PMP Exam - Set 2

Question 1

The Kanban method is a holistic framework for incremental, evolutionary processes and systems change for the organization. The method uses a ‘pull system’ to move the work through the process. Which of the following THREE CHOICES are the defining principles of the Kanban process?

A. Start with current state
B. Encourage acts of leadership at all levels
C. Agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change
D. Single code-based solutions
E. Use of time-boxed iterations

Answer 1

A. Start with current state
B. Encourage acts of leadership at all levels
C. Agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change

Question 2

Agile project management methodology emphasizes early value creation. However, this accelerated delivery might not suit some organizations due to insufficient organizational structure and the inability to accommodate rapid delivery. If an organization is averse to early value creation, which of the following risks becomes more likely to occur?

A. Story points increase exponentially in each backlog
B. Project costs skyrocket
C. Too many instances of scope creep make the base scope unmanageable
D. Targeted ROI is delayed

Answer 2

D. Targeted ROI is delayed

Question 3

You are a project manager for a flow-based agile project which deals with the development of an Android+ i-OS app to order medicines at home for elderly individuals. Which of the following statements is true for a flow-based agile project?

A. Each timebox is the same size. Each timebox results in working tested features.
B. Each timebox duration is different and flows in the timebox depends on the number of features in the WIP limit.
C. Each timebox duration is dependent on the discretion of the Scrum Master.
D. Each timebox duration depends on the nature of execution of the previous sprint.

Answer 3

B. Each timebox duration is different and flows in the timebox depends on the number of features in the WIP limit.

Question 4

Match the name of the following commonly used AGILE approaches (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) with their key characteristics/definitions (A, B ,C, D, E) Note: In your PMP Exam, you will be required to drag & drop boxes containing the options below to match them accordingly.

1. Scrum, 2. XP, 3. DSDM, 4. Kanban, 5. Disciplined Agile

A. It is known for its emphasis on constraint-driven delivery. It fixes cost, quality, and time at the outset and uses the MoSCoW prioritization of scope into musts, shoulds, coulds and won’t haves to adjust the project deliverable to meet the stated time constraint.
B. It is a process decision framework that integrates several agile best practices into a comprehensive model. It was designed to offer a balance between popular agile methods deemed to be either too narrow in focus or too prescriptive in detail.
C. It is an iterative and incremental agile software development framework for managing software projects and product or application development. Its focus is on “a flexible, holistic product development strategy where a development team works as a unit to reach a common goal” as opposed to a “traditional, sequential approach”
D. It is a software development method based on frequent cycles to increase responsiveness towards customer’s changing requirements. It advocates frequent “releases” in short development cycles, which is intended to improve productivity and introduce checkpoints where new customer requirements can be adopted. ‘Programming in pairs’ is a key characteristic of this methodology.
E. It has been derived from the lean philosophy of JIT. Unlike most agile approaches, this does not prescribe the use of timeboxed iterations. It allows the continuous flow of work pulled from the changing customer needs thus focusing on continuous delivery.

1-D, 2-C, 3-B, 4-E, 5-A
1-A, 2-B, 3-C, 4-E, 5-D
1-C, 2-D, 3-A, 4-E, 5-B
1-D, 2-C, 3-A, 4-E, 5-B

Answer 4

1-C, 2-D, 3-A, 4-E, 5-B

Question 5

Which of the following attributes are NOT a key attribute for a successful Agile Team:

A. Mixed team of generalists and specialists
B. Stable work environment
C. Colocation or ability to manage any location changes
D. Ability to question every change request as per project scope

Answer 5

D. Ability to question every change request as per project scope

Question 6

You are a project manager involved in the very early stages of a project to help the team define the correct execution strategy. The project aims to build a multistory residential apartment on a plot as per the approved design by the municipality. The goal of the project is to deliver it on timekeeping costs within budget. Also, the expectation from the client is not to deviate at all from the approved design. Which project management methodology is best prescribed for this scenario?

A. Agile
B. Predictive
C. Incremental
D. Iterative

Answer 6

B. Predictive

Question 7

The type and number of project phases in a project life cycle depend upon many variables, primarily among them the delivery cadence and the development approach. In the following diagram (which signifies the stages of a predictive life cycle) identify the phase where: project deliverables are put into use and transitional activities required for sustainment, benefits realization, and organizational change management are completed.

A. Feasibility
B. Design
C. Build
D. Test
E. Deploy
F. Close

Answer 7

E. Deploy

Question 8

Sara is a project manager for delivering a project which aims to develop a mathematical model to predict the probability of rainfall in a region. The model will take inputs from ambient parameters such as wind velocity, humidity, % cloud cover, etc. to assign the probability of rainfall. The client, who is the meteorological department of Kent, expects a 95% accuracy with the prediction model. They are not in a hurry to get the project delivered but want that Sara & her team focuses on the learning algorithm of the model to match the 95% prediction accuracy. Which project management methodology is best prescribed for this scenario?

A. Predictive
B. Hybrid
C. Incremental
D. Iterative

Answer 8

D. Iterative

Question 9

Sensitivity analysis helps to determine which individual project risks or other sources of uncertainty have the most potential impact on project outcomes. What would you call the following diagram often used as a typical display for sensitivity analysis?

A. Bar chart
B. Histogram
C. Tornado diagram
D. Monte Carlo Analysis

Answer 9

C. Tornado diagram

Question 10

Timothy has recently joined as the scrum master for an agile-led project. The organization historically has been doing projects following the predictive model. Timothy is expected to bring the culture shift from predictive methodology to agile methodology within the organization. Servant leadership is one of the critical behaviors Timothy is expected to demonstrate to manage this change seamlessly. SELECT THREE situations from the list below which would result from a lack of servant leadership in an organization

A. Team members don’t take on challenging tasks
B. Stakeholders express scepticism over Agile methodologies
C. Lack of communication within the team and with other departments
D. Recognition is based on the top performance in the team
E. Impediments arise in the project which the team members are unable to handle

Answer 10

A. Team members don’t take on challenging tasks
B. Stakeholders express scepticism over Agile methodologies
C. Lack of communication within the team and with other departments

Question 11

As the scrum master of an agile team, you see that most of your team members are demotivated. It is requiring a lot of follow-ups and push from your side to get things done. You decide to provide a 10% pay-rise for each team member thinking that this will provide them good motivation to work more proactively in the project. Which of the following motivation models you are using here?

A. McGregor’s Theory Y
B. McGregor’s Theory X
C. William Ouchi’s Theory Z
D. Maslow’s Hierarchy Model

Answer 11

B. McGregor’s Theory X

Question 12

A construction project is nearing completion and as a PM you are in process of completing all the critical path activities with utmost vigilance. Suddenly, two resources from your team were called back by their functional manager to support another project. This is unacceptable to you and you set up a meeting with the functional manager. However, you get to know that those resources will necessarily be required now to support another project since that comes with legal risk. You go back to your team and after a long discussion, the team proposes to cut some scope in your project for now. This scope can be completed even after project delivery. You agree to this and now chose to communicate the same to the customer. What should be your next best step now to manage the situation?

A. Update Issue Log
B. Update Risk Register
C. Update Change / Configuration Management System
D. Update Resource Management Plan

Answer 12

C. Update Change / Configuration Management System

Question 13

Mark is a project manager for a building construction project and he is currently in the plan risk response process. He has identified a risk, which is to construct a telecom transmission tower on the roof of the building. The design report of the roof mentions that the roof will not be able to take the load of the tower. The design is already frozen and cannot be changed now. Mark wants to have a discussion with the client and cut this particular scope from the project since this can become a safety issue later. An alternative could be to take up this scope for the next building construction, but this building should not have the tower in the scope. What risk response strategy Mark is using here?

A. Transfer
B. Avoid
C. Mitigate
D. Escalate

Answer 13

B. Avoid

Question 14

You are a project manager for an application development project for Medway Maritime Hospital that will help the management to improve ‘patient flow’ across departments. ‘Patient flow’ is a metric that is tracked in the performance improvement board of the hospital and is a measure of how efficiently the hospital systems are working to address patient issues. The management is not very clear on how the application will function, just that its end goal should be to track & improve ‘patient flow’. They are also not very clear how the first draft of the application will look like, who will be the end-users, how the application will suggest improvements etc. The management is also in no hurry to close the project early. The focus here is more on customer value creation, problem-solving & user acceptance. Which project management methodology is best prescribed for this scenario?

A. Agile
B. Waterfall
C. Incremental
D. Iterative

Answer 14

A. Agile

Question 15

You are a project manager for a shampoo packing line installation. During the design stage, you have accounted for a 2% loss in final production due to spillage/spoilage/damage of the product. Where should you document this particular assumption?

A. Quality Handover
B. Quality Control Charts
C. Quality Management Plan
D. Quality Audit

Answer 15

C. Quality Management Plan

Question 16

You are the project manager of a $50Mn automation project for an FMCG manufacturer and currently developing the project charter. You need to identify the stakeholders and align them now to the project objectives. One of your stakeholders asks you to show him the economic feasibility report of the project which will establish the validity of the benefits incurred from the automation. Which document should you refer to for the same?

A. Project Charter
B. Project Business Case
C. Requirements Management Plan
D. Benefits Management Plan

Answer 16

B. Project Business Case

Question 17

Iterative life cycles improve the product or result through successive prototypes or proofs of concepts. Each new prototype yields new stakeholder insights and team feedback. The team incorporates new information by repeating one or more project activities in the next cycle. Teams may use ________ on a given iteration for a few weeks, gather insights, and then rework the activity based on those insights. Fill in the blanks:

A. Prototyping
B. Timeboxing
C. Incubation
D. Test-Runs

Answer 17

B. Timeboxing

Question 18

Rio is a project manager for developing an online recruitment portal for Alexos Inc. The base version of the product is already launched and he is currently developing the scope for a recent upgrade proposal for the portal by one of the key stakeholders. He is in the collect requirement phase of the project and he is using the tool below to visually depict a product scope by showing interactions between business and other systems. What is it called?

A. Affinity Diagram
B. Mind Map
C. Context Diagram
D. Internal-External User Diagram

Answer 18

C. Context Diagram

Question 19

Laura is a project manager for a financial services project, and she is currently leading a $2Mn project of launching a new credit card for the client (NatWest Bank Plc.). She is in the schedule management process and currently defining the activities required to develop the schedule of the project. The project has a big scope that spans across 6 different countries. What is the technique used at this stage for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts?

A. Creation of work packages
B. Decomposition
C. Roll wave planning
D. L1, L2, L3 Schedule

Answer 19

B. Decomposition

Question 20

You are the Scrum Master for an agile-managed project. During a sprint review meeting, the product development team notifies you that this sprint delivery will be delayed since the product design team has not provided the required inputs till date. You know that there has always been an issue with the design team to delay communications and timely inputs. What is your best step as a servant leader here?

A. Reach out to the design team again and serve them an ultimatum to share the inputs to the development team.
B. Ask the development team to setup a meeting with the design team to identify the bottlenecks and you facilitate that meeting.
C. Reach out to the design head of department and set up a meeting with him. Express the challenges that you are facing with the late deliveries from his department and seek help.
D. Ask the development team to setup a meeting with the design team to identify the bottlenecks and report back to you their findings and next steps.

Answer 20

B. Ask the development team to setup a meeting with the design team to identify the bottlenecks and you facilitate that meeting.

Question 21

Lisa is managing an Agile-based project as the Scrum Master. She is handling a very large project team that is cross-functional and sits across different locations within a single campus. What tailoring recommendations she can adopt for an effective delivery (select all that apply)

A. Restructure the project as multiple smaller projects
B. Try a technology trial project first & then an implementation project
C. Break the teams into smaller teams and use program management to coordinate
D. Use lean program management to organize the larger effort
E. Consider a scaled Agile framework such as DA, SAFe, or LeSS

Answer 21

A. Restructure the project as multiple smaller projects
B. Try a technology trial project first & then an implementation project
C. Break the teams into smaller teams and use program management to coordinate
D. Use lean program management to organize the larger effort
E. Consider a scaled Agile framework such as DA, SAFe, or LeSS

Question 22

You are managing an agile-driven project as the scrum master. You have various development teams working across the globe in different time zones. What tailoring recommendations can you adopt for an effective delivery (select ANY THREE)

A. Use tools like Teams, Webex, and electronic team boards
B. Setup face-to-face meetings wherever possible to ensure more effective remote connections
C. Plan regular connects on fixed time of the day to ensure smooth drumbeat
D. Consider round robin check-ins during meetings to ensure participation and check consensus for decision making

Answer 22

A. Use tools like Teams, Webex, and electronic team boards
B. Setup face-to-face meetings wherever possible to ensure more effective remote connections
D. Consider round robin check-ins during meetings to ensure participation and check consensus for decision making

Question 23

A drug company is developing an inhaler for asthma patients. The product is very critical for patient safety and needs multiple testing phases, conformance checks, and legal approvals. The project calls for an early product delivery and feedback to design in line with all necessary conformance reviews, documentation, and certification. What project management methodology is most suitable here?

A. Scrum Agile
B. Iterative
C. Incremental
D. Hybrid

Answer 23

D. Hybrid

Question 24

Bradley is the product owner of developing an ERP solution for SynSys. Inc – A technology giant based out of Silicon Valley. The project is currently in the design & development stage. A lot of customer requirements are pouring in and the user-story priorities are changing every week. However, once the features & requirements get finalized & locked, it will be a defined and repeatable rollout process across SynSys offices in California, London, and New Delhi. What is the best project management methodology to apply here?

A. Hybrid
B. LeSS
C. SAFe
D. Waterfall

Answer 24

A. Hybrid

Question 25

RayVac Motors. Inc is planning to develop their first ever electric car. The project needs to be agile-driven since a lot of scope, execution strategy, timelines are undefined. You have been assigned as the project manager for this project. RayVac Motors. Organizational design is set up quite traditionally with teams in functional silos within functional organizations. (Eg. Design Department, Procurement Department, Fabrication Department, Quality Assurance etc.). What should you consider to setup your project team for success?

A. Develop a cross functional team without management involvement & build a reward system around it
B. Develop gated review systems across departments so that no deliverable moves without prior alignment between sending & receiving departments
C. Lead the project with program management methodology where each department handles its scope and success criteria individually
D. Send emails to individual department managers asking for resource allocation for your project

Answer 25

A. Develop a cross functional team without management involvement & build a reward system around it

Question 26

In an agile project environment, this person plays the role of a facilitator. They are responsible for capability building, coaching, and breaking barriers for the team in cases of bottlenecking. They have the advantage of experience but the disadvantage of weak relationships in the client organization. So, often they need to work very closely with the product owners. Which agile team role is being talked about here?

A. Team Facilitator
B. Project Owner
C. Cross Functional Team Member
D. None of the Above

Answer 26

A. Team Facilitator

Question 27

You are working in a project team where transparency is a major issue. Team members always tend to hide errors for the risk of receiving strong feedback and doing major rework. They also tend to hide their progress because they feel that if they finish a deliverable before time, they would be pushed to complete more deliverables out of their scope. What steps should you take as an effective project manager here? (Select THREE)

A. Lead by example and demonstrate transparency in decision making
B. Create a leader within the team and make him responsible to drive culture change
C. Create a status board / Kanban board with each member’s deliverable & scope displayed
D. Perform team building exercises regularly
E. Link issues on non-transparency to performance reviews of individuals which in turn defines their career progression

Answer 27

A. Lead by example and demonstrate transparency in decision making
C. Create a status board / Kanban board with each member’s deliverable & scope displayed
D. Perform team building exercises regularly

Question 28

Agile teams are mostly cross-functional. Some people in the team have specializations in one domain but rarely contribute beyond that domain. By contrast, another set of people supplement their expertise in one area with supporting but less developed skills in associated areas and good collaboration skills. As per the Agile Practice Guide, what are the two types of team members called (in order as mentioned in the question)?

A. T shaped and L shaped individual
B. I shaped and T shaped individual
C. L shaped and I shaped individual
D. T shaped and J shaped individual

Answer 28

B. I shaped and T shaped individual

Question 29

In a hybrid product design & manufacturing project, the waterfall team (production) enters a quality-check vision system malfunction resulting in high-value losses due to a scrap of products within specifications. When the production team tells the design (agile) team about the problem, it becomes clear that mistranslated product specification sheets created problems for both teams. However, the agile team identified and resolved the problem at their end weeks ago before the malfunction happened on the production floor. What could the agile team have done differently to prevent this loss?

A. Deprioritized the stories impacted by the information in the specification sheets
B. Asked the product owner to hold the project till the translation issued were sorted
C. Summarized their retrospective conclusions on information radiators
D. Formally raised a change request to provide similar translated material both for the agile and waterfall teams

Answer 29

C. Summarized their retrospective conclusions on information radiators

Question 30

A new regulation has mandated both the date of packaging and the date of expiry on a label. However, the company’s current packaging design is too small to fit the information. The regulatory agencies do not provide a solution, so the agile team proposes a solution to display the information on a secondary flap within the product packaging. The start of full-scale production of the product package is a critical milestone and is due to start in 2 weeks. What should the agile team do next?

A. Update the sprint backlog to reflect the additional product label requirement
B. Contact the legal compliance team to confirm the validity of the selected design
C. Request approval from the steering committee to proceed with the change
D. Develop a prototype and submit it to the label manufacturer for approval

Answer 30

B. Contact the legal compliance team to confirm the validity of the selected design

Question 31

Georgina as a product owner experiences that a trend of stories is incomplete, and this becomes apparent at the end of an iteration. Upon investigation, Georgina finds out that several team members worked on these stories and no blockers were reported or identified. How could Georgina resolve this?

A. Put the stories in the blocked column and work with the scrum master to remove impediments
B. Work with the team to further break down the stories in the backlog and update the Definition of Ready
C. Use the next iteration for a team spike to determine the feasibility of completing the stories
D. Put the stories in the backlog list and consider them during a less intensive iteration

Answer 31

B. Work with the team to further break down the stories in the backlog and update the Definition of Ready