Section 2: Integration Management

QUESTION 1
Which of the following techniques is the BEST way to determine project objectives?
A. Delphi technique
B. Earned value analysis
C. Expert interviews
D. Pareto
Answer: A

Explanation:
Earned value analysis (choice B) is a progress reporting tool. Pareto (choice D) is a quality tool. Expert interviews (choice C) simply provide information from individuals, while the Delphi technique (choice A) leads to consensus of expert opinion and is therefore best.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 152, 383

QUESTION 2
You have just been assigned to take over a project that your management has told you is “out of control.” When you asked your management what the problems were, they had no specifics, but said that the project was behind schedule, over budget, and the client was dissatisfied. Which of the following should be of the MOST concern to you?
A. The project is over budget and behind schedule.
B. There is very little documentation related to the project.
C. The client is very dissatisfied with the project’s progress.
D. Your management is looking for rapid and visible action on this project to rectify the problems.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Without adequate documentation, it is impossible to know what was agreed upon and the status of the project.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 115

QUESTION 3
The customer has accepted the completed project scope. However, the lessons learned required by the project management office have not been completed. What is the status of the project?
A. The project is incomplete because the project needs to be replanned.
B. The project is incomplete until all project and product deliverables are complete and accepted.
C. The project is complete because the customer has accepted the deliverables.
D. The project is complete because the project has reached the due date.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Replanning (choice A) is uncalled for by the situation described. A project is complete when all work, including all project management work, is complete and the product of the project, not just deliverables, accepted. The lessons learned are project management deliverables, so choice C cannot be correct. Proper work must be done, not just a date passed, for a project to be complete, so choice D cannot be best.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 130

QUESTION 4
Due to corporate restructuring, the project sponsor, a major stakeholder, and the CEO have left the company.
The project manager’s project is past the halfway point and the remaining members of the management team have been lukewarm toward the project. The new CEO does not place a high value on project management methodology, and the project team is nervous about its future. Under these circumstances, what is the project manager’s primary responsibility?
A. Try to determine if the team should continue to work on the project.
B. Ensure that a conflict of interest does not compromise the legitimate interests of the customer.
C. Interact with others in a professional manner while completing the project.
D. Provide accurate and truthful representations in all project reports.
Answer: C
Explanation:
Did you select choice A? The project manager’s primary responsibility is to complete the project he was chartered and approved to complete. He also has a secondary responsibility to make sure the project is still necessary, or determine whether it needs to change based on the customer’s needs (choice A). Notice that choices B and D are always part of a project manager’s professional and social responsibility, but choice C is the primary responsibility.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 487

QUESTION 5
You are managing a two-year project involving staff from several departments. The project is on schedule and within budget. A key team member leaves for a four-week vacation without completing a highly technical and specialized activity assigned to him (activity A). The project team cannot begin activity B or activity E (a critical path activity) until activity A is completed. Activity A has three days float and is not on the critical path.
A team member, a vendor, and a nonteam member work overtime to complete activity A within its float time.
You need to reimburse the nonteam member’s department and pay the vendor at an overtime rate. What action should you take?
A. Send a complaint letter to the key team member’s boss, and ask him to fund the extra cost expended.
B. Reevaluate your communications management plan.
C. Thank the others for filling in, but tell them not to waste time on noncritical path activities.
D. Pay the cost out of your project reserves.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Notice that the issue of the key team member leaving has already occurred. Although the activity was not on the critical path, it would have impacted a critical path activity if it was not completed within its three-day float.
Therefore, choice C is not correct. The best choice is to discover why the problem happened so you can prevent similar situations in the future. Only choice B looks at the cause of the problem.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 360

QUESTION 6
You are making another international trip and have been invited to a holiday celebration. During the celebration, you discover that all of the subcontracted work for the project has been given to one of the team member’s brothers. What should you do?
A. Do nothing if the project is progressing on schedule.
B. Evaluate the cost of the subcontracted work.
C. Determine what the common practices are in that country.
D. Tell the team member that such actions are not allowed.
Answer: C
Explanation:
This is not a case of doing nothing (choice A). But neither can you jump in and start looking at cost or determine that the practice is not allowed without first identifying the common practices in that country.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 488

QUESTION 7
For which of the following actions could a project manager incur a fine and be jailed?
A. Using people from outside the project manager’s country to work on the project
B. Failing to file the necessary permits in their own country
C. Paying a bribe to a foreign official
D. Not using minority workers on the project
Answer: C
Explanation:
Although some of the other choices might result in a fine, bribes can result in jail time.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 489

QUESTION 8
You are about to begin negotiations with people from another country. Which of the following should provide guidance on what business practices are allowed and not allowed?
A. The company code of conduct
B. The project charter
C. The scope management plan
D. The negotiation plan
Answer: A
Explanation:
The company code of conduct should cover items such as bribes, guidelines for situations, and other business practices.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 489

QUESTION 9
Which of the following is NOT a measure that determines if a business practice used by another country is an unfair business practice?
A. It hurts the right to physical movement.
B. It is a common practice in the other country.
C. It does not supply a decent wage for the country and the type of work.
D. It discriminates against women.
Answer: B
Explanation:
A common practice in another country does not make it a fair practice.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 489

QUESTION 10
You’ve been assigned to take over managing a project that should be half complete according to the schedule. After an extensive evaluation, you discover that the project is running far behind schedule, and that the project will probably take twice the time originally estimated by the previous project manager. However, the sponsor has been told that the project is on schedule. What is the BEST course of action?
A. Try to restructure the schedule to meet the project deadline.
B. Report your assessment to the sponsor.
C. Turn the project back to the previous project manager.
D. Move forward with the schedule as planned by the previous project manager and report at the first missed milestone.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Choice C is not possible, as the previous project manager may have left the company, or he may be busy with new projects. It is a form of withdrawal. Moving ahead (choice D) also withdraws from the problem, and withdrawal is not the best choice. There are two problems described here; the project is behind, and the sponsor does not know it. There seem to be two possible right answers, choices A and B. Which is the best thing to deal with? Certainly it would be to work to get the project on schedule, but look at what choice A says. It limits the effort to restructuring the schedule and does not consider other options, such as cutting scope, that might more effectively deal with the problem. Choice A is too limiting. What if the sponsor would agree to change the due date? The best choice in this situation is to inform the sponsor of the revised completion time estimate.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 487