PMP Chapter 5

Question 1

8/80 Rule

Answer 1

A planning heuristic for creating the
WBS. This rule states that the work
package in a WBS must take no more
than 80 hours of labor to create and no
fewer than 8 hours of labor to create.

Question 2

Active observation

Answer 2

The observer interacts with the worker to ask questions and understand each step of the work being completed. In some instances, the observer could serve as an assistant in doing the work

Question 3

Affinity diagrams

Answer 3

When stakeholders create a large
number of ideas, you can use an affinity
diagram to cluster similar ideas together
for further analysis.

Question 4

Alternatives generation

Answer 4

A scope definition process of finding
alternative solutions for the project
customer while considering the
customer’s satisfaction, the cost of the
solution, and how the customer may use
the product in operations.

Question 5

Autocratic

Answer 5

A decision method where only one
individual makes the decision for the
group.

Question 6

Brainstorming

Answer 6

This approach encourages participants to generate as many ideas as possible
about the project requirements. No idea
is judged or dismissed during the
brainstorming session.

Question 7

Change control system (CCS)

Answer 7

Documented in the scope management
plan, this system defines how changes to
the project scope are managed and
controlled.

Question 8

Change management plan

Answer 8

This subsidiary plan defines how
changes will be allowed and managed
within the project

Question 9

Code of accounts

Answer 9

A numbering system for each item in the
WBS. The PMBOK is a good example of
a code of accounts, as each chapter and
its subheadings follow a logical
numbering scheme. For example,
PMBOK 5.3.3.2 identifies an exact
paragraph in the PMBOK

Question 10

Configuration management plan

Answer 10

This subsidiary plan defines how
changes to the features and functions of
the project deliverables will be monitored and controlled within the project.

Question 11

Context diagram

Answer 11

These diagrams show the relationship
between elements of an environment. For example, a context diagram would
illustrate the networks, servers,
workstations, and people that interact
with the elements of the environment

Question 12

Focus groups

Answer 12

A moderator-led requirements collection
method to elicit requirements from
stakeholders.

Question 13

Functional analysis

Answer 13

This is the study of the functions within a
system, project, or, what’s more likely in
the project scope statement, the product
the project will be creating. Functional
analysis studies the goals of the product,
how the product will be used, and the
expectations the customer has of the
product once it leaves the project and
moves into operations. Functional
analysis may also consider the cost of
the product in operations, which is known as life-cycle costing

Question 14

Funding limit

Answer 14

Most projects have a determined budget
in relation to the project scope. There
may be a qualifier on this budget, such as plus or minus 10 percent based on the type of cost estimate created.

Question 15

Interviews

Answer 15

A requirements collection method used to elicit requirements from stakeholders in a one-on-one conversation.

Question 16

Majority

Answer 16

A group decision method where more
than 50 percent of the group must be in
agreement.

Question 17

Mind mapping

Answer 17

This approach maps ideas to show the
relationship among requirements and the differences between requirements. The map can be reviewed to identify new
solutions or to rank the identified
requirements.

Question 18

Nominal group technique

Answer 18

As with brainstorming, participants are
encouraged to generate as many ideas
as possible, but the suggested ideas are
ranked by a voting process.

Question 19

Passive observation

Answer 19

The observer records information about
the work being completed without
interrupting the process; sometimes
called the invisible observer

Question 20

Plurality

Answer 20

A group-decision method where the
largest part of the group makes the
decision when it’s less than 50 percent of
the total. (Consider three or four factions
within the stakeholders.)

Question 21

Product acceptance criteria

Answer 21

This project scope statement component
works with the project requirements, but
focuses specifically on the product and
what the conditions and processes are
for formal acceptance of the product.

Question 22

Product breakdown

Answer 22

A scope definition technique that breaks
down a product into a hierarchical
structure, much like a WBS breaks down
a project scope.

Question 23

Product scope description

Answer 23

This is a narrative description of what the project is creating as a deliverable for the project customer.

Question 24

Product scope

Answer 24

Defines the product or service that will
come about as a result of completing the
project. It defines the features and
functions that characterize the product.

Question 25

Project assumptions

Answer 25

A project assumption is a factor in the
planning process that is held to be true
but not proven to be true.

Question 26

Project boundaries

Answer 26

A project boundary clearly states what is
included with the project and what’s
excluded from the project. This helps to
eliminate assumptions between the
project management team and the
project customer

Question 27

Project constraints

Answer 27

A constraint is anything that limits the
project manager’s options. Consider a
predetermined budget, deadline,
resources, or materials the project
manager must use within the project—
these are all examples of project
constraints

Question 28

Project objectives

Answer 28

These are the measurable goals that
determine a project’s acceptability to the
project customer and the overall success
of the project. Objectives often include
the cost, schedule, technical
requirements, and quality demands.

Question 29

Project requirements

Answer 29

These are the demands set by the
customer, regulations, or the performing
organization that must exist for the
project deliverables to be acceptable.
Requirements are often prioritized in a
number of ways, from “must have” to
“should have” to “would like to have.”

Question 30

Project scope

Answer 30

This defines all of the work, and only the
required work, to complete the project
objectives

Question 31

Project scope management plan

Answer 31

This project management subsidiary plan controls how the scope will be defined, how the project scope statement will be created, how the WBS will be created, how scope validation will proceed, and how the project scope will be controlled throughout the project.

Question 32

Requirements documentation

Answer 32

This documentation of what the
stakeholders expected in the project
defines all of the requirements that must
be present for the work to be accepted by the stakeholders

Question 33

Requirements management plan

Answer 33

This subsidiary plan defines how
changes to the project requirements will
be permitted, how requirements will be
tracked, and how changes to the
requirements will be approved

Question 34

Requirements traceability matrix (RTM)

Answer 34

This is a table that maps the
requirements throughout the project all
the way to their completion.

Question 35

Schedule milestones

Answer 35

The project customer may have specific
dates when phases of the project should
be completed. These milestones are
often treated as project constraints.

Question 36

Scope creep

Answer 36

Undocumented, unapproved changes to
the project scope.

Question 37

Scope validation

Answer 37

The formal inspection of the project
deliverables, which leads to project
acceptance

Question 38

Stakeholder analysis

Answer 38

A scope definition process where the
project management team interviews the stakeholders and categorizes, prioritizes, and documents what the project customer wants and needs. The analysis is to determine, quantify, and prioritize the interests of the stakeholders. Stakeholder analysis demands quantification of stakeholder objectives; goals such as “good,” “satisfaction,” and “speedy” aren’t quantifiable

Question 39

Systems analysis

Answer 39

A scope definition approach that studies
and analyzes a system, its components,
and the relationship of the components
within the system.

Question 40

Systems engineering

Answer 40

This project scope statement creation
process studies how a system should
work, designs and creates a system
model, and then enacts the working
system based on the project’s goals and
the customer’s expectations. Systems
engineering aims to balance the time and cost of the project in relation to the scope of the project.

Question 41

Unanimity

Answer 41

A group decision method where everyone must be in agreement

Question 42

Value analysis

Answer 42

As with value engineering, this approach
examines the functions of the project’s
product in relation to the cost of the
features and functions. This is where, to
some extent, the grade of the product is
in relationship to the cost of the product

Question 43

Value engineering

Answer 43

This approach to project scope statement creation attempts to find the correct level of quality in relation to a reasonable budget for the project deliverable while still achieving an acceptable level of performance of the product.

Question 44

WBS dictionary

Answer 44

A WBS companion document that
defines all of the characteristics of each
element within the WBS.

Question 45

WBS template

Answer 45

A prepopulated WBS for repetitive
projects. Previous projects’ WBSs are
often used as templates for current
similar projects.

Question 46

Work breakdown structure (WBS)

Answer 46

A deliverables-oriented breakdown of the project scope.

Question 47

Work package

Answer 47

The smallest item in the WBS

Question 48

Work performance information

Answer 48

Status of the deliverables: the work that’s been started, finished, or has yet to begin