Fundamentals
Project Management Fundamentals & Roles
Core definitions and the roles that make up a project team.
Core Definitions
A PROJECT is a temporary endeavor creating a unique product, service, or result. Projects are constrained by scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, and risk.
A PROGRAM is related projects managed together for benefits not available by managing them separately. A PORTFOLIO aligns projects and programs to organizational strategy.
Key Roles
• PROJECT MANAGER — leads the team, accountable for meeting objectives. • SPONSOR — provides funding/authority and champions the project. • STAKEHOLDER — anyone who can affect or is affected by the project. • PMO (Project Management Office) — standardizes practices and may provide support, control, or direction.
The PM balances stakeholder needs against the project constraints.
Organizational Structures
• FUNCTIONAL — PM has little authority; functional managers control resources. • MATRIX (weak/balanced/strong) — authority is shared; strong matrix gives the PM more power. • PROJECTIZED — PM has high authority and controls resources.
Know that PM authority increases from functional → matrix → projectized.
📖 Key Terms
- Project
- A temporary endeavor that creates a unique result.
- Sponsor
- Provides resources and authority and champions the project.
- PMO
- Project Management Office — standardizes and supports project practices.
- Projectized organization
- Structure where the PM has high authority over resources.
💡 Exam Tips
- ▸A project is temporary and creates a unique result.
- ▸PM authority is lowest in functional and highest in projectized organizations.
- ▸The sponsor funds and champions the project.
- ▸A program is related projects managed together for shared benefits.