CAPM Certification

Lesson 03Project Management Processes

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Objectives
After completing this
lesson, you will be able
to:

Differentiate between Project Life Cycle and Project Management Process

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 life cycle addresses the question, What

to do to get the work done?
Project life cycle varies industry wise.

In the software industry, project lifecycle includes

understanding requirement in the requirement analysis
phase, implementing requirement in the design phase,
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

Project management process addresses the

question, What to do to manage the project?
Project management processes are likely to be
the same across industries.

In the develop schedule process, one needs to develop the

project schedule, irrespective of the industry or domain you
are working.

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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

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The iteration of processes within the phases is dependent on the scale of the projects. Small projects may
have 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.

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Project Management Process Map

47 processes in project management are grouped into 10 Knowledge Areas, and mapped to 5 Process Groups.

Exam Tips
6

Study the table to identify processes under project management and the knowledge area they
belong to.
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Project Management Process Groups

The five Project Management Process Groups are as follows:

Process Group Dashboard

Initiating Process
Group

Planning Process
Group

Executing
Process Group

Monitoring and
Controlling
Process Group

Closing Process
Group

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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

Project statement of work

Agreements
Business case
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets
Procurement documents

Actions taken

Review the statement of work and business case

Clarify the assumptions and constraints
Establish the feasibility of the project
Identify the key stakeholders of the project and
their interest in the project
Confirm the organizations willingness and
capability to work on the project

The inputs and activities of initiating process group are important from the exam perspective.
Exam Tips
8

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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

Project charter
Requirements
Stakeholder register
Organizational process assets
Enterprise environmental factors
Resource calendars
Work performance information

Actions taken

Refine requirements and convert it into a scope

statement and the work breakdown structure
Get stakeholder approval and buy-in
Develop the baseline scope, cost, and schedule
Select project team and determine their roles and
responsibilities
Determine projects quality standards and plan
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

10

Project management plan

Resource calendars
Project documents
Enterprise environmental factors
Seller proposals
Approved change requests
Quality control measurements
Make-or-buy decisions
Source selection criteria
Work performance report
Work performance information

Actions taken

Manage stakeholder engagements

Deliver the work packages as planned
Implement quality assurance activities
Produce project reports
Remove project bottlenecks
Organize team building activities
Organize training for the team members
Conduct project progress meetings
Implement approved changes, corrective actions,
preventive actions, and defect repair
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

Deliverables
Work performance data
Change requests
Organizational process assets
Project management plan and documents
Selected sellers

Actions taken

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Measure project performance against the

baseline
Determine variances and take appropriate action
Recommend changes, corrective, and preventive
action
Facilitate conflict resolution
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

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Project plan and documents

Accepted project deliverables
Procurement documentation
Organizational process assets
Enterprise environmental factors

Actions taken

Confirm that all project requirements are met

Obtain formal signoff from customer
Make payment to all parties and update cost
records
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
1

A project manager is validating the scope. Which process group is the project manager working in?

a.

Planning

b. Monitoring and Controlling

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c.

Initiating

d.

Closing

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QUIZ
1

A project manager is validating the scope. Which process group is the project manager 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
2

Which of the following is an output of the initiating process group?

a.

Project charter

b. Organizational process assets

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c.

Enterprise environmental factors

d.

Procurement documents

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QUIZ
2

Which of the following is an output of the initiating process group?

a.

Project charter

b. Organizational process assets

c.

Enterprise environmental factors

d.

Procurement documents

Answer: a.
Explanation: All other options are inputs to the initiating process group.

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QUIZ
3

Who is in control of the project during the planning processes?

a.

Project manager

b. Functional manager

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c.

Team members

d.

Stakeholders

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QUIZ
3

Who is in control of the project during the planning processes?

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
4

The high level project schedule constraints have just been determined. Which process group is the
project in?

a.

Planning

b. Closing

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c.

Monitoring and Controlling

d.

Initiating

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QUIZ
4

The high level project schedule constraints have just been determined. Which process 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
5

Of the following, which is not true about project life cycle?

a.

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b.

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
Stakeholder influences are greatest towards the end of the project

c.

Risk and uncertainty are greatest at the start of the project

d.

Cost of changes increases as the project approaches completion

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QUIZ
5

Of the following, which is not true about project life cycle?

a.
b.

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
Stakeholder influences are greatest towards the end of the project

c.

Risk and uncertainty are greatest at the start of the project

d.

Cost of changes increases as the project approaches completion

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

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QUIZ
6

In every project, which process groups must always be included?

a.

Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing

b. Planning, executing, monitoring and controlling

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c.

Monitoring and Controlling

d.

Initiating, planning, executing

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QUIZ
6

In every project, which process groups must always be included?

a.

Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing

b. Planning, executing, monitoring and controlling

c.

Monitoring and Controlling

d.

Initiating, planning, 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
Here is a quick recap of
what was covered in
this lesson:

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Project life cycle addresses the question, What to do to get the work done? while
Project management process addresses the question, What to do to manage the
project?
There are 47 processes in project management grouped into ten knowledge 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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Thank You

CAPM & PMBOK are registered trademarks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

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Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Reference
[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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