PMP® Certification Training

Lesson 03—Project Management Processes

This course is based on PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
PMP, PMI, PMBOK is a registered mark of PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE®

Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Objectives

After completing ● Differentiate between Project Life Cycle and Project Management Process
this lesson, you will
be able to: ● Name the five Project Management Process Groups

● Describe the Process Group Interactions

● Recognize processes aligned to different Process Groups and Knowledge

Areas

● Identify the inputs and actions of Project Management Process Groups

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Project Life Cycle vs. Project Management Process

Given below are the differences between project lifecycle and project management process:

Project Life Cycle Project Management Process

● Project life cycle addresses the question, “What ● Project management process addresses the
to do to get the work done?” question, “What to do to manage the project?”
● Project life cycle varies industry wise. ● Project management processes are likely to be the
same across industries.

In the software industry, project lifecycle includes In the develop schedule process, one needs to develop the
understanding requirement in the requirement analysis project schedule, irrespective of the industry or domain you
phase, implementing requirement in the design phase, are working.
writing code and implementing the functionality in the
coding phase, debugging of code in the testing phase,
installation of the software at customer location, and
providing support in the operations and support phase.

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Project Management Process Groups

Project management processes are divided

into five groups:

● Initiating Process Group

● Planning Process Group

● Executing Process Group

● Monitoring and Controlling Process Group

● Closing Process Group Figure—A[1]

The iteration of processes within the phases is dependent on the scale of the projects. Small projects may
! only one iteration, while bigger projects may have multiple iterations before they enter a new phase.

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Process Group Interactions

Process Groups have overlapping activities that occur throughout the project life cycle. The output of
one process acts as an input to another process or a deliverable of the project.

Figure—B[2]
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Project Management Process Map

Study the table to identify processes under project management and the knowledge area they belong
to.
Exam Tips
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Initiating Process Group

Initiating Process Group defines a new project or phase. When the project charter is approved, the
project is officially authorized.
Inputs Actions taken
● Project statement of work ● Review the statement of work and business case
● Agreements ● Clarify the assumptions and constraints
● Business case ● Establish the feasibility of the project
● Enterprise environmental factors ● Identify the key stakeholders of the project and
● Organizational process assets their interest in the project
● Procurement documents ● Confirm the organization’s willingness and
capability to work on the project

The inputs and activities of initiating process group are important from the exam perspective.
Exam Tips

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Planning Process Group

Planning Process Group establishes the total scope of effort, objectives, and course of action required
to attain those objectives.
Inputs Actions taken
● Project charter ● Refine requirements and convert it into a scope
● Requirements given by the customer statement and the work breakdown structure
● Stakeholder register ● Get stakeholder approval and buy-in
● Stakeholder management strategy ● Develop the baseline scope, cost, and schedule
● Organizational process assets ● Select project team and determine their roles and
● Enterprise environmental factors responsibilities
● Teaming agreements ● Determine project’s quality standards and plan
● Resource calendars ● Framework for risk management, identification,
analysis, and response planning
● Determine what needs to be purchased
● Determine how to execute and control the project
● Document the project management plan
● Handle updates on the plan arising out of change
requests
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Executing Process Group

Executing Process Group completes the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the
project specifications.
Inputs Actions taken
● Project management plan ● Manage stakeholder engagements
● Resource calendars ● Deliver the work packages as planned
● Project documents ● Implement quality assurance activities
● Enterprise environmental factors ● Produce project reports
● Seller proposals ● Remove project bottlenecks
● Approved change requests ● Organize team building activities
● Quality control measurements ● Organize training for the team members
● Make-or-buy decisions ● Conduct project progress meetings
● Source selection criteria ● Implement approved changes, corrective actions,
● Work performance report preventive actions, and defect repair
● Work performance information ● Finalize procurement arrangements and contracts

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Monitoring and Controlling Process Group

Monitoring and Controlling Process Group tracks, reviews, and regulates the progress and
performance of the project; identifies and initiates the changes to the plan when required.
Inputs Actions taken
● Deliverables ● Measure project performance against the baseline
● Work performance data ● Determine variances and take appropriate action
● Change requests ● Recommend changes, corrective, and preventive
● Organizational process assets action
● Project management plan and documents ● Facilitate conflict resolution
● Selected sellers ● Identify root causes of problems
● Obtain formal acceptance for the deliverables
● Administer contracts with sellers
● Control changes
● Conduct status review meetings, etc.

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Closing Process Group

Closing Process Group finalizes the activities across all Project Management Process Groups to
formally complete the project, phase, or contractual obligations.
Inputs Actions taken
● Project plan and documents ● Confirm that all project requirements are met
● Accepted project deliverables ● Obtain formal signoff from customer
● Procurement documentation ● Make payment to all parties and update cost
● Organizational process assets records
● Enterprise environmental factors ● Complete contract closure
● Update lessons learned database
● Measure customer satisfaction
● Handover project deliverables to operations team
● Release resources from the project

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 Quiz

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 QUIZ A project manager is validating the scope. Which Process Group is the project manager
1 working in?

a. Planning
b. Monitoring and Controlling
c. Initiating
d. Closing

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 QUIZ A project manager is validating the scope. Which Process Group is the project manager
1 working in?

a. Planning
b. Monitoring and Controlling
c. Initiating
d. Closing

Answer: b.
Explanation: Monitoring and Controlling (see PMBOK® Guide section 3.6). During project
closure the project manager reviews the acceptance documentation from scope validation
to ensure that all project requirements are completed.

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 QUIZ
Which of the following is an output of the Initiating Process Group?
2

a. Project charter
b. Organizational process assets
c. Enterprise environmental factors
d. Procurement documents

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 QUIZ
Which of the following is an output of the Initiating Process Group?
2

a. Project charter
b. Organizational process assets
c. Enterprise environmental factors
d. Procurement documents

Answer: a.
Explanation: Project charter is the output of the Initiating Process Group. All other options
are inputs to the Initiating Process Group.

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 QUIZ
Who is in control of the project during the Planning Processes?
3

a. Project manager
b. Functional manager
c. Team members
d. Stakeholders

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 QUIZ
Who is in control of the project during the Planning Processes?
3

a. Project manager
b. Functional manager
c. Team members
d. Stakeholders

Answer: a.
Explanation: The project manager is in control of the project throughout the project life
cycle.

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 QUIZ The high level project schedule constraints have been determined. Which Process
4 Group is the project in?

a. Planning
b. Closing
c. Monitoring and Controlling
d. Initiating

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 QUIZ The high level project schedule constraints have been determined. Which Process
4 Group is the project in?

a. Planning
b. Closing
c. Monitoring and Controlling
d. Initiating

Answer: d.
Explanation: The high level constraints of schedule and budget are determined during the
Initiating Process Group. The detailed planning is done during the Planning Process Group.

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 QUIZ
Which of the following is not true about project life cycle?
5

a. Cost of changes increases as the project approaches completion

b. Stakeholder influences are greatest towards the end of the project
c. Risk and uncertainty are greatest at the start of the project

d. Cost and staffing levels are low at the start, peak as the work is carried
out, and drop rapidly as the project draws to a close

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 QUIZ
Which of the following is not true about project life cycle?
5

a. Cost of changes increases as the project approaches completion

b. Stakeholder influences are greatest towards the end of the project
c. Risk and uncertainty are greatest at the start of the project

d. Cost and staffing levels are low at the start, peak as the work is carried
out, and drop rapidly as the project draws to a close

Answer: b.
Explanation: Stakeholder influences are greatest towards the beginning of the project.

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 QUIZ
Which of the following Process Groups should be included in all the projects?
6

a. Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing

b. Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling
c. Monitoring and Controlling
d. Initiating, Planning, and Executing

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 QUIZ
Which of the following Process Groups should be included in all the projects?
6

a. Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing

b. Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling
c. Monitoring and Controlling
d. Initiating, Planning, and Executing

Answer: a.
Explanation: In every project, all five Process Groups must be included but the level of
attention given to each Process Group will be governed by the project manager depending
on the project size and complexity.

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Summary
● Project life cycle addresses the question, “What to do to get the work
Here is a quick done?” while Project management process addresses the question, “What
recap of what was to do to manage the project?”
covered in this
● There are 47 processes in project management grouped into ten knowledge
lesson:
areas, and mapped to five Process Groups.
● Initiating Process Group defines a new project or phase. When the project
charter is approved, the project is officially authorized.
● Planning Process Group establishes the total scope of effort, objectives, and
course of action required to attain those objectives.
● Executing Process Group completes the work defined in the project
management plan to satisfy the project specifications.
● Monitoring and Controlling Process Group tracks, reviews, and regulates
the progress and performance of the project; identifies and initiates the
changes to the plan when required.
● Closing Process Group finalizes the activities across all Process Groups to
formally complete the project, phase, or contractual obligations.
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Additional Reading (Refer to the exercises provided along with handbook)

• Exercise 1
• Exercise 2
• Exercise 3

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 Thank You

This course is based on PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
PMP, PMI, PMBOK is a registered mark of PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE®

Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

References

[1] Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth
Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2013, Page 50.
[2] Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth
Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2013, Page 51.

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