PMI PMI Certifications PMI-SP Questions & Answers

• Question 241:

  You are the project manager of the GHE Project. You have identified the following risks with the characteristics as shown in the following figure:

  

  A. Communications bull's eye

  B. Performance goals

  C. Earned value management goals

  D. Project exception report

  Correct Answer: A

  The graphic shown in the figure is a communications bull's eye. The project manager must keep the project within the boundaries defined by the bull's eye or he will need to generate a performance report. This is an example of management by exception because the project manager only communicates with management when there is an exception, or variance, within the project. Answer options C, B, and D are incorrect. These are not valid terms for the communications bull's eye.

• Question 242:

  Amy is working on a project which is forty percent complete though it was scheduled to be fifty percent complete as of today. Management has asked Amy to report on the schedule variance for her project. If Amy's project has a BAC of $750,000 and she has spent $485,000 to date, what is the schedule variance value?

  A. -$75,000

  B. -$42,000

  C. -$45,000

  D. -$65,000

  Correct Answer: A

  The schedule variance is found by subtracting the planned value from the earned value. The earned value is the percentage of the project completeness multiplied by the BA C. Planned value is the percentage of where the project should be at this time multiplied by the BA C. Schedule variance (SV) is a measure of schedule performance on a project. The variance notifies that the schedule is ahead or behind what was planned for this period in time. The schedule variance is calculated based on the following formula: SV = Earned Value (EV) - Planned Value (PV) If the resulting schedule is negative, it indicates that the project is behind schedule. A value greater than 0 shows that the project is ahead of the planned schedule. A value of 0 indicates that the project is right on target. In this example, EV = 40% of BAC = 300,000, and PV = 50% of BAC = 375,000 SV = 300,000 - 375,000 = -75,000 Answer options C, B, and D are incorrect. These are not the correct values for the schedule variance.

• Question 243:

  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

  Correct Answer: C

  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 244:

  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

  Correct Answer: AD

  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 245:

  You are the project manager of the NHQ project. This project deals with a new technology that your company has never used before. You have petitioned the management to hire a consultant to help you and the project team to create the WBS, the activity list, and complete the duration estimates. The management is concerned about the costs of the consultant, but agrees to your request because of the nature of this new work. The consultant can best be described as what type of resource for this project?

  A. Direct expense

  B. External requirement

  C. Temporary resource

  D. Expert judgment

  Correct Answer: D

  The consultant is an example of expert judgment, as he is helping you and the project team to create the project elements. 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 A is incorrect. The consultant may be considered a direct expense because the fees can only be assigned to your project work, but this is not the best choice for the question. Answer option B is incorrect. An external requirement is not a valid choice for this question. Answer option C is incorrect. A temporary resource is not a valid project management term.

• Question 246:

  Samuel works as a project manager in Bluewell Inc. He is performing constructability analysis in one of the initial planning phases. Which of these does constructability take into account during analysis? Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose three.

  A. Quality inspections and compliance

  B. Location, logistics, and resource availability analysis

  C. Labor productivity studies from previous similar projects in the area

  D. The average price of general labor in the area

  Correct Answer: BCD

  Constructability analysis takes into account the location, logistics, resource availability analysis, the average price of general labor in the area, and labor productivity studies from previous similar projects in the area. Constructability analysis is a process that starts in the initial planning phases and persists all over the entire planning cycle and into the implementation phase of the project. Constructability analysis during the planning process examines the methods and cost of installed equipment and materials, technology, site conditions, resources, and related infrastructure. The benefit of constructability analysis is to reduce both the time and cost of a project. Constructability analysis is repeatedly performed throughout the life-cycle of a project in order to optimize cost, plan, and schedule while mitigating risk. It is a very important process that needs to be performed early in planning to allow alternatives to be considered and integrated into the design. Answer option A is incorrect. This comes under the quality assurance phase.

• Question 247:

  What is the term assigned to graphic in the figure given below?

  

  A. Communications bull's eye

  B. Performance goals

  C. Earned value management goals

  D. Project exception report

  Correct Answer: A

  The graphic shown in the figure is a communications bull's eye. The project manager must keep the project within the boundaries defined by the bull's eye or he will need to generate a performance report. This is an example of management by exception because the project manager only communicates with management when there is an exception, or variance, within the project. Answer options C, B, and D are incorrect. These are not valid terms for the communications bull's eye.

• Question 248:

  You are the project manager for your organization. You and the project team are developing the project schedule for your current project. In addition to the enterprise environment factors and the organizational process assets, you will need seven other inputs to this process. Which one of the following is NOT an input to the Develop Schedule process?

  A. Resource calendars

  B. Schedule data

  C. Activity list

  D. Project scope statement

  Correct Answer: B

  Schedule data is an output of the Develop Schedule process. The nine inputs to the Develop Schedule process are: activity list, activity attributes, project schedule network diagrams, activity resource requirements, resource calendars, activity

  duration estimates, project scope statement, enterprise environmental factors, and organizational process assets. Answer options C, A, and D are incorrect.

  These are the inputs to the Develop Schedule process.

• Question 249:

  Which of the following individuals performs various management roles within an administrative or functional area of the business, such as human resources, finance, accounting, or procurement?

  A. Seller

  B. Operations manager

  C. Functional manager

  D. Project manager

  Correct Answer: C

  The role of a functional manager is to perform various management roles within an administrative or functional area of the business, such as human resources, finance, accounting, or procurement. He is assigned his own permanent staff to carry out the ongoing work. He should have a clear directive to manage all tasks within his functional area of responsibility. Answer option D is incorrect. A project manager is an expert in the field of project management. He is responsible for the entire project from inception to completion. The project manager leads the team and helps negotiate the multiple relationships within any project whether with clients, team members, firm principals or any variety of partners and functions as the hub of a project. Answer option A is incorrect. Seller is also known as a vendor, supplier or contractor. They are external company's elements that enter into a contractual agreement to provide components or services necessary for the project. Answer option B is incorrect. The role of operations manager is to perform various management roles in a core business area, such as research and development, design, manufacturing, provisioning, testing, or maintenance. The operations manager directly deals with constructing and maintaining the saleable products or services of the enterprise.

• Question 250:

  You are the project manager of the OOI Project and you're forty percent complete with this project. The project has a BAC of $2,345,650 and you have spent $950,000 to date. Based on your aggressive scheduling you should at the 45

  percent milestone today, but due to some early delays you're running late.

  What is the schedule variance of your project?

  A. -$29,350

  B. -$117,282

  C. -$938,260

  D. -$11,740

  Correct Answer: B

  The schedule variance is the earned value minus the planned value. In this instance, it is $938,260- $1,055,543 = -$117,282. Schedule variance (SV) is a measure of schedule performance on a project. The variance notifies that the schedule

  is ahead or behind what was planned for this period in time. The schedule variance is calculated based on the following formula: SV = Earned Value (EV) - Planned Value (PV) If the resulting schedule is negative, it indicates that the project is

  behind schedule. A value greater than 0 shows that the project is ahead of the planned schedule. A value of 0 indicates that the project is right on target.

  Answer option D is incorrect. This is the cost variance for the project. Answer option A is incorrect. This is the variance at completion. Answer option C is incorrect. This is the inverse of the earned value.