4.7. Chapter Summary
Project integration management is an ongoing process the project manager completes to ensure that the project moves from initiation to closure. It is the gears, guts, and grind of project management, the day-in, day-out business of completing the project work. Project integration management takes the project plans; coordinates the activities, project resources, constraints, and assumptions; and massages them into a working model. Once the model exists, it's up to the project management team to monitor and control the project from initiation to closure and assure that everything goes according to plan. And if not? Fix it.
Of course, project integration management isn't an automatic process; it requires you, the project manager, to negotiate, finesse, and adapt to project circumstances. It relies on general business skills (such as leadership), organizational skills, and communication to get all the parts of the project working together. Project integration management has seven events:
Developing the project charter The project charter authorizes the project. It names the project manager and allows the project to commence. Projects are chartered for varying reasons: market demand, customer requests, to solve a problem, or even to address a social need. While the charter authorizes the project, it also defines the requirements for stakeholder satisfaction, the project purpose, and the project assumptions and constraints.
Developing the preliminary project scope statement The preliminary project scope statement defines many things, chief among them: project objectives, deliverables, acceptance criteria, schedule milestones, the initial WBS, and the initial defined risks.
Developing the project plan Project plan development is an iterative process that requires input from the project manager, the project team, the project customers, and other key stakeholders. It details how the project work will accomplish the project goals. The project is comprised of nine subsidiary plans and several other documents.
Directing and managing the project execution Once the project management plan has been created, the project manager and the project team can implement the plan. Directing and managing the project plan creates the project deliverables for the project or phase. Corrective actions, preventive actions, and defect repair all happen through directing and managing the project execution.
Monitoring and controlling the project This process group starts with the project's conception and finishes with the project completion. Its goal is to make certain that the project stays on track and finishes according to the project plan. Measurements for project performance, time, cost, and quality are implemented. If there are variances, responses to these will happen through preventive, corrective, or defect repair actions.
Managing integrated change control Changes can kill a project. Change requests must be documented and sent through a formal change control system to determine their worthiness for implementation. Integrated change control manages changes across the entire project. Change requests are evaluated and considered for impacts on risk, costs, schedule, and scope. Not all change requests are approved—but all change requests must be documented.
Closing the project Projects and phases are closed. Administrative closure confirms that all of the needed processes for each process group have been completed. Administrative closure also gathers all project records for archival purposes, including documentation of the project's success or failure. Contracts, when used, must also be closed after inspection of the contract deliverables. Contracts are always closed according to the agreed-upon terms.
4.7.1. Key Terms
Administrative closure The documentation of the closing process participants, their roles, responsibilities, and timings. The second part of administrative closure collects all of the project records, the lessons learned, and communications for the project archives.
Benefit/cost ratio (BCR) models This is an example of a benefits comparison model. It examines the cost-to-benefit ratio.
Change control board (CCB) A committee that evaluates the worthiness of a proposed change before it is approved.
Change control system (CCS) The change control system communicates the process for controlling changes to the project deliverables. This system works with the configuration management system and seeks to control and document proposals to the project's product.
Communications management plan This plan defines who will get what information, how will they receive it, and in what modality the communication will take place.
Configuration identification This includes the labeling of the components, how changes are made to the product, and the accountability of the changes.
Configuration management system This system defines how stakeholders are allowed to submit change requests, the conditions for approving a change request, and how approved change requests are validated in the project scope. Configuration management also documents the characteristics and functions of the project's products and any changes to a product's characteristics.
Configuration status accounting The organization of the product materials, details, and prior product documentation.
Configuration verification and auditing The scope verification and completeness auditing of project or phase deliverables to ensure that they are in alignment with the project plan.
Contract closure The formal verification of the contract's completeness by the vendor and the performing organization.
Cost baseline This is the aggregated costs of all of the work packages within the WBS.
Cost management plan This plan details how the project costs will be planned for, estimated, budgeted, and then monitored and controlled.
Enterprise environmental factors The culture, structure, standards, regulations, organizational logistics, and other organizational characteristics that influence how a project operates.
Future value A benefit comparison model to determine a future value of money. The formula to calculate future value is FV = PV (1 + I)n, where PV is present value, I is the given interest rate, and n is the number of time periods.
Integrated change control A process to consider the impact of a proposed change on the project's knowledge areas.
Mathematical model A project selection method to determine the likelihood of success. These models include: linear programming, nonlinear programming, dynamic programming, integer programming, and multiobjective programming.
Milestone list This list details the project's milestones and their attributes.
Murder boards These are committees that ask every conceivable negative question about the proposed project. Their goals are to expose the project's strengths and weaknesses, and to kill the project if it's deemed unworthy for the organization to commit to. Also known as project steering committees or project selection committees.
Net present value Evaluates the monies returned on a project for each time period the project lasts.
Organizational process assets Anything that an organization has to help a current project succeed. Policies, procedures, documentation of past projects, and plans are part of the organizational process assets.
Payback period An estimate to predict how long it will take a project to pay back an organization for the project's investment of capital.
Preliminary project scope statement This document defines what the project needs to accomplish in order for the project to be deemed complete.
Present value A benefit comparison model to determine the present value of a future amount of money. The formula to calculate present value is PV = FV÷(1 + I)n, where FV is future value, I is the given interest rate, and n is the number of time periods.
Process improvement plan This plan aims to eliminate non-value-added activity, eliminate waste, and determine how the project work, execution, and management can be made better.
Procurement management plan The procurement management plan controls how the project will be allowed to contract goods and services.
Project charter This document authorizes the project. The project charter is endorsed by an entity outside of the project boundaries.
Project management plan The documented approach of how a project will be planned, executed, monitored and controlled, and then closed. This document is a collection of subsidiary project management plans and related documents.
Project scope management plan Defines how the project scope will be planned, managed, and controlled.
Project statement of work (SOW) This document defines all the products and services the project will provide.
Quality baseline Documents the quality objectives for the project, including the metrics for stakeholder acceptance of the project deliverable.
Quality management plan This plan defines what quality means for the project, how the project will achieve quality, and how the project will map to organizational procedures pertaining to quality.
Resource calendar Resources are people and things like equipment, rooms, and other facilities. This calendar defines when the resources are available to contribute to the project.
Risk management plan Risk is an uncertain event or condition that may affect the project's outcome. The risk management plan defines how the project will manage risk.
Risk register The risk register is a centralized database consisting of the outcome of all the other risk management processes.
Schedule baseline This is the planned start and finish of the project. The comparison of what was planned and what was experienced is the schedule variance.
Schedule management plan Defines how the project schedule will be created and managed.
Scoring models These models use a common set of values for all of the projects up for selection. For example, values can be profitability, complexity, customer demand, and so on.
Staffing management plan This plan defines how project team members will be brought on to and released from the project team. It also defines team training, safety issues, and how the project's reward and recognition system will operate.
4.7.2. Questions
You are the project manager for a pharmaceutical company. You are currently working on a project for a new drug your company is creating. A recent change in a law governing drug testing will impact your project and change your project scope. The first thing you should do as project manager is:
Create a documented change request
Proceed as planned, as the project will be grandfathered beyond the new change in the law
Consult with the project stakeholders
Stop all project work until the issue is resolved
You are the project manager for the HALO Project. You and your project team are preparing the project plan. Of the following, which one is a project plan development constraint you and your team must consider?
The budget as assigned by management
Project plans from similar projects
Project plans from similar projects that have failed
Interviews with SMEs who have experience with the project work in your project plan
The primary purpose of your project management plan is:
To define the work to be completed to reach the project end date
To define the work needed in each phase of the project life cycle
To prevent any changes to the scope
To provide accurate communication for the project team, project sponsor, and stakeholders regarding how the project will be executed, controlled, and closed
Of the following, which one is an input to project plan development?
Assumptions
Project management processes
Earned Value Management
Business needs
Which one of the following is an example of defect repair review?
Adding labor to a project to reduce errors during the installation of hardware
Retraining the project team on how to install a new material so that all future work with the new materials is done correctly
Repairing an incorrectly installed door in a new home construction project
Inspecting work that has been corrected because it was done incorrectly the first time
You are the project manager of the NHG Project. You have had to terminate a contract with a vendor. What is this an example of?
Special case of contract closure
Mitigation
Contract claim
Scope closure
The project plan provides a baseline for several things. Which one of the following does the project plan not provide a baseline for?
Scope
Cost
Schedule
Control
You are the project manager for your organization. When it comes to integrated change control, you must ensure that which one of the following is present?
Supporting detail for the change exists
Approval of the change from the project team
Approval of the change from a Subject Matter Expert
Risk assessment for each proposed change
The project plan provides what in regard to project changes?
A methodology to approve or decline changes
A guide to all future project risk management decisions
A vision of the project deliverables
A fluid document that may be updated as needed based on the CCB
You are assisting the project manager for the DGF Project. This project is to design and implement a new application that will connect to a database server. Management has requested that you create a method to document technical direction on the project and any changes or enhancements to the technical attributes of the project deliverable. Which one of the following would satisfy management's request?
Configuration management system
Integrated change control
Scope control
Change management plan
Who directs the performance of the planned project activities?
The project manager and the project management team
The project team
The project sponsor
The role responsible for the activity
You have just informed your project team that each team member will be contributing to the lessons-learned documentation. Your team does not understand this approach and wants to know what the documentation will be used for. Which one of the following best describes the purpose of the lessons-learned documentation?
Offers proof of concept for management
Offers historical information for future projects
Offers evidence of project progression as reported by the project team
Offers input to team member evaluations at the project's conclusion
Which one of the following measures project performance?
WBS
Project plan
Earned value technique
Work authorization system
Configuration management is a process for applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance of the project implementation. Which activity is not included in configuration management?
Controlling changes to the project deliverables
A method to communicate changes to stakeholders
Automatic change request approvals
Identification of the functional and physical attributes of the project deliverables
All of the following are addressed in the project charter, except for which one?
Requirements to satisfy the project customer, project sponsor, and other stakeholders
Assigned project management and level of authority
Summary budget
Risk responses
Which one of the following is an example of a mathematical model?
Future value
Linear programming
Present value
Benefits-cost ratio
You and the project management team are creating a preliminary project scope statement. As part of this activity, which one of the following should be included in the preliminary project scope statement?
Risk responses
Organizational process assets
Project statement of work
Initial WBS
What is the purpose of the project management plan?
It defines the project manager and her level of authority on the project
It authorizes the project manager to assign resources to the project work
It defines how the project will be planned and executed
It defines how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled, and then closed
The project steering committee is considering which project they should invest capital in. Mary's project promises to be worth $175,000 in four years. The project steering committee is interested in Mary's project, but they would like to know the present value of the return if the interest rate is 6 percent. What is the present value of Mary's project?
$175,000
$139,000
$220,000
$43,750
You have just completed the project work and scope verification. You are ready, you believe, to commence administrative closure for your project. You realize that you need to do several things to complete the administrative closure process. Which one of the following is not part of the administrative closure process?
Transfer the project's product to operations
Obtain stakeholder approval of the project deliverables
Complete contract closure
Validate that completion and exit criteria have been completed
4.7.3. Answers
A. Change requests should first be documented in the project's change control system. B is incorrect because the new law will require changes to the project. C is incorrect because it may be inappropriate to consult with the project stakeholders, especially on a large project. D is incorrect because we do not know the impact of the change and it may not justify halting the project work. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.6.
A. A predetermined budget set by management is an example of a project constraint. B and C are examples of organizational process assets that the project manager will use as inputs to project management planning. D, interviews with subject matter experts, is an example of expert judgment, and is a tool and technique used in project management plan development. For more information, see the PMBOK, Sections 4.3, 4.3.1, and 4.3.2.3.
D. The primary purpose of the project management plan is to define how the project will proceed. A and B are incorrect choices, as these address only the project work. C is incorrect, as this answer only addresses the project's change control system. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.3.
B. The selected project management processes need to be identified as part of the planning process. The project management processes are the 44 processes described in Chapter 3 and throughout the remainder of this book. A, C, and D are incorrect choices, as these are not inputs to the project plan development processes. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.3.1.
D. Defect repair review is a review of the defect repair. A is an example of a preventive action. B is an example of a corrective action. C is an example of defect repair. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.5.3.
A. Terminating a contract with a vendor is a special case of contract closure. Choices B, C, and D are not appropriate answers for this question. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.7.
D. The project management plan provides baselines for time, cost, and scope. Control is a project activity and part of the monitoring and controlling process group. For more information, see the PMBOK, Sections 4.3, 4.5, and 4.6.
D. Change requests need to be researched, and their complete impact needs to be documented. Part of this documentation includes the risk assessment of the new change. A, B, and C are not requirements for change requests. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.6.
A. The project management plan defines how changes will be monitored and controlled. B describes the risk management plan. C defines the project charter and project scope. D is an incorrect statement. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.3.
A. The configuration management system documents all functional physical characteristics of the project's product. It also controls changes to the project's product. B, C, and D are not correct answers. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.3.2.2.
A. The project manager and the project management team direct the performance of the project activities. The project team, sponsor, and the roles do not direct performance. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.4.
B. Lessons learned documentation serves as part of organizational process assets for future projects. A, the proof of concept, is not a PMI theme. C, project progress, is reported through status reports and performance measurements. D, team member performance, is built by performance, not lessons learned. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.7.3.4.
C. The earned value technique, commonly called earned value management (EVM), measures project performance on several factors, including cost and schedule. A, the WBS, is a breakdown of the project scope. B, the project plan, defines how the project will be controlled, executed, and closed. D, the work authorization, allows work to progress within a project. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.5.2.3.
C. Change requests should not be automatically approved. All documented change requests should flow through the change control system, be evaluated, and then a decision should be made. Choices A, B, and D are all part of configuration management. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.6.
D. Risk responses are not addressed in the project charter. The project manager, the summary budget, and the requirements to satisfy the project customer are defined. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.1.
B. Linear programming is an example of a mathematical model. Recall that mathematical models are also known as constrained optimization. Future value, present value, and a benefits-cost ratio are all examples of the benefits comparison model. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.1.2.
D. The initial WBS is part of the preliminary project scope statement. Risk responses are part of the risk management plan, so A is incorrect. Organizational process assets are not included in the project scope statement, so B is incorrect, too. C, the project statement of work, is also not part of the project scope statement. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.2.
D. The project management plan communicates how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled, and then closed. A and B both describe components of the project charter. C does not answer the question as completely as D. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.3.
B. $139,000 is the present value of Mary's project. This is found through the following formula: future value divided by one plus the interest rate to the power of the time periods the project will last. This question would read ($175,000)/(1.26), as the interest rate provided was 6 percent. Choices A, C, and D are all incorrect calculations. For more information, see the PMBOK, Section 4.1.2.
C. Completing the contract closure procedure is part of closing the project, but it is not part of administrative closure. A, B, and D are incorrect choices, because these activities are part of administrative closure. For more information, see the PMBOK, Sections 4.7.3.1 and 4.7.3.2.