PK0-005 Practice Exam 56 — 20 Questions

Question 1

A project manager has just received approval for the project charter. What is the next primary activity in the initiation phase?

Accepted Answer

Identify stakeholders. After the project charter is approved, the next step is to identify stakeholders, which is a key process in the initiation phase. The WBS, schedule, and risk responses are planning phase activities.

Answer

Plan risk responses

Answer

Develop the project schedule

Answer

Create the work breakdown structure (WBS)

Question 2

The project team is experiencing conflicts over task assignments. Which document should the project manager reference to clarify roles and responsibilities?

Accepted Answer

RACI chart. A RACI chart (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) is the correct document for clarifying roles and responsibilities in a project. It explicitly maps each task to team members, defining who does the work, who has final authority, who provides input, and who needs updates. This directly resolves conflicts over task assignments by removing ambiguity about ownership and accountability.

Answer

Communication plan

Answer

Project schedule

Answer

Risk register

Question 3

Which TWO documents are typically created during the project initiation phase? (Select TWO.)

Accepted Answer

Project charter. The project charter is a key document created during project initiation that formally authorizes the project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. The stakeholder register is also created during initiation to identify all individuals, groups, or organizations that may impact or be impacted by the project, capturing their interests, expectations, and influence levels.

Answer

Risk register

Answer

Work breakdown structure

Answer

Lessons learned

Question 4

A project has been delayed due to unexpected regulatory changes. The project manager has analyzed the impact and determines that the project will miss the original deadline by two months. The sponsor is concerned about the delay. What is the first step the PM should take?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request to the change control board with the revised schedule and impact analysis.. When a project is delayed due to an external factor like regulatory changes, the project manager must follow the formal change control process. Submitting a change request with the revised schedule and impact analysis ensures that the sponsor and change control board (CCB) can formally approve the new baseline, maintaining governance and traceability. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on managing changes to the project management plan.

Answer

Inform the team and proceed with the new schedule.

Answer

Resign from the project due to the delay.

Answer

Fast-track the remaining tasks to recover time.

Question 5

A project manager is preparing a report for stakeholders that lists project risks, their impact, and response strategies. Which document should be used?

Accepted Answer

Risk register. The risk register is the correct document because it is the central repository for recording identified risks, their impact, probability, and planned response strategies. The project manager uses the risk register to track and communicate risk details to stakeholders, making it the appropriate source for the report described.

Answer

Risk breakdown structure

Answer

Issue log

Answer

Risk management plan

Question 6

A project is in execution when a critical vendor fails to deliver a key component. The project manager determines this will push the project past the deadline. After submitting a change request, what should the project manager do next?

Accepted Answer

Communicate the impact to stakeholders. After submitting a change request, the project manager should communicate the potential impact to stakeholders to manage expectations. Updating the risk register is important but not the immediate next step; fast tracking and requesting resources may be considered after approval.

Answer

Fast track the remaining tasks

Answer

Request additional resources

Answer

Update the risk register

Question 7

A project manager wants to document knowledge gained during the project to help future projects. Which document should be used?

Accepted Answer

Lessons learned register. The lessons learned register is the correct document for capturing knowledge gained during a project to benefit future projects. It systematically records what went well, what went wrong, and recommendations for improvement, directly supporting organizational process assets. The project manager uses this register to document insights that can be applied to subsequent projects, aligning with PMI's knowledge management practices.

Answer

Risk register

Answer

Project charter

Answer

Scope statement

Question 8

A project manager notices that the actual cost (AC) is $50,000, the earned value (EV) is $45,000, and the planned value (PV) is $55,000. Which statement is true regarding schedule and cost performance?

Accepted Answer

The project is behind schedule and over budget.. Schedule variance (SV) = EV - PV = $45,000 - $55,000 = -$10,000 (negative, behind schedule). Cost variance (CV) = EV - AC = $45,000 - $50,000 = -$5,000 (negative, over budget).

Answer

The project is ahead of schedule and over budget.

Answer

The project is behind schedule and under budget.

Answer

The project is ahead of schedule and under budget.

Question 9

A project manager is leading a software development project in a matrix organization. The project manager shares resources with functional managers. In this type of organizational structure, which of the following BEST describes the project manager's authority?

Accepted Answer

Limited authority, sharing resources with functional managers. In a matrix structure, authority is shared between functional and project managers; the project manager typically has limited authority compared to a projectized organization.

Answer

No authority; the functional manager has all authority

Answer

Full authority over the project team

Answer

Authority only over project budget, not personnel

Question 10

A project manager is evaluating potential IT infrastructure projects. Which two project selection methods consider financial return? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Cost-benefit analysis. Cost-benefit analysis (A) is a financial project selection method because it compares the total expected costs of a project against its total expected benefits, typically expressed in monetary terms, to determine whether the investment yields a positive net return. Payback period (B) is also a financial method because it calculates how long it takes for the cumulative cash inflows from a project to recover the initial investment, directly measuring financial return timing. Expert judgment (C) is not inherently financial; it relies on the experience and knowledge of subject matter experts and can be applied to any selection criterion. Weighted criteria (D) and scoring model (E) are multi-criteria decision techniques that may include financial factors but are not exclusively or primarily financial return methods, as they typically combine weighted qualitative and quantitative factors into a single score.

Answer

Expert judgment

Answer

Weighted criteria

Answer

Scoring model

Question 11

A project manager is estimating the cost of a new software development project. She uses the actual cost of a similar past project and adjusts for differences in size and complexity. Which estimation technique is she using?

Accepted Answer

Analogous estimation. Analogous estimation uses historical data from a similar past project as the basis for estimating the current project, adjusting for known differences in size, complexity, or scope. The scenario explicitly describes using actual cost of a similar past project with adjustments, which is the textbook definition of analogous (top-down) estimating. It is fast and inexpensive but less accurate than bottom-up or parametric methods.

Answer

Three-point estimation

Answer

Parametric estimation

Answer

Bottom-up estimation

Question 12

In an agile project, the team is defining the 'Definition of Done' (DoD). Which TWO statements are typically included in a good DoD?

Accepted Answer

Unit tests have been written and passed.. Option C is correct because a proper Definition of Done typically requires that unit tests have been written and passed, ensuring the increment meets quality standards before it can be considered complete. Option D is correct because peer review of all code is a standard DoD criterion that verifies quality, consistency, and adherence to coding standards before a story is accepted. Options A and B are not DoD items: backlog prioritization by the product owner and story point estimation are backlog refinement and planning activities that occur before development, not completion criteria. Option E is also not a DoD item because adding a story to the product backlog happens during backlog creation or refinement, well before the work is done.

Answer

The product owner has prioritized the backlog.

Answer

Story points have been assigned to the story.

Answer

The story has been added to the product backlog.

Question 13

Which project document formally authorizes the project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources?

Accepted Answer

Project charter. The project charter is the document that formally authorizes the project and gives the project manager authority. The project management plan describes how the project will be executed. The scope statement defines the scope. The stakeholder register lists stakeholders.

Answer

Stakeholder register

Answer

Project management plan

Answer

Scope statement

Question 14

Which project scheduling tool shows activities as bars on a timeline, including dependencies and milestones?

Accepted Answer

Gantt chart. A Gantt chart displays tasks as horizontal bars along a timeline, with dependencies and milestones clearly shown.

Answer

Network diagram

Answer

Control chart

Answer

Milestone chart

Question 15

Which document formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities?

Accepted Answer

Project charter. The project charter is the document that formally authorizes the project and gives the project manager authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. It is typically issued by the project sponsor or initiating authority and marks the transition from pre-project work to the formal project lifecycle. Without a charter, the project manager lacks formal authority.

Answer

Statement of work

Answer

Project management plan

Answer

Business case

Question 16

A project manager is closing a project. Which TWO activities are typically performed during the project closure phase?

Accepted Answer

Release project resources. Option A (Release project resources) is correct because the closing phase includes releasing team members, equipment, and other resources so they can be reassigned or returned, which is a standard part of finalizing a project. Option B (Document lessons learned) is correct because capturing lessons learned is a core closing activity that records what went well and what did not, feeding organizational process assets for future projects. The unmarked options do not belong to closure: C (Develop the project charter) occurs during initiation, D (Conduct the kickoff meeting) happens at the start of execution, and E (Create the work breakdown structure) is part of planning.

Answer

Develop the project charter

Answer

Conduct the kickoff meeting

Answer

Create the work breakdown structure

Question 17

A project manager is selecting a data center for a new application that requires high availability and disaster recovery. Which type of data center arrangement is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Active-active. An active-active data center arrangement is most appropriate for high availability and disaster recovery because it distributes application traffic across multiple geographically dispersed data centers, all of which are actively serving requests. If one site fails, traffic is seamlessly redirected to the remaining active sites, ensuring near-zero downtime and no data loss. This configuration supports automatic failover and load balancing, which are critical for meeting stringent recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO).

Answer

Single site

Answer

Active-passive

Answer

Colocation

Question 18

During project execution, the project manager notices that actual costs are consistently higher than planned. Which process should the project manager use to analyze this variance?

Accepted Answer

Control Costs. The Control Costs process is responsible for monitoring cost performance, analyzing variances from the cost baseline, and implementing corrective actions. Since the project manager observes actual costs exceeding planned costs, they must use Control Costs to perform earned value management (EVM) calculations such as cost variance (CV) and cost performance index (CPI) to quantify and analyze the deviation.

Answer

Plan Cost Management

Answer

Estimate Costs

Answer

Determine Budget

Question 19

Which TWO of the following are characteristics of a project? (Select TWO).

Accepted Answer

Produces a unique product or service. Option B is correct because, by definition in PMBOK-style project management, a project is undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result — the deliverable has not been produced in exactly the same way before. Option C is correct because a project is temporary in nature: it has a definite beginning and a definite end, which is reached when its objectives are achieved, when they cannot be met, or when the need no longer exists. Options A and E describe ongoing operations rather than projects, since operations are repetitive and sustain the business indefinitely. Option D is incorrect because a predictive (waterfall) methodology is merely one possible approach to managing a project; projects can equally use agile, hybrid, or iterative methodologies, so it is not a defining characteristic.

Answer

Produces the same result each time

Answer

Uses a predictive methodology

Answer

Ongoing and repetitive

Question 20

A project manager is evaluating a project proposal. Which TWO of the following criteria are most important for deciding whether to approve the project?

Accepted Answer

Alignment with organizational strategy. Option B (Alignment with organizational strategy) is correct because project approval decisions in portfolio management prioritize projects that directly support the organization's strategic goals and objectives, ensuring resources are invested where they deliver the greatest business value. Option C (Availability of skilled resources) is correct because even a strategically aligned project cannot be approved or executed successfully if the organization lacks the necessary human capital and competencies to deliver it. Options A (Shortest duration), D (High profit potential), and E (Lowest cost among alternatives) are not the most important approval criteria; duration, profit, and cost are individual project attributes that must be weighed against strategic fit and resource feasibility, and a short, cheap, or profitable project that does not align with strategy or cannot be resourced should not be approved.

Answer

Shortest duration

Answer

High profit potential

Answer

Lowest cost among alternatives