Question 1

According to the authors,the key items to be planned,monitored,and controlled are __________.

Accepted Answer

The key items to be planned, monitored, and controlled according to the authors are schedule, budget, and performance. These elements are fundamental in project management to ensure that a project is completed on time, within budget, and meets the required standards and specifications.

Question 2

Reports for __________ have a need for detailed information about individual tasks and the factors affecting such tasks.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

For project management,there are three distinct types of reports.Which of the following would be used in response to a special problem?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 4

Monitoring,as an activity,should be kept distinct from __________,which is the process of making judgments about the quality and effectiveness of project performance.

Accepted Answer

Monitoring involves tracking a project's progress and performance, while evaluation is the process of assessing whether the project is achieving its goals and objectives. Therefore, monitoring should be kept distinct from evaluation. A, B, and D are not the best choices, as they do not accurately describe the difference between monitoring and evaluation.

Question 5

Vague or incomplete project requirements are an example of which telltale sign that a project is in trouble?

Accepted Answer

Vague or incomplete project requirements can lead to confusion and misunderstandings, causing delays and rework. This can result in a lack of clarity and accountability, leading to an overall sense of ambiguity about the project's objectives and outcomes.

Question 6

The project __________ describes what is being done,when and the planned level of resource usage for each task,work-package or element in the project.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The project __________ describes what is being...

Question 7

An appropriate and common secondary user for monitoring includes __________.

Accepted Answer

Auditing, learning from mistakes, and reporting progress and status are common reasons for a secondary user to monitor a project. This helps to identify areas that need improvement or adjustment in order to achieve project goals. Exercising control over the project and fixing blame are not appropriate reasons for monitoring as they do not contribute to the overall success of the project. Evaluating the current status of the project may be a reason for monitoring, but it is not as commonly cited as the reasons listed in option A.

Question 8

The earned value rule that divides the actual task time-to-date by the scheduled time for the task to calculate percent complete is called the __________ rule.

Accepted Answer

The described earned value rule is known as the proportionality rule. This is because it calculates percent complete by dividing the actual task time-to-date (the proportion of completed work) by the scheduled time for the task. Choices A and B refer to other earned value rules, and choice C is not a recognized term in earned value management.

Question 9

The most common mistake made when monitoring data is to gather information that is clearly related to project performance but __________.

Accepted Answer

Gathering information that has little or no probability of changing significantly between collection periods is a common mistake in monitoring data because it does not provide useful insights into project performance. Instead, data that is relevant, measurable, and reflects changes over time should be collected to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

Question 10

For each factor to be measured during monitoring; performance criteria,standards,and __________ should be established.

Accepted Answer

Performance criteria and standards are used to measure and evaluate the data collected during monitoring. Data collection procedures should therefore be established to ensure accurate and reliable data collection. Mechanized and automated systems as well as audit checks may be used to support data collection procedures, but they are not essential to establishing performance criteria and standards.

Question 11

Unfortunately,it is common to focus monitoring activities on data that are easily __________ but not necessarily important.

Accepted Answer

Easily gathered data are often monitored because they are readily accessible, even if they may not be the most important metrics to track.

Question 12

A status report that is vague or contains overly optimistic language like "very soon" or "marginal increase" in costs is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Such a report is considered "suspicious" because it lacks clarity and may be intentionally vague or overly optimistic to hide issues or uncertainties.

Question 13

The first step in setting up a monitoring system is to __________.

Accepted Answer

The first step in setting up a monitoring system is to identify the key factors to be controlled. This is important to ensure that the monitoring system is focused and effective in achieving its objectives. Collecting existing data and using available information can come later in the process once the key factors to be monitored have been identified. Collecting every available piece of information may lead to information overload and make it difficult to discern what is relevant and useful.

Question 14

For project management,there are three distinct types of reports.Which of the following is not one of those three types?

Accepted Answer

Daily reports are not typically classified as one of the three distinct types of project management reports. The three main types are routine reports, exception reports, and special analysis reports. Routine reports cover the regular, periodic updates on the project's progress. Exception reports highlight deviations from the plan or unexpected issues. Special analysis reports are generated to explore specific problems or opportunities in depth.

Question 15

What is the most likely project report to be issued periodically?

Accepted Answer

Progress reports for senior management are the most likely project report to be issued periodically as they provide updates on the overall progress of the project, including any challenges, risks, and achievements. These reports often include metrics and data to support the assessment of project performance, and they highlight any changes or updates to the project plan. Other reports, such as milestone reports, resource reports, or variances reports for senior financial management, may be produced depending on the specific needs of the project and stakeholders, but they are not necessarily issued periodically.

Question 16

What is the relationship between management level and report details?

Accepted Answer

Generally, the higher the management level, the fewer reports they receive. This is because reports are filtered and condensed as they move up the hierarchy, with lower-level managers submitting more detailed reports to their superiors. Senior management typically requires high-level summaries and key performance indicators instead of in-depth information. However, this may not always be the case in every organization or industry.

Question 17

The project control process should be viewed as a(n)__________,with revised plans and schedules (if warranted)following corrective actions.The project control process should run continuously until the project is completed.

Accepted Answer

A closed loop system is appropriate for project control because it continuously monitors project progress and adjusts plans and schedules as needed. This approach ensures that corrective actions are taken promptly, and the project can stay on track. The project control process should run until the completion of the project to ensure that any changes are incorporated, minimizing the chance of any future problems. An open loop system does not include feedback and adjustment, making it unfavorable for project control. An open environment is a general term that does not specifically relate to project control. An earned value plan is a specific method for measuring and tracking project progress that can be used as part of the closed loop system approach to project control.

Question 18

The best sources of items to be monitored are the project risk management plan,change of scope orders,and __________.

Accepted Answer

The project risk management plan and change of scope orders are important sources for monitoring items, but the WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) is the best source as it provides a detailed breakdown of all the tasks and activities required to complete the project. Monitoring the progress of each task in the WBS can help ensure that the project stays on track and any issues are identified early on. The schedule, quality report, and resource report are also important sources for monitoring, but they are not as comprehensive as the WBS.

Question 19

__________ is collecting,recording,and reporting information concerning any and all aspects of project performance that the project manager or others in the organization wish to know.

Accepted Answer

Monitoring is the process that involves collecting, recording, and reporting information about the various aspects of project performance. This allows project managers and other stakeholders to understand how the project is progressing and if any adjustments need to be made.

Question 20

Monitoring,as an activity,should be kept distinct from __________,which uses data supplied by monitoring to bring actual performance into approximate congruence with planned performance.

Accepted Answer

Monitoring involves observing and collecting data on a regular basis to measure progress towards a goal. On the other hand, controlling involves using that data to adjust and improve performance to align it with the planned performance. Controlling is a separate activity that depends on monitoring to provide the necessary information. Therefore, choice B, controlling, is the best answer to complete the sentence.

Quiz 10: Monitoring and Information Systems