Mock exam IPMA Level D Open questions Time: 160 minutes This test consists of 31 questions. For this test a maximum of 64 points can be scored. This test will determine 60% of the overall grade.
This test consists of 12 pages including draft sheets.
Instructions: Please fill in your answers in the supplied space following each question. Only answers that are written down in the exam booklet will be awarded points. (Please do not use the margin of the page to write down your answer) If you need extra space for your answer use the extra answer sheet in the back of the exam booklet. Please keep this sheet attached to the exam booklet. Return this exam booklet and all paper you have used for making notes to the test administrator. A correct answer without calculation will not be awarded any points In case a definite number of items items is required according to the question, question, the items that you give exceeding this number will not be awarded any points.
Good luck!
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Project schedule The following are the turnaround times and dependencies of the eight activities of a project. Activity A B C D E F G H
Turnaround time (weeks) 6 4 2 4 4 1 2 1
Depending on activity A B, H D E, G D A
Activities C and F are independent of each other. 2 p.
1
Calculate the total turnaround time of the project. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
2
Which activities are on the critical path? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
3
In which week activity C can start at the earliest? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
4
In which week activity F can start at the latest? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
5
Calculate the float of activity G. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
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Checking and reporting The following table contains data on a project’s subprojects. Subproject A B C D E Total 2 p.
6
Budget Planned until this (man hours) period (man hours) 120 80 40 20 50 25 60 30 130 65 400 220
% completed 50 0 40 60
Spent until this period (man hours) 45 30 0 18 76 169
Calculate the percentage of completed work of subproject A in the case of an earned value of 72. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
7
Calculate the percentage of completed work of the whole project rounded off to one decimal point. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
8
Calculate the cost variance of subproject B in the event of a r ate of € 1.00 per hour.
____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
9
Calculate the amount of manhours that will still have to be spent as regards subproject D. Round off to one decimal point. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
1 p.
10
In the event of a cost variance of two man hours, is subproject E cheaper than, just as expensive as, or more expensive than planned? ____________________________________________________________________________
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Risk management You are the project manager of the Amalia bridge to be completed in 2010 between the continent and an island. One of your suppliers is facing a delay as regards the construction of one of the bridge sections. Transportation is only possible via water. There are two options, namely over sea or via a canal. The transport costs via the canal are € 50,000 and the costs for transport over sea are € 180,000. In the event of late delivery, you will face a certain fine of € 200,000. The chance of you delivering on time via the canal is 10%, and that of over sea is 70%. 4 p.
11
Use a chance/decision tree to determine which option is preferable
____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
Success factors Mary Johnson is happy with her first project, she has just passed her IPMA Level D exam and is looking forward to working on the Efficiency Project. This is a project currently being implemented at the Ministry of Internal Affairs which aim is to reduce the pressure of work through a more efficient method of working, while the underlying desire is to bring about a reduction in personnel. The team Mary is in charge of has four members and each has a clearly defined role. One of the first things the team has to do is to engage in discussions with the managers of the various departments and draw up a list of superfluous staff. 3 p.
12
State three factors which contribute to the possible failure of this project. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
13
State two factors which contribute to the possible success of this project. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
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Project based work Project-based work and improvisation-based work are different in a number of ways. For example project-based work is characterised by a defined beginning and an end, while improvisation-based work is started as quickly as possible without there being any clear end. 4 p.
14
State four other differences between project-based and improvisation-based work. Use the following format for your answer. Project based work
Improvisation based work
Risk management You are employed as a project manager by a renowned fashion designer. He has asked you to organise a fashion show. He wants the show to be held on Monday evening from 7.00 p.m. onwards in a castle with 500 guests attending a grandiose show with lots of artists. The evening has to finish with an impressive fireworks display. It is the first time you have to organise something like this and you soon find out that it is going to be a very complex undertaking. You identify a number of risks and consider taking measures 3 p.
15
Indicate for each measure which type of risk management it concerns. Measure taken In consultation with the client, you decide to drastically limit the number of artists.
Type of risk management
You organise the evening as requested by the client and inform the fashion designer about the risks.
You hire in a number of extra artists as backup in the event that others are unable to make it.
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Project organisation Four organisations offer a project to an external project manager with one quarter of the financing provided by each organisation. They also wish to share the authority for the project between them equally. The project manager has doubts as to whether he can accept the project. 1 p.
16
What problem might arise during this project if the project manager were simply to acc ept the assignment? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
17
State one measure with which the project manager can avoid this problem or can make it manageable. Please give reasons for your answer. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
Assets Company data on company balance sheets are divided into 'assets' and 'liabilities'. 2 p.
18
A
What are the assets of a company?
____________________________________________________________________________
B
Give two examples of assets.
____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
19
A
What are current floating assets?
____________________________________________________________________________
B
Give one example
____________________________________________________________________________
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Contract negotiations With most projects, there is considerable pressure to meet the deadline. Nevertheless, the client and supplier spend a lot of time in the initial phase drawing up a contract. 2 p.
20
What can be done to ensure that an assignment can be started before the contract negotiations have been finished? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
Working group A large company that works in a project-based manner is undergoing a reorganisation and decides to standardise its method of work. A working group under your leadership is assigned the task of compiling a project management handbook that will be used in all divisions. Up to now, each division had its own method of working and handbook. The handbook not only has to serve as a guideline for the project managers but also for all related officials such as controllers and purchasers. Those in central management would actually like to see all clients working in accordance with the handbook in the future. This would make operational management more efficient 2 p.
21
Which representatives from the different departments should participate in your working group? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
4 p.
22
Team formation Indicate which stage of team formation applies to each of the following descriptions. Use the terminology of the Tuckman model. 1
Friction is solved by making agreements.
2
The role of the project leader is being questioned.
3
The work that has to be done is actually being done.
4
None of the team members is taking any initiative.
5
The first friendships are being made.
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Conflict management You have a major difference of opinion with your manager. In your pre vious assessment interview he already blamed you for not accepting things and also for not really learning from your mistakes. Now he repeats the accusations. You believe you are right and that he should stop moaning. According to Thomas and Kilmann, you can use the following approaches to deal with this conflict: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding and accommodating. 2 p.
23
Indicate what the application of each style in this situation would mean and whether it would be appropriate in this conflict. Please give reasons for your answer. Conflict management
Meaning in this conflict
Correct choice?
Competing Collaboration Compromising Avoiding Accommodating
Leadership A project officer who is extremely suitable from the point of view of specialist knowledge for the execution of his task asks his project leader: “Can you explain to me what exactly you expect from me? I am not sure how I sho uld deal with this.” The project leader replies, “I recruited you precisely because you are an expert in this field. I simply expect a working module to be availabl e in two weeks time and you are f ree to decide yourself how you should go about achieving this.” Hersey and Blanchard described various leadership styles 1 p.
24
Which style is the project officer evidently after? _____________________________________________________________________________
1 p.
25
Which style is the project leader apparently using? ____________________________________________________________________________
3 p.
26
Which of the styles, according to Hersey and Blanchard, is most suitable for this employee? Please give reasons for your answer. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
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Communication A differentiation can be made between various levels of communication, including: content, procedure and interaction (relationship). A project manager pays a visit to a project team member, Joe, who has to deliver a complex programming task. The project manager wants to know if it is going to be successful, and also wants to show his interest. He sits down on a chair and says: 'Hi Joe, how are things? Is everything going to plan?' Joe reacts grumpily and without looking up says: 'Not now, don’t you trust me or something. Go and worry someone else.' 1 p.
27
Is Joe communicating at the content level? If yes, what is he communicating? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
1 p.
28
Is Joe communicating something at the procedure level? If yes, what is he communicating? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
1 p.
29
What message is Joe communicating about the relationship with the project leader? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
2 p.
30
How could the project manager react to Joe’s words? Give a literal description of his reaction. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
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Scope of a project A multinational concern is a producer of all types of food products, for which the production and logistics are organised nationally. Factories and sales organisations, therefore, are managed from a national office, whereby each country has its own profit responsibility. There are national organisations worldwide, and the largest regions (Europe, USA and Asia) also have regional offices in Rotterdam, New York and Hong Kong respectively. The marketing activities are spread across all offices. In the RNYHK project, the marketing and sales support is being set up from the head office in Hamburg (Germany) for all the multinational’s products. The marketing is organised in product groups, such as dairy, detergents and then further in specific products, such as milk, cheese, butter. In general, defining the scope related to the content aspects of a project, for example, may take place per subject (e.g.: road transport included, but not air transport). 2 p.
31
Name two other subjects, on the basis of which the scope of project RNYHK can be defined, and provide an example for each subject. Subject
Example
END
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IPMA Open questions draft sheet. Please note the question number with your answer.
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IPMA Open questions draft sheet. Please note the question number with your answer.
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