Question 1

What are the two defining characteristics of a project?
A)Projects are ongoing and have repetitive tasks.
B)Projects are temporary and create a unique product.
C)Projects are ongoing and create a unique product.
D)Projects are temporary and have repetitive tasks.

Accepted Answer

Projects are temporary and create a unique product.
Key Takeaway: In general, a project is a work effort that is made over a distinct period of time. Projects have a definitive start and end date and finish with a unique product or service. Projects are not to be confused with an operation, which is an ongoing and repetitive set of tasks. Operations can often take over to perform day-to-day tasks when a project is complete.

Question 2

What of the following is NOT a characteristic that both projects and operations share?
A)Both projects and operations have objectives.
B)Both projects and operations are managed.
C)Both projects and operations require resources, including funding and human resources.
D)Both projects and operations are temporary.

Accepted Answer

Both projects and operations are temporary. Operations are functions that perform ongoing tasks-even after a set of objectives has been attained.
Key Takeaway: Always remember that a project is defined by its temporary and unique nature. Although operations and projects have objectives, require resources, and are managed, operations differ in that they are generally ongoing. Although projects end when the objective is met, operations often continue, setting a new set of objectives.

Question 3

Which of the following describes the definition of a functional organization?
A)Functional organizations have a traditional organizational structure, in which each
B)In functional organizations, each member of an individual department reports to the functional manager, who in turn reports to an executive.
C)For the most part, each department runs its projects entirely independent of the other organization's departments.
D)All of the above.

Accepted Answer

All of the above describe a functional organization.
Key Takeaway: A functional organization is one of the extremes of organizational management, in which the organization has a very traditional hierarchical structure. In this scenario, all project coordination is done at the functional management level. Therefore, it can be very frustrating to be a project manager within a functional organization, as it is often difficult to have authority over any aspect of the project, such as resources, team members, etc.

Question 4

In which of the following organizations does a project manager have the most authority?
A)Functional Organizations
B)Projectized Organizations
C)Matrix Organizations
D)Developmental Organizations

Accepted Answer

Projectized Organizations offer project managers the most authority over project management.
Key Takeaway: A projectized organization is structured entirely around projects. Most of the organization's resources are devoted to projects and the project managers exert a high level of independence and authority. Functional organizations feature a traditional hierarchical structure, with all project planning occurring at higher levels. Matrix organizations offer a mix between the two extremes, with different functional departments, each run by a project manager. There is no such thing as developmental organizations.

Question 5

Which of the following is a disadvantage to Matrix Management Organizations?
A)Organizational Synergy
B)Resource Optimization
C)Functional Gap
D)Information Sharing

Accepted Answer

A functional gap refers to a cultural and/or metholodological gap among different departments of the same organization. This is one disadvantage to Matrix Management.
Key Takeaway: Matrix management has a number of advantages, including: information sharing without boundaries, organizational synergy, resource optimization, and employee exposure to a great number of career opportunities. On the flip side, there are a few disadvantages, such as: confusion (often because employees often report to several different managers), the functional gap, and teams with different objectives who must work toward a common goal.

Question 6

Which of the following is not one of the nine knowledge areas of project and/or program management?
A)Quality Management
B)Risk Management
C)Technical Management
D)Scope Management

Accepted Answer

Technical Management is not one of the nine knowledge areas of project management.
Key Takeaway: The nine knowledge areas of project and program management are: Communication Management, Human Resources Management, Cost Management, Risk Management, Time Management, Scope Management, Integration Management, Procurement Management, and Quality Management.

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of a project?
A)Building a new zoo for the city
B)Running the city's Food Bank
C)Maintaining the collection at the local library
D)Running a farmer's market

Accepted Answer

Building a new zoo for the city is an example of a project.
Key Takeaway: Remember that the definition of a project is that it is temporary (has a clear start and finish date) and produces a new product. The only possible project in the above answers is building a zoo. Building will have a concrete start and end date and will produce a new product: i.e. the zoo. The other answers refer to ongoing operations.

Question 8

What is the main difference between project management and program management?
A)A project is focused on its product, service, or result; a program is focused on operations.
B)A project is focused on its product, service, or result; a program is focused on the benefits it will deliver in line with the organization's business strategy.
C)A project does not have stakeholders, whereas a program does.
D)There are no differences between project and program management.

Accepted Answer

A project is focused on its product, service, or result; whereas a program is mainly focused on the benefits it will deliver that are in line with the business strategy.
Key Takeaway: Typically, when an organization is running several interrelated projects, that organization should look into the possibility of grouping these projects together into a program. A program is managed similarly to a project, though on a much higher level that is kept more closely in line with the business's corporate strategy. Both projects and programs have stakeholders-some independent of the other, some shared.

Question 9

Which of the following is not true about a program?
A)As with projects, programs are ways of reaching an organization's goals and objectives. Programs, however, do this within the context of the organization's strategic plan.
B)Programs offer organizational benefits, including improving upon and adding to current systems.
C)A program never needs to be managed.
D)Programs may include work related to the program, but out of the scope of any individual projects included in the program.

Accepted Answer

A program never needs to be managed. This is false. Programs, like projects, need specific program management.
Key Takeaway: Program management is not about managing the details of individual projects, but about managing the big picture. Therefore, programs often benefit the organization more directly, they are often more in line with the organization's strategic plan, and may include needs outside of individual projects. The underlying motivational factors for grouping projects into a larger umbrella program includes shared resources, strategic benefits, and coordinated management.

Question 10

Microsoft Project is an acceptable Project Management Information System (PMIS).

Accepted Answer

A PMIS is any software or automated tool for performing project management.
Key Take Away: We haven't heard the term used all that often in the real project management environment, but we do recall seeing it as a choice on many PMI Exam questions.

Question 11

What are Key Performance Indicators used for at the strategic-plan level?
A)KPIs assess the current state of the organization and recommend appropriate actions.
B)KPIs monitor business activity in real time
C)KPIs measure otherwise-difficult activities, such as customer satisfaction and employee skill development.
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measure all of the above.
Key Takeaway: KPIs assess the current state of the organization, monitor business activity, and quantify hard-to-measure activities. These Indicators are typically closely tied to the company's strategic plan and differ from organization to organization, depending upon any given company's nature and strategy. KPIs are usually defined within framework established by the company's business plan.

Question 12

Finn's boss asked him to put together a list of SMART key performance indicators for their organization, Iron Man, Inc. Which of the following lists correctly identifies SMART indicators?
A)Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely
B)Solitary, Monetary, Accessible, Realistic, Timely
C)Strategic, Measurable, Authorized, Related, Targeted
D)Strong, Monetary, Achievable, Reactionary, Targeted

Accepted Answer

SMART indicators are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.
Key Takeaway: When defining KPIs for any organization, the KPIs must always be SMART. If a KPI is not specific, measurements may have inconstancies; if it is not measurable, it is not a metric and therefore, not a KPI; target values must always be achievable and realistic within a given time frame; and, of course, there must be a deadline. An untimely achievement is a non-achievement.
Lately, there has been talk of replacing SMART with SMARTA, with the last A meaning align. In this case, a KPI would need to be aligned with the strategic plan of the organization.

Question 13

Annika is a Program Manager for Serenity Now, Inc. which has recently launched a new program. Annika has been assigned to perform an analysis to verify that the metrics for the program are aligned with Serenity Now's strategic plan. Which analysis will she perform?
A)Alignment analysis
B)Stakeholder analysis
C)Gap analysis
D)Benefits analysis

Accepted Answer

Annika will perform a gap analysis.
Key Takeaway: One of the goals of gap analysis is to verify that the program metrics are in line with the organization's strategic plan. Stakeholder analysis is performed to identify stakeholders and assess their program needs.

Question 14

What is the metric that refers to organization earning called?
A)ROI
B)KPI
C)EBIT
D)Market share

Accepted Answer

EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) refers to an organization's earnings. This is also referred to as operating income.
Key Takeaway: EBIT is just one example of strategic-plan metrics, which also include market share, return on investment (ROI), Value realization, and balanced scorecard. In general, strategic-plan metrics measure overall organizational achievement, link the program benefits to the strategic plan, and provide a framework for collecting and analyzing data.

Question 15

Boris is preparing to present his new program to the program board at Hiram Corp. As part of his pre-program setup, Boris is creating a high-level business plan that demonstrates of number of key attributes about his program. Which of the following attributes would Boris hope to demonstrate?
A)Feasibility
B)Justification
C)Need
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

Boris would hope to demonstrate all of the above about his program.
Key Takeaway: Each organization has its own mission and vision. For Boris's program to be accepted by the program board, he would have to demonstrate that his program is in line with the mission and vision of Hiram Corp. This can be accomplished by a feasibility analysis, to determine the need, value, and practicality of the program.

Question 16

Howard is a Program Manager and is preparing for an organization-wide kickoff meeting of his new program, Ferocious. Part of the kickoff will include a Q&A period about Ferocious, so Howard needs to gather some information about the program's potential risks. Which of the following is not a standard information-gathering technique that Howard could use?
A)Interviews
B)Internet Search
C)Delphi technique
D)SWOT Analysis

Accepted Answer

Internet Search is not a standard information-gathering technique for determining the potential risks of a given program.
Key Takeaway: Having the correct information at the correct time is absolutely crucial to the success of any given project or program. Brainstorming in a group environment, the Delphi technique, Interviews, Surveys and social maps, and SWOT Analysis are all standard information-gathering techniques used to gather information such as potential risks, benefits, and program strategies. In general, more than one technique will be used.

Question 17

While Howard is gathering information on potential risks for Ferocious, he decides to use a technique to reach a consensus among all the experts who are weighing in on the program. He facilitates a program for sharing ideas and information anonymously. What technique is Howard using?
A)SWOT Analysis
B)Brainstorming
C)Delphi technique
D)Surveys

Accepted Answer

Howard is using the Delphi technique to gather information about Ferocious.
Key Takeaway: The most important thing to remember about the Delphi technique is its focus on keeping opinions and ideas anonymous. The advantage to this is that it focuses upon the quality of the information-not who is saying it. The Delphi technique allows for all opinions to be heard and weighed equally. For example, if one of Howard's colleagues has a better idea for Ferocious than Howard's boss, this can be given fair weight. Because of the anonymous nature, hierarchies have little-to-no merit in the Delphi technique.

Question 18

Howard's program, Ferocious, has been well-received at his company. Now, he needs to create a program charter. Which of the following will not be included in Howard's program charter to launch Ferocious?
A)Key objectives
B)List of high-level executives who will be involved in program planning
C)Expected benefits the program will deliver
D)The program vision

Accepted Answer

A list of high-level executives who will be involved in program planning is not included in the program charter.
Key Takeaway: A program charter is a typical output of the Initiate Program process. The program charter will need to be approved by an executive committee and will hopefully link the program to the ongoing work of the organization and the organization's strategic plan. The program charter should include the following: mission statement, vision statement and how it compares to the organization's vision, key objectives, program requirements, expected benefits, and possible program restraints. In short, the program charter is used to get the program fully authorized.

Question 19

What is the primary purpose of the pre-program setup phase?
A)To write a strategic plan for the organization
B)Write a scope statement for each project that will be part of the larger program
C)Prepare a detailed plan for program management
D)Gain approval for the new program

Accepted Answer

The primary purpose of the pre-program setup phase is to gain approval for the new program.
Key Takeaway: The pre-program setup phase should ideally establish a solid foundation of support and approval for a new program. Understanding the program's strategic value, defining program objectives, identifying stakeholders, developing a business case, obtaining approval, and appointing a program manager are all part of this highly-important phase. After pre-program setup, the program can proceed to program setup, the next phase.

Question 20

Which of the following is not an output item of the Initiate Program phase?
A)Program management plan
B)Program benefits statement
C)Program charter
D)Business case

Accepted Answer

The business case is not an output item of the Initiate Program phase.
Key Takeaway: The Initiate Program phase is a process used to literally begin the initiation of a program after it has been approved. Initiate Program should generate a number of very important documents, such as the program charter and the preliminary program scope. Additionally, it is at this phase that a program manager should be identified.

Quiz 1: Program and Project Management

What are the two defining characteristics of a project?

What of the following is NOT a characteristic that both projects and operations share?

Which of the following describes the definition of a functional organization?

In which of the following organizations does a project manager have the most authority?

Which of the following is a disadvantage to Matrix Management Organizations?

Which of the following is not one of the nine knowledge areas of project and/or program management?

Which of the following is an example of a project?

What is the main difference between project management and program management?

Which of the following is not true about a program?

Microsoft Project is an acceptable Project Management Information System (PMIS).

What are Key Performance Indicators used for at the strategic-plan level?

Finn's boss asked him to put together a list of SMART key performance indicators for their organization, Iron Man, Inc. Which of the following lists correctly identifies SMART indicators?

Annika is a Program Manager for Serenity Now, Inc. which has recently launched a new program. Annika has been assigned to perform an analysis to verify that the metrics for the program are aligned with Serenity Now's strategic plan. Which analysis will she perform?

What is the metric that refers to organization earning called?

Boris is preparing to present his new program to the program board at Hiram Corp. As part of his pre-program setup, Boris is creating a high-level business plan that demonstrates of number of key attributes about his program. Which of the following attributes would Boris hope to demonstrate?

While Howard is gathering information on potential risks for Ferocious, he decides to use a technique to reach a consensus among all the experts who are weighing in on the program. He facilitates a program for sharing ideas and information anonymously. What technique is Howard using?

Howard's program, Ferocious, has been well-received at his company. Now, he needs to create a program charter. Which of the following will not be included in Howard's program charter to launch Ferocious?

What is the primary purpose of the pre-program setup phase?

Which of the following is not an output item of the Initiate Program phase?