Ch. 10 - Project Communications Management
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
b
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
b
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
b
It is extremely important to document any changes in technical specifications that might affect product performance. a. True b. False
true
Most WBSs include a section for project communications to ensure that reporting key information is a project deliverable. a. True b. False
true
People have different personality traits that often affect their communication preferences. a. True b. False
true
Project managers must assess the needs of the organization, the project, and individuals in determining which communication medium to use, and when. a. True b. False
true
Rarely does the receiver interpret a message exactly as the sender intended. a. True b. False
true
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.
a
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)
a
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
a
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
b
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
c
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
c
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
d
An example of pull communication is _____. a. meetings b. video conferencing c. voice mails d. blogs
d
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
d
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
d
The output of the _____ process is a communications management plan. a. managing communications b. reporting performance c. controlling communications d. planning communications
d
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
d
Communication becomes simpler when you increase the number of team members. a. True b. False
false
The communications management plan varies with the needs of the project. a. True b. False
true
The project manager often combines information from all of the lessons-learned reports into a project summary report. a. True b. False
true
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
c
An example of push communication is _____. a. meetings b. video conferencing c. voice mails d. blogs
c
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
c
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
c
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.
c
E-mail is the most appropriate medium for all types of communications. a. True b. False
false
Geographic location and cultural background have no impact on communications. a. True b. False
false
Improving an organization's ability to communicate is an easy process. a. True b. False
false
Minutes must be a comprehensive report of the meeting that was scheduled. a. True b. False
false
Project members should either have strong technical skills or soft skills. a. True b. False
false
Status reports should be written in a consistent format, regardless of the stakeholders' needs. a. True b. False
false
A facilitator can help the team solve any communication problems. a. True b. False
true
Adding more people to a project that is falling behind schedule often causes more setbacks because of the increased complexity of communications. a. True b. False
true
Do not have a meeting if there is a better way of achieving the objective at hand. a. True b. False
true
Good information technology project managers must have strong technical and communication skills. a. True b. False
true
In a project, communicating badly exponentially increases the possibility of making mistakes. a. True b. False
true
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
a
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
a
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
a
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
b
Which communication method is most appropriate for assessing the commitment of project stakeholders? a. wiki b. e-mail c. website d. meeting
d
Which process involves determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders? a. strategic planning b. systems management c. identifying stakeholders d. planning communications
d
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?
a
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
b
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.
b