Missed Questions 7

Question 1

A global fashion house is planning next season’s product line and initiates a project to create media buzz before Fashion Week. The team launches a social media campaign. One team member publishes one of the top-secret designs on their personal social media feed.

The project manager speaks with the team member about the breach and the team member apologizes, explaining they had hoped to generate publicity. However, competitors pounce on the opportunity and a costly mistake is made.

Which three actions should the project manager take to safeguard the future of the project? (Choose 2)

1. Revise the team charter and review organizational rules.
2. Instruct the designers to create new designs immediately.
3. Update the compliance requirements for the project.
4. Restrict team member access to confidential material.

Answer 1

Revise the team charter and review organizational rules.

Explanation: Despite the potential high drama of this scenario, this is a simple case of a problem that needs to be addressed. To safeguard the future of this project, the project manager should log the issue, remind the team of organizational rules, update the compliance requirements for the project, and revise the team charter to ensure the team is mindful of the rules going forward. Even though this was a costly and embarrassing mistake, the project manager is the steward of the project and must take steps to ensure its success.

New designs are outside of the project scope and moving to restrict access to the confidential designs would probably not allow the team members to do their jobs. The project manager needs to be able to trust their team and the team members must uphold the value of honesty and exhibit ethical behavior. This is a core value of the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
✓ Instruct the designers to create new designs immediately.

Explanation: Despite the potential high drama of this scenario, this is a simple case of a problem that needs to be addressed. To safeguard the future of this project, the project manager should log the issue, remind the team of organizational rules, update the compliance requirements for the project, and revise the team charter to ensure the team is mindful of the rules going forward. Even though this was a costly and embarrassing mistake, the project manager is the steward of the project and must take steps to ensure its success.

New designs are outside of the project scope and moving to restrict access to the confidential designs would probably not allow the team members to do their jobs. The project manager needs to be able to trust their team and the team members must uphold the value of honesty and exhibit ethical behavior. This is a core value of the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

Question 2

A government is ready to announce a new tax on sugary products to fund a healthcare program. The team is working on the first set of goals to secure buy-in from the industry stakeholders and launch a strong public campaign to support the mandate.

In which three ways can the project build a shared understanding of the project goals with public stakeholders? [Pick Two]

1. Inform industry stakeholders that noncompliant businesses will be penalized.
2. Announce the tax along with an advertising campaign to educate the country and individuals about the benefit.
3. Use an incremental approach by taxing products with the highest sugar content only and explain how this will improve health results over a period of time.
4. Launch a national survey program to anticipate how individuals and businesses will react.

Answer 2

Announce the tax along with an advertising campaign to educate the country and individuals about the benefit.

Explanation: Projects do NOT always bring popular changes. There are many ways to approach stakeholder buy-in to a controversial problem. Proving the value of the project incrementally is one, if you have the time. Explaining the benefits to the skeptical customer is an empathetic approach, which is also valid. And involving key stakeholders in the premise of the change and allowing them to share in its success is a third possibility. Because the change will be difficult for stakeholders, just listening or gathering data is NOT enough.

Use an incremental approach by taxing products with the highest sugar content only and explain how this will improve health results over a period of time.

Explanation: Projects do NOT always bring popular changes. There are many ways to approach stakeholder buy-in to a controversial problem. Proving the value of the project incrementally is one, if you have the time. Explaining the benefits to the skeptical customer is an empathetic approach, which is also valid. And involving key stakeholders in the premise of the change and allowing them to share in its success is a third possibility. Because the change will be difficult for stakeholders, just listening or gathering data is NOT enough.

Question 3

A Project Manager notices that one team member seems increasingly unhappy during team meetings. The team member is not making progress on a key work package, and this lack of progress is now impacting the critical path. The team member feels that they are not in the correct role within the project team.

What should the Project Manager do?
1. Meet with the team member to discuss where they can contribute, based on their strengths.
2. Schedule weekly touchpoints with the team member to discuss barriers that may impact their work.
3. Reassure the team member about their abilities by reminding them that they were chosen for a reason.
4. Enroll the team member in targeted training to acquire the needed skills for their assigned role.

Answer 3

Meet with the team member to discuss where they can contribute, based on their strengths.

Explanation: Yes - This is the best response. The individual may truly be right. As a Servant Leader, you can help them find the correct role.

Question 4

If the project manager decides to staff the project with team members with one or more contractors, what is the first step the project manager must take?

1. Work with procurement to draft an RFP (or similar contracting document.)
2. Identify organizations that can provide the needed resources.
3. Determine if the organization has an preexsiting contracts with staffing agencies.
4. Determine the types of skills needed and the required time frame.

Answer 4

Determine the types of skills needed and the required time frame.

Explanation: This is correct, as stated. Wysocki (2019) also indicates that the number of personnel is equally relevant to this first step.
All other steps listed are certainly relevant, but the process must start with the skills needed, the quantity needed, and the time frame needed.

Question 5

A project team is completing a sprint. This team normally performs well under time pressure. But this time, something seems different. The workrooms are quiet, and people are having conversations that seem secretive. A check of the scrum board shows that work is on schedule and quality checks are met, yet the team lead feels anxious.

What should the team lead do?

1. Think about any other recent changes or reasons that could be the cause of these anxious feelings.
2. Assume everything is fine and let the team continue working.
3. Ask everyone to give a quick report of how they think the sprint is going at the next standup.
4. Tell the team you are feeling anxious about their work

Answer 5

Think about any other recent changes or reasons that could be the cause of these anxious feelings.

Explanation: If the data shows positive signs that work is on track and you are feeling anxious or unsure, then it’s a good idea to trust your instinct. Something could be happening outside of the project, and your awareness of it might be causing concern. Try to identify the cause of your anxiety on your own without spreading worry or alerting the team about it. Assuming everything is fine would be alright, but without some introspection to analyze the context of the project, your anxiety might affect the team.

Question 6

The Project Manager receives a progress report during a demo and review meeting. The report shows that the agile project is not on track. Since all work was purposely selected and sequenced to meet higher-level objectives, the Project Manager is surprised by the report.

In the future, how can the Project Manager prevent this type of miscommunication in an agile project?

1. Support self organization for the project team and help them provide buy-in for the project.
2. Provide early training and ongoing mentoring about the agile approach for the project team.
3. Ensure that the team is trained to use the agile process reporting system.
4. Ensure that there is a contingency reserve to cover these issues.

Answer 6

Support self organization for the project team and help them provide buy-in for the project.

Explanation: For agile projects, rather than a project manager selecting and sequencing work, higher-level objectives are explained and the team members are empowered to self-organize specific tasks as a group to best meet those objectives. This leads to the creation of practical plans with high levels of buy-in from the team members.

PMBOK® Guide Sixth Edition (2018), Appendix 3 / X3.3.3 Executing Process Group, p670

Question 7

A project team is working 24-hour days in shifts under hazardous conditions to train an operations team at an offshore plant. To ensure safety, one team member on each shift personally hands off the notes to the next shift. The system works until team member A complains that they worked more night shifts than everyone else. The project manager checks the rota for the last 3 weeks. The scheduler has made an error, and team member A has worked more night shifts than was planned.

Which two actions should the project manager take to resolve the problem? (Choose 2)

1. Apply a temporary solution until the scheduler can correct the error.
2. Ask the team to sit together and make their own rota.
3. Discuss the challenges of the schedule with the whole team and decide on a better practice for scheduling.
   4.Apologize to team member A and coach the scheduler on the criticality of the schedule.
4. Record the incident and solution in the lessons learned register.

Answer 7

Discuss the challenges of the schedule with the whole team and decide on a better practice for scheduling.

Explanation: We need an immediate response to address the issue and improve the scheduling process for the future. The team can sit together with the scheduler and decide how to create an appropriate schedule. The project manager should answer team member A’s complaint as well as coach the scheduler on the dangerous consequences of a scheduling error like this. Recording the incident in the lessons learned register will not resolve the problem, but it is a useful step for learning on future projects.

Apologize to team member A and coach the scheduler on the criticality of the schedule.

Explanation: We need an immediate response to address the issue and improve the scheduling process for the future. The team can sit together with the scheduler and decide how to create an appropriate schedule. The project manager should answer team member A’s complaint as well as coach the scheduler on the dangerous consequences of a scheduling error like this. Recording the incident in the lessons learned register will not resolve the problem, but it is a useful step for learning on future projects.

Question 8

Two team members disagree about which technology should be used during the project, as each member prefers a different technology. Which of the following is the LEAST effective way to resolve this conflict?

1. To maintain harmony, the project manager emphasizes to both team members that both technologies would work equally well for the project, but the charter already states the technology that will be used.
2. The project manager demands they use one of the technologies.
3. The project manager authorizes a test of both technologies to see which one would better fit the needs and the constraints of the project.
4. The project manager agrees to use both technologies for all work on the project; all deliverables will be created, essentially twice, once for each technology.

Answer 8

The project manager demands they use one of the technologies.

Explanation: Demanding the team uses one of the technologies is an example of forcing/directing, and it is the least effective approach. It is a win-lose approach enforced through power.

Question 9

A project manager realizes that sponsor expectations are NOT being met, specifically regarding project deliverables.

To address this issue, which action should the project manager take?

1. Develop a stakeholder engagement plan.
2. Update the risk register.
3. Develop a communications management plan.
4. Create a work breakdown structure (WBS).

Answer 9

Update the risk register.

Explanation: The Risk Register may have existing entries about the potential for the sponsors expectations not being met that need updating. If there were no existing entries, then there will be new risks associated with any plan of action.

Question 10

An important team member and a key employee of a vendor that provides products to the project have both left their organizations. New individuals have been assigned to both positions. These new individuals know little about the project. Which are the most likely documents the project manager will need to review and revise related to the area of project stakeholder management?

1. Communications plan and team charter
2. Project charter and stakeholder engagement plan
3. Stakeholder register and stakeholder engagement plan
4. Procurement management plan and stakeholder engagement plan

Answer 10

Stakeholder register and stakeholder engagement plan

Explanation: Realistically, changing stakeholders could affect almost any aspect of the project. However, the key documents associated with the Project Stakeholder Management Knowledge Area that project manager would have to revisit would include the stakeholder register (for details such as name, contact information, and major expectations, among others) and the stakeholder register (to determine appropriate strategies to ensure this new person’s commitment to the project goals.)

Question 11

Which of the following is the least likely tool and technique used to analyze, categorize, or visually display stakeholder information? [Pick Two]

1. A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
2. A salience grid
3. An influence and impact grid
4. A Classification, Identification, and Analysis (CIA) diagram
5. Upwards, downwards, outwards, sideways

Answer 11

✓ A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
Explanation: A fishbone diagram is typically associated with quality management.

A salience grid
Explanation: This is a tool and technique to visually display stakeholder information for the process Identify Stakeholders.

An influence and impact grid
Explanation: This is a tool and technique to visually display stakeholder information for the process Identify Stakeholders.

✓ A Classification, Identification, and Analysis (CIA) diagram
Explanation:This term was invented for this question, though it sounds particularly impressive.

Upwards, downwards, outwards, sideways
Explanation: This method classifies stakeholders on their relationship to the project. Methods used to influence stakeholders can vary greatly based on the project manager’s relationship (e.g., upward to the sponsor or downward to a team member) to a project stakeholder.

Question 12

A planned task in a sprint does not get completed due to an issue that appeared three days ago but did not get resolved. The Project Manager wants to prevent this type of situation in the future.

What should the Project Manager do?

1. During the retrospective, examine the issue.
2. During the next iteration planning meeting, discuss the issue.
   3.In the next daily standup meeting, review the issue.
3. In the demo, address the issue.

Answer 12

During the retrospective, examine the issue.

Explanation: A retrospective is a great opportunity to talk about what went right, what went wrong, lessons learned and what to improve for next time.

Question 13

A company executive who is not a key project stakeholder of a project has expressed continued interest and opinions directly to the project team. The key stakeholders are becoming annoyed and perceive the executive to be interfering and causing unwanted noise, but the project team finds the executive’s inputs helpful.

What should the team do first?
1. Discuss what should happen at the next retrospective.
2. Ask the product owner to intervene in the conflict.
3. Use Speed B Leas conflict management techniques.
4. Add this executive to the team as a key stakeholder.

Answer 13

Discuss what should happen at the next retrospective.

Explanation: There is a lot happening here that could be beneficial to the project but could also be harmful—the existing stakeholders could feel threatened, or the scope could be changing from what the stakeholders envisioned with the executive’s inputs. The team needs to decide what to do, but with a clear consensus and expert judgment before taking action. A retrospective is about gaining insights for team improvement. All of the options could likely happen as well, but the first thing to do is discuss with the team. If the team agrees that further engagement is desirable, then the team could move on to reclassification of the stakeholder and any resulting conflict management.

Question 14

A project has an SV of $3,000. What is known about this project?

1. It’s behind schedule
2. Human resources are more talented than expected
   3.There is scope creep
3. It’s ahead of schedule

Answer 14

It’s ahead of schedule

Explanation: A positive SV indicates that the project is ahead of schedule.

Question 15

A project has a CPI of .98. What is known about this project?

1. It’s behind schedule and over budget.
2. It’s behind schedule
3. It’s ahead of schedule.
4. It’s over budget.

Answer 15

It’s over budget.

Explanation: A CPI less than 1 indicates the project is over budget.

Question 16

A project that should have been 70 percent complete by now is only 55 percent complete. The total project budget is US$210,000, and the actual cost spent to date is US$162,000.

What is the scheduled performance index (SPI) and cost performance index (CPI) of this project?

Answer 16

The SPI is 0.79, and the CPI is 0.71.
Explanation:EV = Actual% * BAC = 0.55$210,000 = $115,500
PV = Plan% * BAC = 0.70$210,000 = $147,000
AC = $162,000 (given)

SPI = EV/PV = $115,500/$147,000 = 0.785 or 0.79
CPI = EV/AC = $115,500/$162,000 = 0.71

Question 17

Every year, from May to October, a ski resort closes to undertake a project to inspect the surrounding mountain trails and repair the ski lifts before reopening. The date is now 15 September. The project manager wants to know how much more money to allocate to the project budget to meet the completion date of 31 October.

Which method or metric should the project manager use?

1. Estimate at completion (EAC)
2. Estimate to complete (ETC)
3. Parabolic estimation
4. Cost performance index (CPI)

Answer 17

Estimate to complete (ETC)

Explanation: Estimate to complete (ETC) indicates the projected remaining amount of money that will be spent based on past performance. The project manager can look at the money spent during the first 4 months of the project. Because this project occurs every year, a project manager can easily access the past years’ performance metrics to determine how much more money to allocate to the budget.

Question 18

A deliverable on the critical path of the project is lagging behind schedule.

The cost performance index (CPI) is 1.3. The Project Manager is able to put the project back on schedule.

What is the most likely outcome for the project?

1. There will be an increase in costs and risks.
2. There will be rework.
3. There will be activities performed in parallel.
4. There will be a revised scope.

Answer 18

There will be an increase in costs and risks.

Explanation: The Cost Performance Index (CPI) is above 1, therefore the project is spending money at a rate lower than planned. Since the project is behind schedule, its Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is less than 1. In order to increase the SPI to 1, there will most likely be an increase in costs, perhaps from crashing activities on the critical path that will lower the CPI towards 1. This will most likely increase risks associated with the project when trying to do more in less time.

Question 19

Which of the following is the most accurate statement related to the concept of cost reserves? [Pick Two]

1. Strategic reserves are used for unknown risks
   2.Management reserves are set aside for known risks.
2. Management reserves are not included in the cost baseline, though they are included in the project budget and funding requirements.
3. Management reserves are included in the cost baseline.
4. Contingency reserves are included in the cost baseline.

Answer 19

Management reserves are not included in the cost baseline, though they are included in the project budget and funding requirements.

Contingency reserves are included in the cost baseline.

Question 20

A software vendor is behind on a key project deliverable.

There is a 21% buffer in the budget for cost overruns.

The Project Manager needs to mitigate the issue.

Which action should the Project Manager take next?

1. Ask the vendor to meet to discuss legal issues regarding the slippage.
2. Evaluate alternative software vendors that can help project deliverables despite resource constraints.
3. Accept the cost overrun and update the project schedule.
4. Remove the current vendor and have the new vendor send a contract.

Answer 20

Explanation:The first step is analysis and evaluation of alternate options. After that, specific and appropriate action can be taken.

PMBOK® Guide Sixth Edition (2018) /PMI/12.3/492

Question 21

A financial services project will be executed by a team of three teams. Each team has unique objectives for the first phase and then will merge efforts for the second phase to deliver the product. The product owner wants it done as soon as possible. In the initial draft of the schedule, team A finishes their work in a 9-week time line, but teams B and C need 14 weeks to complete their work.

The scrum master suggests allocating resources from team A to teams B and C during weeks 10-12, to shorten the total time line. Teams B and C agree and would like the added resources. However, team A says “no” because they need to prepare the transition plan and train staff on the product during weeks 10-14.

Which two actions should happen? [Pick Two]
1. The teams should decide their own schedules.
2. The teams should hold a scrum of scrums to decide the schedule.
3. The product owner should add the transition requirements to the backlog.
4.The scrum master should facilitate a planning retrospective.
5. The product owner should re-prioritize the backlog.

Answer 21

The teams should hold a scrum of scrums to decide the schedule.

Explanation: These teams are not communicating with each other about the time they need to produce the work, nor with the product owner about the training and transition plans that are required to deliver the product. The product owner can communicate their requirements to the team through the backlog. That is where the work is described to the team, which can then decide on how to execute it, because they know best what is needed to complete this project successfully and deliver the product ASAP. Clearly, the training and transition requirements have not been discussed. In a scrum of scrums meeting, the teams can discuss how the required work should be completed and agree on a schedule.

The product owner should add the transition requirements to the backlog.

Explanation: These teams are not communicating with each other about the time they need to produce the work, nor with the product owner about the training and transition plans that are required to deliver the product. The product owner can communicate their requirements to the team through the backlog. That is where the work is described to the team, which can then decide on how to execute it, because they know best what is needed to complete this project successfully and deliver the product ASAP. Clearly, the training and transition requirements have not been discussed. In a scrum of scrums meeting, the teams can discuss how the required work should be completed and agree on a schedule.

Question 22

A construction company runs many projects. They are estimating costs for an upcoming project. What is the correct classification of the electrical wire needed, which has been locked down with a local firm for $1 per linear foot?

1. Indirect/Variable
2. Indirect/Fixed
3. Direct/Fixed
4. Direct/Variable

Answer 22

Direct/Variable

Explanation: The wire is direct, as it’s needed for the construction. It’s a variable cost, as the more wire needed, the higher the cost. The “locked down” rate is distracting information. If the vendor needs to buy more wire for any reason, the cost increases.

Question 23

A project is 7 months into execution. The project manager determines that the cost performance index (CPI) is .80.

According to a trend analysis, the CPI has a downward trend.

What is the next step that the project manager should take?

1. Crash the project schedule.
2. Ask for additional resources.
3. Utilize the management reserve.
4. Issue a change request for cost re-baselining.

Answer 23

Issue a change request for cost re-baselining.

Explanation: Since the project is over budget and the trend analysis show that will continue, the best course of action is to re-baseline the cost of the project and manage to that.

PMBOK® Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/7.3.3.1/254

Question 24

A project has an SPI of .93. What is known about this project?

1. It’s behind schedule and over budget.
2. It’s behind schedule.
3. The scope is missing.
4. It’s over budget

Answer 24

It’s behind schedule.

Explanation: An SPI less than 1 indicates that a project is behind schedule.

Question 25

A product owner is collaborating with the team lead to refine the product backlog. They need a better way to prioritize the backlog because the current stakeholders could not agree while using the MoSCoW technique. The product owner decides to create a matrix and identified VALUE as the first axis.

Which two items could work for the second axis? [Pick Two]

1. Effort
2. Time
3. Risk
4. Quality

Answer 25

Effort

Explanation: Value and either risk or effort are valid and useful measures to enable prioritization. While prioritization is essential for all projects, agile projects are time-boxed with a fixed set of resources, so prioritization is required in order to accommodate the time and budget constraints in order to produce value. This prioritization process, using value and then either risk or effort, will help the team to consider which items on the backlog will create the most value with the least amount of risk or effort.

Risk
Explanation: Value and either risk or effort are valid and useful measures to enable prioritization. While prioritization is essential for all projects, agile projects are time-boxed with a fixed set of resources, so prioritization is required in order to accommodate the time and budget constraints in order to produce value. This prioritization process, using value and then either risk or effort, will help the team to consider which items on the backlog will create the most value with the least amount of risk or effort.

Question 26

The team swarms tasks. Which of the following is the most accurate option related to this practice?

1. Swarming involves holding extremely brief, hourly meetings on critical tasks.
2. Swarming requires team members to have generalist skills.
3. Swarming involves temporarily recruiting specialists from outside the project to help the team get tasks done.
4. Swarming is another term for a Scrum of Scrums.

Answer 26

Swarming requires team members to have generalist skills.

Explanation: Swarming involves placing as many team members as practically possible on the highest priority task. They repeat this practice for the next prioritized task. However, this practice requires team members with general skills: team members with highly specialized skills could not be of much assistance swarming tasks outside their area of specialization.

Question 27

Question 21:Submit a CommentProject team members are busier than usual. They indicate that they do not have the time to update the lessons learned because of other project responsibilities. How should the project manager respond to this issue?

1. Ensure there is an agenda item for discussion of lessons learned from project activities as part of all project meetings.
2. Bring in a consultant to assist with collecting lessons learned to help reduce the burden on project team.
3. File a change request to the project management office (PMO) to change how often lessons learned is collected.
4. Require submission of lessons learned documentation after each project deliverable is accepted by the customer.

Answer 27

Ensure there is an agenda item for discussion of lessons learned from project activities as part of all project meetings.

Explanation: The lessons learned collection must be present throughout the project, using different facilitating techniques.

PMBOK® Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/4.4.3.1/104

Question 28

Which agile project stakeholder is typically responsible for identifying and managing product risk?

1. Scrum Master/Coach
2. Product Owner/Customer
3. Technical experts
4. Team

Answer 28

Product Owner/Customer

Explanation: The product owner/customer manages product risk, as the product/owner should understand the uncertainties with introducing the product, such as competing products, changing regulations that could affect the product, etc.

Question 29

Which of the following characteristics of predictive, agile, iterative, and incremental project life cycles is correct?

1. The goal of most agile life cycle projects is speed of delivery.
2. The goal of most incremental life cycle projects is to produce a single, correct solution.
3. The goal of most predictive life cycle projects is to manage cost.
4. The goal of most iterative life cycle projects is speed of delivery.

Answer 29

The goal of most predictive life cycle projects is to manage cost.

Explanation: The goal of most predictive life cycle projects is to manage cost, as expected change is minimal, and number of releases is few (often, only one). The goal of most iterative life cycle projects is correctness of solution. The goal of most incremental life cycle projects is speed. The goal of most agile life cycle projects is to create customer value through frequent delivery and feedback.

Question 30

The company has hired a consulting firm to diagnose the company’s processes. The consulting firm identifies a large amount of waste in the company’s processes, though the consulting firm only provides some high-level suggestions for removing this waste. The company expects to experiment with various solutions in small pilot groups until they can roll out the new, completed (and effective) processes to the entire company. What type of life cycle should the team likely use?

1. Iterative
2. Incremental
3. Predictive
4. Agile

Answer 30

Iterative

Explanation: The company needs to learn repeatedly through this type of project to rollout the right (effective) solution once it is ready. This is the major benefit greatly from an iterative approach, as the team can experiment, learn and refine the various processes.

Question 31

Which project stakeholder is typically responsible for helping the organization by enabling team member success?

1. Product Owner/Customer
2. Scrum Master/Coach
3. Senior Management
4. Team members themselves

Answer 31

Scrum Master/Coach

Explanation: The scrum master/coach has the responsibility of creating a work environment where the team can perform their duties successfully. The scrum master/coach also resolves issues for the team members so the team members can spend more time on performing their duties.