A project manager is working with the product owner and customer stakeholders on prioritizing the product backlog and planning the product delivery dates. The customer stakeholders are asking to include several deliverables as high priority. The product manager also has technical tasks that should be added as high priority.
What should the project manager do?
Correct Answer:
C
In an agile project, the project manager should collaborate with the product owner and the customer stakeholders to prioritize the product backlog and plan the product delivery dates. The product backlog is a list of features and requirements that are ordered by value and urgency. The product delivery dates are the milestones where the team delivers a potentially shippable product increment that meets the customer’s needs and expectations. The project manager should lead the team to identify the product objectives at every delivery iteration and clarify priorities. The product objectives are the goals and outcomes that the product should achieve in each iteration. The priorities are the criteria that determine the order and importance of the product backlog items. By leading the team to identify the product objectives and clarify priorities, the project manager can ensure that the team delivers the most valuable and feasible product increment in each iteration, and that the product backlog reflects the changing needs and expectations of the customer stakeholders. Option C is the best answer because it follows the agile principles and practices that are suitable for this type of project. Option A is not a good answer because it does not involve the team or the product owner in the prioritization and planning process, and it may result in unrealistic or unfeasible expectations. Option B is not a good answer because it does not involve the customer stakeholders in the prioritization and planning process, and it may create a rigid or detailed plan that does not allow for flexibility andfeedback. Option D is not a good answer because it does not address the question of how to prioritize the product backlog and plan the product delivery dates, and it may overwhelm the customer stakeholders with too much information or details. References: [Agile Practice Guide], pages 25-26, 29-30; [A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)], Seventh Edition, pages 18-19, 58-59.
A project manager receives information in preparation for reporting the project's monthly performance to the project steering committee.
+ Actual progress = 2 units
+ Planned progress = 3 units
+ Actual cost (AC) = 2 units
+ Budgeted cost = 3 units
What statement should the project manager make to the project steering committee?
Correct Answer:
C
According to the PMBOK® Guide, project performance reporting is the process of collecting, analyzing, and communicating information on the project progress and status to the project stakeholders. Project performance reporting involves the use of various tools and techniques, such as earned value management (EVM), variance analysis, trend analysis, forecasting, and performance reviews. Project performance reporting helps the project manager and the project team to monitor and control the project performance, identify and resolve issues, manage risks and changes, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
In this question, the project manager has to report the project’s monthly performance to the project steering committee, based on the information provided. The information shows that the actual progress of the project is 2 units, while the planned progress is 3 units. This means that the project is behind schedule, and has not achieved the expected level of work completion. The information also shows that the actual cost of the project is 2 units, while the budgeted cost is 3 units. This means that the project is under the planned expenditure, and has spent less than the expected amount of money. The project manager should use EVM to calculate the schedule variance (SV) and the cost variance (CV) of the project, and compare them with the baseline values. The SV is the difference between the earned value (EV) and the planned value (PV) of the project, and indicates how much ahead or behind schedule the project is. The CV is the difference between the EV and the actual cost (AC) of the project, and indicates how much over or under budget the project is. The EV is the value of the work actually performed by the project. Based on the information given, the EV can be calculated as follows:
EV = (AC / PV) x PV = (2 / 3) x 3 = 2 units
The SV and CV can then be calculated as follows: SV = EV - PV = 2 - 3 = -1 unit
CV = EV - AC = 2 - 2 = 0 unit
The negative SV indicates that the project is behind schedule, and the zero CV indicates that the project is on budget. The project manager should report these values to the project steering committee, and explain the reasons and impacts of the schedule variance. The project manager should also report the actions taken or planned to expedite the delayed activities, and to bring the project back on track. The project manager should not claim that the project has a cost savings, as this may not reflect the true value of the project, and may not compensate for the schedule delay. The project manager should also not suggest that no further actions should be taken, as this may imply a lack of concern or responsibility for the project performance.
Therefore, the best statement that the project manager should make to the project steering committee is:
* C. The project is currently behind schedule with a corresponding lower cost, and every effort is being made to expedite the delayed activities.
References:
✑ PMBOK® Guide, 6th edition, pages 260-261, 267-268, 333-334
✑ Project Performance Reporting: Key Performance Reports
✑ Project Management Tools & Templates
✑ ProjectManagement.com - PMO Monthly Status Report
✑ How to Write an Effective Monthly Report [+ Templates]
✑ Project Management Monthly Reporting Procedure & Formats
A project team member complained to the project manager that they are not sure if they are working on the latest requirements document because it was emailed to them about one week ago. They mentioned that, in the past, they worked on a document for more than 20 hours only to find out later that another team member had already updated that same document but did not send them the latest revisions.
What should the project manager do to avoid this situation in the future?
Correct Answer:
A
A project management information system (PMIS) is a tool that helps project managers and team members to collect, organize, and distribute project information. A PMIS can also facilitate collaboration and communication among project stakeholders, as well as control changes and manage configuration of project documents. By implementing a PMIS, the project manager can avoid the situation of having outdated or conflicting versions of the requirements document, and ensure that everyone is working on the same page. References: = PMBOK Guide, 6th Edition, Section 4.1.2.2, Project Management Information System1; PMP Exam Prep, 10th Edition, Page 1312
A project manager collects various pieces of information and consolidates metrics in an agile project. The project manager finds that there is slack in the team in terms of productivity. The number of items sent
to development per person has decreased by 10%, and the project manager used a root cause analysis (RCA) and discovered the reason is a lack of knowledge in one of the frameworks used for modeling.
What should the project manager do next?
Correct Answer:
D
The project manager should foster knowledge sharing and coaching among team members to address the slack in productivity caused by the lack of knowledge in one of the frameworks used for modeling. This way, the project manager can leverage the existing skills and expertise of the team members who are familiar with the framework, and help the others to learn and improve their performance. The project manager can also use various agile techniques, such as pair programming, peer reviews, retrospectives, and feedback loops, to facilitate knowledge sharing and coaching. The project manager should not seek an external expert, arrange for external training, or add new members, as these options may be costly, time-consuming, or disruptive to the team dynamics and collaboration. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 349, Top 60+ PMP Exam Questions and Answers for 2023 - KnowledgeHut
A project manager is leading an agile project in an organization that has not executed this type of project before. In order to ensure the project is following the compliance requirements, what should the project manager do?
Correct Answer:
B
= This answer is based on the concept of process tailoring, which is the act of determining the appropriate project management processes, tools, techniques, inputs, and outputs for a specific project. By meeting with the PMO/compliance entity, the project manager can ensure that the agile project is aligned with the organizational strategy, governance, and standards, and that the agile deliverables meet the compliance requirements of the organization. This will also help to establish a common understanding and agreement on the roles, responsibilities, expectations, and communication channels among the project stakeholders. References: (Project Management Professional (PMP) Reference Materials source and documents)
✑ A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) –
Seventh Edition, Chapter 2: The Project Environment, Section 2.3: Project Management Office, page 41.
✑ Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 3: Life Cycle Selection, Section 3.2: Implementing
Agile: Assessing the Current State of the Project, page 28.