06 Practice Exam Time Mng.

A dependency requiring that design be completed before manufacturing can start is an example of a(n): A. Discretionary dependency B. External dependency C. Mandatroy dependency D. Scope dependency

C.

A heuristic is BEST described as a: A. Control tool B. Scheduling method C. Planning tool D. Gernerally accepted rule

D.

The project is being completed faster than planned. Which of the following would NOT account for why this has occured? A. A pre-made item was purchased instead of the team creating it. B. Trend analysis was used to eliminate the need for some testing. C. A critical path activity was crashed. D. A critical path activity and a non-critical path activity were fast reacked.

D. A critical path activity and a non-critical path activity were fast reacked. In order to fast track, one needs to make two critical path activities parallel, otherwise the project length might not be shortened. This is the only situation that might not account for the project being completed faster.

If the optimistic estimate for an activity is 12 days, and the pessimistic estimate is 18 days, what is the standard deviation of this activity? A. 1 B. 1.3 C. 6 D. 3

?

Lag means: A. The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finsh date. B. The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of its successor. C. Waiting time. D. The product of a forward and backward pass.

A.

Which of the following are GENERALLY illustrated BETTER by bar charts than network diagrams? A. Logical relationships B. Critical paths C. Resource trade offs D. Progress or status

A.

Which of the following is CORRECT? A. The critical path helps prove how long the project will take. B. There can be only one critical path. C. The network diagram will change every time the end date changes. D. A project can never have negative float.

A.

Which of the following is the BEST thing to do when a project activity will take longer than planned and the project can no longer be completed on time? A. Compress the schedule. B. Negotiate for more resources. C. Work overtime to make up the time. D. Ask for an extension of time.

A. Compress the schedule. The correct answer is A. Think of what you would do in the real world. Many project managers just ask for more resources or more time. Asking for an extension of time is generally the best thing to do only when scope is added to the project. Adding resources will add cost. Working overtime should always be the last choice. Compressing the schedule lets you get more done with the resources and time you already have on the project. It is almost always the first thing to do when there is a delay generated from within the project.

A new product development has four levels in the work breakdown structure and has been sequenced using the precedence diagramming method.The activity duration estimates have been received. What should be done NEXT? A. Compress the schedule. B. Create an activity list. C. Finalize the schedule. D. Begin the work breakdown structure.

A. Compress the schedule. The schedule is not finalized until after schedule compression.

The WBS, estimates for each work package, and the network diagram are completed. The NEXT thing for the project manager to do is: A. Develop Schedule. B. Sequence Activities. C. Resource Simulation. D. Validate Scope.

A. Develop Schedule. This question is asking you about the process of project management. Sequence Activities has already been done in creating the network diagram. Validate Scope occurs during project monitoring and controlling. Resource simulation is a made-up term. The next thing to do is Develop Schedule.

A dependency requiring that design be completed before manufacturing can start is an example of a(n): A. Mandatory dependency. B. Discretionary dependency. C. External dependency. D. Scope dependency.

A. Mandatory dependency. No mention is made that the dependency comes from a scource outside the project, so this is not an external dependency. Scope dependency is not a defined term. The key word in the question is "required". Since the dependency is required, it could not be discretionary and therefore must be mandatory. The question defines a mandatory dependency.

Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between standard deviation and risk? A. Standard deviation tells you how uncertain the estimate is. B. Standard deviation tells you if the estimate is accurate. C. Standard deviation tells you if the estimate includes a pad. D. There is no relationship.

A. Standard deviation tells you how uncertain the estimate is. An estimate can have a wide range and still be accurate if the item estimated includes identified risks. There is no such thing as a pad in proper project management. An estimate might be inflated, but it is a calculated reserve to account for risks, not arbitrary padding. The standard deviation tells you the amount of uncertainty or risk invoved in the estimate for the activity.

During project planning, you estimate the time needed for each activity and then add up the estimates to create the project estimate. You commit to completing the project by this date. What is wrong with this scenario? A. The team did not create the estimate, and a network diagram was not used. B. The team did not create the estimate, and estimating takes too long using that method. C. The project estimate should be the same as the customer's required completion date. D. The estimate is too long and should be created by management.

A. The team did not create the estimate, and a network diagram was not used. Time estimates for the activities should be created by the team and should not be added together to create the project estimate. Some activities may take place concurrently, these would be identified in the network diagram.

To control project schedule, a project manager is reanalyzing the project to predict project duration. She does this by analysing the sequence of activities with the least amount of scheduling flexibility. What technique is she using? A. Critical path method B. Flowchart C. Precedence diagramming D. Work breakdown structure

A. There are only two choices related to scheduling: critical path method and precedence diagramming. Procedence diagramming, however, is a diagramming technique that deals with the relationshiop between activities, not schedule flexibility. The project manager is analysing the critical path.

Which of the following is the BEST project management tool to use to determine the longest time the project will take? A. Work breakdown structure B. Network diagram C. Bar chart D. Project charter

B

The output of the Define Activities process include all the following EXCEPT: A. All activities that will be performed on the project. B. A network diagram. C. Activity attributes. D. Milestone list.

B. A network diagram. Activity attributes, milestone list, and an activity list are all outputs of the Define Activities process. A network diagram is an output of the Sequence Activities process.

Which of the following processes includes asking team members abolut the time estimates for their activities and reaching agreement on the calender date for each activity? A. Develop Project Charter B. Develop Schedule C. Define Scope C. Sequence Activities

B. Develop Schedule By the time this process is taking place, Develop Project Charter, Define Scope, and Sequence Activities would be completed. The process defined in the question is Develop Schedule.

Which of the following includes all of the relationships represendted on an activity-on-node diagram? A. Finish-to-finish B. Finish-to-start, start-to-finish, finish-to-finish, start-to-start C. Start-to-start D. Finish-to-start

B. Finish-to-start, start-to-finish, finish-to-finish, start-to-start Finish-to-start, start-to-finish, finish-to-finish, start-to-start relationships can all be represented on an activity-on-node diagram (also called PDM, or precedence diagramming method).

A scope change has been approved by the change control board. Which of the following MUST be impacted? A. The expected monetary value of project risks B. The early start date of the activities later in the network diagram C. The cost of the project D. The number of resources used on the project.

B. The early start date of the activities later in the network Notice that the question uses the word "must"? Many of these choices could be impacts, but the only certain impact on a scope change is a schedule change to shorten or lengthen subsequent activities.

The project has been going well when one of the suppliers informs you that, as they warned you during project planning, they will deliver your equipment two days late. At the same time, you get a call from a team member informing you that the critical path activity she is working on will take longer to complete than planned. What is the BEST thing to do? A. Ask for a change order for each. B. Use a contingency reserve for the first, and find out how much later the activity will be. C. Find out why the activity was late. D. Have both reviewed wiht the change control board.

B. Use a contingency reserve for the first, and find out how much later the activity will be. The late delivery was a known risk, so there should be a contingency reserve in place to deal with it. The delay in the critical path activity is the bigger problem here. A lot of people want to first find out why the activity will take longer than planned. However, in this situation, there is an impact to the critical path that must be managed. Once the activity is completed, the manager can address the reason for the delay. Imagine this situation as a fire. First put it out, then find out why it occurred.

A project is 50 percent complete when a schedule constraint is identified. Which of the following should be done FIRST? A. Level resources on the remaining activities to determine resource variances. B. Use a simulation technique such as Monte Carlo analysis, to calculate a distibution of probable results for the total project. C. Rebaseline the project management plan to determine impacts on schedule, cost and scope. D. Revisit all activities that have not yet started.

B. Use a simulation technique such as Monte Carlo analysis, to calculate a distibution of probable results for the total project. Simulations can be used to asses the feasibility of meeting schduled dates under adverse conditions. Using a simulation technique such as Monte Carlo would tell you if there is a probelm. This type of analysis should be done before any of the other choices.

What is the duration of a milestone? A. It is shorter than the duration of the longest activity. B. It is shorter than the activity it represents. C. It has no duration. D. It is the same length as the activity it represents.

C.

Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between standard deviation and risk? A. There is no relationship B. Standard deviation tells you if the estimate is accurate. C. Standard deviation tells you how uncertain the estimate is. D. Standard deviation tells you if the estimate includes a pad.

C.

Based on the chart showing activities on the critical path, which activity(s) would you crash to save exactly four weeks? A. Activities A and E B. Activity F C. Activities A and C D. Activities C and E

C. Activities A and C It is important to find the least expensive option. To save four weeks. You would choose to crash activities A and C.

Schedule compression can result in all of the following EXCEPT: A. Increase cost. B. Increase risk. C. Extended project duration. D. Adjustments in staffing assignments.

C. Extended project duration. Methods of schedule compression include fast tracking, which involves more activities in parallel and increases risk, and crashing, which involves adding resources to activities and generally increases cost. Schedule compression is a means to decrease, not increase, the duration of the project schedule.

Senior management is complaining that they are not able to easily determine the status of ongoing projects in the organization. Which of the following types of reports would help provide summary information to senior management? A Detailed cost estimates B. Bar charts C. Milestone reports D. Project Management plans.

C. Milestone reports Detailied cost estimates have nothing to do with the situation described. Project management plans include more detail than is necessary for the situation described, and may distract from the conversation if used in this situation. Bar charts are most effective for reporting to the team. The best answer is milestone reports, which present the right level of detail for upper management.

Senior management asks the project manager how the project would be affected if two resources were removed from the project. To calculate a response, the project manager should perform: A. Schedule compression. B. Resource leveling. C. Modeling. D. Fast tracking.

C. Modeling. Did the use of the word "resources" in the question cause you to select resource leveling? If so, you were tricked! The situation described requires modeling, using Monte Carlo analysis to simulate, or model, the effect of these changes. Monte Carlo is from of what-if analysis.

A team member from research and development tells you that her work is too creative to provide you with a fixed single estimate for the activity. You both decide to use the average labor hours to develop a prototype (from past, similar projects) to predict the future. This is an example of which of the following? A. Analogous estimating B. Three-point estimating C. Parametric estimating D. Monte Carlo analysis

C. Parametric estimating Monte Carlo analysis is a modeling, or simulation, technique. Three-point estimating uses three estimates per activity. One could use data from past projects to come up with the estimate (analogous estimating), but the best answer is parametric estimating because past history is being used to calculate an estimate.

All of the following are inputs to the Develop Schedule process EXCEPT: A. Vacation schedules. B. Assumption that the software will be released without any damaging bugs. C. Planned start and finish dates for each activity. D. Need for delay between ordering equipment and installing it.

C. Planned start and finish dates for each activity. Vacation schedules, the need for delay between ordering and installing equipment, and assumptions about the software are inputs to the Develop Schedule process. Start and finish dates for each activity are outputs of the Develop Schedule process.

What is the BEST method of estimating the time for an activity that has not previously been done by your company? A. Parametric estimating B. Monte Carlo analysis C. Three-point estimating D. Analogous estimating

C. Three-point estimating Analogous estimating can be used when you have done similar work previously. Monte Carlo analysis is a schedule development technique. Parametric estimating includes the use of past history and productivity if you had not done the activity before. Three-point estimating is the best method to use in this case because it allows you to estimate in a ragne; optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely.

Free float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the: A. Project. B. Completion date required by the customer. C. Project completion date. D. Early start of its successor.

D. Early start of its successor. By definition, free float (or slack) is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without impacting the early start of its successor.

The Estimate Activity Resource process includes reviewing the schedule management plan and: A. Reviewing the cost management plan, and crashing the project. B. Creating a resource breakdown structure, and developing a schedule. C. Creating a company calendar and reviewing resource availability. D. Further breaking down activities, and soliciting expert judgement.

D. Further breaking down activities, and soliciting expert judgement. The only choice that is completey correct is "Further breaking down activities, ans soliciting expert judgment." Can you identify the incorrect element in each of the other choices?

You are a project manager on a US $5,000,000 software development project. While working with your project team to develop a network diagram, you notice a series of activities that can be worked in parallel but must finish in a specific sequence. What type of activity sequencing method is required for these activities? A. Arrow daigramming method B. Cirtical paht method C. Operational diagramming method D. Procedence diagramming method

D. Procedence diagramming method The question implies a finish-to-finish relationship between activities. The arrow diagramming method does not support that type of realtionship. Critical path is not a diagramming method, and operational diagramming method is a made-up term. The precedence diagramming method is most appropriate in this case. Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM). A technique used for constructing a schedule model in which activities are represented by nodes and are graphically linked by one or more logical relationships to show the sequence in which the activities are to be performed.

The critical chain method uses buffers to account for: A. Dependencies and contingencies. B. Leads and lags. C. Assumptions and constraints. D. Risks and resource limitations.

D. Risks and resource limitations. Buffers provide cushions for delays in the scheduled activities that may be caused by risks or resource limitations.

If your project will require redesign after completion of testing, which of the following diagramming techniques would be BEST to use? A. GERT B. CPM C. ADM D. PERT

GERT is the only diagramming technique that allows loops. CPM - Critical Path Method ADM PDM - Precedence Diagramming Method GERT - Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique, commonly known as GERT, is a network analysis technique used in project management that allows probabilistic treatment both network logic and estimation of activity duration - loops are allowed. PERT - The program (or project) evaluation and review technique, commonly abbreviated PERT, is a statistical tool, used in project management, which was designed to analyze and represent the tasks involved in completing a given project - no loops