PCC Strategic Planning & Vision 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which SWOT element examines conditions inside the organization that may hinder achievement of strategic objectives?
- Strengths
- Weaknesses (Correct answer)
- Opportunities
- Threats
Correct answer: Weaknesses
Weaknesses are internal factors—such as skill gaps or outdated processes—that limit the organization's ability to meet its strategic goals.
Question 2: A project controls team is developing a strategic roadmap. What does a roadmap primarily communicate?
- Detailed task-level schedules for each project
- The sequence and timing of strategic initiatives over time (Correct answer)
- Individual resource assignments
- Risk mitigation budgets
Correct answer: The sequence and timing of strategic initiatives over time
A strategic roadmap displays the planned sequence, dependencies, and timing of major initiatives to guide execution of the strategic plan.
Question 3: When conducting an environmental scan for strategic planning, PESTLE analysis examines factors related to:
- Project schedule, cost, and scope only
- Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental dimensions (Correct answer)
- Personnel, Equipment, Software, Technology, Logistics, and Engineering
- Planning, Estimating, Scheduling, Tracking, Learning, and Evaluation
Correct answer: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental dimensions
PESTLE is a structured framework for identifying external macro-environmental forces that can affect an organization's strategy.
Question 4: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in a strategic plan should be:
- Qualitative descriptions of expected outcomes
- Specific, measurable targets linked to strategic objectives (Correct answer)
- Defined only after projects are completed
- Kept confidential from project teams
Correct answer: Specific, measurable targets linked to strategic objectives
Effective KPIs are quantifiable, time-bound measures that allow the organization to gauge progress toward each strategic objective.
Question 5: A project is classified as 'strategic must-do' during portfolio review. This designation means the project:
- Has the highest ROI in the portfolio
- Must proceed regardless of financial return due to regulatory or mission-critical reasons (Correct answer)
- Requires the most resources
- Was approved first in the fiscal year
Correct answer: Must proceed regardless of financial return due to regulatory or mission-critical reasons
'Strategic must-do' projects are driven by compliance, safety, or mission imperatives rather than purely financial returns.
Question 6: During strategic planning, a Balanced Scorecard typically includes which four perspectives?
- Cost, Schedule, Scope, and Quality
- Financial, Customer, Internal Processes, and Learning & Growth (Correct answer)
- Risk, Resources, Stakeholders, and Governance
- Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals
Correct answer: Financial, Customer, Internal Processes, and Learning & Growth
Kaplan and Norton's Balanced Scorecard balances financial results with customer value, operational efficiency, and organizational learning to give a holistic performance view.
Question 7: In strategic planning, a 'logic model' is primarily used to:
- Develop a project network diagram
- Show the causal linkage between inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes (Correct answer)
- Assign costs to work packages
- Establish the project governance hierarchy
Correct answer: Show the causal linkage between inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes
A logic model maps the theory of change by illustrating how resources and activities lead to outputs and ultimately to desired strategic outcomes.
PCC Strategic Planning & Vision 3
Which SWOT element examines conditions inside the organization that may hinder achievement of strategic objectives?