Chapter 1 - PM Flashcards
True or False
Project managers’ careful balancing of outcomes, schedules, and resources often determine whether a project is a success.
True
True or False
Successful project managers need targeted skills and techniques so they can steer projects to successful completion
True
Define Project
A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service. It is specific, timely, usually multi-disciplinary, and always conflict ridden.
A series of steps by which a particular job function is routinely performed
Process
Work performed toward achieving a long-range goal
Program
The process of guiding a project from its beginning through its performance to its closure
Project Management
Project management is made up of what three operations/activities
- Planning
- Organizing
- Controlling
Specifying results to be achieved, determining schedules, and estimating resources required
Planning
Defining people’s roles and responsibilities
Organizing
Reconfirming people’s expected performance, monitoring actions and results, addressing problems encountered, and sharing information with interested people.
Controlling
Three core elements of a project
- Outcome
- Schedule
- Resources
Project has at least one goal of creating specific product or result
Outcome
Project work begins and ends on specific, established dates
Schedule
Projects require amounts of people, funds, equipment, facilities, and information
Resources
True or False
Project managers don’t spend a lot of time adapting to unpredicted changes
False
- Each project is unique
- Projects have a higher potential for conflict than nonprojects
- Project success is absolutely dependent on detailed planning
- Project budges and schedules are constructed differently from standard, nonproject budgets and schedules
- Projects are accomplished in unique ways
- Projects are often multidisciplinary
- Projects often don’t fit into traditional managerial hierarchy
How projects differ from nonprojects
The person ultimately responsible for the successful completing of a project
Project manager
The team members’ direct-line supervisors
Functional manager
- Describing objectives, schedule, and resource budgets
- Ensuring a clear, feasible project plan for how everyone will reach performance targets
- Creating and sustaining a focused and committed team
- Selecting or creating a team’s operating practices and procedures
- Managing the accomplishment of objectives,within time and budget targets
- Monitoring performance against plans and dealing with any problems that arise
- Resolving priority, work approach, or interpersonal conflicts
- Controlling project changes
- Reporting on project activities
- Keeping client informed and committed
- Contributing to team members’ performance appraisals
What Project Manager are responsible for
- Developing and approving plans that specify the type, timing, and amount of resources needed to do tasks in their area of specialty
- Ensuring team members are available to perform their assigned tasks when needed and for the amount of time promised
- Providing technical expertise and guidance to help team members solve problems related to their project assignments
- Providing the equipment and facilities for a person to do their work
- Helping people maintain their technical skills and knowledge
- Ensuring consistent methodological approches on all projects throughout the organization dealing with a particular area
- Completing team members’ performance appraisals
- Recognizing performance with salary increases, promotions, and job assignments
- Approving team members’ requests for annual leave, administrative leave, training, and other activities that will take time away from the job
What functional managers are responsible for
True or False
The project manager needs to know exactly why the organization selected the specific project because this sheds considerable light on what the project is expected to accomplish, from senior management’s point of view
True
True or False
Project managers should not take the initiative for planning and controlling projects
False
- Advocates for a project in disputes, planning meetings, and review sessions
- Takes necessary actions to help ensure a project is successfully completed
- Has sufficient power and authority to help resolve conflicts over resources, schedules, and technical issues
- Willing to have their name cited as a strong supporter of the project
What a project champion does
True or False
For virtual projects to succeed, communication between project manager and project team must be frequent, open, and two-way
True
