Q 1: Unit I began the discussion on the five process groups of project management.

List

the five process groups and describe in detail each process group. Make sure to explain the

purpose and function of each process group.

Answer: A Guide to the PMBOK provides the best approach of five process group which

are: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Each of this

process group gives a background of a successfully plan and lead to a well-run project.

Project management has a definite beginning and an end. In the initiating process, gets a

life an idea for a new product, service or another desired outcome. So in this process, the scope is

determined, and the stakeholders are defined. The identification of scope and stakeholder is

crucial in this process because they can succeed or break the project.

After initiating, the project manager plans the project in details. The time, cost and

resources are designed adequately, to estimate the work that will need and the risk that will be

managed during the execution phase. All information is described and recorded in the project

management plan.

In the executing process, all stakeholders collaborate to complete the work defined in the

project management plan, according to the project schedule. Often project manager uses the

model of Gantt chart, a program that describes activities, tasks and the time that should be

followed by project members.

The project officer monitors all process. They manage and track the progress of the

project. They identify and analyze potential problems, and take corrective action. This process
ends when all goals and objectives of the project are achieved, as are specified in the contract

with the client.

Sometimes the closing process is overlooked. But this process has its importance because

it demonstrates the success of the project if the scope and the objective signed are conducted.

Using the project closure report, the project manager list what has gone well and what wrong.

This report also serves as a lesson learned report that other future project could apply.

Q 2: Describe the "typical" life cycle of most projects. Discuss the different phases of the

life cycle. What factors contribute to a projects life cycle not being "typical"?

Answer: Most of the projects are broken down into phases, which allow the manager to

maintain the control of project more efficiently. The project life cycles phases vary depending

upon the project complex and its scope, but the most used phases are Initiating, Planning,

Execution, and Closure. Despite the classic meaning that project life cycle serves as a time

distribution of project completion, it is also viewed as a mechanism to control quality, as a way

of organizing the management of risk. The standard curve of the project life cycle is the

Stretched-S pattern, which describes the progress of the project goals in a curve with a slow

begging, a rapid continuing and a quiet end of the project.

After the feasibility issues of the project and justification are resolved, the project is born.

In the initiation phase, the objectives are identified, the manager is selected; the project team

starts to take shape and resources are assembled, then the project moves into the planned phases.
 In the second phase, planning phase, all activities, and tasks are identified and developed

in details. The project team defines the work to be done and the project manager coordinates the

budget by estimating the cost of labor, materials, and equipment. The fundamental components

of the planning phases are the identification of the work, preparation of the schedule, estimation

of the cost, and when this entire three are completed, its the time to evaluate any threaten risk.

The scope is to reduce the possible impact on the progress of the project.

In the third phase, execution, the project plan is put into action. During the

implementation, continually the progress is monitored, and adjustments are made to guarantee

the realization of objectives. In this step is spent most of the time by the project manager,

because the manager carries to collect information and to use it to measure the activities

performances. The project manager carries to maintain the project on the course, and if the

project moves from the course, the project sponsor should be informed about the project status.

Regularly the project manager prepares progress report about cost, schedule, and quality. Once

the customer accepts the final solution, the project is ready to be close.

In the final phase, closure, the output is delivered to the customer. To all stakeholders is

communicated the closure of projects, the documents are handing over to the business.

The triple constraints scope, time and cost, referred as project management triangle are

interdependent with each other. None of the restrictions can be altered without affecting the other

one or both of others. If the customer decides to change the scope of the project, it is likely to

impact on the cost. Likewise, a decision in an earlier ending will require more money.