aps1001 

Project Management MID-TERM

Your score: ____ / 32 = ____ %.

This is a take-home self-graded paper-based exam. Your score will not count toward the course grading.

The final exam will be in a similar format and with similar questions styles, and will cover material from the
whole course. In the final exam, we will say, “Note that this exam is printed on both sides of the paper.
Jackets, mobile devices, books, bags, at side or front of room please. No smart phones or notes. Closed
book. Bullet point answers are encouraged. You are allowed a 2-language hard-copy dictionary and a
calculator, and it is OK to use pencil. Because this exam paper will be scanned, do not write in the half-inch
all around the page.”

Q1 (2 points) When considering the “scope” of a project:

(a) “Product scope” accomplishment is measured against the plan
(b) “Project scope” accomplishment is measured against the requirements
(c) “Project scope” accomplishment is measured against the plan
(d) “Product scope” and “Project scope” are measured against the Project Statement of Work

Q2 (2 points) In the case of projects with phase-gates,

(a) The Business Case is prepared based on the Project Charter
(b) The Business Case is prepared based on the Project Scope Statement.
(c) The Business Case may be reviewed periodically to ensure the project still makes sense
(d) The Business Case is prepared based on the Project Management Plan

Q3 (2 points) Your project is behind schedule and your sponsor has asked you to “crash” the schedule. You
will:
(a) Review your logic to see if you can start some tasks earlier than planned
(b) Find tasks that can be done in parallel that you had originally determined would be best to do in
sequence
(c) Find ways of compressing the schedule for the least incremental cost
(d) Look for scope which can be cut

Q4 (3 points total) What is a phase gate (also known as a “stage-gate” or “control gate”) (1point), and why
use them (2 points)?
Phase gate is a review at the end of a phase used to evaluate project, revisit business case, decision
to proceed to next phase, modify or cancel project
Phase gates may be implemented to ultimately:
- they help increase control over the project
- minimize risk
- allow for opportunity to review progress of the project
- allow for opportunity to assess whether there is still a business case for the project

1
 Q5 (3 points total, no part marks for calculation) The accompanying network shows duration in working
days. The earliest finish for K is the end of day #____.
16 Task F has a total float (total slack) of ____
4 days.
0 days. (Note that “FS-2” contains a minus sign.)
Task B has a free float (free slack) of _____

2 6 5 13

3 7 6 14
1 1 2 5 7 7 15 16
8 13
1 1 4 7 8 8 15 16
2 4 5 6
9 14

2 4 9 10
5 10 14

5 10

Q6 (2 points) “… are characterized by an emphasis on specification of requirements and detailed planning

during the beginning phases of a project”:
(a) Iterative and incremental life cycles predictive
(b) Adaptive life cycles
iterative
(c) Predictive life cycles
(d) Rolling wave planning incremental
agile (iterative and incremental)

Q7 (2 points) What is “Front End Loading”?

Planning for an iterative life cycle where you have successive phases of planning (extra phases or gates)
- ex. FEL1, FEL2, FEL3
- this provides more emphasis on planning
- allows us to implement information we gather from earlier phases into subsequent phases
via multiple phases of planning
- therefore more suitable for incremental and adaptive life cycles

2
 Q8 (3 points) Consider the following network: The “Start” activity is followed by activity A. Activity A is
followed by Activity C. The “Start” activity is also followed by Activity B. Activities D and E are
successors from Activity B. Activities C and D and E are predecessors to the “Finish” milestone. Durations
are in days. How can we incur the least extra cost to shorten (“crash”) the total project schedule to 10 days?
(If you can crash a task by two days, you may choose to crash it by just one day at half the extra cost.)

Start -> A -> C -> New "Crashed" Extra Cost to Crash the
Activity Original Duration
Duration Duration
-> B -> D -> Finish
-> E -> Start 2 1 $8,000

A 5 4 $10,000
Start-B-D-Finish = 12
= Critical Path B 6 4 $12,000 ($6,000 per day)
Start-A-C-Finish = 11
C 4 3 $12,000
= near critical
Start-B-E-Finish = 11 D 4 3 $5,000
= near critical E 3 2 $5,000

Start-1day (8000) 12 days total

D-1day (5000) -2 days crashed
Incurred cost = 13000 = 10 day project schedule

Q9 (6 points total -- 0 points for first two answers, and ½ point for each of the next 12 answers) According
to the Project Management Institute framework, what are the component parts of the “Project Management
Plan” and other project planning output documents. Try to provide at least 14 answers. The question is NOT
“What are the knowledge areas of project management?”
Component parts of the Project Management Plan (PMP) and other project planning output documents:
- plan scope management - determine budget
- collect requirements - estimate costs
- define scope - plan cost management
- create WBS - develop schedule
- plan procurements - sequence activities
- plan risk management - define activities
- identify risks - plan schedule management
- plan risk responses - estimate activity resources
- perform qualitative risk analysis - estimate activity resources
- perform quantitative risk analysis
- plan communications includes
- plan stakeholder management - schedule baseline, cost baseline
- plan human resources - subsidiary management plans
- plan quality like scope management plan, schedule management plan, cost
management plan, risk management plan, etc

3
 Q10 (2 points total. 0 points for the first answer, 1/2 point each for the next 4). As project manager, what are
at least five different reasons that I should bother to document changes in scope, and get them approved, as
they occur? (Some of your answers may be more relevant to projects for internal customers; some may be
more relevant to projects for external customers. Just saying “avoid scope creep” is not a sufficient answer.)
1. so you will get paid on contract or for an external customer
2. create audit trail to explain eventual cost and schedule variances
- reasons as to why the project took longer and costed more
3. provide historical records for future baseline scope planning of similar projects
4. having written documentation forces a formal decision by customer
5. communicates change and its impact to other stakeholders so they are all aware
6. formally revises cost and schedule baselines
7. may be required by contract

Q11 (3 points total, 0 for the first answer, 1 point each for the remainder) You are late on the schedule, half-
way through the project, and your contingency time is used up. Cancelling the project is not an option. What
can you do – at least four different responses?
1. Fast Track (or overlapping tasks)
- doing work in parallel which you would normally do in sequence
2. Crash (or decrease durations, or increase resources, or spend more money)
- shortening the duration of the task by allocating more resources
3. Reduce Scope or requirements or re-balance the triple constraint
4. agree and communicate an extension
5. improved methods or technology

Q12 (2 points) Your company’s Director of Business Improvement is your Sponsor and is quite interested in
your project’s result. Which may be the most appropriate strategy for you to use in dealing with that
stakeholder?
(a) Manage closely high interest, high power
(b) Keep satisfied
(c) Management by exception
(d) Keep informed