MOCK 2 Flashcards
- The WBS represents all product and project work, including project management. It is sometimes called the—
a. Control account level
b. 100% rule
c. Integration of scope, cost, and schedule for comparison to the earned value
d. The code of accounts
- b. 100% rule
The WBS is a deliverable-oriented, hierarchical decomposition of work to be done by the project team. Sometimes called the 100% rule, it shows the total of the work at the lowest levels must roll up to the higher levels so that nothing is left out and no extra work is done. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 131
- Your company is in the project management training business. In addition, the company publishes several exam study aids for the PMP® and CAPM® exam. You have your PMP®, and you have been appointed as the project manager to make sure your company’s training materials are updated to be aligned with the new PMBOK® Guide. You must complete your project in six months. You are now in month four. Many of your team members have been working on other projects as the company uses matrix management. In a performance review meeting today, you informed your Governance Board that you did not think you could complete this project in the remaining two months. You were informed that additional resources were not available, but you had to complete your project on time. Your best course of action is to—
a. Revise your schedule baseline
b. Use fast tracking
c. Adjust leads and lags now in your schedule
d. Use modeling techniques
- b. Use fast tracking
Fast tracking or crashing the schedule for the remaining work to be done are examples of schedulecompression techniques to find ways to bring project activities that are behind into alignment with the project management plan. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 190
- You are trying to determine whether or not to conduct 100% final system tests of 500 ground-based radar units at the factory. The historical radar field failure rate is 4%; the cost to test each unit in the factory is $10,000; the cost to reassemble each passed unit after the factory test is $2,000; the cost to repair and reassemble each failed unit after factory test is $23,000; and the cost to repair and reinstall each failed unit in the field is $350,000. Using decision tree analysis, what is the expected value if you decide to conduct these tests?
a. $5.5 million
b. $5.96 million
c. $6.42 million
d. $7 million
- c. $6.42 million
Test: $5M + $960K + $460K = $6.42M; Don’t Test: $7M. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 339
- Motivation is dynamic and complex. The statement, “Motivation is an intrinsic phenomenon. Extrinsic satisfaction only leads to movements, not motivation” is attributed to which of the leading theories of motivation?
a. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
b. Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory
c. Morse and Lorsch’s Contingency Theory
d. McGregor’s Theory X/Theory Y
- b. Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory
Frederick Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory asserts that some job factors lead to satisfaction, whereas others can only prevent dissatisfaction. There are two types of factors associated to the motivation process: hygiene factors, which relate to the work environment, and motivators, which relate to the work itself. Hygiene factors, if provided appropriately, can prevent dissatisfaction, while motivating factors can increase job satisfaction and are more permanent. [Executing]
Verma 1996, 56, 64–65
Meredith and Mantel, 2012, 200
- Each time you meet with your project sponsor, she emphasizes the need for cost control. To address her concerns, you should provide—
a. Work performance information
b. Cost baseline updates
c. Resource productivity analyses
d. Trend analysis statistics
- a. Work performance information
The project’s work performance information should document and communicate the CV, SV, CPI, SPI, TCPI, and VAC for the WBS components in particular for specific work packages and control accounts. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 225
- One output of the control costs process is cost forecasts, which is when—
a. Modifications are made to the cost information used to manage the project and are communicated to stakeholders
b. Trend analyses are performed and communicated to stakeholders
c. A budget update is required and communicated to all stakeholders
d. A calculated EAC value or a bottom-up EAC value is documented and communicated to stakeholders
- d. A calculated EAC value or a bottom-up EAC value is documented and communicated to stakeholders
Cost forecasts are another output of control costs, and the EAC is used to show the expected total costs of completing all work expressed as the sum of the actual cost to date and the estimate to complete. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 224–225
- You work for an electrical utility company and will be managing a project to build a new substation that will serve a new industrial park. This project was authorized because of a—
a. Business need
b. Market demand
c. Technological advance
d. Customer request
- d. Customer request
Projects can be authorized as a result of a market demand, organizational need, customer request, technological advance, legal requirement, ecological impact, or a social need. The new industrial park is an example of a project authorized because of a customer request. [Initiating]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 69
- A final project report is a recommended best practice. Although this report can be organized in a variety of ways, how should each item that is covered in the report be addressed?
a. A recommendation for changing current practice should be made and defended.
b. The focus should be solely on items that did not work well on the project.
c. Individuals who did not contribute successfully as team members should be noted.
d. An earned value discussion is warranted.
- a. A recommendation for changing current practice should be made and defended.
It is important to capture lessons learned, which then can be used on subsequent projects. The more detailed the lessons the better. However, when it comes to personnel lessons learned, the information should be handled in a confidential manner. [Closing]
Meredith and Mantel 2012, 570
- At the time the risk register is first prepared, it should contain all the following entries EXCEPT—
a. Root causes of risk
b. Structure for describing risks
c. List of risks requiring near-term responses
d. List of potential responses
- c. List of risks requiring near-term responses
The primary outputs from identify risks are initial entries into the risk register. It ultimately contains outcomes of other risk management processes as they are conducted. As an output of identify risks, the risk register should contain a list of identified risks, a list of potential responses, root causes that gave rise to the identified risks, and a structure for describing risks. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 327
- Which of the following theorists stated that people generally are motivated according to the strength of their desire either to achieve high levels of performance or to exceed in competitive situations?
a. David McGregor
b. David McClelland
c. Victor Vroom
d. B. F. Skinner
- b. David McClelland
According to David McClelland, there are three relevant motives or needs in work situations: the need for achievement, power, and affiliation or association. This theory supports the view that there is a high correlation between achievement, affiliation, and power motives and the overall motivation and performance achieved in a project. [Executing]
Verma 1996, 68
Levin, 2010, 88–91
- Your project is considered very risky. You plan to perform numerous what-if scenarios on your schedule using simulation software that will define each schedule activity and calculate a range of possible durations for each activity. The simulation then will use the collected data from each activity to calculate a distribution curve (or range) for the possible outcomes of the total project. Your planned approach is an example of which following technique?
a. PERT
b. Monte Carlo analysis
c. Linear programming
d. Concurrent engineering
- b. Monte Carlo analysis
Simulation is a tool and technique for the develop schedule process by which multiple project durations with different sets of activity assumptions are calculated. Monte Carlo analysis is the most commonly used simulation technique. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 180, 340, 562
- Project execution must be compared, and deviations must be measured for management control according to the—
a. Scope baseline
b. Performance measurement baseline
c. Schedule baseline
d. Control system
- b. Performance measurement baseline
The PMB is an approved, integrated scope-schedule-cost plan for the project work against which project execution is compared in order to measure and manage performance. It includes contingency reserve but not management reserve. It typicallyintegrates scope, schedule, and cost parameters of the project, but it may also include technical and quality parameters. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 302, 549
- A number of items may be part of the schedule data for the project. The amount of additional detail will vary, but the data should include all the following items EXCEPT—
a. Schedule activities
b. Activity attributes
c. Identified assumptions
d. Resource breakdown structure
- d. Resource breakdown structure
Schedule data for the project schedule includes a number of items as it collects the information used to describe and control the schedule. It includes schedule milestones, schedule activities, activity attributes, and assumptions and constraints. It may include resource histograms, alternate schedules, contingencyreserves cash-flow projections, and order and deliveryschedules [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 184, 191, and 561
- If a team member, when facing schedule delays and cost overruns, develops several alternatives for completing the project successfully on schedule and within budget and asks questions such as, “Can we do it?,” “If we do it what are the consequences?,” and “Is it really worth the effort involved?,” he or she is primarily motivated by the—
a. Contingency Theory
b. Expectancy Theory
c. Reinforcement Theory
d. Equity Theory
- b. Expectancy Theory
Developed by Victor Vroom, Expectancy Theory asserts that people think seriously about how much effort they should put into a task before doing it. Motivation is linked to an expectation of a favorable outcome. It is based on the concept that people choose behaviors that they believe will lead to desired rewards and outcomes. [Executing]
Verma 1996, 73
- Which tool or technique is NOT used for schedule control?
a. Performance reviews
b. Project management software
c. Work performance information
d. Leads and lags
- c. Work performance data
Work performance data is an input to control schedule. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 185
- All the following are examples of project document updates from the manage project team process EXCEPT—
a. Issue log
b. Roles description
c. Project staff assignments
d. Personnel skills
- d. Personnel skills
Personnel skill updates are an example of an enterprise environmental factor that may require updates as a result of the manage project team process along with inputs to the organizational performance appraisals. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 285
- Recording and reporting information regarding when appropriate configuration information should be provided and regarding the status of proposed and approved changes effectively is done through—
a. Configuration status accounting
b. Configuration verification and audit
c. Project management methodology
d. A project management information system (PMIS)
- a. Configuration status accounting
Configuration status accounting captures, stores, and accesses the needed configuration information to manage products and product information effectively. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 97
- Decomposition is a technique used to break larger, complex items into smaller and more manageable items. Which following statement best describes the role decomposition plays in creating the WBS?
a. Final output of creating the WBS is described in terms of phases of a project life cycle.
b. Final output of creating the WBS is described in terms of schedule activities.
c. Final output of creating the WBS is described in terms of verifiable products, services, or results.
d. Final output of creating the WBS is described in terms of the scope of the project.
- c. Final output of creating the WBS is described in terms of verifiable products, services, or results.
By using decomposition, the upper-level WBS components are subdivided for the work for each of the deliverables or subcomponents into its most fundamental elements, where the WBS components then represent verifiable products, service, or results. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 131
- The schedule management plan is a key document. It is—
a. An output of the develop schedule process
b. A tool and technique used in the develop schedule process
c. The first time management process
d. A separate planning effort completed in conjunction with the time management processes
- c. The first time management process
The schedule management plan is the output of plan schedule management, the first of the seven time management processes. It is a subsidiary plan to the project management plan. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 143
- Activity attributes are used to extend the description of the activity and to identify its multiple components. In the early stages of the project, an example of an activity attribute is—
a. Activity codes
b. Activity description
c. Predecessor and successor activities
d. Activity name
- d. Activity name
The components for each activity evolve over time. In the initial stages of the project, they include the activity ID, WBS ID, and the activity name. Later, additional information is added as other time management processes are performed. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 153
- You are working on a new project in your city to construct an environmentally friendly landfill. The existing site is so undesirable that many residents have moved to other neighboring cities because of their proximity to it. However, even though the project has the support of the public, you need to have a number of hearings of the city’s government before you are authorized to begin work. As you are in the planning phase of the project, you are waiting for these hearings to be scheduled and held before you can begin site preparation. These hearings are an example of—
a. A milestone
b. An external dependency
c. An item to be scheduled as a fragnet
d. A mandatory dependency
- b. An external dependency
Some dependencies are external ones, and they involve a relationship between project activities and nonproject activities. In sequencing activities, the project management team must determine which dependencies are external as they are usually outside of the team’s control. [Planning]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 158
- You are working on a project and want to know how many activities in the previous month were completed with significant variances. You should use a(n)—
a. Control chart
b. Inspection
c. Scatter diagram
d. Trend analysis
- d. Trend analysis
Trend analysis is used in many control processes in project management. The trend analysis examines the performance of the project over time to determine whether performance is improving or deteriorating. Graphical analysis techniques are valuable in trend analysis to understand performance to date and to compare it to future performance goals in the form of completion dates. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 188
- Your project has a budget of $1.5 million for the first year, $3 million for the second year, $2.2 million for the third year, and $800,000 for the fourth year. Most of the project budget will be spent during—
a. Starting the project
b. Organizing and preparing
c. Carrying out the work
d. Closing the project
- c. Carrying out the work
The implementation phase (carrying out the work) is when all interfaces affecting the project must be coordinated and when the product or service of the project is created. In most projects, this phase is also where a large portion of the project budget is spent. [Executing]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 56
- If you decide to follow an open subordination approach to resolving conflict, you are using which style of conflict resolution?
a. Avoiding
b. Accommodating
c. Compromising
d. Collaborating
- b. Accommodating
Open subordination is much like an accommodating or smoothing style of conflict management in which negotiators are more concerned about positive relationships than about substantive outcomes. It can dampen hostility, increase support and cooperation, and foster more interdependent relationships. This is an effective style for project managers to use with support staff. It concedes one’s position to the needs of others to maintain harmony and relationships. [Executing]
Verma 1996, 157
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 283
- Typically, the seller receives formal written notice that the contract has been completed by the—
a. Project manager
b. Authorized procurement administrator
c. Member of the project management team responsible for daily contract administration
d. Purchasing department head
- b. Authorized procurement administrator
The buyer, through its authorized procurement administrator, is responsible for providing the seller with formal written notice of contract completion. The procurement administrator does so when the seller has met all contractual requirements as articulated in the contract. [Closing]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 389
- Working in the control procurements process since your project is using five contractors, you need to update a number of organizational process assets. An example is—
a. Procurement management plan
b. Procurement documentation
c. Correspondence
d. Warranties
- c. Correspondence
Contract terms and conditions often require written documentation of certain aspects of buyer/seller communications. Examples include any warnings of unsatisfactory performance and requests for changes in the contract or clarification. Other organizational process assets to update include payment schedules and requests and seller performance evaluation documentation. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 386
- You are beginning a new project staffed with a virtual team located across five different countries. To help limit conflict and misunderstandings concerning the justification, objectives, and high-level requirements of the project among your team members and their functional managers, you ask the project sponsor to prepare a—
a. Memo to team members informing them that they work for you now
b. Project charter
c. Memo to functional managers informing them that you have authority to direct their employees
d. Human resource management plan
- b. Project charter
Although the project charter cannot stop conflicts from arising, it can provide a framework to help resolve them, because it describes the project manager’s authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. The project charter also documents the business needs, justification, objectives, and high-level requirements of the project. [Initiating]
Meredith and Mantel 2012, 228–229
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 71–72
- To anticipate and help develop approaches to deal with potential quality problems on your project, you want to use a variety of root-cause analysis techniques including all the following approaches EXCEPT—
a. Fishbone diagrams
b. Ishikawa diagrams
c. System or process flowcharts
d. Checklists
- d. Checklists
Checklists are used to verify that the work of the project and its deliverables fulfill a set of requirements. [Monitoring and Controlling]
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 242 and 250
- All of the following are examples of ways to generate options for mutual gain during negotiations EXCEPT—
a. Separating inventing from deciding
b. Options broadening
c. Zero-sum game analysis
d. Multiplying options by shuttling between the specific and the general
- c. Zero-sum game analysis
Achieving mutual gain during negotiations means that each party benefits by the decisions made. A zero-sum game is where one side wins at the expense of the other. [Executing]
Ward 2008, 474
PMI®, PMBOK® Guide, 2013, 517
