Multiple Choice Questions on Chapter 19 : Managing Projects

1. Project management is necessary:

a) only during project planning stage.
b) throughout the development process.
c) during concept development stage only.
d) during project execution only.
Answer: b)

2. Project management activities occur during

a) project execution only
b) project planning only
c) both project planning and project execution
d) project control only
Answer: c)

3. As described in the text book, the types of tasks in a project can be represented by:
a) information-processing view
b) design structure matrix
c) Gantt chart
d) PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart
Answer: a)

4. As described in the text book, a useful tool for representing and analyzing task
dependencies is the :
a) information-processing view
b) Gantt chart
c) PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart
d) design structure matrix (DSM)
Answer: d)

5. As described in the text book, the traditional tool for representing the timing of tasks
is the :
a) information-processing view
b) design structure matrix (DSM)
c) Gantt chart
d) PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart
Answer: c)

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6. A (n)_________ explicitly represents both dependencies and timing of tasks for
projects.
a) information-processing view
b) design structure matrix
c) Gantt chart
d) PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart
Answer: d)

Figure 19-1: An example of a Design Structure Matrix

7. As explained in the text book, in Figure 19-1 shown above:

a) task D transfers information to tasks E, F, and L
b) task D requires information from tasks E, F, and L
c) task B requires information from tasks C, F, G, J, and K
d) task A requires information from tasks H and L
Answer: b)

8. As explained in the text book, in Figure 19-1 shown above:

a) task B transfers information to tasks C, F, G, J, and K
b) task D transfers information to tasks E, F, L
c) task B requires information from tasks C, F, G, J, and K
d) task C requires information from tasks I, J, and K
Answer: a)

9. As shown in Figure 19-1 the tasks C and D are _________ tasks.

a) sequential

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 b) coupled
c) parallel
d) joint
Answer: c)

Figure 19-2: An example of a Gantt Chart

10. Which task is ahead of schedule at the Current Date timeline as shown in Figure 19-
2?
a) Task M (certify cartridge)
b) Task D (produce beta cartridge)
c) Task E (develop testing program)
d) Task L (debug molds)
Answer: c)

11. Which task is behind schedule at the Current Date timeline as shown in Figure 19-2?
a) Task A (receive and accept spec.)
b) Task D (produce beta cartridge)
c) Task E (develop testing program)
d) Task B (concept generation/selection)
Answer: b)

12. Which task has been completed at the Current Date timeline as shown in Figure 19-
2?
a) Task A (receive and accept spec.)
b) Task M (certify cartridge)

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 c) Task G (design production cartridge)
d) Task L (debug molds)
Answer: a)

13. The critical path is the _________ chain of _______events in a project.

a) shortest; dependent
b) longest; dependent
c) shortest; independent
d) longest; independent
Answer: b)

14. The delay in completing tasks _________ results in ____________in project

duration.
a) on critical path; decease
b) not on critical path; an increase
c) on critical path; an increase
d) not on critical path; a decrease
Answer: c)

15. The PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart shows:
a) only task dependency
b) only task timeline
c) both task dependency and time line
d) none of the above
Answer: c)

16. The development team creates the project task list as a part of the:
a) understanding and representing tasks
b) postmortem project evaluation
c) accelerating projects
d) baseline project planning
Answer: d)

17. The contract book represent the agreement between the:

a) development team and the senior management.
b) development team and the patent lawyers.
c) manufacturer and the development team.
d) marketing team and the consumers.
Answer: a)

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18. As shown in the text book, the task list for the Cheetah project included estimated
person-weeks for _______ and _______ at Detail Design phase:
a) receive and accept specification; initial production run
b) design beta cartridge; produce beta cartridge
c) purchase assembly equipment; debug mold
d) develop testing program; design production cartridge
Answer: b)

19. As described in the text book, one of the important criteria for achieving better team
speed and performance is that the team members:
a) did not volunteer for the project.
b) do not report directly to the team leader.
c) are more than 20 in numbers.
d) are assigned to the team full-time.
Answer: d)

20. As described in the text book, one of the important criteria for achieving better team
speed and performance is that the team members:
a) volunteer to serve on the team.
b) do not report directly to the team leader.
c) are more than 20 in numbers.
d) are assigned to the team part-time.
Answer: a)

21. As described in the text book, one of the important criteria for achieving better team
speed and performance is not that the team members:
a) report directly to the team leader
b) are assigned to the team full-time.
c) serve on the team only during concept development phase.
d) are located within conversational distance of each other.
Answer: c)

22. As described in the text book, the project staffing considers:

a) the need for people with specialized skill
b) other commitment of the team members
c) the need to accommodate temporary increase and subsequent decrease of
work-load
d) all of the above
Answer: d)

23. A project schedule includes:

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 a) project costs
b) project tasks
c) project time line
d) both project tasks and project time line
Answer: d)

24. As stated in the book, for most projects the largest budget item is the cost of :
a) staff
b) material
c) machines
d) equipment
Answer: a)

25. It is good management practice to address the ________risks _________ in the

project.
a) small; early
b) small; late
c) biggest; as early as possible
d) biggest; as late as possible
Answer: c)

26. As described in the text book, the most common desired modification to the
baseline plan is to :
a) change concept development plan.
b) compress project schedule.
c) cancel the project altogether.
d) Increase scope of work for the project.
Answer: b)

27. A project can be accelerated by:

a) completing individual tasks on the critical path more quickly.
b) increasing the time required to complete the tasks on critical path.
c) increasing the time required to complete the coupled tasks.
d) adding tasks on critical path.
Answer: a)

28. As described in the text book, to complete coupled tasks faster a team should not:
a) perform more iterations quickly.
b) decouple tasks to avoid iterations.
c) increase the numbers of coupled tasks
d) consider a range of solution instead of a point solution.

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 Answer: c)

29. The coordination among the project activities is achieved by team members:
a) working independently without any interaction with team leader.
b) attending formal meetings at least once each week.
c) ignoring any performance measuring incentives.
d) by keeping communication among each other at a minimal level.
Answer: b)

30. As described in the text book, the communication frequency is _______ to the
physical separation and falls off rapidly when people are located __________ from
one another.
a) inversely related ; more than a few meters
b) inversely related ; less than a few meters
c) proportional; more than a few meters
d) proportional; less than a few meters
Answer: a)

31. As described in the text book, while assessing project status detrimental results may
arise from devoting ___________ time to prepare formal presentations, from delays
in scheduling with busy managers, and from _________ in the details of the project
by those reviewing the project.
a) too little; not enough interfering
b) too much; excessive meddling
c) too little; excessive meddling
d) too much; not enough interfering
Answer: b)

32. “Focusing more efforts on the critical tasks” is one of the ways to assure corrective
action for:
a) engaging outside resources for the project.
b) preparing a project budget and schedule.
c) preparing a project risk plan.
d) a potential slippage from the project plan.
Answer: d)

33. The postmortem project evaluation reports are used:

a) for assessing project status.
b) for taking corrective actions.
c) in the project planning stage of future projects.

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 d) none of the above.
Answer: c)

34. As mentioned in the text book, one of the few opportunities for improvement for
the Cheetah project was:
a) solving team problem effectively.
b) earlier participation by the customer in design decisions.
c) empowerment of a team leader.
d) full participation from multiple functions.
Answer: b)

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