Project Management Principles

Question 1

What is a project?

Answer 1

A sequence of tasks with a beginning and end bounded by time, resources, and desired results.

Question 2

What are the characteristics of a project?

Answer 2

Goal-directed, collaborative, planned, finite.

Question 3

What is project management?

Answer 3

The application of knowledge, skills, tools, methodologies, and techniques to meet requirements and satisfy stakeholders.

Question 4

What are the functions of management?

Answer 4

Planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling.

Question 5

Who are project sponsors?

Answer 5

People with authority who see a need and can make the project happen.

Question 6

What are sponsor duties?

Answer 6

Champion the project, issue charter, approve SOW, advise PM, review status, prioritize projects.

Question 7

What is the role of the project manager?

Answer 7

Coordinate and integrate activities across functional lines, manage time, cost, and performance.

Question 8

What skills should a project manager have?

Answer 8

Strong communication, technical knowledge, management skills, familiarity with operations.

Question 9

What is unique about project manager authority?

Answer 9

They have responsibility but little authority; must negotiate for resources.

Question 10

What rights do clients have?

Answer 10

Set objectives, know project length/cost, request reasonable changes, know status, access deliverables.

Question 11

What rights do project teams have?

Answer 11

Know deliverables, clarify scope, access decision-makers, approve/revise estimates, accurate reporting.

Question 12

Who are stakeholders?

Answer 12

People involved in or affected by project activities (sponsor, PM, team, staff, clients, users, suppliers, opponents).

Question 13

What is stakeholder management?

Answer 13

Identify, understand, and manage stakeholders’ interests, behavior, and influence on the project.

Question 14

What are the triple constraints?

Answer 14

Scope, time, and cost — all must be balanced to satisfy sponsor.

Question 15

What are PMI’s 9 knowledge areas?

Answer 15

Scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, risk, procurement, integration.

Question 16

What are examples of PM tools and techniques?

Answer 16

Charters, WBS, Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path, cost estimates, earned value management.

Question 17

What is the difference between a project and a program?

Answer 17

A project is a single effort; a program is a group of related projects managed together.

Question 18

What is a PMO (Project Management Office)?

Answer 18

An organizational group coordinating PM functions, providing templates, training, career paths, and consulting.

Question 19

What are PMO goals?

Answer 19

Integrate data, develop templates, train, provide career paths, consulting, structure for PMs.

Question 20

What is project portfolio management?

Answer 20

A method to prioritize projects, allocate resources, ensure important projects are completed on time.

Question 21

What are primary startup tasks?

Answer 21

Identify stakeholders, their issues, and alignment on project goals.

Question 22

What are ways to fix problems?

Answer 22

Iterative approach, continuous change, flexibility, client buy-in, realistic planning, adherence to principles.