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Prepare for the Project+ exam and a new career in project management quickly and efficiently with a newly updated guide
In the newly revised Third Edition of the CompTIA Project+ Study Guide: Exam PK0-005, veteran project manager and tech educator Kim Heldman delivers a fully updated and comprehensive guide to the foundational CompTIA Project+ exam. This all-in-one study aid focuses on the job-critical skills demanded by employers and will help you hit the ground running on your first day in a new project management role.
In this Study Guide, you’ll learn to manage the project lifecycle, coordinate small- and medium-sized projects, establish communication plans, manage resources and stakeholders, maintain project documentation and artifacts, and support the completion of larger projects within an information technology environment. It also offers:
Full of practical examples and insights drawn from the author’s extensive, real-world experience, the newest edition of CompTIA Project+ Study Guide: Exam PK0-005, Third Edition, is a must-read for anyone considering a new career in project management or preparing for the CompTIA Project+ exam.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kim Heldman, MBA, PMP, is Senior Manager and IT/Chief Information Officer for the Regional Transportation District in Denver, Colorado. She has over 25 years’ experience in IT project management and directs IT resource planning, budgeting, project prioritization, and strategic and tactical planning. Learn more about her at www.kimheldman.com.
Introduction xxi
Assessment Test xxx
Chapter 1 Introducing the Project 1
Defining the Project 2
Identifying the Project 2
Programs and Portfolios 3
Understanding Operations 4
Using the PMBOK® Guide 5
Project Life Cycle Phases 5
Discovery Phase 6
Initiating Phase 6
Planning Phase 7
The Executing Phase 9
The Closing Phase 10
Performing the Discovery/Concept Preparation Phase 10
How Projects Come About 11
Creating the Business Case and Selecting Projects 13
Determining Benefits and Rewards 14
Examining Existing Artifacts 21
Project Selection Methods 23
Decision Models 24
Expert Judgment 25
Summary 25
Exam Essentials 26
Key Terms 27
Review Questions 28
Chapter 2 Understanding IT Fundamentals 33
Understanding the Role of the Project Manager 34
Leadership 35
Communication 35
Problem Solving 36
Negotiating 36
Organization and Time Management 37
Factors That Influence Project Management Activities 38
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Factors 38
Compliance and Privacy Considerations 40
Information Technology Fundamentals 46
Infrastructure 46
Cloud Models 51
Software 55
Financial Systems 60
Summary 62
Exam Essentials 64
Key Terms 65
Review Questions 67
Chapter 3 Creating the Project Charter 71
Identifying and Assessing Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities 72
The Customer and End Users 73
The Project Sponsor 74
The Project Manager 75
The Senior Management Team 76
The Business Analyst 76
The Subject Matter Experts 76
The Project Management Office 77
The Program Manager 77
The IT Team 78
The Stakeholder Register 79
Assessing Stakeholders 80
Creating the Preliminary Scope Statement 83
Understanding the Need 84
Documenting the Preliminary Scope Definition 85
Creating the Project Charter 85
Purpose or Justification for the Project 86
Objectives 86
Project Description 87
Key Deliverables 87
High-Level
List of Requirements 87
High-Level
Milestones 87
Preapproved Budget 88
High-Level
Assumptions 88
High-Level
Constraints 88
Overall Risks 89
Other Contents 89
Project Success Criteria 89
Formal Approval 90
Creating the Records Management Plan 90
Determining Access Requirements 92
Holding the Kickoff Meeting 93
Summary 98
Exam Essentials 99
Key Terms 101
Review Questions 102
Chapter 4 Planning the Project 107
Defining the Planning Phase 108
Documenting the Scope Management Plan 109
Writing the Scope Statement 110
Project Objectives 111
Project and Product Description 111
Success Criteria and Key Performance Indicators 111
Key Deliverables 112
Exclusions from Scope 112
Time and Cost Estimates 112
Assumptions 113
Constraints 113
Approval of the Scope Statement 118
Documenting the Requirements 119
Requirement Categories 119
The Requirements Document 121
Determining a Project Methodology 122
Projects in Control (PRINCE2) 124
DevOps 124
Development Life Cycle Methodologies 125
Using the Waterfall Methodology 125
Using Agile Methodologies 126
Scrum 127
Kanban 127
Scrumban 129
Lean 129
Extreme Programming 130
Feature-Driven
Development 132
Dynamic Systems Development Method 132
Agile Unified Process 133
Hybrid 133
Summary of Project Life Cycles 134
Selecting a Methodology 136
Determining Scope on Agile Projects 138
Agile Team Members 139
Determine a Solutions Design 140
Summary 143
Exam Essentials 145
Key Terms 146
Review Questions 148
Chapter 5 Creating the Project Schedule 153
Creating the Work Breakdown Structure 154
Decomposing the Major Deliverables 155
Guidelines for Creating a WBS 156
Benefits of the WBS 157
WBS Dictionary 158
Scope Baseline 158
Documenting the Project Management Plan 159
Schedule Planning 160
Defining Tasks 161
Task Sequencing 162
Types of Dependencies 162
Logical Relationships 163
Creating a Network Diagram 164
Assigning Resources 164
Determining Task Durations 165
Defining Duration 165
Estimating Techniques 165
Developing the Project Schedule 167
Milestones 168
Program Evaluation and Review Technique 169
Gantt Charts 170
The Critical Path Method 170
Duration Compression 172
Resource Loading 173
Project Scheduling Software 175
Setting the Baseline and Obtaining Approval 175
Quality Gates 176
Establishing Governance Gates 176
Scheduling Techniques Using Agile Methodologies 177
Estimating Techniques Using Agile 177
Burndown Chart 178
Story Points and Velocity 179
Kanban Board 180
Scrum Board 181
Agile Release Planning 182
Summary 185
Exam Essentials 186
Key Terms 188
Review Questions 190
Chapter 6 Resource Planning and Management 195
Understanding Organizational Structures 196
The Functional Organization 196
The Matrix Organization 198
The Projectized Organization 200
Determining Resource Needs 201
Resource Overallocation 203
Interproject Work 203
Resource Life Cycle 204
Personnel Management 206
Team Composition 206
Selecting Team Members 206
Roles and Responsibilities 208
Organization Charts and Position Descriptions 208
Matrix-Based Charts 209
Building and Managing a Cohesive Team 211
Trust Building 212
Monitoring Team Performance 212
Conflict Management 216
Managing Conflict 216
Project Kickoff Part Two 219
Procurement Planning 220
Statement of Work 221
Vendor Solicitation 222
Vendor Selection Criteria 223
Types of Contracts 226
Vendor-Related
Documents 228
Summary 230
Exam Essentials 232
Key Terms 233
Review Questions 235
Chapter 7 Defining the Project Budget and Risk Plans 239
Understanding Information Security Concepts 240
Corporate IT Security Policies 240
Categorizing Security Policies 242
Estimating Costs 245
Cost-Estimating Techniques 245
Estimating Tips 249
Creating the Project Budget 250
Creating the Project Budget 251
Cost Baseline 253
Expenditure Tracking and Reporting 254
Budget Burndown Chart 255
Earned Value Management 256
Expenditure Reporting 260
Risk Planning 260
Risk Identification 261
Risk Analysis 263
Preparing Risk Responses 267
Risk Monitoring 270
Summary 272
Exam Essentials 273
Key Terms 275
Review Questions 277
Chapter 8 Communicating the Plan 283
Communications Planning 284
Exchanging Information 285
Listening 287
Methods of Communicating 288
Assessing the Forms of Communication 288
Written and Verbal Communication 289
Communication Methods and Tools 289
The Communication Plan 292
Communicating with Project Team Members 293
Communicating on an Agile Team 294
Factors That Influence Communications 297
Communication Triggers 299
Holding Effective Meetings 302
Meeting Types 302
Preparing for Meetings 305
Communication Platforms 307
Collaboration Tools 307
Meeting Tools 309
Reporting Project Information 310
Project Status Reports 310
Project Dashboard 311
Charts 311
Establishing Communication Channels 313
Maintaining Communication Records 313
Controlling Communications 315
Managing Stakeholder Expectations and Communication Needs 316
Summary 321
Exam Essentials 322
Key Terms 323
Review Questions 325
Chapter 9 Processing Change Requests 329
Executing Phase Activities 330
Reviewing the Project Management Plan 331
Managing Vendors 332
Contract Change Control 333
Paying Vendors 334
Implementing Change Control Systems 335
Create and Submit the Change Request 336
Documenting Changes in the Change Control Log and Conducting a Preliminary Review 336
Conducting Impact Assessments 337
Documenting Change Recommendations 338
Determining Decision-Makers 339
Managing the Change Control Board 339
Documenting Approval Status in the Change Control Log 340
Communicating Change Status 340
Updating the Project Management Plan 341
Implementing the Change 341
Validating the Change and Perform a Quality Check 342
Communicating Change Deployment 342
Other Change Requests 342
Project Change Management 342
Implementing Organizational Change 343
Types of Organizational Change 343
Implementing Organizational Change 344
Operational Change Control on an IT Project 347
IT Infrastructure Control 347
Software Change Control 348
Other IT Change Processes 349
Agile Frameworks 349
Scaling Frameworks 350
Projects in Control (PRINCE2) 351
Summary 353
Exam Essentials 354
Key Terms 355
Review Questions 357
Chapter 10 Managing Quality and Closing Out the Project 363
Controlling Quality 364
Inspecting and Testing 364
Using Quality Charts 366
Common Causes of Variances 372
Taking Action on Quality Control 373
Managing Issues 374
Roles and Responsibilities 374
Issue Tracking 374
Resolution Plan 375
Resolution Techniques 376
Outcome Documentation 376
Action Items 376
Using Performance Measures 377
Key Performance Indicators 377
Balanced Scorecard 379
Key Objectives and Results 379
Cost and Schedule Performance 379
Project Endings 380
Characteristics of Closing 380
Types of Project Endings 380
Steps in Closing Out a Project 382
Verification and Validation of Deliverables 382
Obtaining Sign-Off 383
Developing a Transition Plan and Operational Handoff 383
Removing Access 384
Releasing Team Members 384
Closing Out the Contract 384
Archiving Documentation 385
Documenting Lessons Learned and Project Evaluation 385
Project Closure Meeting 388
Project Closeout Report 388
Rewards and Celebrations 389
Postimplementation Support and Warranty Period 389
Summary 390
Exam Essentials 391
Key Terms 393
Review Questions 394
Appendix Answers to Review Questions 399
Chapter 1: Introducing the Project 400
Chapter 2: Understanding IT Fundamentals 401
Chapter 3: Creating the Project Charter 403
Chapter 4: Planning the Project 404
Chapter 5: Creating the Project Schedule 406
Chapter 6: Resource Planning and Management 408
Chapter 7: Defining the Project Budget and Risk Plans 409
Chapter 8: Communicating the Plan 411
Chapter 9: Processing Change Requests 413
Chapter 10: Managing Quality and Closing Out the Project 414
Index 417
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