10 questions to challenge your skills

Submitted by mmr_muthu on Tue, 09/04/2012 - 14:14

1. What should a project manager do if a project has an SPI of 1.29?

Confirm that the EV and PV are correct just to be sure.

Introduce corrective actions to bring the project back on track.

Ask the project team to crash the overall project schedule.

Perform resource smoothing to avoid working overtime.

2. Project managers may use analogous or parametric estimating to predict the overall cost of a project. Estimates derived using analogous or parametric models are considered accurate and reliable when ________________.

The model is prepared by an expert, a certified project management professional collects the parameters, and the calculations allow for subjective measures (for example, aesthetics).
The project being estimated is almost exactly the same as previous projects not just in appearance but also in actual fact (for example, a similar four-bedroom house in the same area).
The assumptions, constraints, and limitations of the three point estimates (optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic) have been reviewed, discussed, and finalized by the project team.
The parameters are quantifiable, the calculations are based on precise historical information, and the model can be used on projects regardless of size (for example, small vs. large project).

3. Given BAC = 500, EV^C = 400 and CPI^C = 1.3, forecast the ETC based on atypical variances.

1.25

76.92

650

100

4. As a project manager of a major environmental project, you met with local government agencies to address their concerns about the impact of the project on the migration patterns of birds. After the meeting, three change requests were documented and subsequently approved. After reviewing the change requests in detail, however, your team realized that the three change requests cannot be implemented without an addtional environmental study. What should you do next?

Include the environmental study in the project scope because it is necessary to complete the documented and approved change requests.

Check the project's contingency reserve to determine if the cost of the environmental study can be included without additional funding.

Ask the team to immediately work on the environmental study so as not to delay the implementation of the three change requests.

Do not proceed or implement the environmental study because it is not documented and it has not been approved for implementation

5. Project managers plan quality activities to ensure that the project will meet the requirements for which it was undertaken. Such activities could result in continuous process improvement and produce the following outputs:

Requested changes and recommended corrective actions

Quality checklists and process improvement plan

Process improvement plan and quality baseline

Quality baseline and project management plan (updates)

6. Your project team was responsible for automatically installing a popular desktop application on 25,000 computers in six countries in Asia, North America, and Europe. Most of the computers have the same configuration, but there might be slight variations in each country and in each line of business within that country. The lead technical architect suggested that you send a technical support representative to verify the installation of every 100^th computer. What type of sampling method was recommended?

Quota sampling

Simple random sampling

Stratified sampling

Systematic sampling

7. You are in the process of drafting a formal rewards program for your project team. The project sponsor indicated a strong dislike for zero sum rewards. Given this, which of the following behaviours should not be encouraged?

Recognize the team's willingness to work overtime to meet an aggressive schedule.

Encourage all team members to submit their weekly progress reports on time.

Incorporate a normal distribution when rating the performance of team members.

Distribute the performance bonus equally to the team at the end of the project.

8. In your organization, the project performance review serves as a critical input to the annual performance review. As a project manager, you are responsible for conducting the project performance review. What can you do to ensure that your project team members will receive a favourable annual performance review?

Focus on the positive performance behaviours of all team members

Incorporate interim formal reviews throughout the project life cycle

Set challenging and aggressive goals for all project team members

Coach the team formally and informally whenever opportunities arise

9. During the execution phase of the project, the project sponsor requested that a monthly progress report be sent to the regulatory compliance department. Which statement best describes the proper course of action for the project manager to take?

Review the overall project scope to determine if the monthly report is outside the original project scope.

Investigate the total effort required to produce the report and only distribute it if no extra effort is required.

Modify the communications management plan as needed, as defined in the Perform Integrated Change Control process.

Ask the project sponsor to fill out a change request form and submit the same to the change control board.

10. A document contains a table with the following columns: WBS element, PV, EV, AC, cost variance, schedule variance, CPI and SPI. The document is most likely________________.

A performance report

A forecast analysis

A risk register

An issue log

Forums:

PMP / CAPM exam Question bank

sumitkakkar

Tue, 09/04/2012 - 14:51

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Ans

1- a

2-d

3-b

4-b

5-b

6-c

7-a (not sure though)

8-b

9-a

10-a

karthik21

Tue, 09/04/2012 - 15:06

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My answers

1.d

2.b

3.b

4.b

5.c

6.c

7.d

8.b

9.b

10.a

mmr_muthu

Tue, 09/04/2012 - 15:17

Permalink

Answers...

1. A.

An SPI higher than 1.0 indicates that the project is getting more value (earned value) than the budgeted cost for the work scheduled to be completed at that point in time (planned value). If the earned value and planned value are indeed accurate, then there is nothing to worry about in terms of schedule progress

2. D.

The accuracy and reliability of analogous or parametric estimating is dependent on the correctness of the historical information and the scalability of the model (for example, applicability to small, medium, or large projects). It is also imperative that parameters are based on quantifiable factors

3. D.

The ETC based on atypical variances = budget at completion (BAC) - cumulative earned value to date (EV^C) = 500 - 400 = 100

CPI^C is needed only if the ETC needs to be calculated based on typical variances

4. D.

Change requests are involved in the Perform Quality Assurance and Perform Quality Control processes and, as such, need to follow the Perform Integrated Change Control process before they can be approved and implemented. Any undocumented changes should not be processed or implemented

5. A.

The quality activities stated in the question characterize project quality assurance. Performing quality assurance in a project produces the following outputs: organizational process assets updates, change requests (recommended corrective actions and/or preventive actions), project management plan updates, and project document updates. The other options are outputs of quality planning, not quality assurance; hence, they are incorrect answers

6. D.

Systematic sampling selects every kth element within the sampling frame. In this particular example, the technical support representative will check every 100th computer within the sampling frame of 25,000 computers.

7. C.

Examples of win-lose (zero sum) rewards include team member of the month—only certain members can earn it. Using normal distribution when rating the performance of team members means that some members will be rated as "low" and some as "high," with the rest left in the middle (average). Such reward systems can foster unhealthy competition among team members. The PMBOK^® Guide encourages rewarding win-win situations instead—that is, giving all team members the same opportunity to earn the rewards. For example, rewards could be given for submitting progress reports on time, putting in extra hours to meet a deadline, and achieving other performance goals

8. D.

All of the options are essentially correct, but coaching the team formally and informally throughout the project will help keep team members focused on achieving individual and collective project goals. Good work can be recognized and rewarded, and poor work can be adjusted as needed.

It is good to focus on positive performance, but negative performance should not be hidden or ignored. Formal reviews throughout the project are needed and should be complemented with informal reviews. In addition to being challenging and aggressive, goals must be achievable and realistic

9. C.

The best answer is to modify the communications management plan as needed, as defined in the Perform Integrated Change Control process. The Perform Integrated Change Control process defines how to handle change requests, including changes that may impact the project scope and effort. Depending on the magnitude of the changes, a change request may not be needed.

10. A.

Based on the columns, it appears that the project is using earned value analysis to determine the performance of the project. The document could very well be a forecast, but the lack of estimate at completion and estimate to complete make performance report a better answer. The columns indicate that the document is not a risk register or an issue log.

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10 questions to challenge your skills