新問題 21
A project manager created a contingency plan associated with a risk. The risk was realized, but the client insists on using a new workaround instead The requested workaround will introduce delays and require additional budget What should the project manager do?
According to the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, one of the key activities of the project manager is to engage stakeholders and manage their expectations throughout the project. This includes discussing the options with the client as part of the change control process, which is a formal and documented procedure that defines how changes to the project scope, schedule, cost, quality, or any other aspect of the project will be requested, evaluated, approved, rejected, or implemented. In this scenario, the client’s request to use a new workaround instead of the approved contingency plan is a change request that may affect the project objectives and outcomes. Therefore, the project manager should discuss the options with the client as part of the change control process, and evaluate the impact, feasibility, and benefits of the proposed workaround, as well as the implications of not following the contingency plan. Option D is the best answer for this question.
Option A is not the best answer because requesting to use the management reserve to keep the schedule is not the next thing that the project manager should do. It is a possible action that the project manager may take if the change request is approved and the project budget is insufficient to cover the additional costs of the workaround, but it is not a necessary or immediate action. Moreover, requesting to use the management reserve may not always be feasible or desirable, as it may increase the project costs and risks, and may require the approval of senior management or the project sponsor.
Option B is not the best answer because mitigating risks associated with the workaround to avoid project delays is not the next thing that the project manager should do. It is a possible action that the project manager may take if the change request is approved and the workaround introduces new or increased risks to the project, but it is not a proactive or effective action to resolve the current issue. Moreover, mitigating risks may not always be possible or sufficient, as some risks may be unavoidable or unpredictable, and may require other risk response strategies, such as avoidance, transfer, or acceptance.
Option C is not the best answer because proceeding with the approved risk response plan is not the next thing that the project manager should do. It is a possible action that the project manager may take if the change request is rejected and the contingency plan is still valid and applicable, but it is not a respectful or collaborative action to deal with the client’s request. Moreover, proceeding with the approved risk response plan may not always be appropriate or acceptable, as the client may have valid reasons or new information to suggest a different workaround, and may escalate the issue or withdraw their support if their request is ignored or dismissed. References: PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, pages 9-10, 15-16, 25-26, 35-36, 49-50, 59-
60, 69-70.
新問題 24
On your project, scope changes, constraints, assumptions, integration and interface requirements, and overlapping roles and responsibilities pose communications challenges. The presence of communication barriers is most likely to lead to______________
Explanation/Reference:
Explanation:
Barriers to communication lead to a poor flow of information. Accordingly, messages are misinterpreted by recipients, thereby creating different perceptions, understanding, and frames of reference. Left unchecked, poor communication increases conflict among project stakeholders, which causes the other problems listed to arise. Then, the project manager must work actively to resolve conflicts so disruptive impacts are prevented.
新問題 27
A global program is being kicked off, and various distributed teams are involved in delivering the initiative.
Besides planning and executing the scope for the initiative, team
interactions must be considered.
How should the project teams interact in their meetings?
When managing a global program with distributed teams, videoconferencing is the most effective means of team interaction. It allows for visual communication, real-time collaboration, enhanced engagement, and relationship building. Videoconferencing enables team members to see each other, which is crucial for non-verbal communication cues such as facial expressions and body language. This enhances understanding and rapport among team members. Real-time collaboration is facilitated, allowing for discussions, screen sharing, and document collaboration simultaneously. Engagement is maintained by creating a sense of presence and connection, reducing distractions, and encouraging active participation. Building relationships is also vital, especially when working with distributed teams, as it helps mitigate challenges of cultural differences and time zone variations.
References: (PMI-PMP: How should the project teams interact in their meetings? – PUPUWEB1)
新問題 31
During the execution phase of a project, one of the customer’s stakeholders keeps requesting changes to the scope every week. Which three actions should the project manager take to resolve this issue?
(Choose three)
Explanation
According to the PMBOK Guide, scope changes are inevitable in most projects, and they can have positive or negative effects on the project objectives. Scope changes can be initiated by various sources, such as stakeholders, customers, sponsors, team members, or external factors. Scope changes should be managed through a formal change control process, which involves identifying, analyzing, approving, and implementing the changes. The change control process should be aligned with the project management plan, which defines how changes will be monitored and controlled throughout the project life cycle. The project management plan also includes the scope management plan and the scope baseline, which describe how the project scope will be defined, validated, and controlled.
In this question, the project manager is facing a situation where one of the customer’s stakeholders keeps requesting changes to the scope every week during the execution phase of the project. This can create challenges for the project manager and the project team, such as increased costs, delays, rework, scope creep, quality issues, or stakeholder dissatisfaction. To resolve this issue, the project manager should take the following three actions:
Highlight the impacts of the changes during the next project meeting. The project manager should communicate with the customer and the project team about the scope changes and their implications for the project. The project manager should explain how the changes will affect the project scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, risks, and benefits. The project manager should also present the alternatives and trade-offs for each change, and seek feedback and input from the stakeholders. This will help to create a shared understanding of the situation, and to facilitate the decision-making process.
Schedule a meeting with the customer to align the approach. The project manager should meet with the customer and the stakeholder who is requesting the changes, and discuss the reasons and expectations behind the changes. The project manager should also review the project scope statement, the scope baseline, and the change control process with the customer, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of each party. The project manager should also negotiate with the customer and the stakeholder to prioritize the changes, and to agree on the criteria and process for approving and implementing them.
This will help to establish a common vision and a collaborative relationship with the customer, and to manage their expectations and satisfaction.
Update the relevant project documents with this obstacle. The project manager should document the scope changes and their impacts, and update the relevant project documents accordingly. The project manager should also record the issue of frequent scope changes, and the actions taken to resolve it, in the issue log. The project manager should also update the risk register, the stakeholder register, the lessons learned register, and any other project documents that may be affected by the scope changes.
This will help to maintain the accuracy and consistency of the project information, and to support the project monitoring and controlling activities.
The other options are not correct because they do not provide a valid way to resolve the issue of frequent scope changes. Option A is wrong because it suggests that the project manager should adjust the project management plan to include the changes in scope, without following the change control process or assessing the impacts of the changes. This would violate the project management plan and the scope baseline, and could lead to scope creep, cost overruns, schedule delays, or quality problems. Option B is wrong because it implies that the project manager should continue the execution as planned and defer the changes to a future phase, without communicating with the customer orthe stakeholder who is requesting the changes. This would ignore the customer’s needs and expectations, and could result in dissatisfaction, conflict, or rejection of the project deliverables. References:
PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 134-135, 154-155, 161-162
How to Manage Scope Changes on a Project
Scope Change Management – Project Management Knowledge
Scope Change Control – Project Management Institute