PMI-SH Manage Project/phase Closure or Transitions

A project manager is concerned that team members spend too much time assisting operations and maintenance staff with a recently completed and delivered project component. The project manager has referred to the organizational process assets document to validate that the component was signed off and ownership was transferred.

To which additional documents should the project manager refer?

• Procurement statement of work (SOW) and work performance report

• Requirements management plan and change management plan

• Procurement management plan and project charter

• Final report and project document updates

Answer explanation

When closing the project, the project manager reviews the project management plan to ensure that all project work is completed and that the project has met its objectives. The project documents are updated accordingly.

The other documents - SOW, Work Performance Report, Requirements Management Plan, Change Management Plan, Procurement Management Plan, Project Charter - are all deliverables earlier on the project and not during project closure.

A project manager just completed a project in an organization that values lessons learned. Leadership encourages all the project stakeholders to use the process, tools, and results from the lessons learned repository in future projects. Preparing to update the lessons learned repository, the project manager has gathered relevant project data and feedback.

What should the project manager do next?

• Store all the comments and recommendations received for future reference. 

• Analyze and organize the findings with the stakeholders to extract insights.

• Document and share the findings with the stakeholders for review and feedback.

• Retrieve all of the comments and recommendations received in the past. 

Answer explanation

This option provides an opportunity for the stakeholders to review the way in which it works and to suggest changes to improve processes and efficiency. The organization values lessons learned, so analyzing and organizing the findings with the stakeholders helps to develop an in-depth review and helps to ensure that insights are realized and understood. Analyzing and extracting insights ensures that they can be easily applied and communicated.

The other options are incorrect because they are not applicable or would occur after extracting insights. Storing the comments and recommendations does not help to garner insight or provide thorough analysis. Documenting and sharing the findings would occur after distilling actionable insights by analyzing the data and feedback collected.

Question

A project was cancelled during its initiation phase due to lack of adequate resources.

What should the project manager do?

• Inform all team members according to guidelines in the communications management plan.

• Refer to the company's project closure guidelines.

• Perform a risk analysis to determine the impact of terminating the project.

• Reassign all resources and reallocate budget.

Answer explanation

Project closure guidelines or requirements will contain the organization's procedures to follow.

The remaining options are not correct for the reasons explained below

1. Inform- They have not been assigned during the initiation phase

2. Perform- This would have been done prior to cancelling the project

3. Reassign- Resources have not been assigned, budget has not been allocated

A project manager needs to formally complete a project, but a supplier says an invoice has been paid twice. The project manager knows that the invoice was approved, but cannot find evidence of a duplicate payment. The project manager needs to close out this project in order to start a new project.

What should the project manager do?

• Inform the supplier that payment was made only once, begin the close project process, and begin work on the new project.

• Postpone project closure until the accounts payable department can document that the invoice was paid correctly.

• Complete all final project documents, delay work on the new project, and update the documents after payment is verified.

• Meet with the sponsor of the existing project to obtain approval to begin the new project before the existing project is closed.

Answer explanation

The finance department is the only one in this scenario that can provide proof if a payment was made. The PM should not close the project until this is confirmed

The other choices are not in line with the Project Closure process and hence are incorrect choices.

A project manager is working on a large business transformation project. All of the build deliverables were signed off and the project manager is managing the transition to BAU (Business as Usual).

Which of the following are important operational readiness considerations that the project manager needs to consider? (Choose 2).

• A cheat sheet for core functionality is provided and self training is encouraged.

• Formal training and access to documentation should be provided to all users.

• Responsibility and accountability are formally handed over to operational teams.

• The project team remains responsible for operational support during BAU.

Answer explanation

B and C. Formal training and access to documentation should be provided to all users and Responsibility and accountability are formally handed over to operational teams

Validate readiness for transition include ensuring that there is a formal hand over of responsibilities to operational teams. The project team is dismantled and resources released after a set warranty. Providing summary documentation and leaving the users on their own can lead to poor benefits realisation

Upon completion of a long-term contract, the project manager confirms with the release manager that all planned features are functioning properly as verified by the quality assurance team. The project manager informs the same to the customer and project stakeholders and obtains the approval to close the project. The project is now closed.

For ensuring that the knowledge gained during this project remains available for future reference, what should the project manager do next?

• A.Update the lessons learned knowledge base.

• Update the risk register before informing project team members.

• Update and archive the final procurement file.

• Close out the seller performance evaluation documentation.

Answer explanation

During the project closure phase, lessons learned and knowledge gained throughout the project are transferred to the lessons learned repository for use by future projects.

Updating the risk register is usually done throughout the project, and a closed project is likely to require risk updates and the need to inform team members. The other options on updating procurement files and closing out evaluation documentation are not likely to be part of the knowledge transfer for future reference. The most likely option to ensure knowledge is passed on is to update the lessons learned knowledge base.

Question

A project to develop a new product is nearing its closing phase after 6 months of contributions from the project team and vendor. The project manager has confirmed that the project satisfied the strategic goal it was meant to achieve and received formal documented acceptance from the client and sponsor.

What should the project manager do next?

• Review all contracts with the project team and suppliers.

• Disband the project team and return resources to their functional location.

• Ensure customer care teams have the training to perform their role.

• Document lessons learned for future reference.

Answer explanation

When the project manager has confirmed that the project satisfied the strategic goal it was meant to achieve and received formal documented acceptance from the client and sponsor, they should review all contracts with the project team and suppliers. They should make sure that all parties have satisfied their contractual obligations—that the suppliers have delivered all of the products or services required of them and that the organization has made all pertinent payments. 

The other answer choices are incorrect. Ensuring customer care teams have the training to perform their role should occur during the project, well before closure. Documenting lessons learned can come after contracts have been reviewed. Disbanding the project team and returning resources to their functional location should be the very last step.

The first iteration of an agile project consists of a minimum viable product (MVP) that is now successfully completed. The team members are eager to hand the product over to the customer.

How should the product be confirmed as ready for customer use?

• The scrum master determines that all requirements are satisfied.

• The project team agrees the MVP meets the definition of done (DoD).

• The senior manager and customer approve and accept the product.

• The product owner decides that the MVP passes all required quality tests.

Answer explanation

The definition of done (DoD) is a checklist of all the criteria required to be met so that a deliverable can be considered ready for customer use. In an agile context, the decision of when an MVP meets the DoD and can be released to the customer is typically made by the agile team. The team works together to ensure that the MVP meets the DoD and is ready for release to the customer. This decision is based on the team's assessment of whether the MVP meets the acceptance criteria and is of sufficient quality to be released. This helps to prevent misunderstandings and ensures that everyone is working towards the same goal.

The other options are incorrect. 

The scrum master determining that all requirements are satisfied is important, but the decision is ultimately based on the assessment of the entire team.

The senior manager and customer approving and accepting the product is not a direct indicator of whether the product is ready for customer use.

The product owner's agreement that the MVP passed quality testing is important, but quality testing is only one part of a broader range of criteria and the entire project team should be involved.

A project manager is formally closing a project that has been completed. Why should the project manager document final project activities?

• To record case studies and customer references

• To log final project performance metrics and quality analysis

• To provide lessons learned and archive historical information

• To allow the customer to submit invoices and get a receipt of final payment

Answer explanation

To provide- Closing the project is the process of finalizing all activities for the project. The key benefits of this process are the project or phase information is archived, the planned work is completed, and organizational team resources are released to pursue new endeavors. The lessons learned will benefit future projects, add to organization assets.

To record- It does not speak to the question

To log- This action would have already been completed

To allow- This action would have already been completed, customer would not submit invoices they would pay them.

A company that is heavily focused on delivering projects using predictive approaches on-boards a new project manager who uses hybrid approaches. The scope of the project contains a number of unclear requirements.

How should the project manager plan the delivery of the project?

• Escalate the issue of unclear requirements to the management team and wait for final authorization.

• Break down the requirements and prioritize the requirements into iterative work packages.

• Ignore the unclear requirements and focus on the delivery plan of the project.

• Wait for the requirements to be more clear before any further action is taken on the project.

Answer explanation

In a hybrid approach, the key for the team is to prioritize the known requirements and move forward in the iterative planning. Hence this option is correct.

In a hybrid approach, the team does not ignore the unclear requirements nor wait for all requirements to be clear nor wait for the final authorization to start the project. Hence, all the remaining options are incorrect .