Work Performance Information (WPI) vs Work Performance Measurements (WPM)
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Work Performance Information (WPI) vs Work Performance Measurements (WPM)

ByFahad Usmani, PMP

This blog post was based on the 4th edition of the PMBOK Guide, and from the 5th edition of the PMBOK Guide, the PMI has changed the definitions of terms used in this blog post; therefore, this post is now obsolete.

I have re-written this blog post based on the current version of the PMBOK Guide (6th edition). Please visit: Work Performance Data and Work Performance Information. I am leaving this post in case someone wants to review the old post under the PMBOK Guide (4th edition).

Management is always interested in the status and progress of the project. They want to know:

Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF) & Organizational Process Assets (OPA)
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Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF) & Organizational Process Assets (OPA)

ByFahad Usmani, PMP

Though the nature of a project is temporary, they are not performed in isolation. They work in a controlled environment and affected by Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF) and Organizational Process Assets (OPA).

The Project Management Institute terms them as influences. Enterprise environmental factors can be internal or external, while organizational process assets are always internal to an organization.

Enterprise environmental factors and organizational process assets are widely discussed in the PMBOK Guide and are inputs of almost all processes. You must have a thorough understanding of these terms.

Although the concepts are straightforward, many PMP aspirants fail to understand them and often make mistakes on the exam.

Critical Path Method (CPM) in Project Management
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Critical Path Method (CPM) in Project Management

ByFahad Usmani, PMP

Critical Path Method (CPM) is a project schedule modeling technique. Mr. Morgan R. Walker and James E. Kelly developed this technique in the late 1950s.

项目planners use this method to develop schedules for many kinds of projects including IT, research, and construction.

Critical Path Method is a lengthy and complex concept. Please follow each step in this blog post and don’t move on until you understand the previous steps. If you follow this advice and complete the blog post, you won’t have any problems solving the questions on Critical Path Method.

Critical Chain Method (CCM) in Project Management
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Critical Chain Method (CCM) in Project Management

ByFahad Usmani, PMP

The Critical Path Method helps project managers develop and manage the schedule in the past.

This method makes the life of a project manager easy. They can plan activities with less effort, and this was a good communication tool.

However, there were many issues with the schedules developed by critical path methods. These schedules were not realistic, and projects started getting delayed, which caused crossing their cost baselines.

Many times these delays led to project termination, and this was hurting companies financially.

Precedence Diagramming Method (Activity on Node Method) in Scheduling
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Precedence Diagramming Method (Activity on Node Method) in Scheduling

ByFahad Usmani, PMP

A Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) is a graphical representation technique. It shows the inter-dependencies of activities and is used in schedule development. The other name for this technique is Activity on Node (AON).

We use this method in drawing the project schedule network diagrams; for example, critical path network, critical chain network diagram, and others.

The Precedence Diagramming Method shows activity relationships. Hence, it is an important communication tool for stakeholders.

Fast-Tracking vs Crashing – Schedule Compression Techniques
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Fast-Tracking vs Crashing – Schedule Compression Techniques

ByFahad Usmani, PMP

There are many reasons you may want to compress the schedule.

Your project could have been delayed and you have to bring it back on schedule.

Management may also ask you to compress the schedule. Often this happens when your resources are needed for a new opportunity.

项目delays can happen for many reasons. For example: an unrealistic schedule

PERT – Program Evaluation and Review Technique
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PERT – Program Evaluation and Review Technique

ByFahad Usmani, PMP

Schedule baseline and cost baseline are the two most important performance measurement baselines for any project. Cost baseline helps you assess the cost performance of the project, while the schedule baseline involves the duration.

Clients are very interested in the schedule because any delay can affect their business. So, project managers should give schedule development a top priority.

Developing a schedule is a big task and requires a thorough knowledge of schedule network diagramming techniques and experience.

Total Float vs Free Float
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Total Float vs Free Float

ByFahad Usmani, PMP

我从不认为我们总浮动和自由浮动re different concepts before my PMP exam preparation. I used to think they were synonymous.

While reading the Head First PMP book, I came to understand the difference between these two terms.

Total floats and free floats have an important role in the development of a network diagram. A better understanding of these terms will help you draw a network diagram and analyze a critical path.

You will see a few questions on this topic in your exam; it is an important concept.