PMI PMI-SP Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

PMI PMI-SP Online Questions & Answers

• Question 1:

  You are the project manager of a project that has a budget of $675,000 and you have completed 40 percent of the project work. Your project is supposed to be 60 percent complete but you are actually only 40 percent complete. Due to some errors, however, you have actually spent $335,000 of the budget. Management wants to know what the project's cost performance index (CPI) is. What value do you report?

  A. -$135,000
  B. .67
  C. .81
  D. -$65,000
  C. .81

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  Cost performance index (CPI) is used to calculate performance efficiencies. It is used in trend analysis to predict future performance. CPI is the ratio of earned value to actual cost. The CPI is calculated based on the following formula: CPI = Earned Value (EV) / Actual Cost (AC) If the CPI value is greater than 1, it indicates better than expected performance, whereas if the value is less than 1, it shows poor performance. The CPI value of 1 indicates that the project is right on target. In this instances it is $270,000 divided by $335,000 for a CPI of .81. Answer option B is incorrect. .67 is actually the schedule performance index. Answer option D is incorrect. -$65,000 is the cost variance for the project. Answer option A is incorrect. -$135,000 is the schedule variance of the project.

• Question 2:

  You work as a project manager for BlueWell Inc. You must communicate on a regular basis with all of your project stakeholders. In your project, you have 755 stakeholders. How many communication channels exist in the project?

  A. 284,635
  B. 570,025
  C. 569,270
  D. 755
  A. 284,635

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  The number of communication channels describes the number of opportunities for stakeholders to communicate amongst themselves and for communication to be broken down. To find the number of communication channels, you can use the formula of N(N-1)/2 where N represents the number of stakeholders. Total number of communication channels = N(N-1)/2 = 755(755-1)/2 = 284,635 Answer option D is incorrect. This is the number of stakeholders. Answer option C is incorrect. 569,270 is not a valid calculation of this formula. Answer option B is incorrect. 570,025 is not a valid calculation of this formula.

• Question 3:

  You are the project manager of the GHY Project. Management wants you to create a process improvement plan for your project. Your project will be studied by management and will become a standard for all future organizational projects based on your project's performance, approach, and implementation of project processes. All of the following should be included in your project's process improvement plan except for which one?

  A. Process boundaries
  B. Process configuration
  C. Targets for improved performance
  D. Identification of project risks
  D. Identification of project risks

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  Identification of the project risks is not part of the process improvement plan. Identify risks is a risk management process, and risks are recorded in the risk register. Answer options A, B, and C are incorrect. Process boundaries, Process configuration and Targets for improved performance are parts of the process improvement plan.

• Question 4:

  Which of the following is an output of the Identify Stakeholders process?

  A. Scope baseline
  B. Project scope statement
  C. Project charter
  D. Stakeholder register
  D. Stakeholder register

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  The Identify Stakeholders process identifies all people or organizations that are impacted by the project. It also documents relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, and impact on project success. Stakeholder register and stakeholder management strategy are outputs of this process. Answer option C is incorrect. Project charter is one of the inputs of the Identify Stakeholders process. Answer option A is incorrect. Scope baseline is one of the outputs of the Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) process. Answer option B is incorrect. Project scope statement is one of the outputs of the Define Scope process.

• Question 5:

  In which of the following group decision making techniques does the largest block in a group decide the group decision even if a bulk is not achieved?

  A. Majority
  B. Unanimity
  C. Dictatorship
  D. Plurality
  D. Plurality

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  The various techniques of group decision making are as follows: Unanimity: In this technique, everyone agrees on a single course of action. Majority: In this technique, more than 50% of the members of the group support the decisions. Plurality: In this technique, the largest block in a group decides even if a bulk is not achieved. Dictatorship: In this technique, one individual makes the decision for the group.

• Question 6:

  What schedule analysis simulation tool allows you, the project manager, to review possible combinations of events such as optimistic, most likely and pessimistic outcomes for your project?

  A. PERT
  B. Monte Carlo
  C. PMIS
  D. GERT
  B. Monte Carlo

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  The Monte Carlo simulation tool allows a project manager to explore "what-if" analysis for the project schedule and possible combinations of events in the project. Monte Carlo simulation is a process for iteratively evaluating a deterministic form using sets of random numbers as inputs. This method is repeatedly used when the model is complex, nonlinear, or involves more than just a couple of vague parameters. Monte Carlo simulation is named after the city in Monaco, where the major attractions are casinos that have games of chance. Gambling games, such as roulette, dice, and slot machines, exhibit random behavior. This technique works particularly well when the process is one where the underlying probabilities are known but the results are more difficult to determine. It is a process that generates hundreds or thousands of probable performance outcomes based on probability distribution for cost and schedule on individual tasks. The outcomes are then used to generate a probability distribution for the project as a whole. Answer option D is incorrect. GERT is the Graphical Evaluation Review Technique and is a visual mapping of the project work including branches and loop backs within the project. Answer option A is incorrect. PERT is the Program Evaluation and Review Technique and is used for project scheduling and time estimating. Answer option C is incorrect. PMIS is a project management information system, such as Microsoft Project, and often includes what-if analysis tools, but it's not the best answer for this question.

• Question 7:

  You are the project manager of the GHY project. Your project has a BAC of $675,000 and is forty percent complete though you were supposed to be forty-five percent complete. Due to some errors early in the project, you had to spend $278,000 of your project's budget to reach this point. Management is asking for a variance report. What part of your project has the largest variance?

  A. Cost, with a variance of -$8,000
  B. Schedule, with a variance of -$33,750
  C. Cost, with a variance of $278,000
  D. Schedule, with a variance of -$20,000
  B. Schedule, with a variance of -$33,750

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  Your schedule variance is -$33,750. You can find this by using the formula earned value-minus planned. Answer option C is incorrect. Cost is not the largest variance in the project. Answer option A is incorrect. Cost is not the largest variance in the project (it is -$8,000). Answer option D is incorrect. -$20,000 is the variance at completion for the project.

• Question 8:

  Mark works as a project manager for BlueWell Inc. He is making relevant information available to the project stakeholders as required. According to Mark, which of the following are NOT the tools and techniques of the Distribute Information process?

  A. Communication requirements analysis
  B. Information distribution tool
  C. Communication method
  D. Communication technology
  A. Communication requirements analysis
  D. Communication technology

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  These tools and techniques are used in the Plan communications process. The tools and techniques used in the Distribute information process are as follows: Communication methods: These methods includes individual and group meetings, computer chats, audio and video conferences and other remote communications methods to distribute information. Information distribution tools: Various information distribution tools can be used to distribute information such as electronic tools, electronic conferencing tools, hard copy document distribution etc.

• Question 9:

  Holly is the project manager for her organization. In her project, she has worked with the project team to define when the project team will be utilized in the project, the duration of the project activities, and the sequence in which the project work must be completed. During several phases of her project, the project team will need to work more than fifty hours per week. The project team members have agreed this is necessary and they're willing to do the work to complete the project. Management, however, has not approved Holly's schedule based on the overtime the scheduling will require. They have set a limit on the project schedule of 45 hours per week. What is this limit technically called? Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply.

  A. Constraint
  B. Assumption
  C. Execution variance analysis
  D. Resource leveling heuristic
  A. Constraint
  D. Resource leveling heuristic

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  Resource leveling is a rule of limiting the total number of hours a project team may work during a given time period in the project. If management restricts the project work to 45 per week, as in this example, Holly's schedule will likely increase

  because the project team can't complete as much work in one given time period. While this may be seen as a constraint, because it limits Holly's options, it's technically called a resource leveling heuristic.

  Answer option B is incorrect. It is an assumption that's believed to be true, but it hasn't been proven to be true.

  Answer option C is incorrect. Execution variance analysis describes the difference between what was planned and what was executed. A better term for this experience would simply be a scope variance, scope change, or defect.

• Question 10:

  Beth is the project manager for the NHQ project. This project deals with fiber optic cabling in her organizational campus. Tim is the electrical engineer for her company and is the only internal resource that can complete several of the project activities that deal with the fiber optic cables. Because Tim is a highly- skilled resource, he is already scheduled on several projects within the organization and is not available when Beth needs him to complete some of the project activities. This is an example of which term?

  A. Resource calendar conflict
  B. Matrix network
  C. Organizational process assets
  D. Activity resource requirements
  D. Activity resource requirements

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  Because the activities in Beth's project require Tim and his skills. This is an example of an activity resource requirement. A resource constraint would also have been an acceptable answer. Answer option B is incorrect. This may be a matrix

  organization, but matrix network is not a valid project management term. Answer option C is incorrect. Organizational process assets are things that have been created to help assist the management of the project.

  Answer option A is incorrect. A resource calendar conflict is not a valid project management term.