QUESTION 140
An organization faces immense competition in the market and decides to accelerate a key project. What is the first action for the project risk manager to take?
According to the PMBOKGuide1, the risk management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed. It provides guidance on how the project team will identify, analyze, respond, monitor, and control risks throughout the project life cycle. The risk management plan should be reviewed and updated whenever there are changes in the project scope, schedule, budget, or objectives, as these changes may introduce new risks or affect the existing ones. In this case, the organization’s decision to accelerate a key project is a significant change that may alter the risk profile of the project. Therefore, the first action for the project risk manager to take is to revise the risk management plan to reflect the new situation and ensure that the risk management processes are aligned with the project objectives and constraints. This is part of the Plan Risk Management process in the PMBOK Guide1. References: 1: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKGuide) – Sixth Edition
QUESTION 143
During project execution, a project manager invites the stakeholders to a risk review meeting. During this meeting, a vendor highlights that the mitigation plan for a schedule risk has generated an additional risk.
What should the risk manager do first?
The risk manager should first update the risk register with the new risk identified by the vendor. This will help in keeping track of all the risks associated with the project and facilitate the subsequent planning and management of the risks.
The risk manager should update the new risk in the risk register, which is a project document that records the details of all identified risks, including their description, category, cause, probability, impact, and response strategy. Updating the risk register is the first step to acknowledge the existence of the new risk and to document its characteristics and potential effects on the project objectives. The risk register can then be used as an input for the Plan Risk Responses process, where the risk manager can develop appropriate actions to address the new risk. References: PMI, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Sixth Edition, 2017, p. 397, 441.
QUESTION 144
A project manager identified a risk of communication issues with the client which may impact the project schedule. A member of (he sales team advises that this client prefers face-to- face conversations.
What should the project manager do to avoid this risk?
The project manager should address the communication risk by meeting the client’s preference for face-to- face conversations. This can be achieved by planning face-to-face meetings for critical milestones.
Communication issues with the client are a potential risk that can affect the project scope, schedule, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction. To avoid this risk, the project manager should align the communication methods and preferences with the client’s expectations and needs. If the client prefers face-to-face conversations, the project manager should respect that and meet the client in person whenever possible. This can help build trust, rapport, and clarity between the project manager and the client. The project manager should also plan for critical milestone meetings with the client to review the project progress, deliverables, and feedback. This can help ensure that the project is on track and meets the client’s requirements and satisfaction. References: PMI,
2017. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKGuide) – Sixth Edition. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc., pp. 376-3771
QUESTION 146
During the design phase the project team is exploring various architecture options. After reviewing the results of design pilot, two conflicting infrastructure pieces were identified.
What action should the project manager take?
According to the PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, Section 11.2.1.2, Assumptions Log, an assumption is a factor that is considered to be true, real, or certain without proof or demonstration. Assumptions can affect the project planning and execution, and should be identified, documented, validated, and updated throughout the project life cycle. The assumptions log is an output of the Identify Risks process, and it records the project assumptions and their potential impact, validity, and priority. If the assumptions are found to be invalid or inaccurate, they may introduce new risks or change the existing risk exposure. Therefore, the project manager should update the assumptions log and assess the risk associated with the conflicting infrastructure pieces, and plan appropriate risk responses if needed. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, Section 11.2.1.2, Assumptions Log When conflicting infrastructure pieces are identified, the project manager should update the assumptions log to reflect the new information and assess the risks associated with the conflicting pieces. This allows the project manager to make informed decisions about how to address potential issues and avoid future problems.
(Reference: Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition, Section 11.3)
QUESTION 149
A risk manager for a financial organization is assigned to support a project team in developing a custom software solution to manage loans. Which document should the risk manager request first from the project sponsor to identify major risks?
According to the PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, Chapter 11: Project Risk Management1, the risk manager should request the risk management plan first from the project sponsor to identify major risks. This is because:
* The risk management plan is a document that describes how risk management activities will be planned, structured, and performed throughout the project life cycle. The risk management plan provides guidance and direction for the risk manager and the project team on how to identify, analyze, prioritize, respond, and monitor risks, as well as how to allocate resources, define roles and responsibilities, establish risk categories, and document risk-related information.
* The risk management plan is a key input for the risk identification process, which is the process of determining which risks may affect the project and documenting their characteristics. The risk identification process involves using various tools and techniques, such as brainstorming, interviews, checklists, assumptions and constraints analysis, SWOT analysis, expert judgment, and data gathering, to generate a comprehensive list of potential risks that may impact the project objectives, such as scope, schedule, cost, quality, or stakeholder satisfaction.
* The risk management plan helps the risk manager to identify major risks by providing the following information:
* The risk management strategy, which defines the approach and methodology for managing risks, including the level of detail, rigor, and frequency of the risk management activities, and the alignment with the project management plan and the organization’s policies and procedures.
* The risk thresholds, which specify the acceptable level of risk exposure for the project and its objectives, based on the risk appetite, tolerance, and attitude of the project sponsor and other key stakeholders.
* The risk categories, which are a group of potential causes of risk that can be used to structure and organize the identified risks into a hierarchical structure, such as a risk breakdown structure (RBS). The risk categories can be derived from various sources, such as the project scope statement, the work breakdown structure (WBS), the organizational process assets, or the industry standards and practices.
* The roles and responsibilities, which define the authority and accountability of the project team members and other stakeholders involved in the risk management process, such as the risk manager, the risk owner, the risk committee, the risk auditor, and the risk reviewer.
* The resources, which specify the budget, time, and human resources allocated for the risk management process, as well as the tools, techniques, and software applications that will be used to support the risk management activities.
* The communication and reporting, which describe the type, format, content, frequency, and distribution of the risk-related information and reports that will be shared among the project team and other stakeholders, such as the risk register, the risk report, the risk dashboard, and the risk audit report.
* The other options are not the best documents to request first from the project sponsor to identify major risks because:
* The clients’ credit scores are a specific type of data that can be used to assess the credit risk of the loans, but they do not provide a comprehensive view of all the potential risks that may affect the project, such as technical, operational, legal, regulatory, or market risks.
* The organization’s mission and vision are high-level statements that describe the purpose, values, and goals of the organization, but they do not provide specific guidance or direction on how to manage risks for the project, such as the risk management strategy, methodology, or tools.
* The historical data from the credit portfolio are a source of information that can be used to analyze the past performance and trends of the loans, but they do not reflect the current or future uncertainties and opportunities that may impact the project, such as changes in customer behavior, technology, competition, or regulation.
References:
* PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, Chapter 11: Project Risk Management1
* Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Exam Cert Guide2
QUESTION 150
A supplier Is delayed in delivering fuel for a project. The project manager anticipated this risk and is requesting fuel from another supplier. When speaking with the other supplier, a new risk appears because fulfilling the order will cause delays with several other projects.
After performing a detailed analysis, what should the risk manager do?
According to the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)®Examination Content Outline1, one of the tasks in the domain of Risk Response is to execute the approved risk response plan in accordance with project guidelines and procedures1. A risk response plan is a component of the project management plan that describes the agreed-upon and funded actions to address the project risks, both positive and negative2. In this scenario, the risk manager should execute the approved risk response plan to deal with the new risk that appears when requesting fuel from another supplier, which will cause delays with several other projects. The risk response plan should have been developed and approved during the risk response planning process, which involves selecting and prioritizing the appropriate risk strategies and actions for each risk3. The risk response plan should also be aligned with the project guidelines and procedures, which are the rules and directions that define the project’s scope, schedule, cost, quality, and other aspects4. The risk manager should not escalate the problem to the project sponsors, because that is not a risk response strategy, but rather a way to seek higher-level authority or support for a risk that is outside the project’s scope or influence5. The risk manager should not negotiate with the supplier to resolve the problem, because that is not a risk response strategy, but rather a procurement management technique that involves reaching a mutually acceptable agreement with the supplier on the terms and conditions of the contract6. The risk manager should not assign a team member to update the issue log, because that is not a risk response strategy, but rather a risk monitoring and reporting technique that involves tracking and documenting the issues that have occurred or are currently affecting the project7. References: 1: PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)®Examination Content Outline, page 102: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKGuide) – Sixth Edition, page
4143: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKGuide) – Sixth Edition, page
4404: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKGuide) – Sixth Edition, page 385:
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKGuide) – Sixth Edition, page 4376: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKGuide) – Sixth Edition, page 4717: What Is an Issue Log? Templates & Tips7.
