System Analysis & Design: Project Management - CH 3: The Project Management Process Groups -- QUIZ 3

Initiating processes take place during each phase of a project.

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

Which is true about the agile method?

It uses several iterations or deliveries of software instead of waiting until the end of the project to provide a product. Feedback: An agile approach is often used for projects in which the business team cannot clearly express the scope early in the product life cycle, but the team does want to provide a potentially shippable product earlier rather than later. An agile project team typically uses several iterations or deliveries of software instead of waiting until the end of the project to provide one product.

What processes include defining and authorizing a project or project phase?

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

Many project management activities occur as part of the planning process group.

True Feedback: Because each project is unique, project teams are always trying to do something that has not been done before. To succeed at unique and new activities, projects teams must do a fair amount of planning.

Which planning process is associated with project scope management?

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

Monitoring and controlling processes overlap all of the other project management process groups.

True Feedback: Monitoring and controlling processes overlap all of the other project management process groups because changes can occur at any time.

A _____ is usually not necessary to the Scrum method, b ecause Scrum implies that team members work as a self-directed group.

team charter Feedback: Because Scrum implies that team members work as a self-directed group, coached by the ScrumMaster, a team charter should not be necessary.

The burndown chart is a Scrum created artifact that provides a list of features prioritized by business value.

False Feedback: A burndown chart shows the cumulative work remaining in a sprint on a day by- day basis.

The kick-off meeting is always held before the business case and project charter are completed.

False Feedback: A kick-off meeting is a meeting held at the beginning of a project so that stakeholders can meet each other, review the goals of the project, and discuss future plans. The kick-off meeting is often held after the business case and project charter are completed, but it could be held sooner, as needed.

A sprint review is a meeting in which the team demonstrates to the product owner what it has completed during the sprint.

True Feedback: A sprint review is a meeting in which the team demonstrates to the product owner what it has completed during the sprint.

In the Scrum method, team members work as a self-directed group coached by the ScrumMaster.

True Feedback: Because Scrum implies that team members work as a self-directed group, coached by the ScrumMaster, a team contract should not be necessary.

Identifying the project sponsor is a pre-initiation task.

True Feedback: It is a good practice to lay the groundwork for a project before it officially starts. Senior managers often perform several tasks, sometimes called pre-initiation tasks. These include identifying the project sponsor and selecting the project manager.

The pre-initiation phase of a project using the Scrum method does not involve project charters, stakeholder management strategy, and kick-off meetings.

False Feedback: A project charter, stakeholder register, stakeholder management strategy, and kick-off meeting would be created as part of initiation in a project using the Scrum method.

Agile methods are used when deliverables have a low degree of change .

False Feedback: Agile is an adaptive product life cycle used when deliverables have a high degree of change and a high frequency of delivery.

The Rational Unified Process (RUP) framework is incompatible with the PMBOK process.

False Feedback: According to RUP expert Bill Cottrell, "RUP embodies industry-standard management and technical methods and techniques to provide a software engineering process particularly suited to creating and maintaining component-based software system solutions." Cottrell explained that you can tailor RUP to include the PMBOK process groups because several customers asked for that capability.

A milestone list is an output associated with the Project Scope Management knowledge area.

False Feedback: A milestone list is an output associated with the Project Schedule Management knowledge area.

Which planning process is within the Project Scope Management knowledge area?

Creation of a WBS Feedback: Creation of a WBS is a planning process falling under the Project Scope Management knowledge area.

The project scope management knowledge area maps to which process group through the activities of scope validation and scope control?

monitoring and controlling Feedback: The project scope management knowledge area maps to the monitoring and controlling process group through the activities of scope validation and scope control.

The project schedule management knowledge area maps to which process group through the activity of schedule control?

monitoring and controlling Feedback: The project time management knowledge area maps to the monitoring and controlling process group through the activity of schedule control.

What is often the most difficult and unappreciated process in project management?

planning Feedback: Because planning is not always used to facilitate action, many people view it negatively. However, the main purpose of planning is to guide project execution. As such, plans must be realistic and useful, so a fair amount of time and effort must go into the process.

Which activity is a part of the Scrum planning process?

Creating sprint backlog Feedback: Creating product backlogs, sprint backlogs and release backlogs are all part of the planning process of the scrum.

Which are outputs of the executing process of project integration management?

Deliverables Feedback: Deliverables are an output of the executing process of project integration management.

Which is an example of a pre-initiation task?

Developing a business case for a project. Feedback: It is good practice to lay the groundwork for a project before it officially starts. Senior managers often perform several tasks, sometimes called pre-initiation tasks which include the development of a business case for a project.

Project initiation involves taking the actions necessary to ensure that activities in the project plan are completed.

False Feedback: Executing the project involves taking the actions necessary to ensure that activities in the project plan are completed. It also includes work required to introduce any new hardware, software, and procedures into normal operations.

Initiating and closing tasks are usually the longest and require the most amount of resources and time.

False Feedback: Initiating and closing tasks are usually the shortest (at the beginning and end of a project or phase, respectively), and they require the least resources and time.

What processes include devising and maintaining a workable scheme to ensure that the project addresses the organization's needs?

Planning Feedback: 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.

Which framework is an iterative software development process that focuses on team productivity and delivers software best practices to all team members?

Rational Unified Process Feedback: none provided

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

True Feedback: 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.

Administrative activities, such as archiving project files, closing out contracts, documenting lessons learned, and receiving formal acceptance of the delivered work as part of the phase or project, are often involved in which processes?

closing Feedback: Closing processes include formalizing acceptance of the project or project phase and ending it efficiently. Administrative activities such as archiving project files, closing out contracts, documenting lessons learned, and receiving formal acceptance of the delivered work as part of the phase or project are often involved in this process group.

Which process involves gaining stakeholder and customer acceptance of the final products and services and bringing the project, or project phase, to an orderly end?

closing Feedback: The closing process involves gaining stakeholder and customer acceptance of the final products and services and then bringing the project or project phase to an orderly end. It includes verifying that all of the deliverables are complete, and it often includes a final project report and presentation.

What is one of the main outputs of the initiation process?

developing the project charter Feedback: The main outputs of the initiation process are a project charter and a stakeholder register.

An organizational process assets update is the output of which closing process?

project integration management Feedback: The closing process involves gaining stakeholder and customer acceptance of the final products and services and then bringing the project or project phase to an orderly end. It includes verifying that all of the deliverables are complete, and it often includes a final project report and presentation.

What is developed in the Project Integration Management knowledge area?

project management plan Feedback: Developing a project management plan is a planning process falling under the Project Integration Management knowledge area.

In the Scrum method, during which meeting is the improvement of the product and process discussed?

sprint retrospective Feedback: The improvement of the product and process in the Scrum method is discussed at the sprint reflection meeting.

What tool provides a basis for creating the project schedule and performing earned value management for measuring and forecasting project performance?

work breakdown structure Feedback: The WBS is a very important tool in project management because it provides the basis for deciding how to do the work. The WBS also provides a basis for creating the project schedule and performing earned value management for measuring and forecasting project performance.

Which project would be compatible with the use of the agile approach?

Projects that have more flexible scheduling Feedback: Projects with heavy constraints, inexperienced and dispersed teams, large risks, generally clear up-front requirements, and a fairly rigid completion date are best done using a predictive approach. In contrast, projects with less rigid constraints, experienced and preferably co-located teams, smaller risks, unclear requirements, and more flexible scheduling would be more compatible with an agile approach.

Kick-off meeting agendas are usually recorded in a Word document.

True Feedback: Kick-off meeting agendas are normally recorded in the form of Word documents.

The WBS provides a basis for creating the project schedule and performing earned value management for measuring and forecasting project performance.

True Feedback: The WBS is a very important tool in project management because it provides the basis for deciding how to do the work. The WBS also provides a basis for creating the project schedule and performing earned value management for measuring and forecasting project performance.

Which processes include acquiring and developing the project team, performing quality assurance, distributing information, managing stakeholder expectations, and conducting procurements?

executing Feedback: 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 directing and managing project work, managing project knowledge, acquiring resources, and conducting procurements.

What is the main purpose of project plans?

guide project execution Feedback: Developing a project management plan is a planning process falling under the Project Integration Management knowledge area.

The organization recognizes that a new project exists and completes a project charter during which processes for a new project?

initiating Feedback: While initiating processes for a new project, the organization recognizes that a new project exists, and completes a project charter as part of this recognition.

The project management plan is the output of which project planning process?

integration management Feedback: The project management plan,which is part of the planning process, is the output of project integration management.

The project cost management knowledge area maps to which process group through the activities of estimating costs and budget determination?

planning Feedback: The project cost management knowledge area maps to the planning process group through the activities of estimating costs and budget determination.

The project stakeholder management knowledge area maps to which process group by identifying stakeholders?

initiating Feedback: The project stakeholder management knowledge area maps to the initiating process group by identifying stakeholders.

Reporting performance, where project stakeholders can identify any necessary changes that may be required to keep the project on track, is a common part of which process?

monitoring and controlling Feedback: Monitoring and controlling processes include regularly measuring and monitoring progress to ensure that the project team meets the project objectives. A common monitoring and controlling process is reporting performance, where project stakeholders can identify any necessary changes that may be required to keep the project on track.

What process provides enterprise environmental factors as an output?

project human resource management Feedback: Enterprise environmental factors are an output of the executing process of project human resource management.

Initiating processes are not required to end a project.

False Feedback: Initiating processes are also required to end a project. Someone must initiate activities to ensure that the project team completes all the work, documents lessons learned, assigns project resources, and that the customer accepts the work.

Key outcomes of the executing process group are formal acceptance of the work and creation of closing documents.

False Feedback: Key outcomes of the closing process group are formal acceptance of the work and creation of closing documents, such as a final project report and lessons-learned report.

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

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

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

False Feedback: 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.

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

The two main items for monitoring and controlling in the Scrum framework are the daily Scrum and the sprint retrospectives.

False Feedback: The two main items for monitoring and controlling in the Scrum framework are the daily Scrum and the sprint review.

Which process includes measuring progress toward project objectives and taking corrective action to match progress with the plan?

Monitoring and controlling Feedback: Monitoring and controlling is done throughout the life of a project and involves 9 of the 10 project management areas.

The executing process group generally requires the most resources.

True Feedback: The executing process group takes the actions necessary to complete the work described in the planning activities. It should overlap the other process groups, and generally requires the most resources.

The level of activity and length of each process group varies for every project.

True Feedback: The level of activity and length of each process group varies for every project. Normally, executing tasks requires the most resources and time, followed by planning tasks.

What important Scrum artifact is used to graphically display progress on each sprint during the monitoring and controlling process?

burndown chart Feedback: A burndown chart is an important artifact used to graphically display progress on each sprint.

What process group does the project integration management knowledge area map to through the activities of developing project charters?

initiating Feedback: The project integration management knowledge area maps to the initiating process group through the activities of developing project charters.