Program Life Cycle Management

One source of key information as you develop your program charter is to prepare?

• A SWOT analysis

• A gap analysis

• A risk analysis

• An issues analysis

Answer explanation

Option A is correct. An analysis of the strengths, weakenesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) faced by a program optimizes the program charter and program management plan. The SWOT analysis, in particular the analysis of weaknesses and threats, may be a valuable input to the development of the program risks management strategy. SWOT analysis may also form part of the feasibility study and the business case: reference, SPM V.4, Page # 40.

You are appointed as a Program Manager for the new program, which is expected to bring process improvement across the Organizational level. Your sponsor has asked you to create a Program charter for your program. Which of the following must the Program Charter contain, at a minimum?

• Values, goals & objectives

• Strategies benefit management plan

• Benefits management plan, objectives

• Vision, Justification, and Strategic fit

Answer explanation

Option D is correct. Please refer SPM V.4, Page # 93, Section 7.1.2.1

Scott has just been assigned as the program manager for a goverment program targeting streamlining corporate tax filing and payment processes for small businesses. The program's objectives are to reduce paperwork and expedite all inbound payment processing. This program is being performed for a complex government agency and has potential impacts on all small businesses and their owners. Scott is an experienced program manager and knows that he needs to establish the capabilities to define and manage the Program Governance processes, procedures, and templates across the program life cycle. As a result of his activities, he will establish the?

• Program office

• Project management office

• Program Governance board

• Program management office

Answer explanation

Option D is correct. See the definition of the Program Management Office and other terms for clarification and understanding. You should know this stakeholder role, definitions for your exam. Option A is incorrect. Program Office is a made-up term to confuse professionals. Option B is incorrect. The question is referencing program governance processes, procedures, and templates; hence Program Management office should be in action, not the project management office. Option C is incorrect. The responsibilities mentioned in the questions are responsibilities of PMO, not steering committee or governance board. Governance board responsibilities are approving components initiation and closing, providing resources to perform the program, resolving escalated issues to them, etc.,

As you work as a program manager to identify, track, and close issues, it is important to do so in tandem with?

• Resource control

• Scope control

• Risk management

• Performance reporting

Answer explanation

It is important to carry out the program management activities in tandem with program risk management. So that unresolved issues do not affect overall program progress, especially because risk assessment is an integral part of issues management because if any issue is not handled appropriately, it will turn into program risk.

The program management plan include several subsidiary plans, such as the?

• Quality assurance plan

• Benefits management plan

• Contracts administration plan

• Benefits realization plan

Answer explanation

Option B is correct. There is no such plan called Quality assurance plan. Quality assurance, which is part of the Quality management plan. There is no such plan as a contract administration plan, and contract administration-related activities are part of a procurement management plan. Also, there is no such plan called Benefits realization plan in SPM V.4.

As the program manager working on the development of an advanced polymer chemical for raincoats, you are in the process of assessing the feasibility of your program. In reading the latest industry journal, you discovered that a competitor is also entering the marketplace. To assess your position against that of your competitor, you conduct a?

• Nominal group technique

• Brainstorming session

• SWOT analysis

• Delphi technique exercise

Answer explanation

SWOT (strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats) analysis provides helpful information when matching an organization's resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates. It is used in feasibility studies as a tool and technique in the Initiate Program activities. Program Management Professional (PgMP) Examination Specification, p. 21 The Standard for Program Management V.4, Page # 40.

Which of the following will be most useful in presenting the program performance report to obtain feedback and capture lessons learned?

• Change control board meeting

• Stakeholder post-review meeting

• Technical review of requirements

• A lesson-learned session for each project

Answer explanation

Option B is correct. As a part of closing the program, you are required to conduct the stakeholder post-review meeting by presenting the program performance report to obtain feedback and capture lessons learned. This requires knowledge of tools and techniques for post-review meetings, tools and techniques for program performance analysis, and performance reporting techniques. ECO, Closing the Program Section, Task 24.

From the master schedule, the dates for individual component projects are identified and used to develop the component schedule. At the component level, these dates act as?

• Constraints

• Assumptions

• Dependencies

• Risks

Answer explanation

Option A is correct. Constraints are limiting factors, and the assumption is considered true, real, or certain. Dependency is logical relatedness, and the risk is any uncertainty.

You are managing a complex training program in your company. It has several component projects plus some ongoing work, especially in logistical areas. Your team consists of instructional system design specialists who support the program on a full-time basis. For each training project, you need subject-matter experts (SMEs) to complement the instructional designers. Assume that you met today with the manager of Functional Unit C in your company, and she agreed to release two chemists to support Project D in your program. You now need to?

• Determine how this assignment can benefit the SMEs in their career path

• Meet with Project Manager D and inform him that you have acquired the needed SMEs

• Update the program resource management plan

• Transition the SMEs to the program position

Answer explanation

Option C is correct. This is the first step you need to do, update the program resource management plan for changes in the resources and assign them the roles and responsibilities, Reference: SPM V.4, Page # 119, Section 8.1.2.9 and Page # 133, Section 8.2.7. Option A is incorrect: As a program manager, you need to hire SMEs as these are the requirements mentioned in the program. You don't have to bother about how this assignment will help them in their career path. Besides, as you assign SMEs to program as a role of SMEs, they further enhance their skill sets. Option B is incorrect: You can do this action, but first, you need to update your resource management plan with the necessary changes. Option D is incorrect: SMEs are required for component projects to support the instructional system design specialists. There is no need to transfer them to the program position.

The task of preparing and coordinating change request assessments is the responsibility of?

• A program team member

• The person who proposed the change request

• The program manager

• The owner of the change request based on its impact on the program and components

Answer explanation

Option C is correct. Overall program manager responsibility - keyword is "coordinating".