Gregory M. Horine is a certified (PMP, CCP, CSM, SAFe POPM, SAFe RTE, Six Sigma Green Belt) business technology and IT professional with a track record of successful results using servant leadership principles and a focused customer orientation. Gregory has been consistently recognized for excellence in people management, leadership maturity, communication skills, problem-solving skills, and in establishing long-term client relationships. Primary areas of expertise and strength include project management and leadership; complete project life cycle experience across multiple industries; agile, waterfall, and hybrid application development; package implementation and integration; enterprise solution development; effective use of project management tools; Microsoft Project; application release management; application development team management; product and product line management; project and portfolio management tools; data analysis and transformation; business process analysis and improvement; vendor and procurement management; mind mapping tools; testing, quality, and risk management; regulatory and process compliance; security and privacy compliance; IT infrastructure upgrades and rollouts; IT Service Management (ITSM) processes; PMO setup and implementation; and remote team management.

In addition, Gregory holds a master's degree in computer science from Ball State University and a bachelor's degree in both marketing and computer science from Anderson University (Anderson, Indiana).

Through his servant leadership approach, Gregory has established a track record of empowering his teammates, improving project communications, overcoming technical and political obstacles, and successfully completing projects that meet the targeted objectives.

Gregory is grateful for the guidance and the opportunities that he has received from many mentors throughout his career. Their patience and influence have helped form a rewarding career marked by continuous learning and improvement.

Asad E. Haque, PMP®, PMI-ACP®, is a well-renowned project management trainer, consultant, and PMP® instructor with more than 30 years of industry experience. He is a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP) Instructor and developed the PMP Certification Complete Video Course and Practice Test for Pearson/O'Reilly. He is the host of Pearson's two-day PMP Certification Crash Course.

Asad earned his PMP® certification in 2010 and soon afterward began teaching the PMP syllabus for some of the top project management training companies in the USA. He still teaches for them. He has helped thousands of students achieve high first-time pass rates on the PMP exam, and he consistently receives excellent ratings from students. In addition, Asad has taught for universities, the military, corporations, and PMI Authorized Training Providers (ATPs).

After graduating from the University of Salford, UK, with a bachelor's degree in computer science and economics, Asad began a short-lived career in accounting and finance before switching gears to information technology. For 20+ years he managed and led functional IT projects, including human resource information systems (HRIS), business intelligence (BI), and enterprise resource planning (ERP). Asad has led both technical and business teams in implementing solutions for 401K defined contribution plans, health and welfare, and other employee benefits for several Fortune 500 clients. He has managed cross-functional teams globally and has always been recognized for his excellent communication skills among team members, clients, and vendors, and this is truly reflected in the quality of his instruction. Companies that Asad has worked for in the past include Hewitt Associates, IBM, HSBC, First Industrial Realty Trust, and the Northern Trust Bank.

Asad is the cofounder and instructor of 1st Choice Project Management Training based in Chicago, Illinois, and he travels extensively both nationally and internationally to lead such training. Through 1st Choice, he has developed management training materials for clients and teaches several PDU classes on leadership, strategic and business management, and the PMI-ACP exam preparation. He has also partnered in developing a PMP exam simulator.

You can connect with Asad via LinkedIn: [...]

Introduction xxv
Chapter 1 The PMP Exam: How to Prepare and Pass 3
Who Is PMI? 4
Changes to the PMBOK® Guide, Seventh Edition 5
The System for Value Delivery 6
The Twelve Project Management Principles 7
Project Performance Domains 8
Tailoring 9
Models, Methods, and Artifacts 9
The PMP Application Process 10
What Is the PMP Exam Like? 11
Types of Questions 13
PMP Exam Content Outline 15
Changes to the New Exam 18
Scheduling at a Pearson Vue Testing Center 21
Scheduling an Online Proctored Exam 22
Study Tips and Exam-Taking Strategies 23
Common Conceptual Gaps 24
Common Experience Gaps 25
Common Terminology Gaps 27
What Is Important to PMI? 28
Key PMI Assumptions 30
PMP Exam Content Outline 31
Chapter 2 Project Management 101 41
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 41
Foundation Topics 46
Core Project Management Concepts 46
What Is a Project Exactly? 46
Comparing Projects and Products 48
Functions Associated with Projects 49
Managing Projects 51
What Is the Value of Project Management? 52
Why Are Projects Challenging? 53
The Project Manager 55
One Title, Many Roles 56
Key Skills of Project Managers 57
Qualities of Successful Project Managers 60
15 Common Mistakes of Project Managers 61
Project Manager vs. Scrum Master vs. Product Owner 62
Project Management Fundamentals 63
Project Life Cycle 71
Project Environment 72
System for Value Delivery 73
Stakeholders 74
Organizational Environment 75
Functional Organizational Structure 76
Matrix Organizational Structure (Weak, Balanced, Strong) 76
Project-Oriented Organizational Structure 76
Other Organizational Factors 78
PMO 79
External Factors 80
Exam Preparation Tasks 81
Chapter 3 Development Approach and Life Cycle Performance 87
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 87
Foundation Topics 91
Development Approach and Project Life Cycle Fundamentals 91
Project Life Cycle and Phases 91
Product Life Cycle and Project Management Process Groups 93
Delivery Cadence 94
Development Approach Options 94
Development Approach Spectrum 95
Incremental and Iterative: What's the Difference? 96
Adaptive Approach 97
Development Approach Selection 101
Deliverable Variables 101
Project Variables 103
Organizational Variables 104
Relationship Between Project Deliverables, Delivery Cadence, Development Approach, and Project Life Cycle 105
Important Notes for the PMP Exam 106
Project Life Cycle: Development Approach Illustrations 107
Community Center Project Example from PMBOK® Guide, Seventh Edition 108
Hybrid Project Life Cycles 110
Impact on Other Project Factors 110
Exam Preparation Tasks 111
Chapter 4 Starting a Project and Integration 117
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 118
Foundation Topics 121
What Is Integration Management? 121
Initiating a Project 123
Develop Project Charter 124
Key Artifacts of Developing the Project Charter 124
Business Documents 124
The Project Charter 127
Project Overview Statement 128
Assumption Log 128
Planning a Project 128
Subsidiary Management Plans 133
Baselines 133
Additional Components 134
Executing the Project 136
What Is Business Value? 137
What Does Project Success Mean? 138
Direct and Manage Project Work 140
Manage Project Knowledge 141
Monitoring and Controlling the Project 142
Integrated Change Control 143
Key Artifact of Integrated Change Control: Change Management Plan 144
Key Artifact of Integrated Change Control: Configuration Management Plan 145
Change Control in an Adaptive Environment 147
Exam Preparation Tasks 147
Chapter 5 Stakeholder Engagement 153
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 153
Foundation Topics 157
Stakeholder Management 157
Identify Stakeholders 159
Common Tools and Techniques for Identifying Stakeholders 160
Stakeholder Grid 161
Salience Model 164
Direction of Influence 165
Common Artifact: The Stakeholder Register 166
Plan Stakeholder Engagement 167
Stakeholder Engagement Assessment Matrix 167
Stakeholder Engagement Plan 169
Manage Stakeholder Engagement 169
Monitor Stakeholder Engagement 170
Exam Preparation Tasks 171
Chapter 6 Project Scope 177
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 178
Foundation Topics 182
What Is Scope Management? 182
Planning Scope Management 184
Key Artifacts of Plan Scope Management 185
Scope Management Plan 185
Requirements Management Plan 185
Key Tools and Techniques of Plan Scope Management 185
Collecting Requirements 186
Key Tools and Techniques of Collect Requirements 187
Key Artifacts of Collect Requirements 189
Requirements Documentation 189
Requirements Traceability Matrix 190
Scope Definition 190
Key Tools and Techniques of Define Scope: Product Analysis 190
Key Artifact of Define Scope: Scope Statement 191
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 191
Key Tool and Technique for Creating WBS: Decomposition 193
Key Artifact of Creating the WBS: The Scope Baseline 194
Validate Scope 194
Control Scope 195
Agile Considerations for Scope Management 197
Product Backlog 198
User Story 199
Agile Prioritization Techniques 201
Agile Consensus-Gathering Techniques 203
Agile Estimation Techniques 204
T-shirt Sizing 205
Story Pointing 205
Planning Poker 206
Exam Preparation Tasks 207
Chapter 7 Project Schedule 213
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 214
Foundation Topics 217
Plan Schedule Management 217
Key Artifact: Schedule Management Plan 219
Define Activities 219
Sequence Activities 220
Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) 220
Precedence Relationships 221
Activity Dependencies 222
Leads and Lags 223
Estimate Durations 224
Estimating Methods 226
Three-Point Estimating 227
The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Predictive Estimating Techniques 231
The Predictive and Adaptive Estimating Methods 231
Develop and Control the Schedule 232
Key Artifacts in Developing the Schedule 232
Key Tools for Developing the Schedule 233
Resource Optimization Techniques 233
Schedule Compression Techniques 235
Monte Carlo 235
Network Diagraming and the Critical Path Method (CPM) 236
Zero Method 239
One Method 242
Comparing the Zero Method and the One Method 244
Three Types of Floats 244
Monitoring and Controlling the Schedule 245
Schedule Management Considerations for Agile 246
Agile Release Planning 247
Spikes 247
Agile Schedule Approach 248
Exam Preparation Tasks 249
Chapter 8 Project Cost 255
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 255
Foundation Topics 259
Plan Cost Management 259
Other Cost Considerations 260
Key Artifact of Plan Cost Management: Cost Management Plan 262
Agile Considerations 262
Estimate Costs 263
Key Tools for Estimating Cost 263
Estimating Methods: Predictive 264
Estimating Methods: Adaptive 264
Reserve Analysis 264
Determine Budget 265
Key Tool: Cost Aggregation 265
Key Tool: Funding Limit Reconciliation 267
Control Costs 267
Exam Preparation Tasks 268
Chapter 9 Managing Resources and the Team 273
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 275
Foundation Topics 279
Planning For and Acquiring Project Resources 279
Key Processes 279
Plan Resource Management 279
Estimate Activity Resources 280
Acquire Resources 281
Key Artifacts and Tools 281
Pre-Assignment Tools 281
SWOT Analysis 282
Training 283
Resource Management Plan 284
Team Charter 285
Resource Requirements 285
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) 286
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) 286
Resource Calendars 287
High-Performing Teams 288
Characteristics of High-Performing Teams 288
Team Development Models 289
Tuckman Ladder 289
Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model 290
Management Principles to Maximize Team Performance 291
Techniques for Better Team Performance 295
Project Leadership 299
More Than Managing 299
Where Leadership Is Needed on a Project 302
Leadership Skills 304
Establishing and Maintaining Vision 305
Critical Thinking 306
Motivation 306
Emotional Intelligence 308
Decision-Making 309
Conflict Management 310
Influencing 313
Negotiation 313
Recognizing the Value of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 314
Keys to Better Project Leadership 315
Servant Leadership Approach 318
Special Project Situations 320
Techniques for Challenging Project Team Situations 320
Techniques for Leading Cross-Cultural Projects 322
Techniques for Leading Virtual Projects 322
Forms of Power 325
Exam Preparation Tasks 327
Chapter 10 Project Communications 333
Do I Know This Already? Quiz 333
Foundation Topics 337
Plan Communications Management 337
The Importance of Project Communications 338
Key Tools and Techniques of Plan Communications Management 340
Communication Model 340
Communication Requirements Analysis 342
Communication Methods 344
Communication Technology 344
Key Artifact: Communication Management Plan 345
Manage Communications 349
Communication Skills 349
Active Listening 349
Barriers and Enhancers of Communication 349
Other Types of Communication 350
Number of Communication Channels 350
Creating Project Artifacts 352
Guidelines for Facilitating Meetings 352
Monitor Communications 353
Agile...