APM PMQ Exam QUESTIONS WITH 100% VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS
(1) Governance Principles - ANSWER 1. Board responsible for governance of project
management (GoPM)
2. Roles and responsibilities clearly defined
3. Application throughout the lifecycle
4. Relationship between business strategy and portfolio
5. Clear plans with decision points
6. Effective delegation of decision making
7. Business case validity
8. Independent scrutiny planned and implemented
9. Clearly defined reporting and escalation
10. Open and honest reviews and culture of improvement
11.Appropriate engagement of stakeholders
12. Use of delegated responsibilities: clarifies roles and increases efficiency
13. Use of processes and procedures: standardises methods of working
14. Use of regulations: ensures conformance to standards and policies, facilitates full
disclosure and reporting.
(1) Governanace Layers - ANSWER 1. corporate (vision, mission, strategy);
2. BAU (operations);
3. Business Change (projects, programmes).
(1) Governanance Benefits - ANSWER 1. Link to strategic direction: for
projects/programmes/portfolios
2. Clear ownership & leadership, using RACI.
3. Effective stakeholder engagement, through clear accountability, use of stakeholder
analysis.
4. Project & risk management through use of policies & procedures.
5. Consideration of long term value through linking to strategy.
6. Can be audited, giving management team assurance, and ability to correct &
improve.
7. standardises methods of working
8. clarifies roles and increases efficiency
,9. ensures conformance to standards and policies, facilitates full disclosure and
reporting.
(1) Project Methodologies - ANSWER - support good governance
- provide structure
- processes
- rules
- templates
(1) Project Methodologies Benefits - ANSWER - can be audited
- standard processes & terminology easier to understand & communicate about
- enables training & project champions
- selling point
(2) Linear Project Lifecycle - ANSWER 1.
Concept
2. Definition
3.
Deployment
4. Transition
Sequential stages: Suitable for more structured
projects
(2) Extended Projct Lifecycle - ANSWER 1. Concept
2. Definition
3. Deployment
4. Transition
5. Adoption
6. Benefits Realisation
These run in parallel with first part of Operations/BAU stage.
(2) Iterative Project Lifecycle - ANSWER 1. Pre-project
2. Feasibility & Foundations
3. Evolutionary development
4. Deployment 5. Post-project
Life cycles composed of several iterations, which repeat one or more of the phases
before proceeding to the next one. Iterative approaches can only proceed when user
feedback is available to be used as the basis for initiating new cycles of development,
refinement and improvement.
,Beneficial for evolving objectives or solutions.
(2) Hybrid Project Lifecycles - ANSWER Typically fuse together elements to create a
new model or approach. For example, utilising iterative or agile methods for early
requirements gathering, where the uncertainty is greatest, and following it up with
incremental or sequential processes to formalise deployment.
(2) Incremental Project Lifecycle - ANSWER A lifecycle where the target state is
achieved through a staged series of smaller changes.
(2) Evoloutionary Project Lifecycle - ANSWER A lifecycle where deployment entails a
number of major transitions, each based on user feedback from the preceding
(2) Why are projects structured as phases in a linear life cycle? - ANSWER 1.
Appropriate focus on the work which is current.
2. Enables high level planning first, then detailed planning for each stage when more is
known.
2. Helps resource allocation across the project.
3. Facilitates management control by reviews of each phase.
4. Enables payment by stages.
(2) Project Lifecycle vs Extended - ANSWER A project life cycle contains the phases up
to handover and closure, whereas an extended life cycle goes beyond the handover and
closure phase encompassing the benefits realisation phase.
Within the project life cycle accountability for the output is handed over to the end user
or client, whereas in the extended life cycle accountability for adoption of the output
stays within the project until the change is fully embedded.
(2) Decision Gates - ANSWER 1. Determines whether project should proceed or not;
major decision point for senior management; decisions are: approve continuation of the
project, refocus the project or cancel it.
2. Funding next stage agreed. By breaking down project into stages, funding
commitment is only made in smaller amounts, limits risk
3. Assurance that project is on track and next stage ready to start.
(2) Audits - ANSWER Undertaken by group outside the project team, e.g. Project
Office, Internal auditors, External auditors
, 1. Used to provide objective evaluation and assessment of the management of the
project
2. provides assurance that project is being managed well, enables corrective action
& lessons learned for future projects.
(2) Post Project Review - ANSWER Part of handover, before closeout
1. Used to assess "did we do it right?"
2. Evaluate against success criteria; determines what went well, what went badly, what
could be done differently, inc. processes and any tools or techniques used, for
lessons learned
3. Recognises individual and team performances; and gives the opportunity to celebrate
the project's success.
(2) Benefits Realisation Review - ANSWER Undertaken some time after the products
are in use; perhaps more than one; responsibility of the sponsor
1. Encourages users to engage with outputs and realise expected outcomes
2. Confirms whether the planned benefits & any unexpected benefits been realised;
prompts corrective action if not.
3. Identifies any problems caused by the new products; so these may be addressed and
lessons learned.
(2) Reasons for Early Project Closure - ANSWER 1. Major issues encountered:
2. External environment changed:
3. Funds withdrawn / no longer aligned to business strategy:
4. Business case invalid
(3) Projects vs BAU - ANSWER Projects:
1. Temporary, time-bounded, have start & end points.
2. Unique, or have elements of uniqueness.
3. Deliver outputs, which typically bring about change in the organisation or for
customers.
4. Capital funded.
5. Project teams are temporary, and typically draw on a range of specialist skills.
6. Risk aware, but mitigate only high priority risks, accept others.
BAU:
1. Repetitive operations, not unique.
SOLUTIONS
(1) Governance Principles - ANSWER 1. Board responsible for governance of project
management (GoPM)
2. Roles and responsibilities clearly defined
3. Application throughout the lifecycle
4. Relationship between business strategy and portfolio
5. Clear plans with decision points
6. Effective delegation of decision making
7. Business case validity
8. Independent scrutiny planned and implemented
9. Clearly defined reporting and escalation
10. Open and honest reviews and culture of improvement
11.Appropriate engagement of stakeholders
12. Use of delegated responsibilities: clarifies roles and increases efficiency
13. Use of processes and procedures: standardises methods of working
14. Use of regulations: ensures conformance to standards and policies, facilitates full
disclosure and reporting.
(1) Governanace Layers - ANSWER 1. corporate (vision, mission, strategy);
2. BAU (operations);
3. Business Change (projects, programmes).
(1) Governanance Benefits - ANSWER 1. Link to strategic direction: for
projects/programmes/portfolios
2. Clear ownership & leadership, using RACI.
3. Effective stakeholder engagement, through clear accountability, use of stakeholder
analysis.
4. Project & risk management through use of policies & procedures.
5. Consideration of long term value through linking to strategy.
6. Can be audited, giving management team assurance, and ability to correct &
improve.
7. standardises methods of working
8. clarifies roles and increases efficiency
,9. ensures conformance to standards and policies, facilitates full disclosure and
reporting.
(1) Project Methodologies - ANSWER - support good governance
- provide structure
- processes
- rules
- templates
(1) Project Methodologies Benefits - ANSWER - can be audited
- standard processes & terminology easier to understand & communicate about
- enables training & project champions
- selling point
(2) Linear Project Lifecycle - ANSWER 1.
Concept
2. Definition
3.
Deployment
4. Transition
Sequential stages: Suitable for more structured
projects
(2) Extended Projct Lifecycle - ANSWER 1. Concept
2. Definition
3. Deployment
4. Transition
5. Adoption
6. Benefits Realisation
These run in parallel with first part of Operations/BAU stage.
(2) Iterative Project Lifecycle - ANSWER 1. Pre-project
2. Feasibility & Foundations
3. Evolutionary development
4. Deployment 5. Post-project
Life cycles composed of several iterations, which repeat one or more of the phases
before proceeding to the next one. Iterative approaches can only proceed when user
feedback is available to be used as the basis for initiating new cycles of development,
refinement and improvement.
,Beneficial for evolving objectives or solutions.
(2) Hybrid Project Lifecycles - ANSWER Typically fuse together elements to create a
new model or approach. For example, utilising iterative or agile methods for early
requirements gathering, where the uncertainty is greatest, and following it up with
incremental or sequential processes to formalise deployment.
(2) Incremental Project Lifecycle - ANSWER A lifecycle where the target state is
achieved through a staged series of smaller changes.
(2) Evoloutionary Project Lifecycle - ANSWER A lifecycle where deployment entails a
number of major transitions, each based on user feedback from the preceding
(2) Why are projects structured as phases in a linear life cycle? - ANSWER 1.
Appropriate focus on the work which is current.
2. Enables high level planning first, then detailed planning for each stage when more is
known.
2. Helps resource allocation across the project.
3. Facilitates management control by reviews of each phase.
4. Enables payment by stages.
(2) Project Lifecycle vs Extended - ANSWER A project life cycle contains the phases up
to handover and closure, whereas an extended life cycle goes beyond the handover and
closure phase encompassing the benefits realisation phase.
Within the project life cycle accountability for the output is handed over to the end user
or client, whereas in the extended life cycle accountability for adoption of the output
stays within the project until the change is fully embedded.
(2) Decision Gates - ANSWER 1. Determines whether project should proceed or not;
major decision point for senior management; decisions are: approve continuation of the
project, refocus the project or cancel it.
2. Funding next stage agreed. By breaking down project into stages, funding
commitment is only made in smaller amounts, limits risk
3. Assurance that project is on track and next stage ready to start.
(2) Audits - ANSWER Undertaken by group outside the project team, e.g. Project
Office, Internal auditors, External auditors
, 1. Used to provide objective evaluation and assessment of the management of the
project
2. provides assurance that project is being managed well, enables corrective action
& lessons learned for future projects.
(2) Post Project Review - ANSWER Part of handover, before closeout
1. Used to assess "did we do it right?"
2. Evaluate against success criteria; determines what went well, what went badly, what
could be done differently, inc. processes and any tools or techniques used, for
lessons learned
3. Recognises individual and team performances; and gives the opportunity to celebrate
the project's success.
(2) Benefits Realisation Review - ANSWER Undertaken some time after the products
are in use; perhaps more than one; responsibility of the sponsor
1. Encourages users to engage with outputs and realise expected outcomes
2. Confirms whether the planned benefits & any unexpected benefits been realised;
prompts corrective action if not.
3. Identifies any problems caused by the new products; so these may be addressed and
lessons learned.
(2) Reasons for Early Project Closure - ANSWER 1. Major issues encountered:
2. External environment changed:
3. Funds withdrawn / no longer aligned to business strategy:
4. Business case invalid
(3) Projects vs BAU - ANSWER Projects:
1. Temporary, time-bounded, have start & end points.
2. Unique, or have elements of uniqueness.
3. Deliver outputs, which typically bring about change in the organisation or for
customers.
4. Capital funded.
5. Project teams are temporary, and typically draw on a range of specialist skills.
6. Risk aware, but mitigate only high priority risks, accept others.
BAU:
1. Repetitive operations, not unique.
