Appendix A: Answers to Study Checkpoint Exercises

Question 1

What are examples of operations?

Answer 1

A librarian performing her daily job responsibilities, a bookseller processing customer orders, a network administrator ensuring that the network stays up and running 24/7.

These are ongoing and repetitive efforts.

Question 2

What is a project?

Answer 2

Taking a course in molecular biology, which has a definitive amount of effort and a unique product or result.

Projects have a beginning and an end.

Question 3

What is the core difference between knowledge areas and process groups?

Answer 3

Knowledge areas are about knowledge of project management topics; process groups are about applying that knowledge.

Knowledge areas represent management knowledge, whereas process groups indicate when and where to apply that knowledge.

Question 4

What is the probability of a quarter landing heads up on the first try?

Answer 4

0.5

Question 5

What is the probability of both the quarter and the dime landing heads up on the first try?

Answer 5

0.25

Question 6

What are enterprise environmental factors?

Answer 6

Factors about how the performing organization does its business.

Examples include culture, infrastructure, and market conditions.

Question 7

What are organizational process assets?

Answer 7

Assets related to how the organization runs its projects.

Examples include policies, procedures, and knowledge databases.

Question 8

What is the opportunity cost of Project A?

Answer 8

$100,000

Question 9

What is the opportunity cost of Project B?

Answer 9

$70,000

Question 10

Which project will you select based on opportunity cost?

Answer 10

Project B

Question 11

True or False: It is the responsibility of the project manager to develop the project charter.

Answer 11

False

Question 12

True or False: A project charter is a contract between the performing entity and the entity for which it’s being performed.

Answer 12

False

Question 13

Which document interfaces the project with the organization’s strategy?

Answer 13

Project charter

Question 14

What is the first process you perform in managing a project?

Answer 14

Develop Project Charter

Question 15

What do you need before you can begin initiating your project?

Answer 15

Business case, project benefit plan, and necessary agreements.

Question 16

What are the components of product scope?

Answer 16

The user can only access this website after logging in, the drug should not have more than two side effects.

These define the features and functions of the product.

Question 17

What are the components of project scope?

Answer 17

Develop software modules to support the website, the drug must be developed within one year, the drug must be tested in-house before it goes to the Food and Drug Administration.

Question 18

List enterprise environment factors that can influence the Collect Requirements process.

Answer 18

• Internal: Culture, infrastructure, personnel administration
• External: Marketing condition, legal restrictions

Question 19

List organizational process assets that can influence the Collect Requirements process.

Answer 19

• Policies and procedures
• Organizational and industry standards
• Knowledge database

Question 20

What is the most common logical relationship used in schedule network diagrams?

Answer 20

Finish to start

Question 21

What is the least common logical relationship used in schedule network diagrams?

Answer 21

Start to finish

Question 22

What are the four baselines?

Answer 22

• Scope baseline
• Schedule baseline
• Cost baseline
• Performance baseline

Question 23

What process is used to approve or reject change requests?

Answer 23

Perform Integrated Change Control

Question 24

What processes can generate change requests?

Answer 24

• Direct and Manage Project Work process
• Monitor and Control Project Work process
• Other processes in the monitor and control process group
• Directly from stakeholders

Question 25

What do we need data analysis for during the Close Project process?

Answer 25

To analyze documents, prepare final report, and learn lessons.

Question 26

What is the expected estimate using the PERT technique?

Answer 26

15 days

Question 27

What is the expected estimate calculated using the PERT technique when the pessimistic estimate is 20 days, optimistic is 10 days, and most-likely is 15 days?

Answer 27

15 days ## Footnote The formula used is t e = (nt m + t o + t p ) / (n + 2), where n is the weight of the most-likely scenario.

Question 28

How can assumptions and constraints in the project scope statement affect the schedule?

Answer 28

They can affect the project schedule by imposing hard deadlines and time constraints on deliverables ## Footnote Hard deadlines may come from contracts or market windows, while time constraints may be set by stakeholders.

Question 29

List examples of EEFs that can influence the process of schedule development.

Answer 29

* Communication channels * Scheduling software * Government standards * Industry standards

Question 30

List examples of OPAs that can influence the process of schedule development.

Answer 30

* Organizational scheduling methodology * Project calendars * Schedule-related information from previous projects * Calendar of working and non-working days

Question 31

What is the purpose of the lessons learned register in the control schedule process?

Answer 31

To record lessons learned and apply them throughout the project lifetime ## Footnote It helps in improving future project performance.

Question 32

List some EEFs that can influence the Plan Resource Management process.

Answer 32

* Organizational culture and structure * Availability of team and physical resources * Locations of available resources * Market conditions

Question 33

List some OPAs that can influence the Plan Resource Management process.

Answer 33

* Organizational policies and procedures * Safety and security policies * Templates for resource management planning * Lessons learned from previous projects

Question 34

How can the assumptions log and risk register be updated as a result of the Plan Resource Management process?

Answer 34

Assumptions log will be updated with new assumptions regarding team and physical resources; risk register with known risks about these resources.

Question 35

What estimation technique is used when a programmer's time is estimated at 20 hours at a rate of $50 per hour?

Answer 35

Parametric estimation

Question 36

Calculate the expected cost estimate using the PERT technique when the pessimistic cost estimate is $5,000, optimistic is $3,000, and most-likely is $4,000.

Answer 36

$4,000 ## Footnote The formula used is C e = (nC m + C o + C p) / (n + 2).

Question 37

Name three processes that convert work performance data into work performance measurements.

Answer 37

* Control Scope * Control Schedule * Control Cost

Question 38

True or False: A project manager should oppose a stakeholder proposal that is outside the planned scope.

Answer 38

False ## Footnote The project manager should evaluate the change and put it through the approval process.

Question 39

How will the stakeholder register be updated as a result of the Monitor Stakeholder Engagement process?

Answer 39

With any change in stakeholder information such as assessment or classification.

Question 40

What are examples of EEFs that can influence the Identify Stakeholders process?

Answer 40

* Governmental and industry standards * Geographical distribution of facilities * External local culture and trends * Organizational cultures and structure

Question 41

What are examples of OPAs that can influence the Identify Stakeholders process?

Answer 41

* Stakeholder register templates * Stakeholder registers from previous projects * Lessons learned from previous projects

Question 42

How can the communication management plan be updated as a result of the Manage Communication process?

Answer 42

Due to changes in communication approach or strategies.

Question 43

What needs to be updated due to changes in communication strategies?

Answer 43

Project stakeholder engagement plan and issues log ## Footnote Changes in communication strategies may affect how stakeholders are engaged and necessitate updates to the issues log and risk register.

Question 44

Why do you need the project stakeholder engagement plan for performing the manage communication process?

Answer 44

It describes how to use stakeholder communication strategies to engage stakeholders with the project.

Question 45

How precise is the Monte Carlo simulation program in making estimates if it gives values of 50, 51, and 52?

Answer 45

The program is quite precise because the values are very close to each other.

Question 46

How accurate are the estimates from the Monte Carlo simulation if the true value is 40?

Answer 46

The estimates are not very accurate as they are far away from the true value.

Question 47

Are the values generated by the program more accurate or more precise?

Answer 47

More precise and less accurate.

Question 48

What are some examples of enterprise environmental factors (EEFs) that can influence the quality management process?

Answer 48

* Organizational structure * Government agencies’ regulations * Rules, guidelines, and standards of the project’s application area * Geographical distribution of facilities and resources * Inside and outside culture * Market conditions * Working and operational conditions of project and its deliverables

Question 49

What organizational process assets (OPAs) can influence the quality management process?

Answer 49

* Organizational quality management system * Quality templates including traceability matrix and check sheets * Quality-related lessons learned from historical database

Question 50

Which component of the project management plan may need to be updated due to quality management activities?

Answer 50

Scope baseline, schedule baseline, cost baseline

Question 51

Which quality process generates quality control measurements?

Answer 51

Control Quality

Question 52

Which quality process uses quality control measurements?

Answer 52

Manage Quality

Question 53

Which quality process generates quality metrics?

Answer 53

Plan Quality

Question 54

Which quality process uses quality metrics?

Answer 54

Manage Quality and Control Quality

Question 55

What are some environmental factors that can influence the Identify Risks process?

Answer 55

* Academic and industry studies * Published information * Benchmarking * Commercial databases

Question 56

What is the result of performing an EMV analysis of the decision tree regarding building from scratch?

Answer 56

Building from scratch is a better option because total cost is less.

Question 57

What do you update during the Monitor Risks process?

Answer 57

Assumptions log and lessons learned register ## Footnote New assumptions and constraints may appear while old ones may be modified or disappear.

Question 58

The work performance information from the Control Risks process is an input to which process?

Answer 58

Monitor and Control Project Work

Question 59

Which other processes generate work performance information?

Answer 59

Monitor and control processes in all knowledge areas except project integration management.

Question 60

What are the main goals of the Conduct Procurements process?

Answer 60

* Select the sellers * Award procurement contracts to them

Question 61

True or False: The procurement item is obtained in the Conduct Procurements process.

Answer 61

False