The PMP® ITTO cheat sheet — patterns, not memorization

The 10 Knowledge Areas

Every PMI® process belongs to one knowledge area and one process group. Knowing the purpose of each area helps you answer questions even when you don’t remember the exact ITTO.

Inputs that show up everywhere

If you’re stuck on an ITTO question and these are answer choices, lean toward them — they appear as inputs in the majority of processes.

• Project Management Plan

  Subsidiary plans (scope, schedule, cost, etc.) are inputs to nearly every process.

• Project Documents

  Risk register, stakeholder register, lessons learned register — these flow into many processes.

• Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)

  External & internal conditions outside the team’s control: regulations, market conditions, organizational culture.

• Organizational Process Assets (OPAs)

  Templates, historical data, lessons learned databases, organizational policies and procedures.

• Agreements

  Contracts and SLAs flow into procurement, scope, and risk processes.

• Work Performance Data

  Raw measurements from execution feed into all monitoring and controlling processes.

Tools & Techniques that recur across processes

These show up so frequently that the PMI® exam often uses them as “default” correct answers when no situation-specific tool fits.

• Expert Judgment

  Appears in nearly every planning process. When the question lists it among options, it’s often the right answer for unfamiliar situations.

• Meetings

  Status meetings, kickoffs, retrospectives, change control board meetings.

• Data Gathering

  Brainstorming, interviews, focus groups, checklists, questionnaires & surveys, benchmarking.

• Data Analysis

  Alternatives analysis, cost-benefit analysis, root-cause analysis, variance analysis, trend analysis, earned value analysis.

• Data Representation

  Matrices (RACI, probability/impact), flowcharts, scatter diagrams, hierarchical charts.

• Decision Making

  Voting, autocratic, multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA).

• Interpersonal & Team Skills

  Active listening, conflict management, facilitation, negotiation, leadership.

Outputs that recur across processes

These outputs appear in many processes — especially monitoring & controlling.

• Change Requests

  Almost any monitoring & controlling process can produce a change request — which then enters integrated change control.

• Project Management Plan Updates

  Subsidiary plans get updated as the project evolves.

• Project Documents Updates

  Risk register, lessons learned, stakeholder register, etc.

• Work Performance Information

  Raw data interpreted in context — feeds into reporting and decision-making.

• Work Performance Reports

  Formatted information distributed to stakeholders (status reports, dashboards, recommendations).

5 patterns that beat memorization

Memorize these patterns instead of individual ITTO tables. They’ll get you to the right answer on most ITTO scenario questions.

1. Pattern 1

   Plans flow downhill, then back up

   Subsidiary plans (scope, schedule, cost, quality, etc.) are created in their respective Plan processes, integrated into the Project Management Plan, and then referenced as inputs by every process that follows.

2. Pattern 2

   EEFs and OPAs are inputs almost everywhere

   If an answer choice mentions Enterprise Environmental Factors or Organizational Process Assets and the question asks about inputs, it’s probably correct. They’re inputs to ~80% of planning and executing processes.

3. Pattern 3

   Monitoring & Controlling processes produce Change Requests

   When the exam asks what a Control X process produces, "change requests" is almost always one of the right outputs — alongside work performance information and updates.

4. Pattern 4

   Expert Judgment is everywhere in Planning

   When in doubt about a Planning process tool, Expert Judgment is a safe bet. It’s explicitly listed in nearly every Plan and Develop process.

5. Pattern 5

   Outputs of one process are inputs to the next

   The Project Charter (output of Develop Project Charter) is an input to Identify Stakeholders, Develop Project Management Plan, Define Scope, and many more. Trace the flow.