Q1: You have several new employees who re assigned to carry out quality assurance tests on your project. They are still learning the details of the quality control process, but are very eager to contribute to the team. Which management style do you think would be best to implement?
Telling (directive autocrat)
Delegating (permissive autocrat)
Participating (directive democrat)
Selling (permissive democrat).
Ans: 4. Selling (permissive democrat).
Q2: Several changes have occurred in the past month due to the poor economy. Employees have been laid off. Those that remain have been asked to take on additional responsibilities, often without having the appropriate level of expertise. Many of the members on your team are disgruntled and apathetic. They often do not know where to begin on a task, and do not have the motivation to learn new skills. Which management style do you think would be best to implement?
Telling (directive autocrat)
Delegating (permissive autocrat)
Participating (directive democrat)
Selling (permissive democrat).
Ans: 1. Telling (directive autocrat)
Q3: Your team is made up f the company's experts. They have proven consistently able to meet the objectives of projects they have worked on, and have received many awards of recognition for being outstanding team players. They re highly motivatied, always enthusiastic and always do a good job. Which management style do you think would be best to implement?
Telling (directive autocrat)
Delegating (permissive autocrat)
Participating (directive democrat)
Selling (permissive democrat).
And: 2. Delegating ( permissive autocrat)
Q4: Your team is comprised of bright employees who have proven to be successful when given new challenges. However many of them are right out of school and do not have much experience in the working world. They are often apprehensive about taking on a new challenge for fear of failure. Which management style do you think would be best to implement?
Telling (directive autocrat)
Delegating (permissive autocrat)
Participating (directive democrat)
Selling (permissive democrat).
Ans: 3. Participating ( directive democrat)
9.2 Self Assessment- Management Style
Q1: Which of the following definitions best describes the autocratic management style?
The autocratic management style exists when the leader takes charge by gathering opinions from team members and making a decision based on those responses.
The autocratic management style exists when the leader takes charge by independently making all the decisions.
The autocratic management style exists when the leader takes charge by allowing team members to carry out tasks without any supervision.
The autocratic management style exists when the leader takes charge by allowing other team members to make decisions with a great deal of flexibility or autonomy on how they accomplish their goals.
Ans: 2. The autocratic management style exists when the leader takes charge by independently making all the decisions.
Q2: In which scenario below would the Permissive Autocratic management style be most effective?
The team has no prior experience carrying out the task and has not proven to be responsible. A high level of supervision is required.
The team has to be proven to be responsible in carrying out other tasks but does not know how to execute this particular one. A high level of supervision is required.
The leader has no confidence in the team die to their apathy and lack of experience. A high level of supervision is required.
The team has the appropriate skills to carry out the task and / or is willing or known to be responsible. Little supervision is required.
Ans: 4. The team has the appropriate skills to carry out the task and / or is willing or known to be responsible. Little supervision is required.
Q3: Which management style works best when tem members have the ability to perform a task but re hesitant to perform it. A high level of guidance is required in this situation.
Telling (directive autocrat)
Participating (directive democrat)
Delegating (permissive autocrat)
Selling (permissive democrat).
Ans: 2. Participating ( directive democrat)
9.3 Self Assessment- Earned Value
Q1: Calculate the cost variance and assess the budget or cost performance of this project. Remember the formula this calculation is CV= BCWP- ACWP
Billy is...
Under budget
Over budget
Right on budget
Ans: 1. Under Budget
Given, BCWP= $ 30 and ACWP= $ 20.
Thus, CV= 30-20= $ 10. (A positive value which implies the project is running under budget ).
Q2: Now, calculate the cost performance index and gauge the efficiency of Billy's effort to date. Remember the formula for this calculation is: CPI= BCWP/ ACWP. Billy is...
Not accomplishing what he had planned thence he needs to discuss with his parents on corrective action
Accomplishing exactly what he had planned for
Highly efficient and is accomplishing more than what he had planned for
Ans: 3. Highly efficient and is accomplishing more than what he had planned for.
Given, BCWP= $ 30 and ACWP= $ 20.
Thus, CPI= 30/20= 1.5. (A above 1 value indicates efficient performance of the project.)
Q3: Now, calculate the schedule variance and see how well Billy is doing according to his schedule. Remember the formula for this calculation is: SV= BCWP- BCWS. Billy is...
Right on schedule
Way ahead of this schedule
Behind the schedule
Ans: 2. Way ahead of this schedule
Given, BCWP= $ 30 and BCWS= $ 25.
SV= 30-25= $ 5. ( A positive value indicated the project is running ahead of the schedule. )
Q4: Now, calculate the schedule performance index, apply the formula for SPI= BCWP/ BCWS. Billy is...
Just right with his performance.
Highly efficient as he is accomplishing more work than originally planned.
Inefficient as he is accomplishing less work than originally planned.
Ans: 2. Highly efficient as he is accomplishing more work than originally planned.
Given, BCWP= $ 30 and BCWS= $ 25.
SPI= 30/25= 1.2. (A value above 1 indicates efficient performance).
Q5: From all the metrics calculated, Billy's performance is outstanding. At this pace, Billy will have more than enough money to purchase his new bicycle in time for summer recess. Now, determin the estimate at completion (EAC) to see what the project will cost when it is complete. The formula for this is BAC/CPI
US$50
US$75
US$25
US$30
Ans: 1. US$50
Given, Budget= $75 and CPI calclulated = 1.5.
EAC= 75/1.5= $ 50. ( which implies that Billy would be able to generate US$ 150 required at the cost of US$ 50. )
Q6: Finally, determine the estimate to completion (ETC) to see how much more money Billy will need to finish this project. The formula for this is EAC- ACWP.
US$50
US$75
US$25
US$30
Ans: 4. US$30
Calculated above, EAC= $ 50 and ACWP= $ 20.
ETC= 50-20= $ 30.
9.4 Self Assessment- Controlling a Project I
Q1: Identify the one following statement regarding project review meetings that is false.
This meeting is held at a high level with executive management to gauge the status of the project.
This meeting is held to gather updates on project progress and to identify current issues and problems.
This meeting is held to allow senior management the opportunity to see where problems might be occurring as the project relates to overall corporate goals.
This meeting is usually held only once per month.
Ans: 2. This meeting is held to gather updates on project progress and to identify current issues and problems.
Q2: Which three items combined are used to perform earned value management?
CPI, SPI and CV
Scope, Cost and Schedule.
Time, Quality, and Cost.
SV,BAC and EAC.
Ans: 2. Scope, Cost and Schedule.
Q3: Which one of the CPI values below indicate that the project is earning more money than the planned?
Equal to 1
Lesser than 1
Greater than 1
Greater than or equal to 1
Ans: 3. Greater than 1
9.5 Self Assessment- Status Meetings
What are your thoughts on status meeting? If asked to conduct such meetings, how would you execute them?
Status meetings are the detailed level meetings conducted by the project teams to understand and report the progress of project activities completed so far and to discuss the current problems and issues so that they can be handled in efficient way.
If I am asked to organize the status meetings, my plan of execution would be:
Identify the meeting agenda and necessity.
Identify an appropriate time for all the team members to meet every week.
Identify a proper place to conduct the meeting and inform every one involved.
Being the organizer, remind every member on the day of meeting.
Incase the team is too large, only team leader would be taking part in the status meetings.
Maintain a proper report on the discussion in the meetings held every week.
Increase the frequency of the meeting as per the necessity during the project.
Negotiate during any conflicts if I am also the facilitator.
Disseminate the required information to all the team members.
Suppose you are managing a project with eight members and you need to hold status meeting. Would you invite the entire team for the meeting?
Option 1: Yes
Option 2: No
Ans: Option2: YES
How often would you ideally hold these status meetings?
Option1: Once a week
Option2: Once in two weeks
Option3: On a daily basis
Option4: no meeting unless there is a critical issue to discuss
Ans: Option4: no meeting unless there is a critical issue to discuss.
When planning the agenda for the status meeting, which of the following would you include? There are two correct answers.
Option1: A listing of issues or items resolved at the last meeting
Option2: The topics to be discussed during the meeting.
Option3: The allocated time for each discussion topic
Option4: A reminder to submit training requests for the year.
Ans: Option2 and Option3
Which of the following would you do when conducting your status meeting? There are three correct answers.
Option1: Keep the meeting within an hour
Option2: Decide on a facilitator, be it you or someone else, to conduct the meeting
Option3: For action items due dates missed, discuss the reasons for the slippage in time
Option4: Agree on action items during the meeting
Option5: For flexibility and to handle uncertainty, allow for a variable amount of time to discuss each topic
Ans: Option1, Option3, Option4.
9.6 Self Assessment- Status Meetings
Q1: What should you do when there is non-acceptance of an action item by a team member?
Ask another member on the team to pick up the burden.
Escalate the issue to the person's boss or next person in the hierarchical ladder.
Hold a one-on-one meeting with the member to discuss why thee is non acceptance
Ignore the non-acceptance and demand that the member do it anyway.
Ans:
Q2: Which three statements below describe some of the responsibilities of meeting facilitator?
Conducting the meeting
Resolving issues
Directing the discussions back to the topics when conversations get off topic
Assigning action items that come out of the meeting
Creating new agenda items
Ans: 1, 3, 4.
Q3: Why is it important to limit the number of attendees at status meetings? Select the two key reasons below.
Too many participants can lead to disorder.
Information should be disseminated in a controlled fashion
Everyone may not have an opportunity to voice their opinions
Capturing meeting minutes and taking attendance my be administratively difficult
Ans: 1, 3
9.7 Self Assessment- Status Meetings
Q1. What range below represents the maximum number of participants that should be invited for a status meeting to be run efficiently?
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-30
Ans: 1(6-10)
Q2. Under normal circumstances, how often should status meetings be held?
Every other week
Monthly
Weekly
Daily
Ans: 1. Every other week
Q3. The agenda for the status meeting should contain at lest three items. Identify these items from the options below.
Issues resolved at the last meeting, the project's current risks, the budget expended to date.
Topics for discussion, presenter for each topic, allotted time for each discussion item.
The project's CPI, SPI and Earned Value.
The effectiveness rating from the last meeting, the attendees from the last meeting, tasks on the critical path.
Ans: 2. Topics for discussion, presenter for each topic, allotted time for each discussion item.
