CompTIA Project PK0-005 Survival Guide

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Made for WGU Business of IT - Project Management
1.0 Project Management Concepts
1.1 Explain the basic characteristics of a project and various methodologies and frameworks used in IT projects.
Characteristics of a project
- Start and finish 
- Unique 
- Reason/purpose 
- Project as part of a program 
- Project as part of a portfolio
Methodologies and frameworks
- DevSecOps: DevSecOps is an extension of the DevOps (Development and Operations) methodology that emphasizes the integration of security practices into the DevOps process. It focuses on incorporating security considerations and practices early and throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC), from planning and coding to testing and deployment. The goal of DevSecOps is to improve the security of software applications by making security an integral part of the development and operations processes, leading to faster, more secure software delivery.
- DevOps: DevOps is a set of practices and principles that aim to improve collaboration and communication between development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) teams in order to streamline software development and delivery processes. DevOps emphasizes automation, continuous integration, continuous delivery (CI/CD), and a culture of collaboration, enabling organizations to deliver software more quickly, efficiently, and reliably. It seeks to break down silos between development and operations, leading to shorter development cycles and improved software quality.
- Kanban: Kanban relies on visual boards, often called Kanban boards, which are typically physical or digital boards divided into columns representing different stages of a workflow or process. Each column may contain cards or visual elements representing tasks, work items, or items to be produced. Pull system.
- PRojects IN Controlled Environments 2 (PRINCE2)
· Process-Oriented Approach: PRINCE2 is process-driven, meaning it defines a series of well-defined processes and activities to be carried out during the project's lifecycle. These processes provide a clear framework for project management activities.
- Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC):
____________________________________________________________________________
Planning: In this initial phase, project stakeholders define objectives, requirements, and constraints. A project plan is created, outlining goals, scope, timelines, budgets, and resources.
Analysis: Requirements gathering takes place during this phase, involving interviews, surveys, and analysis of existing systems. The goal is to understand and document the specific needs and functionalities required for the software.
Design: Based on the gathered requirements, the system's architecture, user interfaces, data structures, and other design elements are created. This phase focuses on defining how the software will meet the specified needs.
Implementation (Coding): Developers write the actual code for the software, following the design specifications. This phase involves coding, testing, and debugging to create functional software modules.
Testing: The software undergoes rigorous testing to identify and fix defects, ensuring that it meets the specified requirements. Different testing types include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT).
Deployment: Once the software is thoroughly tested and approved, it is deployed to a production environment, making it accessible to end-users.
Maintenance and Support: After deployment, ongoing maintenance, updates, and support are provided to address issues, implement enhancements, and ensure the software remains functional and secure.
Documentation: Throughout the SDLC, comprehensive documentation is created to record project requirements, design decisions, coding standards, testing procedures, and user manuals. This documentation aids in future maintenance and understanding of the software.
Review and Evaluation: At various stages of the SDLC, project progress and outcomes are reviewed and evaluated to ensure alignment with project goals, scope, and quality standards.
Feedback and Iteration: Based on reviews and feedback, necessary adjustments and improvements are made to the software, design, or project plan. Iterative development may involve revisiting earlier phases to refine and enhance the product.
Closure: In this final phase, the project is officially closed, and documentation is archived. A post-implementation review is conducted to assess the project's success, lessons learned, and areas for improvement.
____________________________________________________________________________
 - Scrum: Teams meet for 2-4 week ‘sprint’ cycles where they take from the project backlog and decide what they want accomplish on a particular cycle. 
- Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) - implementing agile frameworks at an enterprise level scale.
- Extreme programming (XP): Programming practice that motivates pair programming, and on site customers. 
- Waterfall: Each project follows a strict program where once one section of the project is finished another begins. Does not relate to agile methodologies. 
1.2 Compare and contrast Agile vs. Waterfall concepts.
Criteria for selecting a method 
- Tolerance for change/flexibility 
o Requirements 
o Budget 
o Schedule 
- Environmental factors 
o Cultural
o Developmental 
o Industry standards
• Team composition 
- Product ownership 
- Roles and responsibilities 
- Team size: Agile teams tend to have less members than waterfall. 
- Resource allocation and commitment 
• Differences in communication methods
1.3 Given a scenario, apply the change control process throughout the project life cycle.
• Project-specific change control 
- Create/receive change requests
 -Document requests in the change control log 
- Conduct a preliminary review
 	- Conduct impact assessments 
- Document change recommendations 
- Determine decision makers 
- Escalate to the change control board (CCB), if applicable 
- Document the status of approval in the change control log 
- Communicate the change status 
- Update the project plan 
- Implement changes 
- Validate the change implementation 
- Communicate change deployment
• Project change management 
- Product change vs. project change 
- Manage scope creep/scope change
1.4 Given a scenario, perform risk management activities.
*General risks
- New projects
- New management
- Regulatory environment changes
- Digital transformation
- Infrastructure end-of-life
- Merger and acquisition
- Reorganization
· Causes organizations to be “Unsettled”
- Major cybersecurity event
*Known risk vs. unknown risk
Common risk responses
- Development of contingency/fallback plans
- Risk management strategies
o Negative risks
 ° Accept
 ° Avoid
 ° Mitigate
 ° Transfer
 o Positive risks
 ° Accept
 ° Enhance
 ° Exploit
 ° Share
Risk analysis
- Qualitative
o Interconnectivity
o Detectability
- Quantitative
 o Simulation
- Impact analysis
 o Probability vs. impact
- Situational/scenario analysis
• Connections between risks and issues 
• Connection between risks and changes 
• Roles and responsibilities 
- Points of escalation 
- Ownership
1.5 Given a scenario, perform issue management activities.
• Roles and responsibilities 
- Escalation path 
- Ownership
 • Issue tracking 
• Connections between issues and changes 
• Resolution plan 
- Execute contingency plans
 - Root cause analysis 
- Prioritization 
o Issue severity 
o Impact to project 
o Urgency 
o Scope of impact to organization 
o Issue escalation
 - Work-arounds
 • Outcome documentation
1.6 Given a scenario, apply schedule development and management activities and techniques.
• Upcoming milestones and activity identification
- Sprint goals
• Sequencing
- Dependencies
 o Hard logic/mandatory
 o Soft logic/discretionary
 	 o External
 o Internal
 	 o Issue escalation
- Successor/predecessor relationships:
 	o Start-to-start: Task A and Task B both start simultaneously, butTask B may continue while Task A is ongoing.
 o Start-to-finish: Task B cannot be completed until Task A has started. In other words, Task B's completion depends on Task A's start.
 o Finish-to-finish: Task B cannot be completed until Task A has been completed. Both tasks can be running simultaneously, but Task B cannot finish until Task A has finished.
 o Finish-to-start: Task B cannot begin until Task A has been completed. This represents a sequential relationship where Task A must finish before Task B can start.
• Resource loading
• Estimating techniques
- Determine contingency reserves/buffers
• Story estimation/story points
- Epics
- Tasks
• Scheduling tools
• Schedule maintenance
- Contingency reserves/buffer utilization: unexpected/(unknown-unknowns) costs that come up
- Critical path analysis
- Impacts to cadence
- Forecasting
- Publication and sharing
- Sprint planning
- Backlog prioritization
• Revise baseline vs. rebaseline
· Baseline: A baseline is an established reference point or snapshot that represents the original plan, specifications, or configuration of a project or system at a specific point in time. It serves as a benchmark against which changes and progress can be measured. Baselines are used to ensure that a project stays on track and that deviations from the original plan are documented and managed.
· Rebaseline: Rebaseline refers to the process of updating or resetting the baseline in response to changes, challenges, or new information that significantly affect the project's scope, schedule, or budget. When a rebaseline occurs, the project's original baseline is adjusted to reflect the new plan or expectations, taking into account the impact of the changes. Rebaselining helps in maintaining project control and ensuring that project stakeholders are aware of the current status and direction of the project.
1.7 Compare and contrast quality management concepts and performance management concepts.
• Retrospective/lessons learned 
• Sprint review 
• Service-level agreement 
• Key performance indicators
— objectives and key results 
• Cost and schedule performance 
- Cost variance 
- Schedule variance 
• Audits and inspections 
• Test plan and testing cycles 
- Unit testing: Unit testing is a software testing technique where individual components or units of a software application are tested in isolation. It focuses on verifying that each unit of code (e.g., functions, methods, classes) performs its intended functionality correctly. Unit tests are typically automated and serve to detect and fix bugs early in the development process.
 - Smoke testing: Smoke testing, also known as build verification testing, is an initial, high level of testing performed on a software build to ensure that the critical and essential functionalities of the application work as expected. It is usually done before more comprehensive testing and helps identify major issues that might prevent further testing.
 - Regression testing: Regression testing is the process of retesting a software application or system after changes or updates have been made to it. The goal is to ensure that the modifications have not introduced new defects or negatively impacted existing functionalities. Regression tests help maintain the integrity of the software throughout its development lifecycle.
 - Stress testing: Stress testing is a type of performance testing that assesses the stability and reliability of a software application under extreme or stressful conditions. It involves pushing the system to its limits, often by increasing the workload or resource consumption beyond normal usage patterns, to identify bottlenecks, weaknesses, or potential failure points.
- Performance testing: Performance testing is a category of testing that evaluates how well a software application performs under various conditions, such as different levels of load, concurrency, or user interactions. It aims to measure factors like response time, throughput, and resource utilization to ensure that the software meets its performance requirements.
- User acceptance testing: User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is the final phase of testing in the software development lifecycle. It involves real end-users or stakeholders testing the software to determine whether it meets their needs and requirements. UAT verifies that the software functions as intended in a real-world environment and helps ensure user satisfaction before the software is deployed.
• Verification and validation 
• Post-implementation support/ warranty period
1.8 Compare and contrast communication management concepts.
• Assess methods 
o Synchronous: Synchronous communication refers to a mode of communication in which two or more parties or components interact in real-time or at the same time. In synchronous communication, there is a sender and a receiver, and both parties are actively engaged in the exchange of information concurrently. This means that the sender typically waits for a response or acknowledgment from the receiver before proceeding.
Examples: Phone calls, face-to-face conversations, and synchronous online chat sessions are examples of synchronous communication. In software, synchronous communication can involve functions or methods that block the execution until a response is received from another component or system.
o asynchronous communication: Communication that refers to information that can be viewed at anytime and not bound to a specific real-time setting. 
Examples: Emails, notifications, videos. 
o Written and verbal 
o Formal and informal 
o External and internal 
• Develop communication platforms/modalities 
• Manage project communication 
- Overcoming communication challenges 
o Language barriers 
o Time zones/geographical factors 
o Technological factors 
o Cultural differences 
- Maintaining communication records 
o Communication security
 o Communication integrity 
o Communication archiving 
• Controlling project communication 
- Escalating communication issues 
- Revising the communication plan
1.9 Given a scenario, apply effective meeting management techniques.
• Meeting types 
- Collaborative
 o Workshops 
o Focus groups
o Joint application development/ joint application review sessions
 o Brainstorming - Informative 
o Demonstrations/presentations
 o Stand-ups 
o Status 
- Decisive o Refinement 
o Task setting 
o Project steering committee meeting 
• Agenda settings/publishing 
• Roles 
- Facilitator 
- Scribe 
- Attendees/target audience 
• Timeboxing 
• Action items 
• Meeting minutes 
• Follow-ups
1.10 Given a scenario, perform basic activities related to team and resource management.
 Organizational structures 
- Matrix 
· Multiple Reporting Relationships: In a matrix structure, employees typically have two reporting relationships: a functional manager (responsible for their skill development and professional growth) and a project or divisional manager (responsible for their work on specific projects or tasks).
· Variations: There are different variations of matrix structures. The specific structure may vary depending on the organization's needs and objectives.
· weak matrix (where the functional manager has more authority)-
· strong matrix (where the project or divisional manager has more authority)
· balanced matrix (where both managers have roughly equal authority).
- Projectized 
· Project-Centric: In a projectized structure, the organization's core units are project teams, and they take precedence over functional departments. Each project is treated as a distinct entity with its own dedicated team, resources, and objectives.
- Functional
· Specialized Departments: In a functional structure, the organization is divided into specialized functional departments, such as marketing, finance, human resources, operations, and sales. These departments are organized around specific functions or areas of expertise.
 • Resource life cycle 
- Acquisition 
o Needs assessment
 - Maintenance 
- Hardware decommissioning 
- End-of-life software 
-Successor planning 
• Resource types and criticality 
- Human resources 
- Physical resources 
- Capital resources 
- Internal vs. external 
- Shared vs. dedicated 
• Gap analysis 
- Feature/functionality
 - Skills 
- Utilization 
• Team performance considerations 
- Maintaining project momentum 
- Assessing team life cycle 
o Forming 
o Storming 
o Norming 
o Performing 
o Adjourning 
- Providing project team performance feedback 
• Roles and responsibilities 
- Functional/extended vs. operational/core team members: Functional or extended team members typically have specialized roles or expertise related to the project but are not involved in day-to-day operations. Operational or core team members are directly engaged in the ongoing activities of the project.
- Sponsor: The sponsor is a key stakeholder who provides financial resources and support for the project, ensuring it aligns with organizational goals and objectives.
- Stakeholders: Stakeholders are individuals or groups with an interest in the project's outcome. They can influence or be influenced by the project and often have specific expectations or requirements.
- Senior management: Senior management includes top-level executives who oversee the organization and make strategic decisions. They may provide high-level guidance and direction for the project.
- Product owner: Product owners work within agile teams. They identify how to improve a product and are accountable for creating the most valuable product possible. A product owner tends to a product for the product’s entire life cycle.
- Scrum master: In Agile development, the scrum master facilitates the Scrum process, promotes collaboration within the team, and removes obstacles to ensure the team's productivity.
- Project manager (PM): The project manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing the project. They manage resources, schedules, and budgets to meet project objectives.
- Program manager: A program manager oversees multiple related projects within a program, ensuring coordination and alignment with overall program goals.
- Product manager: The product manager focuses on the strategic direction of a product throughout its lifecycle, including market research, development, and launch.
- Testers/quality assurance (QA) specialists: Testers and QA specialists are responsible for verifying that the product meets quality standards by conducting testing and identifying and addressing defects.
- Business analyst: Business analysts bridge the gap between business needs and technology solutions, gathering and defining project requirements and ensuring they align with business objectives.
- Subject matter expert (SME): SMEs have in-depth knowledge and expertise in a specific domain relevant to the project and provide guidance on related issues.
- Architect: Architects design the overall structure and framework of the project, ensuring that it meets technical and performance requirements.
- Developers/engineer: Developers and engineers are responsible for building and coding the software or solutions according to project specifications.
- Project management office (PMO): The PMO is a central unit within an organization responsible for standardizing and overseeing project management practices, providing support to project managers.
- End users: End users are the individuals or groups who will ultimately use the product or system developed by the project. Their needs and feedback are essential for project success.
1.11 Explain important project procurement and vendor selection concepts.
*Resource procurement methods
- Build
- Buy
- Lease
- Subscription/pay-as-you-go
• Exploratory documents
- Request for proposal (RFP): An RFP is a formal document that organizations use to solicit detailed project proposals from potential vendors or contractors. It outlines project requirements, objectives, and evaluation criteria, inviting vendors to submit proposals for consideration.
- Request for bid (RFB): An RFB is a procurement document that organizations use to request bids from vendors or contractors for a project. It typically specifies the project's requirements and asks for cost estimates or bids from interested parties.
- Request for quote (RFQ): An RFQ is a document used to solicit price quotations from vendors or suppliers for specific products or services. It focuses on pricing information and may be less detailed than an RFP.
- Request for information (RFI): An RFI is a preliminary document used to gather information about products, services, or potential vendors. It is often used when an organization is exploring its options and wants to learn more about what is available in the market before making a formal request for proposals or bids.
• Vendor evaluation techniques
- Best value vs. lowest cost
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Market research
- Competitive analysis
- Qualifications
- Prequalified vendors/sellers
- Demonstration
- Technical approach
- Physical and financial capacity
- References
• Contract considerations and types
- Time and material
- Unit price
- Fixed price: A fixed fee is an arrangement in which you pay a set amount for a service or product, regardless of the length of time it takes to complete
- Cost plus: 
- Maintenance agreement
 o Warranty
- Master service agreement
 		o Purchase orders (POs)
 		o Terms of reference (TOR)
- Statement of work (SOW): A Statement of Work (SOW) is a comprehensive document that defines the scope, objectives, deliverables, tasks, timeline, and other critical details of a project or engagement. It serves as a formal agreement between the client or customer and the service provider, outlining the work to be performed, expectations, responsibilities, and project boundaries. The SOW is a foundational document in project management, ensuring clarity and alignment between all parties involved in the project.
- Non-disclosure agreement
2.0 Project Life Cycle Phases
2.1 Explain the value of artifacts in the discovery/concept preparation phase for a project.
• Business case or business objective 
- Return on investment (ROI) analysis 
- Current state vs. future state 
• Prequalified vendor 
• Predetermined client 
• Preexisting contracts 
- Client SOW 
- Client TOR 
• Financial concepts 
- Capital expenses (CapEx) vs. operational expenses (OpEx): Capital expenses are costs from assets you own, while operations expenses are costs from processes. 
2.2 Given a scenario, perform activities during the project initiation phase. 
• Develop the project charter 
- Project objectives 
- Project success criteria 
- Preliminary scope statement 
• Identify and assess stakeholders 
• Develop a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) 
- Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed (RACI) 
• Establish accepted communication channels 
• Develop a records management plan 
- Data 
- Documents 
• Define access requirements 
• Review existing artifacts 
• Determine solution design 
• Conduct project kickoff methods
2.3 Given a scenario, perform activities during the project planning phase
* Assess the resource pool
 - Preliminary procurement needs assessment 
• Assign project resources 
• Train project team members 
• Develop a communication plan 
- Meeting cadence and methodologies 
• Develop a detailed scope statement 
• Define units of work 
- Work breakdown structure (WBS): A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of a project into smaller, manageable work packages or tasks. It systematically breaks down the project's scope into discrete components, allowing for better organization, planning, and management of the project. The WBS serves as a visual representation of the project's structure and helps in assigning responsibilities, estimating resources, and tracking progress. It is a fundamental tool in project management for defining, organizing, and controlling project work.
- Backlog: Work that is remaining to do in future sprint cycles. 
• Develop a project schedule
- Establish cadences 
• Determine budget considerations• Develop QA plan 
• Perform an initial risk assessment 
• Develop a transition plan/release plan 
- Operational training 
- Go live 
- Operational handoff 
- Internal audience
 - External audience 
• Develop a project management plan 
- Establish baselines and milestones
 - Establish minimally viable product
2.4 Given a scenario, perform activities during the project execution phase. 
• Execute tasks according to the project management plan 
• Implement organizational change management 
- Impacts and responses 
o Training 
o Ensure adoption 
o Reinforce adoption over time 
o Communication o Documentation 
o New knowledge bases 
o New processes 
• Manage vendors 
- Enforce vendor rules of engagement 
- Monitor performance 
- Approve deliverables 
• Conduct project meetings and updates 
• Tracking/reporting 
- Team touch points 
- Risk reporting 
- External status reporting 
- Overall progress reporting 
- Gap analysis 
- Ad hoc reporting 
• Update the project budget 
• Update the project timeline 
• Manage conflict 
- Smoothing: Smoothing is a conflict resolution style where one party minimizes the importance of their differences with the other party and emphasizes common ground and agreement. It's often used to maintain harmony and relationships but may not address the underlying issues.
- Forcing: Forcing is a conflict resolution style where one party uses their authority or power to impose their decision on the other party. It's a competitive approach that can lead to quick resolutions but may damage relationships.
- Compromise: Compromise is a conflict resolution style where both parties make concessions to reach a mutually acceptable solution. It involves finding middle ground and can lead to a balanced outcome, although it may not fully satisfy either party.
- Collaboration: Collaboration is a conflict resolution style where parties work together to find a solution that maximizes the interests and needs of both sides. It's a cooperative approach that often results in creative and win-win solutions.
- Avoiding: Avoiding is a conflict resolution style where parties choose to ignore or sidestep the conflict rather than addressing it directly. It's used when the issue is not essential or when emotions need to cool down, but it may not lead to a resolution.
• Coordinate a phase gate review
2.5 Explain the importance of activities performed during the closing phase. 
• Project evaluation 
• Validation of deliverables 
• Closing contracts 
• Removing access 
• Releasing resources 
• Project closure meeting 
• Project closeout report 
• Collecting feedback from stakeholders 
• Archiving documentation 
• Budget reconciliation 
• Rewards and celebration 
• Project sign-of
3.0 Tools and Documentation
3.1 Given a scenario, use the appropriate tools throughout the project life cycle. 
• Tracking charts 
- Gantt chart: A Gantt chart is a visual representation of a project schedule, displaying tasks or activities as bars on a timeline, with their durations and dependencies, providing a clear view of project progress and timelines.
- Budget burndown chart: A budget burndown chart is a graphical tool that tracks how project expenses or budgets are being spent over time, helping to monitor and manage financial aspects of a project.
- Project network diagram: A project network diagram is a visual representation of project activities and their interdependencies, often created using techniques like the Critical Path Method (CPM) or the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT).
- Milestone chart: A milestone chart is a visual representation that highlights important project milestones or significant events, offering a snapshot of key accomplishments and progress.
- Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) chart: A PERT chart is a project management tool used to model and analyze the tasks and activities required to complete a project, providing estimates for task duration and identifying critical path activities.
- Project organizational chart: A project organizational chart illustrates the project team's structure, roles, and reporting relationships, helping stakeholders understand the project's hierarchy and lines of authority.
• Tools 
- Issue log: An issue log is a document that tracks and records issues, problems, or challenges that arise during a project, along with their status and resolution efforts.
- Defect log: A defect log is a record of defects or bugs identified during testing or quality assurance processes, detailing their nature, severity, and steps taken to address them.
- Change log: A change log is a record of all changes made to a project, including modifications to requirements, scope, or any other project elements, typically documenting the reasons for each change.
- Risk report: A risk report provides an overview of project risks, including their likelihood, impact, and mitigation strategies, to help project stakeholders understand and manage potential threats.
- Risk register: A risk register is a comprehensive document that catalogs all project risks, their characteristics, and their management plans, serving as a central reference for risk management.
- Project dashboard: A project dashboard is a visual tool that displays key project metrics and performance indicators in real-time, offering a quick overview of project status and health.
- Project status report: A project status report is a regular update on the project's progress, outlining accomplishments, challenges, and the current status of key project elements, helping stakeholders stay informed.
- Version control tools:Version control tools manage changes to documents and code by tracking versions, enabling collaboration, and ensuring that the most recent and accurate versions are used. 
- Time-tracking tools: Time-tracking tools are software applications that help monitor and record the time spent on various project tasks, aiding in project scheduling, resource allocation, and billing.
- Task board: A task board is a visual management tool, often in the form of a physical or digital board, used to display and track the progress of tasks and activities in a project, especially in Agile methodologies.
- Requirements Traceability Matrix: A Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) is a document that links project requirements to their sources and traces their implementation throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring alignment between requirements and project deliverables.
Compare and contrast various project management productivity tools. 
• Communication tools 
- Email 
- Messaging 
o Short message service (SMS) 
o Chat 
- Telephone 
- Meetings/face-to-face 
- Video 
- Enterprise social media 
• Collaboration tools 
- Real-time, multi-authoring editing software 
- File sharing platforms 
- Workflow and e-signature platforms 
- Whiteboard 
- Wiki knowledge base 
• Meeting tools 
- Real-time surveys/polling 
- Calendaring tools 
- Print media 
- Conferencing platforms 
• Documentation and office production tools 
- Word processing 
- Spreadsheets 
- Presentation 
- Charting/diagramming 
• Project management scheduling tools 
- Cloud-based solutions vs. on-premises solutions 
- Local installation 
• Ticketing/case management system
Given a scenario, analyze quality and performance charts to inform project decisions. 
• Histograms: Histograms are graphical representations of data distribution, showing the frequency or count of data points within specific intervals or bins, helping to visualize data patterns and trends.
• Pareto charts: Pareto charts combine bar graphs with a line graph, highlighting the most significant factors (often the "vital few") contributing to a particular issue or problem, allowing for focused problem-solving.
• Run charts: Run charts display data points in chronological order, helping identify trends, patterns, or shifts in a process over time, aiding in process improvement efforts.
• Scatter diagrams: Scatter diagrams, also known as scatter plots, illustrate the relationship between twovariables by plotting data points on a graph, enabling the identification of correlations or lack thereof between variables.
• Fishbone/Ishikawa diagrams: Fishbone diagrams, also called Ishikawa diagrams or cause-and-effect diagrams, visualize the various potential causes of a problem or issue, helping teams identify root causes and solutions.
• Control charts: Control charts are statistical tools that monitor process performance over time, displaying data points in relation to upper and lower control limits, allowing for the identification of process variations and deviations.
• Burnup/burndown chart: Burnup and burndown charts are visual representations of project progress, tracking completed work (burnup) or remaining work (burndown) over time, helping teams manage scope and timelines.
• Velocity chart: A velocity chart, often used in Agile methodologies like Scrum, measures the rate at which a team completes work, providing insights into a team's capacity and progress.
• Decision tree: A decision tree is a visual representation of a decision-making process, showing a series of choices or decisions and their potential outcomes, helping in structured decision analysis.
4.0 Basics of IT and Governance
4.1 Summarize basic environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors related to project management activities. 
• Project impact to the local and global environment 
• Awareness of applicable regulations and standards 
• Awareness of company vision, mission statements, and values 
• Project impact to company brand value
4.2 Explain relevant information security concepts impacting project management concepts.
• Physical security 
- Mobile device considerations 
- Removable media considerations 
- Facility access 
• Operational security 
- Background screening 
- Clearance requirements 
• Digital security 
- Resource access and permissions 
- Remote access restrictions 
- Multifactor authentication 
• Data security 
- Data classification 
- Classification of information based on sensitivity of the data 
o Intellectual property 
o Trade secrets 
o National security information 
- Access on a need-to-know basis 
• Corporate IT security policies and restrictions 
- Branding restrictions
4.3 Explain relevant compliance and privacy considerations impacting project management.
• Data confidentiality 
- Sensitive data types 
o Personally identifiable information (PII) 
o Personal health information (PHI) 
• Legal and regulatory impacts 
• Country
- state
- province-specific privacy regulations 
• Awareness of industry
- or organization-specific compliance concerns impacting a project
4.4 Summarize basic IT concepts relevant to IT project management. 
• Infrastructure 
- Computing services 
- Multitiered architecture: Presentation, Application, Data 
- Networking and connectivity 
- Storage - Data warehouse 
- Documentation 
• Cloud models 
- Platform as a service (PaaS): PaaS provides a cloud computing platform and environment where developers can build, deploy, and manage applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure, focusing primarily on application development and deployment.
- Infrastructure as a service (Iaas): IaaS offers virtualized computing resources such as servers, storage, and networking, allowing users to provision and manage infrastructure components on-demand, providing flexibility and scalability without the need for physical hardware.
- Software as a service (SaaS): SaaS delivers software applications over the internet on a subscription basis, enabling users to access and use software without the need for installation, maintenance, or hardware management, making it convenient and accessible from anywhere.
- Anything as a service (XaaS): XaaS is a broad term that encompasses various cloud-based services, extending the "as a service" model to include a wide range of resources and capabilities, such as security, analytics, and communication, delivered via the cloud.
• Software 
- Enterprise resource planning 
- Customer relationship management 
- Databases 
- Electronic document and record management systems 
- Content management systems 
- Financial systems
4.5 Explain operational change-control processes during an IT project. 
• IT infrastructure change control 
- Downtime/maintenance windows schedules 
- Customer notifications 
- Rollback plans 
- Validation checks 
• Software change control 
- Requirements definition 
- Risk assessment 
- Testing 
o Automated 
o Manual 
- Approval 
- Customer notifications 
- Release 
• Differences between cloud vs. on premises in change control 
• Continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) process 
• Production vs. beta/staging environments - Tiered architecture
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