Chapter 2 - Exam References in Context

Question 1

Define Rolling wave planning

Answer 1

A process of planning at a high level and then developing more detailed plans when the early project work is being done. it is a form of progressive elaboration. (Agile) Iterations of Rolling wave planning may result in additional activities being added to the project. requires new project plan baselines.

Question 2

Define Progressive Elaboration

Answer 2

Progressive elaboration refers to the process of clarifying and refining plans as the project
progresses and more information becomes available. With this common tailoring method, you plan
activities in the detail needed to manage the work just before you are ready to start that part of the project.

Question 3

At a high level what is the Process Groups Model?

Answer 3

The Process Groups model describes a prescriptive or plan-driven approach to project management

Question 4

What are the 5 process groups that generally describe how projects are managed?

Answer 4

1. Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring and Controlling
5. Closing

Question 5

Fill in the blanks

Answer 5

Question 6

How many times would a project go through the process groups over its lifecycle?

Answer 6

Small projects - once, large projects - many times back and forth

Question 7

What is a phase gate?

Answer 7

At the end of each phase, an event called a phase gate may take place. A phase gate involves analyzing the
results of the completed phase against what was planned for that phase. Based on that analysis, options may include redoing the same phase, moving forward with the next phase, or choosing not to continue with the project. If the decision is made to move forward, the project would begin initiating work on the next phase and progress through the project management process groups for that phase.

Question 8

How does an agile project use phase gates?

Answer 8

They don’t, iterations tend to be short and include product reviews and retrospectives. the process is more flexible and evolves throughout the project.

Question 9

Which stages of the project management process can be moved through linearly?

Answer 9

Arrows move clockwise from Initiating (I). Process moves in order from initiating (I) through Planning (P), Executing (E), Monitoring & Controlling (M&C) and Closing (C)

Question 10

Which stages of the project management process can be moved between, back and forth?

Answer 10

Planning and Executing (P&I), Planning and monitoring and controlling (P&M&C), and Executing and Monitoring and Controlling (E&M&C)

Question 11

What is a process group that can but isn’t always moved between?

Answer 11

Monitoring and controlling (M&C) and I, only under limited circumstances would you enter Initiating once you leave it.

Question 11

What process group is continuously undertaking throughout the project?

Answer 11

Monitoring and Controlling (M&C)

Question 12

What stage is entered into when there is a business need for a new project, its the beginning of a new phase of a project, or the project has so many problems that the business need is re-evaluated?

Answer 12

Project Initiating

Question 13

What stage is entered into when project initiating is complete, Project executing necessitates ongoing planning or project monitoring and controlling necessitates additional planning?

Answer 13

Project Planning

Question 14

What are reasons for entering the project executing stage?

Answer 14

Project planning is complete or integrated change control results in a changed project management plan

Question 15

What are the reasons for entering the project closing stage?

Answer 15

Project phase is complete, project is complete, project is terminated

Question 16

In the executing stage how does the process change in predictive vs adaptive environments?

Answer 16

The predictive approach to executing is to “go do the items identified in the project plan” and update the project plan baseline if changes occur. These changes may be necessary due to unanticipated issues and risks in activity durations and resource productivity or availability, or for other reasons. We assume that to a certain extent planned activities are fully understood prior to starting work and are completed according to the plan, even though that is not always the case.

adaptive methods employ an executing approach in which additional efforts may be made to replan some or all of a project. This is due to the nature of projects that may require a lot of change because project and product scope are emerging. We assume all aspects of work are not known in advance and learning with adaptation will be necessary to complete the project, either because of technical uncertainty or changes to requirements.

Question 17

Which things result in a focus on the monitoring and controlling stage?

Answer 17

• Requested changes, including recommended corrective and preventative actions and defect repair from all sources
• Work performance data
• Deliverables

Question 18

Which things result in a move out of the monitoring and controlling stage? where would you move?

Answer 18

• Project initiating to review the project charter
• Project planning to elaborate plans as new information is learned
• Project executing to repair defects and implement approved changes, including corrective or preventive actions
• Project closing if the project is completed or terminated

Question 19

How do agile teams streamline the change control process?

Answer 19

• More Demos and feedback as opposed to tests.
• use a Product owner who is in charge of the backlog and has the authority for decision making around streamlining the change control process.

Question 20

What activities are the monitoring and control phases of an agile project?

Answer 20

Iteration review and retrospectives, work in shot cycles that provide important feedback on what is working and what needs further tuning.

Question 21

Fill in the blanks

Answer 21

Question 22

What defines a hybrid project environment?

Answer 22

A hybrid project environment uses a combination of plan-driven and agile development approaches.

Question 23

What approaches are being applied to different parts of this hybrid project example? The project manager for a mainly plan-driven project uses electronic task boards (information radiators in agile) for a remote team and institutes daily stand-up meetings during designated periods along the critical path

Answer 23

uses mostly plan driven with agile elements in the tasks boards and standups

Question 23

What approaches are being applied to different parts of this hybrid project example? Build a small building with plan-driven methods, Build out office spaces iteratively

Answer 23

predictive methods to build office adaptive methods build out office spaces

Question 24

What approaches are being applied to different parts of this hybrid project example? Develop a large, complex software installation incrementally and iteratively, Once it is ready to be released, complete the rollout and training using plan-driven methods

Answer 24

Adaptive to build the product and predictive to implement product