Process Groups Poster

Process Groups

After we published our first Scrum Posters, I was asked if we were going to create Non-Scrum Posters.  The answer is YES! Today we completed our (first) one-of-a-kind Pictofigo Project Management poster.  The Project Management Process Groups poster is now available to purchase from Cafepress. There are links below and a new link in the header of this site.  If you wish to apply this image to your own products, just go to Premium Pictofigo and purchase the high resolution file.

Are you studying for, or have recently passed, a popular project management exam? PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESS GROUPS captures five process groups and playfully details several of the activities of each. Includes Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitor & Controlling, and Closing.

Mini Poster (Size: 17" x 11") just $14.99

Small Poster (Size: 20" x 13") just $19.99

Large Poster (Size:34.5" x 23") just $24.99

Free Process Group and Knowledge Area Study Material

page43

5-9-42

This is the number combination I want you to remember.

5 Process Groups

9 Knowledge Areas

42 Processes

A colleague of mine just passed his PMP® exam.  What was one of his regrets?  He should have memorized page 43 of the PMBoK.  Why?  Page 43 is an excellent road-map.  Go to any process on page 43 and you'll have a corresponding process group and knowledge area.

Want to Report Performance?  You'll find it atthe crossroad of Communications Management and Monitoring & Controlling. By memorizing the items on this page, you will be able visualize where you are within a project lifecycle and answer a bunch of questions on the exam.

To make it easy on you, I created a simple piece of study material, based on page 43 of the PMBOK

• Page 1 has all of the process groups, knowledge areas, and processes

• Page 2 is missing Initiating processes

• Page 3 is missing Planning processes

• Page 4 is missing Executing processes

• Page 5 is missing Monitoring & Controlling processes

• Page 6 is missing Closing processes

• Page 7 is missing ALL of the processes

With so many other things, memorizing isn't going to do you any good if you can't practically apply what you committed to memory.  I can't say I have a use case from the real world, where memorizing page 43 would apply.  But, if you want a leg up on passing the PMP® exam, I think it's a great start.

Great Video on a Secret of Passing the PMP Exam

If you're studying for your PMP®, I think you must watch this video.  This guy, Jeff Minder (PMP) of Victory Vets, gets it. As a disclaimer, I am in no way profiting or promoting his service.  I just think he did an awesome job with this video.  While I've been working on HueCubed, I've realized the importance of memorizing page 43 of the PMBoK.  I don't think you can memorize the entire PMBoK and expect to pass the PMP Exam.  To be honest, I would hope you wouldn't.  The exam is a series of scenario based questions.  You are not going to be asked to define a project.  Rather, a lengthy statement will be made and you'll probably be asked if it is a project, operations work, both, or neither. But back to the video and memorizing page 43.

My analogy of memorizing page 43 is like a child memorizing his or her ABCs.  When they memorize their ABCs, they can then identify which letters are vowels and which are consonants.  They can then build words to put into sentences.  Sentences go into paragraphs...and so on and so on.  Memorizing the ABCs will not make kids literary geniuses.  Rather, they use the ABCs as building blocks for future learning.

When you're looking at page 43 of the PMBoK, you'll see Process Groups, Knowledge Areas, and processes.  You need to memorize these core processes and understand where they fit into the big picture of a project.  In this video, Jeff explains the proper way to read page 43.  Yes, there is correct way to read that page.

From my perspective, the other note to make about this video happens at 6:17.  The PMBoK and testing are written toward a projectized organizational perspective, in comparison to functional, matrixed, or composite.  Remember that!

Meeting PMP Eligibility Requirements

When I was completing my PMP application, back in 2006, I recall reading the eligibility requirements and asking myself where I had the greatest gaps in my project management experience.  PMI did a good job of listing the process groups and activity "buckets" in which I could associate my time.  To visualize my strengths and weaknesses, I identified each activity provided by PMI as a process group subcategory and then associated project hours within a spreadsheet.  Though PMI had a requirement that I document experience in each of the process groups,  I had a personal requirement that I improve where my skills were lacking. This post isn't about my strengths or weaknesses, though you could assume by the graph that it would be Initiating and Closing.  It is about my identifying my experience gaps and helping you identify yours (in the eyes of PMI).  If you're a PMP or an aspiring PMP, take a look at the attached.

Step 1: Review the Process Group Activities PDF.  It will define the subcategories.

Process Group Activities

Step 2: Associate subcategory hours on a project basis.  The formulas are already in the worksheet.  All you need to do is add your hours to the Project Data sheet.

Activity Breakdown By Process Group

Step 3: Review the Graph on the tab titled "Graph".  If you don't identify your strengths and weaknesses from the data sheet, you will certainly see them in the graph.

Best Regards,

Derek