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PMP Exam: Process Groups and Knowledge Areas

The PMBOK scaffolding the exam is built on: five process groups, ten knowledge areas, and which process belongs where. The part candidates lose marks on because it is memorisation, not judgement.

🎓 154 cards Intermediate ⏱ 77 min Project Managers
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Five PMI Process Groups?

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Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, Closing.

Ten knowledge areas?

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Integration, Scope, Schedule, Cost, Quality, Resource, Communications, Risk, Procurement, Stakeholder.

Project Charter — purpose?

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Formally authorizes the project; appoints PM; created in Initiating. Without it, you're not officially a project.

Difference between project, program, portfolio?

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Project: temporary, unique product.
Program: related projects coordinated for shared benefits.
Portfolio: collection of projects + programs aligned to strategic objectives.

Triple constraint?

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Scope, Time, Cost — change one and at least one other moves. Quality often added as a 4th dimension.

WBS (Work Breakdown Structure)?

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Hierarchical decomposition of total project scope into deliverables. Lowest level = work packages.

WBS dictionary?

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Document describing each WBS element: code, scope, owner, milestones, cost, contract info.

Difference: deliverable, work package, activity?

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Deliverable → Work Package (managed unit, scheduled and costed) → Activity (atomic action listed in schedule).

Critical Path Method (CPM)?

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Longest path through schedule network; sets project duration. Activities on the critical path have zero total float.

Float vs lead vs lag?

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Float (slack): how long an activity can slip without delaying project.
Lead: overlap (start successor before predecessor finishes).
Lag: forced delay between activities.

Crashing vs fast-tracking?

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Crashing: add resources to shorten activity (more cost).
Fast-tracking: run activities in parallel that were planned sequential (more risk).

Earned Value formulas — CV, SV?

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CV = EV - AC (cost variance).
SV = EV - PV (schedule variance).

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