PMP CERTIFICATION EXAM STUDY GUIDE
Which of the following is likely to be part of an operation?
A. Providing electricity to a community
B. Designing an electrical grid for a new community
C. Building a new dam as a source of electricity
D. Informing the public about changes at the electrical company. - Answers -A.
Providing electricity to a community is the best example of operations, as it is an
ongoing activity. B, C, and D are all examples of projects, as they are temporary and
create a unique product, service, or result.
Of the following, which one is the best examples of progressive elaboration?
A. It is the process of decomposing the work into small, manageable, tasks.
B. It is the process of taking a project from concept to completion.
C. It is the process of taking a project concept to a project budget.
D. It is the process of identifying the business needs of a potential project. - Answers -B.
According to the PMBOK, progressive elaboration means developing in steps and then
continuing by increments. Choice A describes the process of breaking down the project
scope into the task list. C is not a valid choice for this question. D is part of determining
if a project should be chartered and is not the best answer for this question.
Your organization would like to create a new product based on market research. This
new product will be created by a project. This is an example of which one of the
following reasons to launch a new project?
A. Organizational need
B. Customer request
C. Market demand
D. Legal requirement - Answers -C. Projects can be created for a number of reasons,
and this example supports the market demand choice. A, an organizational need, is a
project to satisfy an internal need. B is incorrect because no specific customer asked for
this new product. D is incorrect because there is no legal requirement to create the new
product.
A program is which one of the following?
A. A very large, complex project.
B. A collection of small projects with a common goal.
C. A collection of projects with a common objective.
D. A collection of subprojects with a common customer. - Answers -C. best describes a
program. A program is a collection of projects working together to gain benefits by
managing the projects as a group rather than on an individual basis. A, B, and D are not
attributes of programs, as projects within a program neither are necessarily small nor
are they subprojects.
Who manages programs?
A. Management
,B. Project sponsors
C. Project managers
D. Program managers - Answers -D. Programs are managed by program managers. A,
B, and C are incorrect choices.
You have an excellent idea for a new project that can increase productivity by 20% in
your organization. Management, however, declines to approve the proposed project
because too many resources are already devoted to other projects. You have just
experienced what?
A. Parametric modeling
B. Managed by exception
C. Project portfolio management
D. Management reserve - Answers -C. Project portfolio management is the
management, selection, and assignment of projects that support an organizations
business objects. A, B, and D are not valid answers.
Of the following, which is not part of the Iron Triangle?
A. Quality
B. Time
C. Scope
D. Cost - Answers -A. Quality, while important, is not part of the Iron Triangle of Project
Management. B, C, and D make up the Iron Triangle.
Of the following, which statement is correct?
A. A project manager must use every process identified within the PMBOK on every
project.
B. A project must use every tool and technique as identified within the PMBOK on every
project.
C. A project manager must use the most appropriate processes on every project.
D. A project manager must agree that he will use all of the project management tools
and techniques on every project. - Answers -C. A project manager does not have to use
all of the processes within the PMBOK, only the most appropriate. A, B, and D are
incorrect statements, as the project manager does not use every process or tool and
technique within the PMBOK.
Projects are temporary endeavors to create a unique product, service, or result. Which
one of the following does not relate to the concept of "temporary" in project
management?
A. The project team
B. The market window status on which the project is capitalizing
C. The project deliverables
D. The project manager - Answers -C. Most projects create a deliverable that will outlive
the project itself. A, B, and D are incorrect, as these attributes are temporary in nature.
A project creates a unique product, service, or result. Which one of the following is a
result?
, A. A new piece of software
B. A new airplane
C. A feasibility study
D. A call center - Answers -C. The PMBOK classifies the concept of creating feasibility
as a result. A, B, and D describe products and services.
What is the difference between a standard and a regulation?
A. A standard is optional; regulations are not.
B. A standard is not optional; a regulation may be.
C. A standard is rarely optional; regulations are never optional.
D. A standard is a guideline; a regulation is a request. - Answers -A is the best choice,
as standards are optional while regulations are not. B, C, and D do not accurately
describe the difference between standards and regulations.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) - Answers -A PMI
publication that defines widely accepted project management practices. The CAPM and
PMP exam are based on this book.
Application areas - Answers -The areas of expertise, industry, or function where a
project is centered. Examples of application areas include architecture, IT, healthcare,
or manufacturing.
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - Answers -A person who has
slightly less project management experience than a PMP, but who has qualified for and
then passed the CAPM examination.
Cultural and social environment - Answers -Defines how a project affects people and
how those people may affect the project. Cultural and social environments include the
economic, educational, ethical, religious, demographic, and ethnic composition of the
people affected by the project.
Deliverable - Answers -A product, service, or result created by a project. Projects can
have multiple deliverables.
General management skills - Answers -These include the application of accounting,
procurement, sales and marketing, contracting, manufacturing, logistics, strategic
planning, human resource management, standards and regulations, and information
technology.
International and political environment - Answers -The consideration of the local and
international laws, languages, communication challenges, time zone differences, and
other non-collocated issues that affect a project's ability to progress.
Interpersonal skills - Answers -The ability to interact, lead, motivate, and manage
people.
Which of the following is likely to be part of an operation?
A. Providing electricity to a community
B. Designing an electrical grid for a new community
C. Building a new dam as a source of electricity
D. Informing the public about changes at the electrical company. - Answers -A.
Providing electricity to a community is the best example of operations, as it is an
ongoing activity. B, C, and D are all examples of projects, as they are temporary and
create a unique product, service, or result.
Of the following, which one is the best examples of progressive elaboration?
A. It is the process of decomposing the work into small, manageable, tasks.
B. It is the process of taking a project from concept to completion.
C. It is the process of taking a project concept to a project budget.
D. It is the process of identifying the business needs of a potential project. - Answers -B.
According to the PMBOK, progressive elaboration means developing in steps and then
continuing by increments. Choice A describes the process of breaking down the project
scope into the task list. C is not a valid choice for this question. D is part of determining
if a project should be chartered and is not the best answer for this question.
Your organization would like to create a new product based on market research. This
new product will be created by a project. This is an example of which one of the
following reasons to launch a new project?
A. Organizational need
B. Customer request
C. Market demand
D. Legal requirement - Answers -C. Projects can be created for a number of reasons,
and this example supports the market demand choice. A, an organizational need, is a
project to satisfy an internal need. B is incorrect because no specific customer asked for
this new product. D is incorrect because there is no legal requirement to create the new
product.
A program is which one of the following?
A. A very large, complex project.
B. A collection of small projects with a common goal.
C. A collection of projects with a common objective.
D. A collection of subprojects with a common customer. - Answers -C. best describes a
program. A program is a collection of projects working together to gain benefits by
managing the projects as a group rather than on an individual basis. A, B, and D are not
attributes of programs, as projects within a program neither are necessarily small nor
are they subprojects.
Who manages programs?
A. Management
,B. Project sponsors
C. Project managers
D. Program managers - Answers -D. Programs are managed by program managers. A,
B, and C are incorrect choices.
You have an excellent idea for a new project that can increase productivity by 20% in
your organization. Management, however, declines to approve the proposed project
because too many resources are already devoted to other projects. You have just
experienced what?
A. Parametric modeling
B. Managed by exception
C. Project portfolio management
D. Management reserve - Answers -C. Project portfolio management is the
management, selection, and assignment of projects that support an organizations
business objects. A, B, and D are not valid answers.
Of the following, which is not part of the Iron Triangle?
A. Quality
B. Time
C. Scope
D. Cost - Answers -A. Quality, while important, is not part of the Iron Triangle of Project
Management. B, C, and D make up the Iron Triangle.
Of the following, which statement is correct?
A. A project manager must use every process identified within the PMBOK on every
project.
B. A project must use every tool and technique as identified within the PMBOK on every
project.
C. A project manager must use the most appropriate processes on every project.
D. A project manager must agree that he will use all of the project management tools
and techniques on every project. - Answers -C. A project manager does not have to use
all of the processes within the PMBOK, only the most appropriate. A, B, and D are
incorrect statements, as the project manager does not use every process or tool and
technique within the PMBOK.
Projects are temporary endeavors to create a unique product, service, or result. Which
one of the following does not relate to the concept of "temporary" in project
management?
A. The project team
B. The market window status on which the project is capitalizing
C. The project deliverables
D. The project manager - Answers -C. Most projects create a deliverable that will outlive
the project itself. A, B, and D are incorrect, as these attributes are temporary in nature.
A project creates a unique product, service, or result. Which one of the following is a
result?
, A. A new piece of software
B. A new airplane
C. A feasibility study
D. A call center - Answers -C. The PMBOK classifies the concept of creating feasibility
as a result. A, B, and D describe products and services.
What is the difference between a standard and a regulation?
A. A standard is optional; regulations are not.
B. A standard is not optional; a regulation may be.
C. A standard is rarely optional; regulations are never optional.
D. A standard is a guideline; a regulation is a request. - Answers -A is the best choice,
as standards are optional while regulations are not. B, C, and D do not accurately
describe the difference between standards and regulations.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) - Answers -A PMI
publication that defines widely accepted project management practices. The CAPM and
PMP exam are based on this book.
Application areas - Answers -The areas of expertise, industry, or function where a
project is centered. Examples of application areas include architecture, IT, healthcare,
or manufacturing.
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - Answers -A person who has
slightly less project management experience than a PMP, but who has qualified for and
then passed the CAPM examination.
Cultural and social environment - Answers -Defines how a project affects people and
how those people may affect the project. Cultural and social environments include the
economic, educational, ethical, religious, demographic, and ethnic composition of the
people affected by the project.
Deliverable - Answers -A product, service, or result created by a project. Projects can
have multiple deliverables.
General management skills - Answers -These include the application of accounting,
procurement, sales and marketing, contracting, manufacturing, logistics, strategic
planning, human resource management, standards and regulations, and information
technology.
International and political environment - Answers -The consideration of the local and
international laws, languages, communication challenges, time zone differences, and
other non-collocated issues that affect a project's ability to progress.
Interpersonal skills - Answers -The ability to interact, lead, motivate, and manage
people.
