Chapter 9. Resource Management Flashcards

1
Q

What are the six processes associated with Resource Management?

A
Estimate Activity Resources
Plan Resource Management
Acquire Resources
Control Resources
Manage Team
Develop Team
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2
Q

What is the standard flow for Resource Management?

A

Plan, Execute, Monitor and Control

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3
Q

What is the twofold approach to resouce management?

A
  1. Define and carefully manage the physical resources on the project.
  2. Define a role for everyone on the project and define the responsibilities for each of these roles.
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4
Q

Why is influence important in Resource Management?

A

Project Managers must be able to motivate and persuade people to act in the best interest of the project and must be able to build a team and lead members to give their best efforts.

A project manager delegates in the form of responsibilty and authority. The project manager gives responsibility and authority to the team and expects positive results and accountability in return.

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5
Q

How does emotional intelligence (EI) impact Resource Management?

A

Project managers should be able to identify, assess and manage their personal emotions, as well as the emotions of a group of stakeholders.

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6
Q

What process groups do the processes of Resource Management fall under?

A

Planning - Plan Resource Management & Estimate Activity Resources

Executing - Acquire Resources, Develop Team & Manage Team

Monitoring & Controlling - Control Resources

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7
Q

What are the outputs of each Resource Management process?

A

Plan Resource Management - Resource Management Plan & Team Charter

Estimate Activity Resources - Resource Requirements & Resource Breakdown Structure

Acquire Resources - Physical Resource Assignments, Project Team Assignments, Resource Calendars

Develop Team - Team Performance Assessment

Manage Team - Change Requests

Control Resources - Work Performance Information

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8
Q

What are the inputs for the process Plan Resource Management?

A
Project Charter
Project Management Plan
Project Documents
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Organizational Process Assets
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9
Q

What are the tools used in the process Plan Resource Management?

A

Expert Judgement
Data Representation - Hierarchival Charts, Responsibility Assignment Matrix, Text-Oriented Formats
Organizational Theory
Meetings

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10
Q

What is a RACI chart?

A

A responsibility assignment matrix that lists each work package in the rows and the roles in the columns. Each cell is assigned an “R” for responsibile, an “A” for accountable, a “C” for consult, or an “I” for inform.

see. 9. 393 for more information & an example.

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11
Q

What are text-oriented formats?

A

It follows the format of position descriptions, detailing out what responsibiltiies each position on the project will involve and what qualifications are needed to fill these positions.

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12
Q

How does Organizational Theory impact resource management?

A

Groups behave differently than individuals. Important to understand how organizations and teams behave, to understanding the amount of work done thus far and how that and the behaviour of the group can pay dividents throughout the project.

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13
Q

What is the main output of the Plan Resource Management process?

A

The Resource Management Plan.

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14
Q

What is a resource histogram?

A

A common component of the resource managment plan, it is a visual (bar chart) that shows the resource usage for a given period of time.

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15
Q

3 outputs of the process Plan Resouce Management

A

Resource Management Plan
Team Charter
Project Document Updates

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16
Q

What is a team charter?

A

It communicates the ground rules, specifying how the team will interact, communicate, reach decisions, hold meetings, and any other elements important to the team.

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17
Q

What are the inputs for the process Estimate Activity Resources?

A

Project Management Plan
Project Documents
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Organizations Process Assets

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18
Q

What are the tools for the process Estimate Activity Resources?

A
Expert Judgement
Bottom-up Estimating
Analogous Estimating
Parametric Estimating
Data Analysis
Project Management Information System (PMIS)
Meetings
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19
Q

What is Bottom-Up Estimating?

A

It is aggregating individual resource estimates, that will be added up on parent nodes, with some nof these summary nodes (known as control accounts, being tracked more carefully than others). The topmost node of the WBS should contain all of the estimated resources for the project.

*favored technique on the exam.

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20
Q

Which type of estimating uses historical performance to extrapolate and estimate future resource usage?

A

Parametric Estimating

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21
Q

What is the PMIS?

A

The Project Management Information System (PMIS) is a software system that helps the project manager store and organize information, experiment with alternatives, and rapidly optimise resource usage, and calculate schedules.

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22
Q

What are the outputs for the process Estimate Activity Resources?

A

Resource Requirements
Basis of Estimates
Resource Breakdown Structure p. 399
Project Document Updates

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23
Q

What are the inputs for executing the Acquire Resources process?

A

Project Management Plan
Project Documents
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Organizational Process Assets

24
Q

What are the tools use in the process Acquire Resources?

A

Decision Making
-Interpersonal and Team Skills
Pre-Assignment
Virtual Teams

25
Q

What is the main focus of Acquire Resources?

A

Staffing the project and procuring the materials, and facilities needed to perform the work.

26
Q

What are the outputs of the process Acquire Resources?

A
Physical Resource Assignments
Project Team Assignments
Resource Calendars
Change Requests
Project Management Plan Updates
Project Documents Updates
Enterprise Environmental Factors Updates
Organizational process Assets Updates
27
Q

What are the inputs for executing the process Develop Team?

A

Project Management Plan
Project documents
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Organization Process Assets

28
Q

What is the most important process in Resource Management?

A

Develop the Team

29
Q

What are the tools used in executing the process Develop Team?

A
Colocation
Virtual Teams
 - Communication Technology
Interpersonal Team Skills
Recognition and Rewards
30
Q

What is colocation?

A

Physically locating team members in the same general space, so that team building and communication are also easier.

31
Q

Which tool in Develop Team is considered a soft skill?

A

Interpersonal and Team Skills - it represents tha ability to get along with others, to ensure their cooperation, and to motivate peoplel to give extra effort and do their best for the project.

32
Q

Theories of Motivation (theories on recognition and reward) include?

A
Tuckman's Ladder
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Expectancy Theory
McGregor's Theory X and Y
Contingency Theory
Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory
McClelland's Theory of Needs

Win-lose rewards, such as contests where one team member wins and the others do not, can be detrimental to the sense of team.

33
Q

What is Tuckman’s Ladder and what’s important to remember about it?

A

Theory on recognition and rewards that defines 5 levels of performance:

Forming - 1st stage, to ensure team understands the project and their roles
Storming - Stage of doing the work, often intially chaotic, conflict filled and difficult
Norming - Stage where behavior normalizes and members are working effectively as a team. PM typically shares more leadership with the team.
Performing - Working at a level that exceeds what individuals could accomplish alone. PM primarily overseeing and delegating
Adjouring - Stage of closing the project and team is released. Individuals usually fear this change, and thus stage is difficult on everyone.

34
Q

What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and what’s important to remember about it?

A

A basic theory of human motivation. Abraham Maslow grouped human needs into 5 basic categories (see p. 406 for diagram):

Top to Bottom:
Self-Actualization - living and working at full potential
Esteem - feelings of importance, contribution, promotion, recognition
Acceptance - being a part of the team
Security - freedom from fear, job protection, safety
Physiological - basic needs such as food, clothing sleep, etc.

The needs at the bottom must be satisfied before the upper needs will surface.

35
Q

What is Expectance Theory and what’s important to remember about it?

A

A motivational theory developed by Victor Vroom based on the idea that team members make choices based on expected outcomes. They will only work toward a goal if they believe the goal is achievable.

36
Q

What is McGregor’s Theories of X and Y, and what’s important to remember about them?

A

Idea that there are two ways to categorize and understand people in the workplace:

Managers who ascribe to Theory X presume that team members are only interested in their own selfish goals, i.e. unmotivated, dislike work, and must be forcedd to do productive work, and that constant supervision is needed to achieve desired results on a project.

Managers who practice Theory Y assume people are naturally motivated to do good work, that they need little external motivation and can be trusted to work towards the organizatoin’s or project’s goals.

37
Q

What is Contingency Theory and what’s important to remember about it?

A

Developed by Fred E. Fiedler, 1960s and 1970s. States a leader’s effectiveness is contingent upon:

  • whether the leader is task-oriented and relationship-oriented
  • impact of situational factors in the workplace, such as environmental stress

Suggests that in stressful times, a task-oriented leader will be more effective, while in relatively calm times, a relationship-oriented leader will function more effectively…. but that the inverse is also true. What makes a leader effective in one environment may work against them in another.

38
Q

What is Herber’gs Motivation-Hygiene Theory and what’s important to remember about it?

A

Theory states presence of certain factors may not make someone satisfied, but the absence of those factors can make someone unsatisfied (ex: hygiene factors in the workplace).

So, in order for motivation factors such as achievement rewards, recognitions, advancement, etc. to be effective, there must be hygiene factors in place such as good salary, good personal life, sense of perosnal security, good relationships with coworkers and their boss, clear company policies and acceptable working conditions.

39
Q

What is McClelland’s Three Need Theory and what’s important to remember about it?

A

Also call Achievement Theory, states that employees are motivated by achievement, power and affiliation.

Achievement - Team members with a high need for achievement (nAch), have a need to stand out.

Power - Team members with a need for power (nPow) desire either instutional (social) power or personal power. Those desiring social power are usually more effective than those with a desire for personal power.

Affiliation - Team members with a need for affilitation (nAff) want to belong to a team. Seek to maintain good relationships and do well in customer-facing team positions.

40
Q

Forms of Power that a project manager or others may possess:

A

Reward Power - ability to give rewards and recognition
Expert Power - power associated with expert knowledge of a subject, lends credibility
Legitimate - aka formal power, power associated with position
Referent - based on respect or the charismatic personality of an individual
Punishment - coercive power, ability to punish if a goal is not met

Reward and Expert powers are the ones most favored on the exam.

Punishment power is least favorable.

41
Q

Training, key points to remember

A

Highly favored on the exam.
For purposes of the exam, should always be paid for by the performing organization or the functional management, not by the customer or the project.

42
Q

What are individual and team assessments important?

A

Help provide insight into relational styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Can help individuals understanding how they are perceived by others inside and outside of the organization.

The assessments themselves are not the end goal, but rather a means to create awareness…. towards an improvement plan.

43
Q

What are the outputs of executing the process Develop Team?

A
Team performance Assessments
Change Requests
Project Management Plan Updates
Project Documents Updates
Enterprise Environmental Factors Updates
Organizational Process Assets Updates
44
Q

What are the inputs of executing the process Manage Team?

A
Project Management Plan
Project Documents
Work Performance Reports
Team Performance Assessments
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Organizational Process Assets
45
Q

What are the tools used to execute the process Manage Team?

A

Interpersonal and Team Skills
- Problem-Solving (confrontation of the problem, not the person) *proactive, highly favored
- Collaboration *favored technique for resolving conflict
- Compromise / Reconcile *considered lose-lose since both parties have to give up something
- Forcing *considered worst way to resolve conflict because doesn’t resolve underlying issue, reduces team morale, and almost never provides a long-term solution
- Smoothing / Accommodating *downplays the issue
- Withdrawal / Avoidance *doesn’t resolve the issue, never a correct answer on the exam in dealing with an issue
Decision Making
Emotional Intelligence
Influencing
Leadership
Project Management Information System (PMIS)

46
Q

Constructive vs. Destructive Roles

A

Constructive Team Roles:

  • Initiators
  • Information Seekers
  • Information Givers
  • Encouragers
  • Clarifiers
  • Harmonizers
  • Summarizers
  • Gate Keepers

Destructive Team Roles:

  • Aggressors
  • Blockers
  • Withdrawers
  • Recognition Seekers
  • Topic Jumpers
  • Dominators
  • Devil’s Advocates
47
Q

How is Emotional Intelligence abbreviated?

A

EI or EQ

On the exam, possessing and employing a high EI to deal with issues or problems should be highly favored on the exam.

48
Q

What are the various styles of leadership?

A

Directing Leader
Coaching Leader
Facilitating Leader
Supporting Leader

49
Q

What are the outputs of executing the process Develop Team?

A

Change Requests
Project Management Plan Updates
Project Documents Updates
Enterprise Environmental Factors Updates

50
Q

What is important to know about the process Control Resources?

A

It is the process that monitors and makes adjustments to the physical resource usage or to the resouce management plan (a monitoring and controlling process).

51
Q

What are the inputs to the process Control Resources?

A
Project Management Plan
Project Documents
Work Performance Data
Agreements
Organizational Process Assets
52
Q

What are the tools used in the process Control Resources?

A

Data Analysis
Problem-Solving
Interpersonal and Team Skills
Project Management Information System (PMIS)

53
Q

What are the steps in Problem Solving?

A
Identify - Isolate the problem
Define - Understand the problem
Investigate - Get more information
Analyze - Determine the root cause
Solve - Find the best solution
Check - Verify the results
54
Q

What are the outputs in the process Control Resources?

A

Work Performance Information
Change Requests
Project Management Plan Updates
Project Documents Updates

55
Q

Key aspects of applying Resource Management to Agile Perspective:

A

The more agile the process, the les of a pre-set plan. Instead reliance on team’s ability to adapt. Collective responsibility. Do not integrate traditional role of a project manager, instead utilize a coach to counsel the team. The idea is the team will be self-correcting. The coach’s role is to remove obstacles.

Plan Resource Management - Low applicability to Agile. The output of a team charter could be useful in communicating ground rules and expectations, and laying out the structure for how decision will be made, how interactions and communications will occur.

Estimate Activity Resources - Limited applicability to Agile. Team would estimate level of difficulty for user stories, and they may llocate user stories for development, but only performed one iteration ahead.

Acquire Resources - Would be performed on Agile process, but made of generalized specialists instead of highly specialized people, to encourage team interchangeability.

Develop Team - Highly applicable to Agile. Improve performance over life cycle of project, becoming more and more efficient and effective as time goes on.

Manage Team - Difficult to apply to Agile due to self-organizing teams. Agile leader mentors and coaches team member sthrough conflict and change, so more about influence. Less about traditional management.

Control Resources - About making sure physical resource usage lines up with resource management plan, thus challenging to apply to agile projects.