PMP TEST 2.1 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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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
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.
