Questions on Project Management Fundamentals

1. Which of the following is not a project?
1. Running an election campaign for a political candidate.
2. Building a bridge over a river.
3. Pilot aircraft for a United flight.
4. Writing a book on Project Management.


2. Which of the following is not correct about initial phase of a project?
1. The cost associated at the beginning of the project is highest.
2. Stakeholders have maximum influence during this phase
3. The highest uncertainty is at this stage of the project.
4. All the above statements are correct.


3. At which stage, does a typical project has maximum cost?
1. Initial stage
2. Middle stage
3. Final stage
4. Cost is same at all stages.


4. At which stage, in a typical project do stakeholders have maximum influence?
1. Initial stage
2. Middle stage
3. Final stage
4. Shareholders have similar influence at all stages.


5. You are the Project Managers of XYZ consultants. The Project team members are from Finance and HR departments. The team members report to Finance and HR Managers respectively, and you have limited control over them. What type of organizational hierarchy does XYZ consultants follow?
1. Matrix organization
2. Projectized organization
3. Functional organization
4. None of these.


6. The Project Managers have maximum authority in which type of organization?
1. Weak Matrix organization
2. Balanced Matrix organization
3. Strong Matrix
4. Project Managers have same authority in the three types of organizations.


7. Which organization is closest to Functional organization?
1. Weak Matrix organization
2. Balanced Matrix organization
3. Strong Matrix
4. Projectized organization


8. Which of these is not one of the constraint of a project?
1. Scope
2. Resources
3. Team
4. Budget


9. There are two processes in the initiating process group. These are part of which knowledge area?
1. Project Cost Management
2. Project Scope Management
3. Project Time Management
4. Project Integration Management


10. Which of the following is a project?
1. Sending a weekly status report
2. Improving the roads of London for 2012 Olympics
3. Getting ready for office every day
4. Selling toys in a toy store

Answers

1. c. Projects must be a unique endeavor. Piloting a flight is a regular day-today operation, and not a project.
2. a. There is minimum requirement of personnel and hence minimum cost at the project initiation stage.
3. b. In the middle stages, the resources and cost usage is maximum.
4. a. It is easy to make changes to project goals and approach at the initial stage. Stake holders have maximum influence at this stage.
5. c. The team members report to Functional Managers.


6. c. In strong matrix organization, Project Managers have more authority.
7. a. Weak matrix organizations have a similar characteristics to Functional organizations.
8. c. Projects constraints are - Scope, Resources, Quality, Schedule, Budget and Risk
9. d. The two processes Develop Project Charter, and Develop Preliminary Project Scope statement are part of project integration management knowledge area.
10. b. Other operations are ongoing operations and not projects.