PMI PMI Certifications PMI-SP Questions & Answers

• Question 181:

  You work as a project manager for BlueWell Inc. You are calculating the performance indexes of your project. The cost variance (CV) of your project is 30. What does this figure depict?

  A. Project is behind the schedule.

  B. Costs are higher than planned.

  C. Costs are right on target.

  D. Costs are lower than planned.

  Correct Answer: D

  According to the question, the cost variance of the project is 30, which is a positive figure. A positive value means that cost is less than planned. What is CV? Cost variance (CV) is a measure of cost performance on a project. The variance

  notifies if costs are higher than budgeted or lower than budgeted. The cost variance is calculated based on the following formula: CV = Earned Value (EV) - Actual Cost (AC) A positive value means that spending is less than budgeted,

  whereas a negative value indicates that costs are higher than originally planned for the project. Answer option C is incorrect. If the CV is zero, it shows that cost is right on target. Answer option A is incorrect. This result is depicted by viewing

  the schedule variance (SV), not the CV.

  Answer option B is incorrect. If the CV is a negative value, it depicts that the costs are higher than planned.

• Question 182:

  Vicky is the project sponsor of Robert's project. She has requested several changes for the project scope and these changes have, of course, been approved. Robert needs to incorporate the project scope changes into the activity list. Where else should Robert reflect these project changes?

  A. Project final report

  B. Scope baseline

  C. Quality control mechanism

  D. Cost baseline

  Correct Answer: B

  All scope changes should also be updated in the project scope baseline. The scope baseline is the project scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS), and the WBS dictionary. Answer option D is incorrect. If the changes affect cost then the cost baseline would also be updated. The question did not indicate that therbe would a change in the project cost. Answer option C is incorrect. Quality control does not change. It always reflects the demands of the project scope. Answer option A is incorrect. The project final report evaluates the success and failures of the project scope.

• Question 183:

  You are the project manager for your organization. Your project will need four electrical engineers for the project though there are no electrical engineers within your department. This scenario is best described as which one of the following terms?

  A. Assumption

  B. Risk

  C. Resource requirement

  D. Resource constraint

  Correct Answer: C

  This is an example of a resource requirement. The project needs four electrical engineers even though the resources are not within your department. Your organization could be a matrix structure, or it could hire resources from outside the organization. Answer option D is incorrect. A resource constraint is evident when the project requires the electrical engineer and she is not available. A requirement, as in this scenario, is simply the identification of the needed resource even if the resource is not available in your department. Answer option B is incorrect. This is not an example of a risk, unless the resource is constrained by other projects, schedules, or work and may not be available at all when needed. Answer option A is incorrect. An assumption would be believing the resource is available for the project without confirming the availability of the resource.

• Question 184:

  Bonnie is the project manager for her organization. She is developing a strategy to manage the project stakeholders. She wants to identify the key stakeholders, their influence over the project, their interest in project, and an assessment of methods. What can Bonnie create to gain support from the stakeholders in her project?

  A. Stakeholder identification tools

  B. Expert judgment

  C. Stakeholder Analysis Matrix

  D. Communications management plan

  Correct Answer: C

  A stakeholder analysis matrix is a simple table that identifies stakeholders, their attitude towards the project, their perceived threats and concerns, and strategies the project manager can use to gain stakeholder support and remove obstacles. Answer option A is incorrect. Stakeholder identification tools are not a precise answer for this question. Answer option D is incorrect. The communications management plan is a broad plan and may reference the stakeholder analysis matrix, but it is not the best answer for this question. Answer option B is incorrect. In some cases the project manager could rely on expert judgment, but in all projects the project manager can use a stakeholder analysis matrix.

• Question 185:

  You work as a project manager for BlueWell Inc. Which of the following plans will you use to define how resources are brought onto the project team, how they are managed while on the project team, and how they may be released from the project team?

  A. Project Schedule Management Plan

  B. Project Staffing Management Plan

  C. Project Human Resources Management Plan

  D. Project Communications Management Plan

  Correct Answer: B

  The project staffing management plan will define how resources are brought onto the project team, how they are managed while on the project team, and how they may be released from the project team. The staffing management plan is part of human resources plan. It is a subsidiary plan of the overall project management plan and defines when project team members will be brought onto and released from the project. It describes when and how human resource requirements will be met. Depending upon the needs of the project, it can be formal or informal, highly detailed or broadly framed. The staffing management plan may include the following items: Staff acquisition, resource calendars, staff release plan, training needs, recognition and rewards, compliance, and safety. Answer option D is incorrect. The communications management plan defines project communication requirements and expectations. Answer option C is incorrect. This is not a valid project management plan. Answer option A is incorrect. The project schedule management will define when resources are needed and scheduled. But it will not define how resources are allowed to be released from the project.

• Question 186:

  Wendy is the project manager for the NHQ project. She is working with her project to begin creating the project duration estimate. Her organization is in weak matrix and several of the project team members are scheduled to complete work on other projects. What input will most likely be of the biggest assistance as Wendy and the project team begin creating the duration estimate for this project?

  A. Project charter

  B. Project scope statement

  C. Project communications management plan

  D. Resource calendar

  Correct Answer: D

  The resource calendar is needed because it will help Wendy and the project team to determine when the project team resources will be available. The availability of the project resources can affect the overall duration of the project. 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 statement is an input to the estimate activity duration estimate, but it is not the best choice for this question. Answer option C is incorrect. The project communications management plan is not an input to the estimate activity duration process. Answer option A is incorrect. The project charter is not an input to the estimate activity duration process.

• Question 187:

  Billy is the project manager of the PQW Project and she has an assigned project budget of $655,000. Currently she is 80 percent complete with the project though she was scheduled to be 90 percent done by this date. She has spent $490,000 to date. What should Billy report as her cost performance index (CPI)for this project?

  A. .07

  B. 1.07

  C. $34,000

  D. .89

  Correct Answer: B

  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 instance the earned value is $524,000 and the actual costs are $490,000. In this project Billy has spent less than what the work is worth - a good thing. This could be because of a cost savings, such as travel or shipping, or

  because a risk event didn't come into play. This causes the positive CPI - something which does not happen very often.

  Answer option A is incorrect. .07 is an incorrect calculation for the cost performance index for the project. Answer option D is incorrect. .89 represents the schedule performance index. Answer option C is incorrect.

  $34,000 is the cost variance of the project.

• Question 188:

  Beth works as a project manager for BlueWell Inc. Which of the following tools and techniques of Administer Procurements process will Beth use to manage contracts, and procurement documentation and records?

  A. Records Management System

  B. Performance reporting

  C. Inspection and Audit

  D. Payment System

  Correct Answer: A

  A records management system is used to manage contract, and procurement documentation and records by the project managers. It includes specific set of processes, related control functions, and automation tools that are merged as part of the project management information system. Answer option D is incorrect. Payment system determines the payments to the seller, which is processed by the account payable system of the buyer after certification of satisfactory work by the authorized person on the project team. Answer option C is incorrect. Inspection and audits are required by the buyer and supported by the seller as mentioned in the procurement contract during execution of the project to verify the compliance in the seller's work processes or deliverables. Answer option B is incorrect. Performance reporting offers the management with the information about how effectively the seller is achieving the contractual objectives.

• Question 189:

  You work as a project manager for BlueWell Inc. Management has asked you to communicate with them whenever your project is about to reach a milestone so that they can review your project performance to date. Where can you find a list of the project milestones to anticipate management's request?

  A. Scope baseline

  B. Milestone list

  C. Project charter

  D. Project Schedule Management Plan

  Correct Answer: B

  The milestone list is the best answer. A milestone list provides a sequence of indicators about project progress to date and achievements or goals, which are to be achieved. The milestone list is used in project management as an indication of

  progress through the achievement of a major project accomplishment. It is a project document that is not part of the project management plan. The list contains all the project milestones along with information indicating whether they are

  mandatory to achieve or not. Answer option A is incorrect. The scope baseline is a collection of the project scope, the WBS, and the WBS dictionary.

  Answer option D is incorrect. The project schedule management plan is not the best answer, as the milestone list is the most direct result.

  Answer option C is incorrect. The project charter is not the best answer for identifying the milestones.

• Question 190:

  You are the project manager of the NHQ project. You are working with your project team to create the project schedule and the project network diagram. In order to start the sequencing of the project activities, you will need a document to identify the result of project phases, key project deliverables, and significant, timeless events in the project. Which of the following documents will you need to help sequence the project work?

  A. Activity attributes

  B. Activity list

  C. Project scope statement

  D. Milestone list

  Correct Answer: D

  The milestone list is needed as an input to the sequence activities process. Milestones are timeless events in the project schedule that are generally created as a result of phase completion. What is a milestone list? A milestone list provides a

  sequence of indicators about project progress to date and achievements or goals, which are to be achieved. The milestone list is used in project management as an indication of progress through the achievement of a major project

  accomplishment. It is a project document that is not part of the project management plan. The list contains all the project milestones along with information indicating whether they are mandatory to achieve or not. Answer option B is incorrect.

  While the activity list is an input to activity sequencing, it is not a document that shows timeless events or the results of activity phases. Answer option A is incorrect. Activity attributes describe the work, nature of the activity, and required

  resources for the activity.

  Answer option C is incorrect. The project scope statement is an input to the activity sequence, but it does not define the end result of activity phases.