Project Constraints and Influences

This chapter is from the book

CompTIA Project+ Cert Guide: Exam PK0-004

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This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book 

CompTIA Project+ Cert Guide: Exam PK0-004

Learn More Buy

This chapter covers the following topics:

• Understand the various constraint variables throughout the project: Constraints include cost, scope, time and scheduling, deliverables, quality, environment, resources, and requirements.

• Understand the various influences on constraints throughout the project: Project influences include change requests, scope creep, constraint reprioritization, interaction between constraints, stakeholders/sponsors/management influences, and influences by other projects.

Constraints limit projects in important ways, such as defining the project’s scope and available resources. However, constraints are not always fixed in stone; they can be affected by events that occur while the project is underway. Project influences, such as a budget increase or a sponsor’s interest in expanding the project, can also require changes to the project’s constraints. This chapter examines how constraints—and changes in those constraints—affect the project.

This chapter covers the following objective for the Project+ exam:

2.1 Given a scenario, predict the impact of various constraint variables and influences throughout the project.

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz

The “Do I Know This Already?” quiz allows you to assess whether you should read this entire chapter thoroughly or jump to the “Exam Preparation Tasks” section. If you are in doubt about your answers to these questions or your own assessment of your knowledge of the topics, read the entire chapter. Table 7-1 lists major headings in this chapter and their corresponding “Do I Know This Already?” quiz questions. You can find the answers in Appendix A, “Answers to the ‘Do I Know This Already?’ Quizzes and Review Questions.”

Table 7-1 “Do I Know This Already?” Foundation Topics Section-to-Question Mapping

1. Which constraint is most strongly affected if a project team member will have a higher rate of pay than originally estimated?

   1. quality

   2. time

   3. scope

   4. cost

2. Which of the following project changes would mainly affect the project’s scope?

   1. A new requirement for a web application is approved.

   2. A new team member is acquired.

   3. The lab will not be available until next quarter.

   4. The materials needed are only available during the spring season.

3. Which constraint is most strongly affected if a project team member can complete tasks at a faster rate than estimated?

   1. quality

   2. time

   3. scope

   4. cost

4. Three months into a project, one of the stakeholders wants to add a new feature to the application currently in development. The project sponsor approves this request and expands the project budget. Of which influence is this an example?

   1. triple constraint

   2. constraint reprioritization

   3. scope creep

   4. change request

5. Which of the following is an example of scope creep?

   1. A data center project is $100,000 over budget and six months behind schedule due to the project sponsor’s requesting 10 additional server racks.

   2. A company has recently experienced financial troubles and requested project budget cuts that result in a lengthened schedule. When originally started, the project needed to be completed as quickly as possible.

   3. The project sponsor for a new construction project requests that fiber-optic cabling be installed instead of CAT 6 cabling. This request is approved.

   4. A project stakeholder requests that a new clothing line be manufactured using only products made in the United States. This request is approved.

6. During what project phase are constraints first established?

   1. Initiating

   2. Planning

   3. Executing

   4. Monitoring and Controlling

7. If a change to a constraint is necessary, what should the project manager do?

   1. Make appropriate changes in the schedule via the work breakdown structure.

   2. Write the new requirements into the communication plan.

   3. Obtain approval from the project sponsor via the change control process.

   4. Document the changes in the transition/integration plan.

8. Which factors are referred to as the triple constraint?

   1. scope, time, cost

   2. resources, time, scope

   3. time, requirements, quality

   4. cost, resources, quality

9. Which of the following does not describe a project constraint?

   1. If your organization’s product is not released within five months, a major competitor will be first to market with a similar product.

   2. The project must include on-site training for the customer’s staff, to be delivered three weeks in advance of project closure.

   3. The materials cost cannot exceed 10% of the budget.

   4. The product must run on the customer’s existing point-of-sale terminals.

10. Which of the following describes an interaction between constraints?

    1. The sponsor wants to increase the budget and use a more expensive material. The sponsor asks the project manager to assess the impact of these changes on the timeline.

    2. A newly passed regulation requires an ongoing project to meet additional safety standards. The project manager allocates another month for testing and reschedules the prototype approval meeting.

    3. Because project B has a higher business priority, a senior manager requests that a key resource spend 70% of his time on project B and only 30% on project A.

    4. A team member submits a brochure to the client for approval. The client asks the team member to digitally retouch the executive staff’s headshots before printing the brochure.