CSI Project Management & Documentation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In system integration projects, an Interface Control Document (ICD) primarily defines:
- The project budget breakdown by subsystem
- The physical and logical connection points between integrated subsystems (Correct answer)
- Personnel roles and responsibilities for each team
- The testing schedule for end-to-end validation
Correct answer: The physical and logical connection points between integrated subsystems
An ICD specifies protocols, data formats, signal definitions, and physical connectors at the boundaries between systems being integrated.
Question 2: A stakeholder analysis matrix is used to:
- Track action items from project meetings
- Identify stakeholders and assess their influence, interest, and engagement strategy (Correct answer)
- Document technical specifications for each integrated component
- Record test results from integration verification activities
Correct answer: Identify stakeholders and assess their influence, interest, and engagement strategy
A stakeholder analysis matrix helps project managers plan appropriate engagement strategies based on each stakeholder's power and interest levels.
Question 3: What does a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) most directly communicate?
- The sequence in which project tasks must be completed
- Which team member is accountable, responsible, consulted, or informed for each task (Correct answer)
- The cost allocation across project work packages
- The risk level associated with each project deliverable
Correct answer: Which team member is accountable, responsible, consulted, or informed for each task
A RAM (often implemented as a RACI chart) maps deliverables or tasks to roles, clarifying accountability and preventing confusion on large integration teams.
Question 4: During a system integration project, configuration audits serve to verify that:
- The project budget remains within approved limits
- Delivered items match their approved configuration documentation (Correct answer)
- Stakeholders approve the final system design
- The communication plan has been followed throughout the project
Correct answer: Delivered items match their approved configuration documentation
Configuration audits (functional and physical) confirm that the as-built system matches its documented configuration baselines and specifications.
Question 5: Which scheduling tool visually displays project tasks over time with horizontal bars representing duration?
- Network diagram
- Gantt chart (Correct answer)
- Precedence diagramming method
- Earned value chart
Correct answer: Gantt chart
A Gantt chart uses horizontal bars on a timeline to show each task's start date, duration, and end date, making schedule visualization straightforward.
Question 6: A risk that has occurred and is now actively affecting the project is reclassified as a(n):
- Residual risk
- Secondary risk
- Issue (Correct answer)
- Trigger
Correct answer: Issue
Once a risk event materializes and impacts the project, it becomes an issue that must be managed through issue resolution rather than risk response planning.
Question 7: In earned value management, Cost Performance Index (CPI) is calculated as:
- PV divided by AC
- EV divided by AC (Correct answer)
- AC divided by EV
- EV minus AC
Correct answer: EV divided by AC
CPI = EV / AC; a value greater than 1.0 means the project is getting more work done per dollar spent than planned.
CSI Project Management & Documentation 3
In system integration projects, an Interface Control Document (ICD) primarily defines: