1. | What is a change control system?
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2. | Pierre is the project manager of a project to upgrade all of the print servers and printers within his company. The deliverables require that each floor have a pool of print devices, with the exception of the graphics department. They will have several different types of printers, including two high-end color printers. Marty, the sales manager, requests that his department receive a color printer as well. What is the first process Marty should follow?
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3. | Of the following reasons to change a project s deliverables, which is a result of lack of planning?
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4. | What is the best method to prevent change in a project plan?
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5. | Finish this statement: A change to the project plan, no matter how seemingly minor, is __________________________.
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6. | What is one of the most dangerous things that can happen when the project scope is changed due to a request from the customer?
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7. | What is the purpose of the Project Change Request form?
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8. | If a proposed change to a project does have merit, what must the project manager do in the change control process?
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9. | True or false: Rejected changes should be made into separate projects.
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10. | What is a Change Impact Statement?
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11. | Of the following, which two are valid responses to a project change request?
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12. | What is a Change Control Board?
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13. | What is an Ishikawa diagram?
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14. | Of the following, which is a serious problem to a project team, but is not a lack of commitment to the project?
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15. | When a new team member joins the project, what is the most important thing a project manager can do?
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Answers
1. | C. A change control system is a formal process to prevent change to a project without proper justification. Change control is not a method to decline all change to a project, rather it formalizes the approach and allows the project manager to fully understand the proposed change and then determine if the change is necessary. |
2. | B. Marty should submit a Project Change Request form. The Project Change Request form allows Marty to explain the change to the project manager and to offer justification for the proposed change. A Change Impact Statement is a response from the project manager to Marty s request. |
3. | A. As part of the research phase, the project manager should ensure the proposed technology is compatible with the existing OS. A request from the client for additional features is not necessarily a result of lack of planning, as the client can be fickle. Management s request to finish the project early is outside of the project manager s control, as is the request from the project team. |
4. | C. Planning is the foundation of a project. Proper planning will help the project manager determine the amount of required funds and resources needed to complete the project. Planning will also help the project manager determine the order in which tasks begin. |
5. | C. A change in the project plan is always significant and must be treated as such ”anything less is flirting with trouble. Once a change has been easily approved, additional change requests may follow. |
6. | B. Changes to the project plan can cause the project team s morale to plummet. Team members may view the change as bad news and become disgruntled about the project and the new required work to complete the plan. A project manager must get behind the team members , support them, and encourage them to complete the project even with the new deliverables. |
7. | D. A Project Change Request form allows the IT project manager to determine the proposed change and if the change is valid. The project manager may have to research the change and determine its impact on the overall project to make a decision. |
8. | C. Once a proposed change proves to have some merit, the project manager has to research the change to determine its impact on the project. He doesn t have to immediately implement the change, but he is required to determine if the change should be inserted into the PND and assigned new resources. |
9. | B. False. Often, proposed changes to a project are valid, good ideas ”but are well beyond the scope of the current project. In these instances, the rejected change should enter the first phase of project management to determine the need for a project. However, not every change deserves to be its own project. |
10. | C. It is a formal response from the project manager to the requestor of a change. It is a summary of the decision to implement or reject the proposed change. |
11. | A, B. When responding to a Project Change Request form, the project manager can approve the change with one of seven options. In this instance, the project manager can approve the change with additional time or with additional funding. C, a change incorporation processing fee, is not typical in project management. Finally, answer D is not valid as there is only one project manager per project. |
12. | A. A tiered structure project is one that produces several deliverables over time. For example, a change in an application may spur multiple deliverables such as the original interface, then the request for database tie-ins, and finally, a web portal. |
13. | B. An Ishikawa diagram illustrates the relationship between the cause and effect of a problem. When used in change management, the method can be applied to see what effect the change will have on the project. |
14. | B. Staff turnover can seriously hamper a project s implementation phase. Each team member is needed to implement the project plan; if a team member leaves the team, then some tasks are delayed, and the project may miss the targeted completion date. |
15. | D. Of course, the project manager needs the new team member to get to work as soon as possible, but some time must be invested in the new team member to ensure her focus on what her responsibilities are. The project manager and the project team must welcome the new team member and help ramp her up on the project implementation. |