PM-ks-C10-projCommunicationsMgmt-myManyTests

4. Rarely does the receiver interpret a message exactly as the sender intended.T/F

True The receiver of information rarely interprets it exactly as the sender intended. Therefore, it is important to provide several methods of communication, such as written words, visuals, videos, and meetings, and an environment that promotes open dialogue.

60. _____ are normally provided as status reports or progress reports.

ANSWER: Performance reports

67. A(n) _____ allows users to create custom websites to access documents and applications stored on shared devices.

ANSWER: SharePoint portal

44. A(n) _____ is a website that enables anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify its content. a. intranet b. blog c. forum d. wiki

ANSWER: d A wiki is a website that enables anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify its content.

63. The main goal of controlling communications is to ensure the optimal flow of information throughout the entire _____.

ANSWER: project life cycle

65. All meetings must have a(n) _____ and intended outcome.

ANSWER: purpose

57. The _____ analysis includes information such as the contact person for the information, when the information is due, and the preferred format for the information.

ANSWER: stakeholder communications

49. Many experts agree that the greatest threat to the success of any project, especially information technology projects, is a failure to _____.

ANSWER: communicate

53. Project managers should try to _____ the size of teams or subteams to avoid making communications too complex.

ANSWER: limit (decrease)

7. Communication becomes simpler when you increase the number of team members. T/F

False An important aspect of communications is the number of people involved in a project. As the number increases, the complexity of communication increases because there are more channels or pathways through which people can communicate. Communication becomes more complex as you increase team size.

16. Minutes must be a comprehensive report of the meeting that was scheduled. T/F

False Minutes should be short and focus on the crucial decisions and action items from the meeting.

3. People have different personality traits that often affect their communication preferences.T/F

True It is important to understand individual and group preferences for communications. People have different personality traits that often affect their communication preferences.

15. Do not have a meeting if there is a better way of achieving the objective at hand. T/F

True One of the guidelines for conducting meetings is to determine if a meeting can be avoided. Do not have a meeting if there is a better way of achieving the objective at hand.

6. It is extremely important to document any changes in technical specifications that might affect product performance. T/F

True Project communication management involves the inclusion of detailed technical information that affects critical performance features of products or services developed in a project. It is even more important to document any changes in technical specifications that might affect product performance.

39. Which document describes where the project stands at a specific point in time? a. progress reports b. status reports c. forecasts d. lessons-learned reports

ANSWER: b Status reports describe where the project stands at a specific point in time.

61. _____ often create consolidated progress reports based on the information received from team members.

ANSWER: Team leaders

62. An important technique for _____ is the status review meeting.

ANSWER: performance reporting

42. Which question is typically addressed by a project forecast? a. How much more money will be needed to complete the project? b. Does the quality of output match our goals? c. Are our clients satisfied with the speed and quality of work on this project? d. How comfortable are employees with the software and technology being used on the project?

ANSWER: a Forecasts predict future project status and progress based on past information and trends. How long will it take to finish the project based on how things are going? How much more money will be needed to complete the project?

22. As a manager, you want to praise a team member, Phil, for doing a good job on a particular project. However, you know he tends to be an introvert. Which communication method would Phil be most comfortable with? a. Call Phil in for a private meeting to appreciate his work. b. Call a team meeting to praise Phil for his work on the project. c. Announce Phil's accomplishment on the company Web site. d. Have top management and the other teams in the company award Phil.

ANSWER: a People have different personality traits that often affect their communication preferences. For example, if you want to praise a project team member for doing a good job, most introverts would be more comfortable receiving that praise in private, while most extroverts would like everyone to hear about their good work.

40. Which document describes what the project team has accomplished during a certain period? a. progress reports b. status reports c. forecasts d. lessons-learned reports

ANSWER: a Progress reports describe what the project team has accomplished during a certain period.

48. What documents include a complete set of organized project records that provide an accurate history of the project? a. project archives b. forecasts c. project plans d. project notes

ANSWER: a Project archives are a complete set of organized project records that provide an accurate history of the project. These archives can provide valuable information for future projects as well.

24. Which method of communication is likely to be most effective for conveying sensitive or important information? a. short face-to-face meetings b. e-mails c. telephone conversations d. reading reports from other team members

ANSWER: a Short face-to-face meetings are often more effective than electronic communications, particularly for sensitive information.

66. A(n) _____ forces meeting organizers to plan the meeting and gives potential participants the chance to decide whether they need to attend.

ANSWER: agenda

34. According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., a(n) _____ is a medium that is "excellent" for encouraging creative thinking. a. phone call b. e-mail c. meeting d. website

ANSWER: b According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., an e-mail is a medium that is "excellent" for encouraging creative thinking.

30. During which phase must project teams address important considerations for managing information (and often end up updating business processes through improved communications)? a. closing b. execution c. planning d. monitoring and controlling

ANSWER: b During project execution, project teams must address important considerations for managing information, and they often end up updating business processes through improved communications.

28. Using the formula for calculating the number of communication channels, how many channels would five people require? a. 9 b. 10 c. 11 d. 14

ANSWER: b Five people will have ten communication channels.

23. According to research by Albert Mehrabian, which is NOT a way that information is communicated through face-to-face interaction? a. body language b. written content c. spoken content d. tone of voice

ANSWER: b Research has indicated that in a face-to-face interaction, communication takes place through body language, how the words are said, and the actual spoken content.

38. Which document addresses where the project stands in terms of meeting scope, time, and cost goals? a. technical reports b. status reports c. progress reports d. lessons-learned reports

ANSWER: b Status reports address where the project stands in terms of meeting scope, time, and cost goals.

46. Which is a guideline that project managers should follow when communicating with teams through e-mail? a. Always reply to all the people to whom the initial message was sent. b. If the entire message can fit in the subject line, put it there. c. Minimize the total number of e-mails by including as many subjects as possible in a single e-mail. d. Continue replying to e-mail messages without changing the subject line to maintain continuity.

ANSWER: b Use meaningful subject lines in e-mails so readers can quickly see what information the message contains. If the entire message can fit in the subject line, put it there.

33. Which is true of push communication? a. Information is sent only to recipients who request the information. b. This method ensures that the information is understood by recipients. c. Information is sent to recipients without their request. d. This method ensures that the information is received by the recipients.

ANSWER: c In push communication, information is sent or pushed to recipients without their request via reports, e-mails, faxes, voice mails, and other means. This method ensures that the information is distributed, but does not ensure that it was received or understood.

55. A(n) _____ is a document that guides project communications.

ANSWER: communications management plan

56. A(n) _____ must include suggested methods or technologies for conveying information.

ANSWER: communications management plan

25. As the number of people involved in a project _____, the complexity of communications _____. a. increases, decreases b. decreases, increases c. increases, stays constant d. increases, increases

ANSWER: d An important aspect of communications is the number of people involved in a project. As the number increases, the complexity of communication increases because there are more channels or pathways through which people can communicate.

43. What is e-mail communication is most suited for? a. assessing commitment to a project b. building consensus among disputing parties c. mediating a conflict between multiple parties d. communicating simple information

ANSWER: d E-mail is not appropriate for assessing commitment, building consensus, mediating a conflict, resolving a misunderstanding, making an ironic statement, conveying a reference document, reinforcing one's authority, or maintaining confidentiality.

35. Which communication method is most appropriate for assessing the commitment of project stakeholders? a. wiki b. e-mail c. website d. meeting

ANSWER: d If you were trying to assess commitment of project stakeholders, a meeting would be the most appropriate medium to use.

32. An example of pull communication is _____. a. meetings b. video conferencing c. voice mails d. blogs

ANSWER: d In pull communication, information is sent to recipients at their request via websites, bulletin boards, e-learning, knowledge repositories like blogs, and other means.

21. The output of the _____ process is a communications management plan. a. managing communications b. reporting performance c. controlling communications d. planning communications

ANSWER: d Planning communications management involves determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders. The outputs of this process include a communications management plan, project management plan updates, and project documents updates.

20. Which process involves determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders? a. strategic planning b. systems management c. identifying stakeholders d. planning communications

ANSWER: d Planning communications management involves determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders. Who needs what information? When will they need it? How will the information be given to them?

47. The items discussed in a(n) _____ include reflections on whether project goals were met, whether the project was successful or not, causes of variances on the project, reasoning behind corrective actions chosen, use of different project management tools and techniques, and personal words of wisdom based on team members' experiences. a. final project report b. design document c. audit report d. lessons-learned report

ANSWER: d Some items discussed in lessons-learned reports include reflections on whether project goals were met, whether the project was successful or not, causes of variances on the project, the reasoning behind corrective actions chosen, use of different project management tools and techniques, and personal words of wisdom based on team members' experiences.

59. While trying to assess commitment of project stakeholders, a(n) _____ meeting or a Web conference might be the most appropriate medium to use.

ANSWER: face-to-face

50. The outputs of the _____ process are communications management plan and project documents updates.

ANSWER: planning communications management

54. Many information technology professionals work on _____ projects where they never meet their project sponsors, other team members, or other project stakeholders.

ANSWER: virtual

64. A(n) _____ can be a vehicle for fostering team building and reinforcing expectations, roles, relationships, and commitment to the project.

ANSWER: well-run meeting

17. E-mail is the most appropriate medium for all types of communications. T/F

False E-mail is not an appropriate medium for the following types of communications: assessing commitment, building consensus, mediating a conflict, resolving a misunderstanding, making an ironic statement, conveying a reference document, reinforcing one's authority, or maintaining confidentiality.

5. Geographic location and cultural background have no impact on communications. T/F

False Geographic location and cultural background affect the complexity of project communications. If project stakeholders are in different countries, it is often difficult or impossible to schedule times for two-way communication during normal working hours.

9. The communications management plan varies with the needs of the project. T/F

True Because communication is so important on projects, every project should include a communications management plan—a document that guides project communications. The communications management plan varies with the needs of the project.

8. In a project, communicating badly exponentially increases the possibility of making mistakes.T/F

True Communicating badly exponentially increases the possibility of making fatal mistakes. A large-scale project has a lot of moving parts, which makes it that much easier to break down. Communication is the oil that keeps everything working properly.

10. Most WBSs include a section for project communications to ensure that reporting key information is a project deliverable. T/F

True Information about the content of essential project communications comes from the work breakdown structure (WBS). In fact, many WBSs include a section for project communications to ensure that reporting key information is a project deliverable.

13. A facilitator can help the team solve any communication problems. T/F

True It is often beneficial to have a facilitator from outside the project team assess how well communications are working. A facilitator can also help the team solve any communication problems.

2. Adding more people to a project that is falling behind schedule often causes more setbacks because of the increased complexity of communications. T/F

True Many top managers think they can just add more people to a project that is falling behind schedule. Unfortunately, this approach often causes more setbacks because of the increased complexity of communications.

14. Good information technology project managers must have strong technical and communication skills.

True Most IT professionals enter the field because of their technical skills. Most find, however, that communication skills are the key to advancing in their careers, especially if they want to become good project managers.

11. Project managers must assess the needs of the organization, the project, and individuals in determining which communication medium to use, and when. T/F

True Project managers must assess the needs of the organization, the project, and individuals in determining which communication medium to use, and when. They must also be aware of new technologies that can enhance communications and collaboration.

18. The project manager often combines information from all of the lessons-learned reports into a project summary report. T/F

True The project manager often combines information from all of the lessons-learned reports into a project summary report.

26. The formula to determine the number of communication channels is _____, where n is the number of people involved. a. n (n-1)/2 b. n(n+1)/2 c. n (n+1)/n(n-1) d. n(n-1)/n(n+1)

ANSWER: a The formula to determine the number of communication channels as the number of people involved in a project increases is: number of communication channels = n (n-1)/2.

Research has indicated that in a face-to-face interaction, _____ percent of information is through body language.

58

68. _____ are journals on the Web that allow users to write entries, respond to another poster's comments, create links, upload pictures, and post comments to journal entries.

ANSWER: Blogs

58. _____ communication happens when two or more people to exchange information via meetings, phone calls, or video conferencing.

ANSWER: Interactive

12. Status reports should be written in a consistent format, regardless of the stakeholders' needs.

False Status reports describe where the project stands at a specific point in time. Status reports can take various formats depending on the stakeholders' needs.

19. Improving an organization's ability to communicate is an easy process. T/F

False Improving an organization's ability to communicate requires a cultural change in an organization that takes a lot of time, hard work, and patience.

1. Project members should either have strong technical skills or soft skills. T/F

False For projects to succeed, every project team member needs both types of skills, and needs to develop them continuously through formal education and on-the-job training.

52. _____ can create communication problems; words may have different meanings in different languages.

ANSWER: Language barriers

51. _____ communications involves ensuring that stakeholder communication needs are met.

ANSWER: Monitoring

27. Using the formula for calculating the number of communication channels, how many channels would two people require? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4

ANSWER: a Two people will have one communication channel.

37. According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., what is the most appropriate medium for addressing negative behavior? a. voice mail b. e-mail c. meeting d. website

ANSWER: c According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., a meeting is the most appropriate medium for addressing negative behavior.

36. According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., which is the most appropriate medium for giving complex instructions? a. phone call b. e-mail c. meeting d. website.

ANSWER: c According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., a meeting is the most appropriate medium for giving complex instructions

41. Which document predicts future project status and progress based on past information and trends? a. progress reports b. status reports c. forecasts d. project updates

ANSWER: c Forecasts predict future project status and progress based on past information and trends.

29. A team has 10 communication channels between its various members. Using the formula for calculating the number of communication channels, it can be deduced that the team has _____ members. a. 2 b. 3 c. 5 d. 10

ANSWER: c If a team has 10 communication channels between its various members, it can be deduced that the team has five members by using the formula for calculating communication channels.

31. An example of push communication is _____. a. meetings b. video conferencing c. voice mails d. blogs

ANSWER: c In push communication, information is sent or pushed to recipients without their request via reports, e-mails, faxes, voice mails, and other means.

45. The _____ line for any e-mail messages you write should clearly state the intention of the e-mail. a. to b. from c. subject d. cc

ANSWER: c The subject line for any e-mail message you write should clearly state the intention of the e-mail.