Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® Exam Official Cert Guide

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Corrected Answer Key Available 

The issue regarding the incorrect answer key for Chapter 2 has been addressed. Download the revised answer key under the Updates tab on the books web page to get the correct information. 

Jump start your project management career with the Official Cert Guide to the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)^® Exam

Exam Update: This product covers content for the new CAPM^® Exam released by PMI on July 25, 2023. Learn more at pmi.org/CAPM

Learn, prepare, and practice for test day success with the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)^® Exam Official Cert Guide, a Project Management Institute (PMI)^® authorized self-study resource. This comprehensive guide from instructors and authors Vijay Kanabar, Arthur P. Thomas, and Thomas Lechler addresses the all-new 2023 CAPM^® Exam domains:

• Project management fundamentals and core concepts
• Predictive, plan-based methodologies
• Agile frameworks/methodologies
• Business analysis frameworks

CAPM is an essential first step in building your career at any stage as a project manager and a stepping-stone to the Project Management Professional (PMP)^® Certification. CAPM is globally recognized as providing candidates with a solid foundation in hands-on project management skills and knowledge. The CAPM exam covers a broad range of project management approaches and prepares candidates in the skills, tools, and techniques that can be applied in the field of project management.

The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)^® Exam Official Cert Guide features

• Complete coverage of all CAPM exam topics
• Do I Know This Already? quizzes identify knowledge gaps
• Chapter exercises to review key concepts
• A suggested study plan to optimize your final review

You also get access to valuable study tools on the book’s companion website, including

• Two full-length practice exams powered by Pearson Test Prep practice software with realistic question sets, customization options, and detailed performance reports
• Key term flash cards
• Appendices and glossary downloads

This complete study package offers a deep dive on CAPM exam topics:

• Organizing for project performance
• Predicative methodologies
• Adaptive frameworks
• Measurement, tracking, and managing uncertainty
• Business analysis frameworks and domains
• …and more!

Pearson is an authorized content provider for PMI. This title is also available as a multi-format Premium Edition eBook with two additional practice tests.

Introduction xxi
Part I Project Management Fundamentals
Chapter 1 Becoming a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) 2
Foundation Topics 3
Understanding Project Management 3
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) 3
Scope of the CAPM Exam 4
How This Book Is Organized 8
Part I: Project Management Fundamentals 9
Part II: Predictive Approach 9
Part III: Adaptive Approach 10
Part IV: Business Analysis 10
Part V: Appendixes 11
Steps to Becoming a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)11
Study and Exam-Taking Strategies 13
Suggested Reading and Resources 13
Chapter 2 Projects and Project Management 16
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 17
Foundation Topics 20
What Is a Project? 20
A Project 21
Project Manager 22
Understanding Project Management 22
Projects vs. Operational Work 23
The Role of Projects in Operations 24
Project-Based Operations 24
Programs and Portfolios 25
Creating Value Through Project Management 26
Project Management Process Groups 35
Project Management Challenges 36
Challenges with Issues, Risks, Assumptions, and Constraints 37
Project Management Trends 41
Business Analysis 41
Adaptive Project Management 41
Principles of Project Management 42
Summary 42
Exam Preparation Tasks 42
Chapter 3 Organizing for Project Performance 44
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 45
Foundation Topics 50
Project Performance Domains 50
The Stakeholder Performance Domain 52
Identifying Stakeholders 52
Types of Stakeholders in a Project 53
Stakeholder Analysis 54
Types of Stakeholder Communication 55
Stakeholder Performance Domain Successful Outcomes 56
The Project Manager’s Role 56
Roles of the Project Manager in a Project 58
The Project Manager’s Required Skills 58
Project Organization Structures 70
Project Structure Concepts 70
Functional Project Organization Structures 70
Matrix Project Organization Structures 72
Projectized Project Organization Structures 73
The Power of Project Managers in Different Organization Structures 73
Project Management Office (PMO) and Steering Committees 74
The Project Management Office 75
The Steering Committee 75
The Team Performance Domain 76
Effective Execution of Projects 78
High-Performing Teams 78
Leadership and Interpersonal Skills Affecting All Team Members 78
Project Team Development Models 79
Conducting Meetings 80
Responsibility Assignment Matrix 83
Project Team Culture 84
Expectations for the Team Performance Domain 86
Applying the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct 86
Summary 88
Exam Preparation Tasks 88
Chapter 4 Development Approach and Life Cycle Performance Domain 92
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 93
Foundation Topics 97
Fundamentals of the Project Life Cycle 97
The Concept of a Project Life Cycle 97
Visualizing a Project Life Cycle 98
Stage Gates 99
Project Life Cycle vs. Project Management Process Groups 100
Project Life Cycle vs. Product Life Cycle 103
Development Approach and Life Cycle Performance Domain Concepts 103
Terms Relevant to the Development Approach and Life Cycle Performance Domain 104
Choosing the Predictive Approach 105
Choosing the Adaptive Approach 105
Choosing a Hybrid Approach 106
Life Cycles in Practice 107
Industry Application: Predictive Life Cycle 107
Industry Application: Adaptive Life Cycle 110
Industry Application: Hybrid Life Cycle 111
Considerations for Selecting a Development Approach 112
Product, Service, or Result 113
Project 114
Organization 114
Project Activity, Deliverables, and Milestones 115
Project Activities 115
Deliverables 115
Measuring Deliverables 116
Milestones 116
Summary 118
Exam Preparation Tasks 118
Part II Predictive Approach
Chapter 5 Planning, Project Work, and Delivery: Predictive Methodologies 120
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 122
Foundation Topics 127
Choosing the Predictive, Plan-Based Methodology 127
Process Groups of the Predictive, Plan-Based Approach 128
Initiating Processes 128
Planning Processes 129
Executing Processes 129
Monitoring and Controlling Processes 129
Closing Processes 129
Creating a Tailored Predictive Life Cycle 130
Performance Domains 130
Develop Project Charter 134
Develop Project Team 136
Develop Project Management Plan 137
Collect Requirements and Define Scope Statement 139
Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 141
Define and Sequence Activities 144
Estimate Time and Resources 149
Identify Critical Path 151
Develop Schedule 156
Direct and Manage Project Work 157
Monitor and Control Project Work 159
Issues Management 159
Change Requests and Control 160
Monitoring and Controlling Project Cost and Schedule 162
Close Project or Phase 163
Foundations of Earned Value Analysis 165
Planned Value (PV) 166
Earned Value (EV) 166
Actual Cost (AC) 166
Cost Variance (CV) 166
Schedule Variance (SV) 166
Cost Performance Index (CPI) 166
Forecasting Final Project Costs 167
More Information About Earned Value Analysis 167
The Planning Performance Domain 167
Schedule Compression Factors and Techniques 168
Scaling 169
Summary 169
Exam Preparation Tasks 170
Chapter 6 Project Work and Delivery 172
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 173
Foundation Topics 177
Project Work Performance Domain 177
Planning and Managing Procurement 178
Bidding: Soliciting and Entering Bids 180
Control Procurements 181
Engaging Stakeholders 182
Managing Project Communications 184
Managing Risk 189
Threats 190
Opportunities 191
Project Delivery Performance Domain 192
Delivery of Value 193
Quality Management 194
Quality Management Tools 197
Six Sigma 203
Project Controls and Forecasting 203
Project Integration 207
Components of Project Integration 208
Achieving Project Integration 209
Summary 209
Exam Preparation Tasks 210
Part III Adaptive Approach
Chapter 7 Planning, Project Work, and Delivery: Adaptive Approaches 212
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 213
Foundation Topics 217
When to Use the Adaptive Approach 217
Team Structure in Adaptive Projects 221
Requirements for the Adaptive Project Environment 222
Adaptive Mindset 222
Servant Leadership 224
The Structure and Culture of Adaptive Teams 225
Value-Driven Delivery 227
Factors That Facilitate Adaptive Approaches: OPA and EEF 228
Apparent Stages of Adaptive Projects 229
Stage 1: Concept 231
Stage 2: Construct and Deliver 233
Stage 3: Close 237
Work Groups for Adaptive Project Stages 238
Agile Life Cycles 238
Case Study 7-1: Building a Website for a Conference 239
Hybrid Project Approaches 251
Hybrid Approach Scenario 1: Revisiting the APC Conference 251
Hybrid Approach Scenario 2: Virtual Restaurant Business 252
Hybrid Approach Scenario 3: Specification for Tax Software 253
Summary 254
Exam Preparation Tasks 254
Chapter 8 Overview of Adaptive Frameworks 256
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 259
Foundation Topics 262
Lean 262
Eliminating Waste 263
Value Streaming Using the Lean Approach 264
Case Study 8-1: Getting a Book from the Library 264
Iteration-Based Agile 267
Flow-Based Agile 267
Scrum 268
Roles 268
Processes and Artifacts 269
Scrum Core Values 270
Timeboxing 271
Challenges with Scrum 272
Kanban 272
Suitability of the Kanban Method 272
Limiting Work in Progress (WIP) 273
Workflow Focus 273
Comparing Kanban and Scrum 274
ScrumBan 274
Extreme Programming 275
Roles 275
Core Practices of XP 275
What Can We Learn from XP? 276
FDD, DSD, and Crystal 277
Feature-Driven Development 277
Dynamic Systems Development Method 278
Crystal 279
Frameworks for Scale 279
Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) 283
Scrum of Scrums 284
Disciplined Agile284
Which Approach for Scale? 286
Summary 288
Exam Preparation Tasks 288
Chapter 9 Measurement, Tracking, and Managing Uncertainty 290
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 291
Foundation Topics 294
Problem Detection and Resolution 294
The Measurement Performance Domain 295
Prioritization Techniques 295
What Gets Prioritized 298
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Project Control 300
Progress Tracking 301
Decision Making 301
Communication of Adaptive Project KPIs 301
Who Makes the Estimates? 306
Throughput, Cycle Time, and Lead Time 306
The Uncertainty Performance Domain 311
Uncertainty 312
Strategies to Address Project Uncertainty 313
Risk 315
Strategies to Reduce the Likelihood of Uncertainty 316
Opportunities 316
Threats 316
Tracking and Managing Risk in Adaptive Projects 317
Team Workspace Design 318
Tracking Progress to Manage Risk in Adaptive Approaches 318
Summary 321
Exam Preparation Tasks 321
Part IV Business Analysis
Chapter 10 Business Analysis Frameworks 324
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 325
Foundation Topics 328
The Importance of Business Analysis 328
The Role of a Business Analyst 329
Skills Needed to Perform Business Analysis 330
Comparing Business Analysis with Project Management 331
Requirements: The Focus of Business Analysis 332
Requirement Types 332
Case Study 10-1: Requirements for a Toll Collection System 333
Requirements Documentation 337
Requirements Management Plan 337
Stakeholders and the Business Analyst 338
Identify Stakeholders 338
Stakeholder Analysis 341
Business Analysis Planning 342
Transition to a Future State 343
Influence of Project Approaches on Business Analysis 343
Business Analysis in the Predictive Approach 343
Business Analysis in the Adaptive Approach 344
Summary 347
Exam Preparation Tasks 347
Chapter 11 Business Analysis Domains 350
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 351
Foundation Topics 354
Domain 1: Needs Assessment 354
Why Perform Needs Assessments? 355
When Do Needs Assessments Occur? 355
Who Is Involved in Needs Assessment? 356
What Are the Key Business Analysis Tasks During Needs Assessment? 356
What Are the Needs Assessment Processes? 357
Domain Summary 365
Domain 2: Business Analysis Planning 366
Domain 3: Requirements Elicitation and Analysis 368
Elicit Requirements 369
Analyze Requirements 377
Document the Solution Requirements 398
Domain 4: Traceability and Monitoring 398
Trace Requirements 399
Monitor Requirements 401
Update Requirements and Communicate Requirements Status 402
Manage Changes to Requirements 403
Domain Summary 404
Domain 5: Solution Evaluation 405
Evaluate Solution Performance 406
Determine Solution Evaluation Approach 407
Evaluate Acceptance Results and Address Defects 409
Obtain Solution Acceptance for Release 410
Evaluate Deployed Solution 410
Domain Summary 410
Summary 411
Exam Preparation Tasks 411
Chapter 12 Tailoring and Final Preparation 414
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz: Tailoring Section 415
Foundation Topics 417
Tailoring 417
The Tailoring Process 418
Aspects of Projects That Can Be Tailored 419
How to Tailor the Project Approach 420
Case Study 12-1: Design and Introduction of Portable CT Scanner Products 421
Summary: Project Tailoring Concepts 422
Final Preparation 422
Scope and Key Concepts 422
Suggested Plan for Final Review and Study 427
Summary 428
Exam Preparation Tasks 428
Part V Appendixes
Appendix A Answers to the “Do I Know This Already?” Quizzes 430
Appendix B PMI Project Management Process Groups and Processes 436
Appendix C PMBOK 7 Project Performance Domains and Project Management Principles 438
Appendix D PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Exam Official Cert Guide Updates 442
Appendix E Business Analysis Models and Their Usages 444
Glossary 450

Online Elements:
Appendix F Study Planner
Glossary

9780137918096 TOC 3/3/2023

Vijay Kanabar, Ph.D., is the director and associate professor of Project Management programs at Boston University, Metropolitan College. He is one of the earliest PMP credentialed practitioners from the Project Management Institute. He created one of the earliest PMP exam corporate training materials three decades ago and has introduced several thousand students and practitioners to the core exam concepts of both the CAPM® and Project Management Professional (PMP)® exams. Vijay also is an agile practitioner and has earned the PMI-ACP credential. He has authored several books and more than 75 research papers in IT and project management. He received the prestigious PMI Linn Stuckenbruck Teaching Excellence Award in 2017 for his commitment to teaching and enhancing the project management discipline in higher education.

Arthur P. Thomas, Ed.M., Ph.D., is the executive director for the Office of Professional Acceleration and Microcredentials in the College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University, where he is also the program director for the Master of Professional Studies in Project Management. He has been teaching at SU since 2001 and has been a professor of practice since 2009, focusing his academic work on developing and administering project management courses and degree programs. Art is also the director of the iConsult Collaborative at Syracuse University, an experiential learning program he began leading in 2012 in which university students are engaged with client organizations in a diverse portfolio of information-related projects. Art was formerly the associate dean for Career Services and Experiential Learning, the associate dean for Academic Affairs, and the director of two information technology master’s degree programs, all at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies (the iSchool). Positions on the corporate side of his career have ranged from programmer to chief information officer, and from trainer to chief learning officer. With his more than 30 years of added consulting experience, his contracts have taken him from the United States to Europe and the Middle East, where he led two projects for the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman.

Thomas G. Lechler, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the School of Business, Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. His doctorate is from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany. He teaches project management and entrepreneurship. His research focuses on value creation in projects under situations of risk and uncertainty. Thomas has published his research in leading international research journals, including Research Policy, R&D Management, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Small Business Economics, International Journal of Project Management, and Project Management Journal, and he has authored several books in the fields of project management and entrepreneurship. He was awarded the Project Management Journal Paper of the Year, has received several research grants from PMI, and was a NASA research fellow.

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