Photolite A

1. What would be the ideal qualifications for the project engineering slot?
The project engineer, in this case, should have an excellent knowledge of engineering and
manufacturing. The person must be capable of working without supervision. The individual must
have a knowledge not only of company operations but of the business in general. Integration
responsibility is also a critical skill.
2. What information should Harry look for in the personnel files?
Personnel files vary from company to company. At a minimum, the personnel files should
identify the individual’s current knowledge (i.e., technical and business knowledge), background
and experience, and ability to work without supervision.
3. Harry decided to interview potential candidates after reviewing the files. This is usually a good
idea, because the files may not address all of his concerns. What questions should Harry ask
during the interviews? Why is he interviewing candidates? What critical information may not
appear in the personnel files?
Harry needs two critical pieces of information, and this information usually is not available in the
personnel files. First, what are the employees’ interpersonal behavior skills? Does the individual
work well with people? Does the individual possess good communication skills? Does the
individual know how to resolve conflicts? Second, does the individual have a good understanding
of what project management entails? Sometimes, individuals go into project management
because they believe that the grass is greener there. Unfortunately, when they soon discover the
requirements of the job, they realize they made a mistake. These two questions can be answered
during interviews. When asking for situational questions, Harry should focus on asking
behavioural-based interview questions to let the candidates site his/her specific previous
experience vs asking the candidates on what s/he will do on a given situation.

Disney A
1. Why do most project managers not recognize that they either need or can use the skills
required to perform as an Imagineering project manager?
Most project managers seem to be brought on board projects after the brainstorming session
has been completed. Their mission is to execute a project that may already have been well
defined. Many of the skills required to perform as an Imagineering project manager are
needed at the onset of the project.
Another issue is the nature of the project. Traditionally, project managers seem to rely on
marketing or sales to determine the aesthetics of the deliverable as well as the color.
Marketing and sales usually identify the universe of potential customers for the products or
services, and they also perform the follow-up with surveys and questionnaires.
2. What are some of the differences between traditional brainstorming and Imagineering
brainstorming?
Traditional project management brainstorming usually has boundaries, such as using existing
technology. Project managers generally tend to think about what will work within their
constraints. Imagineering focuses on anything, even if it sounds improbable. Imagineers often
create the technology needed to support the idea.

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 Traditional brainstorming focuses on two dimensions rather than three dimensions.
Traditional brainstorming focuses on a deliverable that is usually a piece of hardware or
software whereas Imagineering brainstorming has a story as its deliverable.
3. Why is it necessary to consider cost before the Imagineering brainstorming sessions are
completed?
Although Disney does not disclose the cost of its attractions, many people believe that some
of the attractions cost in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Splash Mountain in Disneyworld
was estimated to take 11 years to complete. There could be a significant cost if new
technology must be developed to accompany the attraction.
4. What is storyboarding and how is it used on Disney projects?
A storyboard is essentially a large comic of the attraction produced beforehand to help the
Imagineers visualize the scenes, or changes in the scenes, and find potential problems before
they occur. Storyboards also help estimate the cost of the overall attraction and save time.
Storyboards can be used to identify where changes to the music are needed to fit the mood
of the scene. Often storyboards include arrows or instructions that indicate movement.
5. What is meant by “project aesthetics,” and how might it apply to projects other than at
Disney?
“Aesthetics” refers to the beauty or appeal of the deliverable. In traditional project
management, the marketing or sales force may have a much stronger say in the aesthetics of
the deliverable than the project manager. Aesthetics could involve the design of a building,
the design and colors used in the next-generation cell phone or tablet, and the screen shots
for a new software package.

Olympic B
1. You have been assigned to manage one of the projects and believe that there may be some
corruption that could directly involve you in the future. As an example, an IOC official asks
you to help her scalp tickets to some events with the promise that she will share the profits
with you. What should you do?
Documenting your belief and reporting it to your sponsor or the governance committee may
be the best starting point. In a case such as this, it may be best to go up the hierarchy by
following the chain of command. Your involvement in this situation could come back to haunt
you well into the future. Remember if you do not feel good or certain about an action, do not
do it. If it is an action that you do not want your friends, family and relatives to know that you
did, it is probably unethical so do not get involved.
2. You have been assigned to manage one of the projects. Partway through the project, your
senior management informs you that you must request (without any real justification) more
money from the OCOG because one member of the OCOG wants a larger kickback. What
should you do?
If you are forced into this situation, would recommend that you ask your sponsor to request
the additional funding. You should avoid getting involved in these situations. Always
remember and refer to the PMI code of Ethics (responsibility, respect, fairness, honesty) and
ensure we are following it closely. Remember that as project managers it is our duty to take

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 ownership for the decisions we make or fail to make, the actions we take or fail to take, and
the consequences that result.
3. Partway through your project, one of the government stakeholders tells you that the
government will pay you only 75 percent of the remaining cost, and the other 25 percent
will be withheld as a kickback. What should you do, assuming that you need the remaining
25 percent to complete the project?
Once again, this is a situation that your sponsor must handle. Assuming the funding is needed
to finish the project, you should prepare a risk management plan and document the impact
that a reduction in the cost baseline could have on the project’s constraints.
4. Partway through the project, your senior management tells you to sacrifice quality to keep
costs down to compensate for the corruption. What should you do?
This is a clear violation of the PMI Ethics and Values that we are promoting in our profession.
If your senior management is part of the corruption, you may need to ask yourself if you are
working in the right company. Suggest to revisit your personal core values and see if it still
aligned with what the company is promoting, living and breathing everyday. If you answered
no, then it is time to move on and look for a reputable company to work for with integrity and
honesty.

Olympic D
1. If you are the project manager for organizing these events, can the health risks be
quantified?
Although statistical data are available for many diseases and potential cures, it probably
would be better to use qualitative rather than quantitative risk analysis. The risk percentages
may change significantly based on any other health conditions people have. Using qualitative
risk analysis in this case. will allow the project manager to assess the impact on the risk-level
vs project-level for quantitative risk analysis. This mean, each risk identified will have a
careful subjective evaluation of probability and impact based on the data presented vs just
conducting an estimate. Health risks of the event plus highly considering the impact of pre-
existing health condition of the participating athletes will yield better analysis in this case.
2. What could the project manager do to possibly mitigate the health risks?
There are options available, but they are limited. The waterways should have been cleaned
up years ago, as was promised when Rio was awarded the 2016 Olympic Games. The decision
to clean up the waterways is certainly not in the hands of the project manager, but he or she
may make strong recommendations. The only risk mitigation options appear to be with
clothing, masks, cleanliness, mosquito repellant, avoiding mosquito breeding grounds, and so
on. However, given the fact the athletes know the risks, it is actually the athletes’
responsibility to mitigate their risks. Providing advance communication and recommendation
to each of the participating teams before the actual event will also help ensure everyone will
come prepared.
3. What are the chances that the Rio OCOG might recommend that these aquatic events be
removed from the Games because of the health risks?
The chances are extremely low to none. These are Olympic events and part of all of the

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 Games. There may be a possibility of moving certain events to other locations, but the
chances are small due to additional costs that this can bring to the hosting party.
4. Would the International Olympic Committee remove the events from the Rio Olympics?
It is virtually impossible that this would happen as this is already a practice that is being done
for many years. All participating teams are also anticipating this event as part of the Olympics
program.
5. If you had been an Olympic athlete, and this were your only chance to compete, would you
have accepted the health risks?
This is a hypothetical question for discussion purposes. No right or wrong answer but will
need to look at your solid support information on why you have answered a certain way. I
would also look at your approach in handling the potential risk at hand in case you would
choose to continue and participate.
6. What could the OCOG have done to help mitigate the risks?
Because of the financial crisis, there is not much they can do. Moving the aquatic venues
seemed like a good idea to some, but that could mean relocating some athletes and judges,
building viewing facilities for the visitors, upsetting sponsors that have built locations around
the venues, and other changes. This is overall a very expensive option and may mean high
probability of damaging expectations and relationship with the hosting party/sponsor.
7. What can athletes do to mitigate the risks?
The athletes can wear antibacterial clothing, have clean-water showers available after their
events, drink clean bottled water available, wear masks or other devices to prevent the
ingestion of contaminated water, and others. Their country’s delegation may also travel with
a medical team that includes an infectious disease specialist. In addition, all athletes may
need to undergo a thorough medical assessment and review to make sure their personal
health will not be placed at risk depending on any pre-existing health conditions that they
may have.
8. From a project management perspective, was holding these events despite these health
risks a moral or ethical violation of PMI’s Code of Conduct and Professional Responsibility?
Students may argue that this falls under PMI’s Code of Conduct and Professional
Responsibility whereas others will argue that these are enterprise environmental factors
beyond the control of the project manager. An interesting discussion would be to identify
whether the actual existence of some enterprise environmental factors can be a violation of
PMI’s Code of Conduct and Professional Responsibility.

Is It Fraud?
1. What information does Paul have to support his belief that something is wrong?
• It appears that the proposal identified too much time for manufacturing planning and
procurement.
• Welton was experienced on this type of project.
• Welton identified that people would be assigned with experience on similar projects.
• Welton’s insistence on an incentive clause for early delivery implies that the company may
have known in advance that it could accelerate the schedule.

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 2. Knowing that you are not an attorney, does it appear from a project management
perspective that sufficient information exists for a possible lawsuit to recover all or part of
the incentive bonus for early delivery?
The compelling argument in this case is the “truth in negotiations act” clause or TINA - which
means contractors are required to submit cost and pricing data to the Government that is
truthful, accurate, and complete during contract negotiations. Did Welton know in advance
that it could accelerate the schedule by at least one month and not disclose this in the
proposal? There's not enough evidence in the case but there is a high probability based on
how the overall contract was negotiated and handled.
3. How do you think this case study ended? (It is a factual case, and the author was the
consultant.)
The case study is disguised but factual. The government filed a lawsuit against Welton for
fraud. Welton found excuse after excuse to delay the date of the trial. Almost three years
after paying Welton the $6 million bonus, the government collected less than $500,000 in an
out-of-court settlement. This was a great deal for Welton. It had use of the $6 million for
three years and had to pay back only $500,000.
Unknown to Paul until sometime later was the fact that this was the second time that Welton
did this. The first time, the government took Welton to court, and again the case was settled
out of court at the last minute for a fraction of what the government was requesting.
The government tried to get Welton removed from the bidding list, but political influence by
senators and representatives made this impossible. There was also a belief by some that
political influence was used to force the government to agree to out-of-court settlements
both times.

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