CAPM Practice Test 4 — 25 Questions

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a purpose of the project charter?

Accepted Answer

Define the detailed project schedule.. The project charter is a high-level document that authorizes the project, identifies the sponsor, and provides high-level requirements. It does not include a detailed project schedule; that is developed later in the project planning process group, specifically within the Develop Schedule process. Therefore, option A is correct because defining the detailed project schedule is not a purpose of the project charter.

Answer

Identify the project sponsor.

Answer

Authorize the project manager.

Answer

Provide high-level project requirements.

Question 2

You are the business analyst for a project developing a mobile banking application. The project is in the requirements elicitation phase. One of the key stakeholders, the head of security, is on an extended leave and will not be available for three weeks. The project timeline is aggressive, and the project manager insists on completing requirements gathering within two weeks to stay on schedule. You have held initial interviews with other stakeholders, but the security requirements are critical because the app will handle sensitive financial data. The quality assurance lead suggests using a survey to collect security requirements from the security team, but the security team members are reluctant to provide input without their manager's approval. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Document assumptions about the security requirements and proceed with the rest of the elicitation, planning to validate with the head of security upon their return.. When a key stakeholder is unavailable, it is a recognized practice to document assumptions about their requirements and plan to validate later. This keeps the project on schedule while acknowledging the risk. Conducting a survey may face resistance, delaying elicitation. Delaying the entire project is not justified for one stakeholder. Using existing documentation is useful but may not capture all needs.

Answer

Delay all requirements elicitation until the head of security returns to ensure complete and accurate security requirements.

Answer

Use existing security policies and industry standards as a proxy for the security requirements without further elicitation.

Answer

Conduct a survey of the security team members to gather their requirements despite their reluctance.

Question 3

A project manager is using a predictive approach for a construction project. The team has completed 40% of the work, but the actual cost is $500,000 against a planned value of $450,000. The project manager calculates the cost performance index (CPI) and schedule performance index (SPI). Which conclusion is correct?

Accepted Answer

The project is over budget and behind schedule. The project has completed 40% of the work, so the earned value (EV) is 40% of the total budget. With actual cost (AC) of $500,000 and planned value (PV) of $450,000, the CPI = EV/AC = (0.4 * BAC)/500,000. Since AC > PV and EV < PV (because only 40% of work is done vs. 45% planned), both CPI and SPI are less than 1.0, indicating the project is over budget and behind schedule.

Answer

The project is over budget but ahead of schedule

Answer

The project is on budget and on schedule

Answer

The project is under budget and ahead of schedule

Question 4

An agile team is using a burndown chart for the first time. After six days of a two-week sprint, the burndown chart shows that the remaining work has increased compared to the previous day. The team is confused. They had completed several tasks, but new tasks were added to the sprint backlog after the sprint started. The product owner says the additions were urgent and necessary. The development team is frustrated because they feel the sprint goal is at risk. The Scrum Master must address this situation. What should the Scrum Master do?

Accepted Answer

Ask the product owner and team to renegotiate the sprint scope, either removing some planned work or deferring the new work to the next sprint. The Scrum Master should facilitate a negotiation between the product owner and the development team to re-evaluate the sprint backlog. In Scrum, the sprint backlog can be clarified or renegotiated with the product owner, but the sprint goal must remain achievable. By asking the team and product owner to either remove planned work or defer the new tasks, the Scrum Master protects the sprint goal and maintains team focus, which is the core responsibility of the Scrum Master in an agile framework.

Answer

Instruct the team to ignore the burndown chart and focus on delivering the original sprint goal

Answer

Explain to the product owner that the sprint backlog is frozen once the sprint starts and cannot be changed

Answer

Manually adjust the burndown chart to show the completed tasks and hide the additional work

Question 5

A business analyst is assigned to a project that aims to streamline the supply chain process in a manufacturing company. The project has a tight deadline, and the project sponsor wants to use a proven framework to ensure efficiency. During the initial analysis, the analyst finds that the current process has many manual handoffs and inconsistent data formats. Several cross-functional teams have conflicting priorities. The sponsor asks for a recommendation that balances structure with flexibility. As the business analyst, which approach should you recommend?

Accepted Answer

Use the BABOK guide as a framework to define business analysis activities and deliverables.. The BABOK guide provides a structured yet flexible framework for business analysis activities and deliverables, which is suitable for streamlining processes with cross-functional teams and conflicting priorities. Option A (Six Sigma DMAIC) is more focused on defect reduction and standardization, which may be too narrow for this project's needs. Option C (Prince2) is a project management methodology, not a business analysis framework. Option D (Waterfall) is too rigid and does not accommodate the need for flexibility in a complex process improvement project.

Answer

Adopt a Six Sigma DMAIC approach to reduce defects and standardize processes.

Answer

Follow the Prince2 methodology for project management and business analysis.

Answer

Implement a pure Waterfall approach with strict phase gates.

Question 6

A BA is conducting stakeholder analysis and needs to categorize stakeholders based on their influence and interest. Which grid is commonly used?

Accepted Answer

Power/interest grid. The power/interest grid categorizes stakeholders by their level of influence and interest to determine the appropriate engagement strategy. Option A is incorrect because a communication matrix defines communication channels and frequency, not stakeholder categorization. Option B is incorrect because a decision tree is a tool for decision analysis under uncertainty, not for stakeholder analysis. Option C is incorrect because a RACI matrix assigns roles and responsibilities (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) rather than categorizing by influence and interest.

Answer

Communication matrix

Answer

Decision tree

Answer

RACI matrix

Question 7

Which TWO of the following are outputs of the Identify Stakeholders process?

Accepted Answer

Stakeholder register. Among the listed options, only the Stakeholder Register is an output of the Identify Stakeholders process. Stakeholder analysis is a tool and technique, not an output. Stakeholder Management Plan, Issue Log, and Stakeholder Engagement Plan are outputs of other processes, not Identify Stakeholders.

Answer

Stakeholder analysis

Answer

Stakeholder management plan

Answer

Issue log

Answer

Stakeholder engagement plan

Question 8

A business analyst is performing a cost-benefit analysis for a proposed system upgrade. The upgrade costs $50,000 upfront and saves $15,000 per year in operational costs. The project has a 5-year horizon. What is the payback period in years?

Accepted Answer

3.33 years. The payback period is calculated by dividing the initial investment by the annual savings: $50,000 / $15,000 = 3.33 years. Therefore, Option C is correct. Option A (5.00 years) incorrectly uses a different calculation, perhaps total savings over 5 years divided by something. Option B (4.00 years) is incorrect because it does not match the calculation. Option D (0.33 years) is incorrect because it ignores the initial cost.

Answer

5.00 years

Answer

4.00 years

Answer

0.33 years

Question 9

A business analyst is tasked with verifying that the solution meets the defined requirements. Which activity is part of the verification process?

Accepted Answer

Testing. Testing is a key verification activity that checks if the solution conforms to specified requirements.

Answer

Peer review

Answer

Quality assurance

Answer

Validation

Question 10

Which TWO of the following are core components of a business analysis framework according to PMI standards?

Accepted Answer

Business analysis planning and monitoring. According to PMI's Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, the core components of a business analysis framework are the five domains: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Elicitation and Collaboration, Requirements Life Cycle Management, Strategy Analysis, and Requirements Analysis and Design Definition. Option A is correct because Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring is the domain that defines how business analysis activities will be executed, including stakeholder analysis, planning deliverables, and establishing governance. Option C is correct because Requirements Life Cycle Management covers the management of requirements from creation through retirement, including traceability, prioritization, and change control.

Answer

Stakeholder engagement

Answer

Procurement management

Answer

Risk management

Question 11

Which THREE are principles of the Agile Manifesto? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Deliver working software frequently, with a preference to the shorter timescale.. The Agile Manifesto explicitly states 'Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.' This principle emphasizes iterative delivery and rapid feedback cycles, which are core to Agile frameworks like Scrum and XP.

Answer

Use pair programming for all production code.

Answer

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

Question 12

Refer to the exhibit. A business analyst is reviewing the requirements status in a JSON export from a requirements management tool. The analyst notices that REQ02 is still in 'Draft' while REQ01 is 'Approved'. What should the analyst do next?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a review meeting for REQ02. A requirement in draft status needs to be reviewed and approved by stakeholders before proceeding, so facilitating a review meeting is the appropriate action.

Answer

Update the traceability matrix

Answer

Approve REQ02 immediately

Answer

Request closure for REQ02

Question 13

Which THREE factors should a business analyst consider when selecting an elicitation technique for a project?

Accepted Answer

Availability of stakeholders. A is correct because stakeholder availability directly impacts the feasibility of scheduling and conducting elicitation activities such as interviews, workshops, or focus groups. If key stakeholders are unavailable, the chosen technique may be impractical or yield incomplete information, making this a primary logistical consideration in technique selection.

Answer

Project manager's preference

Answer

Cost of the technique

Question 14

Which TWO of the following are characteristics of a predictive life cycle?

Accepted Answer

Scope is defined at the beginning of the project. In a predictive life cycle, the project scope is defined and baselined at the start, before execution begins. This upfront planning ensures that all requirements are known and documented, allowing for a detailed project management plan to guide the entire project.

Answer

Changes are welcomed and incorporated at any time

Answer

Requirements are gathered incrementally throughout the project

Answer

Deliverables are developed through multiple iterations

Question 15

In Kanban, what is the primary purpose of limiting Work in Progress (WIP)?

Accepted Answer

To reduce multitasking and improve focus.. Limiting Work in Progress (WIP) in Kanban is primarily intended to reduce multitasking and improve focus. By restricting the number of tasks in progress, team members concentrate on completing current work before starting new items, which minimizes context switching and enhances flow. Although increased throughput can be a benefit, the core purpose is to improve focus and flow. Option A correctly identifies this primary purpose. Option B relates to quality, which is a secondary effect. Option C, increased throughput, is a result but not the primary purpose. Option D is incorrect because limiting WIP does not aim to make the team work faster; it aims to improve efficiency and flow.

Answer

To ensure each task is done correctly the first time.

Answer

To increase throughput.

Answer

To make the team work faster.

Question 16

Drag and drop the steps for closing a project phase or project in the correct order.

Accepted Answer

1. Verify deliverables are complete, 2. Obtain formal acceptance, 3. Release resources, 4. Close contracts, 5. Archive documents. Closing involves verifying work, obtaining acceptance, releasing resources, closing contracts, and archiving documents.

Answer

1. Obtain formal acceptance, 2. Verify deliverables are complete, 3. Release resources, 4. Close contracts, 5. Archive documents

Answer

1. Release resources, 2. Close contracts, 3. Verify deliverables, 4. Obtain formal acceptance, 5. Archive documents

Answer

1. Archive documents, 2. Close contracts, 3. Release resources, 4. Verify deliverables, 5. Obtain formal acceptance

Question 17

A project manager is leading a software development project. During the planning phase, the team identifies a significant risk that a key third-party API may be deprecated before the project completes. The project sponsor asks for a risk response strategy. Which strategy should the project manager recommend to best address this risk?

Accepted Answer

Mitigate the risk by developing a workaround using an alternative API or building a fallback mechanism.. Developing a workaround using an alternative API or building a fallback mechanism directly reduces the probability and/or impact of the API deprecation risk. This is a classic risk mitigation strategy that proactively ensures the project can continue even if the third-party API becomes unavailable, which is a common technical risk in software projects.

Answer

Accept the risk and plan to deal with the issue if it arises.

Answer

Transfer the risk by purchasing insurance against API deprecation.

Answer

Enhance the risk by increasing the use of the API to benefit from it before deprecation.

Question 18

You are managing a software upgrade project for a financial institution. The project involves upgrading the core banking system to a new version. During user acceptance testing (UAT), the testers find that the new system does not handle certain legacy data formats correctly, causing errors. The project schedule has no buffer left, and the go-live date is fixed due to regulatory compliance. The team estimates it will take two weeks to fix the issue, but the go-live is in one week. The project manager has already used the contingency reserve for other issues. What should the project manager do next?

Accepted Answer

Evaluate the possibility of a partial fix or workaround to meet the go-live date, and escalate to the sponsor if needed.. The project manager must first evaluate feasible alternatives (like a partial fix or workaround) to meet the fixed go-live date, given that the contingency reserve is exhausted and the schedule has no buffer. Escalating to the sponsor is appropriate when the issue impacts regulatory compliance and requires a decision beyond the PM's authority. This aligns with the CAPM principle of managing stakeholder expectations and seeking sponsor guidance when constraints force trade-offs.

Answer

Ignore the issue and proceed with the go-live as planned, since the errors affect only legacy data.

Answer

Request additional budget from the management reserve to hire external consultants to fix the issue faster.

Answer

Direct the team to fix the issue and delay the go-live, then inform the sponsor.

Question 19

Which TWO statements accurately describe the role of a business analyst in requirements management?

Accepted Answer

The BA ensures that requirements align with business objectives.. The business analyst (BA) is responsible for ensuring that each requirement directly supports the stated business objectives and strategic goals. This alignment is a core function of requirements management within the BABOK framework, as it prevents scope creep and ensures that delivered features provide measurable business value.

Answer

The BA approves all requirements before development begins.

Answer

The BA develops the technical solution for each requirement.

Answer

The BA prioritizes requirements based on personal judgment.

Question 20

In a predictive project, the project manager must formally accept the project's deliverables. Which process group does this activity belong to?

Accepted Answer

Closing. Formal acceptance of deliverables occurs during the Closing process group, specifically in the Validate Scope and Close Project processes.

Answer

Executing

Answer

Planning

Answer

Initiating