Construction Engineering: Exam 2 Study Set

A work breakdown structure: a. breaks down work into smaller and more manageable pieces b. creates a schedule for a project c. creates a project budget d. all of the above

a. breaks down work into smaller and more manageable pieces

A project manager is trying to complete a small project for a university, but cannot get enough attention to the project. Resources are focused on operation and process-related work and the project manager has little authority to properly assign resources. What form of organization must the project manger be working in? a. functional b. matrix c. projectized/task d. coordinator

a. functional

(BLANK) scope essentially answers the question of "What end result is wanted". (BLANK) scope includes the planning, coordination, and management activities (such as meetings and reports) a. product, project b. project, product

a. product, project

You have just joined the project management office after five years of working on projects. One of the things you want to introduce to your company is the need to create and utilize WBS. Some of the project managers are angry that you are asking them to do "extra work". Which of the following would be the BEST thing you could tell the project managers to convince them to use WBS? a. tell them it will prevent work from slipping though the cracks b. tell them it is not needed c. tell them it is required only if the project involves contracts d. tell them it is the only way to identify risks

a. tell them it will prevent work from slipping though the cracks

project scope

all the work to build the project

Quality Control

are results meeting specs? measure quality of final product ID need for quality improvement

Quality Assurance

are you following plan? continuous improvement ID remediation steps submit changes update plan and documents

indirect costs

attributable to more than one project (company equipment, presidents salary)

direct costs

attributable to the project (money only to the project)

2. Which of the following is the BEST project management tool to use to determine the longest time the project will take? a. WBS b. Network Diagram c. Bar Chart d. Project Charter

b. Network Diagram

A project is facing a major change to its project deliverables. If the project manager is involved in determining which quality standards are relevant to the change, he must be involved in: a. Quality assurance b. Plan quality mgmt c. Quality control

b. Plan quality mgmt

Quality on a construction contract is: a. Exceeding the owner's expectations. b. The degree to which the project fulfills requirements c. The use of the all the best available materials and components. d. Completing the project on time and within the budget.

b. The degree to which the project fulfills requirements

A project manager has just ben assigned to a new project and has been given the project charter. The first thing the project manager must do is: a. create a project scope statement b. confirm that all the stakeholders have had input to the project scope c. analyze project risk d. begin work on a project management plan

b. confirm that all the stakeholders have had input to the project scope

A project team member is talking to another team member and complaining that many people giving the team member tasks. If the team member works in a functional organizations, who really should be giving direction to the team member? a. project manager b. functional manager c. team d. stakeholders

b. functional manager

During what part of the project management process is the project scope created? a. initiating b. planning c. executing d. monitoring and controlling

b. planning

1. Which of the following are GENERALLY illustrated BETTER by bar charts than network diagrams? a. Logical relationships b. Critical paths c. Progress or status d. None of the above

c. Progress or status

Requirements are gathered from all (BLANK), not just the person who assigned you the project a. Contractors b. Subcontractors c. Stakeholders d. Project sponsor

c. Stakeholders

A program is a group of (BLANK)

projects

A new project manager has asked you for advice on creating a work breakdown structure. After you explain the process to her, she asks you what software she should use to create the WBS and what she should do with it when she has finished creating it. You might respond that it is not the picture that is the most valuable result of creating a WBS. It is: a. the bar chart b. team buy-in c. activities d. a list of risks

b. team buy-in

5. Rearranging resources so that a constant number of resources is utilized is called: a. Crashing b. Fast tracking c. Leveling d. Floating

c. Leveling

During project execution, a team member informs the project manager that a work package has not met a quality metric, and that she believes it is not possible to meet it. The project manager meets with all parties to analyze the situation. Which part of the quality management process is the project manager involved in? a. Quality assurance b. Plan quality c. Quality control

c. Quality control

contract scope

what you are buying from contractor

VAC

Variance at Completion: As of today, how much over or under budget will we be at the end of the job? (BAC - EAC)

CV

Cost Variance: (EV - AC) Negative = over budget, Positive = under budget

EV

Earned Value: Estimated value of the work actually accomplished

AC

Actual Cost: Actual cost incurred of work to date

Any changes to the project scope must be approved by the project sponsor after being evaluated for impacts on schedule, cost, risks, resources, and customer satisfaction (T or F)

True

Name three quality measures, or metrics, that were probably used in construction of the CEC Building (and in concrete class). Verify concrete strength by testing concrete test cylinders in a machine to determine the compressive (BLANK) of the concrete. Test the water-cement ration on site by performing a concrete (BLANK) test on a sample. Making sure the delivered concrete is not too hot or too cold by recording the (BLANK) of the concrete

BLANK 1 : STRENGTH BLANK 2: SLUMP BLANK 3: TEMPERATURE

BAC

Budget at Completion: How much did we budget for the total project?

CPI

Cost Performance Index: (EV/AC) We are getting $xx.xx worth of work for every dollar spent

Scope Management

the procces of defining what work is required and then making sure all of that work and only that work is done

EAC

Estimate at Completion: Up to date forecast of total project cost (BAC/CPI) or {AC + (BAC - EV)}

ETC

Estimate to Completion: How much will it cost from now until the project is complete? (EAC - AC)

If a situation is looking forward in time, it is most likely a quality_____________ function. If it is looking back in time to project results, it is most likely part of quality ___________function. If it is looking back in time at processes, it is most likely part of quality _____________.

PLANNING CONTROL ASSURANCE

PV

Planned Value: As of today, what is the estimated value of the work to be done

Plan Quality (QP)

Planning phase of process research specs create standard what work to check create quality management plan balance scope, cost, quality

SPI

Schedule Performance Index: (EV/PV) We are progressing at xx% of the rate originally planned

SV

Schedule Variance: (EV - PV) Negative = behind, Positive = ahead

3. Which of the following is CORRECT? a. The critical path determines how long the project will take. b. There can only be one critical path. c. The critical path will change every time the end date changes. d. None of the above.

a. The critical path determines how long the project will take.

3. Which of the following is an example of a parametric estimate? a. Dollars per module or component b. Learning curve c. Bottom up estimating d. A critical path network

a. Dollars per module or component

5. Which of the following represent the value of the work actually accomplished? a. Earned value (EV) b. Planned value (PV) c. Actual cost (AC) d. Cost variance (CV)

a. Earned value (EV)

You are the owner's representative on a construction contract. You visit the job site to discuss shortcomings in the contractor's construction inspection system. You are involved in: a. Quality assurance b. Plan quality c. Quality control

a. Quality assurance

During a meeting with some project stakeholders, the project manager is asked to add work to the project scope. The project manager had access to the correspondence about the project before the project charter was signed and remembers that the project sponsor specifically denied funding fro the scope mentioned by theses stakeholders. The best thing for the project manager to do is: a. Let the sponsor know the stakeholder's request b. Evaluate the impact of adding the scope c. Tell the stakeholders the scope cannot be added d. Add the work if there is time available in the project schedule

c. Tell the stakeholders the scope cannot be added

1. Estimate at completion (EAC) is a periodic evaluation of: a. The cost of work completed. b. The value of work completed. c. The anticipated total cost at project completion. d. What it will cost to finish the job.

c. The anticipated total cost at project completion.

2. Which of the following is NOT needed in order to come up with a project estimate? a. A work breakdown structure b. A network diagram c. Identified risks d. A change control system

d. A change control system

4. A rough order of magnitude estimate is made during which project management process group? a. Planning b. Closing c. Executing d. Initiating

d. Initiating

4. Float of an activity is determined by: a. Performing a Monte Carlo analysis b. Determining the waiting time between activities c. Determining lag d. The length of time an activity can be delayed without changing the critical path

d. The length of time an activity can be delayed without changing the critical path

During project planning, which would generally have the highest priority: quality, cost, or schedule? a. Cost is most important, quality next, and then schedule. b. Quality is always the most important. c. Schedule is most important, quality next, then cost. d. They must be balanced on each individual project.

d. They must be balanced on each individual project.

In a task or projectized focused organization, the project team: a. Reports to many bosses b. Has no loyalty to the project c. Reports to the functional manager d. Will not always have a (functional) home

d. Will not always have a (functional) home

An efficient project manager should possess the following competencies: a. knowledge b. skills c. tools d. all of the above

d. all of the above

All of the following are characteristics of a project except: a. temporary b. definite beginning and end c. interrelated activities d. repeats itself every month

d. repeats itself every month

fixed costs

do not change over time (permits, mobilization)

Product scope

end result

variable costs

function of time (labor, material, gas)