Deck 14: Project Closure

Question 1

In organizations where projects are managed within a functional organization, the team member's area manager, not the project manager, is responsible for assessing performance.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

During the closing phase, the project manager's challenge is to keep the project team focused on the remaining project activities and delivery to the customer until the project is complete.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A 360-degree performance evaluation includes feedback from peers, project managers, subordinates, and even customers.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Performance appraisals generally fulfil two important functions-the first is developmental; the second is evaluative.

Question 5

Retrospective methodology is one positive step toward ensuring lessons learned are developed and implemented.

Question 6

When a project starts as a high priority but its rank erodes or crashes during its project life cycle resulting in closure of the project is an example of changed priority project closure.

Question 7

Retrospectives of lessons learned are designed to improve performance on current and future projects.

Question 8

Implementing project closure includes getting delivery acceptance from the customer.

Question 9

Motivation can be the chief challenge when wrapping up closure activities.

Question 10

There are three types of project audits: pre-project audits, in-process project audits, and post-project audits.

Question 11

The audit report typically includes profit made on the project.

Question 12

Project managers should wait to give feedback to the project team and team members until the project has been completed. Giving feedback throughout the project can distract project teams.

Question 13

Each lesson learned in the lesson learned repository is assigned an owner / team member who is very interested in and familiar with the lesson.

Question 14

Assessing what fundamental organizational culture properties affect project successes and failures, or become a hindrance to project teams, is a part of the retrospectives methodology.

Question 15

A project closure where the project is completed early with some parts of the project eliminated would be classified as a failed project.

Question 16

In premature project closure, the project may be completed early with some parts of the project eliminated.

Question 17

The key requirement in selection of the facilitator is one who is the end-user.

Question 18

Expectations, standards, supportive organizational culture, and constraints must be in place before project implementation; if not, the effectiveness of the evaluation process will suffer.

Question 19

The most common circumstance for project closure is simply a completed project such as building a new facility or creating a customized information system.

Question 20

The retrospective facilitator should be able to deliver bad news to the project sponsor or senior management without recriminations.

Question 21

Which part of the audit report summarizes risks and issues encountered on the project and how they were addressed?

A) Classification
B) Analysis
C) Recommendations
D) Lessons learned
E) Appendix

Question 22

When performing a retrospective for a project, whoever is performing the retrospective needs to be perceived as being independent and unbiased.

Question 23

When a project starts with a high priority but it is canceled because its rank erodes or crashes during its project life cycle is an example of what type of project closure?

A) Normal
B) Premature
C) Perpetual
D) Failed project
E) Changed priority

Question 24

Project managers should, when possible, draw comparisons to other team members when conducting individual team member reviews.

Question 25

Which of the following summarizes project performance and provides useful information for continuous improvement?

A) Customer acceptance
B) The audit report
C) Team evaluation
D) 360-degree feedback
E) Project summary

Question 26

Which of the following would NOT be appropriate to assess when evaluating team performance?

A) How well the team performed in terms of time, cost, and specifications
B) Effectiveness of group decisions
C) Individual strengths and weaknesses
D) Customer satisfaction with project deliverables
E) Trust among group members

Question 27

This type of closure occurs when the project may never seem to end. At some point the review group should recommend methods for bringing final closure to this type of project. This is considered ___________ closure.

A) normal
B) premature
C) perpetual
D) changed priority
E) failed project

Question 28

Which part of the audit report presents major improvement actions that should be made?

A) Classification
B) Analysis
C) Recommendations
D) Lessons learned
E) Appendix

Question 29

Which part of the audit report is designed to be the most useful on future projects?

A) Classification
B) Analysis
C) Recommendations
D) Lessons learned
E) Appendix

Question 30

The retrospective methodology is more inclusive and disciplined than past lessons learned approaches.

Question 31

Which part of the audit report examines in detail the underlying causes of problems, issues, and successes relative to the project and includes concise, factual review statements of the project?

A) Classification
B) Analysis
C) Recommendations
D) Lessons learned
E) Appendix

Question 32

__________ of lessons learned are designed to improve performance on current and future projects.

A) Retrospectives
B) Corrective action plans
C) Introspectives
D) Culminations
E) Evolutions

Question 33

Which part of the audit report includes backup data or details of analysis that would allow others to follow up if they wished?

A) Classification
B) Analysis
C) Recommendations
D) Lessons learned
E) Appendix

Question 34

The purpose of project evaluation is to assess how well

A) the project team performed.
B) the team members performed.
C) the project manager performed.
D) the project team and team members performed.
E) the project team, team members and project manager performed.

Question 35

Evaluation of project team performance tends to be based on achieving project objectives according to______.

A) time.
B) cost.
C) specifications.
D) customer / end user satisfaction.
E) All of these alternatives are correct.

Question 36

The content of the audit report typically includes the following topics EXCEPT

A) lessons learned.
B) analysis.
C) recommendations.
D) appendix.
E) team reviews.

Question 37

Setting the conditions for the completion and transfer of a project should happen at the beginning of the project close-out phase.

Question 38

When conducting performance reviews of individuals, begin the process by informing him or her what the team has noticed / observed about his performance.

Question 39

Because of circumstances beyond the control of the project team, many projects are easy for a review group to close down. This type of project closure is called

A) normal.
B) premature.
C) perpetual.
D) failed project.
E) changed priority.

Question 40

When the project may be completed early with some parts of the project eliminated this is considered ___________ closure.

A) normal
B) premature
C) perpetual
D) changed priority
E) failed project

Question 41

Armed with information gleaned from one-on-one sessions and other sources, the facilitator __________.

A) writes a retrospective report.
B) submits final questionnaires.
C) leads a team retrospective session.
D) documents lessons learned.
E) assigns an owner to each documented lesson that was learned.

Question 42

The major deliverable when closing out a project that includes a causal analysis and identification of lessons learned is known as

A) wrapping up a project.
B) project audit.
C) evaluation of performance.
D) evaluation of management.
E) lessons learned document.

Question 43

The typical mechanism for the evaluation of teams is normally

A) a survey completed by the team members.
B) a personal interview of each team member.
C) an analysis by an outside consultant.
D) a survey completed by members of top management.
E) a survey completed by the internal or external customers.

Question 44

More and more companies are discarding the traditional superior-subordinate performance feedback process and replacing it with a multi-rater appraisal called

A) critical incidences review.
B) management by objectives.
C) 360-degree feedback.
D) team evaluation survey.
E) retrospectives.

Question 45

The responsibility for completing closure tasks belongs to ______.

A) human resources
B) project office
C) project manager
D) contracts office
E) All of these alternatives are correct.

Question 46

Performance appraisals generally fulfill two functions. The first is to identify individual strengths and weaknesses and to develop action plans for improving performance. The second involves salary or merit adjustments. Why should these two functions be addressed at different times?

A) It is too much information to discuss at once.
B) Employees are so eager to learn about a potential raise that they tend to tune out constructive feedback.
C) Managers tend to spend too much time talking about how the employee can improve his or her performance and not on justifying the salary adjustment.
D) If employees are upset over a salary adjustment, they will be more willing to listening to ways they can improve.
E) If the manager is giving employees good news regarding their salary adjustment, they will not have to discuss the employees' strengths and weaknesses.

Question 47

In organizations where projects are managed within a ____________, the team member's area manager, not the project manager, is responsible for assessing performance.

A) functional organization
B) matrix organization
C) flat organization
D) project organization
E) strong organization

Question 48

When conducting post-project audits, the main tool a facilitator uses is _____.

A) a final copy of the issues log
B) a review session regarding the project scope
C) survey
D) the earned value analysis
E) the customer

Question 49

Each retrospective is assigned a(n) _________, typically a team member who is very interested in and familiar with the retrospective. This individual will serve as the contact point for anyone needing information relating to the retrospective.

A) owner
B) project sponsor
C) project manager
D) project facilitator
E) mediator

Question 50

With the survey information in hand, the closing facilitator visits one-on-one with the _______, the _______ and other stakeholders to dive deeper into cause-effect impacts.

A) product owner, the chief financial officer
B) team leader, project leader
C) team members, project manager
D) project leader, project manager
E) project manager, program

Question 51

Project closures can fall into all of the following categories EXCEPT

A) premature.
B) perpetual.
C) failed.
D) changed priority.
E) successful.

Question 52

In retrospective methodology, a facilitator uses _______ to conduct _____ audits.

A) questionnaires, pre-project
B) customer focus groups, post-project
C) customer focus groups, pre-project
D) questionnaires, post-project
E) All of these alternatives are correct.

Question 53

The following are general tips for conducting performance reviews EXCEPT

A) begin the process by asking the individual to evaluate his or her own contributions to the project.
B) use other team members' performance as a method to compare and evaluate.
C) when you must be critical, focus the criticism on specific examples of behavior and not on the individual personally.
D) be fair and consistent in your treatment of all team members.
E) treat the review as only one point in an ongoing process.

Question 54

The term ______ denotes specific efforts at identifying lessons learned on specific projects, whereas the term ______ was coined in the late 1980s from a research study paid for by the US Government.

A) maturity model, retrospectives.
B) retrospectives, maturity model.
C) project evaluation, retrospectives.
D) retrospectives, project evaluation.
E) project evaluation, maturity model.

Question 55

Obtaining __________ is a major and critical closure activity.

A) a final invoice
B) project deliverables
C) delivery acceptance
D) work unit prioritization
E) final payment

Question 56

A Performance Appraisal generally provides

A) assessment of a team members' efforts.
B) rationale for new assignments.
C) developmental information for a team member.
D) Both assessment of team members' efforts and developmental information.
E) All of these alternatives are correct.

Question 57

For lessons learned to be effective and usable by others a(n) ___________ needs to be assigned to assure it is properly documented and understood.

A) stakeholder
B) owner
C) project manager
D) software developer
E) facilitator

Question 58

Evaluation of team performance tends to be based on achieving project objectives based on achieving project objectives according to all but ____________ .

A) time.
B) cost.
C) specifications (scope).
D) customer / user satisfaction.
E) quality metrics.

Question 59

The following are distinguishing characteristics of retrospectives methodology EXCEPT

A) it uses an independent facilitator.
B) it develops a system that prioritizes information and does so according to who needs to receive it.
C) an owner, typically a team member, is assigned.
D) reviews cannot be linked to percent complete.
E) a repository is developed that is easy to use.

Question 60

A guide who leads the project team through an analysis of project activities that went well and of what needs improvement and aids in the development of a follow-up action plan with goals and accountability is a(n)

A) owner.
B) project sponsor.
C) project manager.
D) project facilitator.
E) mediator.

Question 61

Which of the following is not a major activity associated with project closure?

A) Getting delivery acceptance from the customer.
B) Shutting down resources and releasing to new uses.
C) Returning project players to an 'on the beach' status.
D) Closing accounts and seeing that all bills are paid.
E) Delivering the project to the customer.

Question 62

A delivery tactic for outsourced projects is known as ______, ______, _______, and ________.

A) build, own, operate, transfer
B) buy, test, retest, accommodate customer
C) unit test, regression test, system test, customer test, transfer
D) create, deliver, receive feedback, redeliver
E) create, deliver, customer test, get paid

Question 63

The purpose of all maturity models is to enable organizations to assess their _____ in implementing the best practices in their industry and move to _______.

A) performance, perfection
B) processes, best practices
C) performance, best practices
D) processes, improvement
E) progress, improvement

Question 64

The ________ section of the audit report includes concise and factual review statements of the project, such as project scope objectives, quality objectives, cost objectives, and schedule objectives.

A) analysis
B) classification
C) recommendations
D) lessons learned
E) appendix

Question 65

Compared with the retrospective view of project closure, the traditional audit process

A) is too concerned with individual team member performance.
B) has little interest in the collective performance of the entire team.
C) focuses too much on project success and evaluation.
D) is too concerned with individual team members and has little interest in collective performance of the team.
E) All of these alternatives are correct.

Question 66

At what level of the Project Management Maturity Model does optimization of the Project Management take place?

A) Level 1
B) Level 2
C) Level 3
D) Level 4
E) Level 5

Question 67

Implementing the closure process includes several _______ activities, including getting delivery acceptance from the customer.

A) post-project
B) wrap-up
C) closure
D) final
E) completion

Question 68

At what level of the Project Management maturity model is the project information system fine-tuned; specific and aggregate information is provided to different stakeholders?

A) Level 1
B) Level 2
C) Level 3
D) Level 4
E) Level 5

Question 69

In retrospective methodology a facilitator uses several questionnaires to conduct post-project audits. The facilitator acts as a guide who leads the project team through an analysis of project activities. The facilitator must be perceived as _____ and _____.

A) informed, intelligent
B) experienced, well-trained
C) independent, unbiased
D) experienced, intelligent
E) informed, well-trained

Question 70

At what level of the Project Management Maturity Model does formal application of Project Management take place?

A) Level 1
B) Level 2
C) Level 3
D) Level 4
E) Level 5

Question 71

Usually audit recommendations represent ________.

A) minor process changes that should take place
B) a project team perspective of the project
C) major corrective actions that should take place
D) changes to process best practices
E) a program manager's perspective of the project

Question 72

The organization and project team views are part of what step within the audit process?

A) Step 1: Initiation and Staffing
B) Step 2: Data Collection and Analysis
C) Step 3 Reporting
D) Step 4: Recommendations
E) Step 5: Lessoned Learned

Question 73

Organizations that manage project closure tend to ______ while those that do not have projects that ______.

A) languish, thrive.
B) prosper, drag on forever.
C) never finish, finish eventually.
D) be unsuccessful, thrive.
E) prosper rarely, thrive.

Question 74

A project that finishes within budget, on schedule and with full functionality goes through _____ closure, whereas a project whose technology did not work and got canceled goes through a _______ closure.

A) changed priority, premature
B) perpetual, normal
C) normal, premature
D) perpetual, changed priority
E) normal, failed project

Question 75

Which of the following is not a major deliverable for project closure?

A) Lessons learned document
B) Wrapping up the project
C) Project audit
D) Performance evaluation
E) All of these are major deliverables.

Question 76

The typical mechanism for evaluation of teams is a(n) ________ administered by a consultant.

A) questionnaire
B) interview
C) survey
D) meeting
E) evaluation process

Question 77

Which of the following is not a type of project closure?

A) Perpetual
B) Normal
C) Premature
D) Failed project
E) Canceled project

Question 78

The ________ feedback approach gathers anonymous feedback solicited from others that is compared with the individual's self-evaluations.

A) 360-degree
B) control
C) survey
D) creative
E) managerial

Question 79

The ________ section of the audit report is often technical in nature and focuses on solutions to problems that surfaced.

A) recommendations
B) classification
C) analysis
D) lessons learned
E) appendix

Question 80

At what level of the Project Management Maturity Model does institutionalization of Project Management take place?

A) Level 1
B) Level 2
C) Level 3
D) Level 4
E) Level 5