Ch. 2: Managing a Project

Question 1

Balanced matrix structure

Answer 1

An organization where organizational resources are pooled into one project team, but the functional managers and the project managers share the project power.

Question 2

Composite structure

Answer 2

An organization that creates a blend of the functional, matrix, and projectized structures.

Question 3

Customer/user

Answer 3

The person(s) who will use the project’s deliverables.

Question 4

Deliverable

Answer 4

A verifiable, measurable product or service created by a phase and/or a project.

Question 5

Functional structure

Answer 5

An organization is divided into functions, and each employee has one clear functional manager. Each department acts independently of the other departments. A project manager in this structure has little to no power and may be called a project coordinator.

Question 6

Influencers

Answer 6

Persons who can positively or negatively influence a project’s ongoing activities and/or the project’s likelihood of success.

Question 7

Kill point

Answer 7

The review of a phase to determine if it accomplished its requirements. A kill point signals an opportunity to kill the project if it should not continue.

Question 8

Negative stakeholder

Answer 8

A stakeholder who does not want a project to succeed. He or she may try to negatively influence the project and help it fail.

Question 9

Performing organization

Answer 9

The organization whose employees or members are most directly involved in the project work.

Question 10

Phase

Answer 10

The logical division of a project based on the work or deliverable completed within that phase. Common examples include the phases within construction, software development, or manufacturing.

Question 11

Phase exit

Answer 11

The review of a phase to determine if it accomplished its requirements.

Question 12

Phase gate

Answer 12

The review of a phase to determine if it accomplished its requirements.

Question 13

Phase-end review

Answer 13

The review of a phase to determine if it accomplished its requirements. A phase-end review is also called a phase exit, a phase gate, and a kill point.

Question 14

Positive stakeholder

Answer 14

A stakeholder who wants a project to exist and succeed. He or she may try to positively influence the project and help it succeed.

Question 15

Product life cycle

Answer 15

The life cycle of the product a project creates. For example, a project can create a piece of software; the software then has its own life cycle until it becomes defunct.

Question 16

Project life cycle

Answer 16

The collection of phases from the start of a project to its completion.

Question 17

Project management office (PMO)

Answer 17

A business unit that centralizes the operations and procedures of all projects within the organization. The PMO supports the project manager through software, templates, and administrative support. A PMO can exist in any organizational structure, but it is most common in matrix and projectized structures.

Question 18

Project management system

Answer 18

The defined set of rules, policies, and procedures that a project manager follows and utilizes to complete the project.

Question 19

Project stakeholder

Answer 19

Anyone who has a vested interest in a project’s operation and/or its outcome.

Question 20

Projectized structure

Answer 20

An organization that assigns a project team to one project for the duration of the project life cycle. The project manager has high-to-almost-complete project power.

Question 21

Strong matrix structure

Answer 21

An organization where organizational resources are pooled into one project team, but the functional managers have less project power than the project manager.

Question 22

Weak matrix structure

Answer 22

An organization where organizational resources are pooled into one project team, but the functional managers have more project power than the project manager.