PMP Question and Answers ma
The project management plan and the performance measurement baseline have been approved. As you monitor the project's progress, you realize the approved budget is limiting the project and will affect the targeted completion date. This constraint could affect the company's success in the new venture. What is your best course of action?
A Use the contingency reserves B Use the management reserves C Cut costs to stay within the budget D Ask for a change in the budget (Correct answer) *As the project manager, you are ultimately responsible for the project as a whole and its success. You are also the one that has the overall view of the project. The scenario suggests the project budget is limiting the project's ability to meet the targeted completion date. While staying within budget is one of your responsibilities, you also need to make integrated decisions and act to ensure the project's objectives are met and remain aligned with the business plan and the benefits management plan. By deciding to ask for a budget increase so that the completion date can be met, rather than trying to cut costs to stay within the budget, you are contributing toward the project's success. An approved change request will be required to change the project budget.
Customer requirements for the new application to be developed by an agile team limit the technology choices to only two approaches. The team members are not familiar with any of them and ask the scrum master for advice. Which of the following should the scrum master recommend to select the best approach?
a A risk-based spike b Exploratory testing c An architectural spike (correct answer) d Prototyping * Agile projects do not try to plan everything upfront, and they often run into situations where they must determine the correct approach or technology to use to complete a project. A spike is a timeboxed research aimed to gain knowledge in situations where there is a lack of clarity in areas of estimation, acceptance criteria definition, the flow of user's actions, the technology to be selected, and so on. Spikes may help when the team needs to learn some critical technical or functional elements, as in the scenario described. A spike is an experiment performed quickly to help the team decide which path to take. Of the two spikes used in agile, namely risk-based or architectural, the scenario requires the latter. An architectural spike is a technical timeboxed experiment popularized by eXtreme Programming (XP) where the team writes just enough code to explore the use of an unfamiliar technology or technique.
The first phase of a software development project that was conducted using a predictive project management approach is over. The project enters its second phase which will require the project team to utilize an eXtreme Programming (XP) method to develop the rest of the product. How might the team ground rules need to be updated?
a Acceptance of collective responsibility for the project's deliverables b Addition of agreements for working in a virtual environment c The ground rules will no longer be needed as the team will use XP (correct answer) d Accountability for the creation of highly detailed documentation *The scenario indicates that a project team will be transitioning from a waterfall approach to an agile framework with elements of an eXtreme Programming (XP) method. Sometimes it is advantageous to use different project management frameworks for different phases of a project, meaning the project is taking a hybrid approach. Project teams typically collaborate in a different way when using predictive versus agile methodologies. Thus, it is likely that the project team will need to revise their working agreements to be tailored to the project management framework.Agile teams are known for being self-organizing, and, as a result, have collective ownership for delivering the project's deliverables. With a waterfall project, the project team members are more likely to be assigned specific tasks and are individually accountable for completing their assignments. Agile, on the other hand, and XP specifically, stresses the importance of collective code ownership (as it applies to software development). This collective responsibility and team accountability may need to be included as part of the social contract, as reflected by the ground rules in the team charter.
A change request has been approved and is currently being implemented by the project team. According to the project life cycle shown on the chart below, which of the following is true about project costs and risks associated with the process group described in this scenario?
a Both the cost of changes and the project risk are zero. b The cost of changes is lowest while the project risk is highest. c The cost of changes is nearly equal to project risk. (correct) d The cost of changes is highest while project risk is lowest. *All projects carried out using the predictive project management approach (which is a reasonable assumption in the scenario provided) can be mapped to the generic life cycle consisting of five Process Groups: Initiating takes place at the beginning of a project, then Planning, then Executing takes place in the middle, and then the project ends with Closing. Processes of the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group are carried out throughout the project. According to the project generic life cycle, the cost of changes are about equal to project risks in the middle or late middle of the project. In the scenario, the project team is currently implementing an approved change request. This activity is undertaken in the Direct and Manage Project Work process, part of the Executing Process Group. Since execution takes place approximately halfway into the project timeline where the curve representing the cost of changes intersects with the curve representing the risk, it would be true to say that the cost of changes is nearly equal with project risk.If you are still not convinced, consider this: the lowest/highest values as far as the cost of changes and risk are concerned, apply to the very beginning or end of the project. One moment after the project has been initiated, the cost of changes is one tick higher than its lowest level, and the risk is one tick lower than its highest level. The same applies to project closure: one moment before the project is closed, the cost of changes is one tick lower than its highest level, and the risk is one tick higher than its lowest level.
A project manager is currently in the process of determining, documenting, and managing stakeholder needs and requirements. Due to the sensitive nature of the project, there is a concern that some stakeholders will not provide candid feedback unless confidentiality is maintained. What is the project manager's best course of action?
a Conduct interviews to elicit information from stakeholders by talking to them directly (correct) b Use brainstorming to generate and collect multiple ideas related to project requirements c Hold a focus group to learn about stakeholder expectations and attitudes about the project d Use multicriteria decision analysis to provide a systematic analytical approach for establishing criteria *The question suggests that the project manager is performing the Collect Requirements process, which is the process of determining, documenting, and managing stakeholder needs and requirements to meet project objectives. In support of this process, the project manager will need to employ data gathering techniques to elicit feedback from the stakeholders to determine their needs and requirements. The question suggests that the project manager needs to use a data gathering technique where the responses will remain confidential. An interview is a formal or informal approach to elicit information from stakeholders by talking to them directly. Of the available choices, conducting interviews is the best tool for the project manager to use to obtain confidential information.
During an initial project planning meeting, the project team decides to save a portion of cost estimates in the work package to offset the potential risk of advances in technology, which would make their current equipment obsolete. What is the best course of action for the project manager?
a Create a management reserve b Submit a change request c Create a contingency reserve (correct) d Do nothing as the risk has not yet realized *The scenario describes a project in planning. Specifically, it can be implied that the team carries out the Estimate Costs process. Reserve analysis is an example of the data analysis tools and techniques applicable to this process. Cost estimates may include contingency reserves to account for cost uncertainty. The project team has decided to set aside a contingency reserve for the potential risk of possible technological advances that, if realized, would make their equipment obsolete. According to the scenario, the project is in planning. Since there is no information stating that the project management plan has already been approved, one can make the reasonable assumption that project baselines have not yet been finalized. As a result, the best course of action for the project manager is creating a contingency reserve.
You meet with your team to determine the life cycle for your project. After analyzing the best way to define and manage requirements, develop deliverables, handle changes, control risk and cost, and engage key stakeholders, the decision is made to select a hybrid life cycle. With the project life cycle selected, how will the requirements be managed on your project?
a Defined during the transition to the customer (correct) b Elaborated at periodic intervals during delivery c Defined up-front before development begins d Elaborated as often as needed during delivery * Predictive project life cycles are characterized by an emphasis on the specification of requirements and detailed planning during the beginning phases of a project. Agile life cycles, on the other hand, are characterized by the progressive elaboration of requirements based on short iterative planning end executing cycles. Projects that are managed using hybrid methods combine elements of both approaches. Depending on how well or poorly the requirements are defined at the beginning of the project, the elaboration of requirements on hybrid projects will tend to either predictive or agile side of the project life cycles continuum. In any case, requirements on hybrid projects will be elaborated at periodic intervals during delivery with the time between the intervals being dependent on the level of detail of the requirements.
To comply with the customer's contract, the project must use a certified agile practitioner to lead and coach the project team. However, the only certified agile practitioner employed by the company was just assigned to another project. The project manager must now hire an independent contractor to serve as the agile coach, which delays the start of project execution. Which of the following may have helped to avoid the delay in executing the project?
a Documenting the potential unavailability of the agile coach in the project assumption log b Using different verbiage in the resource management plan to remove the requirement for an agile coach c Assigning a different team member from the company to serve as the agile coach d Securing the internal agile certified practitioner with a pre-assignment when this requirement was first identified. (correct answer) *The question suggests that the project manager is performing the Acquire Resources process. Pre-assignment is one of the tools and techniques that may be used in this process. When physical or team resources for a project are determined in advance, they are considered pre-assigned. This situation can occur if the project is the result of specific resources being identified as part of a competitive proposal or if the project is dependent upon the expertise of a particular person. Had the qualified agile coach employed by the company been pre-assigned, the resource may have been available for the other project and the situation described by the question may have been avoided.
Midway into an iteration, an agile team faces a minor technical issue. One of the team members recalls that the agile coach is an expert in the field from her past experience as a senior developer. The team requests that the coach help resolve the issue. What should the agile coach do first?
a Let the team resolve the issue (correct answer) b Help the team resolve the issue c Resolve the issue for the team d Consult with the product owner *the author suggests that "If you [the agile coach] stay at the process level and stay away from the details of the team's every decision and plan, you can achieve detachment. Your being detached invites them to attach and to own their results. This helps them achieve goals asked (and sometimes demanded) of them." Owning the results is one of the principles servant leaders should engrain in their teams. In this way, teams can learn to be accountable for outcomes. The question is asking what the agile coach should do 'first'.
A project requires the coordination of several vendors to produce the project deliverables. The new project manager wants to ensure that the project continues without disruption from the change in project leadership and would like to understand what communication technology and methods are being used in the project. What should the project manager do next?
a Look in the project management plan (correct answer) b Refer to the stakeholder engagement plan c Speak with the company's communications manager d Examine the procurement management plan *The communications management plan is the component of the project management plan that describes how, when, andby whom information about the project will be administered and disseminated. Communication methods andcommunication technology are among the tools and techniques that are used during the Manage Communications process,and this type of information is included in the communications management plan. Note that the better answer to thequestion asked is to review the communications management plan; however, that option is not listed among the answerchoices. Therefore, since the communications management plan is a component of the project management plan, of theoptions presented, looking into the project management plan is the best answer to the question asked.
A project manager wants to ensure that the resources assigned and allocated to the project are available as planned. In order to complete this process, the project manager has to know when resources are needed, and the location where they are needed. What project document is the best source for this information?
a Project schedule (correct) b Resource requirements c Physical resource assignments d Project charter *The question suggests that the project manager is conducting the Control Resources process. The project schedule is one of the inputs into the Control Resources process. As it relates to the Control Resources process, the project schedule shows the resources that are needed, when they are needed, and the location where they are needed. The project schedule is the document the project manager needs to review in this case.
A project manager is searching for more information on the work being performed on the project he has recently taken over. He has been provided the WBS and the WBS dictionary. He hopes to learn more details such as where some of the work is being performed and the effort involved in completing that work. Which of the following would best provide the information sought?
a Project team assignments b Performance measurement baseline c WBS detail report d Activity attributes (correct answer) *Activity attributes provide information that extends the WBS and WBS dictionary descriptions by identifying multiple components of each activity. In the initial stages, information such as unique activity identifiers, labels and names may be included. As activities and their components continue to evolve during the project, activity descriptions, resource requirements, constraints, and leads and lags are examples of information that can be included. The activity attributes can be useful in learning where work is being performed and the type of effort involved in completing the work as described in this question.
An agile project to develop a new application has just finished its first iteration. To better assess marketing and support needs, the company's management has requested that the scrum master provide a date for when the application can be launched. What is the best course of action for the scrum master?
a Provide an accurate estimate based on the velocity of the first iteration b Request time to develop the project schedule baseline c If possible, defer estimating until after a few iterations are completed (correct answer) c Provide a random date just to calm the management down *Agile project management approach favors empirical and value-based measurements instead of predictive measurements. Agile measures what the team delivers, not what the team predicts it will deliver. Theoretically, the scrum master could have provided management with an estimate based on the velocity of the first completed iteration. However, since there is another answer choice that could result in a better estimate, such as the one based on several iterations, that answer choice would more accurately address the question asked. In order to provide the most accurate forecast, the scrum master should use as much actual and observed data from the project as possible. This estimation, however, assumes that management allows the team to run several iterations. Since there is no sense of urgency in the scenario, the assumption that the team has time is reasonable.
A project team will work in a noisy environment requiring hearing protection. To communicate in this type of environment, your employer has a mandatory proprietary instant messaging mobile phone application that will be installed on the phone of every project team member for the duration of the project. The requirement to install this messaging application is an example of which of the following?
a Pull communication b Push communication c Enterprise environmental factors (correct) d Communication model *The scenario describes the use of a proprietary instant messaging application that, according to your organization, is a mandatory tool to be used for communications under certain circumstances, for example, when the employees perform project work in a noisy remote environment. While the use of the instant messaging application on the mobile phones may lead you to think the question is talking about communication technology, communication models, or communication methods, the word 'mandatory' should trigger the thought of enterprise environmental factors. Any condition, not under the immediate control of the team that influences, constraints, or directs the project, is an enterprise environmental factor (EEF). Established communication channels, tools, and systems are an example of the EEF. Since the instant messaging application is defined as 'mandatory' by your organization, meaning it is outside the project team's control, the requirement to install the application qualifies as an EEF, in particular as an established communication tool. Therefore, of the choices provided, enterprise environmental factors are the best answer to the question asked.
You are leading a hybrid project with an agile team developing the web application and a traditional engineering team to design the servers that will host the application. You want to determine what does your company say about the use of social media tools to communicate and work with the stakeholders to meet their needs and expectations. What is your best course of action?
a Review the stakeholder register b Check the organizational process assets (correct answer) c Consult with the project sponsor d Check the lessons learned repository * Communicating and working with stakeholders to meet their needs and expectations, address issues, and foster appropriate stakeholder involvement is essentially the definition of the Stakeholder Engagement process. According to the scenario, you want to determine what your company says about the use of social media tools to communicate and work with the stakeholders to meet their needs and expectations. This implies you are looking for inputs to the Manage Stakeholder Engagement process. Organizational process assets (OPAs) are one of the inputs to this process. Corporate policies and procedures for social media are an example of OPAs. It is typical for organizations to prohibit or provide guidelines on the use of social media when done on behalf of the business. You should first check the corporate policies and procedures before encouraging employees to use social media as a business tool.Note, the scenario describes a hybrid project which involves an agile team developing the software and a traditional engineering team designing the hardware. This information, however, does not change the correct answer. Regardless of whether the project is predictive, agile, or hybrid, organizational process assets are the best place to find the corporate policies and procedures for the use of social media on projects performed by the organization.
A project manager and team are in the process of finalizing all project activities. They have obtained final acceptance and transferred ownership of deliverables, obtained administrative closure, collated lessons learned, archived all project documents, and obtained feedback from relevant stakeholders. Finally, the project manager and team have been released and reassigned to other assignments. Based on the information provided, what might have been forgotten?
a Reviewing project requirements b Verifying project deliverables c Sharing the final project report (correct) d Conducting benefit analysis *The scenario suggests the project manager and team are carrying out the activities associated with the Close Project or Phase process. To convey project performance and assist in project evaluation, the final project report should be prepared and shared according to the communications management plan. All of the incorrect answer choices represent tasks that should be completed as part of process groups other than the Closing Process Group. The information provided by the question suggests that all of the tasks associated with project closure have been completed except for sharing the final project report.
You are assigned to a research and development project as a project manager. Since the scope of the project cannot be well defined, you have used a cost-reimbursable contract with a vendor to produce some of the deliverables for your project. A recent audit has uncovered an expense that appears unrelated to your project has been submitted for payment by the vendor. What should you do first?
a Share the audit results with the vendor's representative (correct) b Proceed with claims administration c Instruct the accounts payable department to stop all payments to the vendor d Begin litigation to recover any funds disbursed based on fraudulent invoices *Audits are a structured review of the procurement process. Resulting audit observations should be brought to the attention of the buyer's project manager and the seller's representative for adjustments to the project, when necessary. Except for sharing the audit results with the vendor, all of the answer choices represent actions which are premature at this point. The vendor may have simply charged the invoices to the wrong account, or perhaps there is some legitimate justification for the charge that is not understood.
You are leading a project with a critical time constraint and cannot afford any project delays. An argument between two project team members over a report format to document their testing results turns into a shouting match. The team members draw you into their argument. You realize that resolving the conflict would delay the project timeline. What is your best course of action?
a Tell the team members to figure it out for themselves b Look for an approach that would completely satisfy both team members c Request the team members to go back to work to avoid any further delays d Select the report format that you think is best and make the decision
You are leading a project with a critical time constraint and cannot afford any project delays. An argument between two project team members over a report format to document their testing results turns into a shouting match. The team members draw you into their argument. You realize that resolving the conflict would delay the project timeline. What is your best course of action?
a Tell the team members to figure it out for themselves b Look for an approach that would completely satisfy both team members c Request the team members to go back to work to avoid any further delays d Select the report format that you think is best and make the decision (correct answer *Your success in managing a project and your team often depends on your ability to resolve conflict appropriately and promptly. You should choose the most appropriate conflict resolution method based on factors such as the importance and the intensity of the conflict and timelines. According to the scenario, the subject of the conflict (a report format) is not critical to project success. The project, however, has a critical time constraint and cannot afford any delays. Therefore, you need to address the dispute quickly so that the team members can return to work without further delay. The quickest way to resolve the conflict in this situation, and, therefore, your best course of action, is to use the force/direct method by selecting an approach that you think is the best and make the decision. Note, the collaborative or problem-solving approach, which incorporates multiple viewpoints and insights from different perspectives, is ideal to resolve conflicts. However, such an approach is not always possible. Project managers should use their interpersonal and team skills and situational judgment to determine how best to handle a conflict.
Two project team members have had frequent clashes, which have at times resulted in shouting matches during team meetings. The project manager has intervened, asked them to resolve their differences, and even facilitated a meeting between them, but things have gotten worse. The project manager is concerned that the situation is negatively affecting team cohesion and is placing the successful completion of the project at risk. What should the project manager do next?
a Use formal procedures including disciplinary actions (correct answer) b Allow the team members to resolve their differences on their own c Facilitate another meeting between the two team members d Request that the other project team members intercede as a form of peer pressure *Project team members are initially responsible for resolving their own conflicts. If the conflict escalates, the project manager should help facilitate a satisfactory resolution. If the disruptive conflict persists, formal procedures may be used, including disciplinary action. In this scenario, the project manager has already given the team members the opportunity to resolve their own issues and attempted to facilitate a resolution. The project manager should not allow conflict to put the success of the project at risk. The project manager should use formal procedures including disciplinary actions to resolve the issue.
