Free PMP Course

Tips&Tricks and Test

BEN HAMOUDA CONSULTING
by Ahmed Ben Hamouda

PMP® SCT® SAFe®

 Waterfall & Hybrid
Tips & Tricks
● Project scope should not be reduced or touched (at least not without an approved CR).
● Scope/Schedule Management Plan is part of the Project Management Plan and it contains
description of which tools & techniques will be used for manage the scope/schedule.
● The scope baseline is the approved version of a Scope Statement + WBS + WBS Dictionary.
● WBS helps the project team visualize the project work and organize the project scope. It is
deliverables oriented.
● Scope control: the team verifies if deliverables are aligned with the requirements.
● Scope validation: the customer approves the deliverables.
● PM should not accept any requirements without their acceptance criteria to avoid any
conflicts/disagreements with stakeholders.
● A good deliverable is both fit for use and fit for purpose.
● Scope management steps: 1. Collect requirements, 2. Define scope, 3. Create WBS, 4. Validate
scope: by the customer, 5. Control scope: managing changes to the scope baseline.
2
● Schedule Management Plan: plan schedule management, define activities, sequence
activities, estimate activity durations, develop schedule.
● Lead (starting activity earlier) and Lag (delay) are in Planning phase.
● Resource leveling (leads to expanding schedule) used for over-allocated
resources/adopting with schedule of critical resources.
● Resource smoothing uses slack.
● Float for prolonging activity and slack for delaying its start.
● The critical path is the longest path in the network diagram and the minimum duration
required to complete the project. All activities on the CP are important and without float.

● Schedule crashing through adding resources (increases cost) # Fast-tracking (increases

risk) are schedule compression techniques during controlling phase and require change
request.
● When the project is behind schedule, always check fast-tracking first. Avoid solutions that
increase cost! 3
● Integrated Change Control Process
1. Need for a change (when deviating from baselines/new requirements/not meeting acceptance criteria).
2. PM creates change request with impact assessment/analysis.
3. PM logs change into change log
4. PM submits CR to CCB
5. CCB review and decide (defer/reject/approve)
6. PM updates change log with decision/explanation and informs stakeholders.
7. In case of approval, PM updates baselines and change is implemented.
8. Monitor results.

● Always evaluate before taking a decision/action. Involve the team.

● Always raise change request after checking situation with team/sponsor.
● Scope creep is the uncontrolled expansion of scope.
● Murder-board decides if project should continue after each phase/kill point.

4
 Hybrid Project Management:
● Hybrid is a mix between Agile and Waterfall.
● When some requirements are clear and others are not, go for hybrid.
● In the exam, you know it is hybrid if it tells you explicitly or uses terms from Waterfall
and Agile at the same time.
● Always check in which part is the project currently (agile or waterfall) and choose the
answer from the respective practice.
● Tailoring happens during planning (and can be ongoing for improvement)
=> It's about choosing the suitable processes/tools for the project and according to
OPA/PMO.

5
10 Test Questions

6
 Correct Answer

Question 1 A

A project manager presented the project schedule to the stakeholders. They have requested
that the project be completed two months earlier than the scheduled date.

What should the project manager do?

A. Hold a stakeholder meeting to align timelines and scope expectations.

B. Crash the schedule to shorten the timeline while keeping the scope unchanged.
C. Update the cost management plan to allocate more resources to the project to finish the
scope earlier.
D. Reduce the scope of the project by removing activities and shortening the timeline.

7
 Correct Answer

Question 2 A

A project team has completed project deliverables, but the project manager would like to
evaluate whether the project has delivered the intended value to the sponsor.

What is the most appropriate factor for the project manager to evaluate?

A. The alignment of the achieved deliverable against the sponsor's expectations.

B. Whether the project's deliverables maximized potential income for the sponsor.
C. Whether delivery performance variances were within the sponsor's thresholds.
D. The project's overall adherence to scope, time, and budget constraints.

8
 Correct Answer

Question 3 B

At the end of a project, the project manager is asked to submit project documentation for an
internal audit in response to regulatory requirements.

What should the project manager have done at the beginning of the project to ensure that
project documentation would fulfill these requirements?

A. Conducted a document review

B. Confirmed documentation requirements with the relevant stakeholders
C. Updated the project templates
D. Implemented a new change control policy

9
 Correct Answer

Question 4 B

During project execution, a key stakeholder submits a request for an enhancement that would
significantly improve the product’s functionality. The team is excited about the enhancement,
as it aligns with their vision for a more robust product. However, you realize that
implementing this enhancement will require additional time and budget, which were not
accounted for in the baseline.

What is the best action for the project manager?

A. Instruct the team to begin working on the enhancement since it adds value to the product.
B. Evaluate the impact of the requested change on scope, schedule, and budget, then submit
it to the change control board (CCB).
C. Reject the enhancement because it was not part of the original scope.
D. Meet with the stakeholder to explain that the enhancement is not feasible within the
current budget and timeline.
10
 Correct Answer

Question 5 A

You are managing a large construction project following a predictive (waterfall) approach.
Halfway through execution, you discover that several critical path activities are progressing
slower than planned. Delays in these tasks will cause the project to miss its delivery deadline,
which is contractually fixed. Resources are already working at full capacity, and overtime is
not an option.

What is the best course of action?

A. Fast-track the remaining critical path activities by performing some of them in parallel.
B. Add more resources to the delayed activities to shorten their duration.
C. Update the project schedule to reflect the delays and communicate the new completion date
to stakeholders.
D. Negotiate with the client to extend the project deadline since the team is working at
capacity. 11
 Correct Answer
Question 6 A
You are managing a government infrastructure project under a fixed-price contract. Midway
through the execution phase, you discover that a critical subcontractor has fallen behind
schedule due to regulatory delays. The subcontractor's work is on the critical path, and any
delay will result in heavy liquidated damages per the contract. Your internal team lacks the
expertise to perform the subcontractor’s work. Replacing the subcontractor would require a
lengthy procurement process, causing even greater delays.

What should the project manager do next?

A. Meet with the subcontractor to negotiate an acceleration plan, while assessing schedule
compression options.
B. Trigger the claims process under the contract and seek legal support to recover damages
from the subcontractor.
C. Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and request their assistance in securing
additional resources.
D. Accept the delay as unavoidable and update stakeholders on the revised completion date. 12
 Correct Answer

Question 7 A

At the closing phase of the project, the project manager sends the completion reports to the
client as a formal written document, indicating that the contract has been completed. The
client refuses to approve the document since the defect rate is 0.1%. The project manager
insists that it is an acceptable rate as the standard defect rate of the industry is 0.15%.

What should have been done to avoid this situation?

A. The acceptance criteria should have been properly defined in the contract
B. The client requirements should have been clearly defined in the contract
C. The Manage Quality process should have been appropriately conducted
D. The project manager should have reviewed the standard industry defect rate

13
 Correct Answer

Question 8 B

You are leading a predictive (waterfall) project to develop a software application for a
government client. During the final testing phase, the client’s quality assurance team
identifies that some delivered features do not meet the predefined acceptance criteria stated in
the contract. The development team argues that the product is functional and the deviations
are minor. The client insists that the product cannot be accepted unless it meets all
acceptance criteria.

What should the project manager do next?

A. Deliver the product as is, since it is functional and deviations are minor.
B. Work with the development team to bring the product in line with the acceptance criteria.
C. Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for guidance.
D. Request a formal waiver from the client for the unmet acceptance criteria.
14
 Correct Answer

Question 9 B

You are developing the schedule for a large construction project using a predictive (waterfall)
approach. The project involves multiple subcontractors with dependencies between their work
packages. You are concerned about potential resource over-allocation and the need to meet a
strict regulatory deadline.

Which combination of techniques would best help you develop a realistic and achievable
schedule?

A. Critical Path Method (CPM) and Monte Carlo Simulation

B. Resource Leveling and Critical Path Method (CPM)
C. Fast-Tracking and historical data
D. Leads and Lags with up-to-date Estimation

15
 Correct Answer

Question 10 C

A project manager is assigned to a project in a company that is transitioning to agile. Not all
stakeholders believe in the project, and some stakeholders would like the entire project
defined and planned out early in the project. However the project sponsor needs a quick win
to ensure the continuation of the project.

What approach should the project manager use?

A. An agile approach as this would provide working functionality earlier

B. A predictive approach as this would please the senior stakeholders
C. A hybrid project as this will mitigate stakeholders' concerns.
D. A predictive approach as this will show benefits for all stakeholders

16
 Planning Techniques
Tips & Tricks
● Collecting Requirements
Waterfall Agile

The acceptance criteria takes place mainly in Happens at any time during the
the planning phase. Any changes to the scope project.
that happen later during the project must go
through change process.

● Techniques
❏ Expert Opinion: senior members / specialists.
❏ Delphi: anonymous questionnaire to experts.
❏ Affinity: grouping related ideas.
❏ Nominal group: ranking grouped ideas.
❏ Brainstorming: gathering max ideas.
❏ Focus group: meeting facilitated by PM with stakeholders.
❏ Benchmarking: comparing between products.
❏ Voting: Unanimity (100%), Majority (51%+), Plurality (most votes),
Dictatorship (one decides). 17
Estimation Techniques

❏ Preliminary Estimate (Rough Order of Magnitude): -25% / +75%

❏ Conceptual Estimate (Budgetary): -10% / +25%
❏ Definitive Estimate: -5% / +10%
❏ Analogous Estimating (Top-down): comparing with previous project based on total
duration and complete cost. Can be single point or range. When you’re assigned on a new
project and incapable of estimating, review the estimates of previous similar projects.
❏ Bottom-Up Estimating: most accurate estimating technique.
❏ Parametric Estimating: multiplying through measurement units.
❏ Three-Point Estimating is used when there are no certain estimates or insufficient
historical data:
Triangular (P+M+O)/3 or BETA distribution (PERT) (P+4M+O)/6 (used when we have previous
18
experience with the subject).
● In Agile, estimating is based on average velocity of previous
sprints.
● Wideband Delphi: Team members discuss estimations after
each round until convergence is achieved.
● Alternatives analysis: checking time & cost of various options.
● Spike: additional research time.
● A sunk cost is a cost that has already been incurred and
cannot be recovered. It is not relevant to future decision-
making.
● A predefined budget/schedule is a project constraint.

19
10 Test Questions

20
 Correct Answers

Question 1 A&C

A team is working on implementing a communications system when the client says that they
are considering closing the project. The project manager schedules an urgent meeting with
the client to understand why the project is at risk.

Which two tools or techniques can the project manager use to influence the client’s decision
to keep the project active? (Choose two)

A. Alternatives analysis
B. Voting
C. Cost-benefit analysis
D. Multi-criteria decision making
E. Autocratic decision making

21
 Correct Answer

Question 2 D

Two functional managers disagree on key features of one deliverable during the planning of a
project. The project manager discovers that each manager included requirements that
contradict each other. The functional managers do not want to meet with each other to find
a solution. This situation has been escalated to the sponsor who requests a meeting with
them.

What strategy should the project manager use to resolve this conflict in the meeting?

A. Explain to the managers that the contradicting requirements are being considered for
implementation in the project.
B. Explain to the managers that only one of the two requirements can be implemented, and
submit a change request.
C. Ensure that both managers understand the requirements and search for a solution that
best satisfies this deliverable.
D. Request that the managers explain why each requirement must be implemented and
decide by considering the cost and benefits.
22
 Correct Answer

Question 3 B

During project planning, the project manager is working with the team to develop the
schedule and budget. The team is uncertain about the availability of key resources and
anticipates possible delays due to regulatory approvals.

Which combination of planning techniques would best help the project manager create a
realistic and flexible project plan?

A. Critical Path Method and Bottom-Up Estimating

B. Rolling Wave Planning and Reserve Analysis
C. Analogous Estimating and Fast-Tracking
D. Monte Carlo Simulation and Expert Judgment

23
 Correct Answer

Question 4 B

During the planning phase of a critical project, two senior stakeholders strongly disagree
on the project's timeline. One believes the project can be completed in six months, while
the other insists it will take at least twelve months. Both are influential, and their
conflict is delaying the development of the project schedule.

What should the project manager do to resolve this situation?

A. Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and let them decide.
B. Conduct schedule analysis with the project team and present data-driven estimates to
the stakeholders.
C. Split the difference and propose a nine-month schedule to satisfy both parties.
D. Proceed with the shorter timeline and adjust later if necessary.

24
 Correct Answer

Question 5 A

The steering committee has asked a project manager experienced in agile to provide an
indication of the time remaining on a medium-sized project.

What tools can be used to provide this information?

A. A release burndown chart.

B. Analysis of the business requirements document.
C. Story points for the remaining user stories.
D. Surrogate measurements.

25
 Correct Answer

Question 6 D

During a project planning meeting, the customer is not sure how to build a brand new
product and is worried about extra costs and work. The customer is asking the project
manager for guidance.

What should the project manager do?

A. Wait to start the project execution phase until all requirements and acceptance
criteria are clear.
B. Ask the customer to include all of the requirements in the project charter to
officially start the project planning phase.
C. Schedule a brainstorming session and select the top ten most important
requirements.
D. In the planning meeting, focus on releasing a minimum viable product (MVP)
quickly and getting feedback from the end users.

26
 Correct Answers

Question 7 D&E

A project team has recently completed the initial sprint for developing an automated
payroll system for a company. The project manager has scheduled a sprint planning
meeting with the product owner and team members to discuss which features should be
worked on next.

Which two pieces of information does the project manager need in order to make this
meeting productive and effective? (Choose two)

A. Sprint charter
B. Burndown chart
C. Company mission and vision
D. Product backlog
E. Sprint goal

27
 Correct Answer

Question 8 C

During the planning stage of a project, the project manager realizes that a standard
stakeholder engagement approach will not suffice. One of the client representatives, who
is not a key decision maker, is extremely opinionated. This client representative could
become a roadblock to progress due to their perceived level of authority during meetings.

How should the project manager handle this moving forward?

A. Ask that only key decision makers attend the project meetings.
B. Update the project schedule to cater to this particular stakeholder
C. Allocate time to gain buy-in from the stakeholder prior to key decision meetings.
D. Update the risk register to consider the possible project impacts

28
 Correct Answer

Question 9 C

During the planning phase of a hybrid project, the project manager needs to determine
how long it will take to complete a complex deliverable that involves both predictive and
agile work components. The team is unfamiliar with this type of work, and there is
uncertainty about the effort required.

What is the best estimation technique to use in this situation?

A. Analogous Estimating
B. Parametric Estimating
C. Three-Point Estimating (PERT)
D. Bottom-Up Estimating

29
 Correct Answer

Question 10 C&D

In a hybrid project, the customer has issued a contract that specifies the deliverables for
each quarter. The customer wants to show their stakeholders a tangible outcome in the
first quarter and wants to move the second milestone to the first quarter. The project
manager explains to the customer that it is not feasible unless the requirements for the
second milestone are changed.

Which two actions should the project manager take? (Choose two)

A. Convince the customer to leave the second milestone in place and not change it.
B. Escalate the issue to upper management to resolve the problem and suggest a plan.
C. Go back to the development team and discuss which second milestone
requirements can be performed in the first quarter.
D. Ask the customer for their priorities regarding the requirements for the second
milestone.
E. Tell the customer that moving the milestone has a very high impact on the cost of
the project.

30
Thank You
for learning with us!

31