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This category contains 132 posts

Aligning agreements to achieve project success

If project stakeholders do not define the same way, the project is likely to be perceived as a failure even if the project delivers on time on budget as defined. One of the most difficult challenge in achieving IT success is aligning the diverse expectations of various project participants, stakeholders, senior management, and so on … Continue reading »

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Position: Project Manager – Job Description

Function The Project Manager role is accountable for successful delivery from project commencement to project completion, through the Initiating, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Control and Closing phases. Role The role of a Project Manager is to: Provide decision making authority across all technical and business process related issues Commit the Delivery Model in conjunction with … Continue reading »

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GAIL India bags PMI India Project of the Year-2011 Award | Press Releases

Project Management Institute (PMI) India at its recently held National Conference 2011, in Bengaluru honoured the best projects in India and contribution to the community by corporate India with the PMI India awards. The Vijaipur Dadri Bawana Pipeline project of GAIL India was the winner of the PMI India project of the year award. The award … Continue reading »

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Early Project Management a Key to Successful Moves to Cloud

Early Project Management a Key to Successful Moves to Cloud.   Once the project manager came on board, everything was signed already and he was reviewing things and saying, ‘This doesn’t do this or that.’ So that is one thing we learned,” Baer said, adding that the expertise is necessary “because sometimes we don’t know the … Continue reading »

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PMP – Integration Management Questions

Integration Questions   Lessons learned are completed by? Project team What are the major constraints on a project? Refers to the Triple Constraints: Cost, Time, Quality, along with customer satisfaction and scope of work. When many changes are made to a project, what should a project manager do? Make change as needed, but maintain a … Continue reading »

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PMP – Procurement Management Questions

Procurement Questions   What is make or buy analysis? A technique used to determine whether a product can be produced cost effectively by the organization. What are contract incentives? Inducements provided by the buyer to the contractor in an attempt to ring the objectives and interests of the contractor in line with those of the … Continue reading »

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PMP – Quality Management questions

Quality Questions   What are control limits as used in control charts? Control limits describe the natural variation of a process.  Assignable cause is a point outside the control limits Define “kaizen”? Continuous improvement. Small improvements in products or procedures to reduce costs and ensure consistency of performance of product or service. What is gold-plating? … Continue reading »

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PMP – Risk Management Questions

Risk Questions   Generally speaking, in what project phase are risk and opportunity greater than the amount at stake by the widest margin? Initiation Describe the difference between an internal risk and an external risk. An internal risk is under the control or influence of the project team; external is beyond control or influence. What … Continue reading »

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PMP – Cost management questions

Cost Questions   What is life cycle costing? Concept of including acquisition, operating, maintenance, and disposal costs; total cost of ownership Which of the following includes an audit; Administrative Closure or Contract Closure? Contract Closure includes an audit. What is “chart of accounts”? Coding structure used to report financial information in general ledger.  Code of … Continue reading »

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PMP – Time Management questions

Time Questions   What is the critical path? The longest path through the network which represents the shortest amount of time in which the project can be completed. What is crashing? Taking action to determine how to obtain the greatest amount of duration compression for the least incremental cost; generally increases cost. What is fast … Continue reading »

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PMP – Communication Management Questions

Communications Questions   What is a project “war room”?  What is its primary benefit? A single location for the team to get together for any purpose.  It provides a repository for project artifacts, records, and up-to-date schedules and status reports.  It gives an identity to the project team. Describe the six parts of a Communications … Continue reading »

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PMP – Human Resource Management questions

HR Questions   Which are the five methods of managing conflict is recommended?  Why? Problem Solving/confrontation because both parties can be fully satisfied if the work together to find a solution that satisfies both their needs. What are the three types of project interfaces that serve as inputs to the organizational planning process.  When can … Continue reading »

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PMP – Scope Management Questions

Scope Questions Why is a careful and accurate needs analysis important? To make sure customer or stakeholder expectations can be identified and satisfied. How is a change control board used?  Can there be more than one? To approve or reject change requests according to responsibilities defined and agreed upon by key stakeholders.  Multiple CCBs may … Continue reading »

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PMBOK – Professional Responsibilities

Routine Government Fee (Transfer Fee) – only government official can collect routine government fees (this is not a bribe) Company Policies – It is the project manager’s professional responsibility to ensure that company policies are followed during the project. Copyright laws – do not violate Employee mistake – when a team member makes a mistakes, … Continue reading »

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PMBOK – Procurement Management – Contracting

Contracting   Centralized Decentralized + More economical + Project Manager has more control + Easier to Control + Contracting personnel are more familiar with project + Higher degree of specialization (expertise) + More flexible and adaptable to project needs + Orders can be consolidated – Duplication of contracting efforts – May become a bottleneck – … Continue reading »

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PMBOK – Procurement Management – Terminology

Specification – precise description of a physical item, procedure, or service.  The SOW supplements the specification in describing what must be done to complete the project. Privity – legal relationship that exists between any contracting parties (e.g. if company “A” hires “B” and “B” subcontract to “C”, “C” is not legally bound by anything “A” … Continue reading »

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PMBOK – Procurement Management – Contract elements & negotiation

Elements of a Contract      Offer Assent to certain terms by both parties    Acceptance Agreement, written or spoken    Consideration Something of value    Legal Capacity Able to contract    Legal Purpose No violation of public policy   Stages of Contract Negotiation      Protocol Introductions    Probing Identify concerns, strengths, weaknesses    … Continue reading »

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PMBOK – Procurement Management – Contract Types

Cost Reimbursable Advantages Disadvantages Simpler contract SOW Required auditing sellers invoices Usually required less work to write the scope than FP Requires more work for buyer to manage Generally lower cost than PL because the seller does not have to add as much for risk. Seller has only a moderate incentive to control costs   … Continue reading »

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PMBOK – Procurement Management – Contract Types

Contract Types and Risk 1. Fixed Price 2. Cost-Reimbursable 3.Time & Material CR Buyer has risk, as total cost are unknownYou are buying “what to do” from seller. Cost plus fee or Cost Plus Percentage of Cost (CPPC) No valid for federal contracts. Sellers are not motivated to control cost, used when buyer can tell … Continue reading »

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PMBOK – Procurement Management

Knowledge Areas Major Processes Primary Inputs Tools & Techniques Primary Outputs           PROCUREMENT                         Plan Purchases & Acquisitions Determining what to procure and when   and how (make or buy) 1. Enterprise Environmental Factors 2. Organizational Process Assets 3. Project scope … Continue reading »

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