Palgrave Macmillan - Business - Project Management

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The key terminology for project scheduling includes which of the following?
1. Activities, milestones, manpower, skill levels, and float
2. Activities, documentation, manpower, and skill levels
3. Float, activities, milestones, and time estimates
4. Time estimates, float, sponsorship involvement, and activities
Guidelines for estimating time durations include which of the following?
I Assuming a normal level of manpower and other resources
II Using consistent time units
III Using historical records as guides to durations
1. I only
2. II only
3. I, II, and III
4. None of the above
What is the early start time and early finish time of activity L in weeks (click here to view figure)?
1. 12, 14
2. 13, 15
3. 14, 16
4. 15, 17
What are the critical path activities (click here to view figure)?
1. A, B, G, L, N
2. D, J, F, K, M, N
3. D, E, G, L, N
4. D, J, M, N
How many predecessors does activity G have (click here to view figure)?
1. Four
2. Three
3. One
4. Cannot be determined from the information provided
A line manager provides you with three estimates for his activity in your network diagram. His estimates are 2 weeks optimistically, 4 weeks most likely, and 12 weeks pessimistically. What is the expected time which should appear on the chart?
1. 4 weeks
2. 5 weeks
3. 6 weeks
4. None of the above
Based upon the situation, which method(s) shown below could be acceptable for shortening the schedule?
I Crashing
II Changing the scope
III Performing activities in parallel rather than in series
1. I only
2. II only
3. I and III only
4. I, II, and III
Increasing resources on the critical path activities may not always shorten the length of the project because:
I certain activities are time-dependent rather than resource dependent (e.g. you can't use three ovens rather than one to bake a cake);
II the skill level of the added resources might not be appropriate for the activities to be performed;
III adding more resources may create additional work and produce inefficiencies (e.g. additional people may need training and supervision).
1. I only
2. II only
3. I and III only
4. I, II, and III
Activities J, K, and L are each the immediate predecessors for activity N. If the earliest finish times for J, K, and L are 5, 7, and 9, weeks respectively, what is the earliest start time for activity N?
1. 5 weeks
2. 7 weeks
3. 9 weeks
4. 21 weeks
The critical path in a project is determined by which of the following?
1. A forward pass
2. A forward pass and then a backward pass
3. A backward pass
4. Trial and error solutions
Which of the following is (are) not true about a Gantt chart?
I It shows the time spans in which project tasks are performed
II It is particularly effective in showing the logic relationships between project activities
III It was developed by Henry Gantt in the early twentieth century
1. I only
2. II only
3. III only
4. All of the above are true
Which of the following sources provide data on duration and estimating?
I Project team knowledge
II Project files (existing or historical)
III Published data on standard practice techniques
1. I only
2. II only
3. I and III only
4. I, II, and III
Which of the following is correct? Project budgets are used to:
I control costs and cash flow
II prepare budget baselines
III control project progress
1. I only
2. II only
3. I and III only
4. I, II, and III
Project budgeting includes which of the following major processes?
1. Resource planning, cost estimating, cost budgeting, cost control
2. Scope definition, cost estimating, cost budgeting, cost control
3. Scope definition, cost estimating, cost budgeting, change control
4. Resource planning, environmental analysis, cost budgets, cost control
Which of the following is correct? Schedule and budget baselines are:
1. fixed and therefore can never change
2. never fixed, except on small value projects
3. fixed towards the end of a project when risk levels have reduced
4. fixed, but subject to intermittent change
Baseline cost projections can be aggregated to high levels of the WBS for reporting purposes, and used to generate which of the following?
1. Milestones
2. Activity time-cost curves
3. S-curves
4. Parametric estimates
Which of the following is correct? The three approaches to project budgeting are:
1. Parametric, bottom-up, serial
2. Bottom-up, top-down, serial
3. Bottom-up, top-down, parametric
4. Top-down, bottom-up, iterative
What is a cost breakdown structure?
1. An alternative form of WBS used to control projects with cost as the main priority
2. A method of cost budgeting using an integrated WBS and OBS
3. A method of cost budgeting that replaces the need for a WBS and OBS (except for very large projects)
4. A structured list showing the cost of every item used in the project
Which of the following would increase the accuracy of estimating the project cost?
I Pricing out the work at lower levels in the WBS
II Using historical data
III Talking to people who have worked on similar projects
1. I only
2. II only
3. I and III only
4. I, II, and III
What are the three most common types of project cost estimate?
1. Order of magnitude, parametric and budget
2. Parametric, bottom-up and top-down
3. Order of magnitude, budget and bottom-up
4. Analogous, parametric and top-down
Which of the following is correct? Company expenses such as auditing costs, supervision, office supplies, building rent, and maintenance are elements of the
1. capital budgeting process
2. overhead rates
3. contracts and administration costing system
4. fringe benefits package
Which of the following is correct? The planned cost for the total project at its inception is called the
I cost of goods sold
II depreciable value
III budgeted cost
1. I only
2. II only
3. III only
4. I, II and III
Which of the following is correct? The planned cost for the total project at its inception is called the
I cost of goods sold
II depreciable value
III budgeted cost
1. I only
2. II only
3. I and III only
4. I, II, and III
What tool have project managers come to use to identify the costs associated with a project budget?
1. A bill of materials
2. A Gantt chart
3. A network diagram
4. A work breakdown structure
Typically, during which phase in a project life cycle are most of the project expenses incurred?
1. Initiation phase
2. Development phase
3. Execution phase
4. Close-out phase

Chapter 9 material - Self-assessment review questions and answers for Chapter 9