Determine the requirements (what, when, where, who, etc.) for managing the project artifacts

Concepts

Managing project artifacts is a crucial aspect of project management, especially for those looking to take on the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam. Artifacts, in project management, are documents, data, deliverables, and other recorded information related to a project. They function as valuable tools, providing evidence of the project’s progress and facilitating communication across the project team and stakeholders.

To effectively manage these artifacts, certain requirements involving what, when, where, and who need to be determined. Let’s explore these requirements.

Requirement 1: What

The first step in managing project artifacts is identifying what needs to be managed. In a project, artifacts can include:

Project Charter
Project Management Plan
Scope Statement
Work Breakdown Structures
Risk Registers
Procurement documents
Project logs (issue log, change log, and decision log)
Communications documents
Stakeholder Register

These artifacts collect valuable information related to project documentation and progress. Also, they help to keep the project focused and on track.

Requirement 2: When

Knowing when to refer to, update or disseminate project artifacts is also key.

For example, the Project Charter is generally created at the start of a project to outline its objectives, key stakeholders, and overall plan. It will be referred to continually throughout the project lifecycle to keep activities aligned with the stated goals.

On the other hand, Risk Registers need to be updated regularly. Risks may evolve or new ones could emerge as the project progresses. Regularly updating this artifact allows for timely risk identification and management.

Furthermore, project logs need constant updates, usually in real-time, as issues arise, decisions are made, or changes occur.

Requirement 3: Where

Where these artifacts are stored is equally important. Usually, they are kept in a centralized, accessible location- this could be a physical location or a digital one, like a project management software platform or a shared network drive. Wherever they are kept, it’s crucial that team members and stakeholders can easily access them.

Requirement 4: Who

The question of ‘who’ addresses roles and responsibilities concerning project artifacts. These may vary, but in general:

Project Managers are typically responsible for creating, maintaining, and updating most artifacts.
Team members may be delegated to manage specific artifacts pertinent to their roles.
Stakeholders should have access to relevant artifacts and are responsible for reviewing and providing feedback where necessary.

Let’s use an example for clarity. If you’re at the early stages of a project, a Project Charter (What) needs to be created (When) by the Project Manager (Who) and stored in a centralized project management software platform (Where).

In summary, effective management of project artifacts is vital in achieving project objectives. Therefore, PMP aspirants must be well-versed with these requirements (what, when, where, who) for efficient project execution and a high likelihood of success in their PMP exam.

Answer the Questions in Comment Section

True or False: Managing the project artifacts requires planning for what, when, where, who, how and why.

Answer: True

Explanation: Artifacts need to be managed according to these parameters to ensure successful and efficient project execution.

Who primarily takes the responsibility of managing the project artifacts?

a) Project Manager
b) Team Member
c) Stakeholder
d) Client

Answer: a) Project Manager

Explanation: The project manager is the primary person responsible for managing the project artifacts.

Which is NOT a requirement for managing the project artifacts?

a) Knowing what artifacts are needed
b) Knowing where the artifacts are stored
c) Knowing who has created the artifacts
d) Knowing when to ignore the artifacts

Answer: d) Knowing when to ignore the artifacts

Explanation: Ignoring valuable artifacts can lead to loss of critical information. All artifacts should be managed properly.

True or False: It is essential to determine the requirements for managing the project artifacts at the beginning of the project.

Answer: True

Explanation: Identifying these requirements early in the project ensures that there are no gaps in the management of crucial project data.

Which is NOT a part of managing the project artifacts?

a) Collecting artifacts
b) Storing artifacts
c) Disposing artifacts
d) Ignoring irrelevant artifacts

Answer: d) Ignoring irrelevant artifacts

Explanation: All artifacts, irrelevant or not, should be managed correctly to avoid possible loss of valuable information.

True or False: The who requirement for managing the project artifacts refers to identifying which team member manages them.

Answer: True

Explanation: The ‘who’ requirement identifies the individual responsible for managing the project artifacts.

What does the when requirement for managing the project artifacts refer to?

a) When to collect artifacts
b) When to dispose artifacts
c) When to store artifacts
d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

Explanation: The ‘when’ requirement helps in identifying when to collect, store, and dispose of project artifacts.

True or False: It is not necessary to know where the project artifacts are stored.

Answer: False

Explanation: Knowing where the artifacts are stored is crucial for easy access and retrieval of project information.

The what requirement for managing the project artifacts refers to:

a) What artifacts need to be managed
b) What project is being managed
c) What storage system is being used
d) What disposal system is in place

Answer: a) What artifacts need to be managed

Explanation: The ‘what’ requirement refers to the specific artifacts that require management in the project.

True or False: Having a project management software can help in making the management of project artifacts easier.

Answer: True

Explanation: Project management software can provide tools to help manage, store, and track project artifacts effectively.

What does the why requirement for managing the project artifacts involve?

a) Why artifacts need to be managed
b) Why artifacts were created
c) Why the project is important
d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

Explanation: The ‘why’ requirement helps in understanding the purpose of artifact management, their creation, and the overall significance of the project.

True or False: Planning the process of disposing the project artifacts is not required for effective management of the artifacts.

Answer: False

Explanation: Artifacts should be correctly disposed of at the end of the project, thus planning for disposing artifacts is also a part of artifact management.