PgMP Program Life Cycle Management Practice Test 4 — 15 Questions

Question 1

How do you manage risks that are common to multiple projects within a program?

Accepted Answer

Manage them at the program level as shared risks.. Risks common to multiple component projects within a program are managed at the program level as shared risks, because they affect the program's aggregate benefits and require coordinated mitigation across projects. The program manager owns these risks in the program risk register and addresses them through program-level risk response strategies.

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Assign them to the most senior project manager.

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Ignore them until they impact a project.

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Manage them individually in each project.

Question 2

A program manager identifies that the program's benefits are being diluted due to a change in the organizational environment. What is the best course of action?

Accepted Answer

Re-evaluate the program's business case and make necessary adjustments to the roadmap.. The program manager must re-evaluate the business case and the program roadmap to see if the program remains viable under the new conditions.

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Cancel the program immediately.

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Continue with the original plan.

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Ask the project managers to find ways to make up the loss.

Question 3

What is the main goal of the program closure phase?

Accepted Answer

To ensure program deliverables are transitioned and lessons learned are captured.. The main goal of the program closure phase is to ensure that all program deliverables are transitioned to the appropriate operational entities and that lessons learned are captured for future programs. This phase also includes obtaining final acceptance, releasing resources, and archiving program documents. It confirms that the program has delivered its intended benefits or that remaining activities are transitioned.

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To start a new program.

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To reduce the program team size.

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To stop all communication with stakeholders.

Question 4

During program planning, which plan is used to ensure that the program stays within its budget?

Accepted Answer

Financial Management Plan.. The Financial Management Plan is the document that describes how the program will manage its financial resources, including budgeting, funding, and financial reporting. It ensures that the program stays within its budget by defining processes for cost estimation, budgeting, and control. This plan is used during program planning to establish budget baselines and financial controls.

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Project Budget Plan.

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Program Roadmap.

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Governance Plan.

Question 5

A program manager discovers that a project manager is not adhering to the program-level quality standards. What should the program manager do?

Accepted Answer

Discuss the issue with the project manager and request a corrective action plan.. The program manager's role is to provide governance and oversight across components, not to micromanage or unilaterally execute corrective work. When a project manager deviates from program-level quality standards, the correct governance response is to address the performance gap directly with the responsible project manager and require a formal corrective action plan. This preserves the project manager's accountability while ensuring the program's quality framework is restored.

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Correct the issue themselves.

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Immediately replace the project manager.

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Report the issue to the sponsor.

Question 6

Which TWO of the following are primary components of a Program Management Plan?

Accepted Answer

Benefits Realization Plan. The Benefits Realization Plan (A) is a primary component of a Program Management Plan because program management is fundamentally oriented toward delivering and measuring business benefits across the program, so the plan must define the benefits, metrics, and ownership for tracking them. The Governance Plan (C) is also a primary component, as it establishes the decision-making structures, roles, escalation paths, and oversight mechanisms that keep the program aligned with strategy and enable consistent control across constituent projects. Technical Design Documents (B) are project- or solution-level artifacts that describe how a specific product or system is built, not program-level management components. Employee Performance Reviews (D) belong to HR/line-management processes and are not part of the program management plan. Individual Project Timesheets (E) are operational tracking records used within projects, not a primary component of the program management plan.

Answer

Technical Design Documents

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Employee Performance Reviews

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Individual Project Timesheets

Question 7

Which THREE of the following are key responsibilities of a Program Manager during the planning phase?

Accepted Answer

Integrating the plans of all component projects.. In the planning phase, the Program Manager owns the program-level view rather than the internals of each project. Option B is correct because integrating the plans of all component projects is a core program management responsibility: the Program Manager aligns schedules, dependencies, resources, and interfaces across projects so the program delivers as a coordinated whole. Option D is correct because defining the program governance framework — decision rights, escalation paths, oversight bodies, and stage-gate/approval processes — is a planning-phase duty that establishes how the program will be directed and controlled. Option E is correct because establishing the program's benefits realization framework — identifying, mapping, measuring, and tracking the benefits each component project contributes — is central to program planning, since programs are justified by benefits rather than by deliverables alone. Option A does not belong because creating detailed task lists for every project team member is a project-level execution/planning activity typically performed by project managers or team leads, not the Program Manager. Option C does not belong because personally performing all technical quality audits is a hands-on assurance activity delegated to quality assurance or audit specialists, whereas the Program Manager ensures such audits are governed and resourced rather than conducting them personally.

Answer

Creating detailed task lists for every project team member.

Answer

Personally performing all technical quality audits.

Question 8

Which THREE of the following are common reasons for program closure?

Accepted Answer

The program no longer aligns with the organizational strategy.. Option B is correct because program management exists to deliver benefits tied to organizational strategy, so if the strategy shifts and the program no longer aligns, the program is typically closed or redirected. Option C is correct because a program is a temporary endeavor designed to deliver a defined set of benefits; once those intended benefits are realized and no further tranches are justified, the program reaches its natural closure. Option E is correct because programs are time-bound and are commonly closed when they reach their planned end date, provided the intended benefits have been delivered or the remaining work is transitioned. Options A and D are not standard reasons: individual project managers stopping projects is a project-level action rather than a recognized program closure driver, and a team wanting to start a new project is a resource or portfolio motivation, not a valid justification for closing a program.

Answer

The project managers decided to stop the projects.

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The team wants to start a new project.

Question 9

Which TWO of the following are valid ways to track progress against the program roadmap?

Accepted Answer

Tracking program-level milestones.. Option A is correct because tracking program-level milestones directly measures progress against the roadmap's planned checkpoints and deliverables, which is the standard way to gauge whether the program is advancing as scheduled. Option C is correct because monitoring benefits realization performance verifies that the program is delivering the intended business outcomes defined in the roadmap, making it a valid progress-tracking method. Option B is not valid because the number of meetings held is an activity metric that does not indicate roadmap progress or value delivery. Option D is not valid because individual project task completion dates are too granular and belong to project-level tracking, not program roadmap progress. Option E is not valid because team attendance is an administrative detail unrelated to whether roadmap milestones or benefits are being achieved.

Answer

Calculating the total number of meetings held.

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Reviewing individual project task completion dates.

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Checking project team members' attendance.

Question 10

Which TWO of the following are key inputs for program planning?

Accepted Answer

The organizational strategic plan.. Option C, the organizational strategic plan, is a key input because programs exist to deliver benefits that align with and advance the organization's long-term goals, so the strategic plan defines the direction, priorities, and expected outcomes that shape program planning. Option E, the approved Program Charter, is a key input because it formally authorizes the program, identifies the program manager, and documents the high-level scope, objectives, stakeholders, and expected benefits that program planning must elaborate. The other options are not standard planning inputs: the finalized project code (A) is a project-level deliverable, the last team meeting minutes (B) are informal working records, and the project manager's personal notes (D) are neither authoritative nor part of the recognized program management inputs.

Answer

The finalized project code.

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The last team meeting minutes.

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The personal notes of the project manager.

Question 11

Which TWO of the following should be included in a program communication plan?

Accepted Answer

Identification of stakeholder communication needs.. Option C is correct because a communication plan must identify stakeholder communication needs — who needs what information, in what detail, and how often — so that each audience receives relevant, appropriately tailored messages. Option E is correct because the plan must specify the delivery methods for communication (e.g., email, meetings, dashboards, reports), ensuring information actually reaches stakeholders through agreed channels. Detailed technical design specs (A) belong in project design documentation, not the communication plan, which focuses on information flow rather than engineering artifacts. Salary information (B) is confidential HR/payroll data and is not a communication-plan element. Personal email addresses (D) are unnecessary and raise privacy concerns; the plan should reference roles or distribution lists rather than individuals' private contact details.

Answer

Detailed technical design specs for each project.

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The salary information for all program staff.

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The personal email addresses of all stakeholders.

Question 12

Which THREE of the following are critical for effective program-level risk management?

Accepted Answer

Periodic review of the program risk register.. Option A is correct because a program risk register must be reviewed periodically to reassess probability, impact, and response strategies as the program and its constituent projects evolve. Option C is correct because a centralized program-level risk register provides a single authoritative view of risks that span multiple projects, enabling consistent prioritization and cross-project dependency analysis. Option D is correct because defined escalation procedures ensure that project risks with program-level implications are raised to the program manager or governance board in a timely and structured manner. Options B and E are incorrect: relying solely on email for risk communication is inadequate because it lacks structured tracking, acknowledgment, and reporting, while ignoring project-level risks undermines program risk management since project risks can aggregate into or trigger program-level risks.

Answer

Using only email to communicate risks.

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Ignoring project-level risks.

Question 13

Which TWO of the following are responsibilities of the Program Sponsor?

Accepted Answer

Providing high-level support for the program.. Option A is correct because the Program Sponsor is the senior executive who champions the program and provides high-level support, securing executive backing, resources, and organizational commitment. Option B is correct because the Sponsor owns and acts as the ultimate authority for the business case, ensuring the program remains justified and aligned with strategic benefits. Option C is incorrect because daily administrative tasks belong to program office staff or the program manager, not the Sponsor. Option D is incorrect because maintaining the program risk register is typically the program manager's or risk officer's responsibility. Option E is incorrect because managing individual project schedules is the role of project managers, not the Sponsor.

Answer

Performing all daily administrative tasks.

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Updating the program risk register.

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Managing individual project schedules.

Question 14

Which THREE of the following are necessary to ensure effective benefits realization?

Accepted Answer

Organizational readiness.. Effective benefits realization requires organizational readiness (B), because the people, processes, and culture must be prepared to adopt and sustain the change that produces the benefits. Active stakeholder participation (D) is essential so that sponsors, users, and other affected parties engage with, support, and help drive the initiative toward its intended outcomes. A clear Benefits Realization Plan (E) is also necessary because it defines the target benefits, owners, metrics, timelines, and governance needed to track and confirm that benefits are actually achieved. Option A is incorrect because a budget covering only the first month cannot sustain an initiative long enough to realize benefits, and option C is incorrect because ignoring external market conditions removes critical context that can affect whether benefits remain valid and achievable.

Answer

A budget that only covers the first month.

Answer

Ignoring all external market conditions.

Question 15

Which THREE of the following are key components of the Program Governance framework?

Accepted Answer

Decision-making structures.. In a Program Governance framework, decision-making structures (B) are essential because they define who has authority to make which decisions, how decisions are made, and how accountability is assigned across the program. Procedures for issue escalation (C) are also core, as they establish the defined paths and thresholds for raising problems from project to program level so they are resolved by the appropriate authority. Program policies (E) are the third key component, since they set the governing rules, standards, and constraints that direct how the program is managed and ensure consistency with organizational strategy. The remaining options do not belong: personal social media policies (A) are an HR or acceptable-use concern rather than a program governance component, and the office lunch schedule (D) is an administrative logistics matter with no bearing on governance.

Answer

Personal social media policies.

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The lunch schedule for the office.