1 Foundational Elements

Question 1

A Guide to the Project Management
Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)

Answer 1

The PMI publication that defines widely
accepted project management practices.
The CAPM and the PMP exam are based
on this book.

Question 2

Application areas

Answer 2

The areas of expertise, industry, or
function where a project is centered.
Examples of application areas include
architecture, IT, health care, and
manufacturing.

Question 3

Business value

Answer 3

A quantifiable return on investment. The
return can be tangible, such as
equipment, money, or market share. The
return can also be intangible, such as
brand recognition, trademarks, and
reputation.

Question 4

Certified Associate in Project
Management (CAPM)

Answer 4

A person who has slightly less project
management experience than a PMP, but
who has qualified for and then passed the
CAPM examination.

Question 5

Cultural and social environment

Answer 5

Defines how a project affects people and
how those people may affect the project.
Cultural and social environments include
the economic, educational, ethical,
religious, demographic, and ethnic
composition of the people affected by the
project.

Question 6

Deliverable

Answer 6

A product, service, or result created by a
project. Projects can have multiple
deliverables.

Question 7

General management skills

Answer 7

These include the application of
accounting, procurement, sales and
marketing, contracting, manufacturing,
logistics, strategic planning, human
resource management, standards and
regulations, and information technology.

Question 8

Project Initiation Context

Answer 8

Regulatory, Legal or social requirements. Stakeholder requests. Technological Advancements. Create, improve, or fix products, processes, or services.

Question 9

International and political environment

Answer 9

The consideration of the local and
international laws, languages,
communication challenges, time zone
differences, and other non-collocated
issues that affect a project’s ability to
progress.

Question 10

Interpersonal skills

Answer 10

The ability to interact, lead, motivate, and
manage people.

Question 11

Iron Triangle of Project Management

Answer 11

A triangle with the characteristics of time,
cost, and scope. Time, cost, and scope
each constitute one side of the triangle; if
any side of the Iron Triangle is not in
balance with the other sides, the project
will suffer. The Iron Triangle of Project
Management is also known as the Triple
Constraints of Project Management, as all
projects are constrained by time, cost, and
scope.

Question 12

Physical environment

Answer 12

The physical structure and surroundings
that affect a project’s work.

Question 13

What is Project Management?

Answer 13

Application of knowledge, skill, tools, and techniques to meet the project requirements.

Question 14

Process groups

Answer 14

A collection of related processes in project
management. There are five process
groups and 49 project management
processes. The five process groups are
Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring
and Controlling, and Closing.

Question 15

Program

Answer 15

A collection of related projects working in
unison toward a common deliverable.

Question 16

Progressive elaboration

Answer 16

The process of gathering project details.
This process uses deductive reasoning,
logic, and a series of informationgathering techniques to identify details
about a project, product, or solution.

Question 17

Project

Answer 17

A temporary endeavor to create a unique
product, service, or result. The end result
of a project is also called a deliverable.

Question 18

Project benefits management plan

Answer 18

A documented created and maintained by
the project sponsor and the project
manager. The project benefits
management plan defines what benefits
the project will create, when the benefits
will be realized, and how the benefits will
be measured.

Question 19

Project business case

Answer 19

Created and maintained by the project
sponsor and shows the financial validity of
why a project is chartered and launched
within the organization. Typically, the
project business case is created before
the launch of the project and may be used
as a go/no-go decision point.

Question 20

Project environment

Answer 20

The location and culture of the
environment where the project work will
reside. The project environment includes
the social, economic, and environmental
variables the project must work with or
around.

Question 21

Project Management Institute (PMI)

Answer 21

An organization of project management
professionals from around the world,
supporting and promoting the careers,
values, and concerns of project managers.

Question 22

Project life cycle

Answer 22

The phases that make up the project.
Project life cycles are unique to the type of
work being performed and are not
universal to all projects.

Question 23

Project management office (PMO)

Answer 23

A central office that oversees all projects
within an organization or within a
functional department. A PMO supports
the project manager through software,
training, templates, policies,
communication, dispute resolution, and
other services.

Question 24

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Answer 24

A person who has proven project
management experience and has qualified
for and then passed the PMP
examination.

Question 25

Project portfolio management

Answer 25

The management and selection of
projects that support an organization’s
vision and mission. It is the balance of
project priority, risk, reward, and return on
investment. This is a senior management
process.

Question 26

Subprojects

Answer 26

A smaller project managed within a larger,
parent project. Subprojects are often
contracted work whose deliverable allows
the larger project to progress.

Question 27

Triple Constraints of Project
Management

Answer 27

Also known as the Iron Triangle. This
theory posits that time, cost, and scope
are three constraints that every project
has.

Question 28

Work performance data

Answer 28

Raw data, observations, and
measurements about project components.
Work performance data is gathered and
stored in the project management
information system.

Question 29

Work performance information

Answer 29

Work performance information is the
processed and analyzed data that will help
the project manager make project
decisions.

Question 30

Work performance reports

Answer 30

Work performance reports is the formatted
communication of work performance
information. Work performance reports
communicate what’s happening in the
project through status reports, memos,
dashboards, or other modalities.