CBM Project Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a project charter?
- To define the project budget in detail
- To formally authorize the project and grant the project manager authority (Correct answer)
- To list all project team members and their responsibilities
- To outline the project's communication plan
Correct answer: To formally authorize the project and grant the project manager authority
A project charter formally authorizes a project to exist and grants the project manager the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
Question 2: Which project management methodology emphasizes iterative development through short time-boxed cycles called sprints?
- Waterfall
- PRINCE2
- Agile/Scrum (Correct answer)
- Critical Path Method
Correct answer: Agile/Scrum
Agile/Scrum uses iterative sprints (typically 2–4 weeks) to deliver working increments of a product, allowing for flexibility and continuous improvement.
Question 3: What does WBS stand for in project management?
- Work Budget Schedule
- Work Breakdown Structure (Correct answer)
- Weekly Budget Summary
- Workflow Balancing System
Correct answer: Work Breakdown Structure
WBS stands for Work Breakdown Structure, a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work needed to accomplish project objectives and deliverables.
Question 4: The Critical Path Method (CPM) is primarily used to:
- Calculate the total project budget
- Identify the longest sequence of dependent tasks that determines project duration (Correct answer)
- Allocate human resources to project tasks
- Monitor project quality standards
Correct answer: Identify the longest sequence of dependent tasks that determines project duration
CPM identifies the critical path — the longest sequence of dependent activities — which determines the minimum project duration and highlights tasks that cannot be delayed without affecting the end date.
Question 5: What is the primary function of a Gantt chart?
- To display the project budget over time
- To track project risks and issues
- To visually represent the project schedule with tasks plotted on a timeline (Correct answer)
- To show the organizational hierarchy of the project team
Correct answer: To visually represent the project schedule with tasks plotted on a timeline
A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart that visually displays project tasks against a timeline, showing start and end dates, durations, and task dependencies.
Question 6: What is scope creep in project management?
- The gradual reduction of project scope due to budget cuts
- The unauthorized or uncontrolled expansion of project scope beyond what was agreed (Correct answer)
- The process of formally documenting project requirements
- A technique for estimating project costs
Correct answer: The unauthorized or uncontrolled expansion of project scope beyond what was agreed
Scope creep refers to the uncontrolled expansion of project scope without corresponding adjustments to time, cost, or resources, often occurring when change requests bypass formal review.
Question 7: According to the PMBOK framework, which process group comes immediately after Planning?
- Initiating
- Monitoring and Controlling
- Executing (Correct answer)
- Closing
Correct answer: Executing
The five PMBOK process groups in sequence are: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing — with Executing following Planning.
CBM Project Management 1
What is the primary purpose of a project charter?