Duration Estimating Flashcards
7 cards from real PMI-SP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Duration Estimating flashcards as text
A project manager is estimating durations for a software integration task. The most optimistic estimate is 4 days, the most likely is 9 days, and the most pessimistic is 20 days. What is the PERT expected duration?
Answer: 10.0 days
PERT expected duration = (O + 4M + P) / 6 = (4 + 36 + 20) / 6 = 60 / 6 = 10.0 days.
Which duration estimating technique is MOST appropriate when a project team has little historical data but access to subject matter experts?
Answer: Expert judgment
Expert judgment is most appropriate when historical data is scarce but knowledgeable SMEs are available to provide informed estimates.
A schedule estimator is using the reserve analysis technique. Which type of reserve is added to activity durations to account for identified risks?
Answer: Contingency reserve
Contingency reserve is added to activity durations to address identified schedule risks, unlike management reserve which covers unknown unknowns.
When using parametric estimating, a construction team knows it takes 2 hours per linear foot for a specific type of piping installation. If the project requires 150 linear feet, what is the estimated duration?
Answer: 300 hours
Parametric estimate = rate × quantity = 2 hours/foot × 150 feet = 300 hours.
A project manager notices that duration estimates provided by team members consistently underestimate actual time. Which bias is MOST likely causing this?
Answer: Optimism bias
Optimism bias causes estimators to consistently underestimate durations by assuming best-case conditions will prevail.
In the three-point estimating approach, what does a high standard deviation in activity duration estimates indicate?
Answer: There is high uncertainty in the estimate
A high standard deviation indicates a wide spread between optimistic and pessimistic estimates, reflecting high uncertainty.
Which input is MOST critical when using analogous estimating for duration estimation?
Answer: Historical information from similar past projects
Analogous estimating relies on historical information from similar completed projects as its primary basis for duration estimates.