Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Exam
Cer$fied Project Management Associate, IPMA Level D®
Contents
1. Multiple-Choice Questions
3. Multiple-Choice Answers
4. Short-Essay Questions
1 version 2.0
IPMA-USA Level D Exam: Mul4ple Choice Ques4ons
Instructions: Read both the question and all four alternatives carefully before choosing
your answer. If in doubt, choose the one best answer. Your score is determined by the
number of correct answers: there is no deduction for incorrect answers.
If you do not answer a question, it will be marked as incorrect.
8 . Which type of behavior from the project manager is most likely to help produce a successful
project?
a. Uses “business stories” to reinforce important points.
b. Creates stress to ensure high productivity.
c. Minimizes the importance of cultural differences.
d. Uses humor to deflect criticism.
9 . A key team member has been assigned to another project. Which of the following is the least
appropriate response?
a. Assess your ability to complete the project with the remaining staff.
b. Reassign this person’s work to another team member.
c. Give poor evaluations to the remaining staff so that they won’t be reassigned.
d. Identify options for dealing with the loss.
11 . When there is a complex message that could easily be misunderstood, the most effective medium
to use is:
a. in-person contact.
b. a written memo reviewed by a colleague.
c. email.
d. tele-conferencing.
13 . Which type of behavior from the project manager is most likely to help produce a successful
project?
a. Communicates on the basis of “need to know.”
b. Is pessimistic to keep expectations low.
c. Consistently supports the majority view.
d. Listens carefully to others.
14 . Which type of behavior from the project manager is most likely to help produce a successful
project?
a. Shows confidence in team members.
b. Blames team members for problems.
c. Makes decisions independently.
d. Uses the same leadership style in all situations.
17 . When the project outcomes are poorly defined, the project team tends to:
a. grow larger.
b. get smaller.
c. lose focus.
d. gain cohesiveness.
18 . Which approach is most likely to lead to a satisfactory and lasting resolution of the problem?
a. Problem solving
b. Smoothing
c. Withdrawal
d. Splitting the difference
20 . Negotiation is when two or more parties are trying to reach an agreement that:
a. satisfies both their interests, at least to some extent.
b. minimizes project delays.
c. ensures a clear win for one of them.
d. exceeds their goals.
21 . A project kickoff meeting for an internally staffed project would normally include all of the
following except:
a. A written agenda
b. Key project stakeholders
c. Creation of a project charter
d. Discussion of project roles
28 . Which document would have the most detailed description of the work of the project?
a. Work breakdown structure
b. Milestone chart
c. Scope management plan
d. Risk response list
30 . Which scheduling technique is most appropriate when a project has many activity durations with
a wide range of possible outcomes?
a. Critical Path Method
b. Flowchart Analysis
c. Ishikawa Diagramming
d. Program Evaluation and Review Technique
31 . The range of time between an activity’s early finish date and its late finish date is called:
a. expected duration.
b. non-productive time.
c. the most likely delay.
d. float or slack.
34 . “Fast-tracking” involves:
a. minimizing risk through the use of Monte Carlo schedule simulations.
b. meeting schedule commitments by doing things right the first time.
c. working overtime with appropriate compensation.
d. increased risk due to a greater chance of rework.
39 . Which type of cost estimate would be expected to have the narrowest range of values?
a. Preliminary estimate
b. Budget estimate
c. Conceptual estimate
d. Order of magnitude estimate
41 . Given that both the cumulative cost variance (CV) and the cumulative schedule variance (SV) are
negative, and given that ACWP (Actual Cost of Work Performed), BCWS (Budgeted Cost of Work
Scheduled), and BCWP (Budgeted Cost of Work Performed) are all project-to-date, which
statement is true?
a. ACWP is greater than BCWS which is greater than BCWP.
b. BCWP is less than ACWP and also less than BCWS.
c. ACWP is greater than BCWP which in turn is more than BCWS.
d. BCWP is less than ACWP but greater than BCWS.
43 . Which project activities are most directly affected by the operational business processes of the
permanent (stationary) organization?
a. Staffing the project
b. Developing a project schedule
c. Conducting project risk analysis
d. Estimating project costs
47 . By choosing to use a cost-reimbursable contract, the buyer is accepting most of the risk associated
with:
a. resource availability.
b. schedule delays.
c. poor quality.
d. under estimates.
48 . Which of the following is the most important factor to consider in deciding whether to use a
fixed-price (lump-sum) contract or a cost-reimbursable one?
a. How well defined the scope is
b. The expected duration of the project
c. The expected value of the contract
d. Relevant environmental regulations
49 . From the buyer’s viewpoint, the type of contract that requires the most detailed definition of the
product of the project is:
a. a fixed-price (lump-sum) contract.
b. an indefinite-delivery contract.
c. a cost-reimbursable contract.
d. a time-and-materials contract.
54 . Cost and schedule risk can be directly mitigated through the use of:
a. simulations.
b. reserves.
c. decision trees.
d. status reports.
56 . Reviewing problems that occurred on previous projects can be most helpful in:
a. avoiding risks.
b. identifying risks.
c. prioritizing risks.
d. monitoring risks.
58 . Which individual or group is most directly responsible for ensuring that the project’s results
satisfy the customer?
a. The project team as a whole
b. Subject matter experts assigned to the project
c. Top management of the project manager’s organization
d. The project manager
Mark an “X” on your choice of the one best answer to each question.
1 a. b. c. d. 21 a. b. c. d. 41 a. b. c. d.
2 a. b. c. d. 22 a. b. c. d. 42 a. b. c. d.
3 a. b. c. d. 23 a. b. c. d. 43 a. b. c. d.
4 a. b. c. d. 24 a. b. c. d. 44 a. b. c. d.
5 a. b. c. d. 25 a. b. c. d. 45 a. b. c. d.
6 a. b. c. d. 26 a. b. c. d. 46 a. b. c. d.
7 a. b. c. d. 27 a. b. c. d. 47 a. b. c. d.
8 a. b. c. d. 28 a. b. c. d. 48 a. b. c. d.
9 a. b. c. d. 29 a. b. c. d. 49 a. b. c. d.
10 a. b. c. d. 30 a. b. c. d. 50 a. b. c. d.
11 a. b. c. d. 31 a. b. c. d. 51 a. b. c. d.
12 a. b. c. d. 32 a. b. c. d. 52 a. b. c. d.
13 a. b. c. d. 33 a. b. c. d. 53 a. b. c. d.
14 a. b. c. d. 34 a. b. c. d. 54 a. b. c. d.
15 a. b. c. d. 35 a. b. c. d. 55 a. b. c. d.
16 a. b. c. d. 36 a. b. c. d. 56 a. b. c. d.
17 a. b. c. d. 37 a. b. c. d. 57 a. b. c. d.
18 a. b. c. d. 38 a. b. c. d. 58 a. b. c. d.
19 a. b. c. d. 39 a. b. c. d. 59 a. b. c. d.
20 a. b. c. d. 40 a. b. c. d. 60 a. b. c. d.
IPMA-USA Level D Exam
version: Sample
1 A 1 21 C 1 41 B 3
2 F 2 22 A 2 42 B 2
3 F 1 23 B 2 43 A 2
4 F 2 24 B 1 44 C 2
5 A 1 25 A 2 45 C 1
6 F 2 26 B 1 46 B 2
7 C 1 27 F 1 47 F 1
8 A 2 28 A 1 48 A 2
9 C 2 29 A 1 49 A 2
10 C 1 30 F 3 50 F 1
11 A 2 31 F 1 51 C 2
12 C 1 32 B 2 52 B 1
13 F 1 33 B 2 53 A 2
14 A 2 34 F 2 54 B 2
15 C 1 35 C 2 55 A 2
16 C 1 36 C 1 56 B 1
17 C 1 37 A 1 57 B 2
18 A 1 38 F 2 58 F 1
19 A 3 39 B 1 59 F 3
20 A 1 40 F 1 60 C 1
Sample Exam, Short-Essay Ques)ons
Cer$fied Project Management Associate, IPMA Level D®
Instruc(ons
1. Scoring
• Your answers will be evaluated based on how well they demonstrate an understanding of the topic.
• Grammar and punctuation are not evaluated, but may be helpful to ensure accuracy in understanding.
3. Mechanics
• All questions are designed to be answered in 8-12 minutes.
• Start each question on a new sheet of paper.
• Write only on the front side of the answer sheets.
• Limit your answers to a maximum of two pages per question.
• Sketches and bulleted lists are acceptable even when not speci-ically requested.
4. Reminders
• Read each question carefully. Be sure to answer all parts of the question.
• Don’t waste time providing information that wasn’t asked for. If the question says, “explain how a Gantt chart is
used,” you will not get credit for providing a history of the development of Gantt charts.
1 version 2.0
Be sure to read the instructions before answering the questions!
2 List three (3) criteria that might be used to decide which projects to approve in an organization.
Describe the beneCits of using each.
3 List two (2) examples of support services normally provided by the permanent (stationary)
organization to projects. Explain how each can beneCit a project.
6 Provide the formulas for two (2) different ways to calculate estimated cost at completion (ECAC)
using Earned Value Management variables. Explain when each would be preferred.
7 List two (2) examples of behaviors that demonstrate the skill of delegation. Explain how each
behavior can beneCit the project.
8 List two (2) examples of behaviors that promote openness on the project. Explain how each
behavior can beneCit the project.
9 List two (2) examples of behaviors that can interfere with creativity. Explain how each behavior
can affect the project.
Sample Answers
Ques%on (low difficulty)
Define “negative float” and explain how it is created.
High-scoring Answer
Answer Text Comments
Negative float is the amount of time by which the late start date of an De#inition is clear and complete. Example
activity precedes its early start date. For example, if the early start is day demonstrates knowledge of how the
de#inition applies.
10, and the late start is day 8, total float is –2 (negative float).
Negative float is created when constraints that are unrealistic are placed Clear and correct explanation of how negative
on project activities. !loat is created.
Moderate-scoring Answer
Answer Text Comments
Negative float is when the late start date of an activity De#inition is clear and complete.
is earlier than its early start date.
Negative float is created when the backwards pass This is technically correct, but it fails to show
an understanding of why this happens. It
calculations produce late finish dates that are earlier
would be okay if the question said, “describe”
than the early finish dates. instead of “explain.”
Low-scoring Answer
Answer Text Comments
Negative float must be eliminated for the project to True, but not a de-inition.
finish on time.
Negative float is created when constraints such as Could be true, but the constraints must be
“start-on” or “finish-no-later-than” are placed on unreasonable.
project activities.
2 version 2.0