TOPIC: EEF's and OPA's

I am having some issues with defining a distinct difference between these two items. There seems to be a grey area where they overlap. For example, Work Authorisation Systems, they are listed as an EEF but if you read the PMBOK glossary it is described as an approved PROCEDURE. OPA's are divided into processes and PROCEDURES and corporate knowledge. From a direct reading of this, it implies that WAS's could therefore be EEF's and OPA's. The same can be said about most HR related topics. What is the fundamental difference that defines these as two separate inputs instead of mutually supporting, ie: the OPA dictates internal EEF's?

Hi Nicholas,

For EEF or OPA questions, I ask myself: if it is under project team's control, then it's OPA, if not, it is EEF. Another key word to identify OPA is the "process and procedure". WAS itself is EEF, but the "procedure" of WAS is OPA.

I also got confused most of the time, but at least the above distinction got me eliminated the wrong answers.

Hi Aung,
Thank you for your reply. Yeah I was using the same method in the end, but I realised the project team through feedback and lessons learned can add to or edit standard processes and procedures. These can then be adopted by the organisation and therefore become EEF, so the project team therefore has some control over EEF's. Perhaps I am over thinking it.

If you are perhaps doing the prepcast, what is your view on the reasons why certain processes don't have EEF inputs? It is said because either a) the process is now unique to the actual project or b) the EEF has been considered as part of the plan phase. This makes sense for a lot of the processes but there are too many exceptions to me. If you use the justification that EEF has been included in the plan and doesn't need to be included again for some knowledge areas, that should be applicable to every knowledge area. There shouldn't be exceptions as the plan should note the possible EEF and it's effect on the following processes.

Hi Nicholas,

First question - whether project team got some control over EEF? To me, not directly, but like you mentioned, if the organization adopted the lessons learned and implemented as company system, which becomes a constraint to project, then yes.

Second question - exception on EEF as input to certain processes? To me, the way I look at it, if EEF will affect the process, then I'd say I need EEF. For example, when you are monitoring your work, would you need EEF? You need PMIS for M&C and for PICC, that's why you need EEF as input. Other than that, you won't need EEF for all other Control Processes. It all ties back to what each particular process is all about, and what you want to achieve by doing that process.

Sorry for late reply, as I was busy studying for the exam.