Though the nature of a project is temporary, they are not performed in isolation. They work in a controlled environment and are affected by Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF) and Organizational Process Assets (OPA).
The Project Management Institute terms them as influences. Enterprise environmental factors can be internal or external, while organizational process assets are always internal to an organization.
Enterprise environmental factors and organizational process assets are widely discussed in thebob手机客户端and are inputs of almost all processes. You must have a thorough understanding of EEF vs OPA.
Although the concepts are straightforward, many PMP aspirants fail to understand them and often make mistakes on the exam.
Please note that you may or may not see a direct question on these topics in the exam, but having a better understanding of EEF and OPA will undoubtedly help you on your test.
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF)
First, we should understand the word “environment” before we start to discuss enterprise environmental factors.
You can define the environment as anything related to the natural world and the impact of human activity or its condition, or the culture that an individual lives in, and the people and institutions with whom they interact (Wikipedia).
Since we live in an environment, it influences our behavior in a certain way.
For instance, in cold weather, we need to wear woolen clothes to keep ourselves warm. The cold weather is the “environment” that forces us to cover ourselves with woolen clothes.
This is the impact of a cold environment on us.
Now we come to enterprise environmental factors.
企业环境因素是影响组织或影响组织的项目管理团队的影响project, and its outcome. Every organization has to exist and work within the EEF.
These influences may have positive or negative impacts on your project constraints, though often, the impact is negative.
Enterprise environment factors can be either internal or external.
外部企业环境因素的示例如下:
- Government regulations
- 市场状况
- External political conditions
- 行业标准
- Legal restrictions
A few examples of internal enterprise environmental factors include:
- 组织文化
- Type of organizational structure
- 内部政治条件
- Available resources
- Infrastructure
组织过程资产(OPA)
Before moving on to the organizational process assets, let us define assets.
An asset is defined as a useful or valuable entity or property owned by a person or company, which has value and is available to meet debts, commitments, or legacies.
资产是您可以在任何时间点拥有,保留和利用的东西。
Examples of assets are numerous; you can have a car, which helps you move around, a house to live in, a computer to work on… the list is endless.
以同样的方式organizationsalso have assets that help them achieve their goals. Here these assets are called organizational process assets. These OPAs are inputs of almost all processes of the PMBOK Guide. The project management team may modify these OPAs according to their requirements.
Once the project has ended, these organizational process assets can be stored in a central repository so that they can be used whenever required for any future projects.
Organizational process assets can be divided into two categories.
The first is for processes, policies, and procedures for conducting work, which includes the following:
- 政策
- 程序
- Standard templates
- General guidelines
The project management team cannot update or modify these elements usually, as they have been provided by the organization. However, a project manager can provide feedback or suggestions, and higher management can make a decision to update or modify.
The second category comprises the corporate knowledge base for storing and retrieving information. For example:
- 风险register
- Lessons learned
- Stakeholder register
- Past project files
- Historical information
These organizational process assets influence the project’s success, and they keep growing as the organization becomes larger.
Let us say that you are in the identify risks process. You decide to start identifying risks by using a checklist.
You are not going to create this checklist from scratch; you will look at any similar past project records to find a risk checklist and customize it as per your project requirements. This will save you a lot of time.
项目管理中有一个非常著名的说法:“为什么要重新发明轮子?”这意味着如果您有一些可用的东西,为什么要尝试重新制作?您可以自由更新或修改此类别的元素。
Organizational process assets are used extensively in project management. It is the responsibility of the project management team to look for any relevant documents in historical records before starting to build something from scratch.
The Difference Between Organizational Process Assets and Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF Vs OPA)
组织过程资产和企业环境因素之间存在许多差异。
Organizational process assets help organizations to improve their processes, help project management teams to learn, and share best practices by using a collective knowledge base.
另一方面,企业环境因素s may or may not help your organization. These are the conditions in which your organization has to work and do not fall under the control of the project management team.
For example, if the government increases taxes, it will affect your profits negatively; however, if they decrease taxes, your profits will increase.
此外,企业环境因素不容易改变。你必须和他们一起生活。组织流程资产可以根据其适用性进行定制,并使项目管理团队的生活更加舒适。
It is important to note that organizational process assets always support the project team, while enterprise environmental factors can help or hinder it.
Summary
Enterprise environmental factors (EEF) and organizational process assets (OPA) are the most widely referred to influences in the PMBOK Guide. EEFs provide you with a controlled environment in which your organization lives and you complete your project. OPAs help you by providing all corporate knowledge, policies, procedures, etc.
You have to understand these influences as they are inputs of most processes and you have to manage your project within them.
How is your project influenced by enterprise environmental factors and organizational process assets (EEF and OPA)? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
Hello Fahad,
Thank you for this explanatory article. It is really helpful for those who are studying for the exam.
Could you please clarify on a practice question that I have encountered: Why the pre-qualified sellers list considered an EEF instead of OPA? Because from my point of view this list is a documentation that aids the PM when planning procurement.
提前感谢你拨冗clarify.
Sometimes it is useful and other times not. You may be restricted to use only the prequalified sellers, so it is an EEF.
Hi great topic and clarity!
I’m preparing for the exam and need clarity as to which organization the EEF apply to? Should the performing org be considering these factors for their environment to complete the project or are they factors that should be considered for the requesting org where the P, S, R will eventually be transferred to? PMBOK is clear that OPA are used by and specific to the performing org, however not clear about EEF. I recently completed a class where instructor stated they apply to the requesting org however Rita Mulcahy is stating the performing org.
DESPERATING seaking clarity!!
The PMBOK has dedicated a whole chapter on it.
Please refer chapter-2 (THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH PROJECTS OPERATE) for complete understanding of the topic.
This is a good topic and very enlightening. Environmental regulations are hurtling companies presently. About fifty years ago and even much longer than that organizations were not under heavy regulations regarding environmental concerns. In our present time period companies pay heavily for environmental infractions.
先生,最好的问候
我们必须忍受并相应地管理。
Thanks Llew for your visit.
Hi Fahad,
对于“人事管理”,即使在PMBOK内部似乎也存在混乱,这被认为是组织流程资产(4.4.1.5)以及企业环境因素(5.1.1.3,5.2.1.6和5.3.1.6和5.3.1.4)………………我想知道哪一个是正确的?
为了使事情变得更糟,通过与“政策是无散的政策”的概念相矛盾,在10.1.1.4,10.2.1.4,10.2.1.4,13.2.1.5,13.3.1.3&13.4.1.4中提到了人事管理政策。
如果有人能阐明这种不一致,那将是很棒的。
Thanks for the helpful info! I understand the difference between OPA’s and EEFs but since they are an input to or output of most of the processes, is there a handy list of processes where OPA’s and/or EEFs are NOT an input or output? This would just make it easier in terms of trying to manage all the ITTOs and focus one the ones that are process or knowledge area specific,
谢谢!
You can assume it is input to always all processes. Cannot think of any process which will have them as an input.
really it is the best explanation I have seen to define the EEF & OPA. but I have a little confuse regarding to the quality control system that you specified as EEF
but I can see it as company can change the system – if their is another better practice will improve the projects- so it should be under OPA….can you please explain me why it goes under EEF and not under OPA?
your time and help is really appreciated and thanks in advance.
Yes, company can change the system, Government can change the regulation, market condition can also change, and political environment can also change.
A better regulation can come, and a favorable political environment can happen as well.
But these change do not make them organizational process assets.
制造更多混乱,在第八page12丽塔玛尔卡茜8, the definition of Change Control System is “Many organizations have a change control system as part of their PMIS. This system includes …procedures and software to track control changes. It is part of an organization’s EEF”.
Look, according to Rita, the Change Control Procedures is included in the PMIS, and PMIS is part of EEF. Hence the change control procedures must be part of EEF. But PMBOK page 147 defines that OPA includes Change Control Procedures.
What is your comment Fahad
更改控制程序和变更控制系统不同。
政策and procedures are part of organizational process so the change control procedure will also be a part of OPA.
PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition, page 75 says “The organizational process assets …include : standardized guidelines, work instructions, proposal evaluation criteria, change control procedures, project files from previous projects, configuration management knowledge base, etc”. PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition, page 75
对我来说,变更控制程序与学习的课程,历史数据或知识库无关。因此,它在EEF中更好。你认为法哈德怎么样?
Hi Fahad,
非常感谢您对提到的一些主题的详细说明以及清晰的清晰度。
1.Digressing to a different level, am confused about the term “Discretionary dependency” and why we need to eliminate discretionary dependencies during fast-tracking to control the schedule?
Your thoughts are much appreciated.
Discretionary dependency are recommended dependency which some times take extra time.
由于这些不是强制性的,因此在快速跟踪期间,您会查看这些依赖关系以缩短时间。
Hi Fahad, thanks for your patience to answer all questions. Here i have a confusion and seek your help.
While the project is still running where is all project data stored? data like PM plan, Project documents, Work performance data, Work performance reports.
如果这些数据通过PMI(EEF)作为前端存储,是否将其存储在某些知识库中,例如公司知识库(OPA)作为后端?
Or does it data remain in EEF till the project completes and then is submitted to OPA through lessons learned?
If it is in soft format, it will be stored in computer servers. Otherwise as long as the project is active the project manger will keep it with him and later it can be transferred to some archiving store.
Location is not important, important is its storage.
If it is in soft format then what kind of database is it stored in? Does it come under OPA or EEF? The scenario is about project data before the project is closed. TIA.
It may be stored in PMIS.
不确定是否没有故意回答。问题询问PMI是OPA还是EEF。有趣的是,在PMBOK V6中,有时在EEF和其他时间下显示了OPA。非常令人困惑和清晰将不胜感激。
Yes, you are right, however, usually PMIS is an EEF.
Please oblige my question. I know it has been asked before, but I’m still struggling to understand the distinctions:
My understanding:
EEF - 您必须工作的条件(内部和外部)。你别无选择。您不能改变它,它会影响每个人(寒冷的天气,法律,严酷的政府政策,高海拔,不友好的同事/工作文化,功能矩阵组织,预测的组织等)
OPA – (Internal only) Tools, techniques, information or knowledge that affect the actual “doing of the work” – they can help or guide you do your work (guidelines, procedures, historical information from past projects, lessons learned).
My question: What does company policy fall under?
On one hand, I cannot control company policy and must abide by it, making it an EEF
On the other hand, I need to know the policies in order to know how to do the work, making it an OPA
You understanding is correct.
政策are OPA as they are designed by your organization to help you successfully complete the project.
Hi,
I have confusion between OPA and EEF and found your website. Looking at the comments and I see your categorization of these examples below. I don’t understand the rationale even though I feel I know what you mean by the article. Can you please elaborate more or relate it to the article definition for my better understanding? Thanks lot!
PMI->企业环境因素
质量Controlling Systems -> Enterprise Environmental Factors
Environment and Legal Procedures ->Organisational Process Assets
组织政策 - >组织流程资产
Thanks so much Fahad for this explanation. Very helpful and your examples really helped me clear majority of my confusions regarding OPA and EEF. However couple of them still remains, respecting all your efforts and knowledge.
For the purpose of clarification – please bear with me.
1.你有提到,“……OPA可以定制according to the suitability, and they make the project management team’s life much easier”. Policies, procedures, plans and knowledge bases are OPAs. Here I am little bit confused, my understanding of policies and procedures is that they are “assets” owned by the organization and applied across all project and operational activities, which are not individually customized for a particular project activity. For example, my current project follows the Health and Safety Policy (OPA) of our organization which cannot be customized for my project and hence a constraint, rather than a support.
2.组织结构 - 我真的需要一些帮助 - 组织将如何。构建eef?请帮忙。
If you find any new best practice, procedure can be update. Likewise policy can also be changed.
组织结构是您有工作的环境。例如,如果您在弱矩阵组织中工作,则可能必须根据需要与功能管理器联系。
Great work Mr. Usmani.
PMI->企业环境因素
质量Controlling Systems -> Enterprise Environmental Factors (Since it is a part of the EEF)
I understand the PMI calls PMIS and QCS Enterprise Environmental Factors but from a financial accounting definition perspective “”An asset is a resource controlled by the enterprise as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the enterprise.”
Thus, some PMIS and QCS and Infractructure can be considered assets. For instance, customized software for Accounting/Auditing Information System.
感谢JP先生从财务会计角度停止并提供有关EEF的反馈。
Fahad, How do I categorize following items whether they are belong to EEF/ OPA
1.PMIS – Project Management Information Systems e.g. Project Enterprise Solutions, Microsoft Project
3. Quality Controlling Systems – Defect Tracking, QA tools
4. Environment and Legal Procedures (assumed that also belong EEF)
5. Any other organizational policies which are not directly relating to project environment.
您好Janaka,根据我的理解,项目可以分类如下:
PMI->企业环境因素
质量Controlling Systems -> Enterprise Environmental Factors (Since it is a part of the EEF)
Environment and Legal Procedures ->Organisational Process Assets
组织政策 - >组织流程资产