Certification Insider

Students often confuse validated and accepted deliverables, so if you’re struggling here, you’re not alone. At first glance, they do seem to be rather the same, but once you get the idea, you’ll never confuse them again. The most important thing you need to understand is in which process from the PMBOK® Guide these deliverables are created as outputs. The PMBOK® Guide defines each as follows:
 

Validated Deliverables:

Validated deliverables have been completed and checked for correctness by the Perform Quality Control process.

Accepted Deliverables:

Accepted Deliverables have been accepted through the Verify Scope process.

So, validated deliverables are an input to the Verify Scope process, while accepted deliverables, where formal sign-off is obtained, are the key output of the Verify Scope process.

Let’s walk through it: First, you create a deliverable. The deliverable then goes through the perform Quality Control process where it is checked for correctness. In essence, you’re making sure that the deliverable meets the quality criteria that were defined during the project set up. You answer the question: Did we build it the way we said that we should.

Once the deliverable passes the Quality Control inspection, it is considered validated. Essentially, Quality Control has given you the nod to take the deliverable to the customer or stakeholder for approval, or acceptance. The customer or stakeholder then reviews the deliverable. Only when the customer or stakeholder gives the deliverable a “thumbs up” does the deliverable become accepted.

The following PMP® exam sample question is taken from the Free PMP Exam Simulator at http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com:

Joe is running a public transportation system project. He believes there are numerous scenarios that could affect his project's schedule. Some of the scenarios include delays in a major component delivery or a strike by local workers. He wants to see how these scenarios will impact the project schedule. What is the best technique to use in this scenario?

A.) Resource Leveling
B.) Monte Carlo Analysis
C.) Run Charts
D.) Tornado Diagram

 

Hint:

This technique is also called What-If Scenario Analysis.


All our questions are updated to the latest PMBOK® Guide standard. Stop by at http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com and try the PMP Exam Simulator free for 3 days. We also offer 110 free questions at http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com. We are a PMI Registered Education Provider.

Please click here for the correct answer and explanation.

The Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) is a tool for scheduling and sequencing events in a project plan based on their relationships with other events. The model allows you to visually map activities and their dependencies. Within this model there are four types of dependencies or logical relationships that are possible: finish-to-start (FS), finish-to-finish (FF), start-to-start (SS), and start-to-finish (SF). The start-to-finish relationship seems to be the model that causes the most confusion for students of the PMP exam, perhaps because there are not many good examples of this relationship. Start-to-finish occurs when “the completion of the successor activity depends on the initiation of the predecessor activity,” or, said so that normal folks can process it: Activity A must start before Activity B can finish.

Think about how you would implement a new system and turn an old system off. You can complete (i.e., turn off) the old system as soon as the new system has started in production—but not before then. Let’s try an example or two and see if it clicks:

Say you’re building a new gas pipeline. You would first finish construction and implementation of the new pipeline before you would begin shutting down and breaking down the old pipeline. Similarly, implementation of a new accounting system has to be completed before you can begin turning off the old system. Make sense?

Don’t spend too much time sweating over this particular model, however. Even though it’s not a difficult concept, the start-to-finish relationship is rarely used.

The following PMP® exam sample question is taken from the Free PMP Exam Simulator at http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com:

Which of the following relates to a quality excellence award and also to a quality improvement model?

A.) Philip Crosby
B.) Joseph Juran
C.) Malcolm Baldridge
D.) Edwards Deming

 

Hint:

This is the only formal recognition of the quality performance excellence of U.S. organizations given by the President of the United States.


All our questions are updated to the latest PMBOK® Guide standard. Stop by at http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com and try the PMP Exam Simulator free for 3 days. We also offer 110 free questions at http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com. We are a PMI Registered Education Provider.

Please click here for the correct answer and explanation.

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