When To And Why Use Project Management

Question 1

____________ is essentially concerned with managing discrete packages of work to achieve objectives - producing an end-product that will effect some change for the benefit of the organization that instigated the project.

Answer 1

Project management

Question 2

______________ may be expressed in terms of outputs (such as a new building), outcomes (such as staff being relocated from multiple locations to the new building), benefits (such as reduced travel and facilities management costs) or strategic objectives (such as doubling the organization’s share price in three years).

Answer 2

Objectives

Question 3

_______ are separate to business-as-usual activities, requiring people to come together temporarily to focus on specific project objectives. As a result effective teamwork is central to successful _______.

Answer 3

Projects

Question 4

The _______, _______, and _______ of the work are factors that affect the way the work is managed.

Answer 4

scale
significance
complexity

Question 5

A key factor that distinguishes project management from just management is that it has this final __________ and a finite __________, unlike management which is an ongoing process.

Answer 5

deliverable

timespan

Question 6

4 Benefits of Investment in Effective Project Management:

Answer 6

• provide a greater likelihood of achieving the desired result;
• ensure efficient and best value use of resources;
• satisfy the differing needs of the project’s stakeholders
• produce something new or altered: tangible or intangible

Question 7

Value of Project Management

Answer 7

1. Completing projects more quickly and cheaply.
2. Being more predictable.
3. Saving effort and cost with proactive scope management.
4. Better solution “fit” the first time through better planning.
5. Resolving problems more quickly.
6. Resolving future risk before the problems occur.
7. Communicating and managing expectations with customers, team members and stakeholders more effectively.
8. Building a higher quality product the first time.
9. Improved financial management.
10. Stopping “bad” projects more quickly.
11. More focus on metrics and fact-based decision making.
12. Improved work environment.

Question 8

One of the biggest benefits of using a common methodology is the value of ______. Once the processes, procedures and templates are created, they can be used on all projects in the future.

Answer 8

reuse

Question 9

One of the first benefits that should occur with good project management processes is that managers will be more _________. If there is good planning, managers will better understand the work to be accomplished, and in turn do a better job of estimating work.

Answer 9

predictable

Question 10

Many projects have difficulty managing _________, which results in additional effort and cost to the project.

Answer 10

scope

Question 11

Many projects experience problems because there is a ________ between what the client expects and what the project team delivers.

Answer 11

gap

Question 12

Using a ________ results in better project planning, which gives the team and the sponsor an opportunity to make sure they are in agreement on the major deliverables produced by the project.

Answer 12

methodology

Question 13

Project management includes processes to identify and manage _________.

Answer 13

risks

Question 14

Many problems on a project can be avoided with proactive and multifaceted ______________.

Answer 14

communication

Question 15

Much of the conflict that does arise on a project is not the result of a specific problem, but because of __________.

Answer 15

surprises

Question 16

Project management focuses on proactive formal and informal ____________, which results in fewer ____________.

Answer 16

communication

surprises

Question 17

Sound _____________ processes will result in potential problems being identified and managed before the problems actually occur.

Answer 17

risk management

Question 18

Having a proactive _____________ process helps ensure that problems are resolved as quickly as possible.

Answer 18

issues management

Question 19

Project management contains _____________ processes that will help the team understand the needs of the customer in terms of quality.

Answer 19

quality management

Question 20

This is the result of better project definition, better estimating, more formal budgeting and better tracking of the project actual costs against the budget

Answer 20

Improved financial management

Question 21

A project may have started with sound cost-benefit justification. However, if the project is _______ and _______ it may hit a threshold where the business case is no longer valid.

Answer 21

late

over-budget

Question 22

_______ provide information that helps determine how effectively and efficiently a team is performing and the level of the quality of deliverables. ________ also give the information necessary to validate whether or not the manager or the project is successful.

Answer 22

Metrics