Certified Associate of Project Management (CAPM) Exam 1

Scrum, XP, and Crystal generally share the concept of time-boxed iterations. However, Lean and Kanban generally do not and instead schedule based on a pull or flow method. Refer to appendix A3 in the Agile Practice Guide.

Predictive projects are typically characterized by those where detailed plans are created before execution begins, and this is important for high-risk, high-capital projects. Projects that are innovative with untried technology and where requirements will evolve in increments as the project proceeds are better suited for an adaptive lifecycle. Refer to section 2.3 of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition.

The main purpose of planning is to proactively determine an approach to creating project deliverables. The activities associated with delivering scope and quality refer to delivery performance. Assessing performance and adjusting actions refer to the benefits of project measurement performance. Working with stakeholders to maintain positive alignment and relationships refers to stakeholder performance. Refer to chapter 2 of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition.

In a predictive lifecycle, there is generally only one deployment phase, which occurs after the product has been designed, developed, and tested. Closing occurs after the project’s product has been deployed. Refer to pages 42–43 of the PMBOK Guide 7th edition.

Portfolios are collections of projects, programs, and operations that are managed as a group to achieve the firm’s strategic objectives. Refer to page 24 of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition.

Generally, a business analyst or a product owner will work collaboratively with the agile team to develop and prioritize requirements rather than handing a prioritized list over. Prioritization occurs through iteration planning meetings, backlog refinement meetings, and value stream mapping meetings. The features with the highest value to the customer are implemented before features of lesser value. Refer to chapter 2 of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition.

Of the options, the only true statement is (D). Organizations with formal levels of hierarchy, and a strict chain of command do better with a predictive methodology. Those with a flat structure and promote self-managed teams are suggested for adaptive lifecycles. Large teams that are not collocated also do better with a predictive approach since agile is designed for small, collocated teams. Refer to p. 41 of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition.

The resource breakdown structure will tell you the category and type of resources required but not the quantity. The resource requirements identify both the type and quantity of resources. The responsibility assignment matrix identifies who is responsible and accountable for a task, and the organization breakdown structure provides the reporting relationships of the labor resources. Refer to section 9.2 of the PMBOK Guide 6th edition.

Answers (A), (B), and (C) are all helpful strategies in an Agile project approach. A focus on getting things right the first-time fits with a plan-driven rather than a change-driven approach. Agile work should occur at a manageable pace. Refer to Section 6.1 in the Agile Practice Guide.

The stakeholder register lists all identified stakeholders and includes their interests, expectations, and influence on the project. Refer to section 4.6 of the PMBOK Guide 7th edition.

In this example, the cost variance is zero; CV (0) = EV (250K) − AC (250K) = 0. This means you are on budget. However, your schedule variance is −$150,000; SV (−150K) = EV (250K) − PV (400K). You are behind schedule.

Comparing the deliverable to the acceptance criteria, definition of done, and the technical performance specifications are all ways of verifying scope. Refer to section 2.6.2.2 of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition.

On the CAPM exam need to be able to identify artifacts used in the control of predictive, plan-based approaches. The change log is such an artifact, and the other answers refer to artifacts used by an adaptive approach. Refer to the PMBOK Guide, seventh edition, for more information.

In adaptive projects, tracking cycle time (the average time to implement story points per iteration) is a common tracking technique. Percent complete, progress against a baseline, and monitoring the critical path represent tracking techniques for a predictive project. Refer to section 5.4 in the Agile Practice Guide.

Answers (A), (B), and (C) are all pros of iteration-based agile, and (D) is a characteristic of flow-based agile. Refer to chapter 5 of the Agile Practice Guide.

The product roadmap is a deliverable created during the product life cycle. It defines when product iterations will be created through the course of a portfolio, program, or one or more project lifecycles. The other items are all deliverables created by projects. Refer to section 4.5 of the PMI Guide to Business Analysis.

Typical phases include feasibility, design, build, test, deployment, and close. Answer (A) refers to the build phase, answer (C) refers to the test phase, and answer (D) refers to the feasibility phase. Refer to p. 42 of the PMBOK Guide seventh edition for further information.

As milestones have zero duration, this is likely the reason. The other answers are distractors. Refer to section 4.5 of the PMI Guide to Business Analysis.

In iteration-based agile, functionality is divided into time-boxed units of equal duration. Pulling features to implement from a backlog as capacity allows is representative of flow-based agile. The scrum master does not schedule work in either iteration or flow-based agile, and the scrum team does this. Refer to section 3.1.4 in the Agile Practice Guide.

Option (B) refers to a test plan, and option (C) is correct, except that a quality plan is not a standalone but part of the overall project management plan. Option (D) refers to the definition of done, which is used for adaptive projects. Refer to the PMBOK Guide 7th edition, pages 81, 186, and 187.

Section 4.3.3 of the fairness ethics code states, “We do not hire or fire, reward or punish, or award or deny contracts based on personal considerations, including but not limited to favoritism, nepotism, or bribery” (p. 4).

Scrum, being an adaptive method, values speed over stability. Thus, (B) is the correct answer. Valuing predictability over flexibility and meeting deadlines and budgets rather than delivering value would be associated with a predictive culture. Having access to a business representative is an important criterion for Scrum. Refer to section 6.2 in the Agile Practice Guide.

The fact that you want to ensure you are following the appropriate tracking and reporting processes implies that you need to consult the Monitor and Control Project Work process, which is part of the integration management plan. Refer to the PMIstandards+ guides, specifically the PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 4.5.

The longest path in the schedule is the critical path.

A requirements document is a major activity of the planning phase in a predictive lifecycle. In adaptive lifecycles, requirements are captured in user stories within a product backlog. See the PMBOK Guide 7th edition and the Agile Practice Guide.

The definition of done comprises all criteria needed for a successful deliverable implementation. Once the done criteria are met, the unit of functionality is deemed ready for customer use. Refer to section 2.6 of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition.

In adaptive techniques, progress is typically tracked and shown via information radiators, burndown charts, or task boards. A schedule comparing planned versus actual activity dates would be associated with a predictive method. Refer to section 2.7 of the PMBOK Guide 7th edition.

Since the team member is not behind schedule, it is not an issue, though it could become one. Therefore, it represents a risk and should be documented in the risk register. Refer to section 4.6 of the PMBOK Guide 7th edition.

While themes are decomposed into epics, features, and user stories, they are not considered a work breakdown structure. Control accounts are part of a WBS but are not the lowest level of decomposition. The product objectives are part of the overall project objectives; therefore, (C) is the best answer. Refer to page 84 of the PMBOK Guide 7th edition for more information.

Projects are a way to deliver value, change a future state, or improve efficiency and productivity, among other benefits. Taking orders would be a benefit of operations. Refer to sections 3.0 and 3.12 of the Standard for Project Management.

Since the customer is available as required and their needs are volatile, the environment would be suited for an adaptive approach. This is reinforced by the team, which has experience with Scrum. Thus, Scrum would be a good choice for this project. A waterfall approach often represents a predictive lifecycle, where requirements can be planned up-front, and many changes are not expected. A hybrid method might be suitable if everything except for the team’s experience fits with an agile culture or the customer’s requirements are not in flux.

In iteration-based agile, backlog features are determined by the scrum team collaboratively working with the product owner to elicit and evolve the requirements. Option (B) is incorrect because it indicates that scope is provided to the team rather than collaboratively derived. Option (C) is incorrect because the product owner is not included, and (D) is incorrect because requirements are not handed off to the core team in an agile project. Refer to section 2.6 of the PMBOK Guide 7th edition.

Answer (A) is incorrect because Scrum is better suited for smaller teams where people are collocated. Answer (B) is incorrect since waterfall methods are more appropriate if the team size is large. Answer (D) is incorrect because a functionally structured organization generally has more difficulty collaborating across groups. A flat chain of command would be more representative of an adaptive environment rather than a waterfall. The fact that people are accustomed to communicating across silos and have a flat structure makes it ideal for a Scrum approach. Refer to section 6.7 in the Agile Practice Guide.

An efficiency improvement initiative, shutting down a branch, and producing a new product version are all representative of projects. Diagnosing and repairing a product in the field is considered customer support, which is operations. Refer to section 2 of the Standard for Project Management.

Work packages represent the lowest level of decomposition in a WBS, thereby providing realistic estimation and management. Option (B) represents a planning package, and option (C) represents a control account. Refer to the PMBOK Guide 7th edition, page 253.

Themes are first identified and then broken down into epics, which are decomposed into features and, ultimately, user stories. Breaking the work down into lower levels of increasing detail until deliverables and work packages are identified would be the activities required for creating a work breakdown structure. Refer to chapter 2.6.2 of the PMBOK Guide 7th edition.

Negative float indicates that the path is behind schedule and represents the most risk. Options (B) and (D) have float and can afford delays without affecting the end date. Option (C) has no float, is risky, and cannot afford delay. However, a path with negative float is the most severe case with the most project risk.

A project closeout meeting is used to get final acceptance of the project’s scope from the sponsor, product owner, or customer. Refer to section 4.4.3 of the PMBOK Guide 7th edition.

In this example, the schedule variance is −$25,000; SV (−25K) = EV (285K) − PV (310K). To calculate a schedule variance, always subtract the planned value from the earned value (not vice versa!). A negative variance indicates you are behind schedule. Refer to the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, pages 100–101.

Since the price increase has already occurred, this development represents an issue for the project, and it is not a risk since risk is an event that has not yet occurred. There is no information to indicate whether the price was considered an assumption and which needs updating. A change log is used for logging the statuses of change requests. Refer to section 4.6 of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition.