PMI-SP Baseline Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A project manager discovers that 15 approved change requests were never incorporated into the schedule baseline. What should be done first?
- Archive the change requests and move on
- Update the schedule baseline to reflect all approved changes and reissue it (Correct answer)
- Reject the change requests since the baseline is already set
- Escalate to the sponsor without updating the baseline
Correct answer: Update the schedule baseline to reflect all approved changes and reissue it
The schedule baseline must be updated to incorporate all approved changes to accurately reflect authorized scope, cost, and time.
Question 2: Which document formally records the original approved schedule baseline along with all subsequent approved changes?
- Project charter
- Schedule management plan
- Schedule baseline with change log (Correct answer)
- Work breakdown structure
Correct answer: Schedule baseline with change log
The schedule baseline combined with a change log provides a complete historical record of the original plan and all authorized modifications.
Question 3: During a baseline review, a scheduler finds that a critical path activity has no float. What does this indicate about baseline management?
- The baseline is invalid and must be redone
- Any delay to that activity will directly delay the project end date (Correct answer)
- Float should be added artificially to protect the baseline
- The activity can be removed from the baseline
Correct answer: Any delay to that activity will directly delay the project end date
Zero float on the critical path means any delay in that activity propagates directly to the project finish date with no buffer.
Question 4: A PMI-SP practitioner is asked to explain the difference between a schedule baseline and the current schedule. Which statement is correct?
- They are always identical documents
- The baseline is the approved plan; the current schedule reflects actual progress and forecasts (Correct answer)
- The current schedule replaces the baseline once approved
- The baseline is updated daily to match actual performance
Correct answer: The baseline is the approved plan; the current schedule reflects actual progress and forecasts
The schedule baseline is the fixed approved plan used for comparison, while the current schedule is updated to reflect actual progress and revised forecasts.
Question 5: When a baseline change is approved, which stakeholders must be formally notified according to best practice?
- Only the project sponsor
- Only the project team performing the work
- All stakeholders affected by the change, including the CCB (Correct answer)
- Only the project manager and scheduler
Correct answer: All stakeholders affected by the change, including the CCB
All stakeholders affected by a baseline change, including the Change Control Board, must be formally notified to ensure alignment and prevent unauthorized work.
Question 6: A schedule baseline is set but no change control process is documented. What is the primary risk?
- Activities will finish earlier than planned
- Unauthorized changes may be made to the baseline, making performance measurement unreliable (Correct answer)
- The baseline will automatically update with progress
- Resources will be over-allocated
Correct answer: Unauthorized changes may be made to the baseline, making performance measurement unreliable
Without a documented change control process, unauthorized alterations can corrupt the baseline and invalidate schedule performance measurements.
Question 7: Which metric directly compares the schedule baseline to actual performance to determine schedule variance (SV)?
- SV = AC – PV
- SV = EV – PV (Correct answer)
- SV = BAC – EAC
- SV = EV – AC
Correct answer: SV = EV – PV
Schedule Variance (SV) = Earned Value (EV) minus Planned Value (PV), comparing what was accomplished against what the baseline said should be done.
PMI-SP Baseline Management 2
A project manager discovers that 15 approved change requests were never incorporated into the schedule baseline.
What should be done first?