Integrate Project Planning Activities
77.8% complete Question A project manager is in a matrix organization environment. The project manager notices the team is not working well together, performing poorly, and delivering poor quality results. How should the project manager address this with the team? A.Conduct a team meeting to discuss the issue. B.Meet with each team member individually to get their perspective. C.Create a communication plan to improve communication between team members. D.Reassign team members to different roles.
Solution: A. Conduct a team meeting to discuss the issue. The first step is to get the team together and discuss the issue. This will help to identify the root cause of the problem and to develop a plan to address it. The project manager should listen to the team members' concerns and suggestions and should be open to feedback. The other answer choices are incorrect. Meeting with each team member individually may not be enough to get a complete picture of the issue. It is also important to get the team members to communicate with each other in a meeting setting. Creating a communication plan is a good idea, but it is not enough to address the underlying problems. Reassigning team members may be necessary in some cases, but should be a last resort. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/ground-rules-high-performing-team-9338 [Item]
A project manager is managing several interconnected projects. Some of these projects rely on specific deliverables from other projects. To avoid bottlenecks and facilitate project success, the project manager must assess the consolidated project plans for dependencies.What is the most appropriate action for the project manager to take in this situation? A.Identify and document all inter-project dependencies. B.Adjust project timelines to remove dependencies. C.Eliminate all potential inter-project dependencies. D.Ensure that all projects can proceed independently.
Solution: A. Identify and document all inter-project dependencies. It is important that the project manager identifies all inter-project dependencies. Identifying and documenting these inter-project dependencies ensures a clear understanding of which deliverables impact other projects, facilitates effective planning and inter-project communication, and ensures that dependency-related risks are identified and planned for.The other answer choices are incorrect because they are not effective ways of handling inter-project dependencies. Adjusting timelines is not an appropriate response because there is no guarantee that adjusting the timeline is feasible or would positively impact inter-project dependency.Eliminating all potential inter-project dependencies is incorrect because it may not be achievable or practical in this situation. It may not be possible to ensure that all projects can proceed independently and that course of action may negatively impact the project. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//7/117 [Item]
A project manager notices that a project is not running well and deliverables are falling behind. What is the first step the project manager should take in order to make a decision on how to progress with the project? A.Identify the problem. B.Brainstorm solutions. C.Establish a measurement criteria. D.Set a goal.
Solution: A. Identify the problem. By identifying the problem, the project manager can then start to brainstorm solutions and develop a plan to address the issue. This is the first step because the project manager needs to understand what is not working well and why before they can make any decisions about how to fix it. The other answer choices are incorrect. Brainstorming solutions is not the first step because the project manager needs to understand the problem before they can start to brainstorm solutions. Establishing a measurement criteria is not the first step because the project manager needs to know what the problem is before they can establish a measurement criteria to track the progress of the solution. Setting a goal is not the first step because the project manager needs to know what the problem is before they can set a goal for the solution. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/critical-decision-making-skills-project-managers-5798 [Item Critical decision-making skills for project managers (CONFERENCE) Parth, Frank R.]
A project manager is assigned to a project that will ensure that the organization meets regulatory compliance with new legislation. In which phase of the project should the project manager document compliance objectives? A.Initiation phase B.Planning phase C.Execution phase D.Closing phase
Solution: A. Initiation phase is the most important phase for documenting the compliance requirements because the project charter is created in this phase. By documenting the compliance requirements in the project charter, the project manager ensures that everyone involved in the project is aware of them and that they are taken into account when making decisions about the project. The other answer choices are incorrect. The compliance objectives should be documented in the project charter which is the first document that is created. The planning, execution, monitoring and control phases all come after the initiation phase. It is important for compliance objectives to be considered early as a requirement so they can be documented and incorporated into the project scope. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: PMI.org (2010) //My project should be compliant/Rincon, Ivan Daniel/ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/achieve-compliance-accommodate-constraints-project-6537]
A project manager is overseeing the development and launch of a new product. In order to comply with the Project Management Office (PMO)'s guidelines, the project manager is required to ensure a Benefits Realization Plan outlining the business value to be delivered is created. The project manager is currently documenting the Roles and Responsibilities for this task in the form of a RACI chart. Who will be accountable for ensuring the project brings value to the organization? A.Project sponsor B.Project manager C.Solution architect D.Steering committee
Solution: A. Project sponsor The project sponsor is accountable for ensuring the project brings value to the organization. The project sponsor is the senior-level executive who is responsible for the project's success. They are responsible for ensuring that the project is aligned with the organization's strategic goals and that it delivers the expected business value. The other answer choices are not as accurate as they are not accountable for ensuring that the project brings value to the organization. The project manager is responsible for the day-to-day execution of the project. The solution architect is responsible for designing and implementing the project's technical solution. The steering committee is a group of senior stakeholders who provide guidance and oversight for the project. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: PMI.org (2012) //Achieve project success by delivering business value/James, Vicki M./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/achieve-project-success-delivering-business-value-6055 James, V. M. (2012). Achieve project success by delivering business value. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2012—North America, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.]
A project manager needs to ensure that the products of the organization meet certain government standards and regulations. The project manager's team is developing a business requirements document (BRD) to help in this regard. Which of the following statements are correct about compliance requirements? (Choose 2). A.Compliance requirements are functional requirements and must be included in the BRD. B.Compliance requirements are non-functional requirements and must be documented in the BRD. C.Compliance requirements should be part of the project scope and should be managed by the project team. D.Compliance requirements can be considered organization assets and do not need to be included in the BRD. E.Compliance requirements can not be considered organization assets and must be included in the BRD.
Solution: B and C. B. Compliance requirements are non-functional requirements and must be documented in the BRD. C. Compliance requirements should be part of the project scope and should be managed by the project team. All functional requirements must be documented. Compliance requirements are typically non-functional because they define the quality and constraints of the project's deliverables rather than specific features or functionalities. They are a condition or capability that is necessary to be present in an end deliverable to satisfy a business need. Government standards and regulations establish project requirements including applicable administrative provisions that have to adhere to government-mandated compliance regulations. Compliance requirements impact many other project requirements, such as scope, schedule, and budget, therefore they must be documented and addressed throughout the project. There will also need to be verification that the end deliverable complies with a regulation, requirement, specification, or imposed condition, so the product team must identify, document, and manage these requirements throughout the project. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: Rincon, I. D. (2010). My project should be compliant: what do I do now? Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2010—North America, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.] PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) ///[2.4.2 PLANNING VARIABLES] [3.8 BUILD QUALITY INTO PROCESSES AND DELIVERABLES]
A project being run by a project manager is implementing a new technology. The project manager wants to be sure that the project delivers business value. What roles are critical in ensuring that the organization will benefit from the project delivery? (Choose 3). A.People and culture manager B.Project manager C.Business analyst D.Customer lead E.Technical architect
Solution: B, C and D. Project manager, Business analyst and Customer lead Although this is a technical project the Business Value should be determined by the people that are responsible for delivering that. The Technical Architect, DevOPS Manager, and the Technical Lead are important players but their responsibility is to deliver what the business needs rather than define what brings value to the Business. The people and culture manager are responsible for human resources, ground rules, and conflict resolution throughout the enterprise, not for business value. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: PMI.org (2012) //Achieve project success by delivering business value/James, Vicki M./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/achieve-project-success-delivering-business-value-6055 James, V. M. (2012). Achieve project success by delivering business value. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2012—North America, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.]
A project manager is leading a project with numerous risks that may occur sequentially and could potentially result in significant financial consequences. What should the project manager do to better understand the risks? A.Perform a SWOT analysis with stakeholders. B.Analyze a probability and impact matrix. C.Participate in a brainstorming session. D.Build a decision tree with the project team.
Solution: B. Analyze a probability and impact matrix. The project manager can use the probability and impact matrix to identify the risks that are most likely to occur and have the most significant impact on the project. These risks can then be prioritized for mitigation or avoidance. The other answer choices are incorrect because they are not tools used to assess risk. A SWOT analysis is a tool that helps to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a project; brainstorming is a technique that is used to generate ideas; and a decision tree is a tool that is used to help make decisions under uncertainty. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: PMI.org (2005) //Decisions, decisions/tefanovic, M. & Stefanovic, I. L/ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/decisions-quantitative-making-process-7466]
A product team is using a prototyping approach to deliver a multiyear business initiative. The project manager notices that a few user stories are taking longer to be delivered. What should the project manager do? A.Review the project timeline and reallocate resources. B.Conduct a retrospective with the team to identify bottlenecks. C.Escalate the issue to senior management for intervention. D.Modify the project scope to remove the delayed user stories.
Solution: B. Conduct a retrospective with the team to identify bottlenecks. The project manager should lead a retrospective meeting to empower the project team to identify bottlenecks and threats to performance and to suggest changes to improve efficiency. The other options are not as effective. Reviewing the project timeline and reallocating resources doesn't address the underlying issues causing the delays and should only be considered after the team has identified the specific issues. Escalating the issue to senior management is not advisable at this stage, and the team should strive to resolve issues on their own before considering escalation. Modifying the project scope may reduce the value of the final product and should be a last resort. Such a significant change should only be considered if it's clear that the delayed stories are no longer viable or necessary. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: O'Reilly Platform (No Date) //Agile Management - Chapter 6 - Agility/ [Item] | O'Reilly Platform (No Date) //Essential Scrum - chapter 5 - Requirements and user stories/ [Item] PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.6 DELIVERY PERFORMANCE DOMAIN] [2.4.7 CHANGES]
A project manager is leading a team on a new development project. The team is made up of a diverse group of people with different personalities and work styles. The project manager is committed to creating a cohesive and productive team, so they decided to introduce the DISC behavior model to help team members understand each other better. Based on the DISC behavior model, which of the following characteristics best describes the Influence style? A.Direct, result-oriented, and firm B.Outgoing, enthusiastic, optimistic C.Accommodating, patient, humble, tactful D.Analytical, reserved, and precise
Solution: B. Outgoing, enthusiastic, optimistic The Influence style in the DISC model focuses on building relationships, communicating, and working effectively with others. Therefore, individuals with this style often exhibit the characteristics of being outgoing, enthusiastic, and optimistic. These traits make them excellent team players who can inspire and motivate others within the team. Direct, result-oriented, and firm characteristics are more characteristic of the Dominant style. Accommodating, patient, humble, and tactful characteristics are more characteristic of the Steadiness style. Analytical, reserved, and precise characteristics are more characteristic of the Conscientiousness style. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: Stuart, A. (2014). Ground rules for a high performing team. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/ground-rules-high-performing-team-9338 [Item]
After preparing the project management plan, a project manager schedules a meeting with key stakeholders to finalize the planning phase. The project manager is now preparing for the executing phase. What should the project manager do next? A.Define the project and create the project charter. B.Put the project plan into action. C.Ensure all deliverables are completed. D.Address risks to make sure the project is on track.
Solution: B. Put the project plan into action. The Executing phase is the phase where the project plan is put into action. The project manager and the team work to deliver the project's objectives and deliverables. This includes tasks such as assigning work, communicating with stakeholders, and managing risks. The other answer choices are incorrect. Defining the project and creating the project charter is done in the Initiating phase of the project. Ensuring all deliverables are completed is done in the Closing phase of the project. Addressing risks to make sure the project is on track is especially important in the Monitoring and Controlling phase. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: e-Reads (No Date) ///Do Not Use Advanced Project Management: Best practices of implementation. 2nd Edition. [Item] | e-Reads (No Date) ///Project Management: Step by Step. Chapter 3 [Item] | PMBOK® Guide--Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//13.3 Manage stakeholder engagement. Page 404 [Item]
33.3% complete Question A new project manager is hired to replace a project manager who was recently transferred to another project. The team members tell the new project manager that the project is behind schedule due to delays in document approvals from the customer. What should the project manager do first? A.Meet with the customer to discuss the delays and negotiate a new deadline. B.Talk to the previous project manager to understand the situation better. C.Reach out to the customer and request expedited document approvals. D.Assess the impact of the delays on the project schedule and budget.
Solution: B. Talk to the previous project manager to understand the situation better. By talking to the previous project manager, the new project manager can get a firsthand account of the situation from someone who was already involved in the project. The previous project manager can provide insights into the root cause of the delays, the steps that have already been taken to address them, and the options that are available to the new project manager. The other answer choices are incorrect. Meeting with the customer to discuss the delays, negotiating a new deadline, or requesting expedited document approvals may be necessary, but should not be done before the new project manager has talked to the previous project manager and understands the situation better. Assessing the impact of the delays on the project schedule and budget is important, but it should be done after the new project manager has talked to the previous project manager. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: O'Reilly Platform (No Date) //2/ [Item Title: Mastering Project Time Management, Cost Control, and Quality Management: Proven Methods for Controlling the Three Elements that Define Project Deliverables Part 1: Project time management: Section 2. Project activity requirements Sub-section: Information accuracy] | PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/5 MONITORING AND CONTROLLING PROCESS GROUP/613 [Item
A project manager is leading a project that will deliver a new product. The project manager needs to decide between options proposed by various cross-functional teams. The project manager uses a decision-making matrix and has identified criteria to evaluate the options and assign a relative weight to each criterion. What should the project manager do next? A.Draft a counter-proposal and share it with stakeholders. B.Eliminate the alternative with the least weight. C.Score each alternative for each criterion. D.Choose the preferred alternative based on voting.
Solution: C. Score each alternative for each criterion. The project manager has already identified the criteria and assigned relative weights to each criterion. The next step is to score each alternative against each criterion. This means assigning a number to each option that reflects how well it meets the criteria, like 1-10, with 10 being the best. Once the project manager has scored each option against each criterion, they can calculate the total score for each option. The total score is calculated by adding up the scores for each criterion and the option with the highest total score is the preferred alternative. The other answer choices are incorrect. Eliminating the alternative with the least weight is not a good idea because it may eliminate the best option. Drafting a counter-proposal and sharing it with stakeholders is not necessary at this stage. Choosing the preferred alternative based on voting is not a fair or objective way to make a decision. The process for using the decision-making matrix can be as follows: Identify viable alternatives. Identify criteria that are to be used for evaluating the alternatives. Assign relative weight (1-10, with 10 being the most important) to each criterion. Note that more than one criterion may have the same weight. Score each alternative for each criterion (again 1-10, with 10 being the best.) For each alternative, multiply the score with the corresponding criteria weight and add these multiples in the last column. This is the total score for each alternative. Choose the preferred alternative based on the total score. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: PMI.org (2005) //Decisions, decisions/Stefanovic, M. & Stefanovic, I. L./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/decisions-quantitative-making-process-7466]
16.7% complete Question The project manager for a complex project, aimed at improving the company's financial results, decides to use the Expected Monetary Value (EMV) method to select the best strategy. To achieve this, the project team defines three scenarios with the following probabilities of outcome: scenario 1 (25%), scenario 2 (50%), and scenario 3 (25%) for strategy A, with scores $160, $120, and -$20 respectively. The other strategy, strategy B, scored an EMV of $75. Which strategy will the project manager prefer? A.Strategy A with an EMV score for Strategy A of 65. B.Strategy B with an EMV score for Strategy B of 75. C.Strategy A with an EMV score for Strategy A of 95. D.Strategy B with an EMV score for Strategy A of 95.
Solution: C. Strategy A with an EMV score for Strategy A of 95. The formula for EMV is: Expected Monetary Value (EMV) = (Probability of Scenario 1)(Payoff for Scenario 1) + (Probability of Scenario 2)(Payoff for Scenario 2) + (Probability of Scenario 3)(Payoff for Scenario 3). EMVa = (0.25)($160) + (0.50)($120) + (0.25)(-$20) = $95. In this situation EMV for strategy A is $95 and we are given that EMV for strategy B is $75. Therefore, Strategy A will be preferred by the project manager because it has the highest EMV. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: PMI.org (2005) //Decisions, decisions/Stefanovic, M. & Stefanovic, I. L./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/decisions-quantitative-making-process-7466 Stefanovic, M. & Stefanovic, I. L. (2005). Decisions, decisions— Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2005—North America, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.]
During a meeting, a team member on a construction project presents a proposal to the project manager. The proposal states that dividing the project into two phases will mitigate the risk of delays. The first phase would result in a minimum viable product (MVP) that would provide the client with early benefits. This would limit the extent of the damages and other cost overruns by 90%. What should the project manager do next? A.Conduct a feasibility study to assess the risks and benefits of the proposal. B.Reject the proposal and continue with the project as initially planned. C.Instruct the team to implement the proposed changes without further review. D.Discuss the proposal with the client and other stakeholders to get their input.
Solution: D. Discuss the proposal with the client and other stakeholders to get their input. After receiving the proposal from the team member, the project manager should discuss the proposal with the client and other stakeholders to get their input. It is important to involve the client and stakeholders in the decision-making process to ensure that their needs and expectations are met. By discussing the proposal with the client and other stakeholders, the project manager can get their feedback, identify any potential risks or challenges, and make a decision that is supported by the stakeholders.The other answer choices are incorrect. Implementing or rejecting the proposal without further consideration is premature, risky, and could negatively impact the project. These options are not informed decisions and do not allow the project manager to get input from the people most affected by the decision. Conducting a feasibility study will be helpful at some point, but involving stakeholders early in the process can provide valuable insights and input that can inform the feasibility study. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: O'Reilly Platform (No Date) //Project Decisions/Chapter 1, Project Decision Analysis [Item https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/project-decisions/9781567263923/] The Standard for Project Management (2021) PMI /// [3.7 TAILOR BASED ON CONTEXT]PMBOK Guide - Seventh Edition (2021) PMI /// [2.1.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT] [2.5 PROJECT WORK PERFORMANCE DOMAIN]
A project is in the planning phase and requires tremendous time and effort for data collection and analysis. The project sponsor asks the project manager to skip a planned focus group discussion and brainstorming sessions in an effort to accelerate the process. What should the project manager do next? A.Report the issue to the project steering committee. B.Acknowledge the project sponsor's request and skip the sessions. C.Tell the project sponsor that skipping the sessions will jeopardize the project. D.Meet with the project sponsor to understand the reasons for the time constraints.
Solution: D. Meet with the project sponsor to understand the reasons for the time constraints. By meeting with the project sponsor and discussing the issue, the project manager can ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget, while also meeting the needs of all stakeholders. The other answer choices are incorrect. Reporting the issue to the project steering committee should not be done before the project manager has met with the project sponsor to understand the situation and discuss alternative solutions.Acknowledging the project sponsor's request and skipping the sessions is not a good option because it does not take into account the importance of the focus group discussion and brainstorming sessions. By skipping these activities, the project manager risks compromising the quality of the project outcomes. Telling the project sponsor that skipping the sessions will jeopardize the project may be too drastic and shouldn't be done until the project manager understands the project sponsor's perspective and why they are asking to skip the planned activities. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Hybrid (No Date) Robert K. Wysocki//6/ [Item As an alternative, consider quantifiable statements about the impact your project will have on efficiency and effectiveness, error rates, reduced turnaround time to service a client request, reduced cost of providing the service, quality, or improved client satisfaction. Management deals in deliverables, so always try to express your success criteria in quantitative terms.] | PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/5. Project Scope Management/5.1 [Item A data analysis technique that can be used for this process includes but is not limited to alternatives analysis. Various ways of collecti
A project manager recently joined an organization that is implementing a portfolio of strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing profitability. The project manager reviews a past project's business case with the project sponsor to ensure that the project was aligned with the organization's goals and to learn from its successes and failures. Which of the following project outcomes would be considered most successful in the context of this organization's strategic initiatives? A.The project was delivered under budget by 25%, and the overall duration was 20% longer than initially scheduled. B.The project was delivered on budget, and the project management office (PMO) approved the project closure. C.The project was delivered early, entered the market before the competition, and exceeded the budget by 10%. D.The project was delivered on schedule, within budget, and yielded a 5% increase in projected product sales.
Solution: D. The project was delivered on schedule, within budget, and yielded a 5% increase in projected product sales. Delivering on schedule and within budget shows that the project's budget and resources were managed effectively and efficiently, which are key factors in project success. The 5% increase in projected product sales generated additional revenue and directly contributed to the organization's goal of profitability enhancement. Delivering the project under budget is good, being 20% over the originally planned timeline could have a significant negative impact on the organization's strategic goals. There may be losses associated with the extended timeline that being under budget does not compensate for. Delivering on budget and getting PMO approval indicates that the project met the necessary criteria but not that the project directly impacted the organization's profitability goals. Delivering early and entering the market before the competition is good but does not guarantee profitability. Further, the project exceeded the budget by 10%, which is a substantial overage. The increased budget could erode the benefit of entering the market early. The project manager can use the insights gained by reviewing the past project's business case to identify areas where current and future projects can be improved.
33.3% Complete Toolbox Review Answer On Off 33.3% complete Question A project manager is assigned to a long-term project with a duration of three years. Which approach should the project manager take to address near-term activities, while long-term work is planned at a high level and detailed later? A.Focus on acquiring a team and deliver as soon as possible. B.Engage the sponsor in the validation and prioritization processes. C.Perform workshops with the client for delivery dates. D.Validate the requirements and perform rolling wave planning.
Solution: D. Validate the requirements and perform rolling wave planning. As we progress through the items on our road-map, the feedback we gather as we begin to validate our ideas at each step will inform what we need to do in the future. With a Rolling Wave Plan, we should have regular checkpoints to incorporate new information and adjust our plan accordingly. The other answer choices are incorrect. They do not address the need for the progressive elaboration required in a long-term project. This question and rationale were developed in reference to: O'Reilly Platform (No Date) //Managing Technology-Based Projects: Tools, Techniques, People and Business Processes by Hans J. Thamhain/Glossary [Item Rolling wave planning Progressive planning, providing more detail for near-term activities, while long-term work is planned at a high level and detailed later.] | O'Reilly Platform (No Date) //Using Rolling Wave Planning for adaptive delivery/ [Item Book: The Agile Developer's Handbook]
