Version 1.2 · Robert Caldwell · Six sessions, August 24–September 14, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026 Use this after the complete guide. This is a memory aid, not a current certification outline. Updated with Foundations workbook v8.1; verified course details and remaining differences are distinguished.
The new Module 2 and Module 5/6 review questions are already covered here and in the complete guide. Retain PMO = Project Management Office, program benefits from related work, and project scope = work / product scope = features and functions. Iterative and Agile are not interchangeable labels. (Module review: Foundations M2 Review MASTER.docx, body blocks 17, 43, 91–93.) (Module review: Foundations M5 Review MASTER.docx, body blocks 3–5.)
Core distinctions
| If a prompt describes… | Think… |
|---|---|
| Temporary, unique work producing a product/service/result | Project |
| Continuing, routine work | Operations |
| Related projects coordinated for additional benefits | Program |
| PM authority stronger than functional-manager authority | Strong matrix |
| Functional-manager authority stronger | Weak matrix |
| Optional assistance, tools, templates | Supportive PMO |
| Required standards and compliance | Controlling PMO |
| Direct supervision/management of projects | Directive PMO |
| Product features and functions | Product scope |
| All work needed to deliver the result | Project scope |
| Hierarchical decomposition of the total scope | WBS |
| Lowest official WBS level in this course | Work package |
| Unique WBS component identifiers | Code of accounts |
| Labor units, usually hours | Effort |
| Working periods occupied by an activity | Duration |
| Longest-duration network path | Critical path |
| Assigned work commitments | Resource loading |
| Addressing excess demand against available capacity | Leveling / resource adjustment |
| Data collection, measurement, reporting | Monitoring |
| Analysis and corrective action | Controlling |
| Doing/directing the planned work | Executing |
| Change over an interval | Progress report |
| Current snapshot | Status report |
| Prediction of future performance | Forecast |
Sources: (Aug 24 · 01:23:51 · segments 243–263; 01:55:55 · segments 313–315; 02:11:10 · segments 354–358; 02:27:21 · segments 404–418) (Aug 31 · 00:44:32 · segments 119–128; 02:29:07 · segments 293–315) (Sep 2 · 00:40:35 · segments 130–132) (Sep 9 · 00:51:49 · segments 95–104; 01:03:31 · segments 136–165) (Sep 14 · 02:00:36 · segments 244–257; 02:25:49 · segments 310–326)
Recall lists
- Six constraints: scope, schedule, quality, budget, resources, risk.
- Competency areas: ways of working, power skills, business acumen.
- Course focus areas: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, closing.
- Communication plan: who, what, when, how.
- Tuckman: forming → storming → norming → performing → adjourning.
- Cost estimating: analogous, parametric, bottom-up.
- Risk responses: escalate, avoid, transfer, mitigate; then acceptance/contingency for retained risks.
Sources: (Aug 24 · 02:55:40 · segments 495–519; 03:04:51 · segments 522; 03:15:01 · segments 568) (Aug 26 · 00:34:44 · segments 64–66; 03:04:09 · segments 503–526) (Sep 9 · 02:09:54 · segments 270–281) (Sep 14 · 00:35:46 · segments 92–107; 00:44:35 · segments 126–146; 02:12:30 · segments 275–301)
Formulas and interpretation
| Calculation | Formula / convention | Check |
|---|---|---|
| ROM — workbook-confirmed course rule | Lower = base/2; upper = base×2 | −50% / +100%; asymmetric |
| Triangular | (O + M + P) / 3 |
Same units in all inputs |
| PERT beta | (O + 4M + P) / 6 |
Multiply 4M before summing |
| Early finish — simple FS example | EF = ES + duration |
At a merge, wait for all predecessors |
| Late start — simple FS example | LS = LF − duration |
Backward calculation respects all successors |
| Total float — simple course example | LS − ES = LF − EF |
Shared along the branch, not additive |
| Uniform commitment | individual effort / duration |
Sum overlapping assignments per period |
| Labor cost | hours × rate |
Include each person's effort |
| Cumulative planned cost | Prior cumulative + current period cost | Plot this series for the course S-curve |
| Expected value | probability as decimal × impact |
Keep dollars and days separate |
O = optimistic; M = most likely; P = pessimistic. In this lesson, EV = expected value, not earned value. ES/EF/LS/LF shortcuts here apply to the reconstructed FS-only, zero-lag example, not every type of network.
Sources: (Aug 26 · 01:42:11 · segments 303–312) (Aug 31 · 02:36:47 · segments 324–340) (Sep 2 · 02:01:10 · segments 302–326) (Sep 9 · 00:54:12 · segments 101–104; 02:23:05 · segments 310–325) (Sep 14 · 00:26:26 · segments 67–74)
Additional workbook formulas/details: budgetary −10%/+25%; definitive −5%/+10%. Free float protects successor early starts; total float protects project finish/constraints. In the 58-day network, design has 0 free float and 6 total float; build has 6 of each. Fixed duration is unchanged by more people; variable duration can shorten. (Workbook v8.1, printed pp. 110 [PDF 116]; 126–127 [PDF 132–133]; 117 [PDF 123]; 134–136 [PDF 140–142])
Dependencies
| Type | Constraint | Memory example |
|---|---|---|
| FS | B starts after A finishes | Bake, then frost |
| SS | B starts after A starts | Baking starts; frosting preparation can start |
| FF | B finishes after A finishes | Music cannot finish before the aisle walk finishes |
| SF | B finishes after A starts | Storage cannot end before pickup starts |
Mandatory = hard logic; discretionary = preferred logic. Internal/external concerns control and boundary. These classifications can combine. A lead permits overlap; a lag is a wait/delay. (Sep 2 · 00:09:08 · segments 23–42; 00:18:30 · segments 50–57; 00:23:45 · segments 71–113)
Workbook recall additions
- Project wording: temporary initiative in a unique context undertaken to create value.
- Seven domains: governance, scope, schedule, finance, stakeholders, resources, risk.
- Six principles: holistic view; value; embed quality; accountable leadership; sustainability; empowered culture.
- Rolling wave: detailed near-phase plan, broad later-phase plan; not a synonym for Agile.
- Modified Delphi: independent initial expert estimates, discussion/revision, repeat to consensus.
- Finalize baseline: validate, approvals, archive, communicate.
- Control cycle: actuals/forecasts → compare → analyze causes/impact → correct → authorized revisions → report.
- Change flowchart: accept/reject/defer; notify; integrate accepted change.
- Risk definition: uncertain positive or negative effect; course response exercises focus on threats.
- Closing: project, phase, contract, or termination before completion; final actuals → review → document/archive → celebrate success.
- Risk-planning steps: identify → qualitative → quantitative → prioritize/threshold → manage → reserve → document.
- Software: enter accurate work, logic, resources and calendars; milestones have zero duration; validate before saving the baseline.
Sources: (Workbook v8.1, printed pp. 28 [PDF 34]; 49–51 [PDF 55–57]; 75–76 [PDF 81–82]; 110 [PDF 116]; 164 [PDF 170]; 169 [PDF 175]; 179–180 [PDF 185–186]; 191 [PDF 197]; 196 [PDF 202]; 212 [PDF 218]; 233–235 [PDF 239–241])
Frequent traps
- Strong/weak matrix describes authority, not employee ability.
- Team cohesion alone does not establish overall success.
- A sponsor authorizes/supports; a PM manages day-to-day work.
- The WBS covers the whole project.
- A RAM assigns involvement; RACI supplies the letter model.
- Course RACI: Responsible, Approver/Authority, Contributor, Informed. Workbook p.124 (PDF 130) confirms these labels; the sample O/A/I legend uses I for implementer.
- Effort-hours do not automatically equal calendar duration.
- Critical path is longest by duration, not number of activities.
- Two activities with six days of float on one branch do not create 12 days of delay allowance.
- Fast tracking overlaps work and can increase rework risk; crashing adds resources and usually cost.
- Several concurrent assignments can be acceptable if their total fits capacity.
- Analogous uses a similar project; parametric uses a relationship/model; bottom-up aggregates detailed work.
- A cumulative cost baseline is planned spending, not proof of actual spending or work completed.
- Avoidance eliminates the threat; mitigation reduces it.
- Qualitative analysis prioritizes; the quantitative example calculates exposure.
- A CCB/designated authority evaluates changes to baselines.
- Lessons learned include good practices as well as mistakes.
Numerical benchmarks from class
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| Liam: O16, M20, P35 minutes | Triangular 23.67; PERT 21.83 |
| Second commute: O5, M7, P13 | PERT 7.67 minutes |
| Requirements17 → test procedures29 → test12 | 58 days; critical path |
| Requirements17 → design15 → build8 → test12 | 52 days; six shared float days |
| John: 25 + 28/1.5 hours/week | 43.67; 3.67 above a 40-hour threshold |
| Five-day lawn project | Labor $1,740 + materials $4,150 = $5,890 |
| 12% probability × $40,000 impact | $4,800 expected value |
Sources: (Aug 31 · 02:42:56 · segments 352–366; 02:50:29 · segments 375–384) (Sep 2 · 02:01:10 · segments 302–326) (Sep 9 · 00:55:34 · segments 103–104; 00:59:47 · segments 122–132; 02:23:05 · segments 310–325) (Sep 14 · 00:29:20 · segments 72–74)
Resolved and remaining differences
Resolved from this workbook: course ROM and RACI; free-float definition; modified Delphi steps; rolling-wave meaning; seven-domain/six-principle framework; exact 58-day diagram. (Workbook v8.1, printed pp. 67 [PDF 73]; 110 [PDF 116]; 117 [PDF 123]; 124 [PDF 130]; 49 [PDF 55]; 75–76 [PDF 81–82]; 134–136 [PDF 140–142])
Still distinguish carefully: lecture's new competency labels versus the workbook's older triangle; four workbook team stages versus five in the lecture; level-of-effort listed without definition; QA/QC not fully distinguished; leveling/smoothing terminology; current certification exam claims. See the source/review index.
Suggested review sequence
- Explain the core distinctions out loud without reading the right-hand column.
- Recompute PERT, the 58-day network, resource overload, cumulative cost, and expected value.
- Work through the complete guide's 42 practice prompts and check the answer key.
- Revisit the recording for missed concepts using the timestamped emphasis index.
- Use the printed/PDF page references to check missed concepts; keep remaining lecture/workbook differences visible.