Project management

When using the project planning hierarchy, which activity represents first level? A. Project definition B. Organizational structure C. Milestones D. Scope

Project definition This is at the top of the planning pyramid

What does CPI of 0.22 calculated midway through your project indicate? A. 22 percent of the work done? B. $0.22 is earned for every dollar spent C. Productivity is 1.22 D. The project will not come in under budget

$0.22 is earned for every dollar spent

Which of the following is the best action to take when a project team member displays a lack of commitment? A. A project manager should mediate conflict between team members B. A project manager should determine the root cause for the lack of commitment C. A project manager should remove the team member from the team D. A project manager should delegate more responsibility

A project manager should determine the root cause for the lack of commitment This course of action generates legitimate information on which to act

What is the common approach to deal with conflict? A. Mediation B. View it as a positive force for change C. Transfer employees who engage in conflict D. Avoidance

Avoidance There are many who view conflict as unappealing and unprofessional

Which of the following is a recommended action requiring project celebrations? A. Base the celebration on what was accomplished and also on the duration and difficulty of your project B. Take time to single out project individuals for exceptional performance C. Coffee cups or t-shirts are safe choices as most project team members value these items D. Focus your efforts on your core (primary project team)

Base the celebration on what was accomplished and also on the duration and difficulty of your project The objective of a celebration is to enable your project team to leave the project with a good feeling of accomplishments and feel that they were appreciated

Why has risk management emerged as a growing field within project management? A. Because of the need to better manage a project in stage 4 where risk is likely B. Because of marketing campaigns by consulting firms C. Because of excessive project failures D. Because of regulations from the project management institute

Because of excessive project failures Risk management is a mechanism that identifies risk, assesses the probability and the severity of risk and develops responses to it.

Why is control considered more critical than planning for project management? A. Because of the possibility that many things will turn out differently than expected B. Because project team members welcome the use of control C. Since a project is unique, planning is of little benefit D. Because a project team needs to be constantly motorized.

Because of the possibility that many things will turn out differently than expected This is due to the unique nature of a project

Why is a below budget AC misleading as related to a desirable condition regarding earned value? A. Because the EV is above plan B. Because the PV is below plan C. Because the EV May be below plan D. Because the SPI ratio may be greater than One

Because the EV May be below plan

What is true regarding breakthrough thinking? A. It should be avoided because it conflicts with out of the box thinking B. Besides being concerned with the what, breakthrough thinking is also concerned with the how C. Breakthrough thinking is desired because it generates novel and creative solutions D. It is cost prohibitive

Breakthrough thinking is desired because it generates novel and creative solutions This will bring about excellent project solutions

How can the concept of prevention help improve the quality of your project? A. By identifying and reducing/eliminating the root cause of a problem B. By creating a quality laboratory C. By emphasizing appraisal as a way to reduce defects D. By visiting suppliers

By identifying and reducing/eliminating the root cause of a problem Prevention involves identification of the root cause of a defect and implementation of corrective action to eliminate the root cause and prevent its reoccurrence

How are project teams usually assembled? A. By the project manager B. By employees that volunteer C. By management D. By customers

By management

How can control be used as a motivating force? A. By adopting industry standards used at other organizations B. By setting targets that are challenging yet achievable C. By making tactical decisions at higher organization levels D. By micro managing.project team members

By setting targets that are challenging yet achievable When targets are set too high, they are de-motivators

How can control be used as a motivating force? A. By adopting industry standards used at other organizations B. By setting targets that are chalk yet achievable C. By making tactical decisions at higher organization levels D. By micro-managing project team members

By setting targets that are challenging yet achievable When targets are set too high, they are demotivaors

When should team building for a project occur? A. Continuously B. During the closure stage C. In the beginning of the project D. During times of conflict

Continuously Project teams need constant reinforcement and support

What is the relationship between planning and control? A. Control is activated once your project is in progress B. You can effectively use control even when a plan does not exist C. Both concepts are readily accepted by an organizations employees D. Planning is a primary management function while control is a secondary function

Control is activated once a your project is in progress The primary distinction between planning and control is that you normally use control after activities have begun

What is the primary relationship between planning and control? A. Control is activated ice your project is in process B. You can effectively use control even when a plan does not exist C. Both concepts are readily accepted by an organizations employees D. Planning is a primary management function while control is a secondary function

Control is activated once your project is in progress The primary distinction between planning and control is that you normally use control after activities have begun

Which of the following is the first step of an audit? A. Set the audit date B. Determine resources C. Define the objectives D. Review audit history

Define the objectives Nothing else should take place before you determine the intent of the audit

What is the most important requirement for a project to successfully continue? A. The project team must work well together B. Deliverables must be acceptable C. The project manager must be happy with the results D. Stakeholders must be consulted

Deliverables must be acceptable Ultimately the project will succeed or fail due to the progress and quality of deliverables

What aspect of the project closure phase assists with future projects? A. Disbanding the project team as rapidly as possible B. Returning equipment C. Determine lessons learned D. Making sure that money is no longer being spent

Determine lessons spent This will help with planning and implementing future projects

What is the intent of the project closure? A. Minimize the amount of money expended during final project stages B. Produce a final report for all stakeholders C. Determine what was done well and identify opportunities for improvement for future projects D. Return equipment, perform housekeeping, and renovate current project areas for others uses

Determine what was done well and identify opportunities for improvement for future projects The value of having a planned project termination is realized by leveraging all information and experience gathered throughout your project

What is the number one rule of brainstorming that is most frequently violated? A. Scribe writes too slowly B. Discussion of ideas C. Wrong technique used D. Lack of participation

Discussion of ideas Participants are often unable to suppress opinions about ideas

Which of the following conditions are desirable when using earned value? A. PV below plan, SPI below plan B. EV below plan, AC above plan C. EV above plan, AC below plan D. CPI below plan, AC above plan

EV above plan, AC below plan This represents a project that is under budget and that exceeds expected performance

Which of the following statements represents the best way to use performance measurements to control your project? A. Use performance measurements the were effectively used for your last project B. Adopt standards from your local chapter of the project management institute C. Solicit feedback from external stakeholders D. Establish performance thresholds that when exceeded trigger you to respond

Establish performance thresholds that when exceeded trigger you to respond When performance thresholds are exceeded you are prompted to make a decision and take action

How do ethics relate to politics? A. Ethics influence political behavior B. Politics typically do not occur in an ethical organization C. The terms are interchangeable D. Politics influences the establishment of individual ethics

Ethics influence political behavior This is very much the case for organizations

Which type of control is known as Preliminary Control? A. Feedforward control B. Dynamic control C. Feedback control D. Screening control

Feedforward control Feedforward control is the best type of control because it identifies undesirable events before they happen

Which type of control is known as preliminary control? A. Feedforward control B. Dynamic control C. Feedback control D. Screening control

Feedforward control Feedforward control is the best type of control because it identifies undesirable events before they happen

What is an effective way to make sure that your project is a strategic fit? A. Focus on return on investment B. Use if then reasoning C. Involve your project team D. Review the prior years objectives

Focus on return on investment Another Technique is to perform a gap analysis

What is the most fundamental purpose of brainstorming? A. Generate ideas B. Eliminate waste C. Satisfy stakeholders D. Improve processes

Generate ideas A team should expend creative energy to produce as many ideas as possible

What is the first step to take to make ethical discussions? A. Determine how you will justify your decision B. Identify and understand the facts C. Reflect on your gut feeling (conscience) D. View the problem from another point of view

Identify and understand the facts Without creating this foundation, it is likely that you will make a bad choice

What is another name for an executive summary? A. Project charter B. Work breakdown structure C. Statement of work D. Precedence chart

Project charter An executive summary or project charter identifies why your project exists, what is to be done and what specific deliverables are to be produced

What statement is true regarding organizational politics? A. With sufficient effort, organizational politics can be completely eliminated B. You can usually trust someone who states "I don't play politics" C. From an organizational perspective, politics are rational yet unpredictable D. If you are a top performer, you play a minimal amount of politics

If you are a top performer, you play a minimal amount of politics While this is true, make sure to be aware of politics throughout the organization

What is the best way to ensure that project closure takes place as desired? A. Include the project closure phase in your project plan and make sure that the project does not end until closure takes place B. Request the external stakeholders communicate the timing for closure C. Rely on project team members to signify when the project is over and plan a celebration D. Create a policy that states All projects will have a closure phase.

Include the project closure phase in your project plan and make sure that the project does not end until closure takes place This is the best method. Securing support from top management is recommended

What is best way to manage customers during the early stages of a project? A. Involve customers in your project plans development, review, and approval B. Make them a member of your project team C. Send them an update on your projects progress D. Use lessons learned from previous projects

Involve customers in your project plans development, review, and approval. This prevents misunderstandings that later may jeopardize your project

What is the nature of the first team building session? A. It is designed to get the team to open up and learn about one another B. It should be dominated by a project manager C. It is fact finding meeting D. It should be kept to a minimum amount of time

It is designed to get the team to open up and learn about one another This activity will identify goals and motivations of project team members

What makes a project unique? A. Individuals work on the project instead of teams B. It is only done once C. It is requested by customers.. D. It is requested by a stakeholder

It is only done once

What is the significance of communities of practice offered by the project management institute(PMI)? A. It is PMIs professional certification B. It is the section of PMI that manages local chapters (sectional industry groups) C. It is PMIs monthly magazine D. It is specific member focus area by industry or topic

It is specific member focus area by industry or topic Communities of practice are specific interest groups and include aerospace and defense, government, information technology, international and development, and retail

What does the principal of the limiting factor refer to? A. All projects having limitations, no Matt how well planned B. It is greatest constraint for a project C. A constraint that is always expressed in terms of money D. Projects that are overspent

It is the greatest constraint for a project It is knowing as the king of constraints

Which activity produces better plans through a collaborative effort between employers and management? A. Strategic B. Management by objectives C. The five Ws and one H D. Paralysis by analysis

Management by objectives This technique facilitates the planning process involving employees in determining what is to be accomplished

Which of the following activities should a project manager delegate to a project team? A. Obtaining resources B. Defining the project mission C. Monitoring and control D. Setting performance standards

Monitoring and control Since project team members are close to the action, they are quite capable of monitoring and control

Which of the doll statements is true regarding negotiation and project management? A. The car dealer negotiation model has high applicability to project management B. A project management should be a natural born negotiator C. Negotiation is often delegated by a project manager to a project team member D. Most people do not negotiate well

Most people do not negotiate well Negotiation is a skill that must be develop

Which of the following statements is true regarding project planning? A. Planning is most effectively performed by a project manager and a top manager B. Project planning is a periodic activity performed at least once a year C. Objectives for plans often come from customers but not from other projects or programs D. Planning produces standards or milestones used for control purposes

Planning produces standards or milestones used for control purposes This is a perfect example of how planning and control work together

Which of the following choices is the best way to manage conflict? A. Autocratic directive B. Avoidance C. Problem solving D. Compromise

Problem solving This technique allows conflicting parties to express their perspectives in an open discussion method that leads to root cause identification and resolution

What differentiates a project from a task? A. Tasks are assigned but projects are initiated by a team B. A task requires longer to complete C. Projects are often performed by a team, while tasks are often performed individually D. There is no difference

Projects are often performed by a team, while tasks are often performed individually. Because of the complex nature of a project, a project team is often used

Which method is an excellent way of making sure that customer requirements are clearly communicated throughout an organization? A. The chain of command B. Quality function deployment C. Deliverable chains D. Work breakdown structure

Quality function deployment This technique makes use of inter-department teams and clearly defined expectations

Which of the following choices is the most important element to properly disband a project team? A. Generate a performance evaluation shortly before the project is over B. Recognize and reassign team members so they want to work on future projects C. Invite them to closing meeting and give them a copy of them final report D. Show concern for the well being of each project team member

Recognize and reassign team members so they want to work on future projects This is the preferred way to Properly disband a project team

Which of the following conditions are essential for a well developed project strategy? A. Configuration management B. Work order control C. Risk Management D. Interface management

Risk management When your strategy is risk minimized, necessary steps are taken to reduce negative consequences

Which project management variable encompasses key boundaries? A. Scope B. Performance C. Time D. Cost

Scope Scope is a concept that encompasses the variables of cost, time, and performance

Which of the following activities occurs earliest in the control process? A. Measuring performance B. Setting a standard C. Comparing performance D. Taking corrective action

Setting a standard Without the existence of a Standard, control cannot take place

Which of the following activities occurs earliest in the control process? A. Measuring performance B. Setting a standard C. Comparing performance D. Taking corrective action

Setting a standard Without the existence of a standard, control cannot take place

Setting preliminary objectives A. Setting team rules B. Setting preliminary objectives C. Developing contingency plans D. The project teams collaboration on activities

Setting preliminary objectives SMART objectives are the best because they are specific, measurable, achievable, results oriented, and time related

What is the best way to obtain outside resources for your project? A. Solicit support from your company's procurement department B. Insist that a project manager coordinate procurement activities directly with suppliers C. Assign responsibility for procurement to someone on your project team D. Work through a human resource department

Solicit support from your company's procurement department Procurement is an essential interface that must be well understood and managed for projects that rely on outside resources

What is the best definition for the means to reach desired project outcomes? A. Milestones B. Tactic C. Strategy D. Resources

Strategy A project strategy is your preferred way to proceed

Which condition presents the greatest challenge in project management? A. Managing non-tangible deliverable verse tangible deliveries B. The inability of stakeholders to define what they really want C. Stakeholders changing their minds D. The appearance of stakeholders that were not identified during the beginning of a project

The appearance of stakeholders that were not identified during the beginning of a project It is difficult to identify all stakeholders in a project

Which statement is true regarding the sequencing of project activities? A. They have little bearing on the integration aspect of the project B. The order of most tasks does not matter C. The order of the tasks depends on how they relate to the project due dates. D. Working independently, the project manager typically determines the order of tasks

The order of the tasks depends on how they relate to the project due dates This is specified by the project schedule

Which of the following is an example of engineered control standards? A. External standards from a professional organization B. Time studies perform by a project team at your organization C. Historical standards from your organization D. A standard that follows SMART format

The studies performed by a project team at your organization Engineered standards are set by an internal analysis of what is capable

Which of the following is an example of engineering control standards? A. External standards from a professional organization B. Time studies performed by a project team at your organization C. Historical standards from your organization D. A standard that follows the SMART format

Time studies performed by a project team at your organization Engineering standards are set by an internal analysis of what is capable

Regarding project goals, what is the result of having many stakeholders to satisfy? A. Diverse goals that satisfy all stakeholders B. Need for top management intervention C. Turnover of the project team D. Unclear project goals

Unclear project goals Unclear project goals can be a result of diverse stakeholder expectations

Which choice is a legitimate reason to close a project prematurely? A. When there is a lack of planning B. When project managers recognize that operational stakeholders are never going to agree on or commit to a clear requirements statement C. When there are unrealistic expectations D. When there is a weak project manager

When project managers recognize that operational stakeholders are never going to agree on or commit to a clear requirements statement These types of projects waste resources as they never are completed

Which question is the most fundamental in developing a strategic plan? A. Who will our customers be in the future B. What value do we provide to our customers C. Who are our customers D. How will we satisfy our customers' needs?

Who are our customers If you do not have a clear understanding of who your customers are, your strategic plan will not be effective

Which of the following choices effectively plan and use humans resources for a project? A. Risk management plans and work breakdown structure B. Work breakdown structure and resource profile C. Cost control plans and procurement plans D. Procurement plan and resource profile

Work breakdown structure and resource profile Use work breakdown structure task definition to designate responsibility and accountability for project activities. Use a resource profile to identify project hours needed in a period, project hours available, and any gaps that exist or may exist