Project Management Concepts in PMP [Exam Notes]

Parkinson’s Law

“Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”

Example: You give someone 7 days to do a 2-day task → they take all 7 days to complete it.

Similar to Student Syndrome, it leads to:

• Inefficient use of time

• Artificially long durations

• Resource waste

  
  

Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints (TOC)

Every system has one constraint (bottleneck) that limits performance. Improving that constraint improves the whole system.

Connection to Student Syndrome:

• Student Syndrome can delay non-critical tasks, which then impact critical paths if buffers are not managed well.

• TOC + Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) help reduce these risks by focusing on resource availability and buffer management.

  
  

Procrastination Risk (Behavioral Risk)

This is a general human behavior risk, often unmanaged.

Examples include:

• Ignoring early warnings

• Waiting for pressure to act

• Avoiding tasks perceived as difficult or unclear

  
  

What is Student Syndrome?

Student Syndrome refers to the tendency of people to delay starting a task until the last possible moment before the deadline, even if they have the time and resources to start earlier.

What is the Gulf of Evaluation?

The Gulf of Evaluation is the gap between the system’s behavior and the user’s ability to perceive and interpret that behavior.

In simpler terms:It’s how hard it is for a user to understand what’s going on in the system after taking an action.

What is Divergence?

Divergence is the process of exploring many different ideas or solutions, often without immediately judging or narrowing them down.

It’s the opposite of convergence, where you narrow down options and select the best one.

What is Pair Programming?

Pair Programming is a software development technique where two developers work together at one workstation, collaborating on the same code in real time.

What is a Dropped Baton in Project Management?

In project management (especially in Agile, Lean, or team coordination contexts), a “dropped baton” refers to a failure during handoff or transition between team members, departments, or phases — much like a baton is dropped during a relay race.

What is a Spike in Agile?

A Spike is a research task used to reduce uncertainty, analyze a problem, or explore a technical or design approach when the team doesn’t have enough information to estimate or plan a user story accurately.

Why Use a Spike?

Spikes are used when:

• A story is too vague or complex to estimate

• The team lacks technical knowledge or clarity

• There are multiple potential solutions, and you need to explore options