAPM......Page 454
Passing the PMI-ACP Examination......Page 455
Maintaining the PMI-ACP......Page 456
Practice the Testing Process......Page 457
Answer Every Question—Once......Page 458
Planning the Project......Page 459
Monitoring and Controlling the Project......Page 460
EVM Formulas......Page 461
Quick Exam Facts......Page 462
A Letter to You......Page 467
About Total Tester......Page 468
Technical Support......Page 469
Glossary......Page 470
Index......Page 500