1.

As the project manager of a project in your organization, you find that you have very little authority and mainly are engaged in project coordination activities. Your organization can be best described as:

Correct Response Weak Matrix

Reason A project manager's role in a weak matrix organization is that of a project coordinator or expeditor. In contrast, a project manager has high authority and complete control in a Projectized organization. The project manager does not have complete authority over the project and funding in a Balanced matrix organization, but the organization recognizes the need to have a dedicated project manager. [Refer PMBOK 4th Edition, page 29]

2.

You are a consulting project manager and have been contracted by an investment bank to run a large information technology project that is expected to last 15 months. While developing the project charter, you discover that several regulatory requirements have not been addressed in the business case. Failure to meet these requirements could result in legal action against the company. However, implementing the technology to comply with these regulations exceeds the budget and scope of the project, and could result in the cancellation of the project. What should you do?

Correct Response

Reason

Immediately disclose the discovery to the Notifying the stakeholders immediately project sponsor and stakeholders. that there has been a significant oversight in the business case is the appropriate response. Project managers are required by PMI's Code of Ethics to comply with all laws and regulations. Failure to immediately and actively disclose that a regulatory requirement has not been addressed puts the company and the project manager in the position of breaking the law. [Reference - PMBOK 4th Edition, page 75 & PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility,

Page 2, 3] Your Response: Write up a scope change for the work.

3.

Linda is a project manager in charge of an online banking project. The project has completed phase 1 and is moving into the next phase of the project. What is the process Linda has to plan for, to ensure that the project requirements have been met in phase 1 and the project can move to the next phase?

Correct Response Verify Scope

Reason Verify Scope is the process completed at the end of each phase or project to confirm that the project has met the requirements. It leads to a formal acceptance of the project deliverable. [Refer PMBOK 4th Edition, page 123]

4.

Danny has been working as a project manager for a company which provides outsourcing services to banks. Recently, he has sent a proposal to a local bank in response to a bid for a data warehouse project in which his company lacks expertise. Although his company lacks expertise, it has good working relationship with the bank in all other projects. Which of the following statements is correct considering the proposal that Danny submitted?

Correct Response Danny has violated the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Reason One of the mandatory standards for a project manager is to maintain responsibility and bid only such projects where his/her company has expertise and skills. Since Danny bid for a project in which his company lacks experience, he violated the PMI code of ethics and professional conduct. There is no procurement code in project management. Thus, 'Danny has violated the PMI code of ethics and professional conduct' is the BEST statement. ["PMBOK 4th Edition, page 328 and PMI code of Ethics and Professional

responsibility, Page 2"] Your Response: None of the above

5.

The critical path method (CPM) calculates the theoretical early start and finish dates; and late start and finish dates. Critical paths may have:

Correct Response Zero or negative total float

Reason The critical path method (CPM) calculates the theoretical early start and finish dates and late start and finish dates. Critical paths have either zero or negative total float and schedule activities on this path are called critical activities. Adjustments to activity durations, logical relationships, leads and lags may be required to produce network paths with zero or positive floats. (PMBOK 154, 155)

6.

You have recently been assigned to be the Project Manager for a project that is already underway (the previous Project Manager has been moved to a different project). As you begin to learn about the project, you realize that a project charter was never established. What should you do?

Correct Response Establish a project charter at the point when you enter the project.

Reason Even if done late, a project charter can help establish the legitimacy of a project and should be completed as soon as possible. [PMBOK Page 73]

7.

Your company has been chosen to develop a new line of business for a large insurance company. This is a large and important project for the company and you have told senior management that you will be creating a team meeting room for this project. This is one of the strategies for:

Correct Response Collocation

Reason Collocation is when all the team members are brought together, such as in a team meeting room. Collocation is highly recommended as a good project management practice. [PMBOK Page 234]

Your Response: Project Control

8.

Your boss advises you that your final project schedule and budget must be ready to present to the executive steering committee at a meeting later this week. A draft schedule has been completed based on estimates provided by your team. However, they have not yet had a chance to review the schedule to be sure their estimates are appropriate and realistic. Timing constraints make it impossible to complete this review before the meeting. What is the best approach?

Correct Response Increase the schedule contingency reserve for the project based on analogous estimates.

Reason The appropriate choice is to increase the contingency reserve based on historical data from similar projects. Padding the schedule or using other methods to deliberately obscure from stakeholders the fact that the schedule has not yet been completed is unprofessional and dishonest. Project managers must provide honest and accurate information at all times; to do otherwise runs counter to the PMI code of ethics. [Reference PMBOK 4th Edition, page 146 & PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Page 4,5]

Your Response: BLANK

9.

You are a project manager who is in charge of an important project for your company. The project includes producing widgets for your customer. Data has been collected to help identify the greatest causes of defects in the overall process. Which technique should you use to determine the greatest

source of defects?

Correct Response Pareto charting

Reason Pareto charts are used to analyze information that has already been collected and focus on identifying the problem areas that cause the greatest negative effect on the process. [PMBOK Pages 210, 211]

10.

Johan is a project manager working for a Norwegian accounting firm. To get results, Johan often tells team members that if deadlines are not met, he will have to discuss their performance with their functional managers. What type of power does Johan possess?

Correct Response Coercive power

Reason Johan has coercive power because he influences others by telling them of the consequences of not working. Coercive power is based on fear. Behavior is influenced by the use of threats and punishment