Memorizing Inputs Tools and Outputs - updated for PMBoK 4th Editon

13th march 2010 - Updated for PMBoK 4th Edition. 

Are you overwhelmed while memorizing ITTO ? Wondering what to remember and what not ?.

You are in the right place. This article will help you with PMP ITTO (Inputs , Tools and Techniques and Ouputs). There are few processes where you have to memorize, which we have listed below. For remaining a general understanding is enough. Check out the Tips and techniques below for each knowledge area. This will help you answer most PMP questions without having the need to memorize all ITTO.

 

  • Integration:
    • Tools and Techniques (TT) are same for all the processes, except Perform Integrated Change control has "Change control meetings" and Direct and Manage project execution has Project management information system.
  • Scope:
    • Define Scope TT is APEF ( Alternatives Identificaiton, Product Analysis, Expert Judgement and Facilitated workshops )
    • Verify Scope has only one TT which is Inspection. The only other place where you will find Inspection as TT is in Perform Quality Control process.
  • Time:
    • Project document updates is output in all the process except in Define Activity .
    • Memorize TT for Develop Schedule
    • Activity Definition TT are DERT ( Decomposition, Expert Judgement, Rolling wave planning, Templates )
    • Control Schedule  TT are PV PR WASS ( Performance reviews, Variance analysis, Project Management software, Resource levelling, What if Scenario Analysis, Adujsting lead lags, Schedule compression, Scheudling tool  )
  • Cost:
    • Memorize TT For Estimate costs process. Remember that this overlaps with Activity Duration Estimate process.
    • Determine Budget has Funding Limit Reconcilation as TT which produces output Project funding requirements
    • Project documents are updated in all the 3 process outputs.
  • Quality:
    • Plan Quality creates 2 plans (Quality management plan and process improvement plan) in output and 2 other outputs which start with Quality.(Quality metrics, Quality Checklist)
    • TT for Quality planning is CCCB SPADF ( Remember as Spade with F)
    • PQC has all the outputs of PQA + 3 more outputs. ( Quality control measurements, Validated Changes, Validated deliverables)
    • There are 10 TT for PQC. Out of which there are 7 Tools for PQC. Remember Inspection appears as TT here and only other place it appears is in Scope verification
  • HR -  Resource calendar which is output of Acquire Project team is input to Activity Duration Estimates, Activity resource estimates, Develop Schedule , Determine budget process and Develop project team process. In conduct procurement process also resource calendar is output , however there it refers to calendar of contracted resources.
  • Communication  --  You need MIC (Management skills, Interpersonal skills and communciation methods)to manage stakeholder expectations
    • TT For plan communications is CCCC 
  • Risk
    • First 4 processes have only one output.
    • Risk Register is updated in all the processes after its created in Indentify Risks process
    • We recommed that you memorize ITTO for Risk Management process
  • Procurement:
    • InnocentThis is a tough chapter and we recommend you keep your focus here and try and memorize as much as you can.

General Guidelines:
This is the best way to address ITTO. You should try to memorize it at artifact level, instead of process level. Meaning you should know everything that happens with Project Charter, WBS, Contract and so on. If you remember this then you will be able to answer many questions in exams.
 

  • Project Charter is input for only following:
  •  
    •  
      • Identify Stakeholders
      • Develop Project management plan
      • Collect Requirements
      • Define Scope 
  •  
  • Project Calendar: Talking about calendars, remember that project calendar is updated (not created) in Schedule Development. Project calendar is part of organizational process assets and Project files. 
  • Scope Statement - is input to all the "planning processes"  (Create WBS, Sequence activities, Estimate activity durations, Develop schedule, Estimate costs, Determine budget, plan quality, Plan risk management, Perform Qualitative risk analysis, Plan procurements ) after its created except
    • Activity Resources Estimating
    • HR Planning
    • Risk Resonse Planning
  • Scope Baseline (WBS and WBS dictionary) are inputs to
    • Control scope 
    • Verify scope
    • Define Activity
    • Estimate costs
    • Budget costs
    • Plan Quality 
    • Identify Risks
    • Plan procurements.
       
  • All Monitoring and Control Processes  will have following 4 outputs:
  • Change requests
  • Project document updates ( Except Report performance & Adminster procurements)
  • Project Management plan ( Updates) ( Except in Verify scope & Report Performance)
  • Organizational process assets updates ( Except in Monitor and control project work, Perform Integrated change control process & Verify scope)


  • POW -  All Monitoring and control processes will have POW in Inputs :) . POW stands for Project Management Plan, Organizational process assets update and Work Performance Information. The other M & C Processes have two of POW inputs but not all three (Monitor and Control project work, Verify Scope and Monitor and control project risks ) Laughing
  •  
  • Cost of Quality - TT For Cost Estimating and Plan Quality processes.`
  • Forecasting
    • Forecasting is TT in Control cost to produce budgeted forecast as output. Budgeted forecast is input to Report performance
    • Run charts is tool used for forecasts
    • Report performance (Performance reports) will also include forecasts. Forecasting methods is the TT for Report performance process
    • Monitor and control project work process can update forecasts
  • Contract which is output of Conduct procurement process is input to  Administer procurements and Budget costs

Comments

Has anyone done or is anyone planning on updating this wonderful thread/tool for the PMBOK 4th Edition?

It is EXACTLY what I was looking for, but have concerns that it is no longer 100% accurate or complete in July 2009.

Thanks!

 

Hello this is the simplest way to improve your ITTO consistency. Click here: http://www.monkibo.com/pmp-exam-itto-trainer/

Hi Gurus,

This info is extremely useful, Has any Guru update it for PMBOK4 as well, Please share if already done.

Thanks & Regards,

Miansahib,

Please share your pmp stuff with me as i am also preparing for PMP.

Please send me new ITTO ,questions etc at my email: mefiaz@yahoo.com

Thanks,

Fiaz

If some has the updated version for  4th Edition, please post it.

 

Thanks

Worried about ITTOs for the PMP Exam?

 
 
It's free !
 
I welcome all ideas to make the tool better. One idea I got from this post is to add 'memorization' tips to the tool to make it even more useful. 
 
Thanks.

 

Nice tool, Awesome help... ThanQ.