File: ch01, Chapter 1: Projects in Contemporary Organizations

Multiple Choice
1. The growing demand for a broad range of complex, sophisticated, customized goods
and services would have which one of the following implications for the management of
projects in modern organizations
a) Project managers are responsible for making detailed technical decisions
b) Project managers should rely on the use of teams to plan and execute projects
c) Most projects will be performed using subcontractors
d) The design of a project solution should always be frozen early in the planning process
2. Identify the example that would not usually be considered a project.
a) Building a car
b) Developing a computer software application program
c) Designing a new product
d) Installing new equipment in an existing production line
Response: While it is true that automobiles have an element of customization, process
management techniques are used to mass-produce the vehicles. Refer to the section titled
“Non Projects and quasi projects.”
Level: intermediate
3. According to the authors, the prime objectives of project management are cost, time
and
a) Schedule
b) Quality
c) Customer satisfaction
d) Performance
4. The term “program” refers to an exceptionally large, long-range objective that is
broken down into a set of ________.
a) Tasks
b) Projects
c) Subprojects
d) Campaigns
5. Five attributes that characterize a project include:
a) Purpose, repetition, interdependencies, consistency, uncertainty
b) Lifecycle, schedule, cost, uncertainty, independence
c) Performance, lifecycle, uniqueness, conflict, interdependencies
d) Purpose, lifecycle, conflict, certainty, independence
6. The mission of the _________ is to foster the growth of project management and build
professionalism in the field.
a) Project Management Institute
b) Manhattan Project
c) Project Management Book of Knowledge
d) ARPAnet
7. Which of the following statements is false in regards to projects?
a) Projects have limited budgets.
b) Projects have life cycles.
c) On most projects, conflict does not exist.
d) Every project has some elements that are unique.
8. ______________, a term used to cover both risk quantification and risk response
planning, is devoted to estimating the impacts that uncertainties have on project
outcomes.
a) risk planning
b) risk analysis
c)risk mitigation
d) risk mining
Short Answer
9. Rising client expectations during execution of a project may lead to a condition known
as ________.
Ans: scope creep.
10. A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a ________ product or
service.
Ans: unique.
11. Having only partial or no information about a situation or outcome, often due to
ambiguity or complexity is known as ________.
Ans: uncertainty.
12. With respect to project goals throughout the project’s lifecycle, early in the lifecycle,
the project team’s focus should be on how to achieve the required ________.
Ans: performance.
13. An important implication of the project lifecycle concept is that a project will resist
________ of its existence.
Ans: termination.
True/False
14. Because the customer is not a member of the performing organization, the customer is
not a stakeholder of the project.
Ans: False
15. The pattern of progress observed in every project lifecycle can be explained by the S-
curve that exhibits a cumulative pattern of slow-rapid-slow progress.
Ans: False
16. The conventional project lifecycle can be described as a pattern of cumulative
progress that is slow-rapid-slow progress.
Ans: True
17. Earned value is based on the concept that the percentage of project completion is
closely correlated with cost or with the use of resources.
Ans: True
18. In a conventional project lifecycle, as work progresses uncertainty about the expected
outcome should increase.
Ans: False
19. Project management provides an organization with powerful tools that improve its
ability to plan, implement, and control its activites.
Ans: True
20. In general, projects today are getting smaller and smaller.
Ans: False