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The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of the 42 PMI processes.
Misc Study Notes:
- The inputs and outputs are often artifacts of the project such as documents where the tools and techniques are often methods, like brainstorming.
- The inputs to processes are often the outputs of previous processes.
- Since the enterprise environmental factors and organizational process assets are generally different for each process, these are abbreviated and then detailed in each occurrence.
- To help derive (vs. memorize) EFFs, answer the question, “What intangibles will influence this process?” Examples: culture, marketplace, and industry standards.
- To help derive (vs. memorize) OPAs, answer the question, “What resources can assist this process?” Examples: templates, same documents from previous projects, and lessons learned database.
- I’ve drafted writing templates for learning and self-testing the ITTOs. It indicates the number of each items needed for each ITTO of all the 42 processes as a hint while learning and writing them. They are arranged by knowledge area, since that is how most people learn them. The PDF is available here. a previous breakout by process flow is here. A still older version is here.
Use the first table to practice writing in the ITTOs of any PMI process. Scroll down for the completed ITTO tables.



Develop Project Charter |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project statement of work |
Expert judgment |
Project charter |
Business case |
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Contract (if third party project) |
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EEF: government/industry standards, organizational infrastructure, marketplace conditions |
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OPA: Org’s standard processes, policies, definitions, templates, historical info and lessons learned |
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Identify Stakeholders
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project Charter |
Stakeholder analysis |
Stakeholder register |
Procurement Documents |
Expert judgment |
Stakeholder management strategy |
EEF: Company Culture, structure, government and industry standards |
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OPA: Stakeholder register templates, previous stakeholder registers, lessons learned |
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Develop Project Management Plan |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project charter |
Expert judgment |
Project management plan |
Planning process outputs |
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EEF: Government/industry standards, org structure/infrastructure/culture, project management system |
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OPA: Standardized guidelines, proposal/performance eval criteria, PMP templates, closure templates, change control procedures, previous project docs like calendars, registers, and baselines. |
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Collect Requirements |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project charter |
Interviews |
Requirements documentation |
Stakeholder register |
Focus groups |
Requirements management plan |
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Facilitated workshops |
Requirements traceability matrix |
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Group creativity techniques: brainstorming, nominal group technique, Delphi technique, idea/mind mapping, affinity diagram. |
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Group decision making techniques: unanimity, majority, plurality, dictatorship |
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Questionnaires and surveys |
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Observations |
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Prototypes |
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Define Scope |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project charter |
Expert judgment |
Project scope statement |
Requirements documentation |
Product analysis |
Project document updates |
OPA: Scope statement policies, procedures and templates. Previous project files and lessons learned. |
Alternatives identification |
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Facilitated workshops |
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Create WBS |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project scope statement |
Decomposition |
WBS |
Requirements documentation |
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WBS dictionary |
OPA: WBS policies, procedures, and templates. Previous project files, lessons learned |
|
Scope baseline |
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Project document updates |
Define Activities |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Scope baseline (WBS, WBS dictionary, and Project Scope Statement) |
Decomposition |
Activity list |
EEF: PMIS (project management information system) |
Rolling wave planning |
Activity attributes |
OPA: activity planning related policies, procedures, guidelines. e.g. the scheduling methodology. |
Templates |
Milestone list |
|
Expert judgment |
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Sequence Activities
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Activity list |
Dependency determination |
Project schedule network diagrams |
Activity attributes |
Precedence diagramming method (PDM) |
Project document updates |
Milestone list |
Applying leads and lags |
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Project scope statement |
Schedule network templates |
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OPA: e.g. scheduling methodology files, previous project network diagrams |
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Estimate Activity Resources
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Activity list |
Expert judgment |
Activity resource requirements |
Activity attributes |
Alternatives analysis |
Resource breakdown structure |
Resource calendars |
Published estimating data |
Project document updates |
EEF: e.g. resource availability and skills |
Bottom-up estimating |
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OPA: Policies and procedures for staffing, renting and purchasing, historical resource usage information |
Project management software |
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Estimate Activity Durations
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Activity list |
Expert judgment |
Activity duration estimates |
Activity attributes |
Analogous estimating (top down) |
Project document updates |
Activity resource requirements |
Parametric estimating (plotted forecasts) |
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Resource calendars |
Three-point estimating (PERT) |
|
Project scope statement |
Reserve analysis |
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EEF: Reference data, e.g. duration estimating databases, productivity metrics, published commercial information |
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OPA: historical duration information, project calendars, scheduling methodology and lessons learned. |
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Develop Schedule
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Activity list |
Schedule network analysis |
Project schedule |
Activity attributes |
Critical path method |
Schedule baseline |
Project schedule network diagram |
Critical chain method |
Schedule data |
Activity resource requirements |
Resource leveling |
Project document updates |
Activity duration estimates |
Scheduling tool |
|
Resource calendars |
What-if scenario analysis |
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Project scope statement |
Applying leads and lags |
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EEF: e.g., a company’s scheduling tool |
Schedule compression |
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OPA: Scheduling methodology and project calendar |
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Estimate Costs
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Scope baseline |
Expert judgment |
Activity cost estimates |
Project schedule |
Analogous estimating |
Basis of estimates |
Human resource plan |
Parametric estimating |
Project document updates |
Risk register |
Bottom-up estimating |
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EEF: Market conditions, published commercial information |
Three-point estimates |
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OPA: cost estimating policies and templates, historical information and lessons learned |
Reserve analysis |
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Cost of quality |
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Project management estimating software |
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Vendor bid analysis |
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Determine Budget
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Activity cost estimates |
Cost aggregation |
Cost performance baseline |
Basis of estimates |
Reserve analysis |
Project funding requirements |
Scope baseline |
Expert judgment |
Project document updates |
Project schedule |
Historical relationships |
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Resource calendars |
Funding limit reconciliation |
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Contracts |
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OPA: cost budgeting related policies, procedures, and guidelines. Cost budgeting tools, reporting methods |
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Plan Quality
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Scope baseline |
Cost-benefit analysis |
Quality management plan |
Stakeholder register |
Cost of quality |
Quality metrics |
Cost performance baseline |
Control charts |
Quality checklists |
Schedule baseline |
Benchmarking |
Process improvement plan |
Risk register |
Design of experiments |
Project document updates |
EEF: Associated rules, standards, and guidelines. Government agency regulations. Product’s working / operating conditions. |
Statistical sampling |
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OPA: Organizational quality policies, procedures, and guidelines, historical databases, lessons learned, quality policy (either an endorsed as-is policy or one created by the PM and communicated to stakeholders.) |
Flowcharting |
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Proprietary quality management methodologies (e.g. Six Sigma) |
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Additional quality planning tools (Group decision techniques, matrices, ..) |
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Develop Human Resources Plan
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Activity resource requirements |
Org charts and position descriptions |
Human resources plan: roles and responsibilities, org charts and staffing management plan: resource calendars, acquisition and release, recognition and rewards, safety, compliance and training. |
EEF: Company culture, organization, HR, personnel policies, market |
Networking |
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OPA: org chart templates, historical project org info, standard processes and roles descriptions |
Organizational theory |
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Plan Communications
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Stakeholder register |
Communication requirements analysis |
Communications management plan |
Stakeholder management strategy |
Communication technology |
Project document updates |
EEF: All the other EEF are used here |
Communication models: components are encoding, message/feedback, medium, noise, and decoding |
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OPA: Lessons learned and historical info from previous projects, as well as all other OPAs. |
Communication methods: push, pull and interactive |
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Plan Risk Management
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project scope statement |
Planning meetings and analysis |
Risk management plan |
Cost management plan |
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Schedule management plan |
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Communications management plan |
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EEF: risk attitudes and tolerances |
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OPA: stakeholder registers, risk categories, common definitions, templates |
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Identify Risks
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Risk management plan |
Documentation reviews |
Risk register |
Activity cost estimates |
Information gathering techniques |
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Activity duration estimates |
Checklist analysis |
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Scope baseline |
Assumptions analysis |
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Stakeholder register |
Diagramming techniques |
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Cost management plan |
SWOT analysis |
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Schedule management plan |
Expert judgment |
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Quality management plan |
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Project documents |
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EEF: Risk attitudes, benchmarking, and published information: checklists, databases, studies. |
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OPA: Project files, process controls, risk statement templates, lessons learned. |
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Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Risk register |
Risk probability and impact assessment |
Risk resister updates:
Risk category grouping
Project risk ranking
Watchlist
Probability estimates of project objectives
Trends of the above data during the project |
Risk management plan |
Probability and impact matrix |
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Project scope statement |
Risk data quality assessment |
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OPA: similar project info and project studies, industry risk databases |
Risk categorization |
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Risk urgency assessment |
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Expert Judgment |
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Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Risk register |
Data gathering and representation techniques: interviewing, probability distributions |
Risk resister updates:
List of prioritized, quantified risks
Contingency time and cost reserves
Project estimates: Time and Date vs. Confidence
Probability estimates of project objectives
Trends of the above data during the project |
Risk management plan |
Quantitative risk analysis and modeling techniques: sensitivity analysis, EMV analysis/decision tree, modeling and simulation (e.g. monte carlo) |
|
Cost management plan |
Expert judgment |
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Schedule management plan |
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OPA: similar project info and project studies, industry risk databases |
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Plan Risk Responses
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Risk register |
Strategies for negative risks or threats |
Risk resister updates:
Residual risks
Secondary risks
Contingency plans
Risk response owners
Fallback plans
Risk triggers
Contracts
Reserves |
Risk management plan |
Strategies for positive risks or opportunities |
Risk-related contract decisions |
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Contingent response strategies |
Project management plan updates |
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Project document updates |
Plan Procurements
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Scope baseline |
Make-or-buy analysis |
Procurement management plan |
Requirements documentation |
Expert judgment |
Procurement statements of work |
Teaming aggreements |
Contract types |
Make-or-buy decisions |
Risk register |
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Procurement documents |
Risk-related contract decisions |
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Source selection criteria |
Activity resource requirements |
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Change requests |
Project schedule |
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Activity cost estimates |
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Cost performance baseline |
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EEF: market, availability, suppliers, locale, industry T&Cs |
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OPA: purchasing policies, management systems, supplier system |
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Direct And Manage Project Execution |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Expert judgment |
Deliverables |
Approved change requests |
Project management information system |
Work performance information |
EEF: Infrastructure, personnel rules, stakeholder risk tolerances, project management information systems |
|
Change requests |
OPA: Standardized work guidelines, communication requirements, defect management procedures, project files from previous projects |
|
Project management plan updates |
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Project document updates |
Perform Quality Assurance
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Plan Quality and Perform Quality Control tools and techniques |
OPA updates |
Quality metrics |
Quality audits |
Change requests |
Work performance information |
Process analysis |
Project management plan updates |
Quality control measurements |
|
Project document updates |
Acquire Project Team
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Pre-assignment |
Project staff assignments |
EEF: Org’s skill levels and structure, personnel policies, locale, |
Negotiation |
Resource calendars |
OPA: Org’s standard policies, processes, and procedures |
Acquisition |
Project management plan updates |
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Virtual teams |
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Develop Project Team |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project staff assignments |
Interpersonal skills |
Team performance assessments |
Project management plan |
Training |
EEF updates |
Resource calendars |
Team-building activities |
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Ground rules |
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Co-location |
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Recognition and rewards |
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Manage Project Team
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project staff assignments |
Observations and conversation |
EEF updates |
Project management plan |
Project performance appraisals |
OPA updates |
Team performance assessments |
Conflict management |
Change requests |
Performance reports |
Issue log |
Project management plan updates |
OPA: bonus structures, certificates of appreciation, newsletters, perks |
Interpersonal skills |
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Distribute Information
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Communication methods: mostly push method, like email, memos, etc, but include meetings, teleconferences, online chat, etc. |
OPA updates |
Performance reports |
Information distribution tools |
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OPA: information distribution guidelines and policies, lessons learned and historical project information |
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Manage Stakeholder Expectations
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Stakeholder register |
Communication methods |
OPA updates |
Stakeholder management strategy |
Interpersonal skills |
Change requests |
Project management plan |
Management skills |
Project management plan updates |
Issue log |
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Project document updates |
Change log |
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OPA: org communication requirements, change control and issue management procedures |
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Conduct Procurements
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Bidder conferences |
Selected sellers |
Procurement documents |
Proposal evaluation techniques |
Procurement contract awards |
Source selection criteria |
Independent estimates |
Resource calendars |
Qualified seller list |
Expert judgment |
Change requests |
Seller proposals |
Advertising |
Project management plan updates |
Project documents |
Internet search |
Project document updates |
Make-or-buy decisions |
Procurement negotiations |
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Teaming aggreements |
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OPA: prospective/qualified seller lists, historical seller information |
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Monitor and Control Project Work
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Expert judgment |
Change requests |
Performance reports |
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Project management plan updates |
EEF: Industry/Gov standards, stakeholder risk tolerances, project management information systems |
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Project document updates |
OPA: org communications requirements, financial controls procedures, defect management procedures, risk control/categories/matrices |
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Perform Integrated Change Control
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Expert judgment |
Change request status updates (approved change requests and denied change requests) |
Work performance information |
Change control meetings |
Project management plan updates |
Change requests |
|
Project document updates |
EEF: project management information system such as a scheduling tool |
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OPA: change control procedures, process measurement database, project files like baselines, configuration management databases |
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Verify Scope
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Inspection |
Accepted deliverables |
Requirements documentation |
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Change requests |
Requirements traceability matrix |
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Project document updates |
Validated deliverables |
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Control Scope
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Variance analysis |
Work performance measurements |
Work performance information |
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OPA updates |
Requirements documentation |
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Change requests |
Requirements traceability matrix |
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Project management plan updates |
OPA: scope related policies, guidelines, procedures. Monitoring and reporting methods to be used. |
|
Project document updates |
Control Schedule
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Performance reviews |
Work performance measurements |
Project schedule |
Variance analysis |
OPA updates |
Work performance information |
Project management software |
Change requests |
OPA: Schedule control tools, related policies, guidelines, procedures. Monitoring and reporting methods to be used. |
Resource leveling |
Project management plan updates |
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What-if scenario analysis |
Project document updates |
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Adjusting leads and lags |
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Schedule compression |
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Scheduling tool |
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Control Costs
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Earned value management |
Work performance measurements |
Project funding requirements |
Forecasting |
Budget forecasts |
Work performance information |
To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI) |
Organization process assets updates |
OPA: cost control-related policies procedures and guidelines. Cost control tools and monitoring / reporting methods to be used. |
Performance reviews |
Change requests |
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Variance analysis |
Project management plan updates |
|
Project management software |
Project document updates |
Perform Quality Control
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Cause and effect diagrams |
Quality control measurements |
Quality metrics |
Control charts |
Validated changes |
Quality checklists |
Flowcharting |
Validated deliverables |
Work performance measurements |
Histogram |
OPA updates |
Approved change requests |
Pareto chart |
Change requests |
Deliverables |
Run chart |
Project management plan updates |
OPA: quality standards and policies, standard work guidelines, and issue / defect reporting procedures |
Scatter diagram |
Project document updates |
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Statistical sampling |
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Inspection |
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Approved change requests review |
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Report Performance
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Variance analysis |
Performance reports |
Work performance information |
Forecasting methods |
OPA updates |
Work performance measurements |
Communication methods |
Change requests |
Budget forecasts |
Reporting systems |
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OPA: report templates, measurement indicator definitions, organization’s variance limits |
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Monitor And Control Risks
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Risk register |
Risk reassessment |
Risk register updates |
Project management plan |
Risk audits |
OPA updates: technical documentation and assumptions |
Work performance information |
Variance and trend analysis |
Change requests |
Performance reports |
Technical performance measurement |
Project management plan updates |
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Reserve analysis |
Project document updates |
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Status meetings |
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Administer Procurements |
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Procurement documents |
Contract change control system |
Procurement documentation |
Project management plan |
Procurement performance reviews |
OPA updates |
Contract |
Inspections and audits |
Change requests |
Performance reports |
Performance reporting |
Project management plan updates |
Approved change requests |
Payment systems |
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Work performance information |
Claims administration |
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Records management system |
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Close Procurements
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Procurement audits |
Closed procurements |
Procurement documentation |
Negotiated settlements |
OPA Updates |
|
Records management system |
|
Close Phase Or Project
|
Input |
Tools & Techniques |
Output |
Project management plan |
Expert judgment |
Final product, service, or result transition |
Accepted deliverables |
|
OPA updates |
OPA: closure guidelines, audits, evaluations and other project docs |
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