PMBOK Ch 8

Question 1

Allow large numbers of ideas to be classified into groups for review and analysis.

Answer 1

Affinity diagram.

Question 2

A technique used to evaluate identified options in order to select the options or approaches to use to execute and perform the work of the project.

Answer 2

Alternatives analysis

Question 3

Costs related to evaluating, measuring, auditing, and testing the products, deliverables, or services of the specific project.

Answer 3

Appraisal costs

Question 4

Involves comparing actual or planned project practices or the project’s quality standards to those of comparable projects to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance. Benchmarked projects may exist within the performing organization or outside of it, or can be within the same application area or other application area. Benchmarking allows for analogies from projects in a different application area or different industries to be made.

Answer 4

Benchmarking

Question 5

This technique is used to identify a list of ideas in a short period of time. It is conducted in a group environment and is led by a facilitator. Brainstorming comprises two parts: idea generation and analysis. Brainstorming can be used to gather data and solutions or ideas from stakeholders, subject matter experts, and team members when developing the project charter.

Answer 5

Brainstorming

Question 6

Are also known as fishbone diagrams, why-why diagrams, or Ishikawa diagrams. This type of diagram breaks down the causes of the problem statement identified into discrete branches, helping to identify the main or root cause of the problem.

Answer 6

Cause-and-effect diagram

Question 7

Also known as tally sheets and are used to organize facts in a manner that will facilitate the effective collection of useful data about a potential quality problem. They are especially useful for gathering attributes data while performing inspections to identify defects; for example, data about the frequencies or consequences of defects collected.

Answer 7

Check sheet

Question 8

Help in managing the control quality activities in a structured manner.

Answer 8

Checklists

Question 9

The process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality management activities in order to assess performance and ensure the project outputs are complete, correct, and meet customer expectations.

Answer 9

Control quality

Question 10

Includes all costs incurred over the life of the product by investment in preventing nonconformance to requirements, appraising the product or service for conformance to requirements, and failing to meet requirements (rework). Cost of quality is often the concern of program management, portfolio management, the PMO, or operations.

Answer 10

Cost of quality (COQ)

Question 11

A financial analysis tool used to estimate the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives in order to determine the best alternative in terms of benefits provided. A cost-benefit analysis will help the project manager determine if the planned quality activities are cost effective. The primary benefits of meeting quality requirements include less rework, higher productivity, lower costs, increased stakeholder satisfaction, and increased profitability. A cost-benefit analysis for each quality activity compares the cost of the quality step to the expected benefit. (Prevention, Appraisal, & Failure costs)

Answer 11

Cost-benefit analysis

Question 12

The analysis of different documents produced as part of the output of project control processes, such as quality reports, test reports, performance reports, and variance analysis, can point to and focus on processes that may be out of control and may jeopardize meeting the specified requirements or stakeholders’ expectations.

Answer 12

Document analysis

Question 13

Costs related to nonconformance of the products, deliverables, or services to the needs or expectations of the stakeholders.

Answer 13

Failure costs

Question 14

Show a graphical representation of numerical data. Histograms can show the number of defects per deliverable, a ranking of the cause of defects, the number of times each process is noncompliant, or other representations of project or product defects.

Answer 14

Histograms

Question 15

The examination of a work product to determine if it conforms to documented standards.

Answer 15

Inspection

Question 16

A formal or informal approach to elicit information from stakeholders by talking to them directly. It is typically performed by asking prepared and spontaneous questions and recording the responses. Interviews are often conducted on an individual basis between an interviewer and an interviewee, but may involve multiple interviewers and/or multiple interviewees. Interviewing experienced project participants, sponsors, other executives, and subject matter experts can aid in identifying and defining the features and functions of the desired product deliverables. Interviews are also useful for obtaining confidential information.

Answer 16

Interviewing

Question 17

A visual representation of an organization’s data, described in business language and independent of any specific technology. The logical data model can be used to identify where data integrity or other quality issues can arise.

Answer 17

Logical data model

Question 18

The process of translating the quality management plan into executable quality activities that incorporate the organization’s quality policies into the project.

Answer 18

Manage quality

Question 19

Help find the strength of relationships among different factors, causes, and objectives that exist between the rows and columns that form the matrix. Depending on how many factors may be compared, the project manager can use different shapes of matrix diagrams; for example, L, T, Y, X, C, and roof–shaped. In this process they facilitate identifying the key quality metrics that are important for the success of the project.

Answer 19

Matrix diagrams

Question 20

Consolidates ideas created through individual brainstorming sessions into a single map to reflect commonality and differences in understanding and to generate new ideas.

Answer 20

Mind mapping

Question 21

(e.g., prioritization matrix) can be used to identify the key issues and suitable alternatives to be prioritized as a set of decisions for implementation. Criteria are prioritized and weighted before being applied to all available alternatives to obtain a mathematical score for each alternative. The alternatives are then ranked by score. As used in this process, it can help prioritize quality metrics.

Answer 21

Multicriteria decision analysis tools

Question 22

The process of identifying quality requirements and/or standards for the project and its deliverables, and documenting how the project will demonstrate compliance with quality requirements and/or standards.

Answer 22

Plan quality management

Question 23

Costs related to the prevention of poor quality in the products, deliverables, or services of the specific project.

Answer 23

Prevention costs

Question 24

Identifies opportunities for process improvements. This analysis also examines problems, constraints, and non-value-added activities that occur during a process.

Answer 24

Process analysis

Question 25

Includes the processes for incorporating the organization’s quality policy regarding planning, managing, and controlling project and product quality requirements in order to meet stakeholders’ objectives. Project Quality Management also supports continuous process improvement activities as undertaken on behalf of the performing organization.

Answer 25

Project quality management

Question 26

Used to analyze and evaluate the quality of the processes and deliverables of the project against the standards of the performing organization or the requirements specified. Quality control measurements can also compare the processes used to create the measurements and validate actual measurements to determine their level of correctness.

Answer 26

Quality control measurements

Question 27

A component of the project management plan that describes how applicable policies, procedures, and guidelines will be implemented to achieve the quality objectives. It describes the activities and resources necessary for the project management team to achieve the quality objectives set for the project. The quality management plan may be formal or informal, detailed, or broadly framed. The style and detail of the quality management plan are determined by the requirements of the project. The quality management plan should be reviewed early in the project to ensure that decisions are based on accurate information. The benefits of this review can include a sharper focus on the project’s value proposition, reductions in costs, and less frequent schedule overruns that are caused by rework.

Answer 27

Quality management plan

Question 28

The quality management plan may include but is not limited to the following components:

Answer 28

• Quality standards that will be used by the project;
• Quality objectives of the project;
• Quality roles and responsibilities;
• Project deliverables and processes subject to quality review;
• Quality control and quality management activities planned for the project;
• Quality tools that will be used for the project; and
• Major procedures relevant for the project, such as dealing with nonconformance, corrective actions procedures, and continuous improvement procedures.

Question 29

Specifically describes a project or product attribute and how the Control Quality process will verify compliance to it. Some examples of quality metrics include percentage of tasks completed on time, cost performance measured by CPI, failure rate, number of defects identified per day, total downtime per month, errors found per line of code, customer satisfaction scores, and percentage of requirements covered by the test plan as a measure of test coverage.

Answer 29

Quality metrics

Question 30

An analytical technique used to determine the basic underlying reason that causes a variance, defect, or risk. A root cause may underlie more than one variance, defect, or risk. It may also be used as a technique for identifying root causes of a problem and solving them. When all root causes for a problem are removed, the problem does not recur.

Answer 30

Root cause analysis

Question 31

A graph that shows the relationship between two variables. Scatter diagrams can demonstrate a relationship between any element of a process, environment, or activity on one axis and a quality defect on the other axis.

Answer 31

Scatter diagram

Question 32

What are the Quality Management Processes?

Answer 32

o (Ponies Munch Carrots)

1. Plan Quality Management—Planning
2. Manage Quality—Execution
3. Control Quality – Monitoring/Controlling

Question 33

What are the five process groups?

Answer 33

1. Initiating (I)
2. Planning (Picked)
3. Executing (Early)
4. Monitoring/Controlling (May)
5. Closing (Carnations)

Question 34

What are the ten knowledge areas?

Answer 34

1. Integration (I)
2. Scope (SAW)
3. Schedule (SIX)
4. Cost (CROWS)
5. Quality (QUIETLY)
6. Resources (REFILLING)
7. Communication (COFFEE &)
8. Risk (READING)
9. Procurement (POETIC)
10. Stakeholders (SONGS)

Question 35

What are the key benefits of Plan Quality Management?

Answer 35

The key benefit of this process is that it provides guidance and direction on how quality will be managed and verified throughout the project.

Question 36

What are the key benefits of Manage Quality?

Answer 36

The key benefits of this process are that it increases the probability of meeting the quality objectives as well as identifying ineffective processes and causes of poor quality.

Question 37

What are the key benefits of Control Quality?

Answer 37

The key benefit of this process is verifying that project deliverables and work meet the requirements specified by key stakeholders for final acceptance.