CompTIA Project+ Study Guide Exam PK0-005

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:

• Hands-on, concrete guidance designed to banish test anxiety and prepare you for the entry-level CompTIA Project+ exam
• Detailed advice on project management concepts, lifecycle phases, project tools and documentation, and IT and governance basics required by on-the-job project managers
• Complimentary access to Sybex’s interactive, online learning environment and test bank, complete with an assessment test, hundreds of practice questions, practice exams, electronic flashcards, and a searchable glossary of key terms

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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