IT 343 Final GMU

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The ratio between revenues and profits

profit margin

Many experts agree that the greatest threat to the success of any project, especially information technology projects, is a failure to _____.

communicate

A(n) _____ must include suggested methods or technologies for conveying information.

communications management plan

Dollar amounts included in a cost estimate to allow for future situations that may be partially planned for (sometimes called known unknowns) and that are included in the project cost baseline

contingency reserves

_____ are funds included in the cost baseline that can be used to mitigate cost or schedule overruns if known risks occur.

contingency reserves

In the DMAIC process, the letter "C" stands for _____.

control

Which graphic display of data illustrates the results of a process over time?

control chart

Validated changes and validated deliverables are the outputs of the ____ subprocess of project quality management.

controlling

A time-phased budget that project managers use to measure and monitor cost performance

cost baseline

A(n) _____ is a time-phased budget that project managers use to measure and monitor cost performance.

cost baseline

The processes required to ensure that the project is completed within the approved budget

project cost management

A cost management plan is a subsidiary of the _____ plan.

project management

Which is the new knowledge area identified by the Project Management Institute?

project stakeholder management

All meetings must have a(n) _____ and intended outcome.

purpose

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines _____ as "the totality of characteristics of an entity that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs."

quality

The ratio of actual work completed to the percentage of work planned to have been completed at any given time during the life of the project or activity

rate of performance (RP)

An estimate of the value of the physical work actually completed

earned value (EV)

Communication becomes simpler when you increase the number of team members.

False

Unknown risks can be managed proactively.

False

One main output of the _____ process is a risk register.

identifying risks

Which process involves determining what risks are likely to affect a project and documenting the characteristics of each?

identifying risks

The main output of which process is the stakeholder register?

identifying stakeholders

Project Quality Management addresses

The management of the project and the deliverables of the project.

In the Tuckman model, storming occurs when team members have different opinions for how the team should operate.

True

The term _____ is used to describe risks that the project team has identified and analyzed.

known risks

Revenues minus expenses

profits

Which document describes what the project team has accomplished during a certain period?

progress reports

_____ are predefined actions that the project team will take if an identified risk event occurs.

Contingency plans

What determines project success?

People

A schedule performance index of one means that the project is on schedule.

True

The original project plan plus approved changes

baseline

What term is used for analogous estimates?

top-down

Issue logs can be used to address issues related to other knowledge areas like project scope management or project quality management.

True

Large, complex projects involving leading-edge technologies often require extensive quantitative risk analysis.

True

One output of Project Quality Management is the Quality Management Plan

True

Parametric models are reliable when the models are flexible in terms of the project's size.

True

Rarely does the receiver interpret a message exactly as the sender intended.

True

Stakeholders might change during a project due to employee turnover, partnerships, and other events.

True

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.

45

What type of chart is used to show resource loading?

A chart that shows resource loading is a resource histogram which displays the amount of work assigned to a resource over a period of time.

Give an example of a hygiene factor, as defined by Herzberg.

An example of a hygiene factor would be salary. It does not necessarily motivate, but if salary is too low, it can lead to low morale and employee dissatisfaction.

A RAM is used only to assign detailed work activities.

False

A leading stakeholder is one who is aware of the project and is neither supportive nor resistant to it.

False

Project members should either have strong technical skills or soft skills.

False

Project stakeholder management is completely unrelated to communications and resource management.

False

Sensitive information can be included in the stakeholder register as very few people in the organization have access to it.

False

The lower the earned monetary value calculation for a project, the chances of project success is higher.

False

The main output of the identifying stakeholders process is the project charter.

False

Which is a guideline that project managers should follow when communicating with teams through e-mail?

If the entire message can fit in the subject line, put it there.

Who created fishbone diagrams, and what are they used for?

Kaoru Ishikawa created the fishbone diagram, which is used to show a systematic view of effects and causes that create or contribute to those effects.

Keeps the errors out of the process

Prevention

Define quality and what is meant by stated and implied needs.

Quality is how well a product or service meets or exceeds the customer's expectations. Stated needs are the expectations of the customer that are communicated to the provider. Implied needs are unstated needs that are not explicitly communicated. Addressing these needs can lead to higher customer satisfaction.

What does RACI stand for in a RACI chart?

RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. It is a responsibility matrix that clarifies roles and responsibilities in project tasks.

What do the letters RAM stand for as they relate to project human resource management?

RAM stands for Responsibility Assignment Matrix, which is used to show the connections between work that needs to be done and the project team members.

What types of influence are correlated with successful projects?

Successful projects typically have outgoing, enthusiasm, and leadership through acclimation.

Which for of COST is easily measurable?

Tangible

Which is better, Three Sigma, Four Sigma, Five Sigma, or Six Sigma?

This depends on the specifics of the product or service requirements, but the higher levels are more efficient and effective processes with fewer defects. Six sigma is thought to be the best in terms of quality management and process improvement.

Contingency plans are predefined actions that the project team will take if an identified risk event occurs.

True

Do not have a meeting if there is a better way of achieving the objective at hand.

True

Good information technology project managers must have strong technical and communication skills.

True

Groups representing consumer, environmental, or other interests can be identified as project stakeholders.

True

Identified risks may not materialize, or their probabilities of occurrence or loss may diminish.

True

The main output of qualitative risk analysis is updating the risk register.

True

The project manager often combines information from all of the lessons-learned reports into a project summary report.

True

The risk register can be created with a simple Microsoft Word or Excel file.

True

Though stakeholders cannot be controlled, their level of engagement can be monitored.

True

_____ are unplanned responses to risk events used when project teams do not have contingency plans in place.

Workarounds

A(n) _____ forces meeting organizers to plan the meeting and gives potential participants the chance to decide whether they need to attend.

agenda

Costs that can be directly related to creating the products and services of the project

direct costs

A project performance measurement technique that integrates scope, time, and cost data

earned value management (EVM)

An estimate of what it will cost to complete the project based on performance to date

estimate at completion (EAC)

A(n) _____ is a tool that helps clarify expectations and lists project measures of success as well as priorities, expectations, and guidelines related to each measure.

expectations management matrix

Which document predicts future project status and progress based on past information and trends?

forecasts

The stakeholder register is the output of the _____ stakeholders process of project stakeholder management.

identifying

What process involves determining everyone involved in the project or affected by it, and determining the best ways to manage relationships with them?

identifying stakeholders

As the number of people involved in a project _____, the complexity of communications _____.

increases, increases

Costs that are not directly related to the products or services of the project, but are indirectly related to performing the project

indirect costs

Costs or benefits that are difficult to measure in monetary terms

intangible costs or benefits

The project sponsor, project team and the support staff would be the _____ project stakeholders.

internal

A(n) _____ is a tool that is used to document, monitor, and track problems that need resolution.

issue log

Dollar amounts included in a cost estimate to allow for future situations that may be partially planned for (sometimes called contingency reserves) and that are included in the project cost baseline

known unknowns

A(n) _____ stakeholder is one who is aware of the project and its potential impacts and actively engaged in helping it succeed.

leading

Doctors who actively participate in a project related to using information technology for chronic health problems would be examples of which stakeholder?

leading

A theory that when many items are produced repetitively, the unit cost of those items normally decreases in a regular pattern as more units are produced

learning curve theory

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.

lessons-learned report

The total cost of ownership, or development plus support costs, for a project

life cycle costing

Dollar amounts included in a cost estimate to allow for future situations that are unpredictable (sometimes called unknown unknowns)

management reserves

One of the main outputs of the _____ process are change requests.

managing stakeholder engagement

Risk _____ refers to reducing the impact of a risk event by reducing the probability of its occurrence.

mitigation

Which process involves monitoring identified and residual risks, identifying new risks, carrying out risk response plans, and evaluating the effectiveness of risk strategies throughout the life of the project?

monitoring risk

Which process involves monitoring stakeholder relationships and adjusting plans and strategies for engaging stakeholders as needed?

monitoring stakeholder engagement

The formula to determine the number of communication channels is _____, where n is the number of people involved.

n (n-1)/2

Potential problems that might occur on the project and how they might impede project success are _____ risks.

negative

A(n) _____ stakeholder is one who is aware of the project and is neither supportive nor resistant.

neutral

The additional percentage or dollar amount by which actual costs exceed estimates

overrun

A cost-estimating technique that uses project characteristics (parameters) in a mathematical model to estimate project costs

parametric estimating

_____ are normally provided as status reports or progress reports.

performance reports

Which process involves prioritizing risks based on their probability and impact of occurrence?

performing qualitative risk analysis

The portion of the approved total cost estimate planned to be spent on an activity during a given period

planned value (PV)

Which process involves determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders?

planning communications

The outputs of the _____ process are communications management plan and project documents updates.

planning communications management

What process involves deciding how to approach and plan the risk management activities for the project?

planning risk management

You can create a(n) _____ to group stakeholders based on their level of authority (power) and their level of concern (interest) for project outcomes.

power/interest grid

The _____ lists the relative probability of a risk occurring and the relative impact of the risk occurring.

probability/impact matrix

Dollar amounts included in a cost estimate to mitigate cost risk by allowing for future situations that are difficult to predict

reserves

Which tool is a column chart that shows the number of resources assigned to a project over time?

resource histogram

Which action involves eliminating a specific threat, usually by eliminating its causes?

risk avoidance

A(n) _____ documents the procedures for managing risk throughout the project.

risk management plan

Which action involves reducing the impact of a risk event by reducing the probability of its occurrence?

risk mitigation

_____ is the amount of satisfaction or pleasure received from a potential payoff.

risk utility

A cost estimate prepared very early in the life of a project to provide a rough idea of what a project will cost

rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimate

The ratio of earned value to planned value; can be used to estimate the projected time to complete a project

schedule performance index (SPI)

The earned value minus the planned value

schedule variance (SV)

Which risks are direct results of implementing risk responses?

secondary

Which technique is used to show the effects of changing one or more variables on an outcome?

sensitivity analysis

Which method of communication is likely to be most effective for conveying sensitive or important information?

short face-to-face meetings

A(n) _____ is a technique for analyzing information to determine which stakeholders' interests to focus on and how to increase stakeholder support throughout the project.

stakeholder analysis

Which process involves choosing part of a population of interest for inspection?

statistical sampling

Which document describes where the project stands at a specific point in time?

status reports

Money that has been spent in the past

sunk cost

Costs or benefits that can be easily measured in dollars

tangible costs or benefits

Involves estimating the most likely, optimistic, and pessimistic costs for items.

three-point estimate

A cost-estimating technique that uses the actual cost of a previous, similar project as the basis for estimating the cost of the current project; also called analogous estimates

top-down estimates

A(n) _____ stakeholder is one who is oblivious to a project and its potential impact.

unaware

A(n) _____ is a website that enables anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify its content.

wiki

According to research by Albert Mehrabian, which is NOT a way that information is communicated through face-to-face interaction?

written content

Which statement is true of a order of magnitude estimate?

It provides an estimate of what a project will cost.

One clear reason for Project Cost Overrun is

Unclear Project Scope

The total of direct and indirect costs incurred in accomplishing work on an activity during a given period

actual cost (AC)

What is the first step in project cost management?

allocate project cost estimates to individual material resources

The original total budget for a project

budget at completion (BAC)

The ratio of earned value to actual cost; can be used to estimate the projected cost to complete the project

cost performance index (CPI)

The earned value minus the actual cost

cost variance (CV)

Six Sigma's target for perfection is the achievement of no more than _____ defects, errors, or mistakes per million opportunities.

3.4

_____ should receive frequent performance feedback, and although money is not an important motivator to them, it is an effective form of feedback.

Achievers

Which statement is one of Juran's ten steps to quality improvement?

An organization should build awareness of the need and opportunity for improvement.

Who wrote Quality Is Free in 1979 and is best known for suggesting that organizations strive for zero defects?

Crosby

_____ is a quality planning technique that helps identify which variables have the most influence on the overall outcome of a process.

Design of experiments

Which statement is one of Deming's 14 Points for Management?

Eliminate the annual rating or merit system.

A budgetary estimate is the most accurate of the three types of estimates.

False

A negative schedule variance means that it took less time than planned to perform the work.

False

A run chart is a bar graph that depicts data points and their order of occurrence.

False

If the cost performance index (CPI) is less than 100 percent, the project is under budget.

False

It is important for project managers to focus on indirect costs because they can be easily controlled.

False

Managers who believe in Theory Y assume that workers dislike and avoid work if possible, so managers must use coercion, threats, and various control schemes to get workers to make adequate efforts to meet objectives.

False

Reliability is the ability of a product or service to perform as expected under unusual conditions.

False

The forcing mode is one in which the project manager deemphasizes or avoids areas of differences and emphasizes areas of agreement.

False

Who is best known for distinguishing between motivational factors and hygiene factors when considering motivation in work settings?

Frederick Herzberg

________ are a means of measuring software size based on what the software does for end users.

Function points

Which Quality management technique assists in deciding the priority order?

Prioritization Matrices

_____ is a relation of harmony, conformity, accord, or affinity and is important for communication.

Rapport

The _____ model focuses on defining user requirements and planning software projects.

SQFD

In the MBTI, which dimension relates to the manner in which you gather information?

Sensation/Intuition

_____ is the concept that the whole is equal to more than the sum of its parts.

Synergy

What theory emphasizes factors such as job rotation, broadening of skills, generalization versus specialization, and the need for continuous training of workers?

Theory Z

Managers who believe in McGregor's _____ assume that individuals do not inherently dislike work, but consider it as natural as play or rest.

Theory y

A staffing management plan describes when and how people will be added to and taken off the project team.

True

Budgetary estimates are made even before a project is officially started.

True

Spreadsheets are a common tool for cost estimating, cost budgeting, and cost control.

True

The affinity diagram organizes many ideas into their natural relationships. Output of brainstorming session.

True

The formulas for variances and indexes start with EV, the earned value.

True

The project management plan and project funding requirements are inputs of the process of controlling costs.

True

Using Six Sigma principles is an organization-wide commitment and all employees must embrace its principles.

True

According to Maslow, only after meeting _____ needs can individuals act upon growth needs.

deficiency

What are the bottom four needs in Maslow's structure are referred to as?

deficiency

Which phase of the DMAIC process includes tools such as a project charter, a description of customer requirements, process maps, and Voice of the Customer (VOC) data?

define

What type of estimate is used for making many purchasing decisions for which accurate estimates are required and for estimating final project costs?

definitive

What term is used for taking time to renew oneself physically, spiritually, mentally and socially?

sharpening the saw

Which is a measure of quality control equal to one fault in one million opportunities problems?

six 9s of quality rule

In the Tuckman model, what occurs as team members have different opinions as to how the team should operate?

storming

According to Lencioni, which quality is present in organizations that succeed?

teamwork

Which test is done to test each individual component (often a program) to ensure that it is as defect-free as possible?

unit

Which system involves a three-part, continuous cycle of planning, controlling, and documenting quality in an organization?

ISO 9000

Keeps the errors out of the customer's hands

Inspection

Which costs are difficult to measure in monetary terms?

Intangible costs

Which reserves allow for future situations that are unpredictable?

Management reserves

A cost-estimating technique that uses the actual cost of a previous, similar project as the basis for estimating the cost of the current project; also called top-down estimates

analogous estimates

Which type of estimate uses the actual cost of a previous, similar project as the basis for estimating the cost of the current project?

analogous estimates

Psychologist David Merril describes which behavioral profile as reactive and task-oriented?

analyticals

A cost-estimating technique based on estimating individual work items and summing them to get a project total

bottom-up estimate

A cost estimate used to allocate money into an organization's budget

budgetary estimate

The main outputs of the _____ process are activity cost estimates, basis of estimates, and project document updates.

cost estimating

The main output of the planning cost management process is a(n) _____.

cost management plan

The _____ means taking responsibility for failures or not meeting quality expectations.

cost of non-conformance**

Which type of estimate should be used if the cost estimate for a project is used a basis for contract awards and performance reporting?

definitive

A cost estimate that provides an accurate estimate of project costs

definitive estimate

Which process involves allocating the overall cost estimate to individual work items to establish a baseline for measuring performance?

determining the budget

The main outputs of which process are team performance assessments, change requests, and updates to several documents?

developing the project team

Variances are calculated by subtracting the actual cost from which value?

earned value

Which statement best defines cost variance?

earned value minus the actual cost

What is the purpose of a cost performance index (CPI)?

estimate the projected cost of completing the project

What is the first step in the framework for defining and assigning work?

finalizing the project requirements

The term _____ means a product can be used as it was intended.

fitness for use

Which term is used for the ability of a product to be used as it was intended?

fitness for use

Understanding your own emotions, feelings and motivations is:

intrapersonal intelligence

What does the process of controlling costs primarily involve?

managing changes to the project budget

Which concept refers to matching certain behaviors of the other person?

mirroring

Which addresses how well a product or service performs the customer's intended use?

performance

In the Tuckman model, what occurs when the emphasis is on reaching the team goals, rather than working on team process?

performing

The main outputs of which process are a quality management plan, quality metrics, project management plan updates, and project documents updates?

planning quality management

Covey, like Maslow, believes that people have the ability to be _____ and choose their responses to different situations.

proactive

Project costs, like project schedules, grow out of the basic documents that initiate a project, like the _____.

project charter

Which process is often associated with the technical tools and techniques of quality management, such as Pareto charts, quality control charts, and statistical sampling?

quality control

What term is used for the relation of harmony, conformity, accord, or affinity?

rapport

What term is used for the ability of a product or service to perform as expected under normal conditions?

reliability


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