🎯 PMP – What Should the PM Do?

The Project Charter MUST be signed BEFORE you begin planning. The PM does NOT approve the charter — the Sponsor does.

PMP exam always prefers the PM to educate and negotiate — never blindly comply OR refuse outright. Always plan, even if compressed.

The PM FACILITATES — never makes unilateral decisions on objectives. The sponsor resolves major conflicts.

First action is always to ASSESS the current state before making any changes or promises.

The PM must always act in the best interest of the organization — even if that means recommending project cancellation.

Gold Plating is ALWAYS wrong in PMP — even if well-intentioned. All changes go through CCB.

Scope creep = unapproved changes. The PMP answer is always: log it → assess impact → submit to CCB → update baselines IF approved.

Requirements must be complete, consistent, and traceable before planning begins. RTM links requirements to deliverables.

Validate Scope = customer formally accepts deliverables. Acceptance criteria must be documented BEFORE work begins.

Never hide scope overruns — transparency is a core PM value. Always present options, not just problems.

The WBS defines 100% of the project scope. If it is not in the WBS, it is not in scope.

Fast Tracking = overlap activities (increases risk). Crashing = add resources (increases cost). Do critical path first. SPI = EV/PV.

External delays require immediate escalation. The PM cannot blame others — must proactively find workarounds first.

You MUST present facts and data — never just say yes. Document accepted risks in writing. The iron triangle: scope/schedule/cost are interconnected.

Always investigate root cause before taking action. Never jump to punishment — the PMP exam values coaching and development.

Never hide errors. Transparent reporting is a PM ethical obligation. Baselines can be changed — through the change control process only.

PDM (Precedence Diagramming Method): FS=Finish-Start (most common), SS, FF, SF. Lag adds delay; Lead adds overlap.

CPI = EV/AC. CPI < 1 = over budget. EAC = BAC/CPI (most common formula). Never wait — report variance as soon as identified.

Budget cuts are real. The PM must present facts and options — never simply absorb the cut without documenting impact.

Bottom-up estimating = most accurate but time-consuming. Analogous = fastest but least accurate. Three-point = balances risk.

Contingency Reserve = PM controls (known unknowns). Management Reserve = Sponsor/Exec controls (unknown unknowns). Never use management reserve without executive approval.

Under-budget with SPI < 1 means work is NOT being done — not a savings! Always check both CPI and SPI together.

Cost of Quality: Prevention > Appraisal > Internal Failure > External Failure. Prevention is always cheapest. Rework = internal failure cost.

Quality cannot be inspected in — it must be built in. Shortcuts in QA always cost more later.

External failures are the most expensive and damage customer relationships. The PM's response to complaints defines trust.

QA = auditing processes. QC = inspecting deliverables. Audits are a GIFT — they find problems before the customer does.

If a risk response plan exists → IMPLEMENT IT FIRST. Don't re-analyze — execute the plan. Issues = risks that have occurred.

Workarounds = unplanned responses to risks that were NOT anticipated. Management Reserve covers unknown unknowns.

Risk identification is CONTINUOUS — not just during planning. Any team member can identify risks at any time.

Negative risk strategies: Avoid, Transfer, Mitigate, Accept. Positive risk: Exploit, Share, Enhance, Accept.

The PM is responsible for risk management regardless of organizational culture. A PM who ignores risk violates professional standards.

Always try to engage and understand BEFORE escalating. The PMP values relationship management and empathy.

Stakeholder identification is ongoing throughout the project — not just at initiation. Late discovery is common and must be managed.

Sponsor disengagement is a major project risk. The PM must actively manage the sponsor relationship — not wait to be managed.

All changes — even from executives — must be formally documented. Undocumented changes destroy baseline integrity.

SEAM levels: Unaware → Resistant → Neutral → Supportive → Leading. Goal is Supportive or Leading for key stakeholders.

Always conduct knowledge transfer BEFORE the team member leaves. Succession planning and cross-training are proactive PM responsibilities.

In matrix organizations, functional managers own resources — PMs must NEGOTIATE, not demand. Escalate if negotiation fails.

Maslow: physiological → safety → social → esteem → self-actualization. Herzberg: motivators (achievement, growth) vs. hygiene (salary, conditions).

The PM is responsible for team development. Training is a project cost — include it in the budget and schedule.

Best conflict resolution = Collaborating/Problem Solving. Compromising = lose-lose. Forcing = win-lose. Withdrawal = worst. Smoothing = temporary. Avoid withdrawal and smoothing for serious conflicts.

Communication channels formula: n(n-1)/2. More stakeholders = exponentially more communication complexity.

ALWAYS report bad news promptly. Hiding problems is unethical and always makes things worse. "Come with solutions, not just problems."

Virtual teams face: cultural differences, time zones, technology barriers, reduced informal communication. PM must plan for all of these.

The PMI Code of Ethics requires protecting confidential information. Breach must be reported — not concealed.

Formal written notice is required for contract breach. Never manage vendor disputes verbally only — document everything.

Contract types and risk: CPFF = buyer risk, FFP = seller risk, T&M = shared risk. Know which type protects whom.

Seller quality is the PM's responsibility to manage — not just accept. Inspections before payment are a best practice.

Termination for Convenience (buyer choice) and Termination for Cause (seller breach) have different payment rules. Know both.

Late changes cost exponentially more. The PM should quantify the cost of late changes to help customers make informed decisions.

Retroactive change requests are possible but not preferred. Prevention through education is better than correction.

Frequent change requests indicate poor requirements definition upfront. Prevention is better — invest more in requirements elicitation.

After CCB approval, the team implements. Resistance should be channeled into how best to implement, not whether to implement.

Harassment = HR and management issue. The PM does NOT investigate — reports and supports. Inaction is also unethical.

PMI Code of Ethics: honesty, responsibility, respect, fairness. Reporting fraud is mandatory — not optional. "If you see something, say something."

Conflict of Interest = the default PMP answer is DECLINE and REPORT. Even if the gift is small or "just a lunch," document and disclose it.

Approving false data violates PMI's honesty obligation. Your professional reputation and license are on the line — never compromise integrity.

Velocity = Story Points completed per sprint. Declining velocity = signal, not punishment. Retrospectives are the fix mechanism in Agile.

In Scrum: PO = defines the WHAT. Scrum Master = facilitates HOW. Dev Team = implements. All three are critical. PO absence = product risk.

Hybrid = Predictive + Adaptive. Neither is superior — choose based on what the work requires. The PM bridges both worlds.

Sprint Backlog = locked during sprint. Product Backlog = constantly refined. Sprint Goal provides stability even when individual tasks change.

Agile does not mean "no planning" — it means adaptive planning. Roadmaps and release plans satisfy traditional stakeholders in Agile environments.

Regulatory violations are non-negotiable — the PM has a legal and ethical duty to report them. Continuing knowingly = personal liability.

Honest reporting is always the PMP answer — even when uncomfortable. Executives need accurate data to make good decisions.

Disclose first, then recuse. The act of disclosure protects you professionally. Staying silent = unethical.

Premature closure is allowed — but must be formally documented. All projects must close properly even if ended early.

Formal acceptance is based on pre-agreed criteria — not subjective opinion. If criteria are met, acceptance should be mandatory per contract.

Lessons learned = Organizational Process Assets. They must be documented at project end (and ideally throughout). This is a PM responsibility, not optional.

Project cancellation IS a valid PM outcome — especially when the sunk cost exceeds future value. The PM who recommends cancellation honestly is acting ethically.

People safety is ALWAYS the first priority — no project objective outweighs human safety. Force majeure usually suspends contractual obligations.

Never implement conflicting instructions — bring them together to resolve. The PM is a facilitator, not a judge.

Never silently accept an impossible workload. Present the facts, offer options, and document the outcome. Multi-project management requires explicit trade-offs.

Micro-management often reflects loss of trust. The PM should build trust through transparent, consistent reporting.

Every change — even from the sponsor — must be formally documented. Verbal priority changes not documented = undefined baseline.

Expectation management is continuous. The earlier you surface unrealistic expectations, the cheaper and easier they are to correct.

The PM must be objective — even when the vendor is blaming your team. Honesty in dispute resolution protects the project and organization.

Vendor-suggested improvements still go through change control. Never bypass CCB — even for good ideas.

Sole-source procurement must be formally justified and documented. Audits exist to ensure fairness — cooperate, don't obstruct.