The PMBOKAgile says in 9.4.1.3 Human Resource policies are environmental factors. I would have thought them process assets. Enlighten me? Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Hubert, taken the definitions from the PMBOK, what do you think they are? Into the defintions are the answer you are looking form Saving Changes...
Carolyn WardenAgile Coach, & Project Manager | ContractorCincinnati, Oh, United States
Hubert, Is English not your primary language, perhaps?
Because HR policies are used throughout the organization, and never change from project to project they cannot be process related. So, what could they be? They control the environment of the organization in which your project is done so they are EFFs.
Hope this helps.
Hope neither of us ever works for Sergio - He will never make it as a Servant Leader, which Agile also requires. I see he works for Pepsi, and my family owns a significant number of shares so I cannot wait to drop his name at the next Shareholder's Meeting to the CEO.
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Mar 05, 2018 2:20 PM
Sergio Luis Conte
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Carolyn. I did not understand if your comment about me can be taken as positive or negative because my primary language is not English. Beyond that please let me say is not good to open judgment about a person because the writing comments. You do not know me. And as I mentioned english is not my first language.
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Hubert, just in case you have to take my answer in negative way let me say that it was not my intention. What I tried to say is inside the definitions you will have the answers and in my personal opinion that will avoid any type of misalignment with the PMBOK Guide mainly in the case you are asking it because you are studying for the exam. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Mar 05, 2018 1:52 PM
Replying to Carolyn Warden
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Hubert, Is English not your primary language, perhaps?
Because HR policies are used throughout the organization, and never change from project to project they cannot be process related. So, what could they be? They control the environment of the organization in which your project is done so they are EFFs.
Hope this helps.
Hope neither of us ever works for Sergio - He will never make it as a Servant Leader, which Agile also requires. I see he works for Pepsi, and my family owns a significant number of shares so I cannot wait to drop his name at the next Shareholder's Meeting to the CEO.
Carolyn. I did not understand if your comment about me can be taken as positive or negative because my primary language is not English. Beyond that please let me say is not good to open judgment about a person because the writing comments. You do not know me. And as I mentioned english is not my first language. Saving Changes...
Sergio, I guess I understand your answer very well as you referred to the definition and I don't see any negativity or even it wasn't harsh as saying ((Hubert, Is English not your primary language, perhaps))
We need to maintain the goodwill spirit here as so many of us have English is not the first Native language but I found myself many times teaching and correcting English to English people, if you born in UK, it doesn't mean you speak well English we have an edge of professional terminology, scientific language , Engineering language, and even those who study literature like Shakespeare standard not all British born can understand .. I have graduated in Electrical Engineering in English language and passed my PMP exam in English language so ! ... we might get mixed up on definition but you can't blame it to the language Saving Changes...
I usually teach my PMP Prep students that OPAs are things which can be printed whereas EEFs which are often intangible and as HR policies are usually documented, I'd have assumed they were OPAs. In fact, Acquire Resources (9.3) does show policies as an OPA and not an EEF.
Thank you all for the input. I questioned what it was because in most other areas of the guide, resources such as templates are listed as OPA's. For instance, in Project Integration, Scope Management, Schedule Management, Cost Management and Quality Management put existing policies and procedures as OPA's. I've been interpreting environmental factors as external forces, such as regulatory environment, though that is not 100% applicable. Kiron, I like the printable trick!
It simply struck me as odd that this is the only chapter (so far) that puts internal policies and procedures as a factor of the environment in which the institution plays.
You know how this test is, a single word can change the intent of the question and respective answer. Saving Changes...
It's a tricky one. Say there is a policy to be culturally inclusive (on paper), then that piece of paper would be an OPA especially if it describes how to be culturally inclusive (a process). The fact that the organization actually adopts this naturally and the environment exudes cultural diversity when someone walks through the front door, this is an EEF because it is an internal influence on the project being the company culture. I guess PMI sees the HR policy as an EEF for the same reason, but if you were holding that policy in your hands after printing it from the PMIS or whatever system, then I guess it's an OPA, and then when you use the policies in your daily work, it's an EEF. Mind boggling for sure. Saving Changes...
There is definitely inconsistency in handling policies as either OPAs or EEFs - Plan Procurement Management for example considers a company's procurement policy to be an OPA.
I'd concur with Sante, that if the HR policy is actually ingrained in the culture of the company and is not physically consulted then it's more of an EEF but I cringe at such inconsistencies...
