CAPM® Certification

Lesson 03—Project Management Processes

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Objectives

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

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.

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

The five Project Management Process Groups are as follows:

Process Group Dashboard

Monitoring and
Initiating Process Planning Process Executing Closing Process
Controlling
Group Group Process Group Group
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 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 statement and the work breakdown structure
● Stakeholder register ● Get stakeholder approval and buy-in
● Organizational process assets ● Develop the baseline scope, cost, and schedule
● Enterprise environmental factors ● Select project team and determine their roles and
● Resource calendars responsibilities
● Work performance information ● Determine project’s 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 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
● Work performance data baseline
● Change requests ● Determine variances and take appropriate action
● Organizational process assets ● Recommend changes, corrective, and preventive
● Project management plan and documents action
● Selected sellers ● 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 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 working in?
1

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 working in?
1

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: 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 just been determined. Which process group is the
4 project in?

a. Planning

b. Closing
c. Monitoring and Controlling

d. Initiating

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 QUIZ The high level project schedule constraints have just been determined. Which process group is the
4 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
Of the following, which is not true about project life cycle?
5

a. 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
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 of changes increases as the project approaches completion

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 QUIZ
Of the following, which is not true about project life cycle?
5

a. 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
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 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
In every project, which process groups must always be included?
6

a. Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing

b. Planning, executing, monitoring and controlling

c. Monitoring and Controlling

d. Initiating, planning, executing

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 QUIZ
In every project, which process groups must always be included?
6

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
● Project life cycle addresses the question, “What to do to get the work done?” while
Here is a quick recap of
what was covered in Project management process addresses the question, “What to do to manage the
this lesson: 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. Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

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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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