PMP - Lesson 3 Plan the Project

Which is the best elicitation technique to use when your project team wants to facilitate a discussion with a certain set of users to get a better understanding on how they might use your project’s product?

• A. Document analysis

• B. Focus group

• C. Benchmarking

• D. Plurality

Answer explanation

A focus group is ideal for facilitating discussions with users, allowing the project team to gather diverse insights on how the product may be used. This technique encourages interaction and deeper understanding among participants.

A project team is reviewing the requirements documentation that they are responsible for working on. Which project artifact can they reference to see the connection between the requirements and the business and project objectives?

• A. Requirements traceability matrix

• B. RACI chart

• C. Project charter

• D. Scope management plan

Answer explanation

The Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) links requirements to business and project objectives, ensuring that all requirements align with the project's goals. This makes it the correct choice for understanding these connections.

An architectural firm has spent a great deal of time and effort creating the design and blueprints for the building. They had to purchase materials and hire consultants and have been working on this project for 6 months. They have submitted all the invoices for the money they have spent on the work, as well as an invoice for the fee of $90,000. What type of contract was this?

• A. Time and materials

• B. CPIF

• C. FPEPA

• D. Cost reimbursable

Answer explanation

The firm has submitted invoices for all expenses, including a fee, indicating they are reimbursed for costs incurred. This aligns with a cost reimbursable contract, where the client covers actual costs plus a fee.

What is included in activity cost estimates?

• A. Supporting data or additional information needed to justify the cost estimates

• B. Estimates on probably costs necessary to finish project work, including direct costs, labor, materials, equipment, facilities services, information technology, and contingency reserves

• C. Estimates on probable costs necessary to finish project, work based on the responsible bids obtained from vendors

• D. Estimates on probable costs necessary to finish the project work, including direct labor, materials, equipment, facilities, services, information technology, contingency reserves, and indirect costs

Answer explanation

Choice B is correct as it includes all necessary cost estimates for project work, such as direct costs, labor, materials, and contingency reserves, providing a comprehensive view of the financial requirements.

What is the process to create a project budget?

• A. Take the ROM and decompose it into the cost of work packages

• B. Combine all individual activity cost estimates and contingencies and aggregate them for the entire project. Submit this to the sponsor, and modify it if necessary

• C. Estimate costs necessary to finish project work, including direct costs, labor, materials, equipment, facilities, services, information technology, and contingency reserves

• D. Create an S-curve with cost on the Y axis and time on the X axis

Answer explanation

The correct process to create a project budget involves combining all individual activity cost estimates and contingencies, then aggregating them for the entire project. This ensures a comprehensive budget that can be submitted and modified as needed.

A project manager is using atime-phased budget to measure the cost performance. What is that budget called?

• A. Cost baseline

• B. Cost estimate

• C. Rough order of magnitude

• D. Release budget

Answer explanation

The time-phased budget used to measure cost performance is called the cost baseline. It serves as a reference for comparing actual costs against planned costs throughout the project.

Your company is designing a game for families. They test whether the game is easy enough for children by creating a prototype and then establishing their test criteria. They create test groups of 100 boys and 100 girls between the ages of 3 and 5, at 50 schools across 30 regions. Then they modify and implement the prototype across the country. What process are they engaged in?

• A. Benchmarking

• B. Design of experiments

• C. Statistical sampling

• D. Force field analysis

Answer explanation

The company is using statistical sampling by selecting specific test groups of children to evaluate the game's ease of use. This method allows them to gather data from a representative sample before implementing the prototype nationwide.

What is the focus of quality assurance and what does it result in?

• A. Quality assurance is focused on the process and procedures used, and it results in improved quality

• B. Quality assurance is focused on measuring the output of the work package, and it results in improved quality.

• C. Quality assurance is focused on measuring the output of the work package, and it results in better metrics

• D. Quality assurance is focused on the process and procedures used, and it results in a shorter schedule.

Answer explanation

Quality assurance emphasizes the processes and procedures to ensure consistent quality. This focus leads to improved quality outcomes, making option A the correct choice.

A project manager is reviewing the quality control chart with the project team and the product owner. The response trend has been going down over the last few reporting periods but is still above the upper control limit. What does that mean?

• A. The project’s quality is outside the quality standards set for the project.

• B. The project’s burndown rate is above normal.

• C. The project’s standards are too high.

• D. The project’s quality is above expectations.

Answer explanation

The downward trend indicates a decline in quality, and since it remains above the upper control limit, it signifies that the project’s quality is outside the quality standards set for the project.

What is the purpose of decomposing the project work within the hierarchical WBS structure?

• A. To create smaller, more manageable chunks that can be better estimated for cost, schedule, and resources, and that help control the project

• B. To create a sequence of work that can be used to track progress throughout the life of the project, ensuring the project deadline can be met

• C. To select the requirements that will be included in the project to the satisfaction of the stakeholders and the project sponsor

• D. To draw out potential options to complete the work so the stakeholders and the team members agree on the methods used

Answer explanation

The purpose of decomposing project work in a WBS is to create smaller, manageable chunks (Choice A). This allows for better estimation of costs, schedules, and resources, ultimately aiding in project control.