Section 2: Integration Management
QUESTION 211
The engineering department has uncovered a problem with the cost accounting system and has asked the systems department to analyze what is wrong and fix the problem. You are a project manager working with the cost accounting programs on another project. Management has issued a change request to the change control board to add the new work to your project. Your existing project has a cost performance index (CPI) of 1.2 and a schedule performance index (SPI) of 1.3 so you have some room to add work without delaying your existing project or going over budget. However, you cannot see how the new work fits within the project charter for your existing project. After some analysis, you determine that the new work and existing work do not overlap and can be done concurrently. They also require different skill sets. Which of the following is the BEST thing to do?
A. Develop Project Charter.
B. Reestimate the project schedule with input from the engineering department.
C. Verify the scope of the new work with the help of the stakeholders.
D. Identify specific changes to the existing work.
Answer: A
Explanation:
How long did it take you to read this question? Expect long-winded questions on the exam. Take another look at the choices before you continue reading. Did you notice that each of the choices occurs during a different part of the project management process?
This question is essentially asking if the new work should be added to the existing project. There may be many business reasons to try to do this, but from a project management perspective, major additions to the project are generally discouraged. In this case, the question is trying to imply that the new work is a selfcontained unit of work, has no overlap with the existing work and needs a different skill set. Therefore, it is generally best to make it a new project. The first step to answering this question is to realize that the work should be a separate project. The second step is to look at the choices and see which relates to initiating a new project. Choice B sounds like the best choice, but only if you did not realize that the new work should be a separate project. Choice C is done during project monitoring and controlling. Choice D is done during project executing. The project charter is developed in the initiating process group.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 21, 102
QUESTION 212
During project executing, a large number of changes are made to the project. The project manager should:
A. Wait until all changes are known and print out a new schedule.
B. Make sure the project charter is still valid.
C. Change the schedule baseline.
D. Talk to management before any changes are made.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Choice A is a common error many project managers make. Instead, the project manager should be controlling the project throughout the completion of the project. The situation in the question does not provide a reason to believe that the baseline must be changed (choice C). A project manager must be more in control of the project than choice D reflects. Choice B is the best answer. Whenever a large number of changes occur on a project, it is wise to confirm that the business case, as stated in the project charter, is still valid.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 128
QUESTION 213
You have been working on a very large software development project that has made use of more than 230 people. Finally, all the scope has been completed. It would be BEST to:
A. Throw a party for the team members.
B. Make sure the project is integrated with other projects.
C. Begin to focus on your other projects.
D. Analyze project success or failure.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Though all the choices seem like good ideas, there is only one best. Usually these questions can be reworded to, “What do you do next?” Integrating (choice B) is a great idea, but not all projects have another project with which to integrate. The project manager cannot move on (choice C) until the project is actually completed. That means that the Close Process or Phase process must occur. The only choice that relates to
Close Process or Phase is choice D. Once that process is done, then throw a party!
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 131
QUESTION 214
Effective project integration usually requires an emphasis on:
A. The personal careers of the team members.
B. Timely updates to the project management plan.
C. Effective communications at key interface points.
D. Product control.
Answer: C
Explanation:
This question is asking for the most important of the choices. Think about what is involved in integration: project management plan development, project management plan execution, and integrated change control.
In order to integrate the project components into a cohesive whole, communication is key when one activity will interface with another, one team member will interface with another, and any other form of interfacing will occur. Choices B and D are only parts of the monitoring and controlling process group, while integration includes more than control. Choice A falls under project management plan execution.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 97
QUESTION 215
Integration is done by the:
A. Project manager.
B. Team.
C. Sponsor.
D. Stakeholders.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Integration is a key responsibility of the project manager, so choice A is the best answer.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 97
QUESTION 216
You are taking over a project and determine the following: Activity B has an early finish (EF) of day 3, a late finish (LF) of day 6, and an early start (ES) of day 2. Activity L is being done by a hard-to-get resource. The cost performance index (CPI) is 1.1 and the schedule performance index (SPI) is 0.8. Based on this information what would you be more concerned about?
A. Float
B. Resources
C. Cost
D. Schedule
Answer: D
Explanation:
You may not understand this question until you review the book PMP® Exam Prep. Come back to it. This question tries to integrate a lot of information and test your ability to discern what information is relevant to the question. Though some figures to calculate float are provided (choice A), there is no information to say that the float is a problem. Most projects have hard-to-get resources (choice B). The question does not give an indication that having hard-to-get resources is a problem. CPI (choice C) is greater than one, so cost is not something to worry about. SPI is less than one, so choice D is the best answer.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 241
QUESTION 217
Which of the following is CORRECT?
A. Inspecting is part of project control and order of magnitude estimates are in a range of +10 to -25 percent.
B. Determining that the project is following policies and procedures is done in the Perform Quality Assurance process, and accepting work results is done in the Verify Scope process.
C. Define Scope and make-or-buy decisions are parts of the Plan Procurements process.
D. Cost estimates are best created by the person doing the work and the detailed project cost budget is created by management.
Answer: B
Explanation:
The range for the order of magnitude estimate in choice A is not correct. Looking again at the procurement process will tell you that choice C cannot be best. Did you select choice D? Notice how it is partially correct: “Cost estimates are best created by the person doing the work” but also partially incorrect: “the detailed project cost budget is created by management.” The detailed budget is created by the project manager with input from the team so this cannot be best. Choice B is best. Notice the difference between the Perform Quality Assurance and Verify Scope processes.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 166, 281
QUESTION 218
Which of the following BEST describes the phrase, “influencing the factors that affect change?”
A. Telling people that changes are not allowed
B. Determining the sources of changes and fixing the root causes
C. Adding more activities to the work breakdown structure to accommodate risks
D. Calculating the impact of changes to date on the project
Answer: B
Explanation:
A project manager should be looking at where changes are coming from and doing whatever is necessary to limit the negative effects of change on the project. He needs to find the root cause, so future changes may be avoided.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 125
QUESTION 219
Which of the following BEST describes what a project charter may be used for when the work is being completed?
A. To make sure all the team members are rewarded
B. To help determine if a scope change should be approved
C. To assess the effectiveness of the change control system
D. To make sure that all the documentation on the project is completed
Answer: B
Explanation:
One of the ways to check if a change should be approved is to determine whether the work falls within the project charter. If not, it should be rejected, assigned to a more appropriate project, or addressed as a project of its own.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 102, 128
QUESTION 220
What is the LAST thing that occurs in the Close Project or Phase process?
A. Formal acceptance is received.
B. Lessons learned are created.
C. Financial closure is achieved.
D. Resources are released.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Outputs of the Close Project or Phase process include archives, lessons learned, and project closure.
However, some project resources (people, computers, telephones) must be used to perform these closing activities. Once completed, the project can release its resources. Therefore choice D is best.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 131