PMP Practice test 2: PMP Practice Test Three

Question 1

Ray is a project manager in his organization and he’s leading a Scrum-based project. In this project, Ray needs to define with the project team how long each project iteration should take. What term best describes the duration of an iteration in a Scrum project?

I. iteration
2. Increment
3. Timeboxed period
4. Rolling wave planning

Answer 1

Answer: Timeboxed period

Explanation
When using an adaptive life cycle, the time-boxed periods for releases, waves, and iterations are specified. Time-boxed periods are durations during which the team works steadily toward completion of a goal. Time-boxing helps to minimize scope creep as it forces the teams to process essential features first, then other features when time permits.

Question 2

As a project manager, you need several different skills to be effective. One skill is communication. According to some research cited in the PMBOK Guide, sixth edition, project managers spend how much of their time communicating?

1. 80%
2. 50%
3. 90%
4. 20%

Answer 2

Answer: 90%

Explanation
Project managers spend about 90 percent of their time communicating. Communication management is covered in detail in Chapter 10 in the PMBOK Guide and is closely related to Project Stakeholder Engagement.

Question 3

June is a project manager in her organization and she’s working with the project sponsor and the immediate project team to identify the project stakeholders. The process of stakeholder identification is best described as first happening when?

1. Prior to or during the project charter development and approval
2. When the project planning begins by the project sponsor
3. At the start of each project phase as directed by the PMBOK guide
4. At the start of project execution but before the WBS creation

Answer 3

Answer: Prior to or during the project charter development and approval

Explanation
Stakeholder identification occurs for the first time in a project either prior to or at the same time the project charter is developed and approved. It is repeated as necessary, but should be performed at the start of each phase and when a significant change in the project or the organization occurs. Each time the identification process is repeated, the project management plan components and project documents should be consulted to identify relevant project stakeholders.

Question 4

Harold is the project manager of the JKL Project for his organization and he’s meeting with the project team to identify some project risks in the next phase of the project. During the meeting, he notices that Char and Holly won’t look at each other and their body language tells Harold, and the rest of the project team members, that there is some hostility between these two individuals. Throughout the meeting, Harold observes that these two individuals won’t speak to each other and it’s causing some disruption in the conference. What component of the communication model is happening and will present a challenge for Harold to overcome?

1. Anger
2. Emotional intelligence
3. Barrier
4. Blockage

Answer 4

Answer: Barrier

Explanation
The only term listed that is part of the communication model is the barrier. A barrier is when two parties won’t communicate due to something blocking the flow of communication. In this instance, there appears to be some disagreement between Char and Holly, but a barrier could also be things like technology failure or different languages spoken between the parties.

Question 5

Joan is the project manager of the NKQ Project, and she is trying to get the project sponsor to decide some of the project work. Joan wants the project sponsor to make a decision, but the project sponsor is encouraging Joan and the project team to make the decision. Joan suspects that the project sponsor is putting the decision on her because if the decision is wrong, it will be her fault. Beth, a project team member, says that project sponsor always wants the team to make decisions. What leadership style is happening in this scenario?

1. Transactional
2. Servant leadership
3. Laissez-faire
4. Charismatic

Answer 5

Answer: Laissez-faire

Explanation
Laissez-faire means the project sponsor or project manager is allowing the team to make decisions and establish their personal goals, also referred to as taking a hands-off style. Transactional is more about the focus on goals, feedback, and accomplishment to determine rewards; management by exception. Servant leadership is often in agile projects and demonstrates a commitment to serve and put other people first; focuses on other people’s growth, learning, development, autonomy, and well-being; concentrates on relationships, community, and collaboration; leadership is secondary and emerges after service. Charismatic is the ability to inspire; is high-energy, enthusiastic, self-confident; holds strong convictions.

Question 6

You are working with the project team to determine the cost of an activity in the project. The project team has provided a pessimistic, optimistic, and most likely estimate of costs for the activity. What type of estimate are you likely creating with the project team in this scenario?

1. Monte Carlo
2. Beta
3. Averaged
4. Constant

Answer 6

Answer: Beta

Explanation
The only answer that’s applicable is the beta estimate, which is also known as PERT. Beta uses the formula of (O+(4ML)+P)/6 to create a prediction of costs. Note that triangular is the three-point estimate that generates an average of costs, but it is not called Averaged.

Question 7

In project integration management the process to close the project or phase creates four outputs. Which one of the following is not one of the four outputs of closing the project or phase?

1. Final report
2. Final project team assessment
3. Final product
4. Project documents updates

Answer 7

Answer: Final project team assessment

Explanation
The close project or phase process does not create the final project team assessment. The four items are the product documents updates, the final product, service, or result transition, final report, and the organizational process assets updates.

Question 8

As a project manager, you should recognize the communication model not only for your exam but also to be a more effective project manager. Which one of the following is the correct ordering of a message through the communications model?

1. Sender, Transmitter, Medium, Receiver, Decoder, Acknowledgement
2. Sender, Encoder, Transmitter, Decoder, Receiver
3. Sender, Encoder, Medium, Decoder, Receiver, Acknowledgement
4. Encoder, Decoder, Acknowledgement

Answer 8

Answer; Sender, Encoder, Medium, Decoder, Receiver, Acknowledgement

Explanation
The communications model is Sender, Encoder, Medium, Decoder, Receiver, and Acknowledgement.

Question 9

A project manager is running late on his project implementation and he has decided to add 15 workers to some effort-driven activities. This addition of workers will reduce the duration of the work but will drive costs. What term best describes this addition of labor to the effort-driven activities?

1. Crashing
2. Slack
3. Compounding
4. Float

Answer 9

Answer: Crashing

Explanation
Crashing adds labor to effort-driven activities but increases the overall costs of the project for the additional labor.

Question 10

Beth is a project manager in her organization, and she is working with her project team to create the project management plan for her project. The purpose of the project management plan is best described as which one of the following choices?

1, Define when the work will be completed and how much the work will cost
2. Define all processes the project team must utilize
3. Define how the project will achieve its objectives
4. Manage phase transitions within the project timeline

Answer 10

Answer: Define how the project will achieve its objectives

Explanation
The best answer is that the project management plan defines how the project will achieve its objectives. The project plan defines all processes that the project, not just the project team, will utilize and to what depth each selected process will be implemented. The project plan can also address how phase transitions will be managed, but this is not the best choice for achieving the project objectives. The project plan also addresses more than just the timeline and project costs.

Question 11

As a project manager participating in the PMI certification program, you should be familiar with the PMI Talent Triangle and its components. Which one of the following is not part of the PMI Talent Triangle?

1. Quality management
2. Leadership
3. Technical project management
4. Strategic and business management

Answer 11

Answer: Quality management

Explanation
Quality management is not part of the PMI Talent Triangle. The three components are Technical Project Management, Leadership, and Strategic and Business Management.

Question 12

You are a project manager for your organization and management has asked you to present a chart that will show the planned project performance on one axis and the actual project performance on a second axis to see the correlation of what was expected and what was experienced. What type of quality management chart is being requested?

1. Pareto chart
2. Scatter diagram
3. Fishbone chart
4. Histogram

Answer 12

Answer: Scatter diagram

Explanation
Scatter diagrams can show the planned performance on one axis and the actual performance on the second axis.

Question 13

Consider an activity that is not on the critical path that has four days of float available. The duration of the activity is four days. What’s the total amount of time this activity can take without affecting the project completion date?

1. Four days
2. Eight days
3. Four days plus four days of slack time
4. Seven days

Answer 13

Answer: Eight days

Explanation
The correct answer is simply eight days as the task will take four days to complete, and there are four days of float for a total of eight possible days of duration.

Question 14

Victor is the project sponsor of the HK Project and he has cautioned Mary of overworking the project team to meet deadlines in the project. Mary is eager to meet the deadlines and feels that the time should work a little extra throughout the project to deliver as promised. What’s one of the key drawbacks of overworking the project team?

1. Duration estimates will be bloated to reduce actual work hours
2. The project will likely experience rework
3. Mary will need improved communication and emotional intelligence
4. The team will enjoy bonuses, but wont enjoy the project work

Answer 14

Answer: The project will likely experience rework

Explanation
Meeting customer requirements by overworking the project team may result in decreased profits and increased levels of overall project risks, employee attrition, errors, or rework.

Question 15

Projects are often complex and require analytical skills by the project manager and the project team. There are three specific dimensions to the complexity of project management. Which one of the following is not one of the three dimensions of complexity?

1. Team behavior
2. Human behavior
3. Ambiguity
4. System behavior

Answer 15

Answer: Team behavior

Explanation
Team behavior is not one of the three dimensions of complexity. Complexity within projects is a result of the organization’s system behavior, human behavior, and the uncertainty at work in the organization or its environment. In Navigating Complexity: A Practice Guide, these three dimensions of complexity are defined as System behavior: the interdependencies of components and systems. Human behavior: the interplay between diverse individuals and groups. Ambiguity: uncertainty of emerging issues and lack of understanding or confusion.

Question 16

You are stopped in the hallway of your office and Gary, the CIO, wants a quick estimate for a small project. He promises he won’t hold you to the estimate, but needs a rough idea of what the cost of an implementation should be. You tell Gary the cost will likely be $250,000 but could be 25 percent less to 75 percent more, based on your limited information. What type of estimate have you provided Gary?

1. Ad
2. Budget
3. ROM
4. SWAG

Answer 16

Answer: ROM

Explanation
You have provided Gary a ROM estimate, which is a rough order of magnitude estimate type. It’s not very reliable and is based on limited information. ROM estimates should always have a range variance to show their volatility and to set expectations.

Question 17

Jerry is a project manager in his organization. He is working with the project team to identify the project stakeholders by leading an exercise where the team will first create their list of potential stakeholders and then come for a group creativity session to compare their lists of stakeholders with the group. What data gathering approach is Jerry likely using in this scenario?

1. Round robin
2. Brainstorming
3. Delphi technique
4. Brainwriting

Answer 17

Answer: Brainwriting

Explanation
Brainwriting is a refinement of brainstorming that allows individual participants time to consider the question(s) individually before the group creativity session is held. The information can be gathered in face-to-face groups or using virtual environments supported by technology.

Question 18

Mary, the project sponsor, has asked you to create the most accurate project cost estimate before starting the project execution. What type of project cost estimate should you create for Mary?

1. Definitive estimate
2. ROM
3. Proof estimate
4. Budget estimate

Answer 18

Answer: Definitive estimate

Explanation
A definitive estimate is the most accurate cost estimate, but it requires the work breakdown structure to create. A definite estimate takes the longest to create, but it is the most reliable.

Question 19

You are a project manager for the ARQ Company, and you’re working with your project management office to learn about the required templates, forms, and tools all project managers in your organization must use. What type of project management office are you working with in this scenario?

1. Directive
2. Controlling
3. Supportive
4. Enterprise

Answer 19

Answer: Controlling

Explanation
Controlling PMOs provide support and require compliance through various means. The degree of control provided by the PMO is moderate. Controlling PMOs define the specific templates, forms, and tools you’re required to use as the project manager.

Question 20

The role of a project manager is distinct from that of a functional manager or operations manager. Which of the following definitions is not correct regarding these roles?

1. the functional manager in a functional structure will make all project budget decisions throughout the project
2. The functional manager is the person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives
3. the functional manager focuses on providing management oversight for a functional or business unit
4. Operations managers are responsible for ensuring that business operations are efficient

Answer 20

Answer: The functional manager is the person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives

Explanation
The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives is the project manager, not the functional manager. The other choices are not valid answers for this question as these are accurate statements about these roles.

Question 21

You are the project manager for your organization. Your current project has 18 stakeholders on the project that you have to work with each day. How many communication channels are in this project?

1. 342
2. 171
3. 18
4. 1

Answer 21

Answer: 171

Explanation
To find the answer you’ll use the formula of N(N-1)/2 where N represents the number of stakeholders. Notice that this question requires you to include the project manager in the total number of stakeholders presented. This is a common query from exam candidates: to include the project manager in the number of stakeholders or not. On your exam, you may have to first find the answer with the number of stakeholders including the project manager and then find the answer without the project manager in the number. Generally, it’s assumed that the project manager is a stakeholder (of course), and you’ll include the project manager in the calculation. Basically, do the formula and see if any of the answers match your findings if not, do the formula again and make an adjustment for the project manager to be included or not. It’s tedious, but not difficult. I highly doubt you’ll have to choose from answers with the project manager included and not included in the formula.

Question 22

John is the project manager for his organization, and he’s working with the project team to create a project cost estimate. John would like to purchase resources for his project from a specific vendor, The JH Goods Company, that he has worked with in the past. John knows that some other vendors may charge slightly less than the JH Goods Company, but he knows this vendor is reliable and does excellent work. What is the best term to describe John’s preference in this scenario?

1. Oligopoly
2. Preferred vendor
3. Single source
4. Sole source

Answer 22

Answer: Single source

Explanation
This is a single source model of procurement. John prefers to purchase from one specific vendor, though there are multiple vendors available. A sole source means only one vendor exists that can fulfill the particular project purchase. Oligopoly describes the market condition that is so tight that the actions of one company affect the operations of others, such as the cost of airline travel or fuel. A preferred vendor isn’t a valid project management term.

Question 23

You are the project manager for GHT Organization. Your manager, Jesse, has announced that he’s leaving the organization after 20 years of service. Another manager, Barb, who doesn’t like your project objectives, will be taking over as project sponsor and manager for your department. You now fear that Barb will cancel your project with her new authority. What type of power does Barb likely have in this scenario?

1. Referent
2. Punitive
3. Situational
4. Avoiding

Answer 23

Answer: Situational

Explanation
Barb has situational power. Her power over the project has increased due to the situation of Jesse leaving the organization. Punitive means the person can discipline others. Reference means the person has respect or admiration. Avoiding means the person refuses to participate.

Question 24

Karen is the project manager for your organization and she’s working with the project team to finalize a phase of a project. Karen has requested that the team inspect all of the work prior to the project customer inspection next week. Karen wants to ensure that the work is perfect and that there will be no delays with the customer inspection in the project. What type of inspection is the project team completing before the customer’s inspection?

1. The team is completing quality control and the customer is completing scope validation
2. The team is completing quality assurance and the customer is completing scope validation
3. the team is completing scope validation and the customer is completing quality control
4. The team is completing PDCA and the customer is completing scope acceptance verification

Answer 24

Answer; The team is completing quality control and the customer is completing scope validation

Explanation
The team is completing quality control, which aims to keep mistakes out of the customers’ hands. The customer will be completing scope validation, which aims to accept the product. Both processes utilize inspection. The other statements are not valid descriptions of what’s happening in the scenario.

Question 25

You are a project manager for the GHB Corporation and you’re working with your project sponsor to discuss a recent project that wasn’t successful. Several of the product testers missed defects that affected lines of business in the organization. The project sponsor wants to know who is responsible for the project as a whole. What’s the best answer?

1. You, the project manager, are ultimately responsible
2. The project team and the project manager are responsible
3. In this case, the product testers are responsible
4. The project team is responsible for the project

Answer 25

Answer; You, the project manager, are ultimately responsible

Explanation
The PMBOK Guide, the sixth edition, tells us in the key concepts of Chapter 4 that the project manager is ultimately responsible for the project as a whole. The project team may have some accountability, but the project manager is the responsible party. While the product testers may be accountable for missing the defects, the question asks about the project.