Free PMI PMI-SP Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 3

According to the question, you are required to calculate the cost performance index (CPI) of the project. Cost performance index (CPI) is used to calculate performance efficiencies. It is used in trend analysis to predict future performance. CPI is the ratio of earned value to actual cost. The CPI is calculated based on the following formula: CPI = Earned Value (EV) / Actual Cost (AC) If the CPI value is greater than 1, it indicates better than expected performance, whereas if the value is less than 1, it shows poor performance. The CPI value of 1 indicates that the project is right on target. Now, putting the provided values in the formula: CPI = EV / AC = 325 / 410 = 0.792 As the CPI 0.792 is lesser than 1, it shows that the schedule performance is below expectation. What is BCWP (or EV)? Budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) or Earned Value (EV) is the value of completed work. It is the budgeted amount for the work actually completed on the schedule activity during a given time period. What is BCWS (or PV)? Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS) or Planned Value (PV) is the authorized budget assigned to the scheduled work to be accomplished for a schedule activity or Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) component. What is ACWP (or AC)? Actual cost of work performed (ACWP) or Actual Cost (AC) is the total costs actually incurred and recorded in accomplishing work performed during a given time period for a schedule activity. It is the cost of the work to date, including direct and indirect costs. AC is money that has actually been expended to date.

Performance reports are distributed through the push technique. This means that the project manager distributes the reports regularly through a mechanism, such as email.

Answer option C is incorrect. One-to-one technique describes a conversation between two people.

Answer option B is incorrect. Many-to-many technique describes a conversation between many people.

Answer option D is incorrect. A pull technique describes the recipients of the report "pulling" the information, such as from a Website.

Because the activities in Beth's project require Tim and his skills. This is an example of an activity resource requirement. A resource constraint would also have been an acceptable answer.

Answer option B is incorrect. This may be a matrix organization, but matrix network is not a valid project management term.

Answer option C is incorrect. Organizational process assets are things that have been created to help assist the management of the project.

Answer option A is incorrect. A resource calendar conflict is not a valid project management term.

Total float is the time you can delay an activity without delaying the project end date, whereas free float is on each activity and does not affect the early start date of successor activities. Float, also called slack, is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting any subsequent activities. There are two types of floats available: Free Float: It is the amount of time a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any immediately following schedule activities. Total Float: It is the total amount of time that a schedule activity may be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project finish date, or violating schedule constraint. Float is calculated by using the critical path method technique.

Answer options C, A, and D are incorrect. These are not accurate definitions of free float and total float.

Schedule compression is a tool used as part of the Schedule Development process. The tools and techniques for schedule development are as follows:

Schedule network analysis

Critical path method

Critical chain method

Resource leveling

What-if scenario analysis

Applying leads and lags

Schedule compression

Scheduling tool

Answer options D, B, and C are incorrect. These are not tools and techniques for schedule development.

A good project manager must have all of the above mentioned skills. Out of these, the communication skills are the most important skills for a project manager. Communications skills are part of general management skills and are used to exchange information. Communication has many dimensions: Written and oral, listening, and speaking Internal (within the project) and external (customer, the media, the public) Formal (reports, briefings) and informal (memos, ad hoc conversations) Vertical (up and down the organization) and horizontal (with peers) Communication is the most important skill that a project manager must posses. It is the single most important characteristics of a top-class project manager. Project managers must communicate well in order to integrate and maximize the performance of team members. Oral and written communications are the backbone of every successful project. During different phases of a project, a project manager requires to communicate through different manners (for example, documentation, meeting updates, etc.) and he must ensure that the information communicated is explicit, clear, and complete.

Answer options E, C, A, and B are incorrect. All these mentioned skills make a person a good project manager. Communication skills top the list. What are organizational skills? Organizational skills are part of management skills to organize various aspects of a project in order to complete it successfully. A good project manager uses these skills to successfully organize his meetings, as well as to keep documentations, quotes, contracts, etc., which can be fetched at any given moment. Organizational skills also include planning and time management skills. What are budgeting skills? Budgeting skills include the knowledge of finance and accounting principles. A project manager must possess these skills in order to perform cost estimates for project budgeting. Reading and understanding quotes, preparing purchase orders, and reconciling purchase invoices are all part of budgeting skills. In order to make the budget of a project, the project manager must have excellent budgeting skills. What are problem solving skills? Problem solving skills include the ability to define and analyze problems, and to take decisions in order to solve the problems by implementing those decisions. Every project manager must possess strong problem solving skills. Problem solving is a two-fold process: Defining the problem Taking a decision and then implementing it A project manager is responsible for determining the best course of action to take in order to resolve the problem. What are negotiating and influencing skills? Negotiating skills includes demanding and convincing others for the rightful thing or act. A project manager needs this skill to negotiate on projects in almost every area such as scope definitions, budgets, contracts, resource assignments, schedules, etc. Influencing skills include the convincing power of a person. It is an ability to change minds and the course of events. A good project manager requires these skills to utilize them in all areas of project management.

Fast tracking is a technique for compressing project schedule. In fast tracking, phases are overlapped that would normally be done in sequence. It is shortening the project schedule without reducing the project scope. It does not add any additional labor but it can introduce project risks.

Answer option D is incorrect. Removing things from the project scope can reduce the project duration, but it will not satisfy the requirements the stakeholders have identified.

Answer option A is incorrect. Resource leveling can actually increase the project duration.

Answer option B is incorrect. Crashing can reduce the project duration but it increases the labor expense, something the stakeholders won't approve.

Identification of the project risks is not part of the process improvement plan. Identify risks is a risk management process, and risks are recorded in the risk register.

Answer options A, B, and C are incorrect. Process boundaries, Process configuration and Targets for improved performance are parts of the process improvement plan.

The communications management plan will define who will receive what information.

Answer option B is incorrect. The project sponsor may be a recipient but the project communications management plan is the best selection.

Answer option A is incorrect. Functional management is not the best choice in a projectized structure.

Answer option D is incorrect. The project customer may receive a copy of the report, but the project communications management plan should direct the communications.

A corrective action is a change implemented to address a weakness identified in a management system. Normally corrective actions are implemented in response to a customer complaint, abnormal levels of internal nonconformity, nonconformities identified during an internal audit or adverse or unstable trends in product and process monitoring such as would be identified by SP

C. It is method of identifying and eliminating the causes of a problem, thus preventing their reappearance. Examples of a corrective action are : Improvements to maintenance schedules Improvements to material handling or storage

Answer option A is incorrect. Lessons learned is a documentation of the errors and how they were resolved, not a method to prevent the errors from occurring again.

Answer option C is incorrect. Preventive action addresses any action or act in which the project management team and the team leader provide documented direction to carry out an activity that is meant to decrease the possibility of negative consequences related to project risk.

Answer option B is incorrect. Risk analysis examines the risk events, its probability, and its impact on the project.