Project Management Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the focus of the Internal Kick-off phase?

Refining project goals and developing WBS (correct)

Creating the project schedule

Conducting weekly team meetings

Finalizing the project proposal

What is included in the Customer Kick-off presentation?

Project Team members' personal backgrounds

Detailed financial projections

Risk assessment and management strategies

Project Overview and responsibilities (correct)

What is the purpose of gathering status updates before a weekly team meeting?

To determine team members' performance ratings

To finalize project deadlines

To prepare an agenda (correct)

To create a final summary report

In the context of weekly team meetings, what is the significance of collaborating on a whiteboard?

To visualize issues and upcoming activities Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following reflects a successful status in a Project Status Report?

GREEN status indicated Signup and view all the answers

What information is typically shared about the Project Sponsor during the Customer Kick-off meeting?

The role of the sponsor in project oversight Signup and view all the answers

Why is the Project Completion percentage significant in a project report?

It reflects the project's current progress Signup and view all the answers

In the context of project planning, what does WBS stand for?

Work Breakdown Structure Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step to take when resolving conflict with a boss who is being aggressive?

Ask to have a meeting to discuss the working relationship Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following should NOT be stated during the meeting with your boss?

Accuse your boss of poor leadership skills Signup and view all the answers

What should you do if there is no improvement in the working relationship after two weeks?

Ask for a second meeting to discuss the working relationship Signup and view all the answers

Which principle emphasizes focusing on behavior rather than the person when managing conflict?

Focus on the situation, issue, behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is the major focus during the Project Execution stage?

Communication Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended course of action if your boss declines to go to HR with you after repeated conflicts?

Go to HR by yourself Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a component of project communication?

Risk Assessment Signup and view all the answers

What activity is NOT typically part of the Project Launch phase?

Final Deliverable Doc.s Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following tasks has the highest percentage of influence on successful project execution?

Communication Signup and view all the answers

Which element is crucial for managing interpersonal conflict during a project?

Conflict on Teams Signup and view all the answers

During project monitoring and control, what should be compared to assess progress?

Actual versus budget Signup and view all the answers

What factor has the least influence on successful project execution?

Documentation Signup and view all the answers

What is an essential practice for resolving issues during project execution?

Issue Management Signup and view all the answers

What should be included in the agenda for a monthly project sponsor meeting?

Project Situation Overview Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary purpose of the Project Health Report?

To compare actual labor hours to estimated labor hours Signup and view all the answers

Which formula correctly calculates the % Worked based on the example given?

Actual Hours / Estimated Hours Signup and view all the answers

In assessing project performance, what does a % Complete of 40% indicate?

Only 40% of the total estimated hours have been worked Signup and view all the answers

What financial aspect does the budget review in a project sponsor meeting typically compare?

Actual costs versus budgeted costs Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by an actual hours worked of 275 hours against an estimate of 400 hours in the example?

The % Worked is 69% Signup and view all the answers

How can project managers determine their overall project performance effectively?

By monitoring the % Worked and % Complete together Signup and view all the answers

What significant action should a project manager take if the % Worked is significantly greater than the % Complete?

Reassess project timeline and deliverables Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary responsibility of the Project Manager during issue tracking?

To manage the resolution of issued lists Signup and view all the answers

What typically happens during a peer review in the internal deliverable review process?

Changes are made and a final check is conducted Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key element in issue management?

Peer feedback Signup and view all the answers

When can the Project Manager approve changes without seeking further approval?

For small changes with limited impact Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step when a change is requested during the change control process?

The Project Manager investigates the request Signup and view all the answers

In the context of issue escalation, what is meant by a Level 3 Issue?

An issue requiring Project Sponsor involvement Signup and view all the answers

What type of changes require approval from the Project Sponsor and stakeholders?

Significant scope changes or deliveries Signup and view all the answers

Which of these actions is typically taken in the weekly team meeting regarding issues?

The issue list is discussed and prioritized Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome after the Project Sponsor evaluates a change proposal?

The sponsor can revise, decide not to pursue, or approve it Signup and view all the answers

What does the issue list on a medium project typically include?

Issues prioritized by their project impact Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Project Kickoff

There are two phases: Internal kick-off and Customer kick-off
Internal kick-off involves refining project goals, developing the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) with the team, pre-engagement meetings with the sponsor, and requesting necessary information.
Customer kick-off involves creating a presentation deck from the proposal or Statement of Work (SOW) and educating the team on the problem, purpose, solution benefits, goals, project overview, schedule, organization, responsibilities.

Project Meetings

Weekly Team Meetings gather status updates, provide an agenda, discuss progress/issues, and collaborate on issues, changes, and upcoming activities.
Monthly Project Sponsor Meetings provide an agenda, a project situation overview, budget review, schedule review, top 5 issues and recommendations, change request status, and document action items.

Project Reporting

Project Status Report provides a general project status, project management status, and issues management activity, along with key activities and occurrences for the current and next period, planned work products, and key issues.
Project Health Report compares actual hours and cost to estimates and budgets, using percentages to assess project performance.
Internal Deliverable Review is a review of deliverables when drafts are ready, involving a peer review coordinated by the Project Manager (PM) and a quality review by the PM.

Issue Tracking and Escalation

Issue Tracking is owned by the PM, who manages the issues list and prioritizes issues by their impact (severity). Critical issues are escalated.
Issue Resolution is discussed in weekly team meetings and may be tracked on a separate spreadsheet with action items.

Change Control

Change Management handles changes to the project scope, timelines, resources, or deadlines.
Small changes are approved by the PM.
Larger changes require approval from the Project Sponsor, stakeholders, and clients.
Changes are evaluated, documented, and approved before implementing updates to the project schedule, budget, and tasks.

Project Execution

Project execution involves communication, decision-making, and documentation.
Communication includes project launch meetings, status reports, project health reports, deliverable reviews, issue management, and change control.
Decision-making requires making decisions on issues, changes, progress, resources.
Documentation Includes requirements documents, project schedule, status reports, project cost/time reports, issue lists, change requests, and final deliverable documents.

Project Conflict Management

Focus on the situation, issue, or behavior, not the person.
Maintain the self-confidence and self-esteem of others.
Maintain constructive relationships with employees, peers, and managers.
Take initiative to make things better.
Lead by example.
When dealing with conflict, take a strategic approach, starting with a meeting to discuss the working relationship, expressing discomfort with certain behaviors, brainstorming solutions, creating action items, and following up with an email.
If the situation doesn't improve after a couple of weeks, schedule a second meeting and escalate the issue to HR if necessary.

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Description

This quiz covers key aspects of project management, including internal and customer kickoff phases, meeting structures, and reporting procedures. Participants will learn about the importance of team collaboration and the role of project sponsors in ensuring successful project execution.