Mixed Deck — All PMI-SP Topics Flashcards

A project manager notices the SPI is 0.82 at the midpoint of a software project. Which action is MOST appropriate?

Answer: Analyze which activities are behind and implement schedule recovery actions

An SPI below 1.0 indicates work is progressing slower than planned, requiring root-cause analysis and corrective action.

Which of the following scenarios results in a positive Schedule Variance (SV)?

Answer: EV > PV

SV = EV - PV; when EV exceeds PV, more work has been accomplished than planned, yielding a positive (favorable) variance.

Which feature in scheduling software allows multiple projects to share a common pool of resources and see cross-project resource demand?

Answer: Resource pool / enterprise resource pool

An enterprise or shared resource pool links multiple projects so schedulers can view and manage resource conflicts across the portfolio.

An approved change request extends the project finish date by 6 weeks. The project manager updates the baseline. What must also be updated?

Answer: The project charter, budget baseline, and communications plan as needed

A schedule change often cascades into cost baseline, project charter (if thresholds are exceeded), and communications plan updates to maintain integrated planning.

Which scheduling technique, supported by most professional scheduling tools, probabilistically estimates project completion dates using thousands of iterations?

Answer: Monte Carlo simulation

Monte Carlo simulation runs thousands of iterations with varied duration inputs to produce a probability distribution of completion dates.

A project manager is using schedule compression during project execution. The approved schedule baseline shows a planned duration of 120 days, but compression brings it to 105 days. The 105-day schedule is now being used for performance measurement. What must have occurred?

Answer: A formal change request was approved, revising the baseline to 105 days

Updating the baseline for performance measurement requires a formally approved change request through the integrated change control process.

During schedule development, a project manager discovers that a critical resource is assigned to two parallel tasks at 100% capacity each. The BEST first action is to:

Answer: Perform resource leveling

Resource leveling is used to resolve over-allocation by adjusting task timing to match resource availability.

What is the significance of project reporting in schedule management?

Answer: To keep stakeholders informed, ensure decisions are based on accurate data, and track progress against the schedule

Project reporting in schedule management is vital for transparent communication and informed decision-making among all stakeholders. It provides regular updates on the project's progress, status, and any deviations from the schedule. This ensures everyone has accurate data to understand the project's health, make timely decisions, and maintain alignment with project goals and expectations.

Which component of the schedule management plan specifies the level of accuracy required for activity duration estimates?

Answer: Level of accuracy

The level of accuracy component defines the acceptable range used in activity duration estimates, such as ±10%.

An activity on the critical path shows negative float of -3 days. What does this indicate?

Answer: The project cannot finish on time without corrective action

Negative float means the current schedule will not meet the imposed deadline without compression or scope changes.

A project team wants to compress the schedule baseline duration without changing scope. Which technique directly shortens the critical path?

Answer: Crashing or fast-tracking

Crashing (adding resources) and fast-tracking (overlapping activities) are schedule compression techniques that reduce critical path duration.

When is the Estimate to Complete (ETC) formula ETC = (BAC - EV) / CPI most appropriate?

Answer: When past cost performance is expected to continue through project completion

This ETC formula is appropriate when past CPI is a reliable predictor of future performance and inefficiencies are likely to persist.

Which metric directly answers the question: 'How efficiently is the team using time to accomplish work?'

Answer: Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

SPI = EV / PV measures schedule efficiency; values above 1.0 indicate better-than-planned schedule performance.

What is the role of schedule variance in project control?

Answer: To measure the difference between planned and actual progress, helping to manage deviations

Schedule variance (SV) is a key metric in project control, particularly within Earned Value Management (EVM). It quantifies the difference between the earned value (EV) of work performed and the planned value (PV) of work scheduled. A positive SV indicates the project is ahead of schedule, while a negative SV means it's behind, providing a clear indicator for project managers to identify deviations and take necessary corrective actions.

A project has a planned duration of 90 days. After crashing two critical path activities, the duration drops to 82 days at a cost of $4,000. What is the crash cost per day?

Answer: $500

Crash cost per day = Total crash cost ÷ Days saved = $4,000 ÷ 8 = $500 per day.

Which statement about schedule compression and the project baseline is CORRECT?

Answer: The compressed schedule must be re-approved through change control before it becomes the new baseline

Any change to the approved baseline—including schedule compression—must go through the formal change control process before the new baseline is adopted.

In CPM, what does a 'near-critical path' signify to a project scheduler?

Answer: A path with very little float that could become critical if delayed slightly

Near-critical paths have minimal float and require monitoring because small delays can make them critical.

A project network diagram includes an activity with no predecessors. What is this type of activity called, and what should a scheduler verify?

Answer: A source node; verify it is intentionally the start of a path and not missing a predecessor

An activity with no predecessors is a source node and should be verified as an intentional network start, not an omitted dependency.

What distinguishes a PMI Scheduling Professional certified professional from a non-certified practitioner?

Answer: Certification validates competency through standardized assessment against established benchmarks

Certification provides objective validation of competency through standardized assessment. While non-certified practitioners may be skilled, certification offers verified evidence that a professional meets established benchmarks for knowledge and performance.

A scheduler discovers that two activities were linked with a mandatory dependency due to a contractual requirement, not a physical one. How should this be classified?

Answer: Mandatory external dependency

A contractual requirement imposed by an external party creates a mandatory external dependency.