Project Management Exam 1 quizzes

A(n) _____ is a schematic display of the logical relationships among project activities and their sequencing.

Network Diagram

In a project schedule, the variable that has the least amount of flexibility is _____.

Time

_____ is the difference between planned and actual performance.

Variance

Which of the following is recommended for the creation of a good WBS? a. A unit of work should appear at only one place in the WBS. b. The work content of a WBS item is independent of the WBS items below it. c. Any WBS item should be the responsibility of all the people working on it. d. Each WBS item should be created assuming that the requirements are inflexible.

a. A unit of work should appear at only one place in the WBS. Some basic principles apply to creating any good WBS and its WBS dictionary. Firstly, a unit of work should appear at only one place in the WBS. The work content of a WBS item is the sum of the WBS items below it.

Which of the following is a planning process associated with project scope management? a. Collecting requirements b. Performing qualitative risk analysis c. Estimating costs d. Planning schedule management

a. Collecting requirements Process improvement plans are an output of project quality management.

NPV analysis is a method for making equal comparisons between cash flows for multi-year projects. a. True b. False

a. True NPV analysis is a method for making equal comparisons between cash flows for multi-year projects.

The DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) methodology of the Six Sigma projects, is used to improve an existing business process. a. True b. False

a. True Two main methodologies are used on Six Sigma projects: DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) is used to improve an existing business process, and DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify) is used to create new product or process designs to achieve predictable, defect-free performance.

A preliminary or rough cost estimate is developed in the _____ phase of the project life cycle, and an overview of the work involved is created. a. concept b. implementation c. close-out d. acquisition

a. concept In the concept phase of a project, managers usually develop some type of business case, which describes the need for the project and basic underlying concepts. A preliminary or rough cost estimate is developed in this first phase, and an overview of the required work is created.

_____ involves reviewing the project charter, requirements documents, and organizational process assets to create a scope statement, adding more information as requirements are developed and change requests are approved. a. Creating scope b. Defining scope c. Controlling scope d. Validating scope

b. Defining Scope Defining scope involves reviewing the scope management plan, project charter, requirements documents, and organizational process assets to create a scope statement, adding more information as requirements are developed and change requests are approved.

A merge occurs when one node precedes multiple nodes. a. True b. False

b. False A merge occurs when two or more nodes precede a single node. On the other hand, bursts occur when two or more activities follow a single node.

After defining project activities, the next step in project time management is developing the schedule. a. True b. False

b. False After defining project activities, the next step in project time management is sequencing them or determining their dependencies.

An organization should consider only projects with a negative NPV if financial value is a key criterion for project selection. a. True b. False

b. False An organization should consider only projects with a positive NPV if financial value is a key criterion for project selection.

In project time management, the primary output of defining activities is a schedule management plan. a. True b. False

b. False In project time management, the main output of defining activities are an activity list, activity attributes, a milestone list, and project management plan updates.

It is necessary that IT project managers have prior technical experience in creating and managing IT products. a. True b. False

b. False It is often helpful for IT project managers to have prior technical experience or at least a working knowledge of IT products.

Start-to-finish relationships are the most frequently used dependencies between activities. a. True b. False

b. False One of the four types of dependencies or relationships between activities is the start-to-finish dependency. This is a relationship in which the "from " activity must start before the "to" activity can be finished. This type of relationship is rarely used, but it is appropriate in some cases.

Opportunities and directives are essentially the same thing. a. True b. False

b. False Opportunities are chances to improve the organization.Directives are new requirements imposed by management, government, or some external influence.

Decisions and actions taken in one knowledge area at a certain time rarely affect other knowledge areas. a. True b. False

b. False Project management is an integrative endeavor; decisions and actions taken in one knowledge area at a certain time usually affect other knowledge areas.

The ROI is always positive. a. True b. False

b. False The ROI is always a percentage. It can be positive or negative.

The final process in project time management is developing the schedule. a. True b. False

b. False The final process in project time management is controlling the schedule Like scope control, schedule control is a portion of the integrated change control process under project integration management.

An organization's project management plan expresses the vision, mission, goals, objectives, and strategies of the organization. a. True b. False

b. False The organization's strategic plan expresses the vision, mission, goals, objectives, and strategies of the organization.

The output of the stakeholder management strategy results is a project charter. a. True b. False

b. False The output of the stakeholder management strategy results is a stakeholder register.

_____ analysis is a method of calculating the expected net monetary gain or loss from a project by discounting all expected future cash inflows and outflows to the present point in time. a. Cash flow b. Net present value c. Cost of capital d. Payback

b. Net present value Net present value (NPV) analysis is a method of calculating the expected net monetary gain or loss from a project by discounting all expected future cash inflows and outflows to the present point in time.

_____ refers to the difference between planned and actual performance. a. Scope creep b. Variance c. Decomposition d. Scope validation

b. Variance Variance is the difference between planned and actual performance.

In the _____approach for constructing a WBS, you use a similar project's WBS as a starting point. a. bottom-up b. analogy c. top-down d. mind-mapping

b. analogy A method for constructing a WBS is the analogy approach. In the analogy approach, you use a similar project's WBS as a starting point.

A(n) _____ is a table that lists requirements, their various attributes, and the status of the requirements to ensure that all are addressed. a. Gantt chart b. requirements traceability matrix c. state transition table d. entity-attribute-value model

b. requirements traceability matrix A requirements traceability matrix (RTM) is a table that lists requirements, their various attributes, and the status of the requirements to ensure that all are addressed.

Which of the following is true of a matrix organizational structure? a. Project managers in matrix organizations have staff from only a single functional area working on their projects. b. A matrix organizational structure is hierarchical, but instead of functionalmanagers reporting to the CEO, program managers report to the CEO. c. In a strong matrix organizational structure, the project manager controls the project budget and has moderate to high authority. d. In a matrix organizational structure, employees are organized into departments according to their skills, and there is little interaction between employees from different departments.

c. In a strong matrix organizational structure, the project manager controls the project budget and has moderate to high authority. In a strong matrix organizational structure, the project manager controls the project budget and has moderate to high authority.

The _____ frame of an organization focuses on providing harmony between the needs of the organization and the needs of people. a. political b. symbolic c. human resources d. structural

c. human resources The human resources (HR) frame focuses on producing harmony between the needs of the organization and the needs of people. It recognizes that mismatches can occur between the needs of the organization and those of individuals and groups, and works to resolve any potential problems.

The _____ technique for creating a WBS uses branches radiating from a core idea to structure thoughts and ideas instead of writing down tasks in a list or immediately trying to create a structure for tasks. a. top-down b. bottom-up c. mind mapping d. analogy

c. mind mapping Mind mapping is a technique that uses branches radiating from a core idea to structure thoughts and ideas. Instead of writing down tasks in a list or immediately trying to create a structure for tasks, mind mapping allows people to write and even draw pictures of ideas in a nonlinear format.

The _____ section of the project plan should describe the major project functions and activities and identify those individuals who are in charge of them. a. management objectives b. other organizational or process-related information c. project responsibilities d. organizational charts

c. project responsibilities This section of the project plan should describe the major project functions and activities and identify the people responsible for them. A responsibility assignment matrix is often used to display this information.

In the development phase of the project life cycle: a. managers develop a business case, which describes the need for the project and basic underlying concepts. b. the project team delivers the required work and provides performance reports to stakeholders. c. the project team creates more detailed project plans, a more accurate cost estimate, and a more thorough WBS. d. managers prepare a preliminary or rough cost estimate for the required work.

c. the project team creates more detailed project plans, a more accurate cost estimate, and a more thorough WBS. In the development phase, the project team creates more detailed project management plans, a more accurate cost estimate, and a more thorough WBS.

A project's internal rate of return can be determined by finding what discount rate results in an NPV of _____ for the project. a. a hundred percent b. one c. zero d. fifty percent

c. zero You can determine a project's internal rate of return (IRR) by finding what discount rate results in an NPV of zero for the project.

Examples of _____ processes include acquiring and developing the project team, performing quality assurance, distributing information, managing stakeholder expectations, and conducting procurements. a. Initiating b. Planning c. Monitoring and Controlling d. Executing

d. Executing Executing processes include coordinating people and other resources to carry out the various plans and create the products, services, or results of the project or phase. Examples of executing processes include acquiring and developing the project team, performing quality assurance, distributing information, managing stakeholder expectations, and conducting procurements.

_____ processes include defining and authorizing a project or project phase. a. Planning b. Executing c. Monitoring and Controlling d. Initiating

d. Initiating Initiating processes include defining and authorizing a project or project phase. Initiating processes take place during each phase of a project.

_____ refers to a set of shared assumptions, values, and behaviors that characterize the functioning of an organization. a. Chain of Command b. Line of Control c. Organizational Structure d. Organizational Culture

d. Organizational Culture Organizational culture is a set of shared assumptions, values, and behaviors that characterize the functioning of an organization. It often includes elements of the four frames.

_____ processes include devising and maintaining a workable scheme to ensure that the project addresses the organization's needs. a. Executing b. Monitoring and Controlling c. Initiating d. Planning

d. Planning Planning processes include devising and maintaining a workable scheme to ensure that the project addresses the organization's needs. Projects include several plans, such as the scope management plan, schedule management plan, cost management plan, and procurement management plan.

Projects must operate in a broad organizational environment, and project managers need to consider projects within the greater organizational context. _____ describes this holistic view of carrying out projects within the context of the organization. a. The silo approach b. Linear analysis c. Reductionism d. Systems thinking

d. Systems thinking To handle complex situations effectively, project managers need to take a holistic view of a project and understand how it relates to the larger organization. Systems thinking describes this holistic view of carrying out projects within the context of the organization.

A similarity between the crashing technique and the fast-tracking technique is that: a. both are network diagramming techniques used primarily to predict total project duration. b. both spread out tasks over a long period of time to ensure the quality of work is maintained. c. both invariably result in increases in total project costs. d. both can shorten the time needed to finish a project.

d. both can shorten the time needed to finish a project. The main advantage of fast-tracking, like crashing, is that it can shorten the time needed to finish a project.

Project managers have the least amount of authority in a pure _____ organizational structure. a. matrix b. project c. circular d. functional

d. functional Project managers have the most authority in a pure project organizational structure and the least amount of authority in a pure functional organizational structure.

In organizational culture, control refers to _____. a. the degree to which the organization monitors and responds to changes in the external environment b. the degree to which management focuses on outcomes rather than on techniques and processes used to achieve results c. the degree to which employees are encouraged to be aggressive, innovative, and risk seeking d. the degree to which rules, policies, and direct supervision are used to oversee employee behavior

d. the degree to which rules, policies, and direct supervision are used to oversee employee behavior Control refers to the degree to which rules, policies, and direct supervision are used to oversee and control employee behavior.

Scope refers to: a. each level of work that is outlined in a work breakdown structure. b. the end product created as part of a project that is delivered to the client. c. tasks that are decomposed into smaller tasks in a work breakdown structure. d. the work involved in creating the products and the processes used to create them.

d. the work involved in creating the products and the processes used to create them. Scope refers to all the work involved in creating the products of the project and the processes used to create them.