Chapter 6-7
A typical change request form will include which of the following content items? a. a description of the change along with the impact of making the change b. a summary of previous changes to the project c. an issues log d. a change control process flow diagram
A
All of the following strategies can help a project team to develop realistic time estimates for project activities EXCEPT: a. adding a significant buffer to each activity b. be sure to consider learning curves, interruptions and competing priorities c. estimate times of completion without initial reference to a calendar d. verify the time estimates with the people doing the work
A
Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided, how many days can you delay the calibration of the instrumentation (Activity B), without impacting the expected project completion date? a. 0 days b. 1 day c. 2 days d. 4 days
A
Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided, what is the late start date for activity A - "Plan Research"? a. Day 0 b. Day 2 c. Day 4 d. Day 10
A
Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided, which activities constitute the critical path for this project? a. A-B-E-F b. A-C-E-F c. A-D-E-F d. A-D-F
A
Faced with significant schedule challenges, the project manager has several responsibilities. All of the following are among the project manager's responsibilities EXCEPT: a. willingly accept end dates dictated by customers or sponsors b. persuade all stakeholders that the schedule makes sense c. deliver the project according to the agreed-upon schedule d. determine a schedule that is possible to achieve
A
Which of the following statements is true concerning the adoption of rolling wave planning in project management? a. It is facilitated when the second level of the work breakdown structure is organized by phase or design components. b. It is initially cumbersome, often delaying a prompt and timely project start. c. It often creates a situation known as "analysis paralysis." d. It requires detailed bottom-up estimating for every WBS component
A
Work Breakdown Structures typically include one or more intermediate levels. Which of the following statements correctly describe the nature of these intermediate levels? a. They generally represent items that need to be created in order to create the final deliverables. b. They generally represent the raw materials required to create the final deliverables. c. They generally represent the resource assignments to create the final deliverables. d. They generally represent the sequence and timing of work packages
A
31. Consider the activity duration estimates presented in Figure 7-5. Based on the information provided and adopting the PERT conventions to calculate expected activity durations, what is the expected duration of Activity D - "Package Item"? a. 9 days b. 9.5 days c. 10 days d. 12 days
B
A deliverable at the lowest level of each branch of a work breakdown structure is known as: a. a work element. b. a work package. c. a work unit. d. a control account
B
All of the following elements should be included in a project scope statement EXCEPT: a. project boundaries or exclusions b. names of the project team members c. assumptions and constraints that may limit or influence project work d. key deliverables with acceptance criteria
B
All of the following items can provide useful assistance to a project team to define the activities of a project EXCEPT: a. the work packages from the Work Breakdown Structure b. issue logs c. checklists for projects of the same type d. schedules from similar projects that are already completed
B
An activity that logically comes before a dependent activity in a schedule is called a ___: a. leader activity b. predecessor activity c. successor activity d. mandatory activity
B
Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided, what is the expected duration of this project? a. 22 days b. 24 days c. 26 days d. 28 days
B
Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided, which activity can be delayed one day without impacting the expected project completion date? a. Activity B - Calibrate Instruments b. Activity C - Review Studies c. Activity D - Monitor Instruments d. Activity E - Test Samples
B
Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided, how many days can you delay the purchase of software (Activity C), without impacting the expected project completion date? a. 0 days b. 1 day c. 2 days d. 4 days
B
Define Scope is the process of developing: a. a project scope management plan. b. a detailed description of the project and product. c. a project work breakdown structure. d. a project scope network diagram
B
Despite the insights that PERT provides, there are still practical limitations that impact its usefulness. All of the following difficulties are associated with the use of PERT EXCEPT: a. It often requires more effort to generate three estimates than one. b. It highlights uncertainty in project duration c. It does not accurately address the case when two activities both need to be accomplished before a third can begin. d. There is no assurance that three estimates are any more accurate than one
B
For each component in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), the WBS dictionary includes all the following fields that will be progressively elaborated EXCEPT: a. a brief description of the work b. names of team member(s) responsible for creating the deliverables c. a list of associated deliverables d. type of resources needed
B
It is helpful to list requirements and supporting information in a requirements traceability matrix. When requirements are complete, they should meet all of these criteria EXCEPT: a. identified with the stakeholder who needs it b. assigned to a team member who will be the requirement owner c. measurable, so that the value and completion can be verified d. prioritized so tradeoff decisions can be made if necessary
B
The amount of time a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor is known as: a. reserve b. free float c. contingency d. lead
B
The approved set of procedures that describe how modifications to the project deliverables and documentation will be managed and controlled are collectively known by which of the following terms? a. scope statement b. change control system c. configuration management plan d. scope management plan
B
The approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures is called a ____: a. requirement. b. baseline. c. benchmark. d. component.
B
The technique for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts is called: a. rolling wave planning b. decomposition c. parent child relationship d. requirements traceability
B
All of the following statements correctly describe a contemporary approach to create the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for a project EXCEPT: a. Project teams may adopt a top-down approach to construct the WBS. b. Project teams may rely upon a WBS from a previous project as a starting point. c. Project teams may rely upon the project manager to create the entire WBS d. Project teams may jump start the effort with a brainstorming session.
C
Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided, what is the late start date for activity C - "Review Reports"? a. Day 0 b. Day 2 c. Day 4 d. Day 10
C
Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided, what is the slack associated with activity C - "Review Reports"? a. 0 days b. 1 day c. 2 days d. 4 days
C
Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided, which activity can you delay by one day without impacting the expected completion date for the project? a. Activity A b. Activity B c. Activity C d. Activity D
C
Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided, what is the expected duration of this project? a. 15 days b. 16 days c. 17 days d. 30 days
C
Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided, which activities can be delayed one day without impacting the expected project completion date? a. Activity E - Install Software and Activity F - Test System b. Activity C - Purchase Software and Activity E - Install Software c. Activity C - Purchase Software and Activity D - Prepare Test Plan d. none of these
C
Consider the network scheduling data presented in Figure 7-6. How many days of slack are associated with activity F? a. 0 b. 15 c. 80 d. 107
C
Consider the network scheduling data provided in Figure 7-6. What is the expected duration of this project? a. 97 days b. 102 days c. 107 days d. 112 days
C
Estimating the number of work periods that will be needed to complete individual schedule activities characterizes which of the following time management processes? a. Define activities b. Sequence activities c. Estimate activity duration d. Create WBS
C
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a framework that will be used as a basis for further planning activities including all the following EXCEPT: a. developing the project schedule b. developing the project cost estimate c. identifying key stakeholders d. identifying project risks
C
The sequencing of activities is often based upon dependencies between the activities. The dependencies that should guide activity sequencing can be either: a. critical or non-critical b. opportunities or threats c. mandatory or discretionary d. interior or exterior
C
The total number of work periods (not including holidays or other non-work periods) required to complete a schedule activity is known as: a. effort b. elapsed time c. duration d. resource days
C
Which of the following is not a format that is typically used to represent a Work Breakdown Structure? a. Hierarchical b. Indented outline c. Requirements Traceability Matrix d. Free Format
C
Which of the following items best describes a project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)? a. an organizational chart depicting who will perform project work b. a schedule depicting when project work will be performed c. a tool that the team uses to progressively divide deliverables into smaller pieces d. a list of activities to complete the project work packages
C
Which of the following remedies may reduce the likelihood of omissions when developing activity duration estimates? a. lessons learned b. resource buffers c. learning curve d. staggering project start dates
C
Which of the following responses identifies a common type of logical dependency used to sequence project activities? a. first-in; first-out b. last-in; last-out c. finish-to-start d. last-in; first-out
C
Which of the following statements concerning work packages is NOT correct? a. Work packages are the basis for subsequent project planning activities. b. Work packages are the basis for subsequent project control activities. c. Work packages are activity elements with detailed descriptions of tasks and dependencies d. Work packages are the elements at the lowest level of the WBS.
C
Which of the following statements correctly describes the critical path? a. The sequence of activities that represents the shortest path through the project network. b. It determines the latest possible end date of the project. c. It consists only of activities with zero float (slack). d. It consists only of activities with lag times
C
Work Breakdown Structures can be displayed in a variety of formats including which of the following? a. a sequential process diagram b. an inverted pyramid c. an indented outline format d. fishbone or cause and effect diagram
C
All of the following conventions are widely adopted when project teams create the second level of the project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) EXCEPT: a. The second level may be organized by project phase. b. The second level may be organized by major design components. c. The second level may be organized by work function. d. The second level may be organized by activities and tasks
D
All of the following problems contribute to difficulty in estimating activity durations accurately EXCEPT: a. merging - multiple predecessors b. omissions - leaving out key activities c. general uncertainty in the estimate d. poor vendor selection
D
All of the following statements correctly describe an advantage or disadvantage associated with the use of Monte Carlo Analysis EXCEPT: a. The flexibility of Monte Carlo Analysis allows for more realistic estimates. b. Monte Carlo simulation aids in the identification of near-critical paths. c. Monte Carlo simulations typically require the use of special software and skills. d. Monte Carlo simulations do not consider risks
D
Consider the Assembly Project depicted in Figure 7-1. Based on the information provided, what is the early start date for activity D - "Attach Modules 1 & 2"? a. Day 0 b. Day 3 c. Day 4 d. Day 5
D
Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided, identify the critical path(s) for this project? a. A-C-F only b. A-B-D-F only c. A-B-E-F only d. Both A-B-D-F and A-B-E-F are critical paths
D
Consider the network scheduling data provided in Figure 7-6. Which activities constitute the critical path for this project network? a. A-D-F-I b. A-C-E-H-I c. A-B-E-H-I d. A-B-E-G-I
D
Creating a realistic schedule is often an iterative process because several factors can limit how fast a project can be completed. All of the following factors can limit how fast a project can be scheduled and completed EXCEPT: a. logical order b. imposed dates c. resource availability d. quality metrics
D
Milestones are important points in a project schedule that can serve as check points for project managers and sponsors. All of the following reasons might justify the decision to establish a milestone EXCEPT: a. completion of a major deliverable b. the time right before a large amount of money needs to be committed c. a merging point where multiple activities must be completed before progress can continue d. scheduling team status meetings
D
On agile projects, the scope definition begins with : a. brainstorming b. joint application development (JAD) sessions c. creation of the WBS d. user stories
D
The project scope planning processes include all of the following EXCEPT: a. how the project scope will be defined b. how the requirements will be collected c. how the work breakdown structure will be created d. how the business case will be created
D
A WBS dictionary is a document that defines each of the terms used in the project scope statement.
False
A Work Breakdown Structure must be decomposed at least four levels in order to be effective
False
Baselining is defined as a technique for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts.
False
Except in rare circumstances, project teams should not attempt to decompose work packages into project activities because work packages provide sufficient detail to develop a project schedule.
False
GANTT refers to the Generalized Activity Network Tracking Technique which was developed to better understand how variability in the duration of individual activities impacts the expected project duration.
False
Organizing the second level of the Work Breakdown Structure by major design components facilitates rolling wave planning.
False
Plan scope management is the process of creating a project scope statement.
False
Since work packages provide the basis for future project planning activities, they should be as detailed as possible.
False
The best project scope statements are brief, succinct and limit their focus specifically to the work to be performed.
False
The critical path is the sequence of activities that represent the shortest path through the project, which determines the shortest possible duration of the project.
False
The first process in developing a project schedule is to identify all the resources available to work on the project.
False
The most common type of logical dependency to determine the sequence of project activities is "finish-to-finish".
False
The primary advantage of PERT is that it removes uncertainty from the estimates of activity durations, thereby increasing confidence in the reliability of a project schedule.
False
The project scope refers to the features and functions that characterize a product, service or result.
False
There is often terrific pressure to complete a project as quickly as possible. To confront this pressure, a project manager should quickly promise to meet the deadlines requested by the sponsor and then assemble a team to create the corresponding schedule.
False
A Gantt chart is an easy-to-understand tool that can be used to communicate a project schedule.
True
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) component is a term that simply refers to an entry in the WBS that can be at any level.
True
A mandatory dependency in a relationship that is contractually required or inherent in the nature of the work.
True
A successor activity follows a predecessor activity based on their logical relationship.
True
A thorough scope definition process will often yield multiple project deliverables including intermediate project deliverables due before the project is complete.
True
Almost all projects have deliverables dealing with documentation and customer enablement in addition to the primary deliverable.
True
By using a systematic process of creating a Work Breakdown Structure, project team members can ensure that they remember all deliverables that need to be created.
True
Even small delays on "near-critical" activities can change the critical path of a project.
True
Failure to include project management in the Work Breakdown Structure will increase the likelihood that the project will finish late or over budget.
True
If a problem occurs during project execution, the Work Breakdown Structure can be used to understand exactly where and why the problem occurred.
True
If a project manager delays the start of an activity on the critical path, then the expected completion date of the project will occur at a later date than originally planned.
True
In order for activities to be useful as schedule building blocks, they should have tangible output that can be verified.
True
In order to construct a project Work Breakdown Structure, a project team needs to enlist support from subject matter experts who understand how each portion of the work will be accomplished.
True
It is important to assign a unique number to every component in the project Work Breakdown Structure.
True
Monte Carlo simulation is a process which generates hundreds of thousands of probable performance outcomes based on probability distributions for cost and schedule on individual tasks.
True
Once the project is underway, each potential change to a project is normally documented by some sort of change request.
True
PERT refers to the Program Evaluation and Review Technique, which was developed in the 1950s to better understand how variability in the duration of individual activity durations impacts the entire project schedule.
True
The "start-to-start" logical relationship used in activity sequencing applies to the case in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started.
True
The Work Breakdown Structure is normally developed by listing major deliverables and then progressively smaller ones, until the team feels that every deliverable has been identified.
True
The enumeration method of determining the critical path relies upon identification of all paths through the project network.
True
The length of time to perform an activity is often dependent upon who will do that work.
True
The most conventional approach to create a Work Breakdown Structure is to adopt a "top-down" approach, which can be used when the project work is familiar to the team.
True
The project scope is the work that must be performed to deliver a product, service or result with the specified features and functions.
True
The project scope statement will frequently state what features and work elements are excluded from the project in addition to stating which are included.
True
While the lowest level of decomposition in a Work Breakdown Structure is the work package, work packages can still be decomposed further into project activities.
True
When developing a project schedule, total float (or slack) refers to the amount of time a schedule activity may be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project finish date.
true
