APM PMQ Revision Exam Questions with All Correct Answers

APM PMQ Revision Exam Questions with All Correct Answers 1.1 differentiate between types of permanent and temporary organisation structures (including functional, matrix, and project) - CORRECT ANSWER Intro Func: Best for small projs close to BAU ops. Matrix: Best for balancing change i nitiatives with BAU. Good if more project process is needed. Proj: Best larger, complex projs with multi parties involved. Authority Func: Func Man overall responsibility for proj delivery. Someone from department plasy role of PM. Matrix: PM respons for delivery proj. Func Man respons for line management, wellbeing. Avoid conflicting priorities with effective, reg comms. Proj: PM full respons over work as proj structure made up of different projs. A projectised structure will provide a more variable amoun t of work than a functional structure as it involves many change initiatives as opposed majority bau in func. Teams/ resourcing Func: work divided into BAU functional workstreams. Work either carried out in functional areas or passed between teams. Project s close BAU skillset. Matrix: pull staff from func teams or contract or from PMO. Proj: staff assigned full time. Permanent mix skills to specific projs. Parts of orgs end with the project. Strength/weakness Funct: team not used to proj enviorn. Poor spli t of time equally proj & BAU. Teams reluctant to share resource. Matrix: projects more visible to organisation, more collab working unlike functional. Proj: full focus on proj, Routine ops dont exit or support func only. Poor job security, retention of kno wledge, can become siloed like functional so not sharing resource due to poor comms. 1.2 explain the way in which an organisational breakdown structure is used to create a responsibility assignment matrix - CORRECT ANSWER When OBS (Hierarchica l structure showing the breakdown of work teams and relationships between roles) is combined WBS (Hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team to accomplish the project objectives) it clarifies roles against tasks. Then put thr ough RACI Matrix to assign work to individuals with varying levels of respons depending on how involved they need be. 1.3 explain the role and key responsibilities of the project manager - CORRECT ANSWER Delivering the project to time, cost and quality priorities Making timely decisions to ensure project success Inform Sponsor of progress and seeking direction when necessary to aid success Managing sponsor and user expectations Defining and planning the project through the creation of PMP Monitoring and controlling project progress Building, leading and motivating proj team throughout delivery Work packages are allocated and responsibilities defined Keeping the sponsor and senior management informed of any blockers/issues Initiating reviews and assisting the sponsor in decisions to terminate the project if justified Communicating and acting as prime point of con tact with team members, other orgs, contractors, suppliers and operations representatives 1.4 differentiate between the responsibilities of the project manager and the project sponsor throughout the project. - CORRECT ANSWER -Strategy/action Defining and planning the project through the creation of PMP Monitoring the project's business environment and reviewing the business case at gate reviews -Iron triangle Delivering the project to time, cost and quality/performance priorities Determining th e relative priority of time cost and quality -BC Responsible for delivering Business Case outputs Owns the Business Case -Escalating issues Escalates issues to the sponsor Monitoring high -level project progress and making control decisions when necessary and when escalated by the project manager. -Relationships and influence Manages and motivates the project team Interface between programme/project & the business / senior users and stakeholders -Benefits Ensures outputs are delivered to achieve outcomes and therefore benefits Responsible for benefits realisation, evaluating projects success as completion -Closure Drafting project closure report Sponsor signs -off that it's complete -Reviews and termination Initiating reviews and assisting the sponsor in decisions to terminate the project if justified Terminating the project if necessary, after a gate review 1.5 describe other roles within project management (including users, project team members, the projec t steering group/board and the product owner) - CORRECT ANSWER -Users specifying operational requirements and accepting and deliverables to achieve benefits. Identifying 'musts' and 'wants'. Identifying project constraints and dependencies Acce pting and operating deliverables. Providing practical assistance and guidance through a user representative as part of steering group structure. Assuring pm with handover/ acceptance. Informing PM of operational changes that may influence delivery. Partici pating as member of project team -Project Team Managing comms with stakeholders as assigned in comms plan Managing sections of WBS Acting as risk owner (managing risk within area expertise) Supporting the PM and other team members in solving project -wide p roblems (acting as action owners). Contributing to eval of project at all stages and reviews. Reporting progress of their assigned tasks -Steering group Responsibility for project's feasibility & BC Ensure Scope aligns with stakeholder's agreed requirement s Provide strategic guidance to those on proj Ensure effort and expenditure match stakeholder expectations Ensure strategies to address potential threats are identified costed and approved and regularly reassessed Assess issues escalated from PM and how they may implicate Reconcile differences in opinion and resolve disputes Report on project progress to those responsible at a high level such as executive management groups -Project Owner Lead on product development, defining goals and create vision providing clear instructions and an outline of deliverables to product developers. Communicating with stakeholders to ensure product aligned with expectations. Providing feedback to team on iteration planning, task dependencies, constraints, priorities to business need. Establishing priorities for scope, budget and time in relation to stakeholder requirements. Comms l ink between stakeholders and teams, ensuring stakeholder buy -in linking major decisions with strategy Evaluate progress providing feedback to team on delivery performance advising on feasibility and continuation. 1.6 describes the functions and benefits o f different types of project offices (including project/programme/portfolio management office (PMO), embedded PMO, central PMO and hub -and-spoke PMO). - CORRECT ANSWER e.g. riskCentral core of services to all projects or programmes and portfoli os within an organisation. Controls & reporting Assurance Centre of excellence Specialist support Information management -Embedded PMO Majority of PMO functions delivered under control of the project, programme, portfolio manager, with only organisation w ide processes defined at a higher -level People in PMO dedicated to project, detailed knowledge. Reporting & control of progress for the one project e.g. progress of the work packages The PMO may establish bespoke systems and tools specific to the need of the project. Such as a project specific document control system. The PMO may still have to follow corporate processes but can tailor them to the needs of the project. -Central PMO PMO functions sit outside the PORT/PROG/PROJ team based on a department, fun ction or region. people work on several projects, resource management critical. less involved in each project compared to embedded. tend to have a longer life because they work on a portfolio of projects to learn from experience. PMO team are shared across several projects. less close to each project but can share lessons learned. project reporting and control tends to be systematic across all the projects supported by the PMO. This can be a beneficial service for senior managers. PMO will introduce systems and tools across the collection of projects it organises, likely to be based on off the shelf systems. define its processes and procedures and apply them across Suitable for a portfolio of small projects. consistent standard approaches/ reporting across projects. Prioritising flexibility over management control. provides support s ervices to multiple projects. More cost effective for smaller projects than embedded PMO. -Hub Spoke Hybrid form with a central Portfolio PMO linked to satellite PMOs within individual projects/ programmes. Best for large organisations with many projects w here just a central PMO wouldn't be enough