Question 1

Milestones are generally considered to be:
A)Demotivators for the project team.
B)Key project review gates.
C)The end of the project for all team members except the project manager.
D)Points where two or more activities merge.

Accepted Answer

Milestones are key project review gates where the project team and stakeholders can assess progress and make decisions about the future direction of the project. They help to ensure that the project stays on course and meets its objectives. Options A, C, and D are not correct as they do not accurately describe the purpose or function of milestones in project management.

Question 2

-Use the S-curve where the solid line is actual cost and the dashed line is budgeted cost to choose the BEST statement. 
A)The project never experiences negative variance.
B)With regards to budget,the project starts badly but finishes well
C)With regards to budget,the project starts well but finishes badly.
D)The project is in a constant state of positive variance.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

What is a tracking Gantt chart and what are the benefits and drawbacks of its use?

Accepted Answer

A tracking Gantt chart is a Gantt chart with an indication of current project status for each activity.The bar representing each activity changes color to reflect the percentage completion status,ranging from 0% to 100%,of the activity.At any given point in time it is possible to see the progress that has been made on all activities and to determine whether a project is progressing on,ahead of,or behind schedule.
A benefit of tracking Gantt charts is that they are easy to understand.This type of chart can be updated quickly allowing for real-time control.While they show the status of activities,they do not convey why the activities are in their current state.Tracking Gantt charts also do not allow for future projections of the project's status or predictions regarding project completion time or adherence to budget.

Question 4

-Use the S-curve to choose the BEST statement about the project it describes.The horizontal axis is in weeks.
A)More time passes from weeks 5 to 10 than from weeks 20 to 25.
B)More time passes from $50,000 to $60,000 than from $5,000 to $10,000.
C)More money is spent from weeks 0 to 10 than from weeks 30 to 40.
D)The total amount spent on the project at the end of the 40th week is approximately $110,000.

Accepted Answer

The S-curve in project management typically represents cumulative costs over time. The horizontal axis represents time (in weeks), and the vertical axis represents cumulative costs. The S-curve starts slowly, accelerates, and then levels off. Choice D is correct because it refers to the total cumulative cost at a specific time point, which can be directly inferred from the S-curve's nature and final value. Choices A, B, and C misinterpret the nature of the S-curve, confusing time intervals and rates of spending with the cumulative nature of the curve.

Question 5

A measurement process that determines the project goals and then the degree to which the actual performance lives up to these goals is:
A)A metric system.
B)Goal-performance linkage.
C)Five degrees of separation.
D)Gap analysis.

Accepted Answer

Gap analysis is the process of comparing the actual performance with the desired goals to identify any gaps or differences, which helps in understanding how to bridge those gaps to meet the project objectives.

Question 6

-Use the S-curve to choose the BEST statement about the project it describes.The horizontal axis is in weeks.
A)The total project costs in week 10 are less than budgeted.
B)The total project costs in week 10 exceed the budgeted cost.
C)The project cost more from weeks 25 through 30 than it did in weeks 10 through 15.
D)The total amount spent on the project at the end of the 20th week is approximately $30,000.

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-Use the S-curve to choose the BEST...

Question 7

The first step in the control cycle is:
A)Setting a goal.
B)Measuring progress.
C)Comparing actual with planned performance.
D)Taking action.

Accepted Answer

The first step in the control cycle is setting a goal or establishing performance objectives. This provides a basis for measuring and evaluating performance later in the cycle.

Question 8

An excellent way to coordinate schedules with vendors and suppliers is through the use of:
A)Milestones.
B)S-curves that plot expenditures against time.
C)S-curves that plot planned expenditures against time.
D)A tracking Gantt chart.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An excellent way to coordinate schedules with...

Question 9

Identify a different key success driver and inhibitor for the project stages of formation,build-up,main phase,and close-out.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify a different key success driver and...

Question 10

Measurement mechanisms should include a clear definition of:
A)The project baseline.
B)The reporting relationships among members of the project team.
C)What to measure.
D)Trigger points.

Accepted Answer

Measurement mechanisms should clearly define what needs to be measured so that there is clarity about the project goals and objectives being monitored. The other options may be important for project management but are not directly related to measurement mechanisms.

Question 11

The classic project S-curve is a plot of:
A)Labor hours versus money expended.
B)Money expended versus elapsed time.
C)Elapsed time versus labor hours.
D)Number of personnel versus days behind schedule.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The classic project S-curve is a plot...

Question 12

A project manager that uses milestones as a project control device is using a:
A)Proactive control system.
B)Predictive control system.
C)Feedback control system.
D)Reactive control system.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A project manager that uses milestones as...

Question 13

A tracking Gantt chart:
A)Monitors costs and budget expenditures.
B)Identifies key points in the project's progress.
C)Identifies the stage of completion for each task.
D)Identifies the performance to budget for the overall project by a certain date.

Accepted Answer

A tracking Gantt chart is primarily used to show the stage of completion for each task in a project, allowing project managers to track progress against the planned schedule.

Question 14

Define human factors and discuss their impact on project success?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define human factors and discuss their impact...

Question 15

The project control cycle is continuous.

Accepted Answer

The project control cycle consists of continuous monitoring, evaluation, and adjustment of the project plan as needed throughout the project's lifecycle. This allows for ongoing optimization of resources, tasks, and activities in order to meet project goals and objectives. Therefore, the project control cycle is continuous.

Question 16

If significant deviations from the project plan are detected,corrective action is taken and then:
A)The monitoring and control cycle begins anew.
B)Project goals are adjusted to reflect current reality.
C)The project stakeholders are informed of the budget or time difficulties.
D)The critical chain is reviewed for task dependency.

Accepted Answer

If significant deviations from the project plan are detected, corrective action is taken to bring the project back on track. Once this is done, the monitoring and control cycle begins anew to ensure that the project stays on track. This cycle involves monitoring the project's progress, comparing it to the project plan, and taking corrective action as necessary. Thus, choice A is the correct answer. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they imply that the project goals are changed, stakeholders are informed of budget or time difficulties, or the critical chain is reviewed for task dependency, respectively, which may not be necessary in all cases.

Question 17

Sketch the project control cycle and discuss the activities that take place in each step.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sketch the project control cycle and discuss...

Question 18

-Use the S-curve where the solid line is actual cost and the dashed line is budgeted cost to choose the BEST statement. 
A)The project is further ahead of budget from weeks 36 through 40 than from weeks 8 through 12.
B)The project never experiences negative variance.
C)The project is further behind budget from weeks 0 through 16 than from 24 through 40.
D)The project is in a constant state of positive variance.

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-Use the S-curve where the solid line...

Question 19

Gap analysis refers to any measurement process that first determines the goals and then the degree to which the actual performance lives up to those goals.

Accepted Answer

Gap analysis involves comparing the actual performance with the desired goals in order to identify the gaps and areas for improvement.

Question 20

Project goal setting includes setting a baseline plan,which is predicated on:
A)The progress measurement.
B)An accurate work breakdown structure.
C)The type of gap analysis the project team plans to use.
D)The budget and schedule limitations.

Accepted Answer

An accurate work breakdown structure is essential for setting a baseline plan because it provides a detailed breakdown of the work required for the project, allowing for accurate planning and tracking.

Quiz 13: Project Evaluation and Control

Milestones are generally considered to be:

-Use the S-curve where the solid line is actual cost and the dashed line is budgeted cost to choose the BEST statement.

What is a tracking Gantt chart and what are the benefits and drawbacks of its use?

-Use the S-curve to choose the BEST statement about the project it describes.The horizontal axis is in weeks.

A measurement process that determines the project goals and then the degree to which the actual performance lives up to these goals is:

-Use the S-curve to choose the BEST statement about the project it describes.The horizontal axis is in weeks.

The first step in the control cycle is:

An excellent way to coordinate schedules with vendors and suppliers is through the use of:

Identify a different key success driver and inhibitor for the project stages of formation,build-up,main phase,and close-out.

Measurement mechanisms should include a clear definition of:

The classic project S-curve is a plot of:

A project manager that uses milestones as a project control device is using a:

A tracking Gantt chart:

Define human factors and discuss their impact on project success?

The project control cycle is continuous.

If significant deviations from the project plan are detected,corrective action is taken and then:

Sketch the project control cycle and discuss the activities that take place in each step.

-Use the S-curve where the solid line is actual cost and the dashed line is budgeted cost to choose the BEST statement.

Gap analysis refers to any measurement process that first determines the goals and then the degree to which the actual performance lives up to those goals.

Project goal setting includes setting a baseline plan,which is predicated on: