CompTIA Project+ Study Guide

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