PgMP Program Management Professional (PgMP) Questions and Answers

A large international manufacturing company is centralizing its IT which is currently spread over 16 countries. The transition means physically regrouping the infrastructure and aligning processes and organizations. The high-level scope of this transformation encompasses three main areas:

1. The technology area--assessing which technology/tooling should be retained for the target data center.

2. The policies and procedure area--aimed at establishing a common set of processes supporting the new way of delivering services.

3. The HR area--assuring the new organization best fits the diversity of the countries and functional domains, while offering equivalent compensations for comparable functions.

You have selected your team and you are preparing the business case to support 1) the team selections you made and 2) your recommendation to proceed to the program ' s next phase.

Which document should be present in your business case?

Olive is the program manager for her organization. She has created a request for proposal for a large portion of her program. In this work to be procured she has set several requirements for the vendors to participate. The chief among these requirements is a vendor must have at least four licensed electricians in his team. This requirement for four licensed electricians is an example of which one of the following terms?

A program is in its execution phase when a component project manager suggests a potential change that could increase the financial benefit of the program. The program manager is hesitant to submit a change

request, as it would extend the program schedule and require a scope change. To whom should the change request be presented?

During program execution, a program manager receives feedback from an executive sponsor that some program stakeholders may not understand the intended benefits of the program.

Which will provide the greatest value to clarify stakeholder perceptions?

A wild life protection organization opposes your program, which involves the cutting of around 200 trees to make way for the construction of a building. Which of the following correctly defines the organization in program management terminology?

You are the program manager for the JQN Program in your organization. There have been some delays in your schedule and you ' re about to perform some schedule control activities. Which one of the following will not help you as you perform schedule control?

In your program you must adhere to Six Sigma as part of your organization ' s enterprise environmental factors. There is terminology, reports, and measurements that you are expected to use as part of your program. Six Sigma is an example of what program management process?

Which of the following contract types is described in the statement below?

" The seller is reimbursed for all allowable costs for performing the contract work, and receives a fixed payment calculated as a percentage for the initial estimated project costs. "

Which of the following represents the duration of activities against a calendar?

When a change enters your program requirements you must update all of the following documents except for which one?

A large infrastructure development program involves three road construction projects, two sewage line construction projects, and one project to lay underground electric cables. During a program meeting, the project manager of a road construction project communicates that a project risk related to the interdependency with a sewage line project has crossed its risk threshold.

What should the program manager do next?

A program has a budget at completion of $1,250,000 and has already spent $425,000. The program is running late due to some vendor delays; the program is only 30 percent complete though it was scheduled to be 45 percent at this time. Based on this information how much more money will this program need to finish?

A program manager at a pharmaceutical company plans a new drug development effort. The development is slated to yield three drug variants. The program manager articulates the program scope boundaries.

Which of the following deliverables captures these items?

The program manager plans to address a negative cost variance generating a red flag in the program management status report.

What should the program manager do?

Which of the following is used to build consensus through rounds of anonymous surveys?

In your organization there are rules and procedures that the program manager must follow and abide by before the program can begin and must continue to follow once the program is in execution. What term is assigned to the enforcement of these program management rules and procedures?

Several issues are identified on one component project in a program. During a meeting with that component’s project manager, the program manager offers several suggested resolutions. Two weeks later, they meet again to review progress. The project manager had reviewed the issues and suggested resolutions, but delayed a decision. This two-week delay in taking action caused delays in the project schedule.

What should the program manager do?

What duration compression technique typically adds risk when it ' s used during a program?

Which of the following is described in the statement given below?

" It serves as the primary input for the Plan Program Stakeholder Management process, as well as for the distribution of program reports and other communication. "

You are the program manager for your organization. One of the projects within your program is to install 15,000 light fixtures throughout your organization ' s corporate campus. The new fixtures will save on electrical costs. Which one of the following choices is an ideal approach to quality assurance and the installation of the light fixtures for this project team?

Which of the following statements is most accurate about the critical path?

A program manager recognizes that a successful resource being used in project A could also be used in project B.

What should the program manager do first to leverage the utilization of this resource?

A program manager initiates a developmental program. Significant resources and funding are required for early activities until the program cost and budget estimates are complete.

What should the program manager do to understand the financial environment?

You are the project manager for your organization and are working with the project stakeholders and the business analyst to define all of the deliverables the project is to create. The stakeholders would like the option of adding more deliverables later in the project and keeping the requirements somewhat open for changes. You explain to the business analyst that you need a set of requirements that define exactly what needs to be delivered for the project. What document are you trying to create in this early stage of the project?

A municipal agency manages a city ' s water and wastewater infrastructure. Its six-year capital improvement program (CIP) is approximately US$4 billion, and is used for such things as improving aging infrastructure, addressing regulatory requirements, and upgrading facilities. The mayor and key stakeholders are concerned because of yearly rate increases for residents. After receiving proposals from program managers for this key program, which is half of the current CIP, a program management team is hired and receives an approved business case.

What should the project manager do next?

You are the program manager for your organization and are working with your program team to create the

program scope. Based on the program requirements you have identified the major deliverables of each phase in your program scope. Management has requested that you plan for cost estimating to happen at each phase of the program before continuing the work. Management may elect to cancel the program at the end of each phase based on past performance of the program. What are the reviews of management called at each phase?

You are the program manager for your organization and are about to execute your procurement management plan. You need to procure materials for your program and you want only the vendor to provide you with a price for the goods you need to procure. What type of a document should you provide to the vendor in this

scenario?

You have identified several issues in your program and have assigned issue owners. What component of program management oversees issue resolution?

A country is in the process of strengthening its defense program. A key project is not meeting its specified performance objectives. The project manager initiates a change request to address this issue.

What should the program manager do NEXT?

You are the program manager for your organization. You have created a program that will create things for the organization throughout the program not only at program closure. All of the following are elements that you may transfer to the organization throughout the program ' s life cycle except for which one?

A program manager needs to establish direction and identify the essential aspects of a program. In addition, they must ensure that the context and framework of the program are properly defined, assessed, and documented.

Which document will be created to support this activity?

An organization initiates an innovation program to deliver exceptional performance and benefits. After the program transition plan is in place and the implementation of a benefits sustainment plan starts, the program manager discovers the program may be shut down due to lack of funding.

To ensure continued funding for the program, what should the program manager do next?

You are the program manager for your organization. Your program team has 43 people that all need to be monitored and controlled. You would like to create a standardized report that you can use to monitor, control, and record the performance of each staff member in your program. What type of report can you create that will help you track your staff and their performance?

Near the completion of a transformation program, the operations manager is concerned that their department failed to be notified in advance of the new service being transitioned into operations. They claim that their

department did not approve this service, and is now unprepared and untrained to support the transformation. What should the program manager have done first to prevent this?

A program manager is working with the sponsor, stakeholders, and steering committee to formulate a program’s benefits sustainment and transition plan. What should the program manager do to create this plan?

Gina is the program manager for her organization and is reviewing the results of quality control. She would like to create a chart that shows the categories of defects within the program so that she and the program team can address the largest categories in descending order. Which one of the following is the best chart for Gina in this situation?

Which of the following directs the improvement efforts to those areas that will have the biggest impact?

The program manager must define the program and understand the organization’s target market and customer needs.

What should the program manager do first?

A new program is comprised of four component projects. The program manager must assign project managers to each of the four projects. There are eight potential project managers to consider.

What should the program manager do before assigning the project managers?

Who owns the program?

A program manager has four projects pending approval. Senior management asks the program manager to identify a project for potential elimination based on the return on investment. The program manager has the following information to guide and support the decision:

Which project should the program manager select to be cancelled?

Which of the following documents contain a list of all problems, unfavorable events, or situations that occurred so far in the program?

The program manager has a global program with five component projects. The program sponsor wants the management plans, processes/procedures, and technology to be uniform across the program. The requirements will create issues and result in increased costs The program sponsor is new and has imposed these new requirements six months into a three-year program.

What should the program manager do next?

A component project of a multiyear program delivers all expected products and services as anticipated. The component project manager obtains approvals from the stakeholders and transitions the benefits to operations.

What should the program manager do next?

You are the project manager for your organization. Your project team has finished the second phase of a seven-phase project. At the end of each phase, management must review the work your project team has completed and determine if the project should be allowed to continue. What name describes this type of end- of-phase review management is completing on your project?

What would prevent a program manager from completing program closure once a program has been completed?

The chief executive officer reminds a program manager that a program must deliver a 30% reduction in customer complaints by the end of the year.

Where is this expectation documented?

The program manager wants to ensure that a program contributes to shareholder value.

The program manager should verify alignment with which of the following?

A key stakeholder’s requirement contradicts the organization’s strategic objectives. The program manager meets with the stakeholder, but is unable to reach a compromise on the requirement.

What should the program manager do first?

The program manager compiles a program performance report for review by the program governance board. The performance report indicates that the scope, quality, and schedule objectives have been met, but costs and resource utilization are higher than expected. The program can no longer deliver the planned return-on- investment within an acceptable level and the intended benefits have not yet been realized.

After further analysis of the performance indicators, the program manager should do which of the following?

A program sponsor is concerned about the status of high-priority risks and budget variances.

The program manager should refer to which of the following?

A company CEO issues a mandate to automate a new-client onboarding process to replace manual and paper-based procedures. After the program sponsor and program manager obtain formal acceptance of the program charter, what should be done next?

A multiyear program is ready to conclude. It has achieved all business objectives and is delivering its intended benefits. However, the program sponsor is not willing to sign the formal program closure acceptance document and the program continues to incur operational costs.

What should the program manager do next?

What does CPI value less than 1.0 indicates?

A new program component provides an opportunity to enhance program outcomes. What does the program manager use to document and monitor the opportunity?

A program manager initiates a new global program to create a higher level of protection for a company ' s intellectual property. The company exhibits a relaxed culture and environment, and is intolerant of processes to the point of being considered process-adverse. However, the company ' s culture is tolerant of long-term program activities, provided there is continuous progress on improving the protection of its intellectual property. Expectations for rapid progress are low.

What should the program manager do next?

After taking over a program, a program manager reviews the program’s status and discovers that stakeholders do not know how the program is performing in relation to schedule and costs. The program manager establishes earned value (EV) metrics and determines that the program has a budget of US$2.1 million, is three months into a nine-month timeline, and the planned value (PV) at the three-month point should be US$320,000. The program has spent US$350,000 and the EV is US$340,000.

Based on this information, the program manager determines which of the following?

What is the formula to determine earned value (EV) for a program?

A risk response in a project in your program has actually caused new risks. What term is assigned to the new risks that a risk response has created?

Which of the following documents is described in the statement below?

" It is a type of procurement document used to request proposals from prospective sellers of products or services. "

You are the program manager for your organization and are planning the roles and responsibilities in your program. You would like to create a RACI chart for the program work. What does RACI mean?

A program manager joins a team during its preparation phase.

What should the program manager do to obtain formal sponsor approval to begin the benefits delivery phase?

What component of the change management system is responsible for evaluating, testing, and documenting changes created to the project scope?

A program manager is identifying and verifying risks as outlined in the risk management plan.

The results will be recorded in which of the following?

Stakeholders make ad-hoc requests on a routine basis. This causes duplication of reporting and communication gaps that affect the program ' s performance.

To resolve this situation, which of the following must go through critical review and change?

After meeting with the program sponsor and stakeholders, the program manager is asked by the sponsor to accelerate the program to replace two legacy financial systems. The legacy systems are at risk of premature failure.

What should the program manager do next?

A software company ' s program manager is conducting closing procedures for a program. At the last steering

committee meeting, realized benefits were presented to the program governance board. What should the program manager do next?

You are the program manager for your organization. Your program has recently completed its program scope and you ' ve transferred the benefits to the operations of your organization. Before your program is considered closed you must complete some forms and procedures as required by your organization. The requirements to complete the forms and paperwork are also known as what?

An infrastructure program has 20 projects. The first half of these projects incurred multiple change orders and failed to be completed on time. The program manager meets with the project managers to discuss lessons learned and to understand the challenges. During the meeting, the project managers complain that key risks and a lack of resources resulted in missing deadlines.

What should the program manager do to ensure that the remaining 10 component projects stay on track?

Your program exists within a matrix structure. Your program has eight projects that all share resources from around the organization. You are concerned that some of the project team members may be over allocated and want to create a chart that will reflect the utilization of resources. What kind of chart can show the utilization of project team members used in your program?

Which of the following risk identification techniques is described in the statement below?

" It is used to gather information where participants don ' t know each other nor do they have to be present at the same location. "

You are the program manager for your organization. Your program has a budget of $750,000 and is expected to last one year. The program is currently 30 percent complete and has spent $245,000. The program is supposed to be 40 percent at this time. What is the schedule performance index (SPI) for this program?

A program manager is leading a program to transform an organization ' s sales and customer service operations by introducing a new customer relationship management (CRM) solution. As the program progresses, the sponsor and other stakeholders are satisfied with the pace of the program ' s performance.

A stakeholder from the sales department now requests a new feature to integrate the CRM platform with another application. The program manager advises that this is out of scope, as it will require analysis and development and be a project on its own. The program manager then requests additional funding via the formal change management process and the new scope is approved.

What should the program manager do next?

Program management has several themes that the program manager must be aware of. Which one of the following is not a program management theme?

A program manager for an electronic gaming manufacturer is managing a new virtual reality program. An international trade agreement in the final stages of renegotiation will reduce supply-chain costs and delivery intervals. A materials supplier informs the program manager that when this agreement is finalized, it will shorten the product’s delivery time.

What should the program manager update first?

A project manager in your program is using progress elaboration as part of their planning approach. This approach is also known as what planning methodology?

A program with six projects has been running for three years. The company’s procurement and contracts department has compiled a qualified seller list. The program manager determines that one of the projects must be outsourced.

The program manager will use the qualified seller list to do which of the following?

A large automaker begins a program to create the next-generation car. As the program team is composed, key stakeholders are identified.

Key stakeholders for the program should include which of the following?

You are a program manager for a large construction program. You need to ensure that the projects in the program are in accordance with the schedule. You are tracking start and finish dates for them. Which of the following processes are you on?

The program manager leads a medical billing system integration program for company A, a health services provider. Company A acquires smaller company X, which delivers health services strategically aligned with company A.

Company X uses a different billing approach than company A. Company A ' s chief information officer (CIO) seeks counsel on which solution would be the better option moving forward, requesting the program manager ' s assistance.

How should the program manager respond to the CIO ' s request?

Gary is the program manager for his organization. His current program has 432 stakeholders, some of which are external to his organization. He would like to create a chart that identifies each stakeholder ' s opinion of the program, influence over program decisions, their requirements and affect on program priorities, and other information. What kind of chart should Gary create in this instance?

At the beginning of the second year of a five-year strategic cycle, the program management team attends a checkpoint session to review the state of the company’s strategy. During the previous year, the company needed to comply with new government regulations that impacted this strategy.

Based on this information, what should the program manager do?

A sponsor decides that the business environment is unfavorable for continuation of a program. The sponsor asks that the program be closed.

What items should be completed as part of the program’s final report?

After attending a technology exposition, an influential stakeholder believes that integrating a new technology into the program will increase benefits and help shorten the schedule. The stakeholder asks the program manager to immediately include the new technology into the program.

What should the program manager do next?

A three-year program using vendor contracts, incorporating related projects, and each with specific stakeholders is coming to an end. What should be completed first to close all appropriate contracts?

Terri is the program manager for her organization and she ' s working with Alice, a project manager in her program. Alice calls Terri and insists that she add a change to program scope. Terri agrees that the change should be entertained. What must Alice do to move forward with her change request?

Which of the following serves as a guiding principle for a program manager when preparing a program work breakdown structure?

A natural disaster shuts down operations for two days. The program has a major milestone that includes a timed payment of US$1 million.

Since the shutdown was not anticipated, what should the program manager do first?

Your program creates a byproduct that you could sell to a client. The cost of the byproduct would offset the cost of the program by nearly $7,500 per month. This is an example of which positive risk response?

A program manager notices that one project manager tends to withdraw during important team discussions to avoid conflict.

What technique could the program manager use to gain more input from this project manager?

External resources are required for a program. The program manager receives bids from multiple vendors and

presents the top vendor to the program governance board. One program governance board member asks the program manager to select a vendor that was dismissed early in the selection process because they were not on the approved vendor list. The program manager learns that this program governance board member has a personal connection to this vendor.

What should the program manager do?

A component project of a program is completed, and will provide the intended incremental benefits.

How should the program manager proceed with the component transition?

Which of the following can be used to help you or other project managers on future projects?

Which earned value management formula can help you determine how likely it is that you ' ll complete the program based on the amount of cash left in the program budget?

A request for proposal (RFP) yields a bid with a better delivery schedule and a lower cost, but originates from a vendor not on the prequalified vendor list. During the final review of the RFPs, the program manager is informed that the new bidder is a relative of the project manager. Although the bid meets all company policies, the program manager is concerned about a conflict of interest.

What should the program manager do?

A team member has made a mistake during the installation of a fixture in your program. You have requested

that the team member should correct the problem so that the fixture is installed properly. Once the team members has corrected the problem what action should be taken next?

Your program has 121 stakeholders that you ' ll need to communicate with. Your communications management plan defines how the communication should happen, what should be communicated, and the expected modality of the communications. You ' ll also need which one of the following as an input to the information distribution process in your program?

You are the program manager for your organization. You have proposed a program that will cost $750,000

and will last for four years. Management is concerned with the cost of the program in relation to the return your

program will bring. If the rate of return is six percent what is the minimum value your project should return in four years based on the investment of the program?

A project manager in your program has estimated the cost of a program to be $145,000. As the project manager ' s project comes close to completion, the project manager realizes that he has still $27,876 left in his project budget. He decides to add some additional features to the project ' s deliverables in an effort to use the remaining budget. These additions will add value to the project and the project customer is likely to enjoy these new features. This is an example of what term?

You are the program manager for your organization. Management has asked that you determine when resources, such as leased equipment, are no longer needed so that you may release the resources to save time, money, and utilization of resources within your program. What program management process is management asking you to perform?

A program with objectives that impact a large segment of the population receives negative commentary from organizations representing the public interest.

What action should the program manager take first?

In which of the following processes is the program charter created?

A multi-year complex program will deliver advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) components for autonomous vehicles. Several key stakeholders are concerned because they have not been regularly involved with the program and do not understand the program ' s benefits.

What should the program manager do to address these key stakeholders ' concerns?

You are the program manager for your organization. When a project in your program is completed, who will need to sign the certificate of completion?

You are a program manager of a program. You are required to compile performance data of your program. These data will be sent to relevant stakeholders. You are reviewing the status reports of all projects including the costs, schedule, scope, risks, and other performance data.

In which of the following processes are you working on?

A rapidly expanding IT company wants to mature its delivery methodology. It creates a benefits management plan that identifies formal program management governance as a key area that would add value.

What benefits would structuring work into programs bring to this organization?

All of the following are benefits of a program except for which one?

Complete the following phrase about quality management: Quality is into a program, not into a program.

What document should you provide to the vendors if you ' re only interested for a set fee for their materials?

Which of the following is not a template element that is designed to make the project more effective?

At what point in the project is the risk of failing to achieve the project objectives the greatest?

You are the program manager for a construction program. In this program you are requiring that all workers adhere to the identified safety requirements. Some of the work in the program you ' ve decided is too risky for the program team members so you ' ve hired specialists to manage the dangerous work. The outsourcing of the dangerous work to a specialist is what type of risk response?

Hal is the program manager for his organization. He would like your organization to provide his program with 4 tons of pea gravel for a construction project in his program. Hal send you a statement of work and an IFB. What document should you provide to Hal?

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the program work breakdown structure (WBS)?

You are the program manager for your project. You are working with the project managers regarding the procurement processes for their projects. You have ruled out one particular contract type because it is considered too risky for the program. Which one of the following contract types is usually considered to be the most dangerous for the buyer?

You are the program manager for your organization. As your program is being initiated there is some initial concern from the management about the utilization of resources in your program and the need for resources in their day-to-day roles in operations. Management has set a limit on your program that resources may only

work 20 hours per week on the program. What is this limit of resource hours in a time period known as?

Joan is the program manager for her organization. Management has asked her to create a centralized reporting system to capture information on program work, risks, changes, benefits management, and other aspects of the program. What solution can Joan implement to capture, communicate, and record the information management wants?

You are the program manager for your organization and are planning the program. One of the plans you need to create will define how you ' ll transfer the benefits of the program to the operations of your organization. Which program management plan defines this process?

You are the program manager for your organization. Your program will create a new condominium in your community. There are several concerns about the condos including the timing, the local economy, the environment, and the proposed schedule. You and your team are creating the program management plan to address these concerns along with identifying the constituent projects that will build the structures and deliverables. What group will need to review your program plan to approve the plan before you may proceed in the work?

Which of the following types of floats are available? Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose two.

You are the program manager for the HQM Program. Your program has sixteen constituent projects around the world. You are requiring that each project manager and project management team use the same forms, software, and templates to create standardization in each project. What term is assigned to the forms, templates, and software that your program will provide for your projects?

A program governance board mandates that phase gate reviews must be held so each component project can be reviewed and individually authorized to proceed to the next phase. Tracking and reporting of actual benefits realized is one part of the review.

What is the other part of the review?

A program with 10 components is in the planning phase. Project managers who oversee the component projects request detailed schedules. These schedules will be merged into one document to create a master schedule.

What should the program manager do to ensure that the overall program life cycle will meet stakeholder needs and deliver planned benefits?

Which of the following shows the ratio between a task ' s budgeted and actual costs?

June is the program manager for her organization. Management has asked June to create a visual mapping of the program scope so that all of the key stakeholders can see all of the elements of the program scope. June needs to create what kind of document to show all of the program deliverables based on the program scope?

A program manager is appointed to manage a new program. The organization ' s leadership has specified a list of benefits that the program should deliver and has requested that the program manager determine when incremental benefits can be realized.

What should the program manager do first?

You are the program manager for your organization and you are trying to determine the possible outcomes of

a risk event. You ' re analyzing the risk event ' s worst case scenario, most likely scenario, and optimistic scenario to simulate the possible affects of the risk on the program ' s cost, time, and scope ramifications. What simulation technique are you using in this situation?

is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.

Holly is the program manager for her program. She is creating with her team a plan that will address how the program team will achieve program goals based on who the program will need to interact with in the program. This plan should define all of the people, groups, and other entities the program needs to interact with in order to move the program forward. On what plan is Holly working?

Where are negative risks recorded?

You are the program manager for your organization. A new program is about to initiated and Marcy, your assistant, asks you about the themes that all new programs must map to. All of the following are themes that you can discuss with Marcy except for which one is not a program theme?

Kelly ' s program is slipping on its schedule. Management is worried that the program will be late and this will cost the organization several thousand dollars in fines and penalties. They ' ve asked Kelly to use a schedule duration compression technique that will help the program finish on time. The technique that Kelly can use, however, should not add costs to the program. What duration compression technique should Kelly use in this instance?