PMI CAPM Exam Questions

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1.

As a business analyst in a predictive (plan-based) environment, which of the following practices should you implement to effectively fulfill your role? (Choose three)

  • Develop detailed requirements documentation at the start of the project

  • Ensure that requirements are aligned with the project scope and objectives

  • Conduct regular requirements reviews with stakeholders

  • Adapt requirements frequently based on stakeholder feedback

  • Focus on high-level requirements and leave details to be defined later

In predictive approaches, detailed requirements are typically defined upfront.

Predictive approaches generally have less flexibility for frequent changes in requirements.

Alignment with project scope and objectives is crucial in predictive environments.

Regular reviews help ensure that requirements remain aligned with stakeholder needs and project goals.

Predictive approaches require detailed requirements to be defined early in the project.

2.

Project management includes strategy, decision-making, and problem-solving. The project manager will also drive many aspects of the project. Which of the following statements is not true of project management?

  • The project manager is not responsible for providing direction and presenting the vision of success for a project

  • The project manager leads the project team to meet the project’s objectives

  • The project manager works to balance competing constraints on a project

  • The project manager facilitates communication between the project sponsor, team members, and other stakeholders

Correct answer: The project manager is not responsible for providing direction and presenting the vision of success for a project

Project managers must provide direction and present the vision of success for the project to both the project team and stakeholders. 

The project manager leads the project team to meet the project’s objectives; works to balance competing constraints on a project; and facilitates communication between the project sponsor, team members, and other stakeholders.

3.

You have just identified the people that could be impacted by an outcome of the project. You transition into analyzing relevant information regarding their potential impact on project success. What process best represents this activity?

  • Identify Stakeholders

  • Define Scope

  • Plan Resource Management

  • Plan Stakeholder Engagement

Correct answer: Identify Stakeholders

Identify Stakeholders is the process of identifying the people, groups, or organizations that could impact or be impacted by a decision, activity, or outcome of the project, and analyzing and documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, interdependencies, influence, and potential impact on project success. This process is a regular activity of identifying stakeholders and analyzing and capturing this information.

4.

Yolanda has just been reassigned to a project for a telecommunications rebuild and notices that the team is complete with their work, so they decide to work on other things. Some of the team members seem to be sad about leaving the team due to their relationships with one another. What is this team development stage best known as? 

  • Adjourning

  • Norming

  • Storming

  • Performing

Correct answer: Adjourning

In adjourning of Bruce Tuckman's stages of team development, the team disperses to do other work because the team is complete with their own work. The team members have formed good relationships with each other, so they are sad that they are leaving the team. Adjourning typically occurs at the conclusion of the project lifecycle or phase.

5.

Management and leadership exist within project management to ensure effective and efficient project performance. Which of the following best describes the difference between leadership and management?

  • Management focuses on the bottom line; leadership focuses on the horizon

  • Management does the right things; leadership does things right

  • Management innovates; leadership administrates

  • Management develops; leadership maintains

Correct answer: Management focuses on the bottom line; leadership focuses on the horizon

Management focuses on the bottom line, leadership focuses on the horizon is correct. This is because management is concerned with current, measurable performance and leadership is concerned with the future and adapting to it. 

Leadership is concerned with doing the right things for the team and the project rather than the completion of all tasks correctly. Leadership is focused on innovation and finding new solutions; management is focused on operations. Leadership develops people and teams; management maintains systems and roles.

6.

The project management office (PMO) you work for has a high degree of control. You are assigned to this PMO and report directly to them as they manage the projects. What PMO office does this best describe?

  • Directive

  • Supportive

  • Controlling

  • Indirective

Correct answer: Directive

Directive PMOs have a high degree of control compared to supportive and controlling PMOs. This PMO takes control of the projects and directly manages them. Project managers are assigned to and report to the PMO. 

The three types of PMOs are supportive, controlling, and directive. An indirective PMO is a made-up term. 

7.

The project sponsor is requesting you to provide them with information on comparing different variables toward a particular project objective. This allows you and your team to maintain a proactive approach in different situations. It would also ensure the sponsor that you understand what is going on with different changing effects on tasks. What would be the best tool to utilize in this situation?

  • What-if scenario analysis

  • Trend analysis

  • Variance analysis

  • SWOT analysis

Correct answer: What-if scenario analysis

What-if scenario analysis is a powerful technique that evaluates scenarios to predict their effect on project objectives. The results of this analysis could be used to evaluate the feasibility of the project schedule compared to various conditions. This is in relation to preparing response plans to address unexpected situations.

8.

You are recording information within a particular document that is utilized to track issues and address them as they come up. This also captures the details of all risks and plans for how these will be mitigated. What document does this best describe?

  • Risk register

  • Stakeholder register

  • Constraints register

  • Mitigation register 

Correct answer: Risk register

The risk register is a repository of recorded risk management outputs. The register contains information that includes the person responsible for the management of the risk, probability, impact, risk score, planned risk responses, and other information that illustrates a high-level understanding of the risks. The information that is contained in the risk register can aid with the identification and organization of information for potential issues that can impact the project results.

9.

You have just been assigned a new project and a senior stakeholder wants you to provide them with how long and how much the project will cost. Due to the lack of information, you evaluate a past project to develop your estimates. What estimating technique does this best represent? 

  • Analogous estimating

  • Parametric estimating

  • Story point estimating

  • Multipoint estimating

Correct answer: Analogous estimating

Analogous estimating evaluates the time or cost of an activity or project utilizing historical data from a similar project or activity. Parameters from historical or identical projects such as duration, budget, weight, complexity, and size are used for estimating the same parameters for future projects. Analogous estimating is most accurate when the activities or projects are very similar, and the project team has the expertise required to perform the work right.

10.

Several stakeholders have been listed in a stakeholder register. Which of the following best describes the next step in project stakeholder management?

  • Plan how to engage the stakeholders

  • Identify the stakeholder group

  • Develop the ground rules for meetings

  • Monitor stakeholder engagement

Correct answer: Plan how to engage the stakeholders

Plan how to engage the stakeholders is correct. The stakeholder group has been identified, so the next step is the plan stakeholder engagement process.

Identify the stakeholder group is incorrect, as the stakeholders have been identified because they have already been listed in a register. Develop the ground rules for meetings is incorrect, as this is part of the team chartering process. Monitor stakeholder engagement is incorrect, as this is the last step in the project stakeholder management; it does not follow stakeholder identification.

11.

You are in a meeting with a senior stakeholder and are discussing various interpersonal skills that could improve project performance. Which of the following is best described as the ability to identify, assess, and manage one's emotions?

  • Emotional intelligence

  • Emotional leadership

  • Expert judgment

  • Emotional acuity

Correct answer: Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, assess, and manage the personal emotions of oneself and other people as well as the collective emotions of a group of people. It is also used to guide thinking and behavior. Emotional intelligence is imperative within project management because it is conducted by people and for people. 

12.

You are working on a technology project and the development phase is in week two of a four-week work period. You are informed by the tech lead that to finish the development phase, the development team will either need to augment with one additional resource or extend their original estimate by two weeks. The extended time frame will need to be approved by the project sponsor. You communicate this change through the proper channels to all stakeholders. 

Where is the BEST place to document this to make sure there is a record of the process?

  • Change log

  • Issue log

  • Stakeholder register

  • Project budget

Correct answer: Change log

A change log is used to document changes that occur during a project. These changes (and their impact on the project in terms of time, cost, and risk) are communicated to the appropriate stakeholders. A change log is a comprehensive list of changes submitted during a project and its current status. A change can be a modification to any formally controlled deliverable, project management plan component, or project document.

The issue log is used for logging issues or risks that come up in the project and is typically used before a resolution has been identified. Because the issue was properly brought up to the project sponsor, approved, and communicated as an official change, it should be logged in the change log.

There was no change to the project budget, so logging this change there is unnecessary. The stakeholder register only holds information on the various stakeholders in the project and would not include official project changes.

13.

You have just been reassigned to a new section within your organization and have received a project to lead. You review the historical records to familiarize yourself further with some of the requirements. What are the historical records that were kept for all previous projects best used for?

  • Project planning, estimating, and risk management

  • Project planning, managing people, and creating forecasts

  • Estimating, managing reserves, and creating forecasts

  • Project planning, risk management, and managing reserves

Correct answer: Project planning, estimating, and risk management

The historical records that are kept for all projects are best used for project planning, estimating, and risk management. Historical information is an example of an organizational process asset.

Historical records are usually not used for managing people, creating forecasts, or managing reserves.

14.

In project management, it's crucial to identify and manage sources of complexity that can significantly impact the project's trajectory. One such source is known for its disruptive influence on products, services, operational methods, processes, tools, techniques, and procedures. What is this common source of complexity typically called?

  • Technological innovation

  • Human behavior

  • System behavior

  • Uncertainty and ambiguity

Correct answer: Technological innovation

Technological innovation is a common source of complexity in project management. It encompasses advancements or changes in technology that can disrupt existing products, services, methods of operation, processes, tools, techniques, and procedures. Examples of such innovations include cloud computing, social media platforms, and virtual desktop infrastructures. These innovations can have either a positive or negative impact on a project's performance. They often require the project team to adapt and evolve their strategies, techniques, and tools to effectively manage the project, ensuring that the benefits of these innovations are maximized while mitigating any potential negative impacts.

15.

You are a project manager working in an adaptive (agile) environment. To ensure that the deliverables meet the stakeholders' expectations, you need to define acceptance criteria for user stories. 

Which of the following actions should you take to effectively define acceptance criteria? (Choose three)

  • Collaborate with stakeholders to define acceptance criteria for each user story

  • Use behavior-driven development (BDD) to write acceptance criteria

  • Regularly review and update acceptance criteria based on feedback and changes in requirements

  • Define acceptance criteria at the beginning of the project and do not change them

  • Ensure that acceptance criteria are vague to allow flexibility

In adaptive environments, acceptance criteria should be flexible and updated as needed.

Collaboration ensures that the acceptance criteria meet stakeholders' expectations.

BDD helps in writing clear and testable acceptance criteria.

Acceptance criteria should be clear and specific to ensure deliverables meet the required standards.

Regular reviews ensure that acceptance criteria remain relevant and aligned with evolving requirements.

16.

You have been assigned a new project within your organization. You evaluate the project management plan and explore the dependencies that link the deliverables throughout the project. What knowledge area contains processes that are present across all five process groups?

  • Project Integration Management

  • Project Procurement Management

  • Project Stakeholder Management

  • Project Communications Management

Correct answer: Project Integration Management

Project Integration Management spans all five Project Management Process Groups:

  • Develop Project Charter—Initiating
  • Develop Project Management Plan—Planning
  • Direct and Manage Project Work—Executing
  • Monitor and Control Project Work and Perform Integrated Change Control—Monitoring & Controlling
  • Close Project or Phase—Closing

Project Integration Management is the glue that links all the deliverables from the Process Groups into a unified whole. This linkage begins with the project description document and extends to the project plan and its execution, including monitoring progress against the project plan and the integration of changes, and finally through to project closure. 

17.

Elijah is in a meeting with his project team and is asked about the staffing issues on the project team. He tells the team that he already knows about the issues, but he's not going to do anything about it and that his decision is final. Which conflict resolution technique does this best represent?

  • Force/direct

  • Withdraw/avoid

  • Compromise/reconcile

  • Collaborate/problem solve

Correct answer: Force/direct

There are five general techniques for resolving conflict. Each technique has its unique place and use:

  1. Force/direct: Pushing one's viewpoint at the expense of others; offering only win-lose solutions, usually enforced through a power position. This is often a win-lose situation.
  2. Withdraw/avoid: Retreating from an actual or potential conflict situation; postponing the issue to be better prepared or to be resolved by others.
  3. Smooth/accommodate: Highlighting areas of agreement rather than areas of difference; conceding one's position to the needs of others to maintain harmony.
  4. Compromise/reconcile: Searching for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to all parties to temporarily or partially resolve the conflict. This is generally a lose-lose situation.
  5. Collaborate/problem solve: Incorporating multiple viewpoints and insights from differing perspectives; requires a cooperative attitude and open dialogue. This approach can result in a win-win situation.

The conflict resolution technique being used in this scenario is force/direct, which is used to force one person's viewpoint to the detriment of the viewpoints of others.

18.

You have created a project website for your new project so that all stakeholders have access to information. On your project website, you have created a tab called "feedback." This allows your stakeholders to comment on their status and provide feedback on any aspect of the project. What is the best communication model that allows stakeholders to contribute feedback?

  • Sender-receiver models

  • Writing style

  • Facilitation

  • Meeting management

Correct answer: Sender-receiver models

The sender-receiver model incorporates feedback loops to provide opportunities for interaction/participation and remove barriers to communication. By providing a specific medium for any stakeholder to write in and submit feedback, you are exercising this technique.

Techniques and considerations for effective communication include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Sender-receiver models: Incorporating feedback loops to provide opportunities for interaction/participation and remove barriers to communication
  • Choice of media: Situation specifics as to when to communicate in writing versus orally, when to prepare an informal memo versus a formal report, and when to communicate face-to-face versus by email
  • Writing style: Appropriate use of active versus passive voice, sentence structure, and word choice
  • Meeting management: Preparing an agenda and dealing with conflicts
  • Presentations: Awareness of the impact of body language and design of visual aids
  • Facilitation: Building consensus and overcoming obstacles
  • Active Listening: Listening actively (acknowledging, clarifying, and confirming understanding) and removal of barriers that adversely affect comprehension

Project success is dependent on effective communication. Communication models demonstrate concepts associated with how sender and receiver frames of reference impact the effectiveness of communication, how the communication medium influences the effectiveness of communication, and the types of disconnects between end-user expectations and reality.

19.

Barbara is working with the project sponsor to produce estimates for her project. However, she does not have much information to work with. She uses an estimating technique to gather data from previous projects to produce current estimates. What technique is Barbara using?

  • Analogous estimating

  • Relative estimating

  • Single-point estimating

  • Parametric estimating

Correct answer: Analogous estimating

Analogous estimating evaluates the time or cost of an activity or project utilizing historical data from a similar project or activity. Parameters from historical or identical projects such as duration, budget, weight, complexity, and size are used for estimating the same parameters for future projects. Analogous estimating is most accurate when the activities or projects are very similar, and the project team has the expertise required to perform the work right.

20.

A project is underway for an electronic manufacturing company. This project will require you to manage the development of a robot. The engineering team has determined that the initial hardware and casing of the product are defined and determined. However, the operating system for the robot will need to be added in iterations. 

Which of the following will be the best project lifecycle for this project? 

  • Hybrid lifecycle

  • Predictive lifecycle

  • Adaptive lifecycle

  • Waterfall lifecycle

Correct answer: Hybrid lifecycle

A hybrid lifecycle may include both predictive and adaptive lifecycles. This is determined by evaluating whether the project will need to be executed in this manner. An example would be that particular computer hardware will need to be managed with a predictive lifecycle but the operating system through an adaptive approach.

An adaptive lifecycle is also called an agile or change-driven lifecycle. This lifecycle can be iterative or incremental. The scope of this type of project environment is agreed upon before the start of an iteration. 

An iterative lifecycle's project scope is determined early in the project. However, time and cost estimates are evaluated and modified as the team understands how the product will increase. Iterations will help to develop the product with repeated cycles. The increments will add to the functionality of the product.

In an incremental lifecycle, the deliverable is produced by iterations that successively add functionality within a certain amount of time. The deliverable will include the necessary and sufficient capability that is necessary to be called completed after the final iteration.  

The traditional and waterfall approach to project management is the predictive lifecycle. In this type of project environment, the scope, time, and cost are determined at the beginning of the lifecycle. Any incurred changes will be reviewed and managed.