Chapter 1 Introduction to Project Management

Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management TRUE/FALSE 1. Until the 1980s, project management primarily focused on providing schedule and resource data to top management in the military, computer, and construction industries. ANS: T Until the 1980s, project management primarily focused on providing schedule and resource data to top management in the military, computer, and construction industries. Today’s project management involves much more, and people in every industry and every country manage projects. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy OBJ: LO: 1-1 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge REF: p.2 TOP: Introduction 2. A difference between operations and projects is that operations end when their objectives have been reached, whereas projects do not. ANS: F Projects are different from operations in that they end when their objectives have been reached or the project has been terminated. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension REF: p.4 TOP: What is a Project? 3. Every project should have a well-defined objective. ANS: T A project has a unique purpose. Every project should have a well-defined objective. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge REF: p.6 TOP: What is a Project? 4. Projects should be developed in increments. ANS: T A project is developed using progressive elaboration. Projects are often defined broadly when they begin, and as time passes, the specific details of the project become clearer. Therefore, projects should be developed in increments. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension REF: p.6 TOP: What is a Project? 5. Resources in a project should be used effectively because they are limited. ANS: T A project requires resources, often from various areas. Resources, however, are limited and must be used effectively to meet project and other corporate goals. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension REF: p. 7 TOP: What is a Project? 6. A project manager’s primary role is to provide the funding for a project. ANS: F A project sponsor usually provides the direction and funding for a project. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge REF: p.7 TOP: What is a Project? 7. One of the main reasons why project management is challenging is because of the factor of uncertainty. ANS: T A project involves uncertainty. Every project is unique and thus it is sometimes difficult to define its objectives clearly, estimate how long it will take to complete, or determine how much it will cost. This uncertainty is one of the main reasons project management is so challenging. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension REF: p.7 TOP: What is a Project? 8. Questions about how a team will track schedule performance is related to a project’s scope. ANS: F Project scope deals with questions such as, “What work will be done as part of the project?”, “What unique product, service, or result does the customer or sponsor expect from the project?”, or “How will the scope be verified?” PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension REF: p.7 TOP: What is a Project? 9. In order to be realistic, a project manager should always set discrete goals instead of a range of objectives. ANS: F Projects involve uncertainty and limited resources. Thus they rarely finish according to their original scope, time, and cost goals. Instead of discrete target goals, it is often more realistic to set a range of goals. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension REF: p.8 TOP: What is a Project? 10. Managing the triple constraint primarily involves making trade-offs between resources and quality. ANS: F Managing the triple constraint involves making trade-offs between scope, time, and cost goals for a project. Experienced project managers know that one must decide which aspect of the triple constraint is most important. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge REF: p.9 TOP: What is a Product? 11. The only responsibility of a project manager is to meet the specific scope, time, and cost goals of a project. ANS: F Project managers must strive not only to meet specific scope, time, cost, and quality goals of projects but also facilitate the entire process to meet the needs and expectations of people involved in project activities or affected by them. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.9 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 12. A project’s stakeholders consist of its customers, users, and suppliers. ANS: T Stakeholders are the people involved in or affected by project activities, and include the project sponsor, project team, support staff, customers, users, suppliers, and even opponents of a project. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.10 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 13. Opponents of a project do not belong to the category of stakeholders. ANS: F Stakeholders are the people involved in or affected by project activities, and include the project sponsor, project team, support staff, customers, users, suppliers, and even opponents of a project. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.10 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 14. The importance of stakeholders’ needs and expectations is limited to the beginning of a project. ANS: F Stakeholders’ needs and expectations are important in the beginning and throughout the life of a project. Successful project managers develop good relationships with project stakeholders to understand and meet their needs and expectations. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.11 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 15. Project procurement management primarily involves identifying stakeholder needs while managing their engagement throughout the life of the project. ANS: F Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop. Project procurement management involves acquiring or procuring goods and services for a project from outside the performing organization. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.12 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 16. The primary role of project stakeholder management is to ensure that the project will satisfy the stated needs for which it was undertaken. ANS: F Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop. Project stakeholder management includes identifying and analyzing stakeholder needs while managing and controlling their engagement throughout the life of the product. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.12 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 17. Project human resource management is concerned with making effective use of the people involved with a project. ANS: T Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop. Project human resource management is concerned with making effective use of the people involved with the project. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.12 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 18. Stakeholder analyses, work requests, and project charters are tools used in integration management. ANS: T Project selection methods, project management methodologies, stakeholder analyses, work requests, and project charters are some of the tools used in integration management. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.13 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 19. Earned value management is a tool primarily used in human resource management. ANS: F Project budgets, net present value, return on investment, payback analysis, and earned value management are tools used in cost management. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.13 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 20. Responsibility assignment matrices and project organizational charts are examples of tools used in procurement management. ANS: F Motivation techniques, empathic listening, responsibility assignment matrices, project organizational charts, and team building exercises are tools used in human resource management. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.13 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 21. Maturity models, statistical methods, and test plans are examples of tools used in quality management. ANS: T Quality metrics, maturity models, statistical methods, and test plans are some of the tools used in quality management. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.13 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 22. Project managers work with the project sponsors to define success for particular projects. ANS: T Project managers work with the project sponsors, the project team, and other stakeholders to meet project goals. They also work with sponsors to define success for particular projects. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.16 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 23. Good project managers assume that their definition of success is the same as the sponsors. ANS: F Good project managers do not assume that their definition of success is the same as the sponsors. They take the time to understand their sponsors’ expectations and then track project performance based on important success criteria. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.16 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 24. Program managers are change agents. ANS: T Program managers are responsible for more than the delivery of project results. They are change agents responsible for the success of products and processes developed by these projects. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-4 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: Program and Project Portfolio Management REF: p.17 KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 25. Effective program managers recognize that managing a project is much more complex than managing a program. ANS: F Effective program managers recognize that managing a program is much more complex than managing a single project. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-4 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: Program and Project Portfolio Management REF: p.17 KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 26. Individual projects always address strategic goals whereas portfolio management addresses tactical goals. ANS: F Tactical goals are generally more specific and short-term than strategic goals, which emphasize long-term goals for an organization. Individual projects often address tactical goals, whereas portfolio management addresses strategic goals. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-4 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: Program and Project Portfolio Management REF: p.18 KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 27. It is mandatory for project managers working on large information technology projects to be experts in the field of information technology. ANS: F Project managers for large IT projects do not have to be experts in the field of IT, but they must have working knowledge of various technologies and understand how the project would enhance the business. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.23 OBJ: LO:1-5 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: The Role of the Project Manager KEY: Bloom's : Comprehension 28. To be a successful manager, the only skills an IT project manager needs to possess is excellent technical skills. ANS: F IT project managers must be willing to develop more than their technical skills to be productive team members and successful project managers. Everyone, no matter how technical they are, should develop business and soft skills. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.24 OBJ: LO: 1-5 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: The Role of the Project Manager KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 29. The introduction of new software makes basic tools, such as Gantt charts and network diagrams, inexpensive and easy to create. ANS: T As computer hardware became smaller and more affordable and software companies developed graphical, easy-to-use interfaces, project management software became less expensive and more widely used. New software makes basic tools such as Gantt charts and network diagrams inexpensive, easy to create, and available for anyone to update. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy OBJ: LO: 1-6 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: The Project Management Profession REF: p.28 KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 30. The enterprise project management software, which aids project and portfolio management, is a low-end tool. ANS: F A category of project management software is high-end tools, sometimes referred to as enterprise project management software. These tools provide robust capabilities to handle very large projects and dispersed workgroups. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy OBJ: LO: 1-6 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: The Project Management Profession REF: p.34 KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following is a difference between projects and operations? a. Projects are undertaken to sustain an c. Projects are temporary endeavors whereas organization’s business whereas an organization’s operations are ongoing operations are not. in nature. b. Operations are undertaken to create d. Operations have well-defined objectives unique products, services, or results whereas projects do not need to have a whereas projects are not. unique purpose. ANS: C A project is “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.” Operations, on the other hand, is work done in organizations to sustain the business. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 2. Which of the following is true of projects? a. They have an indefinite beginning and end. b. They have a unique purpose. REF: p.4 TOP: What is a Project? c. They are developed using regressive elaboration. d. They are permanent in nature. ANS: B One of the attributes of projects is that they has have a unique purpose. Every project should have a well-defined objective. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension REF: p.6 TOP: What is a Project? 3. The role of a _____ is to provide direction and funding for a project. a. project sponsor c. support staff member b. project manager d. project team ANS: A Most projects have many interested parties or stakeholders, but someone must take the primary role of sponsorship. The project sponsor usually provides the direction and funding for the project. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge REF: p.7 TOP: What is a Project? 4. Galaxy, a construction company, buys a particular brand of tiles manufactured by Tiles and Floors, an eco-friendly tile manufacturing company. However, Tiles and Floors has declared bankruptcy and closed down. At present, Galaxy is facing a crisis because there are no other manufacturers in the market that supplies eco-friendly tiles. Which of the following constraints is Galaxy currently facing? a. Resources c. Scope b. Time d. Cost ANS: A Every project is constrained in different ways. For some projects, resources are the main concern. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging OBJ: LO: 1-2 NAT: BUSPROG: Reflective Thinking KEY: Bloom's: Application REF: p.9 TOP: What is a Project? 5. Steve, an engineer in a construction company, is at present working on a home construction project. The home is being built for the Robinson family, the owners of the home. Steve is working with his project team and support staff to ensure the project is completed on time. In such a scenario, the project sponsor is _____. a. Steve c. the project team b. the support staff d. the Robinson family ANS: D Stakeholders are the people involved in or affected by project activities, and include the project sponsor, project team, support staff, customers, among others. In a home construction project, the project sponsors would be the potential new homeowners. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging REF: p. 10 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Reflective Thinking TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Application 6. Project _____ management involves defining and managing all the work required to complete the project successfully. a. human resource c. time b. scope d. cost ANS: B Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop. Project scope management involves defining and managing all the work required to complete the project successfully. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.11 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 7. Project _____ management ensures that the project will satisfy the stated or implied needs for which it was undertaken. a. cost c. risk b. time d. quality ANS: D Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop. Project quality management ensures that the project will satisfy the stated or implied needs for which it was undertaken. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.12 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 8. Which of the following project management knowledge areas primarily involve generating, collecting, disseminating, and storing project information? a. Project cost management c. Project time management b. Project procurement management d. Project communications management ANS: D Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop. Project communications management involves generating, collecting, disseminating, and storing project information. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.12 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 9. Project procurement management mainly involves: a. making effective use of the people c. involved with the project. b. buying goods and services for a project d. from outside the performing organization. generating, collecting, disseminating, and storing project information. identifying and analyzing stakeholder needs while managing and controlling their engagement. ANS: B Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop. Project procurement management involves acquiring or procuring goods and services for a project from outside the performing organization. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult: Moderate REF: p.12 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 10. Which of the following project management knowledge areas is an overarching function that affects and is affected by the different knowledge areas? a. Project cost management c. Project integration management b. Project stakeholder management d. Project communications management ANS: C Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop. Project integration management is an overarching function that affects and is affected by all of the other knowledge areas. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.12 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 11. An important tool for project scope management is _____. a. fast tracking c. a Gantt chart b. crashing d. a work breakdown structure ANS: D Scope management uses scope statements, work breakdown structures, statements of work, requirements analyses, scope management plans, scope verification techniques, and scope change controls. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.13 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Technology TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 12. Which of the following tools are most likely to be used in project time management? a. Payback analysis c. Gantt charts b. Impact matrices d. Fishbone diagrams ANS: C Time management uses Gantt charts, project network diagrams, critical path analysis, crashing, fast tracking, and schedule performance measurements. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.13 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 13. Fast tracking is an example of a tool used in _____ management. a. time c. communication b. quality d. risk ANS: A Time management tools include Gantt charts, project network diagrams, critical path analysis, crashing, fast tracking, and schedule performance measurements. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy REF: p.13 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge 14. In which of the following areas of management is payback analysis most likely to be used? a. Human resource c. Cost b. Communication d. Quality ANS: C Tools used in cost management include payback analysis, earned value management, project portfolio management, and cost estimates among others. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.13 OBJ: LO: 1-3 NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic TOP: What is Project Management? KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension 15. A _____ is a tool used in quality management. a. probability matrice c. request for proposal b. checklist d. critical path analysis ANS: B Quality management uses include quality metrics, checklists, quality control charts, Pareto diagrams, and fishbone diagrams among others. PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate REF: p.13