PMI-SP Questions and Answers

The schedule variance is found by subtracting the planned value from the earned value. The earned value is the percentage of the project completeness multiplied by the BAC. Planned value is the percetage of where the project should be at this time multiplied by the BAC. Schedule variance (SV) is a measure of schedule performance on a project. The variance notifies that the schedule is ahead or behind what was planned for this period in time. The schedule variance is calculated based on the following formula:

SV = Earned Value (EV) - Planned Value (PV)

If the resulting schedule is negative, it indicates that the project is behind schedule. A value greater than 0 shows that the project is ahead of the planned schedule. A value of 0 indicates that the project is right on target. In this example,

EV = 40% of BAC

= 300,000, and

PV = 50% of BAC

= 375,000

SV = 300,000 - 375,000

= -75,000

Answer options C, B, and D are incorrect. These are not the correct values for the schedule variance.

The procurement SOW consists of a description of some collateral services required, such as performance reporting or post- project operational support for the procured item. The procurement SOW is revised and refined as required when it moves through the procurement process until incorporated into a signed contract award.

Resource leveling usually increases the overall duration of the project because management restricts the amount of labor which can be utilized in a given time period. Resource leveling heuristics is a prioritization method that allocates inadequate resources to critical path activities first. It is a schedule network analysis technique useful to a schedule that has already been analyzed by the critical path method. It is used when shared or critical essential resources are only available at certain times, in limited quantities, or to keep resource usage at a constant level. It is a technique that resolves resource conflicts by delaying tasks within their slack allowances. Resource leveling is the process in which project teams come across problems when developing their project schedules. If a company has multiple projects running simultaneously that require the same resources, then problems can arise. It can often cause the critical path method to change.

Answer option C is incorrect. New resources are not added as part of resource leveling.

Answer option D is incorrect. Labor remains the same in resource leveling, but their availability decreases.

Answer option B is incorrect. New resources are not added as part of resource leveling.

The define activities process is the process that may begin once the project's WBS has been completed and approved. It is possible, in some projects, to complete the WBS and the activity list at the same time.

Answer option D is incorrect. Sequencing the activities cannot happen until the activity list has been created.

Answer option A is incorrect. Estimating activity resources is dependent on the activity list, so this choice is not valid.

Answer option C is incorrect. Estimate activity durations are dependent on the activity list, so this choice is not valid.

This is an example of a parametric estimate. This estimate type uses a parameter, such as four hours of painting per hotel room, and multiplies this value across the total number of units, such as 1,500 rooms. A parametric estimate is an estimate that uses a parameter to predict the costs of the project, such as cost per network drop or cost per software license. Parametric estimating technique utilizes the statistical relationship that exists between a series of historical data and a particular delineated list of other variables.

Answer option C is incorrect. An analogous estimate type uses a similar project's duration as a basis for the current project's estimate duration.

Answer option B is incorrect. A definitive estimate type accounts for the duration or costs of each work package in the WBS.

Answer option D is incorrect. A bottom-up estimate, also known as a definitive estimate, accounts for the duration or costs of each work package in the WBS.

The Project Staffing Management Plan will define how resources are brought onto the project team, how they are managed while on the project team, and how they may be released from the project team. The staffing management plan is part of human resources plan. It is a subsidiary plan of the overall project management plan and defines when project team members will be brought onto and released from the project. It describes when and how human resource requirements will be met. Depending upon the needs of the project, it can be formal or informal, highly detailed or broadly framed. The staffing management plan may include the following items: Staff acquisition, resource calendars, staff release plan, training needs, recognition and rewards, compliance, and safety.

Answer option C is incorrect. The communications management plan defines project communication requirements and expectations.

Answer option A is incorrect. This is not a valid project management plan.

Answer option D is incorrect. The project schedule management will define when resources are needed and scheduled, but not how resources are allowed to be released from the project.

Performance reports are distributed through the push technique. This means that the project manager distributes the reports regularly through a mechanism, such as email.

Answer option C is incorrect. One-to-one technique describes a conversation between two people.

Answer option B is incorrect. Many-to-many technique describes a conversation between many people.

Answer option D is incorrect. A pull technique describes the recipients of the report "pulling" the information, such as from a Website.

Project scope is the effort that must be required to gather a client's plan, goals for space, purpose, properties, impact, and stage of eminence. Scope management sets the boundaries for the project and is the foundation on which the other project elements are built. Scope management helps to organize the work responsibilities and their requirements for successful completion. Managing the project scope is primarily concerned with defining and controlling what is and what is not included in the project.

Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, also known as Two Factor Theory, was developed by Frederick Herzberg, a psychologist who found that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction acted independently of each other. Two Factor Theory states that there are certain factors in the workplace that cause job satisfaction, while a separate set of factors cause dissatisfaction. Two Factor Theory distinguishes between the following: Motivators (e.g. challenging work, recognition, responsibility) which give positive satisfaction, arising from intrinsic conditions of the job itself, such as recognition, achievement, or personal growth. Hygiene factors (e.g. status, job security, salary and fringe benefits) which do not give positive satisfaction, although dissatisfaction results from their absence. These are extrinsic to the work itself, and include aspects, such as company policies, supervisory practices, or wages/salary. Essentially, hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee is not dissatisfied. Motivation factors are needed in order to motivate an employee to higher performance, Herzberg also further classified our actions and how and why we do them, for example, if you perform a work-related action because you have to, then that is classed as movement, but if you perform a work-related action because you want to, then that is classed as motivation.

Answer option C is incorrect. McGregor's X and Y theory describes the team members and their behavior on the project and how management responds.

Answer option B is incorrect. It describes the five layer of needs we all have.

Answer option D is incorrect. It explains the processes that an individual undergoes to make choices.

Crashing is the addition of project resources to complete effort-driven activities in faster time. By adding more labor the activity can be completed faster. Crashing is a schedule compression technique to obtain the greatest amount of compression for the least incremental cost. Crashing works for activities where additional resources will shorten the duration. Approving overtime, bringing in additional resources, paying to expedite delivery to activities on the critical path are examples of crashing.

Answer option A is incorrect. An activity of fixed duration, such as printing 100,000 brochures in a printing press, won't be completed faster by adding more effort.

Answer option D is incorrect. Activities need not be risk-free to use project crashing.

Answer option C is incorrect. All effort-driven activities are susceptible to the Law of Diminishing Returns. By adding more labor the value of the yield of the work decreases because of the cost of the labor added to the project work.

Any meetings, phone calls with multiple participants, or conferences are examples of the interactive communications.

Answer option B is incorrect. Active communication is not a PMBOK term for project management.

Answer option D is incorrect. A push technique describes a distribution from the project manager out to the message recipients, such as email.

Answer option C is incorrect. A pull technique describes a distribution method where the recipients of the message pull the message from a source, such as a Web server.

The various group creativity techniques are as follows: Brainstorming: It is a technique used to generate and collect multiple ideas related to the project and product requirements. Nominal group technique: It is a technique used to enhance brainstorming with a voting process used to rank the most useful ideas for further brainstorming or prioritization. Delphi technique: It is a techniques used to identify potential risk. In this technique, the responses are gathered via a questionnaire from different experts and their inputs are organized according to their contents. Idea/mind mapping: It is a technique used to map the ideas generated by brainstorming to reflect the commonality and differences in understanding and generating new ideas. Affinity diagram: It is a technique used to allow a large number of ideas to be sorted into groups for review and analysis.

There is no float available for Activity G because it is on the critical path. Float or total float (TF) is the total amount of time that a schedule activity may be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project finish date, or violating a schedule constraint. It is calculated by using the critical path method technique and determining the difference between the early finish dates and late finish dates.

Answer options B, A, and C are incorrect. There is no float available for Activity G because it is on the critical path.

The schedule performance index can be found by dividing the earned value by the planned value. In this project, it's $447,000 divided by the $558,750 for a value of 0.80. Schedule performance index (SPI) is the measure of schedule efficiency on a project. It is used in trend analysis to predict future performance.

SPI is the ratio of earned value to planned value. The SPI is calculated based on the following formula:

SPI = Earned Value (EV) / Planned Value (PV)

If the SPI value is greater than 1, it indicates better than expected performance, whereas if the value is less than 1, it shows poor performance. The SPI value of 1 indicates that the project is right on target.

Answer option A is incorrect. "80" is not the same value as ".80".

Answer option B is incorrect. 1.02 is the cost performance index.

Answer option C is incorrect. 102 is not a valid calculation for this question.

The schedule variance is found by subtracting the planned value from the earned value. The earned value is the percentage of the project completeness multiplied by the BAC. Planned value is the percentage of where the project should be at this time multiplied by the BAC. In this example, EV = 40% of BAC = 260,000, and PV = 50% of BAC = 325,000 SV = 260,000 - 325,000 = -65,000

Schedule variance (SV) is a measure of schedule performance on a project. The variance notifies that the schedule is ahead or behind what was planned for this period in time. The schedule variance is calculated based on the following formula:

SV = Earned Value (EV) - Planned Value (PV)

If the resulting schedule is negative, it indicates that the project is behind schedule. A value greater than 0 shows that the project is ahead of the planned schedule. A value of 0 indicates that the project is right on target.

Answer options B, C, and A are incorrect. These are not valid calculations of the schedule variance.

A milestone is simply a significant point or event in the project. It does not have to be assigned to a specific date, but is usually assigned to the completion of project phases. A milestone is the end of a stage that marks the completion of a work package or phase, typically marked by a high level event such as completion, endorsement or signing of a deliverable, document or a high level review meeting. In addition to signaling the completion of a key deliverable, a milestone may also signify an important decision or the derivation of a critical piece of information, which outlines or affects the future of a project. In this sense, a milestone not only signifies distance traveled (key stages in a project) but also indicates direction of travel since key decisions made at milestones may alter the route through the project plan. To create a milestone, enter 0 (zero) in the Duration field. The task will automatically be classified as a milestone.

Answer option C is incorrect. This is a project constraint.

Answer option B is incorrect. A project goal is an objective for time, cost, scope, and other metrics.

Answer option D is incorrect. All activities must be completed in order to complete the project work. Activities that are not completed are quality issues that prevent the project from completing the project scope.

The last duty of a project manager is to archive the project records as part of the organizational process assets.

Answer option B is incorrect. The cost summary is included in the final project report.

Answer option C is incorrect. The project variance is included in the final project report as it shows cost performance.

Answer option D is incorrect. A project office is an organization within the company that oversees and supports project. Marty would not close the project office.

The role of a functional manager is to perform various management roles within an administrative or functional area of the business, such as human resources, finance, accounting, or procurement. He is assigned his own permanent staff to carry out the ongoing work. He should have a clear directive to manage all tasks within his functional area of responsibility.

Answer option D is incorrect. A project manager is an expert in the field of project management. He is responsible for the entire project from inception to completion. The project manager leads the team and helps negotiate the multiple relationships within any project whether with clients, team members, firm principals or any variety of partners and functions as the hub of a project.

Answer option A is incorrect. Seller is also known as a vendor, supplier or contractor. They are external company's elements that enter into a contractual agreement to provide components or services necessary for the project.

Answer option B is incorrect. The role of operations manager is to perform various management roles in a core business area, such as research and development, design, manufacturing, provisioning, testing, or maintenance. The operations manager directly deals with constructing and maintaining the saleable products or services of the enterprise.

Communication channels are paths of communication with stakeholders in a project. The number of communication channels shows the complexity of a project's communication and can be derived through the formula shown below: Total Number of Communication Channels = n (n-1)/2 where, n is the number of stakeholders. Hence, a project having five stakeholders will have ten communication channels. Putting the number of stakeholders in the formula we can get the required communication channel for the project. It is (80 x 79)/2 for 3,160 communication channels.

Lag time is positive time that requires the successor activity to wait for a defined amount of time, such as three days, before it can begin. Lag time does not change the task relationship, but requires a "waiting time" before the starting of the activity can begin. A lag time is a delay between the predecessor and the successor tasks. Sometimes it may be needed to schedule a delay between the predecessor and the successor tasks. For example, if two coats of paint are required to paint a car, then the final coat should be applied only when the first coat dries. This delay is known as the lag time. The lag time is entered as a positive value. The lag time can be entered as a duration or as a percentage of the predecessor's task duration. It is entered on the Predecessor tab in the Task Information dialog box.

Answer option D is incorrect. Float is a natural event that is discovered through the forward pass when using the critical path method. Float cannot be arbitrarily added as lag.

Answer option C is incorrect. Lead time actually brings activities closer together and causes them, in some cases, to overlap.

Answer option B is incorrect. Management reserve is a pool of time allotted for unscheduled changes and events that affect the project duration.

This is an example of an organizational process asset. The previous project is the historical information that the current project can use. This could also be, with a bit more information, an example of an analogous estimate. Organizational process assets are forms, templates, and other support pieces that the project managers can use to help manage their projects. It is usually something that has been created before the project begins and often, but not always, comes from historical information.

Answer option D is incorrect. This is not a valid term for this question.

Answer option B is incorrect. The lessons learned documentation is a separate document that Gary might reference for his current project, but this is not a valid choice.

Answer option C is incorrect. While organizational process assets are inputs to this process, this choice is not the best selection for the question.

A scheduler schedules the constraints for the project into phases with respect to the time and resources available. He can be hired from outside a company, or from within a company. The basic roles of a scheduler are as follows: Feasibility Planning: A scheduler is the time management expert who paints a picture of the project. He develops a strategy for delivery and to gain consensus. Execution Schedule: A scheduler works with the project team to optimize and refine the schedule until an agreed schedule has been developed. Performance Control: A schedule is maintained by the scheduler who optimizes outcomes and instructs the project team on their presentation. It is important that the scheduler be aware of the changes and trends related to the project delivery.

Answer option C is incorrect. This is the skill possessed by the project manager.

The variance at completion can be found by subtracting the estimate at completion from the budget at completion. In this instance, it is:

Variance at completion = EAC - BAC

= $1,258,456 - $1,312,500.

= -$54,044

Answer option C is incorrect. You can calculate the variance at completion.

Answer option A is incorrect. This is the cost variance for the project.

Answer option B is incorrect. This is the schedule variance for the project.

Schedule activities on the critical path are called critical activities. Critical activity is a specific schedule activity on the critical path that takes place within a project schedule. Critical activities are mainly determined during the execution and deployment of the critical path method. In project management terms, critical activity refers to being on the major critical path, the most important path of life of an activity. Critical activity can also be defined as the work elements that must be carefully monitored, documented, and managed to make the success of an organization, program, or project. An activity that has a total float equal to zero is believed to be a 'critical activity', which means if an interruption in the finish time of an activity occurs, then the entire project will be delayed by the same amount of time. A critical activity generally has free float equal to zero.

Answer options D, C, and B are incorrect. These are not valid answers for this question.

The project staffing management plan will define how resources are brought onto the project team, how they are managed while on the project team, and how they may be released from the project team. The staffing management plan is part of human resources plan. It is a subsidiary plan of the overall project management plan and defines when project team members will be brought onto and released from the project. It describes when and how human resource requirements will be met. Depending upon the needs of the project, it can be formal or informal, highly detailed or broadly framed. The staffing management plan may include the following items: Staff acquisition, resource calendars, staff release plan, training needs, recognition and rewards, compliance, and safety.

Answer option D is incorrect. The communications management plan defines project communication requirements and expectations.

Answer option C is incorrect. This is not a valid project management plan.

Answer option A is incorrect. The project schedule management will define when resources are needed and scheduled. But it will not define how resources are allowed to be released from the project.

The report performance process is used for gathering and distributing performance information. It consists of status reports, progress measurements, and forecasts. The report performance process contains the periodic collection and analysis of baseline versus actual data to understand and communicate the project progress and performance as well as to forecast the project results.

Answer option A is incorrect. Identify stakeholder process is used to identify all people or organizations impacted by the project and document relevant information regarding their interest, involvement, and impact on project success.

Answer option C is incorrect. Plan communication is the process of determining the project stakeholder information needs and defining a communication approach.

Answer option D is incorrect. Stakeholder analysis is the identification of stakeholder needs, wants and expectations. It involves the documentation, prioritization, and quantification of the needs to help define the project scope. Stakeholders' interests may be positively or negatively affected by execution or completion of the project and they may also exert influence over the project and its deliverables.

The various group creativity techniques are as follows: Brainstorming: It is a technique used to generate and collect multiple ideas related to the project and product requirements. Nominal group technique: It is a technique used to enhance brainstorming with a voting process used to rank the most useful ideas for further brainstorming or prioritization. Delphi technique: It is a techniques used to identify potential risk. In this technique, the responses are gathered via a questionnaire from different experts and their inputs are organized according to their contents. Idea/mind mapping: It is a technique used to map the ideas generated by brainstorming to reflect the commonality and differences in understanding and generating new ideas. Affinity diagram: It is a technique used to allow a large number of ideas to be sorted into groups for review and analysis.

This is an example of a weighting system as the values you're measuring are weighted towards experience.

Answer option B is incorrect. A preferred vendors list describes the vendors you're allowed to choose from in the organization.

Answer option A is incorrect. A screening system sets qualifiers in place, such as the vendor must have a PMP on staff, in order to qualify for the project.

Answer option C is incorrect. The benefits-cost analysis defines the total number of benefits to the number of costs the project requires.

Fast tracking is a technique for compressing project schedule. In fast tracking, phases are overlapped that would normally be done in sequence. It is shortening the project schedule without reducing the project scope.

Answer option D is incorrect. Crashing is a process in that the project manager adds more resources to effort-driven activities in an attempt to shorten their duration.

Answer option A is incorrect. A lag time is a delay between the predecessor and the successor tasks. Sometimes it may be needed to schedule a delay between the predecessor and the successor tasks. For example, if two coats of paint are required to paint a car, then the final coat should be applied only when the first coat dries. This delay is known as the lag time. The lag time is entered as a positive value. The lag time can be entered as a duration or as a percentage of the predecessor's task duration. It is entered on the Predecessor tab in the Task Information dialog box.

Answer option B is incorrect. A lead time is the time that overlaps between the predecessor and the successor tasks. The successor task can start before the predecessor task finishes. For example, if a task can start when its predecessor is one-fourth finished, a finish-to-start dependency with a lead time of 25 percent for the successor task can be specified. The lead time is entered as a negative value. The lead time can be entered as a duration or as a percentage of the predecessor's task duration. It is entered on the Predecessor tab in the Task Information dialog box.

Cost performance index (CPI) is used to calculate performance efficiencies. It is used in trend analysis to predict future performance. CPI is the ratio of earned value to actual cost. The CPI is calculated based on the following formula: CPI = Earned Value (EV) / Actual Cost (AC) If the CPI value is greater than 1, it indicates better than expected performance, whereas if the value is less than 1, it shows poor performance. The CPI value of 1 indicates that the project is right on target. In this instance, it's

EV = 0.40 * 750,000

= 300,000

CPI = EV/AC

= 300,000/325,000

= 0.92

The project charter defines the business needs, the project justification, and the current requirements for the new warehouse that an organization wants to create. The project charter is the document that formally authorizes a project. The project charter provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. According to PMBOK Guide, the project charter should address the following information: Requirements that satisfy customer, sponsor, and other stakeholder needs, wants and expectations Business needs, high-level project description, or product requirements that the project is undertaken to address Project purpose or justification Assigned Project Manager and authority level Summary milestone schedule Stakeholder influences Functional organizations and their participation Organizational, environmental and external assumptions Organizational, environmental and external constraints Business case justifying the project, including return on investment Summary budget If required, it also authorizes the next project phase, and updates the charter. The project manager should always be assigned prior to the start of planning, and preferably while the project charter is being developed.

Answer option A is incorrect. The decomposition of the project scope results in the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). The work packages of the WBS will help the project manager and team create accurate time and cost estimates.

Answer option B is incorrect. The feasibility study is usually created before the project scope, though not always. This document defines the likelihood of the project being able to reach its objectives.

Answer option D is incorrect. The project scope defines all that the project should complete.

Although this appears to be a simple change the project manager must still follow the rules of the project's change control system. Perform Integrated Change Control is the process of reviewing all change requests, approving changes, and controlling changes to the deliverables and organizational process assets in a project. Perform Integrated Change Control has to do with influencing the things that cause change, determining that the change is required or has happened, and managing the change.

Answer option D is incorrect. Communications management is the execution of the communications management plan.

Answer option A is incorrect. The project change control process not valid as it's the parent of the integrated change control process, which is more accurate for this question.

Answer option C is incorrect. Configuration management is the documentation and control of the product's features and functions.

The communications management plan defines who needs what information, when the information is needed, and the modality the information is expected in.

Answer option C is incorrect. The project schedule could include project management activities such as schedule communication, but the communications management plan is the best answer as this information is absolutely documented in this plan.

Answer option D is incorrect. The schedule management is not the best location for this information.

Answer option B is incorrect. The request for customer communication is not an issue, so this choice is not the most appropriate.

The planned value is forty-five percent of the project's BAC, or $1,055,543. Planned value (PV) is the authorized budget assigned to the schedule work to be accomplished for a schedule activity or work breakdown structure component. It serves as a baseline against which actual performance is measured. The theory of planned value is of vital importance to the project management team and it is important to keep careful track of this. The term planned value can also be in some situations referred to by the project management team and the project management team leader as the budgeted cost of work scheduled (BCWS).

Answer option D is incorrect. $938,260 is the project's earned value.

Answer option A is incorrect. $950,000 is the project's actual costs.

Answer option B is incorrect. $2,375,000 is the project's estimate at completion.

The scope baseline is not an input to the estimate activity durations process. The project's scope statement is an input, but according to the PMBOK, the scope baseline is not. The seven inputs to this process are: activity list, activity attributes, activity resource requirements, resource calendars, project scope statement, enterprise environmental factors, and organizational process assets.

Answer options C, B, and D are incorrect. These all are an input to the estimate activity durations process.

According to the question, the cost variance of the project is -20, which is a negative figure. The negative CV depicts that the costs are higher than planned. What is CV? Cost variance (CV) is a measure of cost performance on a project. The variance notifies if costs are higher than budgeted or lower than budgeted. The cost variance is calculated based on the following formula: CV = Earned Value (EV) - Actual Cost (AC) A positive value means that spending is less than budgeted, whereas a negative value indicates that costs are higher than originally planned for the project.

Answer option B is incorrect. This result is drawn when the CV value is positive.

Answer option A is incorrect. If the CV is zero, it shows that spending is right on target.

Answer option C is incorrect. This result is depicted by viewing the schedule variance (SV), not the CV. What is SV? Schedule variance (SV) is a measure of schedule performance on a project. The variance notifies that the schedule is ahead or behind what was planned for this period in time. The schedule variance is calculated based on the following formula: SV = Earned Value (EV) - Planned Value (PV) If the resulting schedule is negative, it indicates that the project is behind schedule. A value greater than 0 shows that the project is ahead of the planned schedule. A value of 0 indicates that the project is right on target.

Vendor performance, while important, is not part of the work performance information. Management is interested in the how well the project is performing, what activities are currently underway, and what's been completed to date.

Answer option A is incorrect the project's performance on schedule should be reported

Answer option C is incorrect as management is interested in what activities have been started and finished.

Answer option D is incorrect as management does want to know the percent of completion for the in-progress activities

The various phases of the decision making process are as follows: Problem definition: This phase explores, clarifies and defines the problem. Problem solution generation: This phase draws out the new idea generating process by brainstorming multiple solutions and rejecting premature decisions. Ideas to action: This phase defines the evaluation criteria, rate pros and cons of alternatives and helps in selecting the best solution. Solution action planning: This phase involves key participants to gain acceptance and commitment to make the solution work. Solution evaluation planning: This phase performs the post implementation analysis, evaluations and lessons learned. Evaluation of the outcome and process: This phase evaluates how well the problem was solved or project goals were achieved.

The schedule variance can be found by subtracting the planned value from the earned value. In this instance, it is $170,370 minus $227,160. SV = 170,370 - 227,160 = -56,790 Schedule variance (SV) is a measure of schedule performance on a project. The variance notifies that the schedule is ahead or behind what was planned for this period in time. The schedule variance is calculated based on the following formula: SV = Earned Value (EV) - Planned Value (PV) If the resulting schedule is negative, it indicates that the project is behind schedule. A value greater than 0 shows that the project is ahead of the planned schedule. A value of 0 indicates that the project is right on target.

Answer option A is incorrect. $45,789 is not a valid calculation.

Answer option D is incorrect. -$30,268 is the expected variance at completion.

Answer option C is incorrect. There is enough information to know.

The project communications management plan is a document to define who needs what information, when the information is needed, and the modality the information is expected. Stakeholder communication preferences are also recorded here. What is Project Communication Management? Project Communications Management is one of the nine Knowledge Areas. It employs the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval, and ultimate disposition of project information. The following processes are part of Project Communications Management: Identify Stakeholders

Plan Communications

Distribute information

Manage Stakeholder Expectations

Report Performance

The Project Communications Management processes provide the critical links among people and information that are necessary for successful communications. These processes interact with each other and with the processes in the other Knowledge Areas as well.

Answer option D is incorrect as the project scope management plan defines how the scope is created, managed, how changes to the scope are managed, and how the scope is validated.

Answer option B is incorrect as the project reporting structure defines who reports to whom, not the preferences and requirements for communication.

Answer option C is incorrect as the project schedule defines when project activities are to occur.

This is simply an example of a reporting system. It can be part of the project management information system, but for your examination, the PMBOK acknowledges this tool directly as part of project performance reporting. Reporting system is a tool and technique used for reporting performance. It is a standard means to store, capture, and give out the information to the stakeholders about the project costs, performance, and schedule.

Answer option A is incorrect. The project management information system does more than just communicating the performance. It is a tool to help the project manager plan and monitor the project.

Answer option D is incorrect. The PMBOK does not mention a communications management system.

Answer option B is incorrect. Table reporting is one output of a reporting system, not the entire system.

The schedule performance index is found by dividing the earned value by the planned value. In this instance, the planned value is ten percent more than where the project is forty percent of the budget at completion. Schedule performance index (SPI) is the measure of schedule efficiency on a project. It is used in trend analysis to predict future performance. SPI is the ratio of earned value to planned value. The SPI is calculated based on the following formula: SPI = Earned Value (EV) / Planned Value (PV) If the SPI value is greater than 1, it indicates better than expected performance, whereas if the value is less than 1, it shows poor performance. The SPI value of 1 indicates that the project is right on target.

Answer option C is incorrect. 0.95 is the project's cost performance index.

Answer options A and D are incorrect. An index is a decimal value.

The resource calendar is needed because it will help Wendy and the project team to determine when the project team resources will be available. The availability of the project resources can affect the overall duration of the project. A resource calendar is used to make sure that work resources (people and equipment) are scheduled only when they are available for work. They affect a specific resource or category of resources. By default, the working time settings in the resource calendar are the same as in the project calendar. However, a user can customize the resource calendar to show individual schedule information, such as vacations, leaves of absence, or equipment maintenance time.

Answer option B is incorrect. The project scope statement is an input to the estimate activity duration estimate, but it is not the best choice for this question.

Answer option C is incorrect. The project communications management plan is not an input to the estimate activity duration process.

Answer option A is incorrect. The project charter is not an input to the estimate activity duration process.