Project Management Chapters 1-8

¡Supera tus tareas y exámenes ahora con Quizwiz!

An expected output over the life of a project would be classified as A) A deliverable B) A product C) An end object D) An objective E) A target

A) A deliverable

Which of the following top-down methods is used when projects closely follow past projects in features and costs and result in costs being assigned by percentages to major segments of the project? A) Apportion B) Function point C) Phase estimating D) Learning curve E) Consensus

A) Apportion

The final step in the creation of a Work Breakdown Structure is to A) Code the WBS for tracking B) Assign the cost account to a manager C) Assign the work package to a manager D) Develop the responsibility matrix E) All of these are included in the final step

A) Code the WBS for tracking

Which of the following is not one of the typical forms of a project management office? A) Command center B) Control tower C) Resource pool D) Weather station E) All of these are typical forms of a project management office

A) Command center

Top-down estimates are most likely to occur during the ______ phase. A) Concept B) Planning C) Execution D) Delivery E) All of these are equally likely

A) Concept

Which of the following choices is not one of the stages of a project life cycle? A) Conceptualizing B) Defining C) Planning D) Executing E) Delivering

A) Conceptualizing

If a project criterion indicates that the project must meet a specific date, that criterion is classified as A) Constrained B) Enhanced C) Accepted D) Limited E) Fixed

A) Constrained

An item on a project network is Design Software Completed. This is best described as a(n) A) Event B) Path C) Activity D) Node E) Milestone

A) Event

Project selection criteria are typically classified as: A) Financial and non-financial B) Short-term and long-term C) Strategic and tactical D) Required and optional E) Cost and schedule

A) Financial and non-financial

The project structure that is ranked as least effective is _______ organization. A) Functional B) Balanced matrix C) Weak matrix D) Strong matrix E) Project

A) Functional

People working on prototype development needing time to interact with the design engineers after the design is completed is an example of: A) Hidden interaction costs B) Things going wrong on a project C) Normal conditions not applying D) Changes in project scope E) None of these are correct

A) Hidden interaction costs

The laying pipe example in the text illustrates the concept of A) Laddering B) Hammock activities C) Critical path D) Concurrent engineering E) Forward pass

A) Laddering

Which of the following is an advantage of a functional project management organization? A) Maximum flexibility in the use of staff B) Good integration across functional units C) Shorter project duration D) Strong motivation of project team members E) All of these are advantages

A) Maximum flexibility in the use of staff

The demolition of the Seattle Kingdome (Snapshot from Practice) is an example of which of the following? A) Mitigating B) Retaining C) Ignoring D) Transferring E) Sharing

A) Mitigating

Strategy considered to be under purview of senior management is A) Old school thinking B) A new school of management thought C) Necessary in a company structure D) Beneficial to the Project Manager E) Dependent on company goals

A) Old school thinking

Janet is forecasting how much money her department needs to support a new project. She estimates that two people and $25,000 in expenses will cover her needs. Because management typically insists on reducing forecasts by 20 percent, she increases her estimates to allow for that reduction. Which of the following factors is illustrated in this situation? A) Padding estimates B) Planning horizon C) Project structure D) People E) Organization culture

A) Padding estimates

Organizational culture is best explained as organizational A) Personality B) Hierarchy C) Reporting relationships D) Background E) Management style

A) Personality

Susan is to conduct environmental testing but the chamber cannot hold all the equipment that she wants to test. This is an example of a _________ constraint. A) Physical B) Technical C) Resource D) Scheduling E) Time

A) Physical

A list of questions that address traditional areas of uncertainty on a project is termed a risk A) Profile B) Questionnaire C) Research D) Query E) Checklist

A) Profile

Which of the following is not one of the basic classifications of project priorities? A) Profit B) Cost C) Time D) Performance E) All of these are basic classifications

A) Profit

The Macintosh development team at Apple is a good example of what kind of project structure? A) Project B) Balanced Matrix C) Project Matrix D) Functional Matrix E) Functional

A) Project

Which of the following is not one of the probability analysis tools? A) Ratio/range analysis B) Decision tree C) PERT simulation D) PERT E) All of these are probability analysis tools

A) Ratio/range analysis

If resources are not adequate to meet peak demands, the resulting reschedule is termed A) Resource-constrained scheduling B) Time-constrained scheduling C) Mandatory leveling D) Project resource adjustment E) Allocation

A) Resource-constrained scheduling

If a project is small or of narrow scope and does not require an elaborate system, which of the following is a good choice? A) Responsibility matrix B) Organization breakdown structure C) Work breakdown structure D) Priority matrix E) Process breakdown structure

A) Responsibility matrix

The assessment of the external and internal environments is called _______ analysis. A) SWOT analysis B) Competitive C) Industry D) Market E) Strategic

A) SWOT analysis

Which of the following is not one of the classifications for assessing a project portfolio? A) Sacred cow B) Bread-and-butter C) Pearls D) Oysters E) White elephants

A) Sacred cow

The cost impact of a risk event occurring as a project proceeds through its life cycle tends to A) Slowly rise B) Drop sharply and then level out C) Rise sharply and then level out D) Remain about the same E) Slowly drop

A) Slowly rise

In a resource-constrained project the second priority in assigning resources is usually given to activities with the A) Smallest duration B) Least slack C) Most slack D) Lowest identification number E) Highest cost

A) Smallest duration

Concurrent engineering is a good example of good use of A) Start to Start lags B) Start to Finish lags C) Finish to Finish lags D) Finish to Start lags E) Any of these could be correct

A) Start to Start lags

The ability of 911 emergency systems to identify the caller's phone number and location are considered to be a A) Technical requirement B) Milestone C) Project limit D) Project exclusion E) Project deliverable

A) Technical requirement

In a resource-constrained project, which of the following is most likely to be changed? A) The completion date B) The budget C) Project quality D) Both A and B are equally likely E) A, B, and C are all equally likely

A) The completion date

Who is responsible for determining how tasks will be done in a matrix project management structure? A) The functional manager B) The project manager C) Both are responsible D) This is no pattern of who takes responsibility E) None of these are true

A) The functional manager

Regina's boss has told her that her project is very important. If the critical path is delayed, she will be given whatever she needs to get it back on schedule. Her project is ________ constrained. A) Time B) Quality C) Cost D) Performance E) Resource

A) Time

The amount of time an activity can be delayed and yet not delay the project is termed A) Total slack B) Free slack C) Critical float D) Float pad E) Slip pad

A) Total slack

In which of the following is the balance of authority strongly in favor of the functional managers? A) Weak matrix B) Balanced matrix C) Strong matrix D) Strong E) Both C and D are correct

A) Weak matrix

The first step in creating the necessary information to manage a project is to A) Establish project priorities B) Define the project scope C) Verify the budget available D) Assign team members to work on the project E) Determine the required completion date

B) Define the project scope

In which of the following stages are project objectives established, teams formed, and major responsibilities assigned? A) Conceptualizing B) Defining C) Planning D) Executing E) Delivering

B) Defining

Learning curves are more likely to apply in situations where most of the costs are A) Materials B) Labor C) Overhead D) Evenly spread over materials, labor, and overhead E) All of these are equally likely situations for learning curves

B) Labor

The critical path in a project network is the A) Shortest path through the network B) Longest path through the network C) Network path with the most difficult activities D) Network path using the most resources E) Network path with the most merge activities

B) Longest path through the network

Typically an activity on a project network represents A) A single work package B) One or more tasks from a work package C) Several work packages D) A sub-deliverable E) A cost account

B) One or more tasks from a work package

Corporate downsizing has increased the trend toward A) Reducing the number of projects a company initiates B) Outsourcing significant segments of project work C) Using dedicated project teams D) Shorter project lead times E) Longer project lead times

B) Outsourcing significant segments of project work

A series of coordinated, related, multiple projects that continue over extended time intended to achieve a goal is known as a A) Strategy B) Program C) Campaign D) Crusade E) Venture

B) Program

The easiest and most commonly used technique for analyzing risks is _____ analysis. A) Probability B) Scenario C) Payback D) Risk/reward E) Impact

B) Scenario

The tendency for the project deliverables to expand over time-usually by changing requirements, specifications, and priorities-is called: A) Scope erosion B) Scope creep C) Project bloat D) Scope enhancement E) Project add-ons

B) Scope creep

From 1994 to 2009 the trend for projects late or over budget was: A) Significantly better B) Slightly better C) About the same D) Slightly worse E) Significantly worse

B) Slightly better

Project costs are typically viewed from all of the following except: A) Scheduled B) Sunk C) Actual D) Committed E) All of these are correct

B) Sunk

When developing a new software package, the software must be designed, the code must be written, and the code must be tested. This is an example of a ______ constraint. A) Physical B) Technical C) Resource D) Schedule E) Time

B) Technical

The bottom-up approach for estimating times and costs that uses costs from past projects that were similar to the current project is known as: A) Detailed WBS work package estimates B) Template method C) Function point method D) Time-phased cost estimates E) Phase estimating

B) Template method

Design flaws being revealed after the fact, extreme weather conditions, and accidents occurring are examples of: A) Hidden interaction costs B) Things going wrong on a project C) Normal conditions not applying D) Changes in project scope E) None of these are correct

B) Things going wrong on a project

Matrix management violates the management principle of A) Span of control B) Unity of command C) Parity principle D) Empowerment E) All of these management principles

B) Unity of command

Which of the following is the number one characteristic that is looked for in management candidates? A) Overall intelligence B) Works well with others C) Experience D) Past successes E) Good references

B) Works well with others

A common rule of thumb in the world of high-tech product development is that a six-month project delay can result in a loss of product revenue share of ___ percent. A) 10 B) 20 C) 33 D) 45 E) 50

C) 33

Which of the following represents an activity on an AON project network? A) An arrow B) A line C) A node D) Both A and B are correct E) A, B, and C are all correct

C) A node

The cost to prepare bottom-up estimates will typically run how much more than the costs to prepare the top-down estimates? A) About the same B) About twice as much C) About three times as much D) About four times as much E) About five times as much

C) About three times as much

Part of a project is to Develop Product Specifications. This is best classified as a(n) A) Event B) Path C) Activity D) Node E) Milestone

C) Activity

"To construct a high-quality, custom home within five months at costs not to exceed $150,000" is best classified as A) A deliverable B) A milestone C) An objective D) A limit E) An exclusion

C) An objective

All of the following are included in the risk identification process except A) Customers B) Subcontractors C) Competitors D) Vendors E) None of these are included

C) Competitors

Which of the following is not one of the basic rules to follow when developing project networks? A) An activity cannot begin until all preceding activities have been completed B) Each activity must have a unique identification number C) Conditional statements are allowed but looping statements are not allowed D) An activity identification number must be larger that that of any preceding activities E) Networks flow from left to right

C) Conditional statements are allowed but looping statements are not allowed

A good project management system provides for defining the interface between the project team and the organization in all the following areas except A) Authority B) Allocation of resources C) Development of project team members D) Integration of the project into the organization E) All of these are provided

C) Development of project team members

A special truck that George needs on his project has been scheduled on another project. This is a ______ constraint. A) Working capital B) People C) Equipment D) Information E) Materials

C) Equipment

The process of forecasting or approximating the time and cost of completing project deliverables is called A) Budgeting B) Predicting C) Estimating D) Planning E) Guesstimating

C) Estimating

From the list below, which is not a primary characteristic of organization culture? A) Control B) Team emphasis C) History D) Conflict tolerance E) Risk tolerance

C) History

The advent of project management has been most profound in: A) Automobile manufacturing B) Construction C) Information technology D) The U.S. Department of Defense E) Film making

C) Information technology

The accuracy of top-down estimates will typically be in the range of A) Minus 50% to plus 50% B) Minus 0% to plus 75% C) Minus 20% to plus 60% D) Minus 35% to plus 35% E) Minus 10% to plus 30%

C) Minus 20% to plus 60%

________ activities must be completed immediately before a particular activity. A) Merge B) Burst C) Predecessor D) Successor E) Critical

C) Predecessor

Which of these is not part of the "technical dimension" of project management? A) WBS B) Budgets C) Problem solving D) Schedules E) Status reports

C) Problem solving

The tool used to assist in making project trade-offs between schedule, budget, and performance objectives is called a A) Responsibility matrix B) Work breakdown structure C) Project priority matrix D) Work package E) Criterion matrix

C) Project priority matrix

Sam the project engineer has been scheduled to run the product system test at the same time he is to build a marketing prototype. This is an example of a ______ constraint. A) Physical B) Technical C) Resource D) Scheduling E) Time

C) Resource

An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a project objectives is termed. A) Random chance B) A disaster C) Risk D) Hazard E) Bad luck

C) Risk

The risk assessment form contains all of the following except A) Likelihood of the risk event occurring B) Potential impact of the risk event C) Who will detect the occurrence of the risk event. D) Difficulty of detecting the occurrence of the risk event E) When the risk event may occur

C) Who will detect the occurrence of the risk event.

The method used to collect information to use through all phases of the project life cycle is called A) Responsibility matrix B) Organization breakdown structure C) Work breakdown structure D) Priority matrix E) Work package

C) Work breakdown structure

From among the following activities, which is the best example of a project? A) Processing insurance claims B) Producing automobiles C) Writing a term paper D) Completing a college degree E) All of these are good examples of projects

C) Writing a term paper

Technical risks are: A) Often the kind that can cause the project to be shut down. B) Problematic C) Imposed duration dates D) Both A and B are correct E) A, B, and C are all correct

D) Both A and B are correct

Which of the following is the reason(s) why project managers need to understand their organization's mission and strategy? A) To make appropriate decisions and adjustments B) To be effective project advocates C) To be able to get their job done D) Both A and B are correct E) A, B, and C are all correct

D) Both A and B are correct

The backward pass in project network calculations determines the A) Latest time's activities can begin B) Earliest time's activities can be finished C) Critical path D) Both A and C are correct E) A, B, and C are all correct

D) Both A and C are correct

Which of the following is a common multicriteria selection model? A) Checklist B) Net Present Value C) Weighted criteria model D) Both A and C are correct E) All of these are common multicriteria selection models

D) Both A and C are correct

Arrows on an AON project network represent: A) An activity B) Project flow C) Dependency D) Both B and C are correct E) Both A and B are correct

D) Both B and C are correct

Splitting an activity creates the following situation: A) More people working on the same activity B) There are possible startup and shutdown costs C) A resource may be moved from one activity to another and then back D) Both B and C are correct E) A, B, and C are all correct

D) Both B and C are correct

The textbook indicated that ________ is the major dimension of strategic management. A) Responding to changes in the external market B) Allocating scarce resources of the organization C) Beating competition to the market D) Both a and b are correct E) Both a and c are correct

D) Both a and b are correct

Strategy formulation includes which of the following activities? A) Determining alternatives B) Creating profitability targets C) Evaluating alternatives D) Both a and c are correct E) A, B, and C are all correct

D) Both a and c are correct

Integration of project management with the organization takes place with the A) Master budget B) Strategy plan C) Process of managing actual projects D) Both b and c are correct E) A, B, and C are all correct

D) Both b and c are correct

The intersection of the WBS and the OBS is called the A) Responsibility matrix B) Priority matrix C) Work package D) Cost account E) Project overlap

D) Cost account

Which of the following is not one of the recommended guidelines for developing useful work package estimates? A) Estimates should be made by those responsible for the work B) Use several people to estimate the same work C) Estimates should be based on normal conditions D) Estimates should include a normal level of contingency E) Estimates should be independent of other projects

D) Estimates should include a normal level of contingency

In which of the following stages are you more likely to find status reports, many changes, and the creation of forecasts? A) Conceptualizing B) Defining C) Planning D) Executing E) Delivering

D) Executing

One common mistake made early in the risk identification process is A) Not all possibilities are considered B) Participants are over-optimistic C) Participants are over-pessimistic D) Focus on objectives and not on the events that could produce consequences. E) Too much attention is given to past events

D) Focus on objectives and not on the events that could produce consequences.

A risk profile is a list of questions that address traditional areas of uncertainty on a project that answers developed from: A) When the event might occur in the project B) Chances of the event occurring C) Interaction with other parts of the project or with other projects D) From previous, similar projects E) Magnitude or severity of the event's impact

D) From previous, similar projects

Sean is forecasting the time and cost of developing a customized software program by looking at the number of inputs, outputs, inquires, files, and interfaces. Which of the following methods is he using? A) Ratio B) Template C) Apportion D) Function point E) Learning curve

D) Function point

All of the following are kinds of resource constraints except A) Materials B) People C) Equipment D) Information E) All of the above are resource constraints

D) Information

Which of the following cultural characteristics relates to the degree to which management focuses on outcomes rather than on techniques and processes used to achieve those results? A) Risk tolerance B) Reward criteria C) Conflict tolerance D) Means versus end orientation E) Open-systems focus

D) Means versus end orientation

The 1999 NASA Mars Climate Orbiter is an example of A) Disaster avoidance through proactive risk management B) Murphy's Law C) Proper use of critical thinking D) Mismanaged risk control E) Using historical records to assess risk

D) Mismanaged risk control

Which of the following choices is not one of the driving forces behind the increasing demand for project management? A) Compression of the product life cycle B) Knowledge explosion C) Development of third world and closed economies D) More emphasis on the product and less on the customer E) Corporate downsizing

D) More emphasis on the product and less on the customer

Susie's department is implementing many projects. She finds herself starting and stopping work on one task to go and work on another task, and then return to the work on the original task. Susie is experiencing A) Poor scheduling B) Excess work burden C) Flexible tasking D) Multitasking E) Burnout

D) Multitasking

Which of the following is not considered to be a characteristic of a project? A) An established objective B) A clear beginning and end C) Complex tasks D) Only for internal use E) Never been done before

D) Only for internal use

A sequence of connected, dependent activities is termed a(n) A) Critical path B) Parallel path C) Activity chain D) Path E) Dependent chain

D) Path

The approach that begins with a top-down estimate for the project and then refines estimates as the project is implemented is known as ______ method. A) Function point B) Template C) Learning curve D) Phase estimating E) Apportion

D) Phase estimating

Research shows the most frequently mentioned barrier to project success is A) Not enough budget resources B) Poor performance by team members C) Weak project leadership D) Poorly defined scope or mission E) Political in-fighting

D) Poorly defined scope or mission

Detailing all identified risks, including descriptions, category, and probability of occurring, impact, responses, contingency plans, owners and current status is called: A) Management reserves B) Change control C) Contingency reserves D) Risk register E) Risk profiles

D) Risk register

Which of the following is not one of the steps in the risk management process? A) Risk response development B) Risk assessment C) Risk identification D) Risk tracking E) Risk response control

D) Risk tracking

Delaying noncritical activities to lower peak demand on resources is known as resource A) Shifting B) Effectiveness C) Manipulating D) Smoothing E) Allocation

D) Smoothing

Scheduling time-constrained projects focuses on resource A) Demands B) Increases C) Assumptions D) Utilization E) All are correct

D) Utilization

Which of the following questions does the organization's mission statement answer? A) What are our long-term strategies? B) What are our long-term goals and objectives? C) How do we operate in the existing environment? D) What do we want to become? E) All of these are answered by the mission statement

D) What do we want to become?

Which of the following is not one of the commonly heard comments of project managers? A) Where did this project come from? B) Why are we doing this project? C) How can all these projects be first priority? D) Why is this project so strongly linked to the strategic plan? E) Where are we going to get the resources to do this project?

D) Why is this project so strongly linked to the strategic plan?

Resource leveling can provide A) Lower peak demand B) Reduced resource need over the life of the project C) Reduced fluctuations in resource demand D) Both A and B are correct E) A, B, and C are all correct