Memorizing Project Cost Management Planning Processes Inputs and Outputs using Cascading Inputs Method

Project Cost Management is a very important knowledge area. As a Project Manager, your project's performance is constantly measured against cost (and other constraints such as Scope, Schedule etc.).

Project Cost Management has a total of 4 processes. Out of these 4 processes, 3 are in Planning Process Group and 1 in Monitoring and Controlling Process Group. In this post, I present, how you can easily remember the Inputs and Outputs to and from the 3 planning processes in Project Cost Management.

Step 1:

Project Cost Management Planning Processes Input and Output - Step 1

Project Cost Management Planning Processes Inputs and Outputs - Step 2

Project Cost Management Planning Processes Group Inputs and Outputs - Step 3

Memorizing Project Time Management Planning Processes - Inputs and Outputs using Cascading Inputs Method

Well, lets look at Project Time Management Planning processes. There are six planning processes here. A careful observation helps you to see that outputs of one process are used as inputs by the subsequent processes. This observation is what I call as "Cascading Inputs Method" - my own term (nothing to do with PMBoK(R) or PMI(R)). There are five steps in this method.
Step 1:

Project Time Management Planning Processes - Step 1 of Inputs and Outputs

Step 2:

Project Time Management Planning Processes - Step 2 of Inputs and Outputs

Step 3

Project Time Management Planning Processes - Step 3 of Inputs and Outputs

Step 4

Project Time Management Planning Processes - Step 4 of Inputs and Outputs

Step 5

Project Time Management Planning Processes - Step 5 of Inputs and Outputs

Project Time Management processes are very important from the PMP Exam point of view. Therefore, if you practice these steps multiple times, you can easily visualize the Inputs and Outputs. And also, certain important outputs like Project schedule network diagram, Schedule baseline, Project Schedule - which process creates them you can easily remember.

For the last process in Project Time Management i.e Control Schedule, you can see my earlier post Controlling Processes Inputs and Outputs. I have grouped Controlling processes together as there is lot of similarity between them.

Memorizing M & C Processes (excluding Integration Management Knowledge Area) Inputs and Outputs

To begin with, if I say, there are 47 inputs and 49 outputs to and from the 9 Monitoring and Controlling Processes (excluding Integration Management Knowledge Area), and you have to memorize them. You think I am mad. I might appear mad towards getting my PMP Certification, but there is a method to my madness. Read carefully below...

Do you agree that

• The Monitoring and Controlling Processes for each Knowledge area (excluding Integration Management that is not discussed here and Human Resources Management which doesn't have a Monitoring and Controlling process) have similar purpose?
• Each knowledge area (again  excluding Integration Management that is not discussed here and Human Resources Management which doesn't have a Monitoring and Controlling process) produces certain key project documents, other than their respective management plans, with respect to its own knowledge area? For example, Scope Management produces Requirements Management Plan, Requirements Traceability Matrix. Time Management produces Project Schedule. Quality Management produces Quality Metrics, Quality Checklists etc.
• If you have agreed to both the questions above, then you understand that since these processes perform similar activities with respect to their own knowledge areas, there must be some common Inputs and Outputs for these processes. Isn't it?

Enough said, let us look at the I/O Diagram...

Observations on Inputs

• Project Management Plan and Work Performance Data (WPD) is input to all the 9 Processes. Which means by remembering these two, you can remember a total of 18 inputs.
• Organizational Process Assets (OPA) is input to Scope, Schedule, Cost and Quality Controlling Processes that start with the word "Control". To remember easily, the last three knowledge areas - Risk, Procurements and Stakeholder's Controlling processes doesn't have OPA as input. This will make you to remember another 5.
• Requirements Management Plan and Requirements Traceability Matrix both are key Project documents that are produced by Scope Management Knowledge area, so they are input to both the Validate Scope and Control Scope processes.
• Project Schedule, Schedule Data and Project Calenders (this comes from Procurement process as well) produced from Schedule Management Knowledge area are inputs to its respective Controlling process.
• Like this, observe how the other key Project documents and how they go as inputs into their respective knowledge area controlling processes. For ex: Risk Register is input to Control Risks.
• Use logic for the rest of the inputs other than common ones, and you should easily remember them.

Observations on Outputs

• This is mind blowing... by remembering just 5 common outputs, you can actually easily remember 40 outputs of the 49. Now you should appreciate my method to madness. And remembering these common 5 outputs, you can remember 5 knowledge areas completely. 
• Change Requests, Work Performance Information (WPI), Project Document Updates, Project Management Plan Updates and Organizational Process Assets Updates - are the five common outputs from all the processes that start with the word "Control". 
• Both Control Schedule and Control Costs processes produce their respective Forecasts. - Important to remember for the exam.
• Check the rest of the outputs for Control Quality and Validate Scope.

For more information

• How the deliverable is created, validated, verified and accepted, please check my another post Deliverable Lifecycle. Its important to see this post, as Validate Scope, Control Quality both have connections with respect to Inputs and Outputs above and you can clearly visualize them in that post.
• How Work performance data (WPD), and Work performance information (WPI) and finally Work performance reports (WPR) is related, check my another blog Work Performance data to reports process flow
• If you observe, you will note that all the Controlling processes produce Change Requests as outputs. If you would like to know the complete Change Management flow, please follow my Change Management Process Flow

Disclaimer

• The abbreviations WPD, WPI and WPR I have used to reduce my typing work. They are not PMI(R) abbreviations.
• I have used this method to memorize the inputs and outputs for Controlling processes. I am sharing this information here, with the assumption that it might be beneficial for others who are preparing for PMP Exam. If you find this post or any other post, not to your understanding please feel free to post a comment, I would be glad to explain more. If you find this information is not helpful for you, please don't mind, and I am thankful for your visit anyway.

What is created/updated when in PMBOK Processes

While preparing for the exam, another useful thing I have created is an Excel worksheet that shows for various outputs (its better to call them as Management Products as in PRICE2 and/or Project Documents) when they are created i.e. the process that creates them and updates them.

I have reproduced the list below for your information. The most important areas here to look for are:

• When Project Management Plan is getting updated
• When Project Documents are getting updated
• When important Management Products like WBS, Change Requests, Milestone list etc are created
• When Organizational Process assets and Enterprise Environmental Factors gets updates - most importantly during the Closing process

S.No	Document	Action	Process	Knowledge Area	Process Group
1	Project Charter	Create	Develop Project Charter	Integration	Initiating
2	Project Management Plan	Create	Develop Project Management Plan	Integration	Planning
		Update	Direct and Manage Project Work	Integration	Executing
		Update	Monitor and Control Project Work	Integration	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Perform Integrated Change Control	Integration	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Control Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Develop Schedule	Schedule	Planning
		Update	Control Schedule	Schedule	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Control Costs	Cost	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Perform Quality Assurance	Quality	Executing
		Update	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Acquire Project Team	HR	Executing
		Update	Manage Project Team	HR	Executing
		Update	Manage Communications	Communications	Executing
		Update	Control Communications	Communications	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Plan Risk Responses	Risk	Planning
		Update	Control Risks	Risk	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Conduct Procurements	Procurement	Executing
		Update	Control Procurements	Procurement	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Manage Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Executing
		Update	Control Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Monitoring and Controlling
3	Deliverables	Create	Direct and Manage Project Work	Integration	Executing
		Verified	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
4	Change Requests	Create	Direct and Manage Project Work	Integration	Executing
		Create	Monitor and Control Project Work	Integration	Monitoring and Controlling
		Approve	Perform Integrated Change Control	Integration	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Validate Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Schedule	Schedule	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Costs	Cost	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Perform Quality Assurance	Quality	Executing
		Validate	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Manage Project Team	HR	Executing
		Create	Control Communications	Communications	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Risks	Risk	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Plan Procurement Management	Procurement	Planning
		Create	Conduct Procurements	Procurement	Executing
		Create	Control Procurements	Procurement	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Manage Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Executing
		Create	Control Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Monitoring and Controlling
5	Work Performance Data	Create	Direct and Manage Project Work	Integration	Executing
6	Project Documents	Create
		Update	Direct and Manage Project Work	Integration	Executing
		Update	Monitor and Control Project Work	Integration	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Perform Integrated Change Control	Integration	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Define Scope	Scope	Planning
		Update	Create WBS	Scope	Planning
		Update	Validate Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Control Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Sequence Activities	Schedule	Planning
		Update	Estimate Activity Resources	Schedule	Planning
		Update	Estimate Activity Durations	Schedule	Planning
		Update	Develop Schedule	Schedule	Planning
		Update	Control Schedule	Schedule	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Estimate Costs	Cost	Planning
		Update	Determine Budget	Cost	Planning
		Update	Control Costs	Cost	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Plan Quality Management	Quality	Planning
		Update	Perform Quality Assurance	Quality	Executing
		Update	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Manage Project Team	HR	Executing
		Update	Plan Communications Management	Communications	Planning
		Update	Manage Communications	Communications	Executing
		Update	Control Communications	Communications	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis	Risk	Planning
		Update	Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis	Risk	Planning
		Update	Plan Risk Responses	Risk	Planning
		Update	Control Risks	Risk	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Plan Procurement Management	Procurement	Planning
		Update	Conduct Procurements	Procurement	Executing
		Update	Control Procurements	Procurement	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Plan Stakeholder management	Stakeholder	Planning
		Update	Manage Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Executing
		Update	Control Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Monitoring and Controlling
7	Work Performance Reports	Create	Monitor and Control Project Work	Integration	Monitoring and Controlling
8	Change Log	Create	Perform Integrated Change Control	Integration	Monitoring and Controlling
9	Final Product, Service	Create	Close Project	Integration	Closing
10	Organizational Process Assets	Update	Close Project	Integration	Closing
		Update	Control Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Control Schedule	Schedule	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Control Costs	Cost	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Perform Quality Assurance	Quality	Executing
		Update	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Manage Project Team	HR	Executing
		Update	Manage Communications	Communications	Executing
		Update	Control Communications	Communications	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Control Risks	Risk	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Control Procurements	Procurement	Monitoring and Controlling
		Update	Close Procurements	Procurement	Closing
		Update	Manage Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Executing
		Update	Control Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Monitoring and Controlling
11	Scope Management Plan	Create	Plan Scope Management	Scope	Planning
12	Requirements Management Plan	Create	Plan Scope Management	Scope	Planning
13	Requirements Documentation	Create	Collect Requirements	Scope	Planning
14	Requirements Traceability Matrix	Create	Collect Requirements	Scope	Planning
15	Project Scope Statement	Create	Define Scope	Scope	Planning
16	WBS	Create	Create WBS	Scope	Planning
17	WBS Dictionary	Create	Create WBS	Scope	Planning
18	Accepted Deliverables (Signoff)	Create	Validate Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
19	Work Performance Information	Create	Validate Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Scope	Scope	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Schedule	Schedule	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Costs	Cost	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Communications	Communications	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Risks	Risk	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Procurements	Procurement	Monitoring and Controlling
		Create	Control Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Monitoring and Controlling
20	Schedule Management Plan	Create	Plan Schedule Management	Schedule	Planning
21	Activity List	Create	Define Activities	Schedule	Planning
22	Activity Attributes	Create	Define Activities	Schedule	Planning
23	Milestone List	Create	Define Activities	Schedule	Planning
24	Project Schedule network Diagrams	Create	Sequence Activities	Schedule	Planning
25	Activity Resource requirements	Create	Estimate Activity Resources	Schedule	Planning
26	Resource breakdown structure	Create	Estimate Activity Resources	Schedule	Planning
27	Activity Duration Estimates	Create	Estimate Activity Durations	Schedule	Planning
28	Schedule Baseline	Create	Develop Schedule	Schedule	Planning
29	Project Schedule	Create	Develop Schedule	Schedule	Planning
30	Schedule Data	Create	Develop Schedule	Schedule	Planning
31	Project Calendars	Create	Develop Schedule	Schedule	Planning
32	Schedule Forecasts	Create	Control Schedule	Schedule	Monitoring and Controlling
33	Cost Management Plan	Create	Plan Cost Management	Cost	Planning
34	Activity Cost Estimates	Create	Estimate Costs	Cost	Planning
35	Basis of Estimates	Create	Estimate Costs	Cost	Planning
36	Cost Baseline	Create	Determine Budget	Cost	Planning
37	Project funding requirements	Create	Determine Budget	Cost	Planning
38	Cost forecasts	Create	Control Costs	Cost	Monitoring and Controlling
39	Quality Management Plan	Create	Plan Quality Management	Quality	Planning
40	Process Improvement Plan	Create	Plan Quality Management	Quality	Planning
41	Quality Metrics	Create	Plan Quality Management	Quality	Planning
42	Quality Checklists	Create	Plan Quality Management	Quality	Planning
43	Quality control measurements	Create	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
44	Validated Changes	Create	Control Quality	Quality	Monitoring and Controlling
45	HR Management Plan	Create	Plan HR Management	HR	Planning
46	Project Staff assignments	Create	Acquire Project Team	HR	Executing
47	Resource Calendars	Create	Acquire Project Team	HR	Executing
		Update	Conduct Procurements	Procurement	Executing
48	Team Performance assessments	Create	Develop Project Team	HR	Executing
49	Enterprise environmental factors	Update	Develop Project Team	HR	Executing
		Update	Manage Project Team	HR	Executing
50	Communications Management Plan	Create	Plan Communications Management	Communications	Planning
51	Project communications	Create	Manage Communications	Communications	Executing
52	Risk Management Plan	Create	Plan Risk Management	Risk	Planning
53	Risk Register	Create	Identify Risk	Risk	Planning
54	Procurement Management Plan	Create	Plan Procurement Management	Procurement	Planning
55	Procurement SoW	Create	Plan Procurement Management	Procurement	Planning
56	Procurement Documents	Create	Plan Procurement Management	Procurement	Planning
57	Source selection criteria	Create	Plan Procurement Management	Procurement	Planning
58	Make or Buy Decisions	Create	Plan Procurement Management	Procurement	Planning
59	Selected Sellers	Create	Conduct Procurements	Procurement	Executing
60	Agreements	Create	Conduct Procurements	Procurement	Executing
61	Closed Procurements	Create	Close Procurements	Procurement	Closing
62	Stakeholder Register	Create	Identify Stakeholders	Stakeholder	Initiating
63	Stakeholder Management Plan	Create	Plan Stakeholder management	Stakeholder	Planning
64	Issue Log	Create	Manage Stakeholder Engagement	Stakeholder	Executing