CPL Strategic Planning & Execution 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A program manager notices that two project teams are pursuing conflicting objectives that each align with different strategic goals. What is the BEST first step?
- Escalate immediately to the executive sponsor
- Facilitate a joint session to identify a unified approach that satisfies both goals (Correct answer)
- Allow both teams to continue and resolve conflict at program closure
- Select the higher-priority goal and realign both teams
Correct answer: Facilitate a joint session to identify a unified approach that satisfies both goals
Facilitating a joint session surfaces the root conflict and enables a negotiated solution before escalation is needed.
Question 2: Which technique helps a program team evaluate whether a new strategic initiative falls within the program's authorized scope?
- Risk register review
- Benefits realization mapping
- Scope boundary analysis against the program charter (Correct answer)
- Stakeholder engagement assessment
Correct answer: Scope boundary analysis against the program charter
The program charter defines the authorized scope boundary against which new initiatives are evaluated.
Question 3: During execution, a key strategic assumption proves false. What should the program manager do FIRST?
- Issue a change request to modify program objectives
- Notify the program board and assess impact on benefits and strategy (Correct answer)
- Continue execution and log the assumption change in the risk register
- Suspend all program activities pending executive guidance
Correct answer: Notify the program board and assess impact on benefits and strategy
Informing the program board and assessing strategic impact ensures governance is engaged before corrective action is taken.
Question 4: A PESTLE analysis conducted during strategic planning would MOST likely identify which type of risk?
- Schedule variance risk
- Resource allocation conflict
- Regulatory changes affecting program deliverables (Correct answer)
- Team performance gaps
Correct answer: Regulatory changes affecting program deliverables
PESTLE examines Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors, making it best suited for identifying regulatory and macro-environmental risks.
Question 5: When aligning a program roadmap to organizational strategy, which element should the roadmap explicitly show?
- Individual team member assignments
- Sequence of capability delivery and linkage to strategic outcomes (Correct answer)
- Detailed work breakdown structures for each project
- Budget variance thresholds per project
Correct answer: Sequence of capability delivery and linkage to strategic outcomes
A program roadmap shows how incremental capability delivery maps to strategic outcomes over time.
Question 6: An organization shifts its strategy mid-program from market expansion to cost reduction. The program manager should PRIMARILY:
- Close the program because the original mandate no longer applies
- Reassess the program's benefits plan and realign deliverables to the new strategy (Correct answer)
- Continue with the original plan and document the strategic change
- Reduce program staff proportional to the cost reduction target
Correct answer: Reassess the program's benefits plan and realign deliverables to the new strategy
Benefits and deliverables must be realigned whenever organizational strategy changes to maintain program relevance.
Question 7: Which metric BEST indicates that strategic planning is translating effectively into program execution?
- Low schedule variance across all component projects
- Steady reduction in program staffing costs
- Planned benefits being realized on schedule (Correct answer)
- Number of completed change requests
Correct answer: Planned benefits being realized on schedule
Benefits realization on schedule is the primary indicator that strategic intent is being successfully executed.
CPL Strategic Planning & Execution 2
A program manager notices that two project teams are pursuing conflicting objectives that each align with different strategic goals.
What is the BEST first step?