SDI Project Planning & Execution 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In project scheduling, what is the critical path?
- The sequence of tasks with the highest total cost
- The longest sequence of dependent tasks that determines the shortest project duration (Correct answer)
- The set of tasks most likely to experience quality issues
- The list of tasks assigned to the most critical team members
Correct answer: The longest sequence of dependent tasks that determines the shortest project duration
The critical path is the longest chain of dependent activities in a project network, and any delay on it directly delays the project end date.
Question 2: A service desk project is tracking 'planned value' vs 'earned value'. Which project management technique is being used?
- Critical Chain Method
- Earned Value Management (EVM) (Correct answer)
- Agile velocity tracking
- Risk-adjusted scheduling
Correct answer: Earned Value Management (EVM)
Earned Value Management (EVM) compares planned value (budgeted work scheduled) against earned value (budgeted value of work completed) to assess project performance.
Question 3: What does a project's 'baseline' represent?
- The minimum acceptable quality level for deliverables
- The approved plan against which project performance is measured (Correct answer)
- The starting budget before any contingency is added
- The list of known defects at project start
Correct answer: The approved plan against which project performance is measured
A project baseline is the approved version of the scope, schedule, and cost plan used as a reference point for measuring performance.
Question 4: Which risk response strategy involves shifting the negative impact of a risk to a third party?
- Avoid
- Accept
- Transfer (Correct answer)
- Mitigate
Correct answer: Transfer
Risk transfer shifts the financial or operational impact of a risk to a third party, such as through insurance or outsourcing.
Question 5: During execution of a service desk project, team morale drops due to unclear roles. What project document should the manager reference to clarify responsibilities?
- Risk Register
- Communications Plan
- Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) (Correct answer)
- Issue Log
Correct answer: Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), often a RACI chart, clearly maps project roles and responsibilities to team members.
Question 6: What is the main benefit of using a phased project delivery approach for a large service desk transformation?
- It eliminates the need for stakeholder sign-off
- It reduces documentation requirements throughout the project
- It allows early delivery of value and easier course correction (Correct answer)
- It guarantees lower overall project cost
Correct answer: It allows early delivery of value and easier course correction
A phased approach breaks the project into manageable stages, delivering incremental value and enabling adjustments before committing to later phases.
Question 7: What is the definition of 'float' (or slack) in project scheduling?
- Extra budget reserved for high-risk tasks
- The amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the project end date (Correct answer)
- The difference between planned and actual resource hours
- The buffer added to estimates to account for uncertainty
Correct answer: The amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the project end date
Float (or slack) is the amount of time an activity can be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project completion date.
SDI Project Planning & Execution 3
In project scheduling, what is the critical path?