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Lesson 1: Introduction and Fundamental Project Managment Concepts
Project Management Concepts
The previous pages of this lesson demonstrated the relationships between Textbook 2, the lesson material, and test taking tips. As you delve into the actual project management processes, it is important to understand PM concepts. Your assigned reading for this lesson introduced you to an overview of these basic project management concepts. These concepts included the attributes of a project, the project life cycle (initiating, planning, performing, and closing) and the project management process.
This initial chapter provides a quick overview, and each of these areas will be explored in more detail in subsequent chapters and lesson modules, so don’t be discouraged with the large amount of information presented in this overview.
Business Operations Versus Projects
Your book describes specific attributes of a project. Be sure that you have reviewed those attributes and are able to describe what constitutes a project. There is a strong connection between business operations and projects. Projects and operations are performed by people, constrained by limited resources, and planned, executed, and controlled. You might initiate a project in response to an operational need. Once the project outcome (product or service) is complete, it is turned over to operations. The distinction between the two types of activities is that operational work is ongoing in support of the organization, while project work ends when the project closes. Operations are ongoing, include standard products or repetitive services, and can include generally repetitive processes that follow the organization's existing procedures with the purpose of sustaining the business.
PMP®/CAPM® Test Taking Tips
The project management processes presented throughout the course lessons are used in the formal project management process, and are designed to ensure adequate management of the most complex, extensive programs. Often, you can expect to manage smaller projects with the same key elements, but with less formality and less comprehensive detail.
However, when answering questions on the exam, have a large project in mind with the following assumptions:
- The project is new.
- More than 100 people work on the project.
- It uses resources from several countries.
- It lasts 1–5 years.
- It has a budget of over $5 million.
- There is only one project manager.
- The PM only manages one project at a time.
- The PM has access to “organizational assets,” which are historical documents from previous projects.
- The project management team will use the organization’s documented processes to guide the project.
Considering the concepts of project management in the context of a large project will help you make sense of what is necessary and what adds value, and will enable you to logically answer the questions on the exam.