Directing a Project Flashcards
“Here are three actions that are carried out as part of the ‘directing a project’ process.
During which activity (A-E) should the action occur?”
“A. Authorize initiation.
B. Authorize the project.
C. Authorize a stage or exception plan.
D. Give ad hoc direction.
E. Authorize project closure.”
1. Approve the work completed to record the album and the forecast to complete the ‘registered artwork’ and ‘launch event plan’.
C. Authorize a stage or exception plan.
Correct. As part of the ‘authorize a stage or exception plan’ activity, the end stage report should be reviewed and approved. This is to ascertain the performance of the project to date, asking the project manager to explain any deviations from the approved plans, and to provide a forecast of project performance for the remainder of the project. Ref 15.4.3
“Here are three actions that are carried out as part of the ‘directing a project’ process.
During which activity (A-E) should the action occur?”
“A. Authorize initiation.
B. Authorize the project.
C. Authorize a stage or exception plan.
D. Give ad hoc direction.
E. Authorize project closure.”
2. Ensure that there will be sufficient reviews after the launch event to monitor that the album sales deliver the expected profit.
E. Authorize project closure.
Correct. As part of the ‘authorize project closure’ activity, the project board should ensure that post-project benefits reviews defined by the updated benefits management approach cover the performance of the project’s products in operational use, in order to identify whether there have been any side-effects (beneficial or adverse). Ref 15.4.5
“Here are three actions that are carried out as part of the ‘directing a project’ process.
During which activity (A-E) should the action occur?”
“A. Authorize initiation.
B. Authorize the project.
C. Authorize a stage or exception plan.
D. Give ad hoc direction.
E. Authorize project closure.”
3. Approve the forecast that the expected album sales will exceed the production costs, which was refined when the project plan was created
B. Authorize the project.
Correct. The outline business case produced during the ‘starting up a project’ process needs to be updated to reflect the estimated time and costs, as determined by the project plan. The objective of the ‘authorize the project’ activity is to decide whether to proceed with the rest of the project. The project board has to confirm that an adequate and suitable business case exists and that it shows a viable project. Ref 16.4.8, 15.4.2.
The project is approaching the end of stage 2. The project manager may need to consult the senior user and executive about planning the production of the ‘artwork’, and the ‘recorded album’. As a result, the project manager has checked their availability for the following week.
Is this appropriate as part of the ‘give ad hoc direction’ activity, and why?
Yes, because the need for the project board to provide informal advice to the project manager increases at the end of a stage.
Correct. Project board members may offer informal guidance or respond to requests for advice at any time during a project. The need for consultation between the project manager and project board is likely to be particularly frequent during the initiation stage, and when approaching stage boundaries. Ref 15.4.4
“Here are three actions that are carried out during the ‘directing a project’ process.
Which role (A-E) should carry out these actions?”
“A. Executive.
B. Senior user.
C. Senior supplier.
D. Project assurance.
E. Project manager.”
1.Approve extra management actions to ensure that the ‘launch event plan’ results in sufficient people listening to the music and contributes to achieving the expected album sales.
A. Executive.
Correct. The executive approves the updated benefits management approach as part of the ‘authorize a stage or exception plan’ and ‘authorize project closure’ activities. Ref tab 15.3, tab 15.5
“Here are three actions that are carried out during the ‘directing a project’ process.
Which role (A-E) should carry out these actions?”
“A. Executive.
B. Senior user.
C. Senior supplier.
D. Project assurance.
E. Project manager.”
2. Advise the project manager of a change in corporate business case standards that will affect how the business case is produced.
A. Executive.
Correct. As part of the ‘give ad hoc direction’ activity, in response to advice and decisions from corporate, programme management or the customer, the project manager needs to be notified by raising an issue. All members of the project board can do this. However, it is the executive who oversees the development of a viable business case, ensuring that the project is aligned with corporate, programme management or customer strategies. Ref tab 15.4, tab 6.1
“Here are three actions that are carried out during the ‘directing a project’ process.
Which role (A-E) should carry out these actions?”
“A. Executive.
B. Senior user.
C. Senior supplier.
D. Project assurance.
E. Project manager.”
3. Review the time tolerance set for the delivery of the ‘album ready for launch’ to check that it is realistic.
D. Project assurance.
Correct. Project assurance reviews the tolerances for the project provided by corporate, programme management or the customer to ensure that they are appropriate and realistic as part of ‘authorize the project’ activities. Ref tab 15.1, 15.4.1
The project is approaching the end of the initiation stage. The project manager has requested that the project board meet to ‘authorize the project’. The project manager has prepared a set of slides showing the project controls, the business case and the scope of the project, to present to the project board.
How well is the ‘authorize the project’ activity being carried out?
It is being carried out well, because the project initiation documentation can be authorized by the project board in any format, provided the decision is traceable.
Correct. The degree of formality to authorize the project may differ in different circumstances provided decisions are explicit and traceable, ranging from verbal advice and decisions to those which are formally documented in email, meeting minutes or other traceable formats. Management products can be in other formats and do not necessarily need to be “text documents”. These could be slides or spreadsheets. Ref 15.5.1, Appendix A
