This is the integration part of the executing process group. In Direct and Manage Project Work, the project manager integrates all the executing processes into one coordinated effort to accomplish the project management plan and product deliverables. In addition, it involves requesting changes and completing the work accompanying approved change requests.
Exam Hint Please note the confusing terms. If the exam talks about Direct and Manage Project Work, it is NOT talking about the entire executing process group. Instead, it is just talking about the integration piece of executing.
The PMBOK Guide does not say too much about the Direct and Mange Project Work process, but this and the Monitor and Control Project Work process make up the majority of the project work. You want to make sure you remember that the Direct and Manage Project Work process involves managing people, doing the work, and implementing approved changes.
The following are examples of possible Direct and Manage Project Work activities:
Perform activities designed to accomplish the project requirements
Create the project deliverables
Staff, train, and manage team members
Obtain, manage, and use resources assigned to the project, including materials, tools, equipment
Implement the planned methods and standards
Establish and manage the internal and external project communication channels
Generate project data
Issue change requests and implement approved changes
Manage risks and risk responses
Manage procurement
Collect and document lessons learned
During the executing of any project there are going to be changes that materialize throughout the lifecycle of the project. The only time that changes can be executed is when they have been approved. There are different types of approved changes to be aware of for the exam.
Always remember that a corrective action fixes some of project work to bring it back in alignment the project management plan. On the other hand, a preventive action ensures that a mistake will not happen or be repeated in the future
Corrective Action
o A corrective action is any action taken to bring project performance in line with the project management plan.
o Any corrective actions that would change the project management plan, baselines, policies or procedures, charter, contract, or scope of work require formal change requests, to be reviewed and approved or rejected as part of the Perform Integrated Change Control process.
Preventative action
o Preventive action deals with anticipated or possible deviations from the performance measurement baseline.
o A preventive action ensures the future project performance is in line with the project management plan.
Defect repair
o This is when quality issues or defects have been identified and need to be corrected in order for them to meet the defined requirement
standards.
Each type has a different impact on a project and each plays an important role in the project success.
Inputs
Project Management Plan
Approved Change Requests (page 82)
The Integrated Change Control Process will facilitate which changes are approved and which are not. The approved changes can then be assessed in terms of the impact they will have on the project.
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Enterprise environmental factors which can influence Direct and Manage Project Work can include, but are not limited to:
o Organizational and customer culture and structure
o Infrastructure
o Personnel administration
o Risk tolerance of stakeholders
o Project management information systems if available Organizational Process Assets
Organizational process assets that may influence the Direct and Manage Project Execution can include, but are not limited to:
o Work instructions and guidelines
o Requirements defining communications media, record retention an security
o Defect management procedures
o Database of process measurements
o Prior project files
o Historical records regarding defect management
Tools and Techniques
Expert Judgment
Expert judgment may be available from various areas in the organization.
Some of these areas include but are not limited to:
o Other organizational units
o Internal and external consultants
o Stakeholders including sponsors and customers
o Technical and professional associations
Project Management Information System (PMIS) (page 84)
This is considered to be part of the Enterprise Environmental Factors. It is an automated tool such as a configuration management system, scheduling software, or other online tool that may be used to help the project execution be more efficient.
Meetings
Project activities and issues are discussed during meetings. Key objectives of a typical meeting are:
o Information exchange
o Brainstorming, option analysis, design review
o Decision making Outputs
Deliverables (page 84)
We generally have a good idea of what a deliverable means, but it is important to make sure there is no doubt, especially for the exam. First the final
deliverable needs to be approved. A deliverable is a verifiable result that can come in the form of a product or service.
Work Performance Data
This can take many forms. As project managers, we capture project data in status reports, budget reports, and progress per the plan.
Change Requests
Corrective action
Preventative action
Defect repair
Updates
o This is an added component to the above three that we covered previously. Every project's approved changes need to be incorporated into the controlled documentation created by the project. These updates are made to the control documents to ensure they are kept up to date.
Project Management Plan Updates
The following are examples of the different management plans that would be updated during the life cycle of the project to reflect the progress in each area:
Scope management plan
Requirements management plan
Schedule management plan
Cost management plan
Quality management plan
Human resource plan
Communication management plan
Risk management plan
Procurement management plan
Stakeholder management plan
Project baseline Project Document Updates
The different types of project documents that can be updated include but are not limited to:
Requirements documents
Project logs (issue, assumptions, etc)
Risk register
Stakeholder register