Part 0: Pretend Organization
Okay, now that you’re past the free preview, we are going to get extremely casual for the rest of the book. I’m not going to use big long words. Trust me, my IQ is huge, but I am going to keep it simple.
There is a saying in the military: “If it’s stupid and it works, then it’s not stupid”. So, if I tell you something, you should just accept it as a fact. Some people aren’t capable of doing this. They need to know how and why it works. I used to be one of those people. I had to take everything apart to see how it worked. But in the real world, there isn’t always enough time to figure these things out.
As you will learn, PMP is a toolbox. I am going to teach you how every tool works. But in order to show you how to properly use each tool, I need to use each tool on something.
For the purposes of this book, we’re going to set up a pretend organization called Vortex Electronics. We’re going to use the PMBOK tools at Vortex.
Vortex Electronics designs and manufactures consumer electronics (televisions, refrigerators, toasters, and ovens), and distributes them through major retailers (including Home Depot, Sears, and Lowe’s), or whichever ones are still in business at the time you read this book.
Vortex Electronics’ long-term goal is to become the number one manufacturer of consumer electronics in the world. The long-term strategy is to improve the reputation of the appliances that it sells and increase its market share. One of the ways to do this is to design energy efficient appliances that are more appealing to consumers, and that comply with stricter environmental regulations. The goal of most organizations is to make more money. Vortex Electronics is working on the design of several new toasters and several new ovens. The design of each appliance is a separate project. Vortex will be designing, manufacturing, selling, & maintaining the appliances.