Chapter 2 of 3 · PMI PMP
Process
Delivery approach, scope, value, resources, procurement, cost, quality, schedule, status and project closure.
- 12topics
- 56 minfast track
- 4diagrams and exhibits
- 41%of the exam
Topics in this chapter
Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.
- 1Project Plan and Delivery ApproachChoose between predictive, iterative, incremental, agile and hybrid approaches, tailor them to your project, and build an…6 min
- 2Scope, Requirements and the WBSCollect requirements, write the scope statement, build a work breakdown structure and scope baseline, then validate and control…Diagram4 min
- 3Backlog, Value and PrioritizationManage agile scope with a product backlog, user stories and a definition of done, and deliver value through prioritization, MVP…5 min
- 4Planning and Managing ResourcesPlan people, equipment and materials with RACI charts and histograms, acquire and develop the team, and level or smooth resources…4 min
- 5Procurement and Contract TypesDecide between make and buy, compare fixed price, cost reimbursable and time and materials contracts, then run source selection…5 min
- 6Cost Estimating and BudgetingEstimate costs with analogous, parametric, bottom up and three point methods, set contingency and management reserves, and build…Diagram5 min
- 7Earned Value ManagementMaster the earned value formulas PV, EV, AC, CV, SV, CPI, SPI, EAC, ETC, VAC and TCPI with a worked example and guidance for…Diagram5 min
- 8Evaluating Project StatusMeasure and report project health using variance and trend analysis, burndown and burnup charts, velocity, cumulative flow and…5 min
- 9Planning QualityPlan and improve quality with cost of quality, the seven basic tools, control charts, audits and inspections, plus agile…4 min
- 10Critical Path and FloatSequence activities, run forward and backward passes, find the critical path and float, and compress a schedule using crashing or…Diagram5 min
- 11Agile Scheduling and KanbanPlan time in agile and hybrid projects using timeboxes, sprint planning, velocity, release planning, Kanban boards and work in…4 min
- 12Managing Project ClosureClose a project or phase by confirming acceptance, finishing procurement, capturing lessons, handing over to operations and…4 min
About this chapter
What this chapter covers
The Process domain is the largest part of the exam, and it covers the technical side of managing a project. It asks how you plan, run, measure and close the work, whether the project is predictive, agile or a hybrid of both.
The chapter walks through the choice of delivery approach and the integrated plan, then scope and value, resources, procurement, cost, quality and schedule. It finishes with status measurement and closure. Formulas such as earned value, three point estimates and float are written out in full with worked examples.
How the topics fit together
The pages follow the life of a project from planning to closure.
- Plan and delivery approach decides between predictive, agile and hybrid and sets the baselines.
- Scope, backlog and value define the work and make sure it is worth doing.
- Resources and procurement secure people, materials and outside suppliers.
- Cost, earned value, quality and schedule set the constraints and measure performance against them.
- Status and closure show whether the project is on track and bring it to a clean end.
Many questions in this domain give numbers. Write the formula first, fill in the values, and then check whether the sign and size of the answer make sense for the story.
How to use these pages
Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.
- What it is: the idea in plain words.
- How it works: the mechanism, with diagrams and examples.
- What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorize.
- Common mistakes: the classic traps.
- Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.
Work the examples by hand, especially earned value, three point estimates and the forward and backward pass. Then practice telling predictive and agile wording apart, because a question about a sprint needs a different answer from a question about a baseline.
Ready for more practice?
The full PMI PMP question bank has 1,463 questions, with timed practice exams and an explanation for every answer.
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