Enterprise environment factor OR organizational process asset?

Your query is good one and valid one, as there can be a bit overlap at times in classifying an aspect between enterprise environmental factors(EEF) and organizational process asset(OPA). Only the situation can exactly decide whether a particular attribute needs to be classified as EEF or OPA. However, majority of the times the EEF and OPA will have distinct attributes and easier to classify.

I am sure you have already taken a look at PMI Lexicon of Project Management Terms, available on PMI Website. I will reference those in my response below.

A high level guideline for OPAs is procedures, policies formed by the performing organization- project manager's own company. Thus any estimation models, installation procedures prepared by the company's own employees or referred from industry standards but approved by the company as a standards to be followed within company's projects are OPAs.


EEF refer to factors that are not within the "immediate" control of the project team. An increase in yearly contract services rates by one of the suppliers of the company in a multiyear project is an obvious example of enterprise environmental factor.

A new work procedure brought in by the performing company can also become a candidate for EEF. If the project team had not considered that new procedure in project's planning phase ,it may impact schedule, cost of certain tasks and as such project cost and schedule.

So even though the new work procedure becomes an OPA in the organization, for the specific project discussed in this example , it has become EEF. EEFs will normally benefit or adversely impact the project. Whereas OPAs are known and available guidelines/standards that a team needs to consider while delivering a project.

Hope this helps. All the very best for your examination.

Thank you very much Suvrutt for the explanation you provided and your reference to the PMI Lexicon of Project Management Terms document as I was barely aware of it. I downloaded the document and will make time to go through it all and make it part of my project management arsenal.

I believe my cognitive ability with regard to the ability to classifying an applicable policy document or a tool or a circumstance as being either OPA or EEF has now improved 10 folds.

Summarily, I draw the following inferences or conclusion from the your explanation:

(1) All thinking is done from the project team standpoint.

(2) EEFs are authoritative directives or circumstantial state of affairs outside the "immediate" control of the project team; while the OPA are supposedly assistive, no-authoritative guidlines within the discretional rearm of the project team. I think it is now safe for me to take it from here.

Thank you very much and continue to assist the novices like myself.