Monitoring and Controlling Process Group for PMP

The Process Group That Never Sleeps

Unlike other process groups that dominate specific phases, monitoring and controlling runs continuously throughout the project. Its 12 processes track performance, compare actual results against the plan, and initiate corrective actions when things drift off course. For the PMP exam, this process group generates a significant number of questions because it ties together concepts from every knowledge area.

The Two Integration Processes

Monitor and Control Project Work

This overarching process involves tracking, reviewing, and reporting overall project progress. It transforms work performance data (from execution) into work performance information and work performance reports. Key activities include comparing actual performance against the plan, assessing trends, and evaluating the effectiveness of corrective actions.

Perform Integrated Change Control

Arguably the most important process in this group, Perform Integrated Change Control reviews all change requests, approves or rejects changes, and manages changes to deliverables, project documents, and the project management plan. Every change request flows through this process.

Critical exam points about change control:

• The Change Control Board (CCB) is responsible for reviewing and approving or rejecting changes. The project manager may or may not be part of the CCB.
• All change requests must be formally documented — even if they seem minor.
• Approved changes are implemented through the Direct and Manage Project Work process.
• Configuration management ensures the description of the product matches the actual product being built.

Scope Verification and Control

Validate Scope is about formal acceptance of completed deliverables. The customer or sponsor reviews deliverables and formally accepts them. This is different from quality control, which checks whether deliverables meet quality requirements.

Control Scope monitors scope status, manages changes to the scope baseline, and prevents scope creep. On the exam, any question about unauthorized work being added to the project relates to scope control.

Schedule and Cost Control

Schedule and cost control rely heavily on earned value management (EVM). You must understand these key formulas:

• Schedule Variance (SV): EV - PV (positive means ahead of schedule)
• Cost Variance (CV): EV - AC (positive means under budget)
• Schedule Performance Index (SPI): EV / PV (greater than 1.0 is favorable)
• Cost Performance Index (CPI): EV / AC (greater than 1.0 is favorable)

Where EV is Earned Value, PV is Planned Value, and AC is Actual Cost. These formulas are covered in detail in our PMP formulas cheat sheet.

Quality, Resource, and Risk Control

Control Quality involves inspecting deliverables against quality standards. Tools include statistical sampling, inspection, and testing. Defects found here generate change requests that flow back through integrated change control.

Control Resources ensures physical resources are available as planned and monitors planned versus actual utilization.

Monitor Risks tracks identified risks, monitors residual and secondary risks, identifies new risks, and evaluates risk process effectiveness throughout the project.

Communications, Procurement, and Stakeholders

The remaining processes — Monitor Communications, Control Procurements, and Monitor Stakeholder Engagement — ensure that information flows correctly, contracts are managed properly, and stakeholder relationships remain positive.

Build your understanding of monitoring and controlling through practice. Our adaptive exam simulator adjusts difficulty based on your performance and emphasizes process group connections.