PMI PMI-SP Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

PMI PMI-SP Online Questions & Answers

• Question 21:

  Kenny is the project manager for the NHQ organization. She is creating the project duration estimates. She has stressed to her project team that they will need to create accurate and reliable project duration estimates without padding their estimates for errors or risks. Kenny is also relying on historical information to help her predict the duration of the project work. Jennifer, one of the project team members, wants to know how Kenny will account for the certain-to-happen errors and delays in the project schedule. What approach should Kenny use in the project?

  A. Rewards and recognition for completing the project work without delays
  B. Analogous estimating
  C. Three-point estimates
  D. Management reserve
  D. Management reserve

  ---

  Management reserve is an allotment of time added to the end of the project schedule. When delays happen within the project, the delays are subtracted from the management reserve. Answer option C is incorrect. Kenny is not using a three-point estimate in this instance. Answer option A is incorrect. Rewards and recognitions are a good incentive for accurate work, but errors and delays may still happen and the rewards would not necessarily prevent delays in the project. Answer option B is incorrect. Kenny may be using some type of analogous estimating to predict activity duration, but the best answer is the reliance on the management reserve.

• Question 22:

  Ned is the project manager for his organization. Ned is using a standard tool to capture, store, and distribute information to the stakeholders about the project costs, schedule, and performance. What term is assigned to this communication tool?

  A. Project management information system
  B. Table reporting
  C. Reporting system
  D. Communications management system
  C. Reporting system

  ---

  This is simply an example of a reporting system. It can be part of the project management information system, but for your examination, the PMBOK acknowledges this tool directly as part of project performance reporting. Reporting system is

  a tool and technique used for reporting performance. It is a standard means to store, capture, and give out the information to the stakeholders about the project costs, performance, and schedule.

  Answer option A is incorrect. The project management information system does more than just communicating the performance. It is a tool to help the project manager plan and monitor the project. Answer option D is incorrect. The PMBOK

  does not mention a communications management system. Answer option B is incorrect. Table reporting is one output of a reporting system, not the entire system.

• Question 23:

  You are the project manager of a software development project. Your project team will be creating a web- based software application that will allow your company's customers to browse your website, search inventory, and place orders among other things. Your project team will, on a regular basis, need to update their computer virus prevention software, update their operating systems, and perform other maintenance on their computers in order to complete the project. This maintenance work is not directly tied to the project deliverables, but it is needed in order for the project to be completed. What term best describes this maintenance work?

  A. Project management overhead
  B. Discrete effort
  C. Level of effort
  D. Cost of conformance to quality
  C. Level of effort

  ---

  The level of effort term describes the ongoing maintenance associated with the project work, but not a contribution to the deliverables of the project work. Level of Effort (LOE) is a project activity which must be done to support other work activities or the entire project effort. It usually consists of short amounts of work which must be repeated periodically. LOE is used to define the amount of work performance within a period of time and is measured in man days or man hours per day/week/month. Answer option B is incorrect. Discrete effort describes the activities that can be linked directly to the project work packages. Answer option A is incorrect. Project management overhead is an example of apportioned effort. Answer option D is incorrect. The cost of conformance to quality describes the dues, such as the subscription for the anti-virus software that must be spent, so the project can reach its objectives.

• Question 24:

  You are the project manager of the NNN Project. Stakeholders in the two-year project have requested to send status reports to them via email every week. You have agreed and are sending the reports on each Thursday. After six months of the project, the stakeholders are pleased with the project progress and they would like you to reduce the status reports to every two weeks. What process will examine the change to this project process and implement it in the project?

  A. Project change control process
  B. Perform integrated change control process
  C. Configuration management
  D. Communications management
  B. Perform integrated change control process

  ---

  Although this appears to be a simple change the project manager must still follow the rules of the project's change control system. Perform Integrated Change Control is the process of reviewing all change requests, approving changes, and controlling changes to the deliverables and organizational process assets in a project. Perform Integrated Change Control has to do with influencing the things that cause change, determining that the change is required or has happened, and managing the change. Answer option D is incorrect. Communications management is the execution of the communications management plan. Answer option A is incorrect. The project change control process not valid as it's the parent of the integrated change control process, which is more accurate for this question. Answer option C is incorrect. Configuration management is the documentation and control of the product's features and functions.

• Question 25:

  Gary is the project manager for his organization. The projects that Gary manages for project customers are often very similar in nature so Gary uses a schedule network template to help plan the project work. For Gary's current project, he has used a network template that includes just a portion of the project work adapted to the current project. When Gary uses a portion of a network template diagram this is called what term?

  A. Analogous
  B. Hanger
  C. Fragment network
  D. Parametric
  C. Fragment network

  ---

  This is an example of a fragment network. By adapting the network template to the current project and just using a portion of the template, the template is fragmented. A schedule network diagram template is used to speed up the preparation of networks of project activities. It comprises of the whole project, or a portion of the project activity. The various parts or portions of a project schedule network diagram are known as a subnetwork or a fragment network. When projects have related necessities and components, project managers can develop more efficient network diagrams by using the schedule network diagram templates. Answer option D is incorrect. Parametric is an estimating technique that uses a parameter, such as $199 per installation, for a group of installation activities. Answer option A is incorrect. Analogous estimates use historical information to predict the cost or duration of the current project. Answer option B is incorrect. While this term, sometimes, describes a task within the project network diagram that does not connect to other paths, it is not a valid term.

• Question 26:

  Which organizational theory explains the factors that promote performance of people in any organization?

  A. Herzberg's theory
  B. Maslow's Hierarchy theory
  C. McGregor's theory
  D. Expectancy theory
  A. Herzberg's theory

  ---

  Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, also known as Two Factor Theory, was developed by Frederick Herzberg, a psychologist who found that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction acted independently of each other. Two Factor Theory states that there are certain factors in the workplace that cause job satisfaction, while a separate set of factors cause dissatisfaction. Two Factor Theory distinguishes between the following: Motivators (e.g. challenging work, recognition, responsibility) which give positive satisfaction, arising from intrinsic conditions of the job itself, such as recognition, achievement, or personal growth. Hygiene factors (e.g. status, job security, salary and fringe benefits) which do not give positive satisfaction, although dissatisfaction results from their absence. These are extrinsic to the work itself, and include aspects, such as company policies, supervisory practices, or wages/salary. Essentially, hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee is not dissatisfied. Motivation factors are needed in order to motivate an employee to higher performance, Herzberg also further classified our actions and how and why we do them, for example, if you perform a work-related action because you have to, then that is classed as movement, but if you perform a work-related action because you want to, then that is classed as motivation. Answer option C is incorrect. McGregor's X and Y theory describes the team members and their behavior on the project and how management responds. Answer option B is incorrect. It describes the five layer of needs we all have. Answer option D is incorrect. It explains the processes that an individual undergoes to make choices.

• Question 27:

  Sam is the project manager for his organization. His project is not doing well on project schedule performance, and management wants him to predict how the project schedule and cost will end. Management has asked Sam to report and forecast his project's performance based on the Delphi Method, scenario building, technology forecasting, and to forecast by analogy. What forecasting method is management asking Sam to use?

  A. Judgmental methods
  B. Time series methods
  C. Causal/econometric methods
  D. Earned value management method
  A. Judgmental methods

  ---

  Management is asking Sam to use the judgmental methods to predict how the project will finish on time and cost. The judgmental forecasting method incorporates intuitive judgments, opinions and subjective probability estimates. Some examples of judgmental forecasting are as follows: Composite forecasts Surveys Delphi method Scenario building Technology forecasting Forecast by analogy Answer option B is incorrect. Time series methods of forecasting use earned value management, moving average, extrapolation, linear prediction, trend estimation, and growth curve. Answer option D is incorrect. The earned value management method is actually a part of the time series forecasting method. Answer option C is incorrect. The causal/econometric methods use linear and non-linear regression, autoregressive moving average, and econometrics.

• Question 28:

  Management is concerned about your project. They want to know how the project is performing specifically the schedule performance index. What formula do you use to find the schedule performance index?

  A. PV/EV
  B. EV-AC
  C. EV-PV
  D. EV/PV
  D. EV/PV

  ---

  The schedule performance index is earned value divided by planned value. The close the result is to 1, the better the project is performing.

  Answer option B is incorrect. This is the cost variance formula. Answer option C is incorrect. This is the formula to find schedule variance. Answer option A is incorrect. This is not a valid formula.

• Question 29:

  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
  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

  ---

  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 30:

  What forecasting method would your project use if your project customer requires an autoregressive moving average for performance forecasting?

  A. Judgmental methods
  B. Time series method
  C. Ensemble forecasting
  D. Causal/econometric method
  D. Causal/econometric method

  ---

  The autoregressive moving average is an example of a causal/econometric method for the forecasting project performance. The casual/econometric forecasting method uses the assumption that it is possible to identify the underlying factors,

  which might influence the variable being forecasted. For example, sales of umbrellas might be associated with weather conditions. If the causes are understood, projections of the influencing variables can be made and used in the forecast.

  Some examples of casual/econometric forecasting method are as follows: Regression analysis using linear regression or non-linear regression Autoregressive moving average (ARMA) Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA)

  Econometrics

  Answer option B is incorrect. The time series method relies on the earned value, moving average, extrapolation, and growth curve.

  Answer option A is incorrect. The judgmental methods use intuition, the Delphi method, and forecast by analogy.

  Answer option C is incorrect. The ensemble forecasting is not part of the causal/econometric method for forecasting.