PMI PMI Certifications PMI-SP Questions & Answers

• Question 101:

  Joe is the project manager of the HJN Project. Joe's project is a renovation of an office building. There must be 30 hours between the painting activity and the carpet activity in the project schedule to eliminate the risk of wet paint getting on the carpet. What is the best approach Joe can do to alleviate this issue?

  A. Add lead time to the painting activity.

  B. Change the relationship of the carpet activity and the painting activity to finish-to-finish.

  C. Create a dummy activity between the painting activity and the carpet activity for the duration of the drying process.

  D. Add lag time to the carpet activity.

  Correct Answer: D

  By adding lag time to the carpet activity, Joe can move the start time of the carpet activity by 30 hours. A lag time is a delay between the predecessor and the successor tasks. Sometimes it may be needed to schedule a delay between the predecessor and the successor tasks. For example, if two coats of paint are required to paint a car, then the final coat should be applied only when the first coat dries. This delay is known as the lag time. The lag time is entered as a positive value. The lag time can be entered as a duration or as a percentage of the predecessor's task duration. It is entered on the Predecessor tab in the Task Information dialog box. Answer option A is incorrect. A lead time is the time that overlaps between the predecessor and the successor tasks. The successor task can start before the predecessor task finishes. Answer option C is incorrect. Dummy activities are not the preferred method of project scheduling. Answer option B is incorrect. Changing the relationship of the activity to finish-to-finish would not prevent the activities from overlapping.

• Question 102:

  You are the project manager of the NHL Project for your organization. You are working with your project team to create the schedule baseline for this project. According to you, which of the following statements describes how the schedule baseline is created?

  A. It is derived from the constraints of the project.

  B. It is assigned to the project by management.

  C. It is created by the stakeholders.

  D. It is developed from the schedule network analysis.

  Correct Answer: D

  The schedule baseline is a specific version of the project schedule developed from the schedule network analysis. It is built by networking individual work elements and verifying the path or paths with the longest total duration. That path is then compared against the project due date, or it may serve as the determinant of the project end date. Schedule baseline is a project schedule used in measuring project progress. It helps provide a comparison with the actual progress of work against the schedule and to determine if performance to date is within acceptable parameters. Any change caused by change in scope of the project invalidates the original schedule and requires a new baseline schedule. Answer option A is incorrect. Management may impose constraints on the project, but according to the PMI, the baseline is developed from schedule network analysis. Answer option B is incorrect. Constraints on the project typically include time, cost, and scope (among others), but the schedule baseline is only concerned with the time limits of the project. Answer option C is incorrect. Project stakeholders are those entities within or without an organization, which: Sponsor a project or, Have an interest or a gain upon a successful completion of a project. Examples of project stakeholders include the customer, the user group, the project manager, the development team, the testers, etc. Stakeholders are anyone who has an interest in the project. Project stakeholders are individuals and organizations that are actively involved in the project, or whose interests may be affected as a result of project execution or project completion. They may also exert influence over the project's objectives and outcomes. The project management team must identify the stakeholders, determine their requirements and expectations, and, to the extent possible, manage their influence in relation to the requirements to ensure a successful project.

• Question 103:

  In which of the following process groups does Integration Change Control Process fall?

  A. Execution

  B. Initiating

  C. Planning

  D. Monitoring and Controlling

  Correct Answer: D

  The Integration Change Control process is a part of Project Integration Management knowledge area group. It falls under the Monitoring and Controlling process group. Monitoring and controlling is a process group or stage that starts when the project is in the executing stage. This process overlaps the executing stage. Monitoring and controlling consists of those processes performed to observe project execution so that potential problems can be identified in a timely manner and corrective action can be taken, when necessary, to control the execution of the project. The key benefit is that project performance is observed and measured regularly to identify variances from the project management plan. Monitoring and controlling includes: Measuring the ongoing project activities (where we are). Monitoring the project variables (cost, effort, ...) against the project management plan and the project performance baseline (where we should be). Identify corrective actions to properly address issues and risks (How can we get on track again). Influencing the factors that could circumvent integrated change control so only approved changes are implemented. In multi-phase projects, the monitoring and controlling process also provides feedback between project phases, in order to implement corrective or preventive actions to bring the project into compliance with the project management plan. What is Project Integration Management? Project Integration Management is one of the nine Project Management Knowledge areas. It comprises the following processes:

  Develop Project Charter

  Develop Preliminary Project Scope Statement

  Develop Project Management Plan

  Direct and Manage Project Execution

  Monitor and Control Project Work

  Integrated Change Control

  Close Project

  These processes occur throughout the project and are repeated quite often during the working of the project. They ensure that the various elements of the project are properly coordinated.

• Question 104:

  Virginia is the project manager for her company. She has used a previous project as a basis for her current project because they are similar in nature. Virginia has adapted nearly all of the previous project plans for her current project including the project schedule, risk register, and communications management plan. She has worked with management to update the plans to adapt them to the current project. What are the previous project management plans called in this instance?

  A. Expert judgment

  B. Analogous estimate

  C. Templates

  D. Parametric estimate

  Correct Answer: C

  The best answer for this question is a template. When projects adapt previous project plans for the current project, it is an example of a project template. Template is an activity list or a part of the activity list taken from the previous project and used in a new project. Answer option D is incorrect. A parametric estimate is an estimate that uses a parameter to predict the costs of the project, such as cost per network drop or cost per software license. Parametric estimating technique utilizes the statistical relationship that exists between a series of historical data and a particular delineated list of other variables. Answer option A is incorrect. Expert judgment is not the best choice for this question. Expert judgment is a technique based on a set of criteria that has been acquired in a specific knowledge area or product area. It is obtained when the project manager or project team requires specialized knowledge that they do not possess. Expert judgment involves people most familiar with the work of creating estimates. Preferably, the project team member who will be doing the task should complete the estimates. Expert judgment is applied when performing administrative closure activities, and experts should ensure the project or phase closure is performed to the appropriate standards. Answer option B is incorrect. Analogous is an estimating technique that uses the values of parameter, such as scope, cost, budget, and duration or measures of scale such as size, weight, and complexity from a previous, similar activity as the basis for estimation of the same parameter for a future activity. It is a top-down estimating technique and is a form of expert judgment. It provides a lower degree of accuracy than other estimating techniques. This technique is primarily used when there is a limited amount of detailed information about the project or program.

• Question 105:

  You are the project manager for your organization. Your project will be utilizing a piece of equipment during its process of completion. There is some concern that your project's use of the equipment may conflict with another project. What document will help you determine when and how long you will use the shared equipment?

  A. Project schedule

  B. Project scope

  C. Project calendar

  D. Resource calendar

  Correct Answer: D

  The resource calendar defines when and how long a resource will be utilized. Not all resources are human

  - facilities, equipment, and other things are resources that must be scheduled. A resource calendar is used to make sure that work resources (people and equipment) are scheduled only when they are available for work. They affect a specific

  resource or category of resources. By default, the working time settings in the resource calendar are the same as in the project calendar. However, a user can customize the resource calendar to show individual schedule information, such as

  vacations, leaves of absence, or equipment maintenance time.

  Answer option B is incorrect. The project scope would not address resource utilization. Answer option A is incorrect. The project schedule is not the best answer for this question. The project schedule is an in depth plan of the important

  project phases, activities, milestones, tasks, and the resources allocated to each task.

  Answer option C is incorrect. The project calendar documents when the project work will take place, not the utilization of resources.

• Question 106:

  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

  Correct Answer: B

  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 107:

  You work as the project manager for Blue Well Inc. You are working with your project team to schedule the days the project work will take place. You have created a project network diagram as shown in the figure:

  

  Based on this diagram, find out the earliest day on which Activity G can be started.

  A. Day 13

  B. Day 7

  C. Day 22

  D. Day 17

  Correct Answer: D

  The earliest Activity G can start is Day 17. This is because activities A, D, C, and F must all be completed before Activity G can start.

  Answer option A is incorrect. Day 13 does not account for Activity F since Activity F is also a predecessor to Activity G.

  Answer option C is incorrect. Day 22 is the earliest Activity G can finish. Answer option B is incorrect. Day 7 is not a valid answer.

• Question 108:

  Sam is the project manager for his organization. His project is not doing well on project schedule performance, and management wants him to predict how the project schedule and cost will end. Management has asked Sam to report and forecast his project's performance based on the Delphi Method, scenario building, technology forecasting, and to forecast by analogy. What forecasting method is management asking Sam to use?

  A. Judgmental methods

  B. Time series methods

  C. Causal/econometric methods

  D. Earned value management method

  Correct Answer: A

  Management is asking Sam to use the judgmental methods to predict how the project will finish on time and cost. The judgmental forecasting method incorporates intuitive judgments, opinions and subjective probability estimates. Some examples of judgmental forecasting are as follows: Composite forecasts Surveys Delphi method Scenario building Technology forecasting Forecast by analogy Answer option B is incorrect. Time series methods of forecasting use earned value management, moving average, extrapolation, linear prediction, trend estimation, and growth curve. Answer option D is incorrect. The earned value management method is actually a part of the time series forecasting method. Answer option C is incorrect. The causal/econometric methods use linear and non-linear regression, autoregressive moving average, and econometrics.

• Question 109:

  You are the project manager for your organization. You are discussing an upcoming project with management and they would like you to begin decomposing the project work packages into activities as soon as possible. You have explained to the management that you would like to involve your roject team before the decomposition of the work packages begins. Why would you want your project team to involve in this activity?

  A. To understand the exact type of work the project team will be completing

  B. To help the activity go faster

  C. To get better and more accurate results through the decomposition

  D. To create assignments for the project team as the activities are discussed

  Correct Answer: C

  Involving the project team is needed as part of the work package decomposition to get better and more accurate results. The project team comprises the people completing the work and often the experts that can direct the discussion and decomposition efforts. The decomposition technique is used to further divide all project deliverables into smaller component activities. Activities correspond to the effort required to complete a work package. Each and every work package in the WBS is decomposed into the activities needed to create the work package deliverables. Involving team members in the decomposition technique results in better and more precise outcomes. Answer option B is incorrect. While the team may help the activity decomposition go faster, this is not the best choice for this question. Answer option A is incorrect. Through the decomposition process, the project manager will learn about the project work, but this is not the primary reason to involve the project team. Answer option D is incorrect. It is possible to create assignments while completing the activity list, but usually all of the activities are defined and sequenced, and then resources are assigned to manage availability and utilization.

• Question 110:

  You are the project manager for your organization. You are working with your virtual team to create activity duration estimates for your current project. This virtual team is comprised of team members from around the world. Much of this process will be completed by geographical locations though some conferences will require all the team members to participate and to coordinate the activities that will interact between the different sites. The project manager must consider all of the following when creating the activity duration estimates except for which one?

  A. Project calendar

  B. Critical path

  C. Resource calendar

  D. Time zone differences

  Correct Answer: B

  When it comes to creating the project's activity duration estimating, the critical path is not yet a concern. The critical path will be determined by the duration of the project activities and the sequencing of the project events. A critical path is the sequence of project activities, which add up to the longest overall duration. This determines the shortest time possible to complete the project. Any delay of an activity on the critical path directly impacts the planned project completion date

  (i.e. there is no float on the critical path). A project can have several, parallel, near critical paths. An additional parallel path through the network with the total durations shorter than the critical path is called a sub- critical or non-critical path.

  These results allow managers to prioritize activities for the effective management of project completion, and to shorten the planned critical path of a project by pruning critical path activities, by "fast tracking" (i.e., performing more activities in

  parallel), and/or by "crashing the critical path" (i.e., shortening the durations of critical path activities by adding resources). Answer option C is incorrect. The resource calendar must be considered for the availability of the project resource.

  Answer option A is incorrect. The project calendar must be considered to determine when the project work is allowed to take place in the different sites.

  Answer option D is incorrect. Time zone differences must be considered for communication demands and coordination of events between the geographical sites.