PMP Practice test 2: PMP Practice Test Two

Question 1

You are working with your project team and management to create the resource management plan for a new project. This project will span several lines of business in your organization and will be a high-profile project. Management has asked that you create a chart to document and illustrate the existing departments and teams with project activities listed under each department to help each department see their responsibilities in the project. What type of chart is management asking you to create?

1. Work breakdown structure
2. Org breakdown structure
3. Activity list
4. Resource breakdown structure

Answer 1

Answer: Org breakdown structure

Explanation
While the WBS shows a breakdown of project deliverables, an organizational breakdown structure is arranged according to an organization’s existing departments, units, or teams, with the project activities or work packages listed under each department. An operational department, such as information technology or purchasing, can see all its project responsibilities by looking at its portion of the OBS. The resource breakdown structure is a hierarchical list of team and physical resources related by category and resource type that is used for planning, managing and controlling project work. The activity list simply shows all the project activities, not segmented by department.

Question 2

Ken is the project manager for his organization, and he’s working with his manager to discuss a new project. The project being considered is to implement a new hydroelectric dam in a community nearby. Some of the residents are not in favor of the dam, and other residents are excited about the dam. There are many government regulations, and environmental considerations before this dam can be installed. Based on this information, what is the most commonly used document to create the project charter if this project is approved?

1. Business case
2. Blueprints
3. Regulatory approval
4. Environmental reports

Answer 2

Answer: Business case

Explanation
The approved business case, or similar, is the business document most commonly used to create the project charter. The business case describes the necessary information from a business standpoint to determine whether the expected outcomes of the project justify the required investment. It is commonly used for decision making by managers or executives above the project level.

Question 3

Beth is a project manager for her organization, and she is leading a massive construction project. She and the project team have determined that the electrical work on the project is too dangerous for the team to take on, so they have outsourced this part of the project work. Beth would like to capture this portion of the project in her network diagram, but she doesn’t know all of the activities the electricians would do. What should Beth do next?

1. Create her network diagram without the electoral work since the project team wont be doing this work
2. Create a fragnet in her network diagram for the outsourced work
3. Interview the electricians to capture all of their activities
4. Ask the vendor to provide their project network diagram for the portion of the project they are completing for Beths organization.

Answer 3

Answer: Create a fragnet in her network diagram for the outsourced work

Explanation
The best answer presented is to create a fragnet for the portion of the project that has been outsourced to the vendor. A fragnet represents a part of the project network diagram that can be repetitive activities, a subproject, or outsourced project work.

Question 4

John is a project manager, and he’s working with his project team to define all of the requirements used in the project. One of the decisions in the project is the selection of a sculpture that will go in the lobby of the new office complex. John and the key stakeholders have decided to allow everyone to vote on which sculpture will be selected using the plurality approach for the three choices. Sculpture A received 457 votes, Sculpture B received 120 votes, and Sculpture C received 459 votes. Which sculpture will be installed in the lobby?

1. Sculpture A and Sculpture CC will be voted on again without Sculpture B splitting the votes
2. Sculpture B will be installed as Sculpture A and Sculpture C cancel each other out, and therefore Sculpture B has the most remaining votes
3. Undetermined; there is not a majority of voters for anyone sculpture as there are more voters against the statue with the most votes
4. Sculpture C will be installed as it has the most votes

Answer 4

Answer: Sculpture C will be installed as it has the most votes

Explanation
Plurality voting creates a decision that is reached whereby the most significant block in a group decides, even if a majority is not achieved. This method is generally used when the number of options nominated is more than two.

Question 5

You are the project manager of the NLO Project for your organization. This project is an IT upgrade project which will replace data servers on your company’s network. As part of the requirements gathering process Mark, the CIO of your organization, is concerned about the nonfunctional requirements that must be addressed in the project. Anna is confused about nonfunctional requirements and how they relate to this project. Of the following, what is an example of a nonfunctional requirement Mark may be concerned with?

1. Web access to data
2. Data
3. Processor size
4. Security of data

Answer 5

Answer: Security of data

Explanation
Nonfunctional requirements supplement functional requirements and describe the environmental conditions or qualities required for the product to be useful. Examples include reliability, security, performance, safety, level of service, supportability, retention/purge, etc.

Question 6

As a project manager, you need to recognize the 5Cs of communication and how these 5Cs affect the message being communicated. Which one of the following is not one of the 5Cs of communication?

1. Consistent messaging to the appropriate stakeholders throughout the project
2. Clear purpose and expression directed to the needs of the reader
3. Correct grammar and spelling
4. Concise expression and elimination of excess words

Answer 6

Answer: Consistent messaging to the appropriate stakeholders throughout the project

Explanation
This choice is correct because “consistent messaging to the appropriate stakeholders throughout the project” is not one of the 5Cs of communication. The 5Cs are: Correct grammar and spelling; Concise expression and elimination of excess words; Clear purpose and expression directed to the needs of the reader; Coherent, logical flow of ideas; Controlling flow of words and ideas.

Question 7

Your manager has asked you to create a RACI chart for your project. What does the C in RACI stand for?

1. Consult
2. Confirm
3. Consider
4. Conversation

Answer 7

Answer: Consult

Explanation
RACI means Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform.

Question 8

You are a project manager for the NJIK Project and you’re working with your project team to define the communications management plan. As part of this planning, you want to define how you’ll communicate with a hierarchical focus of the organization. Which one of the following describes how you will communicate to the project team members in consideration of the hierarchical structure?

1. Matrix
2. Vertical
3. Downward
4. Horizontal

Answer 8

Answer: Downward

Explanation
Downward communication in the hierarchical communication structure defines the direction of the communication. As the team communicates to the project manager, the direction is downward. A is incorrect because a matrix describes the organizational structure, not the communication structure. Horizontal means peer-to-peer, and vertical isn’t a valid direction for the question.

Question 9

Juan is the project manager of the NQA Project, and he has created a RACI chart for this project team to show the roles and responsibilities of several activities. Steph, a project team member, isn’t familiar with this type of chart and needs clarity on what a RACI chart means. What does RACI mean for Stephanie?

1. Risk, Account, Contractor, Integration
2. Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform
3. Responsible, Actionable, Consult, Inform
4. Risk, Action, Communicate, Information

Answer 9

Answer: Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform

Explanation
RACI means Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform. There is just one person accountable per activity in a RACI chart.

Question 10

Mike is the project manager of the AQA Project for his company. His BAC is $2,345,000, and he is currently 25 percent complete with the project, though he is supposed to be 30 percent complete. In the project so far, Mike has spent $612,000. Based on this information and using the Estimate at Completion, what is the TCPI value for this project?

1. 0.96
2. 0.67
3. 0.5
4. 0.81

Answer 10

Answer: 0.96

Explanation
The TCPI shows the likelihood to hit the Estimate at Completion, which is $2,448,000. To find the To Complete Performance Index you’ll use the formula of (BAC-EV)/(EAC-AC) to see the result of .96.

Question 11

You are preparing the risk management plan according to the PMBOK Guide, sixth edition. One of the inputs for the process includes the project management plan and all its components. You also know that you should identify risks as early as possible in the project and not all the project management plan is complete. What should you do?

1. Complete the risk management plan first, then create the project
2. Risk management planning is an iterative activity, so this is fine and expected
3. Use a project template for the risk management plan and update it as needed in the approach
4. Complete all the project management plan before completing the risk management plan

Answer 11

Answer: Risk management planning is an iterative activity, so this is fine and expected

Explanation
Planning is an ongoing activity, so this is not unusual. In planning Project Risk Management, all approved subsidiary management plans should be taken into consideration to make the risk management plan consistent with them. The methodology outlined in other project management plan components might influence the Plan Risk Management process.

Question 12

You are a project manager for the KJG Project and you want to create a stakeholder register with the project team. In this register, you want to include the stakeholder identification information, the assessment information, and what other attributes should be included?

1. Role of the project team
2. Primary concerns for project requirements
3. Responsibilities in the project
4. Stakeholder classification

Answer 12

Answer: Stakeholder classification

Explanation
The stakeholder register includes the identification information, assessment information, and the stakeholder classification. The other choices are incorrect options for this question. Stakeholder classification includes attributes such as: internal/external, impact/influence/power/interest, upward/downward/outward/sideward, or any other classification model chosen by the project manager.

Question 13

Mike is the project manager of the AQA Project for his company. His BAC is $2,345,000, and he is currently 25 percent complete with the project, though he is supposed to be 30 percent complete. In the project so far, Mike has spent $612,000. Management has asked Mike to report on his cost and schedule performance. What is the EAC for AQA Project?

1. $2,448,000
2. $3,221,091
3. $2,345,000
4. $3,229,087

Answer 13

Answer: $2,448,000

Explanation
The estimate at completion is $2,448,000. The EAC is found by using the formula of Budget at Completion / Cost Performance Index. In this question it’s $2,345,000 divided by .96.

Question 14

Mike is the project manager of the AQA Project for his company. His BAC is $2,345,000, and he is currently 25 percent complete with the project, though is supposed to be 30 percent complete. In the project so far, Mike has spent $612,000. Management has asked Mike to report on his cost and schedule performance. Which one of the following is an accurate statement about the AQA Project?

1. The project’s time to complete with be 110 percent and the cost of the project will be an additional five percent
2. There is a CPI of .96 and an SPI of .89
3. There is a cost variance of -$25,750 and a schedule variance of -$117,250
4. There is a cost variance of five percent and a schedule variance of ten percent

Answer 14

Answer: There is a cost variance of -$25,750 and a schedule variance of -$117,250

Explanation
The best answer is that there is a cost variance of -$25,750 and a schedule variance of -$117,250.

Question 15

Mike is the project manager of the AQA Project for his company. His BAC is $2,345,000, and he is currently 25 percent complete with the project, though he is supposed to be 30 percent complete. In the project so far, Mike has spent $612,000. Management has asked Mike to report on his cost and schedule performance. What is the project’s CPI?

1. 2
2. 0.75
3. 0.96
4. 1

Answer 15

Answer: 0.96

Explanation
The CPI is .96 and is found by using the formula of earned value / actual costs. In this question, the earned value is $586,250, and the actual costs are $612,000.

Question 16

Gary is a project manager in his organization and he’s working with management to discuss the risks within the project. Some of the risks, Gary reports, can actually be beneficial to the project and the project should try to take advantage of those opportunities. Marsha, the project sponsor, says that she thinks Gary is mistaken as it’s company policy that all risks are negative and should be avoided in the project. Which one of the following is the best answers in this scenario?

1. Marsha is correct because she is the project sponser
2. Marsha is correct as all risks are negative and should be avoided
3. Gary is correct, as risks can be positive or negative
4. Gary is correct, as risk outcomes can be beneficial to the project costs

Answer 16

Answer: Gary is correct, as risks can be positive or negative

Explanation
Gary is correct as individual project risks can have a positive or negative effect on project objectives. Project Risk Management aims to exploit or enhance positive risks (opportunities) while avoiding or mitigating negative risks (threats). Unmanaged threats may result in issues or problems such as delay, cost overruns, performance shortfall, or loss of reputation. Opportunities that are captured can lead to benefits such as reduced time and cost, improved performance, or reputation. Marsha is incorrect, even if she is the project sponsor.

Question 17

Ben is a project manager in his organization and he’s leading an adaptive project. In this adaptive project, he knows that much of the leadership of the team shifts to the project team members rather than on himself. He’s also explaining to his manager that in adaptive projects there is an agile approach where the project team members are not necessarily subject matter experts but are called what term to describe their ability to serve in more than one role?

1. Generalized specialists
2. Self- organizing
3. Waiters and servers
4. Servant leadership

Answer 17

Answer: Generalized specialists

Explanation
Successful self-organizing teams usually consist of generalized specialists, instead of subject matter experts, who continuously adapt to the changing environment and embrace constructive feedback. Servant leadership describes the role of the project manager in an agile environment. Waiters and servers is not a valid agile project management term. Self-organizing means that the team decides who’ll do what on the project and isn’t the best choice for this question.

Question 18

You are a project manager for the NJJ Project and you’re working with the project team to identify project risks. Some of the risks in your project are uncomfortable for the project team to discuss. For example, there is a probability that the project team’s level of productivity may fluctuate or that the number of errors or defects in the project will not always be predictable. Though the team wants to insist that they will remain productive and that they’ll catch errors quickly and fix them, you know there is some fluctuation to be expected. What type of risk events are you defining in this scenario?

1. Performance risk
2. Systemic risks
3. Team risks
4. Variability risks

Answer 18

Answer: Variability risks

Explanation
Uncertainty exists about some key characteristics of a planned event or activity or decision. Examples of variability risks include: productivity may be above or below target, the number of errors found during testing may be higher or lower than expected, or unseasonal weather conditions may occur during the construction phase.

Question 19

Ned is the project manager of an IT upgrade project. He is working with the project team and the key project stakeholders to identify all of the project requirements. To keep the meeting moving along, Ned has created four classifications for requirements: hardware, software, network, and data. As requirements are identified, they are sorted into one of these four areas. What has Ned created in this meeting?

1. Brainwriting
2. Nominal group technique
3. Mind mapping
4. Affinity diagram

Answer 19

Answer: Affinity diagram

Explanation
Affinity diagrams allow large numbers of ideas to be classified for review and analysis.

Question 20

As a project manager, you are familiar with the quality and how quality affects the acceptability of the product scope. For example, what is the difference between attribute sample and variable sampling?

1. Attribute sampling means the result either conforms or does not conform. Variable sampling implies the result is rated on a continuous scale that measures the degree of conformity
2. Attribute sampling means you’re testing a portion of the product scope attributes. Variable sampling means your examining several variables of the product scope attributes
3. Attribute sampling and variable sampling both test the product scope for quality, but attribute sampling tests only the defined functional requirements, while variable sampling tests all variables of functional and non-functional requirements.
4. Attribute sampling means you measure the product scope defined attributes for acceptability as part of quality control. Variable sampling implies the customer is testing the product scope acceptability as part of scope validation

Answer 20

Anwer: Attribute sampling means the result either conforms or does not conform. Variable sampling implies the result is rated on a continuous scale that measures the degree of conformity

Explanation
Attribute sampling means the result either conforms or does not conform. Variable sampling means the result is rated on a continuous scale that measures the degree of conformity.

Question 21

Emily is the project manager of the GHY Project. She has hired several sellers to do a portion of the project work to test their competencies and to rate their work in the project. Based on their performance, she’ll choose one vendor to complete a larger portion of the project work. What is the primary advantage of this trial engagement approach?

1. Mutiple vendors will audition for the larger role on the project team
2. The organization can test the vendor before buying more from the vendor
3. Progress will be made on the project while testing the vendors performance
4. Emily will save money on the project costs as the vendors will complete the smaller portions of the project work at no cost to the organization

Answer 21

Answer: Progress will be made on the project while testing the vendors performance

Explanation
Not every seller is well suited for an organization’s environment. Therefore, some projects will engage several candidate sellers for initial deliverables and work products on a paid basis before making the full commitment to a larger portion of the project scope. This accelerates momentum by allowing the buyer to evaluate potential partners, while simultaneously making progress on project work.

Question 22

You are a project manager for the HJK Project, and you’d like to bring all the stakeholders together to discuss the risks, success criteria, and a few other topics in a meeting. You want the meeting to be informal and conversational for all the stakeholders. What type of meeting are you proposing?

1. Focus group
2. Scrum
3. Kickoff meeting
4. Status meeting

Answer 22

Answer: Focus group

Explanation
Focus groups bring together stakeholders and subject matter experts to learn about the perceived project risk, success criteria, and other topics in a more conversational way than a one-on-one interview.

Question 23

You are a project manager for the HGJ Project and you’re working with the project team to complete a RACI chart for your project activities. Beth and Laura will be working together on the “Install HW Fixtures” tasks. Beth is a senior electrical engineer and Laura is her assistant. Laura wonders though if she too should have the “A” designation for the task since she’ll be working on it with Beth. What’s the best response?

1. The senior employee should always have the A designation RACI
2. Beth should have the R designation and Laura, the assistant, should have the A designation
3. If both employees are working on the task equally then yes, both should have the A designation
4. Only one person per task may have the A designation

Answer 23

Answer: Only one person per task may have the A designation

Explanation
Only one person per task has the A designation as only one person per task is accountable. RACI means Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform.

Question 24

You are a project manager for the UYT Project, and you’re working with the project team to build out the project network diagram. You and the team are reviewing the relationships between several activities in the project, and you’re concerned about some of the soft logic the team has used for the activity relationships. Who determines the soft logic about activity relationships in a project?

1. Project sponsor
2. Project lead
3. Project manager
4. Project team

Answer 24

Answer: Project team

Explanation
Discretionary dependencies should be fully documented since they can create arbitrary total float values and can limit later scheduling options. When fast-tracking techniques are employed, these discretionary dependencies should be reviewed and considered for modification or removal. The project team determines which dependencies are discretionary during the process of sequencing the activities.

Question 25

You are a project manager for your organization and your project currently has 29 stakeholders. You’ve been informed, however, that due to a change in the project scope your project will have an additional 13 stakeholders next week. How many more communication channels will be created as a result of the 13 additional stakeholders?

1. $861
2. $406
3. $78
4. 455

Answer 25

Answer: 455

Explanation
To find the answer to this question you’ll use the formula of N(n-1)/2 where N represents the number of stakeholders. You’ll first find the current number of stakeholder communication channels, based on 29 stakeholders, which is 406. Then you’ll find the number of communication channels with the additional 13 people, which is 861. Finally, you’ll find the difference of 861 and 406 which is 455.