CAPM : Certified Associate in Project Management (PMI-100) : Part 14

CAPM : Certified Associate in Project Management (PMI-100) : Part 14

1. The following is a network diagram for a project.

   

   How many possible paths are identified for this project?

   •  3
   • 4
   • 6
   • 7

2. The following is a network diagram for a project.

   

   The free float for Activity H is how many days?

   •  4
   • 5
   • 10
   • 11

3. Every project creates a unique product, service, or result that may be:

   • tangible
   • targeted
   • organized
   • variable

4. Correlated and contextualized information on how closely the scope is being maintained relative to the scope baseline is contained within:

   • project documents updates.
   • project management plan updates.
   • change requests.
   • work performance information.

   Explanation:

   4.4.1.5 Work Performance Information
   Work performance information is the performance data collected from various controlling processes, analyzed in context, and integrated based on relationships across areas. Thus work performance data has been transformed into work performance information. Data in itself cannot be used in the decision-making process as it has only out-of-context meaning. Work performance information, however, is correlated and contextualized, and provides a sound foundation for project decisions.
   Work performance information is circulated through communication processes. Examples of performance information are status of deliverables, implementation status for change requests, and forecasted estimates to complete.

   5.4.3.1 Scope Baseline
   The scope baseline is the approved version of a scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS), and its associated WBS dictionary, that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison. It is a component of the project management plan. Components of the scope baseline include:
   – Project scope statement. The project scope statement includes the description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints.
   – WBS. The WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. Each descending level of the WBS represents an increasingly detailed definition of the project work. The WBS is finalized by assigning each work package to a control account and establishing a unique identifier for that work package from a code of accounts. These identifiers provide a structure for hierarchical summation of costs, schedule, and resource information. A control account is a management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and compared to the earned value for performance measurement. Control accounts are placed at selected management points in the WBS. Each control account may include one or more work packages, but each of the work packages should be associated with only one control account. A control account may include one or more planning packages. A planning package is a work breakdown structure component below the control account with known work content but without detailed schedule activities.
   – WBS dictionary. The WBS dictionary is a document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the WBS. The WBS dictionary is a document that supports the WBS. Information in the WBS dictionary may include, but is not limited to:
   ○ Code of account identifier,
   ○ Description of work,
   ○ Assumptions and constraints,
   ○ Responsible organization,
   ○ Schedule milestones,
   ○ Associated schedule activities,
   ○ Resources required,
   ○ Cost estimates,
   ○ Quality requirements,
   ○ Acceptance criteria,
   ○ Technical references, and
   ○ Agreement information

5. The most appropriate project life cycle model for an environment with a high level of change and extensive stakeholder involvement in projects is:

   • adaptive
   • reflexive
   • predictive
   • iterative
   Explanation: 
   2.4.2.4 Adaptive Life Cycles
   Adaptive life cycles (also known as change-driven or agile methods) are intended to respond to high levels of change and ongoing stakeholder involvement. Adaptive methods are also iterative and incremental, but differ in that iterations are very rapid (usually with a duration of 2 to 4 weeks) and are fixed in time and cost. Adaptive projects generally perform several processes in each iteration, although early iterations may concentrate more on planning activities.
   The overall scope of the project will be decomposed into a set of requirements and work to be performed,
   sometimes referred to as a product backlog. At the beginning of an iteration, the team will work to determine how many of the highest priority items on the backlog list can be delivered within the next iteration. At the end of each iteration, the product should be ready for review by the customer. This does not mean that the customer is required to accept delivery, just that the product should not include unfinished, incomplete, or unusable features.
   The sponsor and customer representatives should be continuously engaged with the project to provide feedback on deliverables as they are created and to ensure that the product backlog reflects their current needs.
   Adaptive methods are generally preferred when dealing with a rapidly changing environment, when requirements and scope are difficult to define in advance, and when it is possible to define small incremental improvements that will deliver value to stakeholders.

6. Whose approval may be required for change requests after change control board (CCB) approval?

   • Functional managers
   • Business partners
   • Customers or sponsors
   • Subject matter experts
   Explanation: 
   Change Control Board (CCB). A formally chartered group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes to the project, and for recording and communicating such decisions.

7. The primary benefit of the Plan Schedule Management process is that it:

   • provides guidance to identify time or schedule challenges within the project.
   • tightly links processes to create a seamless project schedule.
   • guides how the project schedule will be managed throughout the project.
   • creates an overview of all activities broken down into manageable subsections.
   Explanation:

   Process: 6.1 Plan Schedule Management
   Definition: The process of establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, developing, managing, executing, and controlling the project schedule.
   Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it provides guidance and direction on how the project schedule will be managed throughout the project.

   Inputs
   1. Project management plan
   2. Project charter
   3. Enterprise environmental factors
   4. Organizational process assets

   Tools & Techniques
   1. Expert judgment
   2. Analytical techniques
   3. Meetings

   Outputs
   1. Schedule management plan

8. Grouping the stakeholders based on their level of authority and their level of concern regarding project outcomes describes which classification model for stakeholder analysis?

   • Influence/impact grid
   • Power/influence grid
   • Power/interest grid
   • Salience model
   Explanation:

   13.1.2.1 Stakeholder Analysis
   Stakeholder analysis is a technique of systematically gathering and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information to determine whose interests should be taken into account throughout the project. It identifies the interests, expectations, and influence of the stakeholders and relates them to the purpose of the project. It also helps to identify stakeholder relationships (with the project and with other stakeholders) that can be leveraged to build coalitions and potential partnerships to enhance the project’s chance of success, along with stakeholder relationships that need to be influenced differently at different stages of the project or phase.

   Stakeholder analysis generally follows the steps described below:
   – Identify all potential project stakeholders and relevant information, such as their roles, departments, interests, knowledge, expectations, and influence levels. Key stakeholders are usually easy to identify. They include anyone in a decision-making or management role who is impacted by the project outcome, such as the sponsor, the project manager, and the primary customer. Identifying other stakeholders is usually done by interviewing identified stakeholders and expanding the list until all potential stakeholders are included.
   – Analyze the potential impact or support each stakeholder could generate, and classify them so as to define an approach strategy. In large stakeholder communities, it is important to prioritize the stakeholders to ensure the efficient use of effort to communicate and manage their expectations.
   – Assess how key stakeholders are likely to react or respond in various situations, in order to plan how to influence them to enhance their support and mitigate potential negative impacts.

   There are multiple classification models used for stakeholders analysis, such as:
   – Power/interest grid, grouping the stakeholders based on their level of authority (“power”) and their level or concern (“interest”) regarding the project outcomes;
   – Power/influence grid, grouping the stakeholders based on their level of authority (“power”) and their active involvement (“influence”) in the project;
   – Influence/impact grid, grouping the stakeholders based on their active involvement (“influence”) in the project and their ability to effect changes to the project’s planning or execution (“impact”); and
   – Salience model, describing classes of stakeholders based on their power (ability to impose their will), urgency (need for immediate attention), and legitimacy (their involvement is appropriate).

9. Variance and trend analysis is a tool and technique used in which process?

   • Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
   • Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
   • Control Risks
   • Plan Risk Responses
   Explanation:

   Process: 11.6 Control Risks
   Definition: The process of implementing risk response plans, tracking identified risks, monitoring residual risks, identifying new risks, and evaluating risk process effectiveness throughout the project.
   Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it improves efficiency of the risk approach throughout the project life cycle to continuously optimize risk responses.

   Inputs
   1. Project management plan
   2. Risk register
   3. Work performance data
   4. Work performance reports

   Tools & Techniques
   1. Risk reassessment
   2. Risk audits
   3. Variance and trend analysis
   4. Technical performance measurement
   5. Reserve analysis
   6. Meetings

   Outputs
   1. Work performance information
   2. Change requests
   3. Project management plan updates
   4. Project documents updates
   5. Organizational process assets updates

10. An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component is called:

    • defect repair
    • work repair
    • corrective action
    • preventive action
    Explanation:

    4.3.3.3 Change Requests
    A change request is a formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline. An approved change request will replace the associated document, deliverable, or baseline and may result in an update to other parts of the project management plan. When issues are found while project work is being performed, change requests are submitted, which may modify project policies or procedures, project scope, project cost or budget, project schedule, or project quality. Other change requests cover the needed preventive or corrective actions to forestall negative impact later in the project. Requests for a change can be direct or indirect, externally or internally initiated, and can be optional or legally/contractually mandated, and may include:

    – Corrective action—An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan;
    – Preventive action—An intentional activity that ensures the future performance of the project work is aligned with the project management plan;
    – Defect repair—An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component;
    – Updates—Changes to formally controlled project documents, plans, etc., to reflect modified or additional ideas or content.

11. Which quality tool incorporates the upper and lower specification limits allowed within an agreement?

    • Control chart
    • Flowchart
    • Checksheet
    • Pareto diagram

12. Analytical techniques are a tool and technique of which process in Project Procurement Management?

    • Plan Procurement Management
    • Control Procurements
    • Conduct Procurements
    • Close Procurements
    Explanation:

    4.4.2.2 Analytical Techniques
    Analytical techniques are applied in project management to forecast potential outcomes based on possible variations of project or environmental variables and their relationships with other variables. Examples of analytical
    techniques used in projects are:
    – Regression analysis,
    – Grouping methods,
    – Causal analysis,
    – Root cause analysis,
    – Forecasting methods (e.g., time series, scenario building, simulation, etc.),
    – Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA),
    – Fault tree analysis (FTA),
    – Reserve analysis,
    – Trend analysis,
    – Earned value management, and
    – Variance analysis.

    Process: 12.2 Conduct Procurements
    Definition: The process of obtaining seller responses, selecting a seller, and awarding a contract.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it provides alignment of internal and external stakeholder expectations through established agreements.

    Inputs
    1. Procurement management plan
    2. Procurement documents
    3. Source selection criteria
    4. Seller proposals
    5. Project documents
    6. Make-or-buy decisions
    7. Procurement statement of work
    8. Organizational process assets
    Tools & Techniques
    1. Bidder conference
    2. Proposal evaluation techniques
    3. Independent estimates
    4. Expert judgment
    5. Advertising
    6. Analytical techniques
    7. Procurement negotiations
    Outputs
    1. .Selected sellers
    2. .Agreements
    3. .Resource calendars
    4. .Change requests
    5. .Project management plan updates
    6. .Project documents updates

13. The process of obtaining seller responses, selecting a seller, and awarding a contract is called:

    • Close Procurements.
    • Control Procurements.
    • Plan Procurements.
    • Conduct Procurements.
    Explanation:

    Process: 12.2 Conduct Procurements
    Definition: The process of obtaining seller responses, selecting a seller, and awarding a contract.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it provides alignment of internal and external stakeholder expectations through established agreements.

    Inputs
    1. Procurement management plan
    2. Procurement documents
    3. Source selection criteria
    4. Seller proposals
    5. Project documents
    6. Make-or-buy decisions
    7. Procurement statement of work
    8. Organizational process assets
    Tools & Techniques
    1. Bidder conference
    2. Proposal evaluation techniques
    3. Independent estimates
    4. Expert judgment
    5. Advertising
    6. Analytical techniques
    7. Procurement negotiations
    Outputs
    1. Selected sellers
    2. Agreements
    3. Resource calendars
    4. Change requests
    5. Project management plan updates
    6. Project documents updates

14. Impacts to other organizational areas, levels of service, and acceptance criteria are typical components of which document?

    • Business case
    • Work breakdown structure
    • Requirements documentation
    • Risk register
    Explanation:
    5.2.3.1 Requirements Documentation
    Requirements documentation describes how individual requirements meet the business need for the project.
    Requirements may start out at a high level and become progressively more detailed as more about the requirements is known. Before being baselined, requirements need to be unambiguous (measurable and testable), traceable, complete, consistent, and acceptable to key stakeholders. The format of a requirements document may range from a simple document listing all the requirements categorized by stakeholder and priority, to more elaborate forms containing an executive summary, detailed descriptions, and attachments.
    Components of requirements documentation can include, but, are not limited to:
    – Business requirements, including:
    ○ Business and project objectives for traceability;
    ○ Business rules for the performing organization; and
    ○ Guiding principles of the organization
    • Stakeholder requirements, including:
    ○ Impacts to other organizational areas;
    ○ Impacts to other entities inside or outside the performing organization; and
    ○ Stakeholder communication and reporting requirements.
    • Solution requirements, including:
    ○ Functional and nonfunctional requirements;
    ○ Technology and standard compliance requirements;
    ○ Support and training requirements;
    ○ Quality requirements; and
    ○ Reporting requirements, etc. (solution requirements can be documented textually, in models, or both).
    – Project requirements, such as:
    ○ Levels of service, performance, safety, compliance, etc.; and
    ○ Acceptance criteria.
    – Transition requirements.
    – Requirements assumptions, dependencies, and constraints.

15. Which Process Group includes the Manage Stakeholder Engagement process?

    • Executing
    • Planning
    • Monitoring and Controlling
    • Initiating
    Explanation:

    Executing Process Group
    4.3 Direct and Manage Project Work
    8.2 Perform Quality Assurance
    9.2 Acquire Project Team
    9.3 Develop Project Team
    9.4 Manage Project Team
    10.2 Manage Communications
    12.2 Conduct Procurements
    13.3 Manage Stakeholder Engagement

    13.3 Manage Stakeholder Engagement
    Definition: The process of communicating and working with stakeholders to meet their needs/expectations, address issues as they occur, and foster appropriate stakeholder engagement in project activities throughout the project life cycle.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it allows the project manager to increase support and minimize resistance from stakeholders, significantly increasing the chances to achieve project success.

    Inputs
    1. Stakeholder management plan
    2. Communications management plan
    3. Change log
    4. Organizational process assets
     Tools & Techniques
    1. Communication methods
    2. Interpersonal skills
    3. Management skills
     Outputs
    1. Issue log
    2. Change requests
    3. Project management plan updates
    4. Project documents updates
    5. Organizational process assets updates

16. Funding limit reconciliation is a tool and technique of which Project Cost Management process?

    • Estimate Costs
    • Control Costs
    • Plan Cost Management
    • Determine Budget
    Explanation:

    7.3.2.5 Funding Limit Reconciliation
    The expenditure of funds should be reconciled with any funding limits on the commitment of funds for the project.
    A variance between the funding limits and the planned expenditures will sometimes necessitate the rescheduling of work to level out the rate of expenditures. This is accomplished by placing imposed date constraints for work into the project schedule.

    Process: 7.3 Determine Budget
    Definition:  The process of aggregating the estimated costs of individual activities or work packages to establish an authorized cost baseline.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it determines the cost baseline against which project performance can be monitored and controlled.

    Inputs
    1. Cost management plan
    2. Scope baseline
    3. Activity cost estimates
    4. Basis of estimates
    5. Project schedule
    6. Resource calendars
    7. Risk register
    8. Agreements
    9. Organizational process assets
     Tools & Techniques
    1. Cost aggregation
    2. Reserve analysis
    3. Expert judgment
    4. Historical relationships
    5. Funding limit reconciliation
     Outputs
    1. Cost baseline
    2. Project funding requirements
    3. Project documents updates

17. In complex projects/ initiating processes should be completed:

    • Within a work package.
    • In each phase of the project.
    • To estimate schedule constraints.
    • To estimate resource allocations.

18. A project manager requesting industry groups and consultants to recommend project intervention is relying on:

    • Communication models.
    • Stakeholder participation.
    • Expert judgment
    • Enterprise environmental factors.
    Explanation:
    4.1.2.1 Expert Judgment
    Definition: Judgment is often used to assess the inputs used to develop the project charter. Expert judgment is applied to all technical and management details during this process. Such expertise is provided by any group or individual with specialized knowledge or training and is available from many sources, including:
    – Other units within the organization,
    – Consultants,
    – Stakeholders, including customers or sponsors,
    – Professional and technical associations,
    – Industry groups,
    – Subject matter experts (SME), and
    – Project management office (PMO).

19. The degree, amount, or volume of risk that an organization or individual will withstand is called risk:

    • appetite
    • tolerance
    • threshold
    • management

20. The following is a network diagram for a project.

    

    What is the critical path for the project?

    • A-B-D-G
    • A-B-E-G
    • A-C-F-G
    • A-C-E-G