GIS Project Management 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A GIS organization is adopting a PMO (Project Management Office). What primary function does a PMO serve?
- Develops all geospatial data independently
- Standardizes project governance, methodologies, and best practices across projects (Correct answer)
- Manages the hardware infrastructure for GIS servers
- Performs all QA/QC on spatial data layers
Correct answer: Standardizes project governance, methodologies, and best practices across projects
A PMO establishes consistent processes, tools, and standards that improve project delivery across the organization.
Question 2: Which communication method is most appropriate for distributing weekly GIS project status updates to a large, geographically dispersed stakeholder group?
- Informal hallway conversation
- Formal written status report distributed electronically (Correct answer)
- Phone calls to each stakeholder individually
- Post-it notes on a physical board
Correct answer: Formal written status report distributed electronically
Formal written reports distributed electronically ensure consistent, documented communication to all stakeholders regardless of location.
Question 3: In GIS project management, what is a milestone?
- A geographic benchmark used in surveying
- A significant point or event marking completion of a major deliverable (Correct answer)
- A scale bar unit on a printed map
- A database index on a spatial column
Correct answer: A significant point or event marking completion of a major deliverable
A project milestone is a zero-duration marker indicating a major achievement, such as completing the geodatabase design phase.
Question 4: A GIS team lead identifies that a key data analyst may leave mid-project. This is best classified as which type of risk?
- Technical risk
- Resource/personnel risk (Correct answer)
- Regulatory risk
- Environmental risk
Correct answer: Resource/personnel risk
Personnel risk involves potential loss of key team members whose departure could impact project schedule or quality.
Question 5: What is the difference between a project and operations in a GIS department context?
- Projects are ongoing while operations are temporary
- Projects are temporary with a defined end; operations are ongoing, repetitive activities (Correct answer)
- Projects only involve software; operations only involve hardware
- There is no meaningful difference in GIS contexts
Correct answer: Projects are temporary with a defined end; operations are ongoing, repetitive activities
By definition, a project has a defined start and end to produce a unique result, whereas operations are continuous, repeating processes.
Question 6: Which change control process step comes AFTER a change request is submitted on a GIS project?
- Immediately implement the change
- Evaluate the impact on scope, schedule, and cost before approving (Correct answer)
- Close the project
- Archive the change request without review
Correct answer: Evaluate the impact on scope, schedule, and cost before approving
Integrated change control requires assessing the impact on all project constraints before any change is approved or rejected.
Question 7: A GIS project manager uses a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM). What does it primarily define?
- The hierarchy of GIS software licenses
- Which team members are responsible for which work packages (Correct answer)
- The coordinate system for all project data
- The budget allocation per data layer
Correct answer: Which team members are responsible for which work packages
A RAM (including RACI charts) maps project roles and responsibilities to specific deliverables or tasks.
GIS Project Management 4
A GIS organization is adopting a PMO (Project Management Office).
What primary function does a PMO serve?