CAPM Lessons Learned & Continuous Improvement 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A stakeholder asks why lessons learned sessions are held at phase gates rather than only at project close. The BEST response is:
- Regulatory requirements mandate phase-gate reviews
- Capturing lessons while events are fresh improves accuracy and allows in-project improvements (Correct answer)
- Phase-gate sessions fulfill the quality audit requirement
- PMO policy requires phase-gate documentation
Correct answer: Capturing lessons while events are fresh improves accuracy and allows in-project improvements
Conducting lessons learned at phase gates captures information while it is fresh and allows corrective actions to benefit the current project.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the difference between a lessons learned register and a lessons learned repository?
- They are identical tools used at different project stages
- The register is a living document during the project; the repository is the organizational archive after close (Correct answer)
- The repository is maintained by the project team; the register is maintained by the PMO
- The register captures risks; the repository captures issues
Correct answer: The register is a living document during the project; the repository is the organizational archive after close
The register is updated throughout the project while the repository is the organizational store that receives lessons at project closure.
Question 3: A project manager uses a fishbone diagram during a lessons learned session. What is the PRIMARY goal of this activity?
- Allocating budget for future risk responses
- Visually mapping causes and effects to identify root causes of problems (Correct answer)
- Prioritizing the project backlog
- Tracking schedule variances over time
Correct answer: Visually mapping causes and effects to identify root causes of problems
A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram categorizes potential causes of a problem to identify its root cause.
Question 4: During project closure, the project manager transfers lessons learned to the PMO. In PMBOK terms, this updates which enterprise environmental factor category?
- External organizational factors
- Organizational process assets (Correct answer)
- Project management information systems
- Governance frameworks
Correct answer: Organizational process assets
Lessons learned repositories are a type of organizational process asset that is updated during project closure.
Question 5: A team practicing Kaizen applies it to their project. Which characteristic BEST describes the Kaizen philosophy?
- Large, infrequent transformation initiatives
- Small, incremental, and continuous improvements by all team members (Correct answer)
- Improvement driven solely by senior management
- Improvement that only occurs after project completion
Correct answer: Small, incremental, and continuous improvements by all team members
Kaizen is a philosophy of continuous improvement through small, incremental changes involving everyone on the team.
Question 6: Which of the following is a NEGATIVE outcome if lessons learned are not formally documented and shared?
- Projects take longer to initiate
- Future projects repeat the same mistakes without awareness (Correct answer)
- The project scope increases uncontrollably
- Stakeholder engagement decreases
Correct answer: Future projects repeat the same mistakes without awareness
Without documented lessons learned, organizations lose institutional knowledge and future teams have no record of past problems or solutions.
Question 7: An agile team holds a sprint retrospective at the end of each sprint. This practice MOST closely aligns with which PMBOK concept?
- Risk reassessment
- Continuous lessons learned and process improvement (Correct answer)
- Integrated change control
- Quality assurance auditing
Correct answer: Continuous lessons learned and process improvement
Sprint retrospectives are the agile equivalent of lessons learned sessions, enabling continuous improvement each iteration.
CAPM Lessons Learned & Continuous Improvement 3
A stakeholder asks why lessons learned sessions are held at phase gates rather than only at project close.
The BEST response is: