Question 1

The following are general tips for conducting performance reviews EXCEPT
A)Begin the process by asking the individual to evaluate his or her own contributions to the project.
B)Use other team members' performance as a method to compare and evaluate.
C)When you have to be critical, focus the criticism on specific examples of behavior and not on the individual personally.
D)Be fair and consistent in your treatment of all team members.
E)Treat the review as only one point in an ongoing process.

Accepted Answer

Avoid, when possible, drawing comparisons with other team members; rather, assess the individual in terms of established standards and expectations.Comparisons tend to undermine cohesion and divert attention away from what the individual needs to do to improve performance.

Question 2

Because of circumstances beyond the control of the project team, many projects are easy for a review group to close down.This type of project closure is called
A)Normal.
B)Premature.
C)Perpetual.
D)Failed project.
E)Changed priority.

Accepted Answer

Failed projects are usually easy to identify and easy for a review group to close down; however, every effort should be made to communicate the technical (or other)reasons for termination of the project.In any event, project participants should not be left with an embarrassing stigma of working on a project that failed.Many projects will fail because of circumstances beyond the control of the project team.

Question 3

Which of the following summarizes project performance and provides useful information for continuous improvement?
A)Customer acceptance
B)The final report
C)Team evaluation
D)360-degree feedback
E)Project summary

Accepted Answer

The final project report summarizes project performance and provides useful information for continuous improvement.Although the final report will be customized to your project and organization, the content of the final report typically includes the following topics: executive summary, review and analysis, recommendations, lessons learned, and appendix.

Question 4

__________ of lessons learned are designed to improve performance on current and future projects.
A)Retrospectives
B)Corrective action plans
C)Introspectives
D)Culminations
E)Evolutions

Accepted Answer

A retrospective is a methodology that analyzes a past project event to determine what worked and what didn't, develop lessons learned, and create an action plan that ensures lessons learned are used to improve management of future projects.

Question 5

Which part of the final report highlights the key findings and facts relating to the project implementation?
A)Executive summary
B)Review and analysis
C)Recommendations
D)Lessons learned
E)Appendix

Accepted Answer

The executive summary highlights the key findings and facts relating to the project implementation.

Question 6

The purpose of project evaluation is to assess how well
A)The project team performed.
B)The team members performed.
C)The project manager performed.
D)The project team and team members performed.
E)The project team, team members and project manager performed.

Accepted Answer

The purpose of project evaluation is to assess how well the project team, team members, and project manager performed.

Question 7

Before an evaluation of the project team can be effective and useful, a minimum core of conditions needs to be in place before the project begins.Which of the following would NOT be one of those conditions?
A)Individuals have the skill set necessary to successfully complete the project
B)Evaluation criteria beyond time, cost and specifications has been established
C)Rewards are adequate
D)Individual, team responsibilities and performance standards are known by all team members
E)Standards for measuring performance exist

Accepted Answer

When recruiting team members, their ability to complete project work will be determined.Effective ways to evaluate performance should be set into place before implementation.Performance evaluation includes making sure standards for measuring performance exists, making sure the team understands what is being asked of them, making sure rewards are adequate and that there is a clear career path for successful project managers, ensuring the team is empowered to manage short-term difficulties and that they have a high level of trust.Finally, team evaluation should go beyond time, cost and specifications.

Question 8

When the project may be completed early with some parts of the project eliminated this is considered to be ___________ closure.
A)Normal
B)Premature
C)Perpetual
D)Changed priority
E)Failed project

Accepted Answer

For a few projects, the project may be completed early with some parts of the project eliminated.For example, in a new-product development project, a marketing manager may insist on production models before testing.This is an example of premature project closure.

Question 9

This type of closure occurs when the project may never seem to end.At some point the review group should recommend methods for bringing final closure to this type of project.This is considered to be ___________ closure.
A)Normal
B)Premature
C)Perpetual
D)Changed priority
E)Failed project

Accepted Answer

Some projects never seem to end.The major characteristic of this kind of project is constant "add-ons," suggesting a poorly conceived project scope.At some point the review group should recommend methods for bringing final closure to a perpetual project.

Question 10

An analysis carried out during and shortly after the project life cycle that attempts to capture positive and negative learning is represented in which of the following?
A)Scenario analysis
B)Variance analyses
C)Lessons learned
D)Performance evaluation
E)Strategic objectives

Accepted Answer

Lessons learned represents an analysis carried out during and shortly after the project life cycle that attempts to capture positive and negative learning.That is, "what worked and what didn't?"

Question 11

When a project starts with a high priority but it is canceled because its rank erodes or crashes during its project life cycle.This is an example of what type of project closure?
A)Normal
B)Premature
C)Perpetual
D)Failed project
E)Changed priority

Accepted Answer

Organizations' priorities often change and strategy shifts directions.For example, during the 2008-2010 financial crisis organizations shifted their focus from money making projects to cost savings projects.The oversight group continually revises project selection priorities to reflect changes in organizational direction.Projects in process may need to be altered or canceled.Thus, a project may start with a high priority but see its rank erode or crash during its project life cycle as conditions change.When priorities change, projects in process may need to be altered or canceled.

Question 12

Which part of the final report presents major improvement actions that should be made?
A)Executive summary
B)Review and analysis
C)Recommendations
D)Lessons learned
E)Appendix

Accepted Answer

The recommendations section represents major improvement actions that should be made.They often are technical in nature and focus on solutions to problems that surfaced.

Question 13

Which part of the final report examines in detail the underlying causes of problems, issues, and successes relative to the project and includes concise, factual review statements of the project?
A)Executive summary
B)Review and analysis
C)Recommendations
D)Lessons learned
E)Appendix

Accepted Answer

Data are collected to record the project history, management performance, and lessons learned to improve future projects.Analysis examines in detail the underlying causes of problems, issues, and successes.The analysis section includes succinct, factual review statements of the project.

Question 14

Performance appraisals generally fulfill two functions.The first is to identify individual strengths and weaknesses and to develop action plans for improving performance.The second involves salary or merit adjustments.Why should these two functions be addressed at different times?
A)It is too much information to discuss at once.
B)Employees are so eager to learn about a potential raise that they tend to tune out constructive feedback.
C)Managers tend to spend too much time talking about how the employee can improve his or her performance and not on justifying the salary adjustment.
D)If employees are upset over a salary adjustment, they will be more willing to listening to ways they can improve.
E)If the manager is giving employees good news regarding their salary adjustment, they will not have to discuss the employees' strengths and weaknesses.

Accepted Answer

These two functions are not compatible.Employees, in their eagerness to find out how much pay they will receive, tend to tune out constructive feedback on how they can improve their performance.Likewise, managers tend to be more concerned with justifying their decision than engaging in a meaningful discussion on how the employee can improve his or her performance.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a wrap-up closure activity that might be found on a checklist?
A)Getting delivery acceptance from the customer
B)Reassigning project team members
C)Closing accounts and seeing all bills are paid
D)Evaluation of team performance
E)Creating a final report

Accepted Answer

A major wrap-up task is to ensure the project is approved and accepted by the customer.Other wrap-up activities include closing accounts, paying bills, reassigning equipment and personnel, finding new opportunities for project staff, closing facilities, and creating the final report.

Question 16

The content of the final report typically includes the following topics EXCEPT
A)Lessons learned.
B)Review and analysis.
C)Recommendations.
D)Executive summary.
E)Team reviews.

Accepted Answer

The content of the final report typically includes the following topics: executive summary, review and analysis, recommendations, lessons learned, and appendix.

Question 17

Which part of the final report includes backup data or details of analysis that would allow others to follow up if they wished?
A)Executive summary
B)Review and analysis
C)Recommendations
D)Lessons learned
E)Appendix

Accepted Answer

The appendix may include backup data or details of analysis that would allow others to follow up if they wished.It should not be a dumping ground used for filler; only critical pertinent information should be attached.

Question 18

Which of the following would NOT be appropriate to assess when evaluating team performance?
A)How well the team performed in terms of time, cost, and specifications
B)Effectiveness of group decisions
C)Individual strengths and weaknesses
D)Customer satisfaction with project deliverables
E)Trust among group members

Accepted Answer

Individual strengths and weaknesses would be evaluated during individual team member or project manager performance reviews.

Question 19

The most common circumstance for project closure is simply a ________ project.
A)Completed
B)Overdue
C)Over-budget
D)Underachieving
E)Successful

Accepted Answer

The most common circumstance for project closure is simply a completed project.

Question 20

Which part of the final report is designed to be the most useful on future projects?
A)Executive summary
B)Review and analysis
C)Recommendations
D)Lessons learned
E)Appendix

Accepted Answer

Perhaps lessons learned are the most valuable contribution of the closure process.Given the process of evaluation and input from the stakeholder meetings, lessons learned should be succinctly and clearly set out.

Quiz 14: Project Closure

The following are general tips for conducting performance reviews EXCEPT

Because of circumstances beyond the control of the project team, many projects are easy for a review group to close down.This type of project closure is called

Which of the following summarizes project performance and provides useful information for continuous improvement?

__________ of lessons learned are designed to improve performance on current and future projects.

Which part of the final report highlights the key findings and facts relating to the project implementation?

The purpose of project evaluation is to assess how well

Before an evaluation of the project team can be effective and useful, a minimum core of conditions needs to be in place before the project begins.Which of the following would NOT be one of those conditions?

When the project may be completed early with some parts of the project eliminated this is considered to be ___________ closure.

This type of closure occurs when the project may never seem to end.At some point the review group should recommend methods for bringing final closure to this type of project.This is considered to be ___________ closure.

An analysis carried out during and shortly after the project life cycle that attempts to capture positive and negative learning is represented in which of the following?

When a project starts with a high priority but it is canceled because its rank erodes or crashes during its project life cycle.This is an example of what type of project closure?

Which part of the final report presents major improvement actions that should be made?

Which part of the final report examines in detail the underlying causes of problems, issues, and successes relative to the project and includes concise, factual review statements of the project?

Performance appraisals generally fulfill two functions.The first is to identify individual strengths and weaknesses and to develop action plans for improving performance.The second involves salary or merit adjustments.Why should these two functions be addressed at different times?

Which of the following is NOT a wrap-up closure activity that might be found on a checklist?

The content of the final report typically includes the following topics EXCEPT

Which part of the final report includes backup data or details of analysis that would allow others to follow up if they wished?

Which of the following would NOT be appropriate to assess when evaluating team performance?

The most common circumstance for project closure is simply a ________ project.

Which part of the final report is designed to be the most useful on future projects?