PMP TEST 2 Flashcards
1
Which organization structure is a combination of all structures?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Tight Matrix
Strong Matrix
Composite
Functional
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Composite structure is a combination of all organizational structures.
1) Tight Matrix- collocated
2) Strong Matrix - the project manager with equal or more power than the functional manager. The project manager has primary control over resources
3) Composite - combination of all structures
4) Functional - organization is grouped into departments where people with similar skills are kept together in forms of groups
2
John is managing a project. The project is about three-fourths done. Then, the site engineer reports that due to inherent complexities in a certain task, the deliverables would be delayed. This would involve additional analysis and then implementation. He requests that this new work, which was not envisioned earlier, be added to the scope and the time required be added to the schedule. You and the site engineer have analyzed the impact of this change to cost and have written up a change request and requested approval from the change control board. Just today, you have received approval from the change control board. What should be the immediate course of action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Start work immediately
Ascertain the impact of this change to scope, schedule, and cost before making any change
Perform Quality Assurance
Make sure that the scope and schedule baselines are updated to reflect the approved change before implementing the change
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
As the change has been approved, you should always update the baseline (in this case, the scope and schedule baselines) before implementing the change. This will ensure that you track performance against the new scope and schedule, and not against the old benchmarks.
3
You are in charge of managing a software development project that is related to simulations for driving racing cars. In one of your team meetings, it is revealed that a lot of issues have been reported in the air tunnel modelling module. On deeper analysis, it is found that many of the issues could have been prevented had a simple code review checklist been used. You prepare a code review checklist and ensure the code is reviewed per the checklist. This is a good example of:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Corrective Action
Preventive Action
Defect Repair
Quality Control
Correct Option:A
Nonconformity - issues reported during Quality Assurance
1) Corrective action - is always preceded by nonconformity
2) Preventive action - is never preceded by nonconformity
3) Defect repair - issues found in the current delivery
4
You have replaced an earlier project manager in a project. The earlier project manager has left the organization and you are now responsible for the project. On reviewing the project management plan, you are disturbed because a number of procurement contracts have been signed off and they all turn out to be Cost plus fixed fee contracts. Why are you worried?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
All the risk is now with the seller
Contracts should always be Time and Material
Seller has no motivation to control cost and cost could spiral
Contracts should always be Fixed Price
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
FIXED - known, seller owns the risk
COST - uknown (all work delivered by seller), buyer owns the risk
T&M -uknown (small part of work work delivered by seller),
As a project manager, you indeed have a reason to be worried if your project has already been signed off on Cost Plus Fee type of contracts. In such contracts, you, the buyer, needs to pay the seller for all the costs and also an agreed percentage of the cost. As a result, there is no motivation on the seller to control the costs; in fact, it is in the interest of the seller to increase the costs. It is not necessary that all projects should always be T and M or Fixed Price. Option A is clearly wrong since all the risk is, in fact, with the buyer and not the seller.
5
You are managing a software development project for a banking product. In one of the team meetings, a debate arises if defects found during Quality control need to undergo change control. Some team members are convinced that all defects should undergo change control, while others are convinced that defects need not undergo change control. Which of the following statements is untrue?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Defects to deliverables need to undergo change control
Defects to deliverables need not undergo change control
Corrective actions need to undergo change control
Preventive actions need to undergo change control
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Defects to deliverables, corrective actions, and preventive actions need to undergo change control. So, all the above statements, except option B, are true.
6
You are responsible for managing a project that deals with laying out a freeway connecting two major port cities. Progress on the project has been smooth, and you and your team are very confident on completing the project well within the stipulated timelines. On reviewing, you see that the project has also run below the budget, resulting in savings. You decide to add an extra feature of reflector strips on the road every mile. You do a quick calculation and are satisfied that neither budget nor schedule will slip. You feel that by adding these extra features, you could also be guaranteed some future projects. This is an example of:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Scope Creep
Gold Plating
Integrated Change Control
Fast Tracking
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
1) Scope Creep -extra features are added to a project at the request of a client.
2) Gold plating - project team adds on features that were not requested by the client
3) Integrated change control - formally approving or rejecting all changes before they are implemented
4) Fast tracking - activities are performed in parallel
This is an example of Gold Plating. Integrated change control deals with formally approving or rejecting changes before they are implemented, so it is not the correct answer. Fast tracking is a schedule compression technique, so it too is not the correct answer. While Scope Creep is related to change in scope, it is related to uncontrolled changes in product or projects scope and is often due to client interference. Gold plating is done intentionally or knowingly for some strategic purpose. Here, the manager believes that by adding the extra features, future projects could be bagged.
7
You are in charge of a project that deals with laying out a lavish 18-hole golf course. You have a number of contractors working on the project and you know that communication is key to success of the project. You have identified 10 stakeholders with whom you need to communicate. Due to some internal and external organizational changes at the client’s end, three new stakeholders have been added with whom you need to communicate. You also had to reduce one of the contractors with whom you were communicating. How many communication channels do you have now?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
45
78
91
66
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Originally, you had 10 stakeholders to communicate with, so the number of communication channels was 10 * (10-1) /2 = 45. However, 3 new stakeholders were added, while 1 stakeholder was removed. So, the total number of stakeholders = 10 + 3 -1 = 12. The total number of communication channels is (12 * (12-1)) /2 = 66.
8
You are in charge of a project, and to ensure things go well, you have had monthly meetings with the stakeholders. The project is running on schedule and budget. You are in your fourth month of execution, but the stakeholder indicates dissatisfaction with the deliverables. Making changes in the deliverables would mean a delay in the schedule. Which process could have prevented this situation?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Scope Planning
Scope Control
Schedule Control
Risk Monitoring and Control
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
The process that could have prevented this situation is Scope Planning. Project deliverables are defined during scope planning, so proper implementation of this process could have prevented this situation.
9
The project that you were in charge of has been successfully completed. The last of the deliverables have been formally accepted by the client. You had several contractors with whom contracts were prepared. With the project done, you decide to communicate the completion details and closure of contracts. Which is the best form of communication?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Formal written
Formal verbal
Informal verbal
Informal written
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
As this is related to a contract, it must be a formal written form of communication. Any other form of communication related to contracts is not acceptable.
10RISK
Your company has bagged a number of government contracts dealing with setting up infrastructure. This includes setting up roads and bridges. This is a very big and prestigious project, so your company wants to ensure everything is planned well in advance. You are the project manager of this project. Considering its importance, you and your team come up with a list of risks. One of the subject matter experts indicates that during the months of July and August, the construction work of the bridge across the river would need to stop on account of past history of flooding of the river. You agree with the expert and plan the schedule accordingly. What strategy did you just apply?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Accept
Exploit
Mitigate
Transfer
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
This is an example of Risk acceptance strategy as there is nothing you can do about situations not in your control. Risk exploitation is meant for positive situations, while risk mitigation is where you have a strategy to either reduce the risk impact or probability. Transfer is also not correct as the question does not state that someone else will be responsible for handling the risk.
11
You are in the process of defining activities and have broken down the WBS into individual activities. You now tag each activity with a unique code. So, you have defined a(n) __________ for each activity.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Schedule Network Diagram
Activity List
Milestone List
Activity Identifier
Correct Option:D
1) Schedule Network Diagram - visualizes the sequential and logical relationship between tasks
2) Activity List - all the activities in detail
EXPLANATION
The question states that you have decided to uniquely tag each identified activity, which is known as Activity Identifier. This is done during creation of the Activity List.
12
You are managing a project that has teams located in different parts of the world. While the advantage of colocation is beneficial, the team structure or locations cannot be changed. Being an experienced manager, you realize that lack of a proper communication channel can quickly lead to chaos. What would your choice of communication be?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Formal and Verbal
Formal and Written
Informal and Written
Informal and Verbal
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Considering cross-located teams and difference in cultures, the best choice of communication in this case would be formal and written.
13
You are developing strategies to effectively engage stakeholders throughout the project life cycle. What process you are working on?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Plan Stakeholder Engagement
Identify Stakeholders
Manage Stakeholder Engagement
Control Stakeholder Engagement
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Plan Stakeholder Engagement is the process of developing a strategy to effectively engage stakeholders throughout the project life cycle.
14
You head the engineering department in your company. Lately, you have observed that certain deliveries of a specific team member are missing the schedule. You decide to discuss it with the team member. Initially, the team member is reluctant to discuss but finally opens up and indicates that the cause of the delays is often different instructions coming in from you as well as the project manager. She indicates that at such times she is confused about whose instructions to follow, thereby causing delays. What kind of an organizational structure is this most likely to be?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Functional
Projectized
Weak Matrix
Balanced Matrix
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
1) Funcional - organization is grouped into departments where people with similar skills are kept togethe
2) Projectize - works by arranging activities into portfolios or programs and executing them through projects.
3) Week matrix - functional manager controls the project budget
4) Balnced matrix - authority is balanced between the project manager and the functional manager
Here the team member is being expected to follow instructions from both the Project Manager and the Functional Manager. This is never the case in a Functional or Projectized organization where the lines of authority are clearly defined. A weak matrix organization is more like a Functional Organization where the project manager has almost no authority. The scenario explained above is typical of a balanced matrix organization where power resides equally distributed between the functional and project manager.
15The release criteria include:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
The timing of the release of team members
The method in which you will release them
Both of the above are true
None of the above
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The release criteria include both the timing of the release of team members and the method in which you will release them.
16As a project manager, you have successfully delivered all project deliverables within stipulated timelines. Your senior management wants you to calculate the Cost of Quality. As a project Manager, what costs would you NOT consider while making this calculation?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Cost of Hiring
Prevention costs
Appraisal costs
External and Internal Failure costs
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Option A is incorrect as hiring costs have nothing to do with Cost of Quality. Prevention and Appraisal Costs refer to expenditure during the project to avoid failures, while Internal and External Failure Costs are those incurred during and after the project because of failures.
17Which of the following is part of the Manage Quality process?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Benchmarking
Cost of Quality
Design of experiments
Quality audits
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Quality audits are part of the Manage Quality process.
18You are the project manager for a project. You are updating the WBS during Define Activities. This process is often called ________.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Refinement
Update
Analysis
Supporting detail
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Updating the WBS during Define Activities is often called Refinement. It occurs with riskier projects.
19
The Project Quality Management process must __________.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Address the quality of the product
Improve project management
Ensure that the project satisfies customer requirements
All of the above
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Project Quality Management addresses both the management of the project and the product. It improves project management as well as the quality of the product. It ensures that the project will satisfy customer requirements.
20
You are a project manager in a company, and your project is currently in the execution phase. The customer has requested you to perform additional work. This work will affect the budget but not the schedule of the project. What should you do next?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Add the additional requirements to the project plan
Ignore the request
Explain the change procedure and ask to submit a request for change
Discuss with the project team about the change
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Explaining the change procedure and asking to submit a request for change is the best choice.
21
You are managing a project and you have decided to outsource a part of the project to a vendor. You have offered a bonus to the vendor if the work is completed in two months. This is an example of:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Project incentive
Project goal
Fixed price contract
None of the above
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
This is an example of project incentive.
Bonus as additional motivation
22
You and your team have just created a schedule network diagram. You have come up with the estimates, defined the durations, and identified the Critical Path. You now decide to do a Backward Pass through the Schedule Network Diagram. What would you be calculating?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
The Early Start and Early Finish for each activity
The Late Start and Late Finish for each activity
The duration of paths other than the critical path
The duration of the critical path
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Options C and D are incorrect as Backward Pass is not used to calculate the duration. In fact, the critical path is calculated based on duration. Option A talks about Early Start and Early Finish, which are calculated using Forward Pass. Backward Pass is used to calculate the Late Start and Late Finish of all the activities in the network diagram.
23
Of the following types of contracts, which has the highest risk for the seller?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Cost plus fixed fee - CPFF
Time and Material - T and M
Firm Fixed Price Contract - FFP
Cost plus Incentive fee CPIF
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The riskiest for the seller among the options stated is Firm Fixed Price Contract, FFP. It’s a Fixed price contract in which total costs are fixed. The scope of work is clearly defined and stated. Cost-reimbursable contracts are the least risky for the seller since the costs are not fixed and paid at actuals. Time and material have medium risk from the perspective of the buyer and seller and are typically used for smaller dollar amounts.
24
What is the best use of a Work Authorization System?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
It manages the timing and sequence of activities that need to be performed.
It manages who performs the activity.
It identifies the resources needed to complete activities.
It is used for comparing actual work against the baselines.
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
It defines how work will be authorized and how work will be done at the right time and in the right sequence. Option B is not correct since who performs the work comes from the responsibility assignment matrix. Option C is also wrong. Option D is related to monitoring and controlling work performance data, which is not covered by Work Authorization System.
25
You are in charge of a software project that is almost 40% complete. The project stakeholders want a performance report to date. You had planned to use Earned Value Management methodology. You come up with the following numbers: EV = 100, AC = 300, PV = 150, and BAC = 600. Your team has faced numerous issues till now. However, you choose to ignore the current work performance and decide to go with what was originally planned. Based on this information, what would be the EAC for the project?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
800
200
600
1800
EV - Earn value AC - Actual cost PV - Planned value BAC - Budget at complete EAC - Estmate at complete
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
It is stated that the issues experienced in the project were ignored, so the past performance is not considered and the planned values are considered. So, EAC = AC + (BAC - EV) = 300 + (600 - 100) EAC = 800.
26
Your team has delivered phase one of a project to the client. Based on client feedback and issues found by the client, you decide to do some introspection to identify root causes so that the subsequent deliverables do not face the same issues. What techniques would you choose to apply?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Perform Quality Audits
Review Activity Network Diagrams
Look up Process decision program charts
Perform Process Analysis
Correct Option:D
Quality Audits - project activities conform to the policies and procedures
Activity Network Diagrams - used for scheduling,
Process decision program charts - used to anticipate intermediate steps
Process Analysis - used to identify a problem and its cause and develop preventive actions
EXPLANATION
Quality Audits are meant to ascertain if the project activities conform to the policies and procedures, so it is not the correct answer. Activity Network diagrams are used for scheduling, while Process decision program charts are used to anticipate intermediate steps. The correct answer is Process Analysis, which is used to identify a problem and its cause and develop preventive actions.
27
Over lunch, you meet a colleague who is managing a large turnover project for setting up a chemical plant. Your colleague is worried because the client is being unreasonable and asking for changes that will have a severe impact on the scope, schedule, and cost. The client is also not ready to absorb the additional impact on schedule and cost. She seeks your advice. What should she do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Refuse to budge and not make any changes
Request her executive management to initiate legal action against the client
Make the changes and absorb the impact on cost, schedule, and scope
Set up a meeting with the client to better understand the changes being asked for
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Why is the client being unreasonable? Why does the client want to make these changes? Obviously, your colleague is in a tough situation. However tough the problem is, a project manager must not act impulsively by seeking legal action or immediately making the changes. When faced with a problem, a project manager should first try and find the root cause and not react. So, in this case, the best advice for your colleague would be to set up a discussion with the client and try to understand the needs of the client.
28
You are managing a project to set up a brand new play area for the community. You and your team have been working as per the plan, and things are moving smoothly. Suddenly, one of the stakeholders indicates that the play area must also include a sand pit. This was not originally planned for, so you analyze the impact on the cost, schedule, and scope. You then submit the change request to the Change control board for their approval .You immediately receive approval. What should your next step be?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Start the work done immediately
Update the impacted baselines - scope, cost, and schedule
Update the work performance reports and share them with stakeholders
Set up a meeting with the change control board
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Once you have created the change request and submitted it for approval, you don’t need to set up a separate meeting with the change control board unless asked for. Work performance reports will be shared according to the frequency agreed upon. However, this is irrelevant to the question. You might be tempted to jump in and start work immediately, but you must first update the impacted baselines. In this case, all the three baselines have to be updated. This is necessary to ensure that performance information is tracked against the new baselines and not the old ones.
29
As a project manager, you are expected to calculate the cost of Poor Quality. The project work is in progress. What costs would you consider?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Cost of Hiring
Prevention costs
Appraisal costs
External and Internal Failure costs
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Cost of Hiring has nothing to do with cost of Poor Quality, so it is not the correct answer. Cost of Poor Quality is just another term for Failure Cost. Failure Costs are generally categorized into External and Internal Failure costs, so option D is correct. Prevention and Appraisal costs are costs of conformance, which are the costs incurred to avoid failures. Hence, these are not considered cost of Poor Quality.
30
You are in charge of building a bridge across a river. All the initial groundwork and structural designs have been completed, and the work is in progress. You know that the next two months will be particularly critical, involving activities such as Arc welding of stiffener plates. You know your company employs welders who specialize in this kind of work. However, you are apprehensive about their availability for the next two months. What should you refer to first to find out if these welders are available for the next two months?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Milestone List
Pareto Chart
Histograms
Resource Calendars
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
The correct answer is Resource Calendars. These provide information regarding availability of resources and also the duration of their availability. So, referring to these documents would be the first course of action.
31
You and a group of managers conduct a weekly meeting for sharing information and project management best practices. Joe, who is a colleague of yours, explains the need for correctly identifying all the project stakeholders. He explains that in his current project, he has made use of Stakeholders Engagement Assessment Matrix. Many of the other colleagues are not quite aware of the need and usage of this matrix. Which of the following best describes this tool?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Lists all the stakeholders along with their current engagement and desired engagement
Lists all the stakeholders
Lists only those stakeholders who are Resistant
Lists only those stakeholders who are Supportive
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
As the name suggests, Stakeholders Engagement Assessment Matrix is used to identify the current engagement level of project stakeholders. It can also be used to indicate the desired level of engagement. Through this analytical process, gaps in engagement levels can be identified and action plans and communication plans can be generated to bridge these gaps. The Stakeholder Engagement Assessment Matrix does not list stakeholders depending on their engagement level, so options C and D are clearly wrong. While you might be tempted to choose option B since you do list down all the stakeholders in a matrix in the document, the better answer is Option A.
32Your company policy allows you to gift customers within a certain limit. You have unintentionally given a gift to the customer that is beyond the limit mentioned in your company policy. What should you do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Forget it and don’t tell anyone
Contact your company’s senior management and ask for assistance
Ask your customer to return the gift
Ask your customer to give you a gift which has the same cost
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The best option is to contact your company’s senior management and ask for assistance.
33
Earned Value Analysis is used to measure performance based on a few parameters. Identify them.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Scope and Cost
Scope and Schedule
Scope, Cost, and Schedule
Cost and Schedule
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Earned Value Analysis is used to measure performance based on Scope, Schedule, and Cost.
34
When handling a team with diverse cultures, the project manager should focus on:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Recording the minutes of meeting
Face-to-Face meetings
Increasing the reporting frequency
Empowering the team to make their own decisions
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Empowered teams norm better and perform better. Since they come up with solutions, the ownership is better.
35
What is the purpose of a fishbone diagram?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Illustrates how various factors might be linked to potential problems or effects
Determines if a process is in control
Shows trends in a process over time
Shows the pattern of relationship between two variables
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
A fishbone diagram is used to illustrate how various factors might be linked to potential problems or effects.
36
Which of the following best describes Vroom’s Expectancy theory?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Employees will put in efforts dependent on expectancy, valence, and instrumentality.
Employee motivation is not achievable
Hygiene factors will ensure that job dissatisfaction does not occur; however, it does not ensure job satisfaction.
People have needs starting with Physiological Needs and ending with self-actualization.
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Vroom’s Expectancy theory is based on the idea that people believe there are relationships between the effort they put in at work, the performance reviews/ratings they are credited for the effort, and the rewards they receive from their effort and performance review ratings. So, people will be motivated if they believe that hard work and effort will lead to good performance reviews and good performance reviews will lead to desired rewards. This theory consists of three key elements: Expectancy (perception of an employee of how much and what amount of effort will lead to a desirable performance rating), Instrumentality (perception or expectation that a good performance rating would translate into a hefty salary hike), and Valence (preference of an employee for a certain reward). Option B is clearly unrelated to this theory, so it is not the correct answer. Option C is related to Herzberg’s Hygiene theory, so it too is not the correct answer. Option D is about Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchical needs, so it’s not the correct answer.
37
Who among the following gave the framework for Continuous improvement?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Peter Drucker
Joseph Juran
Philip Crosby
Edward Deming
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Deming’s cycle is known as PDCA-Plan-Do-Check-Act
38
You are managing a project which involves building software for the aeronautical domain. The nature of the work is complex and needs a lot of research. During Quality assurance, both the development team and testing team suggest that the quality assurance process be changed to include White Box testing and not just rely on Black Box testing. The teams want to make this shift in approach as they believe this would lead to better quality of deliverables. What is the best course of action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
As the changes will help improve quality, execute white box testing
Create a change request
Refuse to adopt this change as this would mean a change in the agreed process
Analyze the impact of the change on scope, schedule, and cost, and then write up a Change Request
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
This is a question meant to test your understanding of change management. Any change, however small or big, should always be first analyzed for its impact on the constraints’ scope, cost, and schedule and then submitted to change control for approval. Changes without formal approval should not be implemented.
39
The Scope Baseline consists of _____.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Approved Project Scope Statement, WBS, WBS Dictionary
Preliminary Project Scope Statement, Approved Project Scope Statement, WBS, WBS Dictionary
Scope Management Plan, WBS, WBS Dictionary
Scope Management Plan, Approved Project Scope Statement, WBS Dictionary
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Scope Baseline
Baseline: an initial estimate (scope, cost, schedule)
used for further planning and control.
Includes
* Scope Statement - describes, in detail, the project’s deliverables and
the work required to create those
* Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
* WBS Dictionary - extra scope details organized
to assist in further planning and control
40
As the project manager, you’ve decided to outsource a part of the project to a vendor. The vendor has discovered some issues that impact the cost and schedule of the work. How does the vendor update the agreement?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
A new contract needs to be signed by your company and the vendor
A contract addendum needs to be signed by your company and the vendor
An SOW needs to be signed by you and the vendor
None of the above
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
A contract addendum needs to be signed by your company and the vendor.
41RISK
As a manager on a project, you have to ensure that the project delivers within the scheduled timelines with minimal rework and customer delight. For some time now, the project work is proceeding smoothly with a CPI and SPI a perfect 1. One of your team members approaches you and indicates the possible need for a long vacation on personal grounds two months from now. You look up the schedule and find that this team member is scheduled to execute activities that are on the critical path, and the team member’s absence in two months’ time would cause a delay in schedule. You decide to take some action and reschedule task allocation to ensure that this team member is not planned to work on any of the critical path activities. What did you just do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Mitigate the risk
Avoid the risk
Transfer the risk
Exploit the risk
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
You have avoided the risk. By interchanging the tasks, you have ensured that the resource who wants to go on a long vacation does not work on critical path activities. There is no question of exploiting the risk as this is not a positive risk. This is not a case of risk mitigation since you have neither created a backup plan nor come up with an alternate strategy.
42
You are in the process of executing a project that deals with laying out electrical cables connecting two cities. You have been reporting progress on a monthly basis. This month, due to unplanned vacations, many of the staff have not turned up at work. This has caused a delay in the schedule. You decide to check if the schedule variance is within the allowable threshold. What document should you refer to?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Project Management Plan
Schedule Management Plan
Project Schedule Network Diagram
Activity Definition
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The acceptable schedule variances are defined in the Schedule Management Plan.
Schedule variances - are defined in the Schedule Management
Plan.
- the difference between the cost of work
performed
and the cost of work scheduled
43
Which of the following activities is not performed as a part of Project Closure?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Ensuring all the deliverables meet contract requirements
Creating lessons learned and updating Organizational Process Assets
Final acceptance
Verifying scope
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
All the options except verifying scope are performed during project closure. Ensuring deliverables meet contract requirements and formal acceptance are key activities of project closure. Capturing lessons learned is also a very important activity performed during project closure. However, verifying scope is not performed during project closure. It belongs to the Monitoring and Controlling process group.
44
You have recently taken over a project that is using Agile methodology. Your team is in the process of understanding the user requirements and trying to prioritize them. Which technique will be most useful?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Interviews
Kano Model
Delphi Technique
None of the above
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
MoSCoW model, 100 points method, and Kano model are techniques generally used in Agile projects.
Kano model
Breaks down quality definitions of a project into 5
categories:
* Must-be - customers expect these and take them for
granted.
* 1-dimensional - result in satisfaction when fulfilled,
result in dissatisfaction when unfulfilled.
* Attractive - result in satisfaction when fulfilled,
do NOT result in dissatisfaction when unfulfilled.
* Indifferent - neither good, or bad, don’t result in
satisfaction or dissatisfaction
* Reverse - by satisfying some, dissatisfy others.
45
You are in charge of building a shopping portal. You are fairly confident as you have a team experienced in doing such work. As per the agreement, at the end of the first month, you organize a demonstration of the software. You invite the sponsor and key stakeholders. Later, the sponsor informs you that she is not very happy with the progress, indicating that one of the clients who would be using this software is not satisfied as her needs are not being met. Satisfying this client’s needs would mean some radical changes with an impact on both cost and schedule. What could be the root cause of this issue?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Deliverables were not as per requirement
The stakeholder is making unrealistic demands
The scope statement was ambiguous
All the stakeholders were not identified
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
When client expectations were not met
Stakeholder analysis deals with identifying all the stakeholders,
their needs and expectations,
and their influence.
The correct answer in this case is improper stakeholder analysis - Option D. While options A, B, and C could be true, the question gives no indication of these being the case. The question does mention an important client whose expectations were not met. Stakeholder analysis deals with identifying all the stakeholders, their needs and expectations, and their influence. In this case, the client’s needs are not being met, which indicates that stakeholder analysis and identification were not done correctly.
46
Reviews held at the end of each sprint to help the team know what went well and where continuous improvement can be done are called:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Sprint review
Backlog review
Retrospective
Product review
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Retrospectives are held at the end of each iteration to help the team look back at an iteration and plan improvements for the next one.
47
The ____ is the international organization that controls the standards for quality.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
ISO
PMP
PMI
ISCII
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
The ISO is the international organization that controls the standards for quality.
48Your company has won a large project’s administering funds for one of the fund houses. The project work has been going smoothly, and the customer has been praising the work done so far. The client has planned a visit the next month to go over the plans for the next phase of the project as well as to meet with the project team. Your senior management realizes that this client could potentially need additional capabilities in the derivatives segment. Your company has a strong exposure to this segment, having executed numerous similar projects. Your senior manager also invites key managers from the derivatives segment to showcase the organization’s abilities in the derivatives vertical. What is this an example of?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Mitigating the risk
Avoiding the risk
Transferring the risk
Exploiting the risk
EXPLANATION
This is an example of exploiting the risk. The client is happy with the work progress, and there might also be an opportunity that the client could be interested in the derivatives segment. This opportunity could lead to more business. By inviting key managers from the derivatives segment, you are enhancing the possibility of generating additional revenue. Hence, this is an example of exploiting the risk. Note that this is a positive risk.
49
Which factors can either support or limit the project management options, act as inputs for planning processes, and have a negative or positive influence on a project outcome?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Organizational Standards
Norms
PMIS
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
These factors are conditions not under the immediate control of the team, but can influence, constrain, or direct the project, program, or portfolio
50
You are responsible for the complete makeover of a shopping mall, which involves civil work and painting. After going through the details, you have come up with the cost estimates. After approval, you have arrived at the cost baseline. Work is now in progress. You and the senior management are happy with the work. Suddenly, you realize that ceiling repair work was not factored in the estimates though it was very much a part of the scope. You decide to make use of Contingency reserves, but your senior manager advises you to make use of the Management reserve. What is the correct action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Making use of both the Management Reserve and the Contingency Reserve
Making use of Management Reserve
Making use of Contingency Reserve
None of the above
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Management reserve is meant for unknown unknowns and is part of the scope of the project. The question clearly states that the work is in the scope. Contingency reserves are for known unknowns, which is not the case here. The correct answer is Management Reserve.
51
You are in your third month of project execution, which is expected to continue for 14 months. Your sponsor has asked for a performance report. You decide to create an S curve. Based on the S curve, you report your Actual Cost, which is more than the Earned Value. Also, the Planned Value is greater than the Earned Value. What would be the interpretation of this data?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
The project is over budget and behind schedule
The project is on schedule and on budget
The project is over budget but on schedule
The project is on budget but behind schedule
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
This is because both SPI and CPI are less than 1.
Schedule Performance Index = EV/PV
Cost Performance Index = EV/AC
52
You have been asked to provide cost estimates for a project involving complete electrical installation in warehouses. As a project manager, you have had past experience in similar projects in your previous organization. The organization you have joined also has recently done a similar project. The executive management wants you to quickly come up with an estimate. What estimation technique would you adopt?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Ask your previous organization for the estimates
Use Parametric Estimating technique
Use Bottom-up Estimating
Use Analogous Estimating
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Analogous estimating relies on previous similar projects as the basis of estimation. So, it relies on historical information. This technique is used when there is limited amount of detailed information, like during the early phases of the project. It is less costly and less time-consuming. As time is a constraint, this is the best choice.
Top-down I perform an analysis at the whole-project level.
Fast, not too accurate.
(2) variations that are top-down.
* Analogous (estimating by analogy, or history)
"uses history"
'Since similar projects have cost about $65,000,
this project should also cost about $65,000.'
* Parametric (estimating by history and a little math/parameters)
"uses history and a bit of math
'Other projects have taught us it takes about 10 days to build
1 km of road. This project requires 10 km, therefore should take
about 100 days.'
Parameter -> 1 km road = 10 days duration...
Bottom-up I perform an analysis on each activity, and roll
the totals up to a single project total.
Accurate, not too fast.
No variations. Merely Bottom-up.
53
You are managing a project for constructing a shopping complex. However, you have not made good progress due to the occurence of a flash flood. There have been a lot of escalations from key stakeholders, and executive management is pressing you to get the project on track. In a review meeting, your lead architect, sensing the urgency, suggests a change that could significantly reduce the schedule. She is very confident that the suggested change will work to get things on track. As a project manager, what is the best course of action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
The project is lagging, so implement the change request as it would reduce the schedule
Reject the idea of making the change as this will need an approval from change control
Create a change request and submit it to change control board
Identify the impact of the change on the scope and cost and then include this information in the change request
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
No changes should be made without a formal approval, so option A is clearly wrong. Rejecting ideas without doing a thorough analysis of the impact is also not the correct approach. Now, the option of creating a change request and submitting it for approval sounds like the right option. However, the better approach is to do an analysis of the impact on scope, time, and cost and then submit the change request. So while option C is correct, the better option is D.
54You are in charge of constructing a high-rise residential building. After creating a Network diagram, you have identified the Critical Path. Work has started, but due to inclement weather, plinth work is delayed. This plinth work activity was on the critical path. As a manager driving this project, would you be worried and why?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
No - It will not matter if the Plinth work is delayed
No - Activities on the critical path do not impact the schedule
Yes - Any delay of activities on the critical path would lead to a delay of the entire project
Yes - you will now have to relay this bad news to the client
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
If activities on the critical path are delayed, it can lead to a delay in the entire Project. Hence, options A and B are incorrect. Option D is a very subjective answer, and the problem does not state how the stakeholders would take the news. So, the best answer is option C.
55
You know that the success of your project will be determined by how well you manage risks. You know that identifying risks upfront can help you be better prepared with risk response strategies. You consult with other project managers in the company. One manager suggests using SWOT to identify risks. What would you do next as a part of this technique?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Gather team members and experts to discuss and identify risks
Gather anonymous responses from experts and identify risks
Perform root cause analysis to identify problems, their cause, and potential responses
Identify the organization’s strengths and weaknesses
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
SWOT involves identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. This technique then identifies the threats due to organization’s weakness as well as opportunities due to the organization’s strengths. So, option D is the correct answer. The other three options are also risk identification techniques, but the question is specific to SWOT.
56
You have been assigned to a project that deals with developing a software product for the BFSI domain. You and your team are building the schedule network diagram. While sequencing activities, one of the Architects in your team suggests that rather than interacting with the database on every activity, you should introduce an activity that would cache the data. The team member argues that this will improve performance and suggests that the activity be introduced in the sequence prior to other activities that deal with database interaction. What kind of a dependency is this?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
This is an example of Mandatory Dependency.
This is an example of External Dependency.
This is an example of Discretionary Dependency or Soft Logic.
This is an example of Hard Logic.
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Discretionary Dependency is also known as Soft Logic or Preferred Logic or Preferential Logic. Note that this is not a mandatory dependency as it is not a Must Have but more a Should have. Discretionary dependency decisions are usually based on best practices and business knowledge. In this case, a Software architect can be assumed to be an expert in his field.
Dependency:
- Mandatory “hard logic”
‘Part of the way you have to do the work’ (“nature” of the work)
“We need to wait 2 weeks for concrete to dry and cure before
we start building.” - Discretionary “soft logic”
‘The team can use their preference or “discretion”’.
‘We can build the servers at our desk and then take them to the lab, or just build them in the lab…’ - External (outside the work/project)
“We can’t start construction until City Hall has approved Blue-prints.” - Internal (inside the work/project)
‘… within the team’s control…’
“As soon as we’ve brought the concrete mix on-site, we can start building the concrete pad.”
57
You and your team are in the process of creating WBS and WBS Dictionary. What would be the best choice of attributes in a WBS Dictionary?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Work Package ID and Work Package Description
Work Package ID, Control Account ID, and Work Package Description
Work Package Description
Work Package ID, Control Account ID, Work Package Description, Acceptance Criteria, Responsible Organization, Cost, Assumptions
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Options A, B, and C describe what a WBS Dictionary should contain. So, they all seem like the right choices. However, the question asks about the BEST choice of attributes in a WBS Dictionary, which is provided in Option D. Note that the WBS and WBS Dictionary are correlated by WBS Name and Work Package ID
58
Project manager’s role is part time in _________ organization structure?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Matrix
Composite
Functional
Projectized
58Project manager’s role is part time in _________ organization structure?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Matrix
Composite
Functional
Projectized
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
PM’s role is part time in functional type of organization structure. The functional manager has authority.
59S Curve depicts a relationship between:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Resource Availability and time
Remaining budget and time
Actual Cost, Planned Value, and Earned Value
Cost and Quality
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
S curve shows a relationship between Actual Cost, Planned Value, and Earned Value.
60Which of the following statements is false regarding Risk Management?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
All identified risks are maintained in the Risk Register.
Risk prioritization occurs in Qualitative Risk Analysis.
Risk prioritization occurs in Quantitative Risk Analysis.
Low-priority risks are maintained in a Watch List.
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
All of the statements are true except the statement regarding Quantitative Risk Analysis. Quantitative Risk analysis does not deal with prioritizing risks. The prioritization occurs in the Qualitative Risk Analysis process. Quantitative Risk Analysis deals with assigning numeric values to risks.
61Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding Contracts?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Contracts are legally binding in nature.
Contracts obligate the buyer to provide compensation and the seller to provide some product or service in return.
By careful administration of terms and conditions, the buyer can transfer some of the risks to the seller.
Contracts undergo an approval process like any other plan.
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
This question tests your knowledge of contracts and procurement. At the onset, all the answers seem to be correct with respect to contracts. A contract is legally binding in nature; it’s an agreement between the seller providing some service or product and the buyer compensating the seller. Some of the risks can indeed be transferred to the seller through terms and conditions. Due to the legal nature, contracts are subject to an intensive approval process, much more intense than other plans. Hence in the context of the question, option D is the right answer.
62
You are in charge of a project for the electrical layout of a five-star hotel. You see this as a very simple project as you and your team have a lot of experience executing similar projects. As a result, your organization has a wealth of Organizational Process assets. You have worked out the exact details of the work involved and have a very detailed WBS with granular-level activities defined. You decide to employ the services of a contractor for laying out of the cable trays. What kind of a contract would be the best choice?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Cost-reimbursable contract
Fixed-price contract
Time and Material contract
None of the above
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
When as a buyer you are clear of the scope and statement of work, the contract choice should be Fixed-price. In this type of contract, the scope is clearly defined, and almost all the risk lies with the seller. Here, the buyer has experience executing similar projects in the past and has also broken down WBS into detailed activities. So, the scope is clear, and the correct answer is option B.
63
Which hierarchical chart shows resources?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
RBS
OBS
WBS
Scope statement
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
The Resource Breakdown Structure shows various resources, both human and mechanical, needed for the project.
64Your company has won a project to build a school playground with specific toys and a sandpit. The school has mandated that the project be completed before the start of the school year. You review the plan and see that the estimated completion date is nearly a month after the desired completion date. As resources are sparse, you do not have the option to add additional resources. However, you see that the sand pit work can start in parallel with the play kits being installed. Your analysis tells you that by performing these activities in parallel, the project would meet its schedule. This is an example of:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Scope Creep
Resource Levelling
Crashing
Fast Tracking
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Crashing deals with adding additional resources and is not an option here. Fast Tracking is a schedule compression technique of performing activities in parallel. Note that Fast Tracking may result in increased risk and rework.
1) Scope Creep -extra features are added to a project at the request of a client.
2) Reource levelling - start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints
3) Crashing - action to decrease the total project durations
4) Fast tracking - activities are performed in parallel
65You are in charge of a project to build a bridge across a river. You are halfway through the project. However, due to changes in environmental laws, the project can no longer proceed and would need to be terminated. Executive management has asked you to document the level of work completed for the project. In which of the following processes would this be done?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Project Closure
Contract closure
Project charter
Scope Verification
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Scope verification is performed not only while a project is being executed but it is also performed when a project is terminated. It is used to determine the level of completion.
66You have asked your team members to provide estimates of tasks. You see that a specific team member has provided estimates on the higher side. You discuss this with the team member. The team member admits that they did not have an idea of how long the task would take, so they came up with an estimate and then doubled it to be safe. What is this known as?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Lead
Lag
Free Float
Pad
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Pad is adding time as a buffer to project estimate. As the team member was uncertain of the time it would take, they doubled the estimate to be safe. Padding is a sign of poor Project Management.
PAD - is adding time as a buffer to project estimate.
LAG - delay between tasks that have a dependency
67
You are in the process of making cost estimates for a project. However, detailed requirements are not yet available. A similar project was executed by your company, and you decide to use the past project’s historical data to come up with your estimates. This is called:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Analogous estimating
Parametric estimating
Bottom-up estimating
Three point estimating
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
The correct answer is Analogous estimating. It relies on past or historical data of a similar nature. As the project is at an early state where the detailed requirements are not yet available, this is the best technique to come to an early estimate, though it may not be very accurate.
68You are the project manager for a large Project. You are currently busy with approximating the number of work periods required to complete individual activities with estimated resources. Which of the following inputs do you need for this?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Activity List
Resource requirements
Resource Breakdown structure
All of the above
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
The process is Estimate Activity Durations. For this process, all the options mentioned are used as inputs.
69
You are starting a new project. You break up the work into discrete work packages. To ensure that each work package has all the necessary details, you and your team decide to write down detailed information for each work package, such as Statement of work, details of the work package, and who will be responsible for the work package. Where would you store this information?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Project Management Plan
WBS
WBS Dictionary
Approved Project Scope Statement
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
This is where this information is stored.
70You are the project manager of a software project. You have just analyzed activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule constraints and created project schedule. To which process does the above tasks belong?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Define Activities
Sequence Activities
Develop Schedule
Control Schedule
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule constraints and creating project schedule belong to Develop Schedule process.
71You know that the success of your project will be determined by how well you manage risks. You know that identifying risks upfront can help you be better prepared with risk response strategies. So, you decide to identify risks by taking help of experts. You have identified some experts, and rather than calling them to your office, you send them questionnaires. You promise them complete anonymity so that they give unhindered responses. What information gathering technique are you adopting?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Brainstorming
Root Cause Identification
SWOT analysis
Delphi Technique
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
All the four options listed above are information gathering techniques, but the correct answer is Delphi Technique. This is a form of information gathering technique where inputs from experts is solicited anonymously without gathering them together.
72Which of the following options best describes Achievement Theory of Motivation?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Employees given a reward are most likely to be motivated.
People cannot be trusted and must be governed and monitored regularly to ensure tasks get done.
People are motivated by achievement, power, and affiliation.
Employees will put in an effort in direct proportion to the perceived review and reward.
Correct Option:C
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Option A and Option D are related to Expectancy theory; Option B is related to Theory X style of management. So, these options are not the correct answers. Option C is the correct answer. The Achievement Theory of Motivation states there are three types of motivational needs: need for achievement, need for authority and power, and need for affiliation. As per this theory, a strong affiliation motivation undermines a manager’s objectivity because of the need to be liked, and this affects a manager’s decision-making capability. A strong authority motivation will produce a determined work ethic and commitment to the organization. Such people are attracted to the leadership role, though they may not possess the required flexibility and people-centered skills. People with strong achievement motivation make the best leaders, although there can be a tendency to demand too much of their staff in the belief that they are all highly achievement-focused and results-driven, which most people are not.
73
The key benefits of __________ process is that it will maintain or increase the efficiency and effectiveness of stakeholder engagement activities as the project evolves and the environment changes.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Plan Stakeholder Engagement
Identify Stakeholders
Manage Stakeholder Engagement
Monitor Stakeholder Engagement
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
The key benefits of Monitor Stakeholder Engagement process is that it will maintain or increase the efficiency and effectiveness of stakeholder engagement activities as the project evolves and the environment changes.
74You are managing a project for constructing a bridge over a river. All the risks have been identified and the design phase is just completed. The team is in its second week of construction. One of the subject matter experts reports that there is a possibility that the monsoons will be heavier this year. She points out that the load-bearing plates earlier designed may have to be redesigned considering the additional water pressure expected because of additional rain water. What would be your best immediate course of action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Schedule an emergency meeting with all stakeholders to discuss this risk
Mitigate risks by immediately redesigning the load-bearing plates
Write up a change request and submit it to the Change Control Board for approval
Update the Risk register to add this risk along with its probability and impact
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
The question is asking about the best immediate course of action. The first course of action should be to add this risk in the Risk register. The possible impact and risk probability should also be added. No other action should be performed prior to this. So, scheduling an emergency meeting, which might sound like the first thing to do, is not correct and neither is making any change to the design. Writing up a change request will only come after the risk is documented and its probability and impact accessed. So, the first course of action should be to update the Risk register.
75You are managing a project for a plantation on a large reserve land. You have created the schedule network diagram and have identified two paths. Path 1 consists of two activities of a duration of 2 and 5 weeks respectively. Path 2 consists of 3 activities with durations of 1, 3, and 3 weeks respectively. Which of the two paths is the Critical Path?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Path 1
Path 2
Neither
Both Paths 1 and 2 are Critical Paths
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
The duration of both the paths is 7 weeks. Remember that the path with the longest duration is the critical path, and you can have more than one Critical Path.
76In Agile, the role of a product owner is to
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Assist the project manager
Assist the team in defining & prioritizing user stories
Manage stakeholder changes
Assist in selecting the team
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The job of a product owner is to assist the team in defining and prioritizing the work to deliver a minimum value product.
77You are a manager in an organization that believes in the Theory X style of management. Which of the following is an assumption of this theory?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Employees are inherently lazy, dislike work, and will avoid work if they can.
Employees are motivated and enjoy doing their work.
Employees want to do well at work.
Employees are trustworthy and are motivated by doing a good job.
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Theory X assumes that employees cannot be trusted and will only work if rewarded or under threat and coercion. This theory does not consider that employees work on their own. So, the correct option is A. The other options consider an employee to be self-motivated and a self-starter, which is not what Theory X is based on.
78You have recently joined an organization’s project management office. After reviewing the organizational assets, you realize that project managers have not routinely documented lessons learned for their projects. There are a few projects that are about to start. You decide to call a meeting of all the project managers and explain the need of Lessons Learned. In order to get a buy-in from your managers, what would you focus on as the best use of this document?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
It helps the team to plan tasks.
It helps in performance reporting.
It will help the manager to better control the project.
The historical information can be used for other projects.
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Note that the question states that new projects are about to start and past lessons learned of projects could have served as good inputs for the other projects. Not having lessons learned handicaps the managers.
79Your project is in a critical phase. You notice that one of the team members comes in late to office and leaves early. This is clearly impacting delivery. You decide to talk to the team member to better understand their reasons. You find no specific reasons, so you explain the necessity and criticality of the project, expecting the team member to improve. However, next week, your lead engineer reports that the team member is still not spending adequate time in the office. What would be the best choice of communication in this case?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Informal and verbal
Formal and written
Informal and written
Formal and verbal
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
In this case, you have already tried out the option of discussing with the team member, which is an example of informal verbal. Clearly, that has not worked, so it calls for a more strict reprimand. Hence, the correct form of communication would be formal written communication.
80Decomposition is best described as:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Creating control accounts
Creating work packages
Breaking down deliverables into smaller work packages so that they can be better planned
Planning and scheduling of work packages
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Decomposition deals with breaking down deliverables into small discrete work packages that can be planned better. It also helps prevent work from slipping through the cracks and gives the project team a better picture of the work involved.
81As a part of the Executive Management team, you have a number of project managers reporting to you. The report from one of the project managers raises concerns about the health of the project. The EV is $ 300000, PV is $ 550000, and AC is $ 200000. According to your calculations, the project is behind schedule. However, the Project Manager disagrees and feels that the project is ahead of schedule. What is the correct interpretation of the data?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Both you and the project manager are incorrect
Both you and the project manager are correct as the interpretation is very subjective.
You are correct as the project is behind schedule.
The Project Manager is correct as the project is ahead of schedule.
EXPLANATION
SPI = EV / PV = 300000/550000 = less than 1. An SPI less than 1 indicates that the project is behind schedule.
82Identify the basic quality tools to facilitate, measure, and control quality.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Cause and effect diagrams, Flowcharts, Check sheets, Pareto diagrams, Histograms, Control Charts, Sequence Diagrams
Cause and effect diagrams, Flowcharts, Check sheets, Histograms, Control Charts, Scatter Diagrams
Activity diagrams, Flowcharts, Check sheets, Pareto diagrams, Histograms, Control Charts, Sequence Diagrams
Cause and effect diagrams, Monte Carlo analysis, Check sheets, Pareto diagrams, Histograms, Control Charts, Scatter Diagrams
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
As per PMBOK Guide - Sixth Edition, Pareto chart is not included as a tool under control quality process.
83You have scheduled regular weekly team meetings with project team members. Things have been going according to plan, and there have been no variances till date with respect to the work performance baselines. A site engineer reports that he had to perform a couple of corrective actions, but they were not logged. As a Project Manager, what should you do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Reprimand the team member for not documenting the corrective action
Reprimand the team member and ensure the corrective action is taken
Do nothing
Document the corrective actions performed in the historical records
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
All changes, including corrective actions, preventive actions, and defect repair, must undergo change control prior to the change being made. It is also necessary to document the corrective and preventive actions taken in historical data as this can serve as input for subsequent projects. Reprimanding the team member and allowing uncontrolled changes to happen are a recipe for disaster in project management.
84You are negotiating with a contractor for additional staff of software developers and testers. As a buyer, you don’t quite have the exact statement of work ready. What kind of contract is MOST appropriate for this kind of work?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Time and Materials - T and M
Cost plus fixed fee - CPFF
Firm Fixed Price Contract - FFP
Fixed Price Incentive Fee Contracts FPIF
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
As the nature of work is not quite clear and this deals with contracting additional staff, the best choice of contract is T and M. Fixed price contracts are applicable where scope of work is quite clear, which is not the case here. Choosing a Cost-reimbursable contract makes no sense since you and the seller can agree on the unit rate of staff. So, the best option is T and M.
85A process with lack of consistency and predictability is called:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
In control
Out of control
Bad quality
Quality noise
EXPLANATION
A process with lack of consistency and predictability is called out of control.
86The _________ details the different tasks for members in the project.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
WBS
SOW
Scope statement
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) details the different tasks for the members in the project.
87The goal of value analysis is to improve the overall:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Share Value
Product Value
Business Value
Stakeholder value
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Value analysis is the process of examining each of the components of business value with an aim of increasing business value.
88_______is that which describes the deliverable, defined key attributes of the deliverable, and allows for tracking, versioning, and control.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Product management control
Process control
Configuration management system
Scope management system
EXPLANATION
Configuration management system helps track compliance information, including proof of validation for each deliverable so that the identified compliance requirements are met.
89Legal or Regulatory requirements are part of:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Compliance requirements
Non-functional requirements
Technical Requirements
Support Requirements
EXPLANATION
It is mandatory to comply with legal and regulatory requirements. Non-conformance is a potential threat to the project.
90Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding the Scope Management Plan?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Scope Management Plan is not a part of the Project Management Plan.
It provides guidance on how the Project Scope will be verified.
It provides guidance on how the scope will be defined, documented, monitored, and controlled.
It provides guidance regarding the enterprise environmental factors and organizational process assets that would play a part.
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
All the options except Option A are true regarding the Scope Management plan. The Scope Management Plan is part of the Project Management Plan.
91The style of leadership of supporting the team and addressing their needs is called:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Democratic
Supportive
Servant Leadership
Laissez-faire
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
In Agile, the preferred style is servant leadership, where the PM places the team’s needs ahead of everything and works for them.
92Which of the following is a classification model that groups stakeholders on the basis of their level of authority, their immediate needs, and how appropriate their involvement is in terms of the project?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Power-interest Model
Power-Influence Model
Salience Model
Legal-Influence Model
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Salience Model classifies stakeholders based on their authority, urgency (immediate involvement), and legitimacy.
93You are just beginning a project and are in the process of forming a team. You want the team to abide by certain norms, manage conflicts by themselves, decide their working hours, etc. What is the document you will prepare?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Project Charter
Risk Register
WBS
Team Charter
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
While forming a team, especially a virtual team, a team charter is useful. It defines shared work hours, how the team makes decisions, how the team manages conflicts, and core team values.
94Your company has been tasked with providing estimates for a road construction project. You have data available related to costs per square feet. You now need to provide an estimate of the cost of the project based on this data. What estimation technique is most applicable in this scenario?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Top-down Estimating
Parametric Estimation
Bottom-up Estimating
Analogous Estimation
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Parametric Estimation is most applicable in this scenario as the cost per unit is readily available. Parametric Estimation uses the relationship between variables to determine cost or duration. It calculates the cost or duration of the unit and also determines the number of units required. This helps in calculating the cost/duration of the project.
95A data point in a control chart that requires investigation is called:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
A special cause
A quality fault
A rule of seven
A rule of five
EXPLANATION
A data point in a control chart that requires investigation is called a special cause.
96You have just begun a project. Some members have been given training on some skilled tasks, but you are apprehensive that the knowledge and skills may not be sufficient. You decide to put a few customer stakeholders together to enable them to interact with the team and learn from one another. This is called:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Hands-on Training
Pairing and Mentoring
Shadow Training
None of the above
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
This is one of the ways by which a project manager can ensure knowledge transfer on the job.
97You have been assigned a project that is halfway through its execution. You have had to take up this project due to non-availability of the current project manager. This is a complex project involving multiple contractors and teams at various geographical locations. You decide to look up the requirements of the types of reports and frequency of sending them. Where would you find this information?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Project Management Plan
Scope Management Plan
Communication Management Plan
Stakeholder Analysis
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The correct answer is Communication Management Plan. This plan provides information such as frequency of communication, type of communication, and who is responsible for communication.
98You are managing a project, and to ensure things run smoothly, you have decided to provide project information periodically to all the stakeholders. You have decided that you would report against the baselines for scope, cost, and schedule. Which of the following would be the best choice?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Performance reporting
Status reports
Forecasts
Risk Register
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
The best choice is Performance reporting with respect to the triple constraints - Scope, Schedule, and Cost. Forecasts are future projections, and risk register deals with risks. These are not the right options. While status reports could be an option, the best answer is Performance reporting.
99You have replaced a project manager on a project that is already in the execution phase. The project is behind schedule, and you have been specifically brought in to ensure the project meets its schedule. You decide to review the schedule network diagram created by the earlier project manager and realize that the project is 3 weeks behind schedule. After reviewing the activities and the network diagram, you decide to Crash the schedule. This means you:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Decrease the scope of the project after discussing with the sponsors
Add additional resources to the activities on the Critical path
Perform activities in parallel to decrease the schedule
Discuss with the sponsors and explain how it is not going to be possible to meet the schedule
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Crashing is a technique used to shorten the schedule by adding resources. Options A and D are clearly not correct, and Option C is an example of Fast Tracking.
100Which of the following best describes the assumptions made by Herzberg’s Hygiene theory?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Employees are basically lazy and need to be monitored.
Hygiene factors help avoid job dissatisfaction and lead to motivated employees.
Hygiene factors help avoid job dissatisfaction; their absence could create dissatisfaction, but they will not lead to motivated employees.
Job content factors have no influence in keeping people happy on the job and motivated.
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
According to Herzberg’s Hygiene theory, the absence of certain factors termed Hygiene factors can lead to dissatisfaction. So, to avoid dissatisfaction, they must be present. However, these Hygiene factors will not directly lead to employee satisfaction; they would only avoid dissatisfaction. Option A is clearly unrelated, and Option B is incorrect since Hygiene factors do not contribute to employee motivation. Option C is correct. Herzberg’s theory also states that what motivates employees is the Job content. Hence, Option D is incorrect since it states the opposite.
101You are managing a software development project in the banking domain. Things have been proceeding according to plan, but with the economic meltdown, the client has had to abruptly shut down the project due to lack of funds to source it any longer. As a Project manager, what is the next thing to do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Free up project resources so that they can be utilized on other tasks
As there are very few tasks remaining, get those completed
Ensure all project closure procedures are followed and lessons learned are updated
Publish work performance reports for the project
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Project closure procedures must be followed. They must be followed irrespective of whether the project was successfully completed or if it was terminated. We always follow closure procedures. So in this case, the Project Manager should choose option C.
102Choose the right sequence for conducting a Retrospective meeting in Agile.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Generate insights, Set the stage, Gather data, Make decisions, Close
Set the stage, Generate insights, Gather data, Make decisions, Close
Set the stage, Gather data, Generate insights, Make decisions, Close
None of the above
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Although there are many models, generally this is the model used for running a Retrospective.
103Your company policy allows accepting gifts from customers within a certain limit. Your customer is giving you a gift that is beyond the limit of your company policy. You have already given a gift that has similar value to the customer’s representative . What should you do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Accept it and don’t tell anyone
Contact your company’s senior management and ask for assistance
Ask your customer about company policy
Refuse it
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The best option is to contact your company’s senior management and ask for assistance.
104You are responsible for a project with high risks, particularly during the early phases. Your sponsor has asked for performance reports on a monthly basis. At the end of the first month, you report a CPI and SPI greater than 1. What would this mean?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
The project is behind schedule and over budget.
The project is ahead of schedule and under budget.
The project is ahead of schedule but over budget.
The project is behind schedule but under budget.
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
SPI greater than 1 indicates that the project is ahead of schedule, while a value less than 1 indicates that the project is behind schedule. CPI value greater than 1 indicates that the project is under budget, while a value less than 1 indicates that the project is over budget.
105You are the project manager of a software project. Your team member wants to make technical changes to an activity, which will lead to additional time to complete the activity. What should you do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Check if the activity is on the critical path
Allow the team member to change the activity
Report this to senior management
Ignore change in activity
EXPLANATION
The best option is to check if the activity is on the critical path.
106You have taken over a project from another project manager. The project is already in its third month of execution. You need to determine if the project is ahead of or behind schedule. What would be the best source of this information?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Work performance data
Earned value analysis
Project management software
Pareto chart
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Earned value analysis provides details of planned vs. actual values that help in determining the health of the project. Work performance data is the actual information that helps in measuring performance. Project management software helps track data, while Pareto chart is used in Quality Control.
107Which of the following is NOT a form of communication?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Formal and Informal
Written and Verbal
Precise and Vague
Vertical and Horizontal
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Precise and vague are not forms of communication, while all others are.
108You are the project manager of a project, and one of the functional managers wants to make a major scope change during the execution of the project. What should be your action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Prepare an impact detail of the change for the functional manager
Refuse the change
Complain to the sponsor
Ignore the request
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
If there is scope change by a functional manager during the execution of the project, then the project manager sends the impact detail of the changes to functional manager.
109As you have a lot of expertise in project management, many of your company’s co-managers consult you for advice and inputs. One of your colleagues, who is relatively inexperienced in managing projects, wants to compare the project work and measure the deviations. Which document should she refer to? Choose the option that best answers the question.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Project Management Plan
Scope Management Plan
Schedule Management Plan
Performance Measurement Baseline
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
There are multiple options that seem correct; however, they are partially correct. The scope baseline and schedule baseline are not the only baselines against which project performance is measured, so options B and C are definitely not the best options. The project management plan contains details of all the baselines, but a more specific plan to refer to is the Performance Measurement Baseline. It contains details of the scope, schedule, and cost baselines, and it could also contain quality and technical parameters. While the project management plan includes the baselines, it is actually the Performance Measurement Baseline that is used for comparing performances, and the Performance Measurement Baseline is a part of the Project Management Plan.
110RISK
The project you’re working on is proceeding smoothly with a CPI and SPI a perfect 1. One of your team members tells you she might need some time off two months from now. You look up the schedule and find that this team member happens to be scheduled to execute activities that are on the critical path and her absence in two months’ time would cause a delay in schedule. You ask the team member to start regular knowledge transfers to two trainees. Though the trainees are relatively inexperienced, they would together be able to handle the tasks. What did you just do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Mitigate the risk
Avoid the risk
Transfer the risk
Exploit the risk
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
You have mitigated the risk. By asking for the trainees to be trained, you have created a Risk response strategy. Should this team member go on leave, the trainees will execute the task. So, you have not avoided the risk. Again, there is no question of exploiting the risk as this is not a positive risk. This is not a case of Risk transfer either, so the correct answer is Risk Mitigation.
111You are a project manager in a Software Product Company. After a person is hired, you come to know that many of this person’s ideas were developed by a competitor company. Which of the following is the best action in this case?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Accept the new ideas
Ignore the ideas because accepting them may violate the code of conduct
Ask the person to sign an NDA
Tell the person that they should not mention that the ideas came from another company
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Unless the employee has signed the NDA with his or her previous organization, there is no obligation not to share knowledge that was gained while working for the competitor.
Nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) - PROHIBIT to share
112You are handling a project to develop a product for one of your clients.You have decided on Agile methodology for development. You notice that the client is not very involved in the project because they believe that once the order has been placed with you, your team should deliver the product within the time and cost agreed on. What would be the best approach in this scenario?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Take a sign-off at the beginning of the project
Engage product owner and conduct sprint reviews
Wait for the client to give you feedback
Make a decision based on similar projects
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Involving product owner and conducting sprint review at the end of each iteration will provide feedback that can be used for any course correction.
113Which of the following is an ideal location for placing an Information Radiator?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
High traffic place
Inside project Manager’s cabin
In the laptop of team members
None of the above
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
The goal of an information radiator is to provide visibility on the status of work. So it has to be placed where visibility for people is high. It is also known as big visible chart.
114You are in the process of making a cost estimate for a large prestigious project. You decide to use the Three Point Estimation technique with Triangular Distribution. Based on your analysis, you are confident that the project will be completed with a total cost of $108,000. You also estimate that a best-case estimate would be $90000, while a worst-case scenario would result in the costs shooting up to $138000. What would the Three point Cost estimate be?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
112000
110000
28000
None of the above
EXPLANATION
The question states the use of Three point estimate using triangular distribution. The formula for this estimation technique is a + b + c /3, where a = Most Likely estimate, b = Estimate based on analysis of the Best-case scenario, and c = Estimate based on analysis of the Worst-case scenario. So, the Three point estimate using Triangular distribution is 108000 + 90000 + 138000 / 3 = 336000/3 = $ 112000.
115The project you’re managing is around 50% complete. You are creating Earned Value Methodology to report performance. Based on your calculations, you realize that the initial plan is no longer valid. However, you still need to provide an EAC. What is the best course of action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Calculate EAC as EAC = BAC / CPI
Calculate EAC as EAC = AC + BAC - EV
Calculate EAC as EAC = AC + (BAC - EV/(CPI * SPI )
Calculate EAC as EAC = AC + Bottom-up Estimate
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Option A is to be used if past CPI is expected to continue. Option B is to be used if future work is going to be performed at the planned rate. Option C is to be used if both CPI and SPI influence remaining work. Option D is to be used when the initial plan is no longer valid, which is the case here.
116As a manager on a project, you have identified and created the WBS and WBS Dictionary. You also plan to ensure that each deliverable gets the approval of your stakeholders and sponsors. Which process are you planning to perform?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Validate scope
Perform Quality Control
Control Scope
Define Scope
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Validate scope deals with validating what was delivered and what was required.
117Minimum Business Increment (MBI) works best when:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Customer agrees to the scope
Sprints have long duration
Business team supports the sprint
Incremental increase in value can be seen
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
In Agile, earliest delivery of value is of paramount importance. The team decides the incremental value to be delivered in the next iteration.
118In order to determine the details of the work to be performed in work packages, which of the following can be used?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
WBS
WBS Dictionary
Control Account
Work Packages
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
WBS Dictionary provides details such as description of work to be done for each work package, any schedule milestones, and statement of work. It is also used to prevent scope creep.
119You need to provide estimates for activities on the project. You and your team discuss and conclude that as detailed information is not yet available, the best option would be to use Parametric Estimates. Which of the following is used to create Parametric Estimates?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Critical Path Method
One-Time Estimate
Regression Analysis and Learning Curve
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
To arrive at parametric estimate, you need historical data based on which you will be able to parametrize the variables and arrive at a mathematical relationship between such variables.
120Which of the following best describes the role of a project sponsor?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Manages the project
Manages the quality of deliverables
Provides funding for the project
Identifies key stakeholders
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The project sponsor is not responsible for managing the project or for the quality of deliverables; this is done by the project manager. While the sponsor can aid in identifying key stakeholders, the sponsor plays a key part in is providing funding. The sponsor provides funding directly or indirectly and is responsible for approving or denying the budget. The project sponsor is also generally the one who approves the Project Charter, but that is not mentioned in the question.
121You are a project manager for a project. While reviewing the cost estimates for the project, you notice that one of the cost estimates for an element in the WBS is 20% higher than the previous project for very similar work. What should you do next?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Accept the estimate
Ask the person responsible about the difference
Ignore it
Reduce the estimate
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The best option is to ask the person responsible about the difference and create the most accurate estimate that is practical.
122You are the sponsor of a project that has just kicked off. This is an ambitious project to build a top-of-the-line 18-hole golf course. Which of the following best describes your role as a sponsor?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Manage changes to the project
Create the Work Performance Baselines
Publish Work Performance Reports
Publish the approved Project charter
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
The main objective of the sponsor is to create and publish a formally approved project charter. While the sponsor can help assist in preventing and managing changes to the project, this is the project manager’s job. The project manager is also involved in creating baselines and publishing work performance reports.
123As a project manager of a project, you have just completed the Schedule network diagram. What should you do next in schedule management?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Estimate Activity Resources
Sequence Activities
Estimate Activity Durations
Develop Schedule
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Schedule network diagram is an output of Sequence Activities. The next process is Estimate Activity Resources.
124The key difference between Work performance data and Work performance report is:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
There are no differences
Work performance data provides the raw data, whereas the work performance reports provide the status in the form of electronic dashboard.
Work performance report provides the raw data, whereas the work performance data provides the status in the form of an electronic dashboard.
Work performance data forms the planned objectives
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Work performance data is converted to work performance information. This, in turn, is converted to work performance reports, which provide the status in the form of electronic dashboard.
125The purpose of a contract is to distribute a reasonable amount of ____________between the buyer and seller.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Risk
Responsibility
Reward
None
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
A fair contract shares a reasonable amount of risk between the buyer and the seller.
126Why is verification and validation of the deliverables required?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
To meet the business needs and project requirements
To satisfy the senior management requirements
To satisfy the sponsor requirements
To satisfy the customer requirements
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
According to the new examination content outline, verification and validation of the deliverables is required not to satisfy customer requirements but to meet business needs and project requirements.
127 MASLOW
If a person desires to excel in his or her tasks, as per Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, what type of need is the person exhibiting?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Love or Belonging
Physiological
Self-actualization
Safety
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
When a person desires to exceed or excel in her tasks, it is considered the highest level of need. The person now wants to realize his or her full potential, which is Self-actualization.
Maslow
1) Physiological Needs. Food, water, clothing, sleep, and shelter are the bare necessities for anyone’s survival. …
2) Safety and Security. Once a person’s basic needs are satisfied, the want for order and predictability sets in. …
3) Love and Belonging. …
4) Esteem. …
5) Self-Actualization.
128According to Theory Y style of management, which of the following is a correct assumption?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Employees are inherently lazy and not motivated.
Employees need to be closely supervised, and comprehensive systems of controls must be developed.
Employees are only interested in self-benefits and money.
Employees are trustworthy and are motivated by doing a good job.
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Theory Y has a positive view of employees, and only option D reflects a positive attitude and belief. Options A, B, and C are not correct as they illustrate a negative belief about employees. They indicate lack of trust in an employee, which is not a correct assumption in the Theory Y style of management.
129Which of the following is not a Project Artifact?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Business Case
Assumptions
Minutes of Board Meeting
Constraints
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
A Project artifact is any document related to the management of a project. Minutes of board meeting is not a part of the project.
130You are the project manager of a marketing project and need to purchase some equipment. The accounting department needs a unilateral contract from you. To which of the following is the Accounting department referring?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Legal Binding Contract
Purchase Order
Statement of Work
WBS
EXPLANATION
A unilateral contract is simply a purchase order.
131 RISK
You are out for lunch with a fellow project manager. She is in charge of a project that deals with laying out electrical cables across two towns. As you listen to the plan of the layout, you realize that the cabling would cover a neighborhood with a history of criminal problems. You advise your fellow team manager that it would be prudent to insure the copper cables through a theft insurance. You also advise her regarding which insurance companies would give her the best insurance covers against theft. Which risk response strategy did you just adopt?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Risk mitigation
Risk avoidance
Risk transfer
Risk acceptance
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
This is an example of Risk transfer as you have advised your fellow manager to insure against theft. Note that this does not eliminate the risk. The risk is simply to be borne by the insurance company. It is also worthwhile to note that the transfer of negative risks comes with a premium to be paid to the party responsible for handling the risk. In this case the insurance company would need to be paid a premium for bearing this risk.
132To Complete Performance Index is used to:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Determine when the project would be complete
Determine the feasibility of the project
Identify the risks in the project
Determine the cost performance required to meet certain objectives
ANSWER D
EXPLANATION
TCPI is a measure of the ratio of the work remaining to the funds remaining.
133You are managing a project, and based on risk identification, you feel very confident that the project will run smoothly. The next day, the lead architect indicates a risk that was not envisioned. She indicates a 10% possibility of the risk occurring and the effort involved in choosing an alternate path worth 2000 USD. The impact of alternate path implementation is that a lot of testing efforts worth 4500 USD would get reduced and the possibility being 30%, what would be the EMV?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
-200
1350
1150
1550
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The correct answer is $1150. In the case of the rework effort, the EMV is -$200. The EMV of the side effect is $1350. So, the total EMV is $1150.
134An estimate is required for a new R&D project, and you have decided to create the estimates using WBS, with an emphasis on accuracy of the estimates. Your project manager tells you can take as much time as you need to provide the estimates. What would be the best estimation approach in this case?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Parametric Estimation approach
Analogous Estimation approach
Top-down Approach
Bottom-up Approach
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
As this is a new project, you do not have any historical data to rely on. So, Analogous estimation is not an option. You also don’t have any data of costs per unit, so Parametric estimation is also not an option. Both Top-down and Bottom-up approaches use the WBS to come up with the estimates. With Top-down, we start with the high level and then drill down into the lower levels. Bottom-up estimates are more accurate compared to Top-down. Bottom-up is also a more expensive and time-consuming type of estimate. However, the question clearly indicates that time is not a concern. So, the correct answer is Bottom-up approach. Top-down approach is used only if we have enough historical information on the project, which is not true here.
135Which of the following could not be provided with Activity Attributes?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Details regarding predecessor and successor activities
Details regarding Leads and Lags
Details regarding who and where the activity will be performed
Details regarding root causes of issues
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
All the options are correct except option D. Activity attributes do not provide details of root causes of issues.
136As a project manager, you understand the importance of identifying all relevant stakeholders, their interest and influence, and their needs and expectations. You have been assigned a large construction project. You decide to do a thorough stakeholder analysis, and you identify Laura and Sean. Based on your interactions and analysis, you know that both Sean and Laura do not wield significant authority or power. However, they differ in their interest in the project. Laura has a lot of interest, while Sean is disinterested. You decide to plot them in a Power/Interest grid to help manage them. Which of the following is the best approach to handle these two stakeholders?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Both Sean and Laura should be kept informed.
Sean should be monitored, and Laura should be kept informed.
Both Sean and Laura should be monitored.
Sean should be kept informed, and Laura should be monitored.
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Both Sean and Laura do not wield a lot of power and authority. However, the differentiator is their level of interest. While Sean is disinterested, Laura has a high level of interest in the project. Stakeholders who have a high level of interest but who wield insignificant authority or power, like Laura, should be kept informed. Stakeholders who have a low level of interest and who wield insignificant authority or power, like Sean, should be monitored.
137Fist of five, Roman voting, Polling, and Dot voting are techniques used for:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Benchmarking
Prototyping
Consensus building
Budgeting
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
These techniques are helpful for the team to reach consensus for decision making or to identify potential conflicts in projects.
138Which of the following is NOT part of a quality plan?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Benchmarking
Cost of Quality
Mind mapping
Quality audits
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Quality audits are part of the Manage Quality process.
139As a senior member in the executive management team, you have asked project managers within your team to provide cost estimates for a huge project. You foresee the cost estimate of the project to run into millions of dollars. Along with the cost estimate, you are also expecting the Basis of Estimates. What would you expect to be included in the documentation for Basis of Estimates?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Basis of estimate, assumptions, known constraints, range of estimate, confidence level
Cost at unit level and confidence level
WBS
None of the above
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
The correct answer is A, which states that all the necessary details that must be provided as the Basis of estimates.
140Your team has just bagged a big software development project. Considering the complexity of the project, you decide to try and identify the possible risks. You get all relevant stakeholders together and conduct discussions. Together, you come up with a number of risks. However, based on your experience, you still feel that not all the risks have been identified. You decide to set aside some budget for the risks that you have not identified but are sure you will encounter. Where does this budget come from?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Cost Management Plan
Cost Baseline
Contingency Reserves
Management Reserve
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
The type of risk here is an unknown risk. For known risks, risk responses can be proactively planned for. For the known risks, where we cannot plan proactively, we set aside a reserve called Contingency Reserves. For unknown risks, we set aside a Management Reserve. Cost management Plan deals with how you will manage costs on your project, and Cost baseline is the baselined cost expected to be expended on the project.
141You have been assigned to manage a project that deals with setting up a railway line connecting two cities. The project is complex, with a lot of contracting involved. You and experts in your organization are evaluating if the rail line alignment machinery should be purchased outright or if it would be better to lease. The cost of leasing the equipment is $1200 per day, while the cost of an outright purchase is $96000 and a daily cost of $200. The laying out the railway lines is scheduled to be an activity duration of 150 days. Should you purchase the machinery or lease it? Which option would be more economical?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Lease the machinery as it will be cheaper by 84000 USD
Purchase the machinery as its usage beyond the 80th day would be more cost-effective if purchased rather than leased
Purchase the machinery as its usage beyond the 96th day would be more cost effective if purchased rather than leased
Lease the machinery as it will be cheaper by 36000 USD.
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The activity duration is 150 Days. So, cost of leasing is 150 * 1200 = 180000, while cost of an outright purchase is 96000 + 200 * 150 = 96000 + 30000 = 126000 USD. So, definitely leasing is not cheaper and purchasing the machinery is the better option. Now which is the breakeven point of a purchase? On the 96th day of usage of the machinery, the cost of purchase incurred is 115200 $, which is exactly the cost incurred if it were leased. So, 96th day is the breakeven point and hence the correct answer is option C.
142An activity has an Early Start (ES) of 5 days and Late Start (LS) of 16 days. What is the activity’s float?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
11 days
21 days
5 days
16 days
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Activity float = Late Start - Early Start = 16-5 = 11 days
143Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding WBS?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Provides a graphical picture of the hierarchy of the project
Identifies all the work that needs to be performed
Helps estimate costs and schedule
Helps identify dependencies
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
WBS does not help identify dependencies.
144You are in charge of a project that is running behind schedule. Your lead architect approaches you and indicates that you should introduce a change so that the project can catch up on lost time. What is the first thing you should do?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
It’s a great suggestion that can bring the project back on schedule, so go ahead and implement change
Ascertain the impact of the change on your cost and scope, and then write a change request and get a formal approval
Write a change request and get a formal approval before making any changes
Flatly refuse to make any changes
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The options of refusing to make the change outright or making the change immediately without analyzing are incorrect, so clearly options A and D are not the right choices. Though writing a change request and getting an approval is logical, the better option is to first ascertain the impact of the change. You already know that the change can reduce the schedule, but you should also find the impact of this change on your other constraints, which are scope and cost. Once you have analyzed the impact of this change, you can submit a change request and seek approval. Hence, option B is the BEST course of action.
145You were handling a complex project involving a lot of challenges, but with good management and a motivated team, all deliverables have been completed successfully. What should you do next as a project manager?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Perform Quality Control
Update lessons learned
Verify scope
Disband the team
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The question is looking for details related to the closing process group. Scope verification is performed during the monitoring and controlling process group. This is also the case with Perform Quality Control. One of the most important things to do during project closure is to create the lessons learned prior to disbanding the team.
146Your company has won a project that deals with building software to be used on spaceships landing on the moon. You decide to build it in parts. You intend to frequently roll out features and take feedback from the users. You will then prioritize the next release based on feedback. What project approach are you taking?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Agile
Hybrid
Predictive
WaterFall
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
This approach is typical of Agile.
147You have just created a schedule network diagram. You have come up with the estimates, defined the durations, and subsequently identified the Critical Path. You now decide to do a Forward Pass through the Schedule Network Diagram. What would you be calculating?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
The Early Start and Early Finish for each activity
The latest start and latest finish for each activity
The duration of the other paths
The duration of the critical path
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Options C and D are incorrect as the Forward Pass is not used to calculate the duration. In fact, the critical path is calculated based on duration. Option B talks about Late Start and Late Finish, which are calculated using Backward Pass. Using Forward Pass, we calculate the Early Start and Early Finish of all the activities in the network diagram.
148You are working on identifying risks in a project. You have done extensive brainstorming and discussions with your team. You have also looked up the Organizational process assets and have come up with an exhaustive list of risks. You feel fairly confident now that you know all the risks. You decide to prioritize the risks and only focus on the high-priority ones. A team member indicates that a large number of risks have very low priority. She suggests you simply ignore them. You disagree and decide to maintain a list of such low-priority risks. Where will you maintain these low-priority risks?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Risk Register
Risk Management Plan
Watch List
Issue Log
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The risks have been identified in the Risk register. Based on prioritization, risk priorities are also updated in the risk register. All risks that are deemed low on priority are maintained in the Watch List specifically. The Risk Management Plan and the Issue Log are not meant to note or log risks. So, the correct answer is Watch List.
149Which of following statements is false regarding the project scope statement?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
It describes the project’s deliverables and the work required to create these deliverables.
Project scope statement is expanded from the preliminary Project Scope Statement.
It defines what is in scope and what is not in scope.
It defines the milestones.
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
All the options except option D are true regarding the project scope statement. The milestones are not defined in the Project Scope Statement
150A software development project has been awarded a vendor. Your company and the vendor have agreed to build this project using the Waterfall Methodology. The vendor informs you that the actual development can only start after the completion of design. Which type of relationship best describes the dependency between design and actual development?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Finish-to-Finish
Finish-to-Start
Start-to-Start
Start-to-Finish
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Finish-to-Start means that the Successor Activity cannot start without the Predecessor activity being completed. In this case, the Design is the Predecessor activity and Development is the Successor Activity. So, Development (Successor Activity) cannot start without completion of Design (Predecessor Activity).
151Your friend Joe, who works as a project manager in a pharmaceutical company, meets you over dinner. You see a drastic change in his temperament compared with when you last met him. He seems dejected and complains that in his present organization as a project manager, he has almost no authority and hardly any decision-making ability. Which kind of organizational structure does your friend work in?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
A Product Organizational Structure
A Functional Organizational Structure
A Strong Matrix Organizational Structure
A Projectized Organizational Structure
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Your friend works in a Functional Organizational Structure. All the power and authority reside with the Functional Manager. Such organizations are hierarchical in nature, where each employee has one clear superior. People are grouped by specialties (Functional) such as Mechanical, Accounts, Marketing, etc. These departments work independently of each other.
152You have taken up a complex project that involves solving a Technical problem for users. In a meeting with stakeholders, you want to explain the approach in a simple and understandable way to all stakeholders without using any Technical jargon. Which of the following would be most helpful?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
XP Metaphor
Retrospective
Focus group
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Metaphors should be simple and non-technical, enabling a broad array of stakeholders to understand the overarching approach that is being taken to solve the problem.
153Lessons Learned Register is best created:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
At the beginning of the project
Toward the end of the project
When the first lesson is learned
None of the above
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
It is ideal to create the Lessons Learned Register at the beginning of the project to capture lessons learned in this project and use it for the benefit of this project.
154You are managing a project related to building a skyscraper. However, as per regulations, no work can be started till the government body has approved and provided necessary clearance. What kind of dependency is this is an example of?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Mandatory Dependency
Hard Logic
Discretionary Dependency
External Dependency
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
This is an externally imposed or mandated dependency. Options A and B are the same and are not the correct choices.
155What are the primary benefits of meeting Quality Requirements? (Choose all that apply.)
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Less Rework, Higher productivity, Lower costs, Increased stakeholder satisfaction, Increased profitability
Decreased productivity due to time spent on Quality Requirements
Increased costs due to rework
Decreased stakeholder satisfaction
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
All the details stated are benefits of meeting Quality Requirements. By doing a cost benefit analysis of each quality activity, we can compare the cost of Quality with expected benefit. Options B, C, and D are, in fact, results of poor Quality.
156Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding Fixed Price Contract?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
The buyer has the least risk in this type of contract if scope is clearly defined.
Buyer can make changes in scope with no impact on cost.
This contract should be your choice if you need work to begin right away.
All of the above
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Changes to scope cannot be made without a cost implication. Fixed Price Contract is applicable when the seller clearly defines the scope. If work needs to begin right away, the contract type should be Time and Money, as you may not have everything clearly defined.
157What are Control charts used for?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
To determine if the process is in control
To determine how various elements of a system are interrelated
To show trends in a process over time
To show the pattern of a relationship between two variables
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Control charts are graphic displays of the results of a process over time. They are used to determine if the process is in control.
158You are managing a project that is responsible for setting up an alcohol distillery. Your team is in its eighth month of execution. One of the vendors informs you that the delivery of agitators is going to be delayed by a week. You look up the project management plan and the schedule baselines and decide to set up all the reactors first. By moving tasks around based on your analysis, you see that there would be no impact on any of the performance measurement baselines. What should you do next?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Go ahead and execute the rescheduled tasks as there is no impact on any of the baselines
Write up a change request and submit it to change control for approval
Analyze the impact of the change on the triple constraints and then submit a change request
Do nothing as this would cause changes to the baselines
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
In this case, the change is not going to impact any of the baselines. The project manager has the authority to make changes to the project if there is no impact on the baselines. This is one condition where changes can be made without undergoing change control, but note that this is done after ensuring that there is no impact on the baselines.
159Which of the following statements is true regarding Control Account?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Used as a Tool and Technique in Activity Definition process
Used to estimate cost at a level lower than the work package
Used to control costs of the project
Used in Integrated Change Control
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Control Accounts are used to provide a cost estimate at a level higher than the work package. They are used as a technique in activity definition process. They are not used to control costs of the project or in Integrated change control.
160Given a project which reports a CPI less than 1, you have asked one of your managers to generate the TCPI. Which formula should the project manager use in this case?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
( BAC - EV ) / ( BAC - AC )
( BAC - EV ) / ( EAC - AC )
EV / AC
EV / PV
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
( BAC - EV ) / ( BAC - AC ) -when the project is within budget. In
this case, the CPI value is less than 1,
so the project is not within budget.
( BAC - EV ) / ( EAC - AC )- when the project is over budget
EV / AC - not TCPI formulas. They are the CPI and SPI calculations
EV / PV - not TCPI formulas. They are the CPI and SPI calculations
The correct answer is Option B. Option A is to be used when the project is within budget. In this case, the CPI value is less than 1, so the project is not within budget. Option B is to be used when the project is over budget, which is the case here. So, it is the correct formula to use. Options C and D are not TCPI formulas. They are the CPI and SPI calculations and thus are not the correct choice.
161Sprint planning, sprint review, daily stand up, and sprint retrospective are known as:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Project review methods
Agile Ceremonies
Stakeholder analysis
Team performance analysis
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Agile practices like Scrum use ceremonies to have meetings with the team to prepare and monitor the project.
162While planning for a project, you decide to keep a handle over project risks. You and your team members have come up with the list of possible risks and would now like to prioritize them based on their probability and impact. In which process would this activity take place?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
Risk Identification
Risk Register
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
After the Risks are identified, risk prioritization based on impact and probability is done in Qualitative Risk Analysis. The question states that the risks are already identified, so Risk Identification is already done. Risk Register is an output of the Risk Identification process. Quantitative Risk Analysis deals with assigning a numerical value to each risk.
163Which hierarchical chart shows all the tasks in a list?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
RBS
OBS
WBS
Scope statement
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Work Breakdown Structure shows all the tasks.
164Which of the following is NOT part of the Control Quality process?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Fishbone Diagram
Quality Audits
Checksheet
Histogram
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
Quality audits are part of the Perform Quality Assurance process.
165You have a team of project managers reporting to you. Recently, a new manager who is relatively inexperienced has joined your team. Considering his level of experience, you assign him to a small project. As the project has low complexity and few stakeholders involved, you envision that the project will have no surprises or hiccups. You have identified the number of communication channels to be only 6. However, with increase in scope of work, two additional stakeholders who need to be communicated with join the team. You ask the manager to identify the number of communication channels now. The correct answer is:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
6
10
8
15
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
The correct answer is 15. Note that the question provides the initial number of communication channels as 6. This means the number of stakeholders are 4. With the addition of two more stakeholders, the number of stakeholders would increase to 6. So, the number of communication channels would be 15.
166You are managing a project that is in its first month of execution. In one of the meetings, the key stakeholder asks for some changes to be made in the ongoing work. The stakeholder is asking for the changes to be implemented immediately. You realize that the changes being asked for will need the Project Management Plan and the Scope baseline to be updated. As a Project manager, which is the best course of action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Make the changes as they are being asked for by a key stakeholder
Analyze the impact of the changes on triple constraints
Generate a change request and submit it to Integrated change control
Refuse to make the changes as it is a deviation from approved Scope
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The Triple Constraint says that cost is a function of scope and time or that cost,
Any changes being asked for or requested to any approved plan need to be formally reviewed by the Change Control Board. Option A is not the correct answer as no changes should be made without a formal approval from CCB. Option B sounds like the best choice, but the question states the impact of the change on the scope, and so the analysis of impact analysis on triple constraints, is already done. So, though option B is the best choice, it is already taken care of. Option D is clearly incorrect. Projects are bound to have changes, and the very purpose of change control is to ensure that changes are governed and controlled in a systematic manner.
167Comparing target dates with the actual or forecast start and finish dates is called:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Variance Analysis
Earned Value
Progress Reporting
Crashing
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Variance Analysis involves comparing target dates with the actual or forecast start and finish dates.
168You are in charge of a large software development project. Two core components were scheduled to be completed by the end of October. You are now in August, and you realize that the project is falling behind schedule. You do a quick review and decide that the schedule can be met by adding additional staff to the activities on the critical path. This is an example of:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Fast Tracking
Resource Levelling
Crashing
Scope Creep
EXPLANATION
As the project is falling behind schedule and deliveries cannot be impacted, the manager has chosen to add additional resources to activities on the critical path. This is an example of Crashing. NOTE that crashing may result in increased risk and rework
169You are in the process of determining how long it would take to complete your project. What would be the best tool to use in this case?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
WBS
Activity List
Root Cause Analysis
Network Diagram
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
A Network Diagram is the best choice to identify the Activity Duration.
170A project is over budget when:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
CPI > 1
SPI > 1
CPI and SPI > 1
CPI < 1
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
CPI = EV/AC. If the EV is less than AC, then CPI less than 1, which means the project is over budget.
171You and your team have worked hard and successfully delivered a project. The customer is happy with the deliverables. You have written up the performance reviews of each individual in the project team. As a Project Manager, you know that the team will be disbanded and you may not get the same team members in your next project What kind of Organization Structure does this represent?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Weak Matrix
Balanced Matrix
Projectized
Functional
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
This represents a Projectized Organization structure. In a Projectized organization, teams are disbanded at the end of the project. In a Functional organization, teams report to the Functional manager and are never disbanded. They continue in their own departments and continue to report to the Functional Manager. A weak matrix organization is very similar to a Functional Organization, and role of Project Manager is limited. In a balanced matrix organization, staff reports to a Project manager and a Functional Manager. In the question, there is no mention of a functional manager, so Balanced Matrix is also not the correct option.
172The process of communicating and working with the stakeholders to meet their expectations, address issues, and foster appropriate engagement in project activities throughout the project lifecycle is called ____________.
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Plan Stakeholder Engagement
Identify Stakeholders
Manage Stakeholder Engagement
Monitor Stakeholder Engagement
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
The process of communicating and working with the stakeholders to meet their expectations, address issues, and foster appropriate engagement in project activities throughout the project lifecycle is called Manage Stakeholder Engagement.
173A person is skilled in one deep area of specialization and has broad ability in the rest of the skills required by the team. This is known as:
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Facilitation skill
Technical Skill
T Shaped Skill
Universal Skill
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
T Shaped Skill refers to the cross-functional skills of a team member and is common in Agile
174You are managing a project that is scheduled to run for an entire year. Things were looking good after the first two months. However, due to some mistakes made by the construction crew at the end of the third month, you realize that the expected work to be completed at this stage is not complete. As a result, the project is behind schedule and is also over budget. However, there are stiff penalties in the contract if the project is not complete within the stipulated timelines. As a result, your senior management has committed to additional staff to the project if required. What would be the Estimate at Completion for this project?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
EAC = BAC/CPI
EAC = AC + BAC - EV
EAC = AC + (BAC - EV/(CPI * SPI )
EAC = AC + Bottom-up Estimate
Correct Option:C
EXPLANATION
Option A is to be used if past CPI is expected to continue. Option B is to be used if future work is going to be performed at the planned rate. Option D is to be used when the initial plan is no longer valid. Option C is to be used if deadlines must be met, and both CPI and SPI influence remaining work. Here, the project must be completed within stipulated timelines.
175One of your project managers, Mary, reports that her project has hit a roadblock. You are surprised, as you reviewed the project the previous week, and everything seemed to be on track. She explains that a team member has identified a problem that was never envisioned in the risk identification process. Based on the analysis, the impact would be on the cost to rectify the issue. What would be the best course of action?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Add this risk with its impact and probability to the Risk register
Use the Management reserve to correct the issue
Use the Contingency reserve to correct the issue
Schedule a meeting with stakeholders and explain the problem
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The best course of immediate action on identifying a risk is to add it to the risk register along with its probability and impact. That is applicable for risks and not issues. In this case, the risk has already occurred. It is no longer a risk; it’s an issue. While scheduling a meeting is an option, it’s not the best choice. Calling meetings every time you run into issues would not be looked upon favorably. The correct answer is using the management reserve, which is meant for unknown risks. Contingency reserves are meant to be used for known risks.
176Of the following baselines, which is NOT a part of the Project Management Plan?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Scope Baseline
Quality Baseline
Cost Baseline
Schedule Baseline
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
The project management plan contains the following baselines: Scope, Schedule, and Cost. In fact, there is no such baseline as a Quality Baseline.
177___________ is a visualization tool that enables improvements to the flow of work by making bottlenecks and work quantities visible..
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Dashboard
Kanban Board
White board
None of the above
EXPLANATION
Typically, task boards include Kanban boards, to-do lists, procedure checklists, and Scrum boards.
178A project is reporting a negative Cost Variance. What does this mean?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
The project is under Budget.
The project is over Budget.
The project is running as per Budget.
None of the above
Correct Option:B
EXPLANATION
CV = (EV - AC). So, if the Cost Variance is in the negative, the Actual Cost is greater than the earned value, which means the project is running over budget.
179Which of the following is NOT a Risk Identification tool or technique?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Risk Register
Documentation analysis
Brainstorming
Interviewing
Correct Option:A
EXPLANATION
Documentation reviews help identify risks based on the plans and assumptions, so this is a Risk Identification tool. Brainstorming deals with getting together various stakeholders and identifying potential risks. Interviewing experienced project participants, stakeholders, and subject matter experts is also a great way of identifying risks. Risk Register is not a tool; it is the document in which identified risks are documented. The Risk Register is not a Risk Identification tool.
180As a project manager of a large product, you and your team have shipped the deliverables to your customer. However, the customer has reported a number of serious issues in the quality of deliverables. As a result of this, the cost of quality of your project is deemed high. In the above scenario, which of the following would have decreased the cost of quality?
SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER
Less Rework
Higher productivity
Lower costs
Stakeholder satisfaction
Correct Option:D
EXPLANATION
Options A, B, and C are benefits of meeting Quality Requirements. The question is about the reason for increase in cost of Quality. Generally, when stakeholders are not satisfied with the deliverables, there is rework involved. This increases the cost of quality. Hence, option D is correct.
