Deck 1: Introduction: Why Project Management

Question 1

Any organization,no matter how initially unskilled in project management,can begin to chart a course toward the type of project organization they wish to become.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A typical project stays within functional and organizational boundaries.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A project exists outside of the standard line organization.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The business success dimension of project success determines whether the project achieved significant commercial success.

Question 5

Most effective project maturity models chart both a set of standards that are currently accepted as state-of-the-art as well as a process for achieving significant movement towards these benchmarks.

Question 6

Product life cycles are longer now than twenty years ago.

Question 7

The special nature of projects relieves project managers from their routine of planning,organizing,motivating,directing,and controlling.

Question 8

The use of benchmarking allows companies that are relatively immature at project management to achieve quantum leaps of improvement.

Question 9

A(n)________ refers to ongoing,day-to-day activities in which an organization engages while producing goods and services.

Question 10

Projects are typically ongoing,day-to-day activities that have goods and services as outputs.

Question 11

The classic triple constraint standard for project performance is composed of time,cost,and client acceptance.

Question 12

A company's culture has little impact on whether projects are successfully implemented.

Question 13

The Atkinson model for assessing project success gathers input from all of the project's stakeholders.

Question 14

Since a business gains market share with day-to-day operations,senior managers value process management experience over project management experience.

Question 15

The goals of a project are sometimes called ________.

Question 16

The initial goal and technical specifications of the project are developed during the planning stage.

Question 17

Acme uses no recognizable project management processes and has entertaining project meetings because each member has a unique way of reporting progress or lack thereof.Acme is most likely at the moderate level in the generic project management maturity model.

Question 18

The emergence of global markets has made project management skills more critical.

Question 19

Client interest in a project is highest during the termination and conceptual phases.

Question 20

Projects,rather than repetitive tasks,are now the basis for most value-added in business.

Question 21

________ are used to allow organizations to benchmark the best practices of successful project management firms.

Question 22

Detailed specifications,schematics,and schedules are all developed during the ________ stage.

Question 23

The stages in a project's development are known as the ________.

Question 24

The Center for Business Practices' maturity model stage that describes project management as an ad hoc process is ________.

Question 25

The purpose of ________ is to systematically manage the process improvements of project delivery by a single organization over a period of time.

Question 26

A project may satisfy immediate needs by being efficient,impacting the customer positively,and achieving business success.If the project helps open new markets,product lines or helps develop new technology,it would also meet the ________ criterion.

Question 27

________ serves as an excellent training ground for future senior executives in most organizations.

Question 28

Projects are ________-focused.

Question 29

In general,product life cycles are becoming ________ and product launch windows are becoming ________.

Question 30

Which of the following is accomplished through project management?

A)A cellular phone company activates a new customer's service.
B)An automotive manufacturer produces a day's quota of vehicles.
C)A software developer creates a new crash-proof operating system.
D)A retailer restocks the shelves after a day of brisk sales.

Question 31

Which of the following types of activities is more closely associated with projects rather than processes?

A)an activity that is ongoing
B)an activity that is day-to-day
C)an activity that uses existing systems
D)an activity that establishes its own work rules

Question 32

The Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide definition of a project indicates that a project is:

A)multifunctional.
B)temporary.
C)designed to consume human resources.
D)limited by a budget.

Question 33

Atkinson suggests that all groups that are affected by a project,otherwise known as ________,should have a hand in assessing project success.

Question 34

The triple constraint of project success is ________.

Question 35

In general,all project management maturity models agree that an organization that has internalized all necessary project management principles and is actively seeking to move beyond these in innovative ways is ________.

Question 36

Project management entails crossing ________ and ________ boundaries.

Question 37

A project may be on-time,under-budget,and perform according to specifications,but if it lacks ________,it would not be considered successful under the quadruple constraint paradigm.

Question 38

The degree of risk associated with the project is at its highest during the ________ stage.

Question 39

Creativity is at its zenith during the ________ stage of the project life cycle.

Question 40

A project typically has:

A)a defined start and end date.
B)a defined start date but no defined end date.
C)no defined start but a defined end date.
D)no defined start or end date.

Question 41

Process management features ________ with respect to project management.

A)greater heterogeneity
B)greater certainty of performance
C)greater numbers of goals and objectives
D)lower adherence to established practices

Question 42

Which of these is NOT characteristic of a project?

A)Projects are responsible for the newest and most improved products,services,and organizational processes.
B)Projects are ad hoc endeavors with a clear life cycle.
C)Projects provide a philosophy and strategy for the management of change.
D)Traditional process management functions of planning,organizing,and controlling do not apply to project management.

Question 43

The man-hours requirement is typically at a peak during the ________ phase of the project life cycle.

A)planning
B)conceptualization
C)execution
D)termination

Question 44

A project that results in "doing the wrong things well" has ignored the:

A)budgetary goal.
B)technical goal.
C)customer satisfaction goal.
D)scheduling goal.

Question 45

Which of these countries is NOT identified in the text as having a developing economy with a substantial market?

A)Russia
B)China
C)India
D)Europe

Question 46

The MBA redesign committee presents the results of their five-year project to their bemused Dean.They hope it is not just wishful thinking that they are in the:

A)planning phase.
B)conceptualization phase.
C)execution phase.
D)termination phase.

Question 47

The behavioral side of project management emphasizes:

A)scheduling.
B)leadership.
C)planning.
D)project selection.

Question 48

Individual activities and their durations are developed during the ________ phase of the project life cycle.

A)planning
B)conceptualization
C)execution
D)termination

Question 49

Project members may be from:

A)different departments.
B)other organizational units.
C)one functional area.
D)all of the above.

Question 50

A business reality that makes effective project management critical is the fact that:

A)products are becoming increasingly simple.
B)inflation is rampant.
C)product life cycles are compressing.
D)product launch windows are widening.

Question 51

Client interest is typically at its lowest during the:

A)conceptualization phase.
B)planning phase.
C)execution phase.
D)termination phase.

Question 52

The technical side of project management emphasizes:

A)team building.
B)conflict management.
C)negotiation.
D)budgeting.

Question 53

A product is introduced into a market,gains the acceptance of a fickle public,and finally is supplanted by a new and improved offering.This phenomenon is known as the:

A)product life cycle.
B)rule of 80.
C)Mendoza line.
D)beta.

Question 54

Keith Monroe nails hundreds of pieces of culled lumber in the blazing July sun to form a parquet deck for his barn roof.He and his assistant are clearly in:

A)the termination stage of the project life cycle.
B)the planning stage of the project life cycle.
C)the execution stage of the project life cycle.
D)way over their heads.

Question 55

Studies of IT projects reveal that:

A)initial cost estimates are overrun by an average of 15%.
B)over 66% of IT projects were delivered to customers but not used.
C)about 25% of all IT projects become runaways by overshooting budgets and timetables.
D)up to 75% of software projects are cancelled.

Question 56

Projects differ from classic organizational processes because projects are:

A)discrete activities.
B)part of line organization.
C)well established systems in place to integrate efforts.
D)multi-objective.

Question 57

There is no such thing as a project team:

A)with a deliverable.
B)with an ongoing,non-specific purpose.
C)with a goal.
D)with a project manager.

Question 58

Low inflation is a trigger for improved project management skills because:

A)rampant cost increases must be passed along to the consumer.
B)internal process improvement is accomplished via project management.
C)lower inflation means narrower product launch windows.
D)global markets are a prerequisite for low inflation.

Question 59

Geoffco's project manager names three individuals and requests a project budget of $3,000,000 for the new 8-Pod,a backpack-sized personal music player for 8-track tapes capable of holding up to 100 songs from the '60s and '70s.This important step takes place during ________ of the project life cycle.

A)planning
B)conceptualization
C)execution
D)termination

Question 60

Which of the following is NOT a project constraint?

A)the budget
B)the customer requirements
C)the schedule
D)the technical specifications

Question 61

The amount of corporate investment is typically at its lowest in the:

A)conceptualization phase.
B)planning phase.
C)execution phase.
D)termination phase.

Question 62

The most recent addition to the four criteria of project success is:

A)time.
B)cost.
C)performance.
D)client acceptance.

Question 63

Which of these factors are essentially complete opposites from an intensity perspective across the project life cycle?

A)Client Interest and Uncertainty
B)Creativity and Resources
C)Uncertainty and Project Stake
D)Project Stake and Client Interest

Question 64

Which of the following statements about project success criteria is best?

A)Project cost is an external performance measure.
B)Completion time is an internal performance measure.
C)Client acceptance is an internal performance measure.
D)Client acceptance is often referred to as conducting a "quality" check.

Question 65

The commitment of financial,human,and technical resources is highest during the:

A)conceptualization phase.
B)planning phase.
C)execution phase.
D)termination phase.

Question 66

The dimension of project success that is measured by both an internal and external criterion is:

A)future potential.
B)business success.
C)impact on the customer.
D)efficiency.

Question 67

The dimension of project success that is realized last (chronologically)is:

A)future potential.
B)business success.
C)impact on the customer.
D)efficiency.

Question 68

The project success criteria that functions as a quality check is:

A)time.
B)cost.
C)performance.
D)client acceptance.

Question 69

A design project is completed on time,under budget,to the customer's satisfaction,and in adherence to the technical specifications agreed.The new product takes the market by storm and everyone associated with the project receives a coveted gold star.Under the four dimensions of project success model,the project still needs to show:

A)future potential.
B)business success.
C)impact on the customer.
D)efficiency.

Question 70

An information system project might be assessed by which of the following criteria?

A)Maintainability
B)Reduced waste
C)Time
D)Personal development

Question 71

The degree of risk associated with the project is typically at its highest during the:

A)conceptualization phase.
B)planning phase.
C)execution phase.
D)termination phase.

Question 72

The technical challenges that the project has to face are typically at their lowest during the:

A)conceptualization phase.
B)planning phase.
C)execution phase.
D)termination phase.

Question 73

All groups that are affected by a project are known by this name:

A)Ombudsmen
B)Team members
C)Minions
D)Stakeholders

Question 74

Which of these factors are essentially complete opposites from an intensity perspective across the project life cycle?

A)Client Interest and Creativity
B)Creativity and Resources
C)Resources and Project Stake
D)Project Stake and Client Interest

Question 75

The degree of innovation and creativity is typically at its highest during the:

A)conceptualization phase.
B)planning phase.
C)execution phase.
D)termination phase.

Question 76

The dimension of project success that is realized first (chronologically)is:

A)future potential.
B)business success.
C)impact on the customer.
D)efficiency.

Question 77

In the Atkinson model of project success,stakeholder benefits not accrued by the organization might include:

A)improved effectiveness.
B)improved efficiency.
C)social and environmental impact.
D)increased profits.

Question 78

In the Atkinson model of project success,a project's impact to the surrounding community would be classified as:

A)an element of the iron triangle.
B)a stakeholder benefit.
C)an organizational benefit.
D)a strategic goal.

Question 79

The amount of corporate investment is typically at its highest in the:

A)conceptualization phase.
B)planning phase.
C)execution phase.
D)termination phase.

Question 80

Which of these factors are highly similar from an intensity perspective across the project life cycle?

A)Client Interest and Creativity
B)Creativity and Resources
C)Resources and Project Stake
D)Project Stake and Uncertainty