Foundations Test Questions

Question 2

Setting strategic project objectives is the responsibility of the: (340)
(A) project manager
(B) functional manager
(C) senior management or the client
(D) all stakeholders

Answer 2

Strategic project objectives are set by senior management or the client; that is not part of the project manager?s role.

Question 3

A project manager's boss telephones to say that she has met with the director of engineering and the director of marketing and that a fax is on the way with changes to a major task in the project. This illustrates: (503)
(A) high-level management involvement project
(B) the change control system in action
(C) project integration
(D) a project coordinator role

Answer 3

The project coordinator makes some decisions but ot! hers are made by management

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a critical action for the project manager to take in a weak matrix organization? (520)
(A) planning for integration
(B) development of an integrated WBS, schedule, and budget
(C) providing technical training for the project team members
(D) resolving resource availability issues with functional managers

Answer 4

Usually, the functional manager is responsible for employee training in a weak matrix.

Question 5

A project manager?s communications skills are most important in what type of organization? (1012)
(A) strong matrix
(B) balanced matrix
(C) weak matrix
(D) projectized

Answer 5

The weak matrix requires stronger communications skills as the PM has the least power and influence in relatio! n to func! tional managers and must often persuade them to lend resources to the project

Question 6

One of the challenges of the matrix organization form is: (620)
(A) each person has one boss
(B) the team members have no job after the project ends
(C) complexity of information flow
(D) simplicity of information flow

Answer 6

In a matrix organization, with people reporting to more than one manager and performing multiple tasks, the information flows are more complex than in other organization forms.

Question 7

Project managers have the most power in the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ type of organization. (543)
(A) project expediter
(B) strong matrix
(C) projectized
(D) functional

Answer 7

The project manager has the most power in the projectized organization because the project operates much! like a f! unctional department in a functional organization. It has dedicated personnel that a are full time on the project.

Question 8

Another name for strategic planning is: (302)
(A) short term
(B) operational
(C) tactical
(D) top down

Answer 8

Strategic planning is top-down where end results are specified first then progressively elaborated. Tactical planning may focus on deciding what we do first, then second and so on.

Question 9

The project charter performs the purpose of: (029)
(A) giving the project manager the authority to use the organization?s resources for project purposes
(B) setting a ceiling on the budget
(C) detailing the specifications that the product must meet
(D) the project budget

Answer 9

The charter authorizes the project and gives the PM the authori! ty to use! resources

Question 10

The development of long-term goals set by executive management is called: (321)
(A) project planning
(B) operation planning
(C) strategic planning
(D) contingency planning

Answer 10

Strategic planning is the process of developing and implementing decisions about an organization?s future direction.

Question 11

The role of the project sponsor is to provide: (1002)
(A) support for the project manager on external issues to the project
(B) develop strategies to support the project
(C) behind the scenes assistance to project personnel for internal and external problems
(D) funding for the project

Answer 11

All the choices are true to some extent but the most significant answer is the funding.

Question 12

A weak matrix organization: (511)
(A) is the most efficient for the initial definition of policy and procedures
(B) has the least amount of conflict
(C) gives the project manager no formal authority
(D) reduces duplication of effort

Answer 12

In a weak matrix, the project manager has no formal authority and must negotiate with functional managers for the use of their resources

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the pure projectized organizational structure? (510)
(A) there is a lack of opportunity for technical interchange between technical experts on different projects
(B) there may be duplication of facilities and an inefficient use of resources
(C) there is a shared line of authority over the project
(D) limited span of control

Answer 13

A shared line of authority is not a character! istic of ! a projectized organization where project managers have full authority over their project team

Question 14

The OPM3 is used by
(A) Project managers to pass the certified associate project manager exam
(B) Project managers doing estimating who wish to follow the best practices
(C) Organizations to improve their enterprise project management process
(D) Associate project managers seeking promotions to the PMP level

Answer 14

The OPM3 is the Project Management Institute's publication of the best practices for organizations to follow in their enterprise project management processes. The other answers may sound good but they're made up

Question 15

In which of the following does the project manager have the most power? (523)
(A) balanced matrix
(B) weak matrix organization
(C) functional organizational
(D) projectized organization

Answer 15

Projectized organizations give the project manager the most power compared to the other choices

Question 16

During the development of the project plan, a project manager determines that additional resources are required. With whom does the project manager work to secure more resources? (540)
(A) functional managers
(B) senior management
(C) project sponsor
(D) the individuals

Answer 16

The sponsor provides resources to the project and secures organizational approval for the PM to use them. The functional managers actually supply the people, but the PM secures availability from the sponsor in the charter before negotiating details with functional managers

Question 17

Which of the following organizational forms is most effective for projects that need at least two resources from many different functional areas? (538)
(A) functional
(B) weak matrix
(C) stro! ng matrix! 
(D) centralized organization

Answer 17

Of the choices available, a strong matrix is the best for a project that will utilize resources from many disciplines.

Question 18

The most likely problem when multiple projects are done in a functional organization is: (508)
(A) each project will have its own project manager.
(B) project team members will place more emphasis on their “home” department than on the project tasks
(C) the project will encounter resistance from senior management
(D) Project members will worry about where their next assignment will come from

Answer 18

Functional organizations require project managers to borrow resources from functional managers. The borrowed resources will naturally have a stronger allegiance to their department where they get raises and promotions than to the project.

Question 19

How does! the orga! nization and its management give authority to the project manager? (553)
(A) by approving the project funding
(B) by communicating the project purpose and value to the business in the launch meeting
(C) by developing and distributing the project charter
(D) by committing specific resources from the business

Answer 19

The charter gives a project authority to use organizational resources.

Question 20

In which of these organizational forms does conflict most often occur? (541)
(A) functional organization
(B) matrix organization
(C) projectized organization
(D) project coordinator

Answer 20

Conflict occurs most often in a matrix organization because communications are complex, often resulting in both vertical and horizontal information flows. There can also be conflict about priorities between the functional and project portions of the organization

Question 21

When dealing with a manager of a functional department in a rigidly functional organization, what form of power and influence should project managers try and use
(A) Formal or legitimate authority given to them by the organization
(B) Expert power based on their knowledge of project management
(C) Referent power based on their attractiveness to other people
(D) Referent power based on their knowledge of technical matters

Answer 21

A rigid functional organization, the project manager is unlikely to have a higher-rated then a functional manager which excludes the use of formal or legitimate power and influence. Similarly project manager is unlikely to possess more technical knowledge than the functional manager does about the technology of their department. As a result expert power and influence is the best choice and that's comes from the PMs knowledge of project management

Question 22

As the PM in a functional organization, you are NOT responsible for which of the following: _________________________.
(A) Using your interpersonal skills to influence project team members.
(B) Distributing project information to stakeholders.
(C) Initiating Projects for senior management.
(D) Reporting progress to the project sponsor.

Answer 22

A project manager?s responsibilities include distribution of project information, reporting project status to the project sponsor and using interpersonal skills to influence project team members. A project manager is not responsible for initiating projects as that is the responsibility of project sponsors. The team member?s department manager does this.

Question 23

Who approves the budget of the project?
(A) The PM
(B) The senior executives
(C) The sponsor
(D) The change control board

Answer 23

In the PMBOK? world, the project sponsor or initiator is responsible for providing funding for the project and issuing the project charter

Question 24

In the classic functional organization: (1010)
(A) each employee has one boss
(B) the project manager serves as the functional coach
(C) projec! ts are no! t performed, only tasks
(D) the perceived scope of the project is not limited to the boundaries of a functional unit

Answer 24

This is a trait of the functional organization

Question 25

The primary responsibility for managing the reporting conflicts among shared resources in a functional organization lies with the: (521)
(A) Functional manager
(B) Team member
(C) Sponsor
(D) Project manager

Answer 25

The sponsor should be at a level where they have authority over both the functional and project managers and can resolve these conflicts

Question 26

The organization structure that can have a PMO is: (1042)
(A) Projectized
(B) Strong matrix
(C) Functional
(D) Any

Answer 26

Any organizational structure can have a project management office, but it almost always exists in a projectized organization. This is one of those tricky questions you have to watch for.

Question 27

In a strong matrix organization, which is not true? (1026)
(A) It has many characteristics of the projectized organization.
(B) The functional managers control the project budget.
(C) It has full time project managers.
(D) The project manager has considerable authority.

Answer 27

In a strong matrix organization the budget is controlled by the project manager, not the functional managers

Question 28

When organizations wish to improve performance on multiple projects yet still focus on functional performance, the organizational form they should adopt is: (509)
(A) traditional organization
(B) matrix organization
(C) projectized organizational structure
(D) matrix ! organizat! ion combined with a pure projectized organizational structure

Answer 28

The matrix organization was developed to give the organization the benefits of both the projectized and the functional form

Question 29

A project team member is unclear about the details of a project assignment and correctly goes to his functional manager for clarification. What type of organization does the team member most probably work in? (353)
(A) a project management office
(B) a functional organization
(C) a weak matrix organization
(D) a strong matrix organization

Answer 29

In a functional organization project assignments may come to people through their functional manager not directly from their PM.

Question 30

The weak matrix organizational structure: (516)
(A) is used by organizations that do! projects! as their product
(B) is used when an organization decides to undertake a single, very large project
(C) is a bit more effective for project managers than the functional organization
(D) does not allow for the project team members to have a home after the completion of the project

Answer 30

The weak matrix does not give the project manager any significant power or authorities. However, the other answers are traits of the projectized organization

Question 31

A ?strong? matrix organization differs from a ?weak? matrix organization in that the ?strong? matrix: (517)
(A) gives the PM more power over resources
(B) has project team members with less separation from their functional organizations
(C) has no full-time project team members
(D) has no full-time project managers

Answer 31

The strong matrix organization gives the project manager more authority

Question 32

With which of the following project types would it be appropriate to recommend that the organization use a projectized organization for the project? (527)
(A) The project will last more than 4 years and involves new technology which the team will need to learn
(B) The size is small and the uncertainty is high
(C) The size is large and the technology is new
(D) The time criticality is very high

Answer 32

The long project duration and the need to learn and apply new technology may provide a justification for creating a projectized organization within the larger performing organization. Complexity or new technology alone are not justification to becoming a projectized organization

Question 33

As a new project manager managing your first project, on what source should you rely during project planning? (346)
(A) Your judgment
(B) Historical data
(C) The roles and responsibility matrix
(D) The project team

Answer 33

Historical data is the best source for a new project manager, particularly if the new project has some similarity to previous efforts

Question 34

In larger organizations one of the benefits to project managers of working in a matrix organization structure as opposed to a functional organization is
(A) A functional organization is always easier for project managers than a matrix because of the complex communications and conflict
(B) In a matrix organization, department managers are accustomed to lending resources to projects and other initiatives from other departments
(C) It’s impossible to determine the benefits without knowing what kind of matrix organization it is.
(D) The matrix organization is designed to facilitate the completion of large projects

Answer 34

In a matrix organization, the project manager works with department managers who are accustomed to lending resources to projects. Also, the people in those departments are used to working for two bosses simultaneously. This advantage outweighs the more complex communication and conflict is usually present in managing a project in a matrix organization. The functional organization has less conflict and simpler communications but the project manager is powerless versus functional managers

Question 35

The project expediter is most frequently used: (513)
(A) on large projects in excess of 2 million dollars
(B) when there is a need for one focal point to the project team with the expediter having the final word on project decisions
(C) in a functional organization with an expediter focusing mainly on communication
(D) in pure matrix organizations

Answer 35

Expediters are found in functional organizations where they use their communication skills to try and improve project performance

Question 36

For multinational corporations, the product lifecycle and the project lifecycle differ in that
(A) The product lifecycle may contain several project lifecycles
(B) The project lifecycle and the product lifecycle always start and end at the same time
(C) The project lifecycle contains the product lifecycle which is a subset of it
(D) There is no relationship between a product’s lifecycle and the project lifecycle

Answer 36

Usually there are several projects in the product's lifecycle. There may be of research and development project to create the product. We may have a project which is a marketing feasibility for the prod! uct. We m! ay have a project to create the manufacturing facility to produce the product and finally we may have a project to retire the product.

Question 37

A project manager is managing in a functional organization. During the planning phase the project manager is working with the project stakeholders. What is the best listing of the people who might be in this meeting? (555)
(A) senior management, functional managers
(B) the project team
(C) team members, customers, managers, employees
(D) stockholders

Answer 37

PMI's? definition of stakeholders is very broad and the choice "team members, customers, managers, employees" is the best option as "Senior management, functional managers" and "the project team" are limited to just management or the people working on the project. Stockholders could be included in the stakeholder group but that choice is not sufficiently inclusive.

Question 38

A chemical engineer from the company is invited to a scope definition meeting and uses his technical training ! to make a! significant contribution to the scope. The role the engineer is playing is that of: (307)
(A) inherent contributor
(B) stakeholder
(C) technical resource
(D) convergent thinking

Answer 38

Every stakeholder has skills and knowledge which may be useful in planning and the project team should create an environment in which the stakeholders can contribute appropriately

Question 39

Project managers have the least power and influence in the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ type of organization. (543)
(A) project expediter
(B) strong matrix
(C) projectized
(D) functional

Answer 39

The project manager has the most power in the projectized organization because the project operates much like a functional department in a functional organization. It has dedicated personnel that a are full time on the project.

Question 40

The project charter is created by the \_\_\_\_\_ in the \_\_\_\_\_ process group: (008)
(A) the project manager in the planning
(B) management in the initiating
(C) sponsor in the initiating
(D) the customer in the planning

Answer 40

A sponsor who is at a level appropriate to the needs of the project issues the charter. The project manager does not