Controlling a Stage

Question 1

“Here are three actions that are carried out during the ‘controlling a stage’ process.
During which activity (A-F) should each action be carried out?”
“A. Authorize a work package.
B. Review work package status.
C. Review the management status.
D. Report highlights.
E. Escalate issues and risks.
F. Take corrective action.”
1. The project manager updates the product description for the album cover, following a concession granted by the project board.

Answer 1

F. Take corrective action.
Correct. The product description will need to be updated to reflect the concession granted by the project board. This is a corrective action that has been decided on, e.g. to resolve an issue with the ‘artwork’. Ref. 17.4.8

Question 2

“Here are three actions that are carried out during the ‘controlling a stage’ process.
During which activity (A-F) should each action be carried out?”
“A. Authorize a work package.
B. Review work package status.
C. Review the management status.
D. Report highlights.
E. Escalate issues and risks.
F. Take corrective action.”
2. The project manager asks for confirmation from project support that the quality checks of the draft contract have been carried out, as reported in the checkpoint report.

Answer 2

B. Review work package status.
Correct. Reviewing whether quality checks have been carried out, in the quality register, is part of the ‘review the work package status’ activity. Ref 17.4.2

Question 3

“Here are three actions that are carried out during the ‘controlling a stage’ process.
During which activity (A-F) should each action be carried out?”
“A. Authorize a work package.
B. Review work package status.
C. Review the management status.
D. Report highlights.
E. Escalate issues and risks.
F. Take corrective action.”
3. The project manager asks project support to confirm the status of the sample songs, prior to preparing the regular progress report.

Answer 3

D. Report highlights.
Correct. A product status account can be requested to check the status of the products before reporting on progress, as part of the ‘report highlights’ activity. Ref. 17.4.5

Question 4

An external recording studio will be used to record the sample songs from the start of stage 2. Therefore, the record company’s purchasing department needs to carry out the supplier selection process during the initiation stage. The project manager has recommended that the ‘controlling a stage’ process is used to control the work of the purchasing department.
Is this appropriate, and why?

Answer 4

Yes, because using a work package will help to ensure that the output is delivered on time.
Correct. The ‘controlling a stage’ process is normally first used after the project board authorizes the project, but it may also be used during the initiation stage, if necessary. Ref 17.3

Question 5

"Here are three actions taken by the project manager as part of the 'controlling a stage' process.
Which theme (A-F) do they relate to?"
"A. Business case.
B. Quality.
C. Risk.
D. Plans.
E. Change.
F. Organization."
1. 'Record in the daily log that the graphic designer will be unavailable the following Friday.

Answer 5

E. Change.
Correct. Issues that can be handled informally are recorded in the daily log. Issue and change control is part of the change theme. Ref 17.4.6, 11.4.1

Question 6

"Here are three actions taken by the project manager as part of the 'controlling a stage' process.
Which theme (A-F) do they relate to?"
"A. Business case.
B. Quality.
C. Risk.
D. Plans.
E. Change.
F. Organization."
2. Check whether authorizing overtime has resulted in the sample songs being recorded on time.

Answer 6

E. Change.
Correct. As part of the ‘review the management stage status’ activity, the project manager should check the status of any corrective actions. This is related to managing issues as part of the change theme. Ref 17.4.4, 17.4.6, 11.4.5

Question 7

"Here are three actions taken by the project manager as part of the 'controlling a stage' process.
Which theme (A-F) do they relate to?"
"A. Business case.
B. Quality.
C. Risk.
D. Plans.
E. Change.
F. Organization."
3. After receiving the sample song recordings, execute any required benefit management actions.

Answer 7

A. Business case.
Correct. As part of the ‘review the management stage status’ activity, the required benefit actions are carried out to ensure and confirm that benefits are realized. This is part of the business case theme. Ref 6.2.3, 17.4.4

Question 8

At the beginning of stage 3, the singer suggested that a video could be taken during the recording of the songs and used at the launch of the album to promote sales. This change can be accommodated in stage 3 and has been approved. The recording studio has agreed to record the video. As a result, the project manager has created a product description for the product ‘recorded video’, and amended the work package for the studio.
Are the project manager’s actions appropriate, and why?

Answer 8

Yes, because the recording studio work package should define the work for the ‘recorded album’ and ‘recorded video’.
Correct. Work packages are used to define and control the work to be done by teams and will contain the product descriptions for the work. The project manager will create the product description for the new product filmed recording whilst updating the stage plan in the activity ‘take corrective action’. Ref 17.2, 17.4.8, glossary