1. A project plan is a formal document designed to guide the control and execution of a project.

A
project plan is the key to a successful project and is the most important document that needs to be
created when starting any business project.

There are many differences between the project plan and project management plan. Some of them are
as follows:

The project plan describes the plan broadly with less attention to detail. It deals with high level
planning. On the other hand, the project management plan is described with every possible
detail.
The project plan deals with the what part of the project, and the project management plan
deals with how part of the project.
The project plan is a visionary document; it defines the vision. The project management plan is
executed to achieve the vision.
The project plan gives you the vision to complete the project successfully, while the project
management plan defines and develops the system to be used to complete the project
successfully.
For larger projects, the project plan and project management plan are different, but for smaller
projects, they can be merged.

A project management plan is a formal, approved document that defines how the project is executed,
monitored, and controlled. It may be a summary or a detailed document and may include baselines,
subsidiary management plans, and other planning documents. This document is used to define the
approach project team takes to deliver the intended project management scope of the project.

2. The purpose of such a document is to provide a comprehensive baseline of what has to be achieved
by the project, how it is to be achieved, who will be involved, how it will be reported and measured and
how information will be communicated. It should be used as a reference for any decision that is made
on the project and for clarification of unclear areas. Such a document should be used as a reference
throughout the project to ensure that the management of the project is carried out consistently and in
line with policy and procedures. Although the PMP is developed as part of the project initiation and
definition, it should be a living document that evolves as the project progresses and is updated with the
latest relevant information as required.

3. Project monitoring involves collecting the actualprogress data, and comparing them against the
relevant plannedprogress data to evaluate the overall project progress at specified cutoff dates.
Inevitable issues including variations in reporting skills as well as the willingness to record accurate data
impact on the quality of the collected data. Comparison against multiple possible benchmarks
(onetomany) rather than a single benchmark (onetoone) offers the potential to alleviate the negative
impact of lowquality data on the progress evaluation. Special patterns, which can be readily
manipulated within computer programs, are devised to encode the planned and actual progress at the
cutoff dates.
4.

5. Progress and performance measurements are two of the primary components required for effective
project cost controls. Knowing Where things are at on a project at any time requires there to be an
accurate and organized way to determine what has been completed to date.

Ways to Measure Project Progress

Units Completed

The Units Completed lends itself well to tracking tasks that are done repeatedly, where each
iteration can easily measured. Usually a task that is done repeatedly tends to take about the same
amount of time, resources and effort, so tracking the units completed works well here. A simple
example could be installing standard light fixtures. Each fixture takes roughly the same amount of
time; if we had 100 fixtures to install then we can simply count the units installed. In this case
theres no subjective experience-based judgement involved.

Incremental Milestones

Also known as the steps method, the incremental milestones method is predominantly
used for cost accounts that involve subtasks that need to be completed in an orderly fashion. An
example of this technique is the forming and placing of a concrete foundation wall. Laying the
foundation wall on footings, erecting inside wall panels and brace, setting horizontal and vertical
rebar in formwork and so forth needs to be done in sequence to complete the task appropriately.

So how do you calculate this data? The calculation is built on each single item step and the
budgeted amount of time (labor hours) that is needed to complete the task by the construction
crew. As each step is completed, that is documented as a mini-milestone which represents a
percentage of the total installation process. The percentage given for each subtask can vary based
on the project and this progress is usually agreed on to be used as a measuring took beforehand. A
good way to implement this method in Primavera P6 is using Activity Steps.

Start/Finish

This method is only focused on capturing the starting point and the finishing point of the
task and nothing in between. This method is best for tasks that are short in duration. You would
implement this method if the tasks work estimations are not available or if the percent complete
progress data is too difficult to collect.

Classic examples include testing services such as load test on electric panels, flushing and
cleaning of piping, and similar tasks.1
 Using the Start/Finish technique, we earn a percentage of progress when the task starts and
the other half is earned once the task is complete. These percentages are determined by the owner
and contractor of the project.

Often, companies agree to use the standard 50/50 Rule or other rules:

50/50 Rule once started, the task is marked as 50% complete, and the balance is earned at
final completion of the work.

20/80 Rule used to track higher value tasks that takes a longer time to reach completion.

0/100 Rule this rule illustrates that once 100 percent of the task is completed, only then will
the value be earned. An example of this is in testing or experimental tasks since you cannot get
results until the task is completed.

Cost Ratio

The Cost Ratio method is usually implemented on a project that has tasks that tend occur
over a long phase or the entire project. Often used for Overhead costs, this technique is measured
based on the budgeted allocation of dollars vs. the labour hours of production. This method gives
the contractor the ability to earn value that is equal to the overall percent of project completion.

For example,[] if the overall progress of the project was determined to be 42 percent, then
the contractor would have earned 42 percent of the overhead and fees.1

Experience/Opinion

Unlike the methods above that rely on definitive data, this method is relies on the
experience and subjectivity of the project manager. This technique is used for tasks such as
dewatering or frost removal/protection. Its not usually recommended and tends to be seen as the
last resort because each individuals experiences and opinions vary from one another and can cause
conflict between owners, contractors and architect.

Weighted or Equivalent Units

This method was highlighted as the best technique in the text and is the one that requires
more effort, but also extends to a wider data range. The tasks that are being calculated tend to
occur over a longer duration time and includes multiple subtasks, where subtasks can have different
units of measurements.
Measuring Project Performance

Measuring project performance is an important part of project and program management. It allows the
PMO and project manager to identify cost and schedule problems early and take steps for remedial
action. It starts with setting the standards for the size of work packages, applying credit for work
performed, and which earned value metrics to track, which should be included in the projects budget.

Measuring project performance provides the organization with a clear picture of the health of its
projects and can instil confidence in the project teams. Additionally, these performance measures can
help the PMO establish continuous improvement initiatives in areas where projects commonly perform
at lower levels. The usefulness of measuring project performance is evident and as long as organizations
do not become overwhelmed with them, these measures will remain important contributors to
organizational success.

Performance Evaluation Techniques

Measuring the performance of a project stage involves looking backwards, at the
progress made against plans, and forwards, at what still needs to be completed with what time
and resources. There are many techniques available to measure project progress, including:

Highlight Report

The Project Manager produces this report on management stage progress for the
Project Board. The Project Board will determine the frequency of Highlight Reports required,
either for the whole Project or stage by stage, and document this in the Communication
Management Strategy.

Exception Report

A description of the exception situation, its impact, options recommendation and

impact of the recommendation. This report is prepared by the Project Manager for the Project
Board.

Milestone chart

This is chart showing key planned and actual milestones in a project.

S- Curve

This is a graph showing cumulative actual figures (for example, costs or hours) plotted
against time. The curve is usually shaped like the letter S, reflecting the fact that a project
typically consumes fewer resources and costs at the start and end of the project, and more in
the middle. The steeper the curve, the more resources required. When planned and actual
figures are shown on the same chart, this can be used to identify potential overspend or
forecast areas where tolerances may be exceeded.
 Earned Value Management

This is a technique to measure the scope, schedule and cost performance compared with
plans, by comparing the completed products and their actual cost and time taken against their
schedule and cost estimates.

Checkpoint Report

The Team Manager will produce this to provide the Project Manager with details of progress
against the Work Package.

6. Integrated Change Control is the process of reviewing all change requests; approving changes and
managing changes to deliverables, organizational process assets, project documents, and the project
management plan; and communicating their disposition. It reviews all requests for changes or
modifications to project documents, deliverables, baselines, or the project management plan and
approves or rejects the changes. The key benefit of this process is that it allows for documented changes
within the project to be considered in an integrated fashion while reducing project risk, which often
arises from changes made without consideration to the overall project objectives or plans.

The key focus of Integrated Change Control is to measure the impact of change on all project limitations.
Changes to any part of the project may be requested during the course of the project especially during
the project executing and monitoring and control phase. It is not necessary to execute all changes. In the
Perform Integrated Change Control, changes accepted or rejected basis their evaluation and impact.

Whenever a change is requested, it is advisable to identify the impact of proposed change on project
cost, quality, risks, resources, scope, and also on customer satisfaction.

There are two pre-requisites to measure the impact of change:

A realistic project management plan to be used as baseline

A complete product and process scope (as applicable)

Since changes are inevitable, project manager should work to prevent the root causes of changes
whenever possible. Most cases indicate improper planning of the project results in change requests.
Although changes can happen, they are not encouraged and the handling of possible changes must be
planned, managed and controlled.

There can be anywhere between 18-25 questions from this topic in the exam. Hence, this is one of the
most critical topics to understand.

To control changes to the project, the project manager should:

 Identify all requirements at the earliest
Comprehensively identify all the risks related to the project
Establish time and cost factors
Establish Change Management Process
Follow the change management process
Have required templates in place to create change requests
Identify clear roles and responsibilities amongst stakeholders to approve changes
If number of changes become disproportionate, reevaluate the business case
Consider terminating a project (if required) if the number of changes are disproportionate
Ensure only approved changes are added to the baselines

Changes can have two categories: the one that impact the project management plan, baselines, policies
and procedures, charter, contract, or statement of work and the one that does not impact any of this.

7. A change order is a component of the change management process whereby changes in the Scope of
Work agreed to by the Owner, Contractor and Architect/Engineer are implemented. A change order is
work that is added to or deleted from the original scope of work of a contract, however, depending on
the magnitude of the change, it may or may not alter the original contract amount and/or completion
date. A change order may force a new project to handle significant changes to the current project.
Change orders are common to most projects, and very common with large projects. After the original
scope (or contract) is formed, complete with the total price to be paid and the specific work to be
completed, a client may decide that the original plans do not best represent his or her definition for the
finished project. Accordingly, the client will suggest an alternate approach.

Common causes for change orders to be created are:

The project's work was incorrectly estimated.

The client or project team discover obstacles or possible efficiencies that require them to
deviate from the original plan.
The client or project team are inefficient or incapable of completing their required deliverables
within budget, and additional money, time, or resources must be added to the project
During the course of the project, additional features or options are perceived and requested.
The contractor looks for work items to add to the original scope of work at a later time in order
to achieve the lowest possible base bid price, but then add work items and fee back on once
they have been appointed. This is an exploitative practice.

A project manager then typically generates a change order that describes the new work to be done (or
not done in some cases), and the price to be paid for this new work. Once this change order is submitted
and approved it generally serves to alter the original contract such that the change order now becomes
part of the contract.