CompTIA Project+ Cert Guide: Exam PK0-004

CompTIA Project+ Cert Guide: Exam PK0-004

by Robin Abernathy
Released August 2017
Publisher(s): Pearson IT Certification
ISBN: 9780134713250

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Book description

Learn, prepare, and practice for CompTIA Project+ PK0-004 exam success with this CompTIA-approved Cert Guide from Pearson IT Certification, a leader in IT certification learning and a CompTIA Authorized Platinum Partner.

  • Master CompTIA Project+ PK0-004 exam topics
  • Assess your knowledge with chapter-ending quizzes
  • Review key concepts with exam preparation tasks
  • Practice with realistic exam questions
  • Gain even deeper understanding with more than 130 true-to-life project management examples

CompTIA Project+ Cert Guide is a best-of-breed exam study guide. Project management certification expert Robin Abernathy shares preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. Material is presented in a concise manner, focusing on increasing your understanding and retention of exam topics.

The book presents you with an organized test preparation routine through the use of proven series elements and techniques. Exam topic lists make referencing easy. Chapter-ending Exam Preparation Tasks help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly. Review questions help you assess your knowledge, and a final preparation chapter guides you through tools and resources to help you craft your final study plan.

Through 130+ exceptionally realistic examples, Abernathy demonstrates how project management actually works throughout the phases, tasks, documents, and processes that are part of the project manager's job. These examples are designed to offer deep real-world insight that is invaluable for successfully answering scenario-based questions on the live Project+ exam.

The companion website contains the powerful Pearson Test Prep practice test software, complete with hundreds of exam-realistic questions. The assessment engine offers you a wealth of customization options and reporting features, laying out a complete assessment of your knowledge to help you focus your study where it is needed most.

Well regarded for its level of detail, assessment features, and challenging review questions and exercises, this CompTIA-approved study guide helps you master the concepts and techniques that will enable you to succeed on the exam the first time.

The CompTIA-approved study guide helps you master all the topics on the Project+ exam, including

. Project basics: properties, phases, roles, responsibilities, team structures, cost control, schedules, resource management, and Agile methodology

. Project constraints, influences, and risks, including risk activities and strategies

. Communication and change management, including communication methods, influences, triggers, target audiences, and change control

. Project management tools, project documentation, and vendor documentation

Table of contents

  1. About This eBook
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents at a Glance
  5. Table of Contents
  6. About the Author
  7. Dedication
  8. Acknowledgments
  9. About the Technical Reviewer
  10. We Want to Hear from You!
  11. Reader Services
  12. Introduction
  13. Part I: Project Basics
    1. Chapter 1. Project Properties and Phases
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Definition of a Project
        1. Temporary
        2. Start and Finish
        3. Unique
        4. Reason/Purpose
      4. Project as Part of a Program
      5. Project as Part of a Portfolio
      6. Project Phases
        1. Initiating Phase
        2. Project Charter
        3. Business Case
        4. High-Level Scope Definition
        5. High-Level Risks
        6. Stakeholder Register
        7. Planning Phase
        8. Schedule
        9. Scope Management Plan
        10. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
        11. Scope Baseline and Scope Statement
        12. Resources
        13. Detailed Risks
        14. Requirements and the Requirements Management Plan
        15. Communication Plan
        16. Stakeholder Management Plan
        17. Procurement Management Plan
        18. Change Management Plan
        19. Budget
        20. Executing Phase
        21. Monitoring and Controlling Phase
        22. Issues Log
        23. Performance Measuring and Reporting
        24. Quality Assurance/Governance
        25. Change Control
        26. Budget
        27. Closing Phase
        28. Transition/Integration Plan
        29. Project Sign-Off
        30. Archiving Project Documents
        31. Lessons Learned
        32. Releasing Resources
        33. Closing Contracts
      7. Project Knowledge Areas
        1. Project Integration
        2. Scope Management
        3. Time Management
        4. Cost Management
        5. Quality Management
        6. Human Resource Management
        7. Communication Management
        8. Risk Management
        9. Procurement Management
        10. Stakeholder Management
      8. Exam Preparation Tasks
      9. Review All Key Topics
      10. Define Key Terms
      11. Review Questions
    2. Chapter 2. Project Roles, Responsibilities, and Team Structures
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Project Roles and Responsibilities
        1. Project Sponsor
        2. Project Manager
        3. Project Coordinator
        4. Stakeholder
        5. Scheduler
        6. Project Team
        7. Project Management Office (PMO)
      4. Project Team Structures
        1. Functional Team Structure
        2. Matrix Team Structure
        3. Projectized Team Structure
      5. Exam Preparation Tasks
      6. Review All Key Topics
      7. Define Key Terms
      8. Review Questions
    3. Chapter 3. Project Cost Control
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Cost Baseline
      4. Total Project Cost
      5. Expenditure Tracking and Reporting
      6. Cost Control Calculations
        1. Earned Value Management (EVM)
        2. Forecasting
        3. To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI)
        4. Reserve Analysis
        5. Change Requests
      7. Exam Preparation Tasks
      8. Review All Key Topics
      9. Define Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
    4. Chapter 4. Project Schedules
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
      4. Scheduling Activities
        1. Determine Tasks
        2. Determine Milestones
        3. Determine Task Durations and Start/Finish Dates
        4. Set Predecessors and Dependencies
        5. Sequence and Prioritize Tasks
        6. Determine Critical Path
        7. Allocate Resources
        8. Set Baseline
        9. Set Quality Gates
        10. Set Governance Gates
      5. Exam Preparation Tasks
      6. Review All Key Topics
      7. Define Key Terms
      8. Review Questions
    5. Chapter 5. Personnel and Physical Resource Management
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Personnel Management
        1. Team Building and Trust Building
        2. Team Selection and Skill Sets
        3. Remote Versus In-House
        4. Personnel Removal/Replacement
        5. Communication Issues
        6. Conflict Resolution
        7. Smoothing
        8. Forcing
        9. Compromising
        10. Confronting
        11. Avoiding
        12. Negotiating
      4. Resource Management
        1. Shared Versus Dedicated Resources
        2. Resource Allocation
        3. Resource Shortage Versus Overallocation
        4. Low-Quality Resources
        5. Benched Resources
        6. Interproject Dependencies and Resource Contention
      5. Exam Preparation Tasks
      6. Review All Key Topics
      7. Define Key Terms
      8. Review Questions
    6. Chapter 6. Agile Methodology
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Adaptive Planning
      4. Iterative and Incremental Processes
      5. Requirements Gathering and User Stories
      6. Scrum Development
        1. Sprint Planning
        2. Daily Scrum Meetings
        3. Continuous Feedback
        4. Burndown Charts
        5. Scrum Retrospectives
        6. Self-Organized and Self-Directed Teams
      7. Exam Preparation Tasks
      8. Review All Key Topics
      9. Define Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
  14. Part II: Project Constraints, Infl uences, and Risks
    1. Chapter 7. Project Constraints and Influences
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Common Constraints
        1. Cost Constraint
        2. Scope Constraint
        3. Time and Scheduling Constraints
        4. Deliverables Constraint
        5. Quality Constraint
        6. Environment Constraint
        7. Resources Constraint
        8. Requirements Constraint
      4. Project Influences
        1. Change Requests
        2. Scope Creep
        3. Constraint Reprioritization
        4. Interaction Between Constraints
        5. Stakeholder, Sponsor, and Management Influences
        6. Influence by Other Projects
      5. Exam Preparation Tasks
      6. Review All Key Topics
      7. Define Key Terms
      8. Review Questions
    2. Chapter 8. Risk Activities and Strategies
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Risk Activities
        1. Risk Planning
        2. Risk Identification
        3. Risk Quantification and Prioritization
        4. Risk Response Planning
        5. Risk Review
        6. Risk Register
        7. Risk Communication
      4. Risk Strategies
        1. Accept Risk
        2. Mitigate Risk
        3. Transfer Risk
        4. Avoid Risk
        5. Exploit Risk
        6. Enhance Risk
        7. Share Risk
      5. Exam Preparation Tasks
      6. Review All Key Topics
      7. Define Key Terms
      8. Review Questions
  15. Part III: Communication and Change Management
    1. Chapter 9. Communication Methods and Influences
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Communication Methods
        1. Meetings
        2. Kickoff Meetings
        3. Virtual Versus In-Person Meetings
        4. Scheduled Versus Impromptu Meetings
        5. Closure Meetings
        6. Email and Fax
        7. Video and Voice Conferencing
        8. Instant Messaging and Text Messaging
        9. Face-to-Face Communication
        10. Distribution of Printed Media
        11. Social Media
      4. Communication Influences
        1. Language Barriers
        2. Time Zones and Geographical Factors
        3. Technological Factors
        4. Cultural Differences
        5. Interorganizational and Intraorganizational Differences
        6. Personal Preferences
        7. Building Rapport and Relationships
        8. Message Content and Criticality Factors
        9. Stakeholder Communication Requirements
        10. Communication Frequency
        11. Level of Report Detail
        12. Types of Communication
        13. Confidentiality Constraints
        14. Communication Style
      5. Exam Preparation Tasks
      6. Review All Key Topics
      7. Define Key Terms
      8. Review Questions
    2. Chapter 10. Communication Triggers and Target Audiences
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Audits
      4. Project Planning
      5. Project Changes
        1. Schedule Changes
        2. Stakeholder Changes
        3. Resource Changes
        4. Budget Changes
      6. Risk Register Updates
      7. Milestones
      8. Task Initiation/Completion
      9. Gate Reviews
      10. Incident Responses and Business Continuity Responses
      11. Exam Preparation Tasks
      12. Review All Key Topics
      13. Define Key Terms
      14. Review Questions
    3. Chapter 11. Change Control
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Change Control Process
        1. Identify and Document the Change
        2. Evaluate Impact and Provide Justification
        3. Develop a Regression Plan
        4. Identify Approval Authority and Obtain Approval
        5. Implement Change
        6. Validate Change and Check Quality
        7. Update Documents
        8. Change Communication
      4. Project Change Types
        1. Schedule Changes
        2. Budget Changes
        3. Risk Events
        4. Requirements Changes
        5. Quality Changes
        6. Resource Changes
        7. Scope Changes
        8. Communication Changes
        9. Stakeholder Changes
        10. Procurement Changes
        11. Emergency Changes
      5. Organizational Changes
        1. Business Merger/Acquisition and Demerger/Split
        2. Business Process Change
        3. Internal Reorganization
        4. Relocation
        5. Outsourcing
      6. Exam Preparation Tasks
      7. Review All Key Topics
      8. Define Key Terms
      9. Review Questions
  16. Part IV: Project Tools and Documentation
    1. Chapter 12. Project Management Tools
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Project Scheduling Software
      4. Charts and Diagrams
        1. Process Diagram
        2. Histogram
        3. Fishbone Diagram
        4. Pareto Chart
        5. Run Chart
        6. Scatter Chart
        7. Gantt Chart
      5. Dashboards and Status Reports
      6. Knowledge Management Tools
        1. Intranet and Internet Sites
        2. Wiki Pages
        3. Vendor Knowledge Bases
        4. Collaboration Tools
      7. Performance Measurement Tools
        1. Key Performance Indicator (KPI)/Key Performance Parameter (KPP)
        2. Balanced Score Card (BSC)
      8. SWOT Analysis
      9. RACI Matrix
      10. Exam Preparation Tasks
      11. Review All Key Topics
      12. Define Key Terms
      13. Review Questions
    2. Chapter 13. Project Documentation
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Project Charter
      4. Project Management Plan
      5. Issues Log
      6. Organizational Chart
      7. Scope Statement
      8. Communication Plan
      9. Project Schedule
      10. Status Reports
      11. Dashboard Information
      12. Action Items
      13. Meeting Agenda and Minutes
      14. Exam Preparation Tasks
      15. Review All Key Topics
      16. Define Key Terms
      17. Review Questions
    3. Chapter 14. Vendor Documentation
      1. “Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
      2. Foundation Topics
      3. Request for Information (RFI)
      4. Request for Proposal (RFP)
      5. Request for Quote (RFQ)
      6. Mutually Binding Documents
        1. Agreement/Contract
        2. Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
        3. Cease-and-Desist Letter
        4. Letter of Intent (LOI) and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
        5. Statement of Work (SOW)
        6. Service-Level Agreement (SLA)
        7. Purchase Order (PO)
        8. Warranty
      7. Exam Preparation Tasks
      8. Review All Key Topics
      9. Define Key Terms
      10. Review Questions
  17. Part V: Getting Ready for the Exam
    1. Chapter 15. Final Preparation
      1. Take Advantage of the Tools in This Book
        1. Retake the “Do I Know This Already?” Quizzes
        2. Prepare for Vocabulary Differences on the Project+ Exam
        3. Work Through the “Exam Preparation Tasks” Sections
        4. Complete the Memory Tables Appendixes
        5. Review the Examples
      2. Practice with Pearson Test Prep
      3. Ready, Set, Test!
  18. Appendix A. Answers to the “Do I Know This Already?” Quizzes and Review Questions
  19. Glossary
  20. Index
  21. Appendix B. Memory Tables
  22. Appendix C. Memory Tables Answer Key

Product information

  • Title: CompTIA Project+ Cert Guide: Exam PK0-004
  • Author(s): Robin Abernathy
  • Release date: August 2017
  • Publisher(s): Pearson IT Certification
  • ISBN: 9780134713250