Information Systems Project Management (ISQS-4350) Exam 1 Review
There are five steps involved when defining a project. Which of the following is the second? a. Establish project priorities. b. Specify the major objectives to meet the customer's needs. c. Select team members. d. Analyze the strategic plan. e. Analyze the current budget plan.
Establish project priorities.
In which of the following phases is a major portion of the physical and mental project work performed? a. Monitoring and Controlling b. Delivering c. Executing d. Initiating e. Planning
Executing
Of the four types of quality costs, which is the most expensive by far? a. Internal failure costs b. Appraisal costs c. External failure costs d. Prevention costs
External failure costs
What is the implication of the urgency importance matrix?
Find more time to do the important stuff FIRST
When utilized, dedicated project teams operate in conjunction with which organizational structure? a. Balanced matrix organizational structure b. Weak matrix organizational structure c. Functional organizational structure d. Projectized organizational structure e. Strong matrix organizational structure
Functional organizational structure
Which of these structures is the most common?
Functional organizational structure
What is the relationship between corporate strategy and projects?
Fundamentally, projects are the manifestation of corporate strategy
Which of these are not part of the sociocultural dimension? a) Gantt Chart/WBS b) Leadership c) Negotiation skills d) Customer expectations e) Politics
Gantt Chart/WBS
What is the name of the software tool that delineates a timeline chart showing all of the activities and their start and stop dates? a. Work breakdown structure chart b. Control chart c. Flowchart d. Network chart e. Gantt chart
Gantt chart
Which of the following is not a direct cost? a. General and administrative overhead costs b. Material Costs c. Labor costs d. Direct project overhead costs e. Equipment costs
General and administrative overhead costs
The first step in the risk management process is ________. a. Identify the risks b. Assess the risks c. Develop responses to the identified risks d. Control the responses to the risks e. All of the alternatives are true.
Identify the risks
In which off the following lifecycle phases is a project charter created? a. Planning b. Executing c. Initiating d. Monitoring e. Closing
Initiating
In which phases does the SPECIFICATION of a proposed solution take place?
Initiating/planning phases
Of the four types of quality costs, which has to do with scrap and reworked product? a. Appraisal costs b. Internal failure costs c. External failure costs d. Prevention costs
Internal failure costs
Which of the following is a good condition for top-down estimating? a. Internal, small project b. Customer wants details c. Cost and time important d. Large scale project involving several subcontractors e. Fixed price contract
Internal, small project
Organizational culture
Is like the organization's personality
The ultimate responsibility of the project manager is to: a) Finish the project on time b) Finish the project as quickly as possible c) Finish the project within 130% of budget d) Make sure the customer is satisfied e) All of the above
Make sure the customer is satisfied
Which of the following is not a project? a. Developing a COVID-19 patient-tracking mobile application b. Manufacturing F-150 trucks c. Setting up a sales kiosk at a press conference d. Planning and taking a family road-trip for this coming weekend e. Writing a new piano piece
Manufacturing F-150 trucks
Which of the following is not an advantage of matrix organizational forms? a. Matrix organizational forms are flexible. b. Matrix organizational forms are fast, without stress. c. Matrix organizational forms have a strong project focus. d. Matrix organizational forms are efficient. e. Matrix organizational forms provide for easier post-project transition.
Matrix organizational forms are fast, without stress.
Which of the following organizational structures superimposes a project structure upon an existing organizational structure? a. Projectized organizational structure b. Matrix organizational structure c. Dedicated project teams d. Functional organizational structure e. None of these alternatives is correct.
Matrix organizational structure
Which of the following would not be considered a threat? a. Meeting the project schedule b. Competition c. International disruptions d. Inflation e. Economic conditions
Meeting the project schedule
Which of the following is not an advantage of a dedicated project team? a. The cost of the dedicated project team will be expensive. b. Progress on the project is fast because team members devote their entire time to the project. c. The existing organizational structure remains intact. d. There will likely be internal strife between the team members and the rest of the organization. e. Neither a. nor d. are advantages.
Neither a. nor d. are advantages.
The financial model that measures the current value of all cash inflows and outflows using management's minimum desired rate of return is known as the ________ model. a. Return on assets (ROA) b. Inflow/outflow c. Return on investment (ROI) d. Internal rate of return (IRR) e. Net present value (NPV)
Net present value (NPV)
What do we call a diagram showing precedence relationships among tasks?
Network Diagram
From the list below which chart shows the sequence in which activities must be performed? a. Network chart b. Timeline chart c. Burndown chart d. Gantt chart e. Work breakdown structure chart
Network chart
According to Thomas Friedman, how often does project management get offshored? a. Sometimes b. Rarely c. Frequently d. Always e. Never
Never
Describe some techniques for time management:
Once a week make a to-do-list, prioritize most important things first
A professional organization for project management specialists is the ________. a. PMI b. MIS c. CAPM d. PMP e. PMBOK
PMI
A project leader is forecasting how much money his department needs to support a new project. He estimates that two people and $25,000 in expenses will cover his needs. Because management typically insists on reducing forecasts by 20 percent, he increases his estimates to allow for that reduction. Which of the following factors is illustrated in this situation? a. People b. Planning horizon c. Padding estimates d. Project structure e. Organization culture
Padding estimates
Of the following journaling apps which does your instructor like the best? a. Momento b. Diaro c. Dayone d. Journey e. Penzu
Penzu
In what phase of the project lifecycle should a project charter be drawn up? a. Phase 5 b. Phase 4 c. Phase 2 d. Phase 3 e. Phase 1
Phase 1
FIVE FACILITATING knowledge areas
- COMMUNICATIONS - RISK - HUMAN RESOURCES - PROCUREMENT - STAKEHOLDERS
The five phases of team development:
- Forming - Storming - Norming - Performing - Journey (Tuckman)
Organizational structure
- Functional -the most common - Matrix - Projectized - Dedicated project teams
Sociocultural Approach
- Leadership - Problem Solving - Teamwork - Negotiation - Politics - Customer expectations
What are the major sections of a requirements document?
- Outputs - inputs - major functions - requirements
Evidences of Organizational Maturity
- Processes are identified, defined and documented - A best practice is determined and established for each defined process - For projects, history databases and knowledge bases are established and populated - Processes are in place for estimation, learning and improvement - Check-sheets, checklists, templates and models are widely used
FOUR CORE knowledge areas
- SCOPE - TIME - COST - QUALITY
Ten Knowledge Areas
- SCOPE - TIME - COST - QUALITY - COMMUNICATIONS - RISK - HUMAN RESOURCES - PROCUREMENT - STAKEHOLDERS - ONE to INTEGRATE THE OTHERS
Technical Approach
- Scope - WBS - Schedules - Resource allocation - Baseline budgets - Status reports
Name three things star performers do according to Kelley:
- They take initiative - They Network - They proactively manage their careers
FIVE PROCESS GROUPS
1. INITIATING 2. PLANNING 3. EXECUTING 4. MONITORING AND CONTROLLING 5. CLOSING
five stages (phases) to any project
1. Initiating 2. Planning 3. Executing 4. Monitoring and Controlling 5. Closing
Suppose a software project wad determine to have 10 inputs, 5 outputs, 10 inquiries, 5 files and 10 interfaces. Assume complexity factors of 2, 6, 4, 12, and 10 for inputs, outputs, inquiries, files, and interfaces, respectively. Calculate how many function points are involved and how many person-months are required to complete the project. a. None of these alternatives is correct. b. 300 function points | 60 person-months c. 250 function points | 50 person-months d. 500 function points |100 person-months e. 300 function points | 100 person-months
250 function points | 50 person-months (You take the product of the number of elements of a particular type with the complexity factor for that element, summing over the resulting products. That should come out to 250 function points total. Since research shows that one person is able to five function points in a month, the number of person-months required to do the project is 50.)
In which lifecycle phase are schedules, budgets, risks, resources and staffing defined? a. Monitoring b. Closing c. Initiating d. Executing e. Planning
Planning
In which of the following phases is it determined what the project effort will be, when the project will be scheduled, whom it will benefit, and what the budget will be? a. Initiating b. Closing c. Monitoring and controlling d. Planning e. Executing
Planning
A home builder is collecting estimates for a house that he will have the funding to build in 24 months. Which of the following factors does he need to consider in regard to the quality of these estimates? a. Padding estimates b. People c. Project structure d. Planning horizon e. Project duration
Planning horizon
Which stage is responsible for developing a baseline plan?
Planning phase
What type of diagram shows planned and actual project schedule information on a timeline? a) A network diagram b) A Tracking Gantt chart c) A Gantt chart d) A milestone chart e) A project charter
A Tracking Gantt chart
Which of these is not part of the "technical dimension" of project management? a. Schedules b. Budgets c. Status reports d. Problem solving e. WBS
Problem solving
The WBS is best suited for projects that have a tangible outcome. Which of the following is used when the final outcome of the project is less tangible or is a product of a series of steps or phases? a. Priority matrix. b. Responsibility matrix. c. A work breakdown structure is still effective for these types of projects. d. Organization breakdown structure. e. Process breakdown structure.
Process breakdown structure.
Which of the following tasks/activities is not considered a project? a. Designing a space station b. Developing a new software program c. Developing a new advertising program d. Production of automobile tires e. Preparing the site for the Olympic Games
Production of automobile tires
One of the primary jobs of a project manager is to manage the trade-offs associated with the project. Which of the following is not one of the basic classifications of project priorities? a. All of these alternatives are basic classifcations. b. Performance c. Cost d. Profit e. Time
Profit
Portfolios consist of
Programs
PMBOK
Project Management Body of Knowledge
PMI
Project Management Institute
PMP Certification
Project Management Professionals Certification
What is meant by a quality gate?
A point at which certain quality standards have to be met
A project manager is looking over the actual results of projects and comparing them to what was estimated. She notices that the projects that took six months or longer to complete were noticeably more off the estimates. Which of the following factors is she recognizing? a. Project duration b. Padding estimates c. Project structure d. Organization culture e. People
Project duration
Which of the following is not considered one of the tools used for managing projects? a. ProjectLibre b. MS Project c. BaseCamp d. AgilePM e. All of these alternatives are tools used for managing projects.
AgilePM
Which of the following is not a desirable competence of a project manager? a. Is a leader. b. Is a good communicator. c. Exhibits positive charisma. d. Is a good negotiator. e. All of the alternatives are desirable competencies of a project manager.
All of the alternatives are desirable competencies of a project manager.
Which of the following is not a major issue that risk management endeavors to address? a. What can go wrong b. How to minimize the risk event's impact (consequences) c. What can be done before a risk event occurs (anticipation) d. What to do when the risk event occurs (contingency plans) e. All of the alternatives are major issues.
All of the alternatives are major issues.
An item with a WBS code of 2.1.3.4 ________. a. has an immediate parent with a code of 2.1.3 b. is on the fourth level c. is one of at least four siblings d. Only a. and c. are correct. e. All of these alternatives are correct.
All of these alternatives are correct.
Good goal statements should ________. a. have a target date b. be measurable c. begin with the infinitive to d. All of these alternatives are correct. e. Only a. and b. are correct.
All of these alternatives are correct.
If you are getting into project management for the first time, you should pick a project that ___________. a. All of these alternatives are correct. b. is short in duration c. is limited in scope d. is small e. involves a half-dozen or fewer people
All of these alternatives are correct.
Projects with vague visions or objectives are ________. a. likely to fail b. examples of reactive project management c. more common than many project managers like to admit d. All of these alternatives are correct. e. Only a. and b. are correct.
All of these alternatives are correct.
The importance and significance of project management has increased due to ________. a. the movement of manufacturing operations out of the U.S. b. time to market c. the movement toward flatter and leaner organizations d. Both a. and b. are correct. e. All of these alternatives are correct.
All of these alternatives are correct.
The intended outcome of strategy/projects integration is ________. a. clear organization focus b. best use of scare organization resources c. improved communication across projects and departments d. Both a. and b. are correct. e. All of these alternatives are correct.
All of these alternatives are correct.
To establish vision and mission statements, we need to ________. a. determine what is needed within our domain of influence b. determine our values c. All of these alternatives are correct. d. determine what we are good at e. determine what we really enjoy doing
All of these alternatives are correct.
Which of the following would not serve the interests of a high priority project in which the firm wants completed as quickly as possible? a. The project lacks a compelling vision. b. Team members must multitask. c. The project manager is managing several projects concurrently. d. There is confusion as to how the project fits with the overall strategy of the firm. e. All of these alternatives are impediments to a quick completion of a high priority project.
All of these alternatives are impediments to a quick completion of a high priority project.
Project managers who do not understand the role that their project plays in accomplishing the organization's strategy tend to make all the following mistakes except ________. a. focusing on low priority problems b. overemphasizing technology as an end in and of itself c. focusing on the immediate customer d. trying to solve every customer issue e. All of these alternatives are likely mistakes.
All of these alternatives are likely mistakes.
Alignment is necessary because ________. a. while we are working on our firms' goals we must also be working on our goals b. our goals must align with our personal vision statement c. without alignment, empowerment leads to chaos, anarchy d. All of these alternatives are true. e. Only a. and b. are true.
All of these alternatives are true.
Goal setting is important because ________. a. it sets a direction for our lives b. it causes us to focus on the future c. it programs our success mechanism d. All of these alternatives are true. e. Only a. and c. are true.
All of these alternatives are true.
Which of the following is not typically the responsibility of a project manager? a. Meeting budget requirements b. Meeting schedule requirements c. Meeting performance specifications d. Coordinates the actions of the team members e. All of these alternatives are typical responsibilities.
All of these alternatives are typical responsibilities.
Which of the following is not a project lifecycle phase? a. Initiating b. Planning c. Executing d. Closing e. All of these are project lifecycle phases.
All of these are project lifecycle phases.
Which of the following estimates is based on similar past projects? a. Parametric estimate b. An estimate based on a computer model c. Bottom-up estimate d. Analogous estimate e. Top-down estimate
Analogous estimate
Which of these structures has the least job security?
Projectized organizational structure
Programs consist of
Projects
In terms of the urgency/importance matrix, which quadrant does Covey suggest we live in? a. Quadrant IV b. None of these alternatives c. Quadrant III d. Quadrant II e. Quadrant I
Quadrant II
In the urgency/importance matrix, which quadrant should we be living in? a. Quadrant I b. Quadrant II c. Quadrant III d. Quadrant IV e. Quadrant V
Quadrant II
Which of the following is not a generally-recognized type of risk? a. Cost risks b. Funding risks c. Schedule risks d. Technical risks e. Quality risks
Quality risks
Which of the following is the strategy for mitigating risk? a. Reducing the probability and the impact of the risk b. Reducing the visibility of the risk c. Reducing the awareness of the risk d. Reducing the likelihood of detection of the risk e. Total elimination of the risk
Reducing the probability and the impact of the risk
RFP
Request for Proposal
The written specification for a project is called?
Requirements doc
Which of these is not part of the "sociocultural dimension" of project management according to Larson and Gray? a. Resource allocation b. Negotiation c. Customer expectations d. Leadership e. Politics
Resource allocation
Which of the following statements is not true about risk management? a. Risk management is a reactive rather than a proactive approach. b. Risk management provides better control over the future. c. Risk management reduces surprises and negative consequences. d. Risk management prepares a project manager to take advantage of risks. e. Risk management improves chances of reaching project performance objectives.
Risk management is a reactive rather than a proactive approach.
Which of the following is not one of the steps in the risk management process (either Larson & Gray or PMBOK)? a. Risk response control b. Risk assessment c. Risk tracking d. Risk identification e. Risk response development
Risk tracking
According to Burns, Figure 5.1, which of the following is not part of feasibility assessment? a. Review alternative approaches b. Test alignment with and impact on corporate strategy c. Assemble team d. Identify dependencies with other projects
Assemble team
•What is the point of the tradeoff triangle?
Scope
Which of the following is one of Covey's seven habits? a) Share the vision b) Clarify mental models c) Learn in teams d) Become a personal trainer e) Sharpen the saw
Sharpen the saw
Which of the following is one of Covey's seven habits? a. Mental models b. Team learning c. Sharpen the saw d. Personal mastery e. Shared vision
Sharpen the saw
Which of the following is not true of risk? a. Some potential risk events can be identified before the project starts. b. Risks are uncertain events or conditions, which if they happen, has a positive or negative effect on the project. c. Risk management attempts to recognize and manage potential and unforeseen trouble spots. d. Risks create causes and consequences. e. Significant amounts of planning will overcome risks.
Significant amounts of planning will overcome risks.
In 'A Day in the Life' slide, which of the following does not seem to be true in the daily routine of a project manager? a. Involves new challenges b. Must motivate people c. Involves communication d. All of these alternatives are involved in the daily life of project manager. e. Slow pacing
Slow pacing
What is a mission statement?
Something that characterizes who we are as an organization
SMART goals
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realizable (Realistic), Targetable (Timely)
SOW
Statement of Work
In which step is a RBS (Risk Breakdown Structure) created? a. Step 1 b. Step 2 c. Step 3 d. Step 4 e. Step 5
Step 1
In which step is the likelihood (probability) and impact (severity) of the risk determined? a. Step 1 b. Step 2 c. Step 3 d. Step 4 e. Step 5
Step 2
Which risk response step develops a strategy for reducing possible damage and develops a contingency plan? a. Step 1 b. Step 2 c. Step 3 d. Step 4 e. Step 5
Step 3
Which of the following is not a stakeholder? a. Project sponsor and support staff b. Tasks and activities c. Line management and upper management d. Project manager and project team e. Customers and suppliers
Tasks and activities
Which of the following is not true of dedicated project teams? a. The team is usually located offsite. b. Team members have other, outside responsibilities. c. A full-time project manager is designated to manage the team. d. Team members are usually selected by the project manager. e. The team is physically separated from the parent organization.
Team members have other, outside responsibilities.
An activity is a(n) ________. a. task b. step c. event d. All of these alternatives are correct. e. Both a. and b. are correct.
Both a. and b. are correct.
Better quality implies ________. a. higher price b. lower cost c. lower price d. Both a. and b. are correct. e. None of these alternatives is correct.
Both a. and b. are correct.
In today's business climate and culture, it is important for project managers to have an understanding of ________. a. strategic management b. technical issues c. project selection process d. Both a. and c. are correct. e. All of these alternatives are correct.
Both a. and c. are correct.
For the purposes listed below, which would likely use top-down estimation? a) Comparison purposes b) Strategic purposes (2 to 5 years out) c) Budgetary purposes (18 to 24 months out) d) Definitive Purposes (Immediately prior to executing) e) Both b and c are correct
Both b and c are correct
Which of the following is a main reason why project managers need to understand their organization's mission and strategy? a. They can better focus on the immediate customer. b. They can make appropriate decisions and adjustments. c. They can be effective project advocates. d. Both b. and c. are correct. e. All of these alternatives are correct.
Both b. and c. are correct.
For projects that have been completed many times before, it is helpful to start the development of the WBS with ________. a. decomposition b. a WBS template for the project type c. a clean sheet of paper d. old WBSs taken from past similar projects e. Both b. and d. are correct.
Both b. and d. are correct.
Which of the following estimates is based on the WBS? a. Bottom-up estimate b. An estimate based on a computer model c. Parametric estimate d. Top-down estimate e. Analogous estimate
Bottom-up estimate
Which of the following estimates is the most expensive to obtain? a. Analogous estimate b. An estimate based on a computer model c. Parametric estimate d. Bottom-up estimate e. Top-down estimate
Bottom-up estimate
Which of the following estimates is used for a definitive purpose? a. Top-down estimate b. Parametric estimate c. An estimate based on a computer model d. Bottom-up estimate e. Analogous estimate
Bottom-up estimate
Who among the stakeholders is the most likely source of funds?
The CFO—Chief Financial Officer, also the project sponsor
CAPM
Certified Associate in Project Management
Covey says we should be guided by the compass rather than the ____
Clock
Which of the following is not one of the basic purposes that estimates can be put? A. Comparison purposes B. Strategic purposes C. Budgetary purposes D. Definitive Purposes E. All of these are appropriate purposes
Comparison Purposes
There are three purposes to which estimates can be put. Which of the following is not one of those purposes? a. Definitive purposes b. Strategic purposes c. Budgetary purposes d. Comparison purposes
Comparison purposes
Which of the following is not a stakeholder in most projects? a. Line managers b. Customers c. Upper-level management d. Competitors e. Users
Competitors
________ are not a stakeholder group. a. Competitors b. Project team members c. Fellow employees who oppose the project d. Suppliers e. Customers
Competitors
Which of the following is not necessary to have trustworthiness? a. Character b. Confidence c. Competence d. Integrity e. All of these alternatives are not necessary to have trustworthiness.
Confidence
________ and ________ are frequently used to cover project risks—identified and unknown. The former is used to lesson budget risk, while the latter is used to diminish schedule risk. a. Walkthroughs | testing b. Contingency funding | time buffers c. Prototyping | walkthroughs d. Contingency funding | walkthroughs e. Testing | time buffers
Contingency funding | time buffers
Which of the following was not one of the top three suggestions for how to be a star at work by Kelly? a. Aggressively self-manage your life and your career b. All of these alternatives are not suggestions for how to be a star at work by Kelly. c. Continually clarify your values and vision d. Network with peers and bosses e. Take initiative
Continually clarify your values and vision
Which of the following is not a project characteristic? a. Has an objective or goal b. Accomplished in teams c. Has a definite starting time d. Creates resources e. Has a definite stopping time
Creates resources
The major deliverables of the initiating phase:
Creating project charter and list of stakeholders
What is the relationship between organizational culture and estimating? a. Culture determines whether estimates are made. b. Cultural norms affect the accuracy of estimates. c. Estimating and culture are independent. d. There is no relationship. e. Estimating alters cultural norms.
Cultural norms affect the accuracy of estimates.
What is the greatest enemy of THE BEST thing we can do with our time? a. The urgent things that need to be done. b. The not urgent, not important things we do. c. The important things we could be doing. d. None of these. e. The unimportant tasks we often do.
The important things we could be doing.
Which of the following is not an advantage of a functional organizational structure? a. The level of flexibility is high. b. There is an easy post-project transition. c. The level of focus is low. d. There is no change to the organizational structure. e. There is in-depth expertise.
The level of focus is low.
Larson and Gray propose five steps to defining the project. Which of the following is the first step? a. Establish project priorities. b. Create the work breakdown structure. c. Define the project scope. d. Integrate the WBS with the organization.
Define the project scope.
According to PMBOK, which of the following is not one of the five phases that comprise the project lifecycle? a. Executing b. Monitoring and Controlling c. Closing d. Defining e. Planning
Defining
For the purposes listed below, which would likely use bottom-up estimation? A. Comparison purposes B. Strategic purposes (2 to 5 years out] C. Budgetary purposes [2 years out] D. Definitive Purposes [immediately prior] E. All of these are appropriate purposes
Definitive Purposes [immediately prior]
Which of the following is not one of the sections of the project charter? a. Assumptions/risks/obstacles b. Purpose or goal of a project c. Discussion of problem or opportunity d. Detailed list of tasks that make up the project e. Success criteria
Detailed list of tasks that make up the project
Which of the following is not one of the sections of the project charter? a. Detailed list of tasks that make up the project b. Discussion of problem or opportunity c. Assumptions/risks/obstacles d. Purpose or goal of a project e. Success criteria
Detailed list of tasks that make up the project
Which of the following is not part of the Covey strategy for personal planning? a. Continually clarify what is important to you b. All of these alternatives are parts of the Covey strategy for personal planning. c. Determine your true south direction d. Once a week create a prioritized to do list e. None of these alternatives is part of the Covey strategy for personal planning.
Determine your true south direction
Which of the following is not part of the Covey strategy for personal planning? a. Once a week create a prioritized TODO list b. Continually clarify what is important to you c. Determine your true south direction d. After prioritizing your TODO list, put the important items on your calendar first. e. Set aside large blocks of uninterrupted time on your calendar to get the important things done.
Determine your true south direction
Major IT Project types
Development
Which of the following choices is not one of the driving forces behind the increasing demand for project management? a. Development of third world and closed economies b. Increased customer focus c. Knowledge explosion d. Compression of the product life cycle e. The triple bottom line (planet, people, profit)
Development of third world and closed economies
What's more important? a. Doing the least harm b. Doing nothing c. Doing the thing right d. Doing the right thing e. Doing everything
Doing the right thing
Which of the following project team types is responsible for all of the technical details of the project? a. The project manager. b. A project player that has ownership of all of the technical details of the project. c. The project leader. d. The team leader.
The project leader.
Scope Creep
The tendency of a project to get larger and larger
Which of the following is not a disadvantage of a functional organizational structure? a. Progress is slow. b. There is poor integration. c. There is in-depth expertise. d. There is lack of focus. e. There is lack of ownership.
There is in-depth expertise.
Which of the following does NOT help describe a bottom-up estimating approach? a. They typically come from the people actually doing the work and who are most knowledgeable about the task at hand. b. They are made by someone who uses experience and/or information from someone else to determine overall project cost and duration. c. Estimates are made at the work package level and then "rolled up" to determine estimates for major deliverables and for the project itself. d. They can take place after the project has been planned in detail. e. They establish low-cost, efficient methods for completing activities.
They are made by someone who uses experience and/or information from someone else to determine overall project cost and duration.
Which of the following is not one of Covey's seven habits? a. Synergize b. Put first things first c. Be proactive d. Think win/lose e. Begin with the end in mind
Think win/lose
Which of the following would you regard as most critical to the success of any project? a) Top management support b) A team that is well-versed in the technology of the project c) Understanding how to use project management software d) Team members who do understand how the project fits with corporate strategy
Top management support
Which of the following estimates is used for strategic purposes? a. Bottom-up estimate b. Parametric estimate c. An estimate based on a computer model d. Top-down estimate e. Expert judgement estimate
Top-down estimate
Which organizational structure would you choose if your organization is a traditional functional one and you are in a hurry to get the high priority project done quickly? a. Use a balanced matrix structure superimposed on a traditional functional organizational structure b. Just stick with the traditional functional organization structure c. Use a dedicated project team d. Use a strong matrix structure superimposed on a traditional functional organizational structure e. Use a weak matrix structure superimposed on a traditional functional organizational structure
Use a dedicated project team
What is meant by continual clarification of what is important to you?
Values clarification "there is never a destination, it is a journey"
What do we call the hierarchical tree of work elements?
WBS
Once we have written out our OVERALL goal statement we establish _____ goals next. a. WHY goals. b. WHAT goals c. WHY goals. d. WHERE goals. e. None of these alternatives is correct.
WHY goals.
What is the relationship between projects and processes?
We accomplish and complete projects by use of processes
Which of the following is not a negotiated issue when it comes to matrix organizational structures? a. Who will do the task? b. Why will the task be done? c. Where will the task be done? d. Is the task satisfactorily completed? e. What has to be done?
What has to be done?
Which of the following is a good condition for bottom-up estimating? a. When there is high uncertainty involved in the project b. When there is an unstable scope c. When there is a fixed price contract d. When the project involves strategic decision making e. When the project is internal and small
When there is a fixed price contract
Which of the following is not a commonly heard comment of project managers? a. Why is this project so strongly linked to the strategic plan? b. Where did this project come from? c. Where are we going to get the resources to do this project? d. Why are we doing this project? e. How can all these projects be first priority?
Why is this project so strongly linked to the strategic plan?
What is a WBS?
Work breakdown structure, used for scope management and it also enables us to estimate costs (NOT time management)
Which of the following is the number one characteristic that is looked for in management candidates? a. Good references b. Experience c. Past successes d. Works well with others e. Overall intelligence
Works well with others
Should sign-off signatures be obtained on the Req. doc?
Yes
Project proposals are employed when ________ and are used to make ________ decisions. a. a high-level organization official wishes to submit a proposal | project cost and scheduling b. a high-level organization official wishes to submit a proposal | project scheduling c. a project concept fails to get acceptance | project cost estimation d. a project idea is considered worthwhile | project selection e. a project concept fails to gain acceptance | project cost and scheduling
a project idea is considered worthwhile | project selection
You have just been given a project that has a specific completion date. After a discussion with top management you find that while the date is important the cost is more important and a slip in delivery would be acceptable if required to meet the cost targets. The completion date is best classified as ________. a. constrained b. enhanced c. augmented d. accepted
accepted
Organizational structure issues get addressed ________. a. after project estimates are in place b. after the project is defined c. after a project team has been assigned d. after the project leadership is determined e. after the corporate strategy has been determined
after the corporate strategy has been determined
What is a milestone?
an event
The risk graph (Larson & Gray, Figure 7.1) informs us of all of the following but ________. a. the chances of risks occurring decrease over the lifetime of the project b. initially, the chances of a risk occurring within a project are high c. at the delivering phase the cost to fix a risk event is low d. the cost to fix a risk event goes up over the lifetime of a project e. All of the alternatives are true.
at the delivering phase the cost to fix a risk event is low
Delineation of a WBS should take place ________. a. before a Gantt chart is composed b. after a network chart is created c. concurrently with the Gantt chart d. All of these alternatives are correct. e. Only a. and c. are correct.
before a Gantt chart is composed
An operational project is one that ________. a. always is extremely relevant to the strategic vision of the organization b. can improve organizational performance c. must be completed d. is completed to meet regulatory compliance e. supports an organizations' long-run mission
can improve organizational performance
After we have created a list of things to get done in the next week, we should ________. a. prioritize the list from most to least important b. scrub the unimportant stuff from the list c. check the list for completeness, making sure that any item on last week's TODO list not completed makes its way on this week's TODO list d. put the important stuff on our calendar last e. put the important stuff on our calendar first
check the list for completeness, making sure that any item on last week's TODO list not completed makes its way on this week's TODO list
To determine what's best for us we need to ________. a. clarify our values b. ask a mentor c. write a vision statement d. establish goals e. None of these alternatives is true.
clarify our values
The weaknesses of a projectized organization include all but ________. a. completion of projects is slow b. project costs tend to be expensive c. there is possible internal strife d. there is limited technological expertise e. None of these alternatives are weaknesses.
completion of projects is slow
After reviewing the project scope statement, the owner specifies that costs MUST stay within $500,000. This criterion is classified as ________. a. accepted b. limited c. constrained d. enhanced
constrained
A WBS is created from scratch by ________. a. identifying milestones b. decomposition of the work c. choosing siblings of legitimate parents d. defining phase exits e. users exclusively
decomposition of the work
From 1994 to 2009 the phenomena of project lateness or of projects being over budget were ________. a. slightly increased (more projects were late or over budget) b. about the same c. significantly, substantially decreased d. decreased somewhat (fewer projects were late or over budget) e. significantly increased
decreased somewhat (fewer projects were late or over budget)
The more autonomy and authority a project manager needs to be successful, the more appropriate a ________ organization structure or a ________ matrix organization structure is for such a project. a. projectized | balanced b. functional | weak c. functional | balanced d. dedicated project team | weak e. dedicated project team | strong
dedicated project team | strong
Empowerment is ________. a. governed by negotiations b. encouragement c. possible without alignment d. delegation with detachment e. giving authority to do something
delegation with detachment
Empowerment is ________. a. governed by negotiations b. possible without alignment c. delegation with detachment d. giving authority to do something e. encouragement
delegation with detachment
Steps, tasks, activities produce
deliverables (work products)
In terms of managing one's calendar, it is important to ________. a. do planning and scheduling once a week b. put the unimportant activities on your calendar first c. do planning and scheduling once a month d. All of these alternatives are true. e. Only a. and b. are true.
do planning and scheduling once a week
When creating a WBS, we stop breaking the work down when we get to parcels of work that can be ________. a. tasks or activities b. the bottom of the page c. done by a single person in 10 or less business days. d. All of these alternatives are correct. e. Only a. and c. are correct.
done by a single person in 10 or less business days.
The process of forecasting or approximating the time and cost of completing project deliverables is called ________. a. predicting b. controlling c. guesstimating d. budgeting e. estimating
estimating
Covey suggests that we put the important stuff on our calendars ________. a. first and once a week b. last and twice a week c. first and twice a week d. last and once a week e. everyday
first and once a week
For most organizations, the existing organizational structure is a ________. a. projectized organizational structure b. matrix organizational structure c. dedicated project teams d. functional organizational structure e. None of these alternatives is correct.
functional organizational structure
The main purpose of a project plan is to ________. a) acquire resources b) reduce schedule and budget risk c) guide project execution d) meet or exceed expectations e) All of these alternatives are correct.
guide project execution
The lack of understanding and consensus of organization strategy among top and middle-level managers is known as the ________. a. lack of consensus b. priority confusion c. implementation gap d. lack of comprehension e. None of these alternatives is correct.
implementation gap
Typically, a project sponsor is ________. a. a lower-level staff member b. instrumental in approving a project c. instrumental in approving a project and key to support a project to its' completion d. key to support a project to its' completion and a lower-level staff member e. key to support a project to its' completion
instrumental in approving a project and key to support a project to its' completion
A critical factor to ensure the success of integrating the strategic plan with projects lies in a process that ________. a. starts with top management's directives b. with projects first and integrates them with the strategic plan c. is open and published for all participants to review d. Both b. and c. are correct. e. All of these alternatives are correct.
is open and published for all participants to review
If your project starts with existing code, rather than from scratch, then your project is considered to be a ________. a. maintenance project b. integration project c. development project d. predictive project e. agile or adaptive project
maintenance project
Strategy, when considered to be under purview of senior management, is ________. a. beneficial to the Project Manager b. a new school of management thought c. depended on company goals d. old school thinking e. necessary in a company structure
old school thinking
It is common to adhere to a functional organizational model when ________. a. there is direct influence from outside organizations and the project is large but of low priority b. a technical organization model will not work and the project is large but of low priority c. the project manager has authority over department heads and the project is large and of high priority d. one functional area plays a dominate role and the project is small and of low priority e. project priority is high and an early, fast finish is required
one functional area plays a dominate role and the project is small and of low priority
A(n) ________ is a risk event that can have a positive impact on project objectives. a. milestone b. opportunity c. weakness d. strength e. threat
opportunity
The two major elements of the enterprise environment in which projects are implemented include ________ and ________. a. corporate governance | core competencies b. corporate strategy | core competencies c. corporate governance | culture d. corporate primary processes | best practices e. organizational structure | culture
organizational structure | culture
Good project management structures balance the needs of both the ________ and ________. a. corporate governance | culture b. parent organization | the project c. organizational structure | culture d. corporate strategy | core competencies e. corporate primary processes | best practices
parent organization | the project
A good starting point for developing time and cost estimates is ________. a. past experience b. work packages c. task analysis d. time and motion studies e. work breakdown structure
past experience
A simple explanation of organizational culture is that it reflects the ________ of an organization. a. personality b. reporting relationships c. background d. management style e. hierarchy
personality
Within PMBOK, almost every knowledge area begins with a ________ process and ends with a ________ process. a. mediating | delivering b. planning | controlling c. planning | closing d. identifying | closing e. identifying | controlling
planning | controlling
A series of coordinated, related, multiple projects that continue over extended time intended to achieve a goal is known as a ________. a. crusade b. venture c. program d. campaign e. strategy
program
A weighted scoring model typically uses several weighted selection criteria to evaluate project proposals. An example of this would be a(n) ________. a. selection criterion b. project screening matrix c. project proposal d. weighted score e. score multiplication
project screening matrix
Construction firms and consulting firms, where most of the work is project work, the most appropriate organizational structure is ________. a. projectized organizational structure b. matrix organizational structure c. dedicated project teams d. functional organizational structure e. None of these alternatives is correct.
projectized organizational structure
A project that a powerful, high-ranking official is advocating is often termed a(n) ________. a. oyster b. bread-and-butter project c. pearl d. white elephant e. sacred cow
sacred cow
A WBS delineates ________. a. cost b. schedule c. scope d. All of these alternatives are correct. e. Both b. and c. are correct.
scope
Project ________ management, ________ management, ________ management, and ________ management are core knowledge areas within PMBOK. a. scope | time | quality | stakeholder b. scope | time | cost | quality c. scope | human resource | cost | procurement d. human resource | communications | risk | procurement e. communications | time | cost | risk
scope | time | cost | quality
Some ways to generate lists of possible risks include all but ________. a. risk profiling b. simulation c. RBS d. problem identification e. brainstorming
simulation
In a SWOT analysis, good product quality, low debt, and an established supplier network are examples of internal ________. a. targets b. strengths c. opportunities d. weaknesses e. threats
strengths
Projects consist of
tasks, steps or activities
In Larson and Gray, the two dimensions within project management are ________ and ________. a. planned | unexpected b. traditional | new c. technical | sociocultural d. unique | reoccurring e. cost | time
technical | sociocultural
Projects are ________ endeavors. a. perpetual b. temporary c. substantial d. repetitive e. enduring
temporary
What a project charter is:
the major deliverable of the initiating phase
schedule for a project
the timetable that specifies when each activity should start and finish on a timeline — represented by a Gantt chart
When identifying risks, one common mistake made early in the process is ________. a. to focus on objectives and not on the events that could produce consequences b. to give too much attention to past events c. for participants to be overly-pessimistic d. for participants to be overly-optimistic e. to not consider all possibilities
to focus on objectives and not on the events that could produce consequences
People within an organization working on multiple efforts concurrently is an indicator of ________. a. completely allocated staff b. too many projects taken on at once c. project prioritization d. shrewd scheduling e. optimized processes
too many projects taken on at once
In a matrix organizational structure, every team member has ________. a. two reporting authorities—two chains of command b. two desks c. someone who can substitute for him or her d. confusion as to which project to work on e. two or more projects to work on
two reporting authorities—two chains of command
IT projects differ from construction projects in all of the following ways, except ________. a. with IT projects, there is more risk b. with IT projects, requirements are less definitive c. with IT projects, there is more visibility d. with IT projects, the technology is changing more rapidly e. with IT projects, there is more newness
with IT projects, there is more visibility
The Seven Habits
• Be proactive • Begin with the end in mind • Put first things first • Think WIN/WIN • Seek first to understand, then to be understood • Synergize • Sharpen the saw
Internal to a project we can have priorities relative to
• Cost, Time, Performance (completion of scope) • But not Profit • We choose to enhance one, constrain another and accept the only third
Top-Down Estimation
• Done by experts using history data and knowledge bases • Usually involves using past projects (analogous estimating) • Can be done relatively inexpensively • Used for strategic and budgetary purposes
Your first task in initiating a project should be to
• Establish project boundaries and processes • Define the project scope • Verify the budget is available • Assign team members to work on the project • Determine the required completion date
Four Pillars of the PMI Code of Ethics
• Fairness • Honesty • Responsibility • Respect
Major characteristics of a Project include
• Has a vision and an objective • Accomplished in teams • Has a definite starting time • Is a temporary endeavor • Creates a relatively unique (customized) product
When we compare IT projects to construction projects...
• IT projects have more risk • IT projects have more newness • IT projects use faster changing technologies • IT projects have less definitive requirements • IT Projects have less visibility
Bottom-up Estimation
• Is expensive but more accurate • Done by the project manager • Involves the WBS • Uses cost and duration roll-ups from the work packages • Used for definitive estimation • Uses the actual hourly rates of the resources assigned to the project • Becomes a part of the project plan
The two major elements of the enterprise environment in which projects are implemented are...
• Organizational structure • Organization culture
Which three of these make up the triple constraint—the tradeoff triangle?
• Scope • cost • schedule
What 4 factors constrain the accomplishment of a project objective?
• Scope • cost • schedule • customer satisfaction
What dimensions favor a culture that is conducive to projects
• Team Identity • High Risk Tolerance • High Conflict Tolerance
What are the 7 elements of a project?
• a well-defined objective • interdependent tasks • use of resources • a specific time-frame—a definitive starting point and stopping point • a unique or one-time endeavor • a customer • degree of uncertainty/risk
Define expectations for a work package
• able to be done by one person • reasonably independent and autonomous parcel of work • taking 1-4 weeks • consisting of one or more tasks appears at the bottom layer of the WBS
