Module 7

Question 1

What factors does the pm have to monitor and control

Answer 1

Deliverables, schedule and budget

Question 2

Explain what it means when deliverables varies in the project plan

Answer 2

What will be delivered and the quality.

Determined by the pm (if qualified or others)

Question 3

What aspects of the schedule are monitored for variances

Answer 3

Critical tasks

Question 4

Should you report variances for favourable outcomes?

Answer 4

Yes,

Question 5

When should variances be identified in a project

Answer 5

In the planning phase

Question 6

What are the two different parts of variance reporting?

Answer 6

Internal - within project team

External - between team and stakeholders

Question 7

Are internal or external reports more detailed

Answer 7

Internal

Question 8

What are the types of reports a pm can use to report variances?

Answer 8

1) Gantt chart
2) line graph
3) Variance tables
4) deliverables schedule
5) work effort analysis schedule
6) overtime analysis schedule

Question 9

Explain how a Gantt chart can be used to report variances

Answer 9

For each task on the y axis having planned and actual progress toward task completion bars on the x axis

Question 10

How can a line graph report variances?

Answer 10

Useful visual aid for budget variances

Planned expenditures over time and actual expenditures over time can be plotted as two different lines on the same graph

Question 11

What is one thing to note when reporting expenditures

Answer 11

The pm must understand that businesses typically do not pay their bills until they are required to be paid by suppliers and suppliers often provide payment in terms of 15 to 30 days of billing date

Question 12

How can variance tables report variances

Answer 12

Have much more detail then line graphs or Gantt charts. (Both are often used in combination)

• consider including a column to explain reasons for variances
• columns include titles such as “task”, “budget” “actual or revised” “variance” “% variance” “explanation “

Question 13

How do deliverables help report variances

Answer 13

Can be used for schedule of budget variances

-shows in columns: task, team member, target date, actual or revised, variance, % variance, and explanation

Question 14

How does work effort analysis schedule report variances

Answer 14

For schedule variances

• shows variance in hours worked
• columns include: task, budget hours, actual to date, estimated hours to completion, total, variance, % variance, and explanation

Question 15

How does an overtime analysis schedule help report variances

Answer 15

Shows the hours scheduled for each team member and the actual hours tracked

• identifies team members that are over and under utilized
• columns include: task, schedule hours, actual hours, variance, %variance, and explanation

Question 16

What is the first step to judge the most appropriate response from a pm when a team member is overloaded

Answer 16

To understand the cause of the overload

Question 17

What is an executive summary

Answer 17

It briefly explains the overall progress for the project to date and

• also identifies significant variances.
• If decision have been made in response to variances they should also be explained

Question 18

What section of a progress report are many stakeholders only going to read?

Answer 18

Executive summary

Question 19

What should a progress report include (mostly)

Answer 19

• executive summary
• table of contents
• thorough section on deliverables, schedule and budget
• explanation of issues relevant to a particular project

Question 20

Where should graphs tables and charts be in a progress report?

Answer 20

In the explanation section

Question 21

Do project scopes change during the life of the project

Answer 21

Yes

Question 22

What are the two types of scope changes

Answer 22

Mandatory and optional

Question 23

What is a mandatory scope change?

Answer 23

One that must be completed to ensure that the deliverables produced are relevant

-without a scope change the projects original deliverables are are irrelevant and useless

Question 24

What is an optional scope change

Answer 24

Not required to meet original deliverables but was requested

Question 25

What is the first action a pm should take after there is a scope change

Answer 25

Investigate the impact of the change on the projects deliverables , schedule and budget

Question 26

What is one way to deal with mandatory scope changes

Answer 26

Contingency

Question 27

What is the difference between monitoring and controlling

Answer 27

Monitoring - variances are identified

Controlling - action taken to put project back on track

Question 28

When creating a work effort analysis schedule, what is compared against planned hours to identify variances

Answer 28

Estimated hours are compared against planned hours

Question 29

What chart is useful to illustrate the planned schedule against actual progress

Answer 29

Gantt

Question 30

Main use of overtime analysis schedule

Answer 30

To identify team members that have worked more or less hours then were planned so that work can be reorganized in a more balanced fashion

Question 31

Purpose of project progress report?

Answer 31

Give stakeholders the info they need to understand the progress project has taken over reporting period

-also highlight and explain variance

Question 32

Main concept controlling scope changes

Answer 32

Scope changes should not be made that would impact ability to achieve their own project responsibilities without involving appropriate stakeholders