Deck 11: Project Control

Question 1

Which of the following is the key feature of cybernetic control systems?

A)Manual operations
B)Directional controls
C)Automatic operation
D)Specific preconditions

Answer 1

C

Question 2

There are no purely mechanistic problems on projects.All problems have a _____ element,too.

A)computer
B)client
C)workers
D)human

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Most control systems used in project management today fall into this category of control system.

A)cybernetic control
B)robotic control
C)go / no-go control
D)postcontrol

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The stewardship of human resources requires __________ the growth and development of people.

A)flattening
B)demolition
C)controlling and maintaining
D)mandating

Question 5

A majority of uncertainty has its source in systems that lie outside the project,in its __________.

A)environment
B)stakeholder area
C)sourcing model
D)control zone

Question 6

With respect to financial controls,courts will require the practice of __________ regarding financial controls,practices,and record-keeping.

A)efficiency
B)due diligence
C)effectiveness
D)management

Question 7

The __________ controls take the form of testing to see if some specific precondition has been met.

A)postcontrol
B)go / no-go
C)cybernetic
D)monitoring

Question 8

The most common type of control system is the __________,or steering control.

A)postcontrol
B)go / no-go
C)cybernetic
D)monitoring

Question 9

Identify the item that is not one of the three types of control processes described by the authors.

A)cybernetic control
B)robotic control
C)go / no-go control
D)postcontrol

Question 10

By and large,people respond to the goal-directedness of control systems in one of three general ways.Which of the following is not one of these ways?

A)By active and positive participation and goal seeking
B)By passive participation in order to avoid loss
C)By active but negative participation and resistance
D)By actively working to change the goals of the project

Question 11

In a cybernetic control system using a negative feedback loop,the speed or force with which the control operates is,in general,__________ to the size of the deviation from standard.

A)customary
B)proportional
C)reciprocal
D)double

Question 12

Physical asset control is concerned with asset maintenance,whether __________.

A)detective or estimative
B)addition or removal
C)detection or estimation
D)preventive or corrective

Question 13

When performing control,project managers need to be attentive to __________.

A)maintaining laissez faire leadership
B)avoiding directive behaviors
C)regulation and conservation equally
D)regulation more than conservation

Question 14

__________ controls are usually viewed as helpful rather than as a source of unwelcome pressure if the controlees perceive themselves as able to perform inside the prescribed limits.

A)Steering
B)Negative feedback
C)Postcontrols
D)Cybernetic

Question 15

Control is focused on three elements of a project.They are __________.

A)scope,quality,and customer satisfaction
B)performance,delivery,and cost
C)scope,cost,and time
D)cost,time,and customer satisfaction

Question 16

The cybernetic control system that acts to reduce deviations from standard is called a __________.

A)nonautomatic modification
B)critical ratio
C)positive feedback loop
D)negative feedback loop

Question 17

Physical asset control requires control of the __________ of physical assets and is concerned with asset maintenance,whether preventative or corrective.

A)use
B)location
C)storage
D)repair

Question 18

Perhaps the most difficult task in creating a cybernetic control system is what?

A)Finding a common standard for all the elements we wish to control
B)Limiting the elements we wish to control to a reasonable number
C)Setting the standards for each element of output we wish to control
D)Selling top management on the list of elements to be controlled

Question 19

An automatic control system containing a negative feedback loop is referred to as

A)cybernetic
B)go / no-go
C)postcontrol
D)critical ratio

Question 20

The two fundamental objectives of control are the regulation of results and the __________.

A)procurement of organizational assets
B)distribution of organizational assets
C)stewardship of organizational assets
D)refurbishing of organizational assets

Question 21

The critical ratio control chart uses a ratio made up of two parts -- the ratio of actual progress to scheduled progress,and the __________.

A)ratio of earned value to planned cost
B)ratio of budgeted cost to actual cost
C)ratio of actual cost to budgeted cost
D)ratio of planned cost to earned value

Question 22

Because project milestones may not occur at periodic intervals,go / no-go controls should be linked to the __________; not simply to the calendar.

A)actual plans and to the occurrence of real events
B)corporate budgeting process
C)portfolio management review process
D)capital budgeting process

Question 23

The __________ process controls the project at various points in the life cycle to make sure that the project remains on course.This is opposed to waiting until the project is completed and then finding out it doesn't meet the objectives of the organization

A)portfolio
B)phased-step
C)phase-gate
D)overarching

Question 24

The ___________ is calculated as (actual progress / scheduled progress)× (budgeted cost / actual cost)

A)critical ratio
B)highlighted ratio
C)cybernetic ratio
D)efficiency ratio

Question 25

Project changes result from three basic causes.Which of the following is not one of those causes?

A)Uncertainty about the technology on which the work of the project or its output is based
B)An increase in the knowledge base or sophistication of the client / user leading to scope creep
C)Changes to the environment in which the project is being completed
D)A modification of the rules applying to the process of carrying out the project or to its output

Question 26

__________ are seen as much the same as a report card.

A)Postcontrols
B)WBSs
C)Critical ratios
D)Cybernetics

Question 27

Change control systems,in some industries,are part of a firm's __________.

A)configuration management system
B)internal IDC system
C)cybernetic system
D)early warning system

Question 28

PMBOK recognizes the importance of what is called OPA.What does OPA stand for?

A)Organizational Process Assets
B)Operational Project Accounts
C)Optimal Program Arrangements
D)Original Procedural Architecture

Question 29

_________ is a management approach that may be used to make comparisons to "best in class" practices across organizations

A)Processing
B)Benchmarking
C)Leveling
D)Standardizing

Question 30

Postproject controls or reviews are examples of __________.

A)postcontrols
B)go / no-go decisions
C)cybernetics
D)inefficiencies

Question 31

The most important rule for any subordinate is the Prime Law of Life on any project: __________.

A)Never let the boss be surprised!
B)Newton's Law
C)Parkinson's Law
D)Murphy's Law

Question 32

The process review focuses on the process of __________ outcomes rather than the outcomes per se.

A)reaching
B)passing
C)eliminating
D)managing

Question 33

Scope creep can be caused by the

A)customer
B)team members
C)audit team
D)customer and team members

Question 34

For all but __________ changes,a risk identification and analysis should be performed.

A)minor
B)major
C)most
D)few

Question 35

The culmination of the postcontrol report is a set of recommendations covering what?

A)Everything that went wrong with the project
B)Who was at fault for the errors in the project
C)How the project performed relative to the initial project plan
D)The ways that future projects can be improved

Question 36

The project manager should ensure that the status reports given to senior management contain information that is current enough to be what?

A)Understandable
B)Explainable
C)Meaningful
D)Actionable

Question 37

Go / no-go controls operate __________.

A)continuously
B)only when exceptions are detected
C)only when and if the controller uses them
D)only at phase gate reviews

Question 38

__________ are directed towards improving chances for future projects to meet their goals.

A)Postcontrols
B)Go / no-go decisions
C)Cybernetics
D)Negative feedback loops

Question 39

Thamhain (2013)found that ______was / were not only the most frequent risk class but also had the most impact on project performance.

A)increasing stakeholder involvement
B)changing leadership
C)decreasing costs
D)changing project requirements

Question 40

In order to control creative projects the project manager must adopt one or some combination of three general approaches to the problem.Which of the following is not one of these approaches?

A)control of input resources
B)creativity check
C)process review
D)personnel reassignments

Question 41

Describe the information requirements of a cybernetic controller.

Question 42

Identify some of the factors that can cause a project to require control of performance.

Question 43

Identify some of the factors that can cause a project to require control of time.

Question 44

What are the two fundamental objectives of control?

Question 45

A person with organizational clout who takes on personal responsibility for the successful completion of a project for the organization is referred to as a(n)__________.

A)champion
B)leader
C)program manager
D)campaigner

Question 46

Identify some of the factors that can cause a project to require control of cost.

Question 47

A(n)__________ is a monitoring system that forewarns the project manager if trouble arises.

A)configuration management system
B)internal IDC system
C)cybernetic system
D)early warning system

Question 48

A(n)__________ measures performance over time,showing how it changes compared to a desired mean and upper and lower limits.

A)critical ratio
B)control chart
C)early warning system
D)Gantt chart