Resource Management

Question 1

Define:

Adaptive Leadership

Answer 1

A leadership style that helps teams to thrive and overcome challenges throughout a project.

Question 2

Define:

Adjourning

Answer 2

Once the project is done, either the team moves onto other assignments as a unit, or the project team is disbanded, and individual team members go on to other work.

The project manager uses the staffing management plan as a guide for how project team members are released from the project team.

This is the final stage of Tuckman’s Ladder of Group Development.

Question 3

Define:

Authority Power

Answer 3

Project management team members may have authority over other project team members, may have the ability to make decisions, and perhaps even sign approvals for project work and purchases.

Question 4

Define:

Avoidance

Answer 4

A risk response to avoid the risk.

Question 5

Define:

Collective Bargaining Agreement Constraints

Answer 5

Contracts and agreements with unions or other employee groups may serve as constraints on the project.

Question 6

List:

Common Resource Planning Constraints

Answer 6

• Organizational structure
• Collective bargaining agreements
• Marketplace conditions

Question 7

Define:

Competency

Answer 7

This attribute defines what talents, skills, and capabilities are needed to complete the project work.

A skill gap can result in training, development, hiring, and even schedule and scope changes.

Question 8

Define:

Compromise/Reconcile

Answer 8

This crisis management approach requires that both parties give up something. The resolution is a blend of both sides of the argument.

Using this, neither party wins, it is considered a lose-lose solution. The project manager can use this approach when the relationships are equal and no one can truly “win.” This approach can also be used to avoid a fight.

Question 9

Define:

Compromising

Answer 9

This approach requires that both parties give up something.

The decision made is a blend of both sides of the argument. Because neither party really wins, it is considered a lose–lose solution.

The project manager can use this approach when the relationships are equal and no one can truly “win.”

Question 10

Define:

Conflict

Answer 10

Disagreements in certain areas between individuals.

Question 11

Define:

Conflict Resolution

Answer 11

An agreement made after a conflict.

Question 12

Define:

Controlling Resources

Answer 12

This is about monitoring and controlling resource allocation for the project, tracking the cost and utilization of resources, and communicating any problems with resources, and managing changes when they occur in the project.

Question 13

Define:

Coordination

Answer 13

To organize work with the goal of higher productivity and teamwork.

Question 14

Define:

Cross-Functional Team

Answer 14

Teams that consist of members who can multi-task well and complete various functions to achieve a common goal.

Question 15

Define:

Dissatisfaction

Answer 15

The lack of satisfaction among workers such as, work conditions, salary, and management-employee relationships.

Factors known as demotivators.

Question 16

Define:

Emergent Leadership

Answer 16

Leadership doesn’t have to come from the top down, but anyone on the agile team can emerge as a leader.

Question 17

Define:

Emotional Intelligence

Answer 17

An individual’s skill to lead, understand, and relate to the emotions of other team members.

By becoming emotionally competent, the person can better control his emotions and understand the emotion of others.

Question 18

Define:

Expectancy Theory

Answer 18

An individual chooses to behave in a particular way over other behaviors because of the expected results of the chosen behavior.

In other words, people will work in relation to the expected reward of the work. If the attractiveness of the reward is desirable to the worker, she will work to receive it.

Question 19

List:

Five Approaches to Conflict Resolution

Answer 19

• Collaborate/problem-solve
• Force/direct
• Compromise/reconcile
• Smoothing/accommodating
• Withdrawal/avoidance

Question 20

Define:

Focus

Answer 20

To stay on task, facilitated by the scrum master or coach.

Question 21

Define:

Force/Direct

Answer 21

In this Crisis resolution approach, the person with the power makes the decision. The decision made may not be the best decision for the project, but it’s fast.

This autocratic approach does little for team development and is a win–lose solution. It should be used when the stakes are high and time is of the essence, or if maintaining relationships is not important.

Question 22

Define:

Forcing Power

Answer 22

The person with the power makes the decision.

Question 23

Define:

Formal Power

Answer 23

The project manager has been assigned the role of project manager by senior management and is in charge of the project.

Question 24

Define:

Forming

Answer 24

The project team meets and learns about their roles and responsibilities on the project.

Little interaction among the project team happens in this stage, as the team is learning about the project and the project manager.

The project manager guides the project team through this stage of team development by introducing members and helping them learn about one another.

Question 25

# Define: Generalizing Specialists

Answer 25

People who specialize in one or more technologies are knowledgeable about software development and the business domain in which they work, and actively seek new skills in various areas.

Question 26

# Define: Ground Rules

Answer 26

Defined rules decided and followed by team members. ## Footnote This establishes the project expectations for the project team and define what is and is not acceptable behavior by all of the project team members, including the project manager. When all of the project team members agree to abide by the defined ground rules, misunderstandings diminish while productivity increases. Once ground rules are defined in the team charter, it’s the responsibility of all the project team members to enforce them.

Question 27

# Define: Halo Effect

Answer 27

This is when you make a judgment about a person based on seemingly related characteristics.

Question 28

# Define: Herzberg’s Hygiene Theory

Answer 28

A theory that states factors in the workplace create satisfaction and dissatisfaction in relation to the job. ## Footnote Hygiene factors are the characteristic of employment, such as salary and working hours that are part of the employer-employee relationship. Hygiene factors do not motivate, but their absence can demotivate workers. Motivating agents are factors like bonuses, opportunities, learning new skills.

Question 29

# Define: Herzberg’s Theory of Motivation

Answer 29

Frederick Herzberg’s theory of the motivating agents and hygiene agents that affect a person’s willingness to excel in his career. ## Footnote The absence of these elements, however, will demotivate performance. For people to excel, the presence of motivating factors must exist.

Question 30

# Define: High Performing Team

Answer 30

This team reaches maximum performance by creation of clear, detailed goals, open communication, accountability, empowerment, use of the participatory decision model, and the team consists of twelve dedicated members or less.

Question 31

# Define: Hygiene Agents

Answer 31

These elements are the expectations all workers have. ## Footnote They include job security, a paycheck, clean and safe working conditions, a sense of belonging, civil working relationships, and other basic attributes associated with employment.

Question 32

# Define: I-Shaped People

Answer 32

They have depth in a specific subject matter, but not much cross-functionality.

Question 33

# Define: Influencing

Answer 33

Approach through which project managers use their influence to help team members achieve results by maintaining high morale, teamwork, and courage.

Question 34

# Define: Issue

Answer 34

This is anything that may be preventing the project team from reaching the project objectives.

Question 35

# Define: Just-In-Time

Answer 35

Used to minimize inventory cost by materials delivered before they are required. ## Footnote This approach reduces waste, keeps inventory at a minimum, and helps the project manager forecast resource utilization more accurately. This resource management approach ensures resources are in place only as they are needed.

Question 36

# Define: Knowledge Work

Answer 36

Sometimes called invisible work. This describes the work that is tough to see physical progress as the work takes place predominantly in the worker’s brain.

Question 37

# Define: Lifetime Employment

Answer 37

This is the system where workers will stay with one company until they retire because they are dedicated to the company, which is in turn dedicated to them.

Question 38

# Define: Low Performing Team

Answer 38

This team has a lack of trust, no accountability, fear of conflict, less commitment, and less attention to details and results.

Question 39

# Define: Make-or-Buy Decision

Answer 39

A process in which the project management team determines the cost-effectiveness, benefits, and feasibility of making a product or solution.

Question 40

# List: Maslow’s Five Layers of Needs

Answer 40

- Physiological - Safety - Social - Esteem - Self-Actualization

Question 41

# Define: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Answer 41

Abraham Maslow’s theory of the five needs all humans have and work toward. This theory suggests the interdependent needs (motivators) of people based on five levels in this order: Physiological, Safety & Security, Social, Esteem, and Self-Actualization.

Question 42

# Define: McClelland’s Theory of Needs

Answer 42

David McClelland developed this theory, which states our needs are acquired and developed by our experiences over time. All people are, according to this theory, driven by one of three needs: achievement, affiliation, or power. ## Footnote These needs are shaped by circumstance, conditions, and life experiences for each individual. McClelland’s Theory of Needs is also known as the Three Needs Theory, because each individual has three main needs; depending on the person’s experiences.

Question 43

# Define: McGregor’s Theory of X and Y

Answer 43

Douglas McGregor’s theory that states management views workers in the Y category as competent and self-led and workers in the X category as incompetent and needing to be micromanaged. ## Footnote Theory X workers are lazy and uninterested in doing the project work and must be micromanaged and coerced to do the work. Theory Y workers are good, self-directed, and able to do the work that’s assigned to them.

Question 44

# Define: Motivating Agents

Answer 44

These elements motivate people to excel. ## Footnote They include responsibility, appreciation of work, public recognition for a job well done, the chance to excel, education, and other opportunities associated with work aside from financial rewards.

Question 45

# Define: Need for Achievement

Answer 45

This phase of McClelland's theory of Needs posits that people need to achieve, so they avoid both low-risk and high-risk situations. ## Footnote Achievers like to work alone or with other high achievers, and they need regular feedback to gauge their achievement and progress.

Question 46

# Define: Need for Affiliation

Answer 46

This phase of McClelland's theory of Needs States that people who have a driving need for affiliation look for harmonious relationships, want to feel accepted by people, and conform to the norms of the project team.

Question 47

# Define: Need for Power

Answer 47

This phase of McClelland's theory of Needs States that people who have a need for power are usually seeking either personal or institutional power. ## Footnote Personal power generally is the ability to control and direct other people. Institutional power is the ability to direct the efforts of others for the betterment of the organization.

Question 48

# Define: Norming

Answer 48

Project team members go about getting the project work, begin to rely on one another, and generally complete their project assignments. ## Footnote In this stage of team development, the project manager allows the project team to manage themselves.

Question 49

# Define: Organization Chart

Answer 49

Traditional chart that depicts how the organization is broken down by department and disciplines. ## Footnote It is sometimes called the organizational breakdown structure (OBS) and is arranged by departments, units, or teams. Concerning project management, an OBS can show which project responsibilities are linked with which departments.

Question 50

# Define: Ouchi’s Theory Z

Answer 50

William Ouchi’s theory is based on the participative management style of the Japanese. This theory suggests that workers are motivated by a sense of commitment, opportunity, and advancement. ## Footnote Workers in an organization subscribing to Theory Z learn the business by moving up through the ranks of the company. Ouchi’s theory also credits the idea of lifetime employment. Workers will stay with one company until they retire because they are dedicated to the company, which is in turn dedicated to them.

Question 51

# Define: Participatory Decision Models

Answer 51

To have stakeholder’s involvement in decision making with techniques such as a simple vote.

Question 52

# Define: Performing

Answer 52

If a project team can reach the performing stage of team development, they trust one another, work well together, and issues and problems get resolved quickly and effectively. ## Footnote The project manager stays out of the project team’s way but is available to help the team get their work done.

Question 53

# Define: Personnel Loss

Answer 53

When an employer faces the loss of a human resource through death, injury, or disability of an employee.

Question 54

# Define: Productivity Variation

Answer 54

The difference between the planned and actual performance.

Question 55

# Define: RACI Chart

Answer 55

A matrix chart that only uses the activities of responsible, accountable, consult, and inform.

Question 56

# Define: Responsibility Assignment Matrix | (RAM)

Answer 56

A chart showing the correlation between project team members and the work they’ve been assigned to complete. ## Footnote A RAM chart doesn’t necessarily have to be specific to individual team members; it can also be decomposed into project groups or units. Most often, however, RAM charts depict activities and individual workers.

Question 57

# Define: Return on Investment | (ROI)

Answer 57

The difference between the total costs of the project and the returns the product brings to the organization. ## Footnote Return on investment can be through cost-saving features or through increased revenue in the organization.

Question 58

# Define: Role

Answer 58

This denotes what a person is specifically responsible for in a project. ## Footnote Roles are usually tied to job titles, such as network engineer, mechanical engineer, and electrician. It’s what a person does at work.

Question 59

# Define: Self-Organizing Team

Answer 59

Naturally formed teams that interact with minimal management supervision.

Question 60

# List: Seven Reasons for Conflict

Answer 60

- Schedules - Priorities - Resources - Technical beliefs - Administrative policies and procedures - Project costs - Personalities ## Footnote This is listed from most common to least common.

Question 61

# Define: Silo

Answer 61

Work that is isolated.

Question 62

# Define: Smoothing/Accommodating

Answer 62

This crisis management approach requires that both parties give up something. The resolution is a blend of both sides of the argument. ## Footnote Smoothing may be acceptable when time is of the essence or when any of the proposed solutions will not currently settle the problem. This can also be considered a lose-lose situation since no one wins in the long run. The project manager can use smoothing to emphasize areas of agreement between disagreeing stakeholders and thus minimize areas of conflict.

Question 63

# Define: Storming

Answer 63

The project team struggles for project positions, leadership, and project direction. ## Footnote The project team can become hostile toward the project leader, challenge ideas, and try to establish and claim positions about the project work. The amount of debate and fury can vary depending on if the project team is willing to work together, the nature of the project, and the control of the project manager. The project manager’s role in this stage is to mediate disagreement and squelch unproductive behavior.

Question 64

# Define: T-Shaped People

Answer 64

They are cross-functional roles; have depth but can also collaborate and contribute in more than one area.

Question 65

# Define: Team Building

Answer 65

Describes how Project managers facilitate team building, including hosting activities to bring people together, build trust and relationships, and communicate with one another. ## Footnote Team-building exercises can be quick five-minute activities or daylong events. Team building often happens at the beginning of the project, but it should be an ongoing activity throughout the project as well.

Question 66

# Define: Team Charter

Answer 66

A team charter document is typically created by the project team to define the values, agreements, and ground rules for the project. ## Footnote In some organizations, the team charter may be developed for the project team, though the charter works best when it creates its document or at least has a part in making it. Agile projects typically have a team charter rather than a project charter.

Question 67

# List: Team Charter Content

Answer 67

- Vision and mission - Team values - Communication guidelines - Decision-making process - Conflict resolution process - Meeting guidelines - Team agreements - Definition of Done or Success

Question 68

# Define: Team Empowerment

Answer 68

A team that is empowered has collaboration, responsibility, and self-sufficiency.

Question 69

# Define: Team Formation

Answer 69

Formation happens when a team creates ground rules and processes to build bonds and shared goals.

Question 70

# Define: Team Participation

Answer 70

When the team discusses the requirements that will fulfill the customer’s needs.

Question 71

# Define: Teamwork

Answer 71

Team members function in a way that is collaborative to complete tasks and reach a common goal, mostly achieved with strong communication.

Question 72

# Define: Text-Oriented Chart

Answer 72

This defines project responsibilities, reporting relationships, project authority, competencies, and qualifications. ## Footnote You may also know these as position descriptions or role-responsibility-authority forms. It's like a shopping list of what a team member is responsible for within the project.

Question 73

# Define: Thematic Apperception Test

Answer 73

The test is a series of pictures that the test-taker must create a story about. Through the storytelling, the test-taker will reveal which need is driving his or her life at that time. ## Footnote McClelland developed the Thematic Apperception Test to determine what needs are driving individuals.

Question 74

# Define: Theory of Constraints

Answer 74

This resource management approach works to remove constraints from a project to keep the project's weak links to a minimum. ## Footnote It adapts the phrase “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” This idea is most often seen in environments that use the Lean approach.

Question 75

# Define: Total Productive Maintenance

Answer 75

Resource management process that involves Continuous maintenance of equipment and quality systems. It keeps equipment working well and efficiently. ## Footnote This approach aims to reduce downtime by avoiding equipment failure.

Question 76

# Define: Tuckman Theory of Team Development

Answer 76

A theory created by Dr. Bruce Tuckman in 1965, posits that a project team goes through its own natural development process. This process can shift, linger, and even stall, based on the dynamics of the project team. ## Footnote - Forming - Storming - Norming - Performing - Adjourning

Question 77

# Define: Virtual/Distributed Teams

Answer 77

These teams are non-collocated, can be dispersed around the globe, and rely on technology to interact, communicate, and contribute to the project. ## Footnote Communication is a central focal point in virtual teams.

Question 78

# Define: Vroom’s Expectancy Theory

Answer 78

This theory states that people will behave based on what they expect as a result of their behavior. ## Footnote In other words, people will work to the expected reward of the work. If the attractiveness of the reward is desirable to the worker, she will work to receive it. In other words, workers expect to be rewarded for their efforts.

Question 79

# Define: Withdrawal

Answer 79

This conflict resolution method sees one side of the argument walking away from the problem, usually in disgust.

Question 80

# Define: Withdrawal/Avoidance

Answer 80

This conflict resolution approach has one side of the argument walking away from the problem, usually displeased. ## Footnote The conflict is not resolved, and it is considered a yield–lose solution. The approach can be used, however, during a cooling-off period or when the issue is not critical.