Section 2: Integration Management

QUESTION 71
During what part of the project management process is MOST of a project’s budget expended?
A. Planning
B. Executing
C. Monitoring and controlling
D. Closing

Answer: B
Explanation:
A vast majority of the project’s budget is expended during project executing.
Source: PMBOK® Guide Page: 56

QUESTION 72
You have been appointed manager of a project to convert multiple electronic mail systems at a major financial institution to a single platform. Your company’s approach was not the client’s first choice, and your firm was able to be the lowest cost alternative by using funds provided to your company for a different purpose. After the project is underway, the client specifies a new approach that has never been used before.
When the project is approaching the originally scheduled end date, it becomes clear that the technological approach will have to be significantly altered. Although the client has been apprised of developments throughout the project through regular status reports, and the project management plan has been followed, the client demands that the project be continued without any increase in cost until all of the client’s requirements are met. Your firm feels that it has no choice but to comply with the client’s demands, although this will result in a substantial loss on the project. What is the MOST important thing that should have been done to avoid this situation?
A. Better identification of risks and development of risk mitigation strategies
B. Clearer project scope statement
C. Enhanced communications management plan
D. Formal client acceptance of the project management plan
Answer: D
Explanation:
Getting acceptance of the project management plan would have meant acceptance of project planning assumptions, project planning decisions regarding alternatives chosen, communication among stakeholders, key management reviews, the baseline for progress measurement and project control.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 117

QUESTION 73
You have been assigned to manage the development of an organization’s first Web site. The site will be highly complex and interactive, and neither your project team nor the client has much experience with Web site development. The timeline is extremely aggressive. Any delay will be costly for both your firm and the client. You have a project sponsor and have achieved agreement and sign-off on both the project charter and the project management plan. Client personnel have been kept fully informed of the project’s progress through status reports and regular meetings. The project is on schedule, within the budget, and a final perfunctory review has been scheduled. Suddenly you hear that the entire effort may be cancelled because the product developed is totally unacceptable. What is the MOST likely cause of this situation?
A. A key stakeholder was not adequately involved in the project.
B. The project charter and project management plan were not thoroughly explained or adequately reviewed by the client.
C. Communications arrangements were inadequate and did not provide the required information to interested parties.
D. The project sponsor failed to provide adequate support for the project.
Answer: A
Explanation:
A single high-level executive can end an entire project if he or she is not satisfied with the results, even if that person has, by choice, been only tangentially involved in the project. It is critical to ensure that all of the final decision makers have been identified early in a project in order to ensure that their concerns are addressed.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 117

QUESTION 74
The project manager has just received a change from the customer that does not affect the project schedule and is easy to complete. What should the project manager do FIRST?
A. Make the change happen as soon as possible.
B. Contact the project sponsor for permission.
C. Go to the change control board.
D. Evaluate the impacts on other project constraints.
Answer: D
Explanation:
The other impacts to the project should be evaluated first. Such impacts include scope, cost, quality, risk, resources, and customer satisfaction. Once these are evaluated, the change control board, if one exists, can approve or deny the change.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 127

QUESTION 75
Your company just won a major new project. It will begin in three months and is valued at US $2,000,000.
You are the project manager for an existing project. What is the FIRST thing you should do upon hearing of the new project?
A. Ask management how the new project will use resources.
B. Resource level your project.
C. Crash your project.
D. Ask management how the new project will affect your project.
Answer: D
Explanation:
As you work on a project, you need to constantly reevaluate the project objectives and how the project relates to other concurrent projects. Is your project still in line with corporate objectives? If the other project will impact yours, you need to be proactive and work on options now.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 106

QUESTION 76
You are a project manager who was just assigned to take over a project from another project manager who is leaving the company. The previous project manager tells you that the project is on schedule, but only because he has constantly pushed the team to perform. What is the FIRST thing you should do as the new project manager?
A. Check risk status.
B. Check cost performance.
C. Determine a management strategy.
D. Tell the team your objectives.
Answer: C
Explanation:
Before you can do anything else, you have to know what YOU are going to do. Developing the management strategy will provide the framework for all the rest of the choices presented and the other activities that need to be done.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 113

QUESTION 77
What is a project management information system?
A. A computerized status tracking system
B. A manual status tracking system
C. A method to determine and archive how the project is doing
D. A method to gather, integrate, and disseminate what and how the project is doing
Answer: D
Explanation:
The system contains processes and tools to allow you, the project manager, to know the status of your project at all times.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 115

QUESTION 78
The need for ____ is one of the major driving forces for communication in a project.
A. Optimization
B. Integrity
C. Integration
D. Differentiation
Answer: C
Explanation:
The project manager is an integrator. This is a question about your role as an integrator and communicator.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 97

QUESTION 79
Which of the following BEST describes the project manager’s role during project planning?
A. Creating a bar chart and getting management to approve it
B. Coordinating the creation of a document that can be used to guide the project
C. Making a list of activities the team members are required to perform
D. Determining what can get in the way and how to prevent it
Answer: B
Explanation:
Choices A and C are common errors inexperienced project managers make. These activities are not the way a project is planned. Choice D relates only to risk, making it not as inclusive as choice B. The project management plan is used to guide the project and it is the project manager’s integration role.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 112

QUESTION 80
The project manager’s role during the executing process group of the project can BEST be described as a(n):
A. Director.
B. Integrator.
C. Coordinator.
D. Leader.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Directing (choice A) occurs while the project management plan is being created. During project executing, the project manager should be focused on integrating the work of others into a cohesive whole. This is more important than just coordinating (choice C) or leading (choice D).
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 97