CW Questions 15 Flashcards
A highly visible IT project has attracted some of the brightest developers in the company. Unfortunately, the potential for conflict is also high. The Project Manager will rely on all her skill sets to complete the project successfully. She is very aware that her interpersonal skills can influence the project’s outcome. What are the specific interpersonal skills she is most likely to utilize?
(A) Leadership skills, negotiation skills, accommodating skills, and influencing skills
(B) Leadership skills, negotiation skills, and influencing skills
(C) Leadership skills, effective decision making skills, and influencing skills
(D) Leadership skills, effective decision making skills, accommodating skills, and influencing skills
Correct Answer: (C) Leadership skills, effective decision making skills, and influencing skills
Explanation: Interpersonal skills most commonly used by the Project Manager are leadership skills, effective decision making skills, and influencing skills. Leadership skills should be used throughout the project to convey vision; influencing skills are most important in a matrix organization as it applies to stakeholders; and effective decision making skills involves focusing on goals, using a decision making process, managing opportunities and threats, and stimulating team creativity. [section 9.4.3]
The Project Manager sent a communication to the Project Manager of a related project requesting a copy of the communications management plan used on the related project. Of the following, which best describes the communication type sent by the Project Manager?
(A) Formal, official, internal, vertical communication
(B) Informal, unofficial, internal, horizontal communication
(C) Formal, official, internal, horizontal communication
(D) Formal, unofficial, internal, horizontal communication
Correct Answer: (B) Informal, unofficial, internal, horizontal communication
Explanation: The communication is a simple request to a peer; therefore it is an informal, unofficial, internal, horizontal communication. [section 10.2]
Of the following, which is the primary tool used in creating the risk management plan?
(A) Information gathering techniques
(B) Planning meetings and analysis
(C) Risk urgency assessment
(D) Data gathering and representation techniques
Correct Answer: (B) Planning meetings and analysis
Explanation: Planning meetings and analysis is the primary used during the Plan Risk Management process. Information gathering techniques are used during the Identify Risks process. Risk urgency assessment is used during the Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis process. Data gathering and representation techniques are used during the Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis process. [section 11.2]
Your company is working with a staffing company to provide a technical writer for your newest project. The cost is $75 per hour. The technical writer will work on the project until it is complete, then the contract will end. Which of the following best describes the type of contract typically used in this situation?
(A) Fixed-price because it lends itself to small initiatives and staff supplementation
(B) Time and materials because it ensures that the cost of the writer does not increase during the term of the contract
(C) Time and materials because it lends itself to small initiatives and staff supplementation
(D) Fixed-price because it ensures that the cost of the writer does not increase during the term of the contract
Correct Answer: (C) Time and materials because it lends itself to small initiatives and staff supplementation
Explanation: A time and materials contract is typically used for smaller projects or staff augmentation, such as this example. The fixed-price contract has a seller doing work for a set price. The cost-plus contract pays a seller costs plus a negotiated fee. The cost-plus-incentive-fee pays a seller costs plus an incentive fee for meeting performance goals. [section 12.1.6]
A Project Manager is managing a project that has three development groups in the U.S., Japan, and Australia. This will be a challenge because of the time difference and cultures. Senior management and the sponsor realize that team-building is critical to help educate those who are not familiar with the different cultures. Who is responsible for this process?
(A) The sponsor is responsible because he must approve the funds necessary for the video conferencing and other methods used for team building
(B) Senior management is responsible because they must lend their support to the team-building efforts to influence employee participation
(C) The Project Manager is responsible because he is responsible for the outcome of the project and team-building influences the outcome
(D) The stakeholders are responsible because they have a great deal of influence on the project
Correct Answer: (C) The Project Manager is responsible because he is responsible for the outcome of the project and team-building influences the outcome
Explanation: It is the Project Manager’s responsibility to do team-building as part of the Human Resource knowledge area. Senior management, the sponsor, and stakeholders are noise. [section 13.3]
The project management life cycle is similar to which of the following?
(A) Project life cycle (B) SDLC (C) Plan-Do-Check-Act (D) Use case analysis
Correct Answer: (C) Plan-Do-Check-Act
Explanation: The Plan-Do-Check-Act is defined by the American Society for Quality as an approach to process development. It can show how the project management life cycle components co-exist or overlap. The project life cycle builds the work of the project. SDLC and use case analysis are software development approaches. [section 3.4.1]
The company is implementing an enterprise reporting system. This system will integrate a number of business units. As a result, it will be very resource-intensive and could cause reprioritization of other projects that it will replace. Which of the following will be of greatest concern to the Project Manager?
(A) Whether the new project will impact the schedule for his project (B) Whether the new project will impact the budget for his project (C) Whether the new project will impact the business case for his project (D) Whether the new project will impact the resources for his project
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