CAPM : Certified Associate in Project Management (PMI-100) : Part 18

CAPM : Certified Associate in Project Management (PMI-100) : Part 18

  1. The product scope description is used to:

    • Gain stakeholders’ support for the project.
    • Progressively elaborate the characteristics of the product, service, or result.
    • Describe the project in great detail.
    • Define the process and criteria for accepting a completed product, service, or result.

    Explanation:
    5.3.3.1 Project Scope Statement
    The project scope statement is the description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints. The project scope statement documents the entire scope, including project and product scope. It describes, in detail, the project’s deliverables and the work required to create those deliverables. It also provides a common understanding of the project scope among project stakeholders. It may contain explicit scope exclusions that can assist in managing stakeholder expectations. It enables the project team to perform more detailed planning, guides the project team’s work during execution, and provides the baseline for evaluating whether requests for changes or additional work are contained within or outside the project’s boundaries.
    The degree and level of detail to which the project scope statement defines the work that will be performed and the work that is excluded can help determine how well the project management team can control the overall project scope. The detailed project scope statement, either directly, or by reference to other documents, includes the following:
    – Product scope description. Progressively elaborates the characteristics of the product, service, or result described in the project charter and requirements documentation.
    Acceptance criteria. A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted.
    – Deliverable. Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is required to be produced to complete a process, phase, or project. Deliverables also include ancillary results, such as project management reports and documentation. These deliverables may be described at a summary level or in great detail.

  2. Which technique is used in Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis?

    • Sensitivity analysis
    • Probability and impact matrix
    • Risk data quality assessment
    • Risk categorization

  3. Which illustrates the connection between work that needs to be done and its project team members?

    • Work breakdown structure (WBS)
    • Network diagrams
    • Staffing management plan
    • Responsibility assignment matrix (RAM)
    Explanation:
    Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM). A grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package.

  4. Which tools or techniques will a project manager use for Develop Project Team?

    • Negotiation
    • Roles and responsibilities
    • Recognition and rewards
    • Prizing and promoting
    Explanation:

    9.3 Develop Project Team
    Definition: The process of improving competencies, team member interaction, and overall team environment to enhance project performance.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it results in improved teamwork, enhanced people skills and competencies, motivated employees, reduced staff turnover rates, and improved overall project performance.

    Inputs
    1. Human resource management plan
    2. Project staff assignments
    3. Resource calendars
    Tools & Techniques
    1. Interpersonal skills
    2. Training
    3. Team-building activities
    4. Ground rules
    5. Colocation
    6. Recognition and rewards
    7. Personnel assessment tools
    Outputs
    1. Team performance assessments
    2. Enterprise environmental factors updates

  5. Which of the following is an input to Direct and Manage Project Execution?

    • Requested changes
    • Approved change requests
    • Work performance information
    • Implemented defect repair

  6. Which of the following is TRUE about most project life cycles?

    • Staffing level is highest at the start.
    • The stakeholders’ influence is highest at the start.
    • The level of uncertainty is lowest at the start.
    • The cost of changes is highest at the start.

  7. An input required in Define Scope is an organizational:

    • structure.
    • process asset.
    • matrix.
    • breakdown structure.
    Explanation:

    2.1.4 Organizational Process Assets
    Organizational process assets are the plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases specific to and used by the performing organization. They include any artifact, practice, or knowledge from any or all of the organizations involved in the project that can be used to perform or govern the project. The process assets also include the organization’s knowledge bases such as lessons learned and historical information. Organizational process assets may include completed schedules, risk data, and earned value data. Organizational process assets are inputs to most planning processes. Throughout the project, the project team members may update and add to the organizational process assets as necessary. Organizational process assets may be grouped into two categories: (1) processes and procedures, and (2) corporate knowledge base.

    Process: 5.3 Define Scope
    Definition: The process of developing a detailed description of the project and product.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it describes the product, service, or result boundaries by defining which of the requirements collected will be included in and excluded from the project scope.

    Inputs
    1. Scope management plan
    2. Project charter
    3. Requirements documentation
    4. Organizational process assets

    Tools & Techniques
    1. Expert judgment
    2. Product analysis
    3. Alternatives generation
    4. Facilitated workshops
    Outputs
    1. Project scope statement
    2. Project documents updates

  8. What cost control technique is used to compare actual project performance to planned or expected performance?

    • Cost aggregation
    • Trend analysis
    • Forecasting
    • Variance analysis
    Explanation:
    5.6.2.1 Variance Analysis
    Variance analysis is a technique for determining the cause and degree of difference between the baseline and actual performance. Project performance measurements are used to assess the magnitude of variation from the original scope baseline. Important aspects of project scope control include determining the cause and degree of variance relative to the scope baseline (Section 5.4.3.1) and deciding whether corrective or preventive action is required.

  9. What is the term assigned to products or services having the same functional use but different technical characteristics?

    • Scope
    • Quality
    • Specification
    • Grade

  10. When is a Salience Model used?

    • In a work breakdown structure (WBS)
    • During quality assurance
    • In stakeholder analysis
    • During quality control (QC)
    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).

  11. Which of the following is contained within the communications management plan?

    • An organizational chart
    • Glossary of common terminology
    • Organizational process assets
    • Enterprise environmental factors
    Explanation:

    10.1.3.1 Communications Management Plan
    The communications management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how project communications will be planned, structured, monitored, and controlled. The plan contains the following information:
    – Stakeholder communication requirements;
    – Information to be communicated, including language, format, content, and level of detail;
    – Reason for the distribution of that information;
    – Time frame and frequency for the distribution of required information and receipt of acknowledgment or response, if applicable;
    – Person responsible for communicating the information;
    – Person responsible for authorizing release of confidential information;
    – Person or groups who will receive the information;
    – Methods or technologies used to convey the information, such as memos, e-mail, and/or press releases;
    – Resources allocated for communication activities, including time and budget;
    – Escalation process identifying time frames and the management chain (names) for escalation of issues that cannot be resolved at a lower staff level;
    – Method for updating and refining the communications management plan as the project progresses and develops;
    – Glossary of common terminology;
    – Flow charts of the information flow in the project, workflows with possible sequence of authorization, list of reports, and meeting plans, etc.; and
    – Communication constraints usually derived from a specific legislation or regulation, technology, and organizational policies, etc.

    The communications management plan can also include guidelines and templates for project status meetings, project team meetings, e-meetings, and e-mail messages. The use of a project website and project management software can also be included if these are to be used in the project.

  12. Which of the following is a tool and technique for Estimate Activity Durations?

    • Parametric estimating
    • Monte Carlo analysis
    • Alternatives analysis
    • Bottom-up estimating
    Explanation:

    7.2.2.3 Parametric Estimating
    Parametric estimating uses a statistical relationship between relevant historical data and other variables (e.g., square footage in construction) to calculate a cost estimate for project work. This technique can produce higher levels of accuracy depending upon the sophistication and underlying data built into the model. Parametric cost estimates can be applied to a total project or to segments of a project, in conjunction with other estimating methods.

    Process: 6.5 Estimate Activity Durations
    Definition:  The process of estimating the number of work periods needed to complete individual activities with estimated resources.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it provides the amount of time each activity will take to complete, which is a major input into the Develop Schedule process.

    Inputs
    1. Schedule management plan
    2. Activity list
    3. Activity attributes
    4. Activity resource requirements
    5. Resource calendars
    6. Project scope statement
    7. Risk register
    8. Resource breakdown structure
    9. Enterprise environmental factors
    10. Organizational process assets
    Tools & Techniques
    1. Expert judgment
    2. Analogous estimating
    3. Parametric estimating
    4. Three-point estimating
    5. Group decision-making techniques
    6. Reserve analysis
    Outputs
    1. Activity duration estimates
    2. Project documents updates

  13. Projects can be divided into phases to provide better management control. Collectively, what are these phases known as?

    • Complete project phase
    • Project life
    • The project life cycle
    • Project cycle

  14. Which schedule network analysis technique modifies the project schedule to account for limited resources?

    • Human resource planning
    • Fast tracking
    • Critical chain method
    • Rolling wave planning
    Explanation:
    6.6.2.3 Critical Chain Method
    The critical chain method (CCM) is a schedule method that allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties. It is developed from the critical path method approach and considers the effects of resource allocation, resource optimization, resource leveling, and activity duration uncertainty on the critical path determined using the critical path method. To do so, the critical chain method introduces the concept of buffers and buffer management. The critical chain method uses activities with durations that do not include safety margins, logical relationships, and resource availability with statistically determined buffers composed of the aggregated safety margins of activities at specified points on the project schedule path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties. The resource-constrained critical path is known as the critical chain.

  15. Which of the following is an output of the Monitor and Control Project Work process?

    • Change requests
    • Performance reports
    • Organizational process assets
    • Project management plan
    Explanation:

    Process: 4.4. Monitor and Control Project Work
    Definition: Monitor and Control Project Work is the process of tracking, reviewing, and reporting the progress to meet the performance objectives defined in the project management plan.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it allows stakeholders to understand the current state of the project, the steps taken, and budget, schedule, and scope forecasts.

    Inputs
    1. Project management plan
    2. Schedule forecasts
    3. Cost forecasts
    4. Validated changes
    5. Work performance information
    6. Enterprise environmental factors
    7. Organizational process assets
    Tools & Techniques
    1. Expert judgment
    2. Analytical techniques
    3. Project management information system
    4. Meetings
    Outputs
    1. Change requests
    2. Work performance reports
    3. Project management plan updates
    4. Project documents updates

  16. Which of the following statements correctly characterizes pull communication?

    • It includes letters, memos, reports, emails, and faxes.
    • It requires recipients to access communication content at their own discretion.
    • It is the most efficient way to ensure a common understanding among all participants.
    • It is primarily used when the volume of information to be transferred is minimal.

  17. When would resource leveling be applied to a schedule model?

    • Before constraints have been identified
    • Before it has been analyzed by the critical path method
    • After it has been analyzed by the critical path method
    • After critical activities have been removed from the critical path
    Explanation:

    6.6.2.2 Critical Path Method
    The critical path method, which is a method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount of scheduling flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model. This schedule network analysis technique calculates the early start, early finish, late start, and late finish dates for all activities without regard for any resource limitations by performing a forward and backward pass analysis through the schedule network, as shown in Figure 6-18. In this example the longest path includes activities A, C, and D, and, therefore, the sequence of A-C-D is the critical path. The critical path is the sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible project duration. The resulting early and late start and finish dates are not necessarily the project schedule, rather they indicate the time periods within which the activity could be executed, using the parameters entered in the schedule model for activity durations, logical relationships, leads, lags, and other known constraints. The critical path method is used to calculate the amount of scheduling flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model.

    On any network path, the schedule flexibility is measured by the amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed or extended from its early start date without delaying the project finish date or violating a schedule constraint, and is termed “total float.” A CPM critical path is normally characterized by zero total float on the critical path. As implemented with PDM sequencing, critical paths may have positive, zero, or negative total float depending on constraints applied. Any activity on the critical path is called a critical path activity. Positive total float is caused when the backward pass is calculated from a schedule constraint that is later than the early finish date that has been calculated during forward pass calculation. Negative total float is caused when a constraint on the late dates is violated by duration and logic. Schedule networks may have multiple near-critical paths. Many software packages allow the user to define the parameters used to determine the critical path(s).
    Adjustments to activity durations (if more resources or less scope can be arranged), logical relationships (if the relationships were discretionary to begin with), leads and lags, or other schedule constraints may be necessary to produce network paths with a zero or positive total float. Once the total float for a network path has been calculated, then the free float—the amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor or violating a schedule constraint—can also be determined. For example the free float for Activity B, in Figure 6-18, is 5 days.

  18. Which Knowledge Area is concerned with the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval, and ultimate disposition of project information?

    • Project Integration Management
    • Project Communications Management
    • Project Information Management System (PIMS)
    • Project Scope Management

  19. Which of the following tools or techniques is used for Estimate Activity Durations?

    • Critical path method
    • Rolling wave planning
    • Precedence diagramming method
    • Parametric estimating
    Explanation:

    7.2.2.3 Parametric Estimating
    Parametric estimating uses a statistical relationship between relevant historical data and other variables (e.g., square footage in construction) to calculate a cost estimate for project work. This technique can produce higher levels of accuracy depending upon the sophistication and underlying data built into the model. Parametric cost estimates can be applied to a total project or to segments of a project, in conjunction with other estimating methods.

    Process: 6.5 Estimate Activity Durations
    Definition:  The process of estimating the number of work periods needed to complete individual activities with estimated resources.
    Key Benefit: The key benefit of this process is that it provides the amount of time each activity will take to complete, which is a major input into the Develop Schedule process.

    Inputs
    1. Schedule management plan
    2. Activity list
    3. Activity attributes
    4. Activity resource requirements
    5. Resource calendars
    6. Project scope statement
    7. Risk register
    8. Resource breakdown structure
    9. Enterprise environmental factors
    10. Organizational process assets
    Tools & Techniques
    1. Expert judgment
    2. Analogous estimating
    3. Parametric estimating
    4. Three-point estimating
    5. Group decision-making techniques
    6. Reserve analysis
    Outputs
    1. Activity duration estimates
    2. Project documents updates

  20. Information collected on the status of project activities being performed to accomplish the project work is known as what?

    • Project management information system
    • Work performance information
    • Work breakdown structure
    • Variance analysis
    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.
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