Manage Issues Flashcards
You have a disagreement with a stakeholder over the technical approach to your project. Where should you document this?
A. Status report
B. Risk register
C. Issues log
D. It should not be documented
Answer: C
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Issues are any point or matter in dispute. A disagreement over the technical approach used on your project would be an issue, thus it should be documented in the Issues Log.
You discover a major issue in your agile project. A decision must be made about compliance with a regulatory requirement the outcome will affect how the team does the remainder of the project work. What project document will discuss how to make this decision?
A. FMEA
B. Team Charter
C. Issue Log
D. Change Management plan
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
The team charter can contain decision-making criteria. It is implied in the Agile Practice Guide but is specifically mentioned in the PMBOK Guide p. 319.
During a retrospective meeting of your projects, it is brought to your attention there are several quality issues resulting in defects. These defects have varying causes such as drops, misfeeds, maintenance, etc. What is the best chart to display these causes?
A. Cause and Effect diagram
B. Why-Why
C. Histogram
D. Decision tree
Answer: C
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
A histogram is a great chart used to track the number of identified issues sorted by their causes. The Cause and Effect and Why-Why are the exact same chart. However, a cause and effect diagram only aids in identifying the root cause of a problem, not how many times the problem occurred. A decision tree is used primarily in risk to determine the best course of action.
You are the project manager on small energy-efficient project. Your organization usually does not take on projects with an IRR of 8.99 or less, but this is for the city Mayor. The sponsor hopes expert delivery of this project and adding other features outside of the scope would win the company a future multimillion-dollar stadium contract. So far, the project has proceeded without any issues until last week. Problems have been discovered and since you have already identified solutions, what should you do next?
A. Inform the sponsor gold plating is always an issue, so we should submit a change request for the scope baseline
B. Add the additional features and determine other ways of delivering the project under budget
C. Discuss the solutions and choose the best option
D. Add the risk to the risk register and determine the appropriate reserve amounts
Answer: C
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
This question is misleading. While you may have believed this question to be about gold plating, it is actually about the steps in problem-solving, which are; 1) Define the problem, 2) ID the root cause, 3) Develop potential solutions, 4) Pick a solution, 5) Implement the solution, 6) Verify the solution effectiveness.
After the start of a project, the project manager learns that an expected governmental subsidy may not be available. What should the project manager do to address this issue?
A. Raise the project risk level.
B. Make sure that the information is added to the issue log.
C. Make up any project deficit using the contingency reserve.
D. Make a change request.
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
The risk level on this project must be elevated as an expected monetary result might not be achieved. PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2017) PMI/PMI/11.2.3.2/418
During the daily standup meeting a team member states that they are still waiting on data from another department that is delaying the completion of their activity. What should the Team Facilitator do in this situation?
A. Enter this into to the risk register and tell the team member to follow up with the appropriate department.
B. Enter this into to the issue log and follow up with the appropriate department.
C. Enter this into to the risk register and follow up with the appropriate department.
D. Enter this into to the issue log and tell the team member to follow up with the appropriate department.
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
This is an issue (not a risk, a risk is an uncertainty). This is also an impediment, and one of the roles of a Team Facilitator is to remove such impediments.
You are the project manager on an agile project to build a new prototype solar-powered car within two weeks. One of the risks identified in the Risk Register included the potential for some body parts being produced by 3-D printers that might not fit into the overall body precisely as designed, which has now become a reality. Which of the following actions would be least appropriate to do at this time?
A. Update the Risk Register to note that the risk has now been realized.
B. Add the risk to the Issues Log since the risk is now occurring.
C. Inform the project sponsor that the risk is now occurring.
D. Contact the risk owner to ensure he/she is prepared to implement the planned risk response.
Answer: C
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
You might inform the sponsor at some point after the risk has been realized, but you’d want to take the other three actions beforehand.
You discover a major issue in your agile project. A decision must be made about compliance with a regulatory requirement the outcome will affect how the team does the remainder of the project work. What project document will discuss how to make this decision?
A. SWOT analysis
B. Team Charter
C. Issue Log
D. Change Management plan
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
The team charter can contain decision-making criteria. While the Issue Log may document the existence of the issue, it does not describe the decision-making processes needed to resolve issues. It is implied in the Agile Practice Guide but is specifically mentioned in the PMBOK Guide p 319.
During a progress review meeting you realize that the project is currently behind schedule. The team is discussing alternatives to compress the schedule. Who is responsible for resolving this situation?
A. The project team
B. The project manager
C. The project sponsor
D. The customer
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
The project manager is responsible for resolving problems on the project
Who is responsible for resolving issues on an Agile Project?
A. Issue Owner
B. Team Facilitator
C. Product Owner
D. Team Members that have been assigned the issue
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
On any project, regardless of whether it is Agile, Predictive etc., it is the issue owner who is responsible for the resolution of the issue. Note that D is a distractor. Although not incorrect, some issues are beyond the authority of the team members (such as senior management disagreeing on the deliverable, or a vendor delaying materials). The best answer is A. PMI Authorized PMP Exam Prep Student Guide/ Page 189
Problem solving, which is an important activity on projects, is best performed by doing which of the following?
A. Influencing the organization to get things done
B. Defining problems, looking at various solutions and making decisions
C. Conferring with others to reach a decision
D. Producing key results expected by stakeholders
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Problem solving consists of defining the problem, looking at various solutions, and making decisions.
Even though you feel you and your team have done a good job in identifying risks and developing risk responses, you are concerned the risk management process is not as effective as it could be. You decide to hold a meeting to determine how effective this process is. This meeting is referred to as a:
A. Risk Review
B. Risk Workshop
C. Risk Audit
D. Risk Analysis
Answer: C
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
The specific purpose of the risk audit is to look at the effectiveness of the risk management process. Risk reviews are for looking at the effectiveness of responses to overall project risk and identified individual project risks. Risk workshops are for identifying risk. Various risk processes use the expression risk analysis. None of them refer specifically to a meeting.
Which of the following characteristics is not true for issues?
A. Focused on the present
B. Can be positive or negative
C. Are documented on the Issues Log
D. Response is called a “workaround”
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Issues will only be negative.
You are a project manager for Peeping-Tom Security Company. Your company won a bid to install surveillance cameras in various areas in the city. You sub-contracted some of the electrical work to another company. Through an independent review, you uncover that the process the subcontractor uses to report its progress is highly inefficient. Which of the following is true?
A. You are in the Close Project process and have completed the final report.
B. You are in the Validate Scope process and have performed a quality audit.
C. You are in the Control Procurements process and have performed data analysis and inspections
D. You are in the Manage Quality process and have performed process analysis.
Answer: C
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Data analysis, in this process, includes performance reviews, earned value analysis, and trend analysis. Inspections are structured reviews of the work being performed by the contractor, which may be a simple review of the deliverable or an actual review of the work itself.
During the standup meeting, one of your cross-functional team members illustrates a major risk event that could occur if the work is carried out according to the prioritization of the user stories. This risk event was unknown before the meeting. What should you do next?
A. Continue with the project as planned and meet with the sponsor in private to discuss the potential fallout of the risk event.
B. Fill out all known information about the risk even and address it with the team event if that means reprioritizing the work
C. Tell the team members you will handle it because you are a servant leader
D. Inform the team that the work must be completed in the planned order
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
In the agile environment, the risk is considered when selecting the content of each iteration. A is wrong because it doesn’t foster transparency. Read more about risk management in the PMBOK Guide p 400.
Which of the following statements is true regarding issue logs?
A. Issue logs describe the ground rules and conflict management procedures to manage the project
B. Issue logs are written logs that address the roles and responsibilities of each project team member
C. Issue logs document areas over which there is disagreement, conflict or misunderstanding.
D. Issue logs are a graphic display of project team members and their reporting relationships
Answer: C
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Issues logs are useful inputs when capturing and documenting lessons learned for all projects, regardless of life cycle/methodology.
You are a project manager on a large biotech project. You overhear a conversation between two stakeholders. They are discussing how unhappy they are with the impacts of the project on their departments. Stakeholder A asks Stakeholder B if the project is on time, and stakeholder B says that he heard from you the SPI is 1.05. Stakeholder A then asks if the project manager (you) are aware of their concern. Stakeholder B responds that he has not seen you for a while and is unsure whether you are aware (or care) about his concern. What should you do?
A. Make sure the stakeholders are aware you overheard their conversation and ask them to direct and questions or concerns to you in writing.
B. Make a presentation to all stakeholders regarding the status of the project and load the presentation in your PMIS.
C. Send both stakeholders a copy of the issue log and ask for additional comments.
D. Arrange for a meeting with the stakeholders to allow them to voice any concerns they may have.
Answer: D
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
This question has more than one right answer. Asking for something is writing is probably not the best in this situation (choice A). The issue log is where the issue would be listed (choice C) but this can be taken care of with a simple meeting. If the issue is just with Stakeholder A and B, making a presentation to all stakeholders is probably unnecessary (choice B). This problem would likely require informal verbal communication to discover the real problem. Arranging a meeting with the concerned stakeholders is therefore the best choice.
During one daily standup meeting, team members indicate they are having to engage in rework because there seems to be too much up-front work. How should the project manager respond to this concern?
A. Try using a Kanban board for reviews.
B. Request that team members implement shorter iterations.
C. Request that the project owner maximizes the product value.
D. Engage in a process to manage a reduction in the product backlog.
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Shorter iterations allow for managing functionalities more closely should the team keep working on a minimum Viable Product. The Agile Practice Guide (2017), Implementing Agile: Delivering In An Agile Environment / 5.3 Troubleshooting Agile Project Challenges / Table 5-1, p59
Your project keeps having the same issue and it is beginning to cause dissent among stakeholders. It is apparent if the issue is not fixed, it will eventually cause delays in the project. Per the contract, the schedule is not allowed to slip and you must deliver on schedule. How should the project manager proceed?
A. Document it on the issue log and utilize an Ishikawa diagram to determine the root cause issue
B. Document the issue on an issue log and follow up on it when a solution has been identified
C. Document on the issue log, add it to the risk register, and update management reserves
D. Adjust the risk register, create contingency reserves for time and passively accept the risk
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Project managers are proactive and will identify issues and their root cause quickly. A cause and effect diagram is a tool which allows the project manager to identify the root cause of the issue and develop a solution to permanently resolve the issue.
During the standup meeting, one of your cross functional team members illustrates a major risk event that could occur if the work is carried out according to the prioritization of the user stories. This risk event was unknown before the meeting. What should you do next?
A. Carry on with the project as planned and meet with the sponsor in private to discuss the potential fallout of the risk event.
B. Fill out all known information about the risk even and address it with the team even if that means reprioritizing the work.
C. Tell the team members you will handle it because you are a servant leader.
D. Inform the team that the work must be completed in the planned order.
Answer: B
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
In the agile environment, the risk is considered when selecting the content of each iteration. A is wrong because it doesn’t foster transparency. Read more about risk management in the PMBOK Guide p. 400.
Which of the following documents is least likely to be updated as a result of the Implement Risk Responses process?
A. Lessons learned register
B. Risk register
C. Risk report
D. Stakeholder register
Answer: D
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
While it is possible that the stakeholder register may be updated as a result of this process, the other three project documents would certainly be updated upon the implementation of any risk response.
The project manager reviews the issue log and sees three tasks assigned to three team members are significantly behind schedule. How should the project manager handle this issue?
A. Meet with the relevant team members to review the tasks and determine a strategy for resolving the issue.
B. Contact the project sponsor and escalate the issue to reduce delays.
C. Ask those who are responsible for the reason for the delays and their plans for the next steps.
D. Inform the team to quickly bring the tasks up to date so that the project is not at risk.
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
The project manager needs to be proactive and review the activities with the team and identify resolution strategies. PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2017), 4. Project Risk Management / 11.2 Identify Risks, pp409-411
You are the new project manager for your company which has a large client that requires a special component to be created for one of their car engines. The project was launched because of which of the following?
A. A customer request
B. A change in the technology your customer is creating
C. A legal requirement (contractual)
D. An organizational need
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
This project was launched because the customer requested the new component.
You are a project manager working on a high visibility project with a critical customer. A previously identified risk event has occurred. Which process ensures that the response is executed as planned?
A. Implement Risk Responses
B. Plan Risk Responses
C. Direct and Manage Project Work
D. Monitor Risks
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Implement Risk Responses is the process of implementing agreed-upon risk response plans.
You have recently taken over a project from another project manager who received a promotion. The Sponsor expects great results from you, just as he received from the last project manager. Just after being told this, a team member approaches you with a new issue. They have already documented it on the issue log and a discussion begins about the next steps. You suggest doing a root cause analysis. What are the steps to a root cause analysis?
A. Identify the problem, discover the underlying cause and develop preventive actions
B. Identify the problem, determine the underlying cause and submit a change management plan for corrective action
C. Determine underlying causes, identify the problem, and submit a change request
D. Use change control procedures and configuration management
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
The root cause analysis (RCA) steps are to identify the problem, discover the underlying cause which led to it and develop either corrective or preventive actions. Answer B is incorrect because it says to submit a change management plan, not submit a change request.
When utilizing Scrum, which of the following is the best solution for dealing with a significant, unexpected issue (i.e., change in technology requirements) that greatly reduces the team’s ability to obtain the sprint goal?
A. Extend the sprint and add a spike
B. Move to a predictive project life cycle
C. Abnormally terminate the sprint
D. Add resources to the team to keep the sprint goal viable
Answer: C
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Option C is correct. When a significant issue occurs during a sprint that makes the sprint goal unobtainable, the product owner can make the decision to abnormally terminate the sprint. After abnormal termination, the team would immediately have a sprint planning meeting and start the next sprint.
The stakeholders on your project are having many disagreements over the technical approach to complete the project. Disputes are common in project planning and must always be expected. Which of the following documents is concerned with tracking things that are preventing the project team members from meeting project goals?
A. Dispute register
B. Defect log
C. Risk register
D. Issue log
Answer: D
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
An issue is any point or matter in question, in dispute, or over which there are disagreements. The issue log documents concerns that keep the project team members from meeting project goals.
Key stakeholder risk attitudes drive a project’s risk strategy. When preparing to implement a risk response, which of the following should you use to define the acceptable target of your implementation?
A. Risk threshold
B. Risk appetite
C. Risk tolerance
D. Risk attitude
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
A risk threshold is the level of risk exposure above which risks are addressed and below which risks may be accepted, and is therefore the best target for the implementation of a risk response.
Which is the best way to identify issues early in a flow-based Agile project?
A. Keep work-in-progress sizes small.
B. List issues on the Kanban board during daily stand-ups.
C. Make issue identification the responsibility of the entire Agile team.
D. Document all issues and assign issue owners on the issues log.
Answer: A
Process - Task 15 - Manage Issues
Page 25, Agile Practice Guide.
