Certification Insider

The preparation for your PMP Exam must include a thorough understanding of the concept of a schedule network diagram. This must include all of it’s subcomponents as well. Here are some important definitions:

Project Schedule Network Diagram:

This is a broad term used to encompass elements of the project from the planning stages through the completion of the project. Chronology is important so this diagram is always completed in a left to right manner.

Network Logic:

This is a collection of the logic that is related to building the various diagrams for the project.

Network Path:

This path is set to show the various series of activities that make up the project schedule network diagram. The series of scheduled activities are connected in a logical and flowing manner.

Subnetwork:

This is a subdivision of the main project diagram and it typically represents either a work package or a subproject. A subnetwork is frequently used to show possible or proposed conditions that may alter the schedule. An example is changes to the scope of the project.

Time Scaled Schedule Network Diagram:

This is a diagram tool that is typically used when you are scheduling a type of activity. An example is a bar graph that is drawn to show the positioning and length of the activity.

The following PMP® exam sample question is taken from http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com - The answer is at the very bottom:

Who determines which processes from the process group will be employed to achieve

the desired objective?

A) The CEO

B) The most senior project team member.

C) Project manager & the project team

D) A project initiator external to the project organization

All our questions are updated to the latest PMBOK® Guide standard. Stop by at http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com and try it for 3 days. We are a PMI Registered Education Provider.

The correct answer is C.

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The following PMP® exam sample question is taken from http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com - The answer is at the bottom:

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PMBOK Section: Plan Communications
Process Group: Planning Process Group
Question Type: Calculation
Knowledge Area: Communications Management
DifficultyLevel:Hard

Question: "You are managing a telecom project. You have got two teams reporting to you. One team is responsible for equipment installation and the other team is responsible to commission and test that equipment. Both teams are working in parallel such that as soon as the installation teams finishes equipment installation at one site they move on to another site for installations and the commissioning and testing team start their activities on the newly installed site. The reporting structure is such that each of the teams have 5 engineers headed by a team lead. Each team member interacts with each other, however only the team leads interact with you. Both the team leads also interact with each other to synchronize their operations.


How many communication channels do you have in your project?"

A. 33

B. 23

C. 42

D. 78
 

Hint:

Calculate communication channels for each team and add them together
Reference: PMBOK4 pg:253
Explanation: This was a hard question, wasn't it? Lets analyze the scenario to calculate the answer. Here we have two independent teams. Each team has 6 members, i.e., 5 engineers and one team lead. Each team member is interacting with each other, so communication channels for each team are (6)(6-1)/2=15. Both the team leads are communicating with you so there are two communication channels for this interaction. Further since both the team leads are interacting with each other there is an another communication channel between them. Hence the total communication channels in your project is 15+15+2+1=33.


All our free questions are updated to the latest PMBOK® Guide standard. Stop by at http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com to receive the questions via email. We are a PMI Registered Education Provider.



Choice A is the only correct answer to this question.

Although many people use the terms “contingency plan” interchangeably with “workaround”, they are not the same. The difference between the two terms is related to whether the problems being handled were identified ahead of time or not. Contingency plans are made based on potential risks that are identified that could derail a project. Workarounds are responses to problems that develop while the project is being worked that were never identified.

When a project plan is first put together, potential risks are identified that could pose a significant threat to the project if they occur. Contingency plans are developed around those possible issues and they are completed before the threat takes place. These contingency plans should address the objective of the plan, the criteria for activating the contingency plan, the people and responsibilities involved, and the additional details required for implementation.

Here is an example of a contingency plan. A company that produces skis has a project to stock its retail stores with the latest models for the winter season. While the project was being planned, a risk was identified regarding a potential strike. The project continued, but a contingency plan was developed in case the strike lasted longer than anticipated. In the case that the strike was not over by a pre-identified date, the company decided to reassign the work that was to be done by the factory on strike to alternative factories.  Potential costs were reviewed and it was determined that this contingency plan would be beneficial.

A workaround is not a planned response because the problems being addressed were not anticipated ahead of time.  Per the name, a “workaround” let’s you “work around” the problem. As soon as it is determined that there is an unanticipated problem, it needs to be addressed, researched and incorporated into the documentation of the project plan.

A corrective action must be taken occasionally to make sure the project stays in line with the projected results.  Examples of corrective action include the implementation of both contingency plans as well as workarounds. Most projects will require the implementation of a contingency plan or will require a workaround to be created.  Since larger projects tend to be more complex, these are common fixtures as the size of the project increases.

The PMBOK Guide discusses both Workaround and Contingency Plans in sections 11.5.3 – 11.6.3 in it’s fourth edition.