PMP Certification, A Beginner's Guide (Certification Press)

Essential Project Management Skills--Made Easy! This accessible guide bridges the gap between being a project manager and becoming a globally recognized Project Management Professional (PMP). Covering the latest PMP exam content from the Project Management Institute (PMI), the book explains PMI's worldwide standard methods, nine knowledge areas, and 42 processes. You'll learn proven strategies for improving project efficiency and effectiveness, balancing constraints, communicating timely and accurate project status, and successfully bringing a project to completion. A real-world case study that's followed throughout the book provides helpful examples, checklists, and proven project results. Designed for Easy Learning: - Key Skills & Concepts--Chapter-opening lists of specific skills covered in the chapter - Ask the Expert--Q&A sections filled with bonus information and helpful tips - Try This--Hands-on exercises that show you how to apply your skills - Notes--Extra information related to the topic being covered - Tips--Helpful reminders to help you prepare for the PMP exam McGraw Hill PMP Certification Beginners Guide (10-2009) (ATTiCA)......Page 1 Contents......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 18 Introduction......Page 20 Part I: Essentials of Project Management and PMP Certification......Page 24 1 Bridging the Gap Between PM and PMP......Page 26 Introduction to Project Management Institute (PMI)......Page 29 Why Get Certified? What's in It for Me?......Page 30 The PMI Family of Credentials......Page 31 Demystifying PMI Exams......Page 36 Manage the Exam Preparation Like a Project......Page 44 Maintaining Your PMI Credential (CCRs/PDUs)......Page 51 References......Page 53 2 The Emerging World of Project Management......Page 54 What Is a Program?......Page 56 What Is an Operation?......Page 57 What Is Project Management?......Page 58 The Role of the Project Manager......Page 64 Try This: Who Are the Project Stakeholders?......Page 68 Project Framework......Page 69 Organizational Structures......Page 70 Try This: What Does the Customer Want?......Page 72 Case Study Introduction......Page 74 Pop Quiz......Page 82 References......Page 83 3 Project Management Process Groups......Page 84 What Are Process Groups?......Page 85 Introduction to PMI Knowledge Areas......Page 97 Global Standards......Page 103 Mapping Processes to Knowledge Areas and Process Groups......Page 104 References......Page 113 Part II: The Nine Knowledge Areas......Page 114 4 Project Integration Management......Page 116 Project Integration Management According to PMI......Page 118 Overview of Project Integration Management Processes......Page 119 The Selection Process: How Projects Are Born......Page 120 Project Integration Management Processes: Charter to Close......Page 125 Try This: Who Provides the Requirements?......Page 133 Try This: Plan the Work......Page 136 Try This: Sky's the Limit: Pet Projects Are Out of Scope......Page 141 Try This: Keeping Your Eyes Wide Open: Accurate Progress Reporting......Page 143 Try This: Having a Crystal Ball: Fix It Before It Breaks......Page 146 Try This: Pass the Shredder: Closing the Project Is So Therapeutic......Page 149 References......Page 150 5 Project Scope Management......Page 152 Definition of Scope Management......Page 155 Project Scope Management Processes......Page 157 Try This: Dealing with Unusual Demands: The Customer Wants What?......Page 161 Additional Information on Change Management......Page 182 References......Page 187 Project Scope Statement......Page 184 6 Project Time Management......Page 188 Managing the Schedule......Page 190 Project Time Management Processes......Page 191 Try This: Who's on First? (Knowing the Schedule)......Page 209 Try This: The Overachiever ("Pick Me, Coach!")......Page 210 Try This: Using Three-Point Estimate for Travel Time......Page 214 Try This: Out-of-Control Schedule......Page 229 References......Page 230 7 Project Cost Management......Page 232 An Offer I Couldn't Refuse......Page 234 How Cost Management Ties into Time Management......Page 235 Project Cost Management Processes......Page 236 Try This: Parametric Estimating......Page 244 Try This: Earned Value Example Using BEC Case Study......Page 255 References......Page 265 8 Project Quality Management......Page 268 How to Achieve Customer Satisfaction......Page 270 How Do You Measure Quality?......Page 271 Case Study: Sample Quality Measurements......Page 272 Importance of Quality......Page 273 Definition of Quality and How It Changed......Page 276 Try This: Go Lean Project......Page 282 Project Quality Management Processes......Page 284 References......Page 297 9 Project Human Resource Management......Page 300 Role of the Project Manager in HR Management......Page 302 Project Human Resource Management Processes......Page 303 Try This: Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Networking the Project Team......Page 323 Managing Customer Expectations......Page 329 References......Page 332 10 Project Communications Management......Page 334 The PM's Role in Communications......Page 337 The Medium (How We Deliver the Message)......Page 338 Project Communications Management Processes......Page 340 Try This: How to Plan Communications for Key Stakeholders......Page 341 Try This: Managing Unrealistic Expectations......Page 355 References......Page 362 11 Project Risk Management......Page 364 Threats, Opportunities, and Triggers......Page 366 Be Proactive (Plan for Risk and Mitigate Wherever Possible)......Page 368 Risk Tolerances and Thresholds......Page 370 Project Risk Management Processes......Page 371 Summary of Risk Management......Page 395 References......Page 396 12 Project Procurement Management......Page 400 Definition of a Contract......Page 402 Definition of Procurement......Page 406 Role of the Project Manager (Buyer or Seller)......Page 407 Project Procurement Management Processes......Page 408 Try This: Fixing Issues Before Turning Out the Lights......Page 427 References......Page 432 13 Closing the Project: Are We There Yet?......Page 434 Importance of Project Closure......Page 436 Closing Processes......Page 437 Next Steps: Where to Go from Here......Page 446 Go Confidently in the Direction of Your Dreams......Page 447 References......Page 448 A......Page 450 C......Page 451 E......Page 453 F......Page 454 I......Page 455 M......Page 456 O......Page 457 P......Page 458 Q......Page 460 R......Page 461 S......Page 462 T......Page 463 V......Page 464 W......Page 465 McGraw Hill PMP Certification Beginners Guide (10-2009) (ATTiCA) 1 Contents 10 Acknowledgments 18 Introduction 20 Part I: Essentials of Project Management and PMP Certification 24 1 Bridging the Gap Between PM and PMP 26 Introduction to Project Management Institute (PMI) 29 Why Get Certified? What's in It for Me? 30 The PMI Family of Credentials 31 Demystifying PMI Exams 36 Manage the Exam Preparation Like a Project 44 Maintaining Your PMI Credential (CCRs/PDUs) 51 References 53 2 The Emerging World of Project Management 54 What Is a Project? 56 What Is a Program? 56 What Is an Operation? 57 What Is Project Management? 58 The Role of the Project Manager 64 Try This: Who Are the Project Stakeholders? 68 Project Framework 69 Organizational Structures 70 Try This: What Does the Customer Want? 72 Try This: Building a Corral for Rodeo Animals 74 Case Study Introduction 74 Pop Quiz 82 References 83 3 Project Management Process Groups 84 What Are Process Groups? 85 Introduction to PMI Knowledge Areas 97 Project Processes 103 Global Standards 103 Mapping Processes to Knowledge Areas and Process Groups 104 References 113 Part II: The Nine Knowledge Areas 114 4 Project Integration Management 116 Project Integration Management According to PMI 118 Overview of Project Integration Management Processes 119 The Selection Process: How Projects Are Born 120 Project Integration Management Processes: Charter to Close 125 Try This: Who Provides the Requirements? 133 Try This: Plan the Work 136 Try This: Sky's the Limit: Pet Projects Are Out of Scope 141 Try This: Keeping Your Eyes Wide Open: Accurate Progress Reporting 143 Try This: Having a Crystal Ball: Fix It Before It Breaks 146 Try This: Pass the Shredder: Closing the Project Is So Therapeutic 149 References 150 5 Project Scope Management 152 Definition of Scope Management 155 Project Scope Management Processes 157 Try This: Dealing with Unusual Demands: The Customer Wants What? 161 Additional Information on Change Management 182 References 187 Project Scope Statement 184 6 Project Time Management 188 Time Management System 190 Managing the Schedule 190 Project Time Management Processes 191 Try This: Who's on First? (Knowing the Schedule) 209 Try This: The Overachiever ("Pick Me, Coach!") 210 Try This: Using Three-Point Estimate for Travel Time 214 Try This: Out-of-Control Schedule 229 References 230 7 Project Cost Management 232 An Offer I Couldn't Refuse 234 How Do You Spell "$ponsor"? 235 How Cost Management Ties into Time Management 235 Project Cost Management Processes 236 Try This: Parametric Estimating 244 Try This: Earned Value Example Using BEC Case Study 255 Cost Management Summary 265 References 265 8 Project Quality Management 268 How to Achieve Customer Satisfaction 270 How Do You Measure Quality? 271 Case Study: Sample Quality Measurements 272 Importance of Quality 273 Definition of Quality and How It Changed 276 Try This: Go Lean Project 282 Project Quality Management Processes 284 Quality Management Summary 297 References 297 9 Project Human Resource Management 300 What Is Project Human Resource Management? 302 Role of the Project Manager in HR Management 302 Project Human Resource Management Processes 303 Try This: Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Networking the Project Team 323 Managing Customer Expectations 329 HR Management Summary 332 References 332 10 Project Communications Management 334 The PM's Role in Communications 337 The Medium (How We Deliver the Message) 338 Project Communications Management Processes 340 Try This: How to Plan Communications for Key Stakeholders 341 Try This: Managing Unrealistic Expectations 355 Summary of Communications Management 362 References 362 11 Project Risk Management 364 Risk Factors 366 Threats, Opportunities, and Triggers 366 Try This: Don't Rain on My Project 368 Be Proactive (Plan for Risk and Mitigate Wherever Possible) 368 Risk Tolerances and Thresholds 370 Project Risk Management Processes 371 Summary of Risk Management 395 References 396 12 Project Procurement Management 400 Definition of a Contract 402 Definition of Procurement 406 Role of the Project Manager (Buyer or Seller) 407 Project Procurement Management Processes 408 Try This: Fixing Issues Before Turning Out the Lights 427 Summary 432 References 432 13 Closing the Project: Are We There Yet? 434 Importance of Project Closure 436 Closing Processes 437 Next Steps: Where to Go from Here 446 Project Objectives for this Book 447 Go Confidently in the Direction of Your Dreams 447 References 448 Index 450 A 450 B 451 C 451 D 453 E 453 F 454 G 455 H 455 I 455 J 456 K 456 L 456 M 456 N 457 O 457 P 458 Q 460 R 461 S 462 T 463 U 464 V 464 W 465

Essential Project Management Skills—Made Easy!

This accessible guide bridges the gap between being a project manager and becoming a globally recognized Project Management Professional (PMP). Covering the latest PMP exam content from the Project Management Institute (PMI), the book explains PMI's worldwide standard methods, nine knowledge areas, and 42 processes. You'll learn proven strategies for improving project efficiency and effectiveness, balancing constraints, communicating timely and accurate project status, and successfully bringing a project to completion. A real-world case study that's followed throughout the book provides helpful examples, checklists, and proven project results.

Designed for Easy Learning:

• Key Skills & Concepts—Chapter-opening lists of specific skills covered in the chapter

• Ask the Expert—Q&A sections filled with bonus information and helpful tips

• Try This—Hands-on exercises that show you how to apply your skills

• Notes—Extra information related to the topic being covered

• Tips—Helpful reminders to help you prepare for the PMP exam