Module 1: Introduction to project execution
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In this post, I provide complete, accurate, and detailed explanations for the answers to Module 1: Introduction to project execution of Course 4: Project Execution: Running the Project – Google Project Management: Professional Certificate.
Whether you’re preparing for quizzes or brushing up on your knowledge, these insights will help you master the concepts effectively. Let’s dive into the correct answers and detailed explanations for each question!
Test your knowledge: Project tracking
Practice Quiz
1. How does tracking and measuring progress benefit a project? Select all that apply.
- Builds confidence that the project will finish on time, in scope, and within budget
- Makes project information transparent
- Disregards new risks so the team can focus on current tasks
- Helps team members and stakeholders stay on top of deadlines and goals
Explanation:
Tracking and measuring progress keeps the team informed, builds trust in the project’s success, and ensures accountability for deadlines and goals. “Disregards new risks” is incorrect because risk management is essential throughout the project.
2. Which items should you track throughout the project execution phase? Select all that apply.
- Individual team members’ schedules
- Key decisions and changes to the project
- Project costs
- Progress toward milestones
Explanation:
Tracking key decisions, costs, and milestone progress ensures the project stays on track. “Individual team members’ schedules” is less relevant because it focuses more on personal management than overall project execution.
3. Which of the following are tools for tracking project progress? Select all that apply.
- Gantt charts
- Burndown charts
- Roadmaps
- RACI charts
Explanation:
These tools are widely used for tracking progress. Gantt charts visualize timelines, burndown charts monitor work completion, and roadmaps show project phases. “RACI charts” are not tools for tracking progress; they clarify roles and responsibilities instead.
4. Which of the following are common components of a project status report? Select all that apply.
- Costs
- Roles and responsibilities
- Status
- Milestones and tasks
- Summary
- Issues
Explanation:
A status report provides an overview of the project’s current state, including financial information, progress updates, and challenges. “Roles and responsibilities” are typically part of the project plan, not the status report.
Test your knowledge: Project tracking
Practice Quiz
5. Imagine that a restaurant supplier has been asked to develop a new dessert for their client, a popular restaurant chain. Even though they are not contractually required to do so, the project team from the restaurant supplier decides to get the client to approve the recipe for the dessert before beginning development on it. From the restaurant supplier’s perspective, what two dependencies does this scenario demonstrate?
- Internal dependency
- Mandatory dependency
- External dependency
- Discretionary dependency
Explanation:
- External dependency: This refers to a dependency on a client or external entity (the restaurant chain’s approval).
- Discretionary dependency: This is a dependency based on best practices or a team’s choice (getting the recipe approved despite it not being contractually required).
6. What steps help project managers manage dependencies? Select all that apply.
- Proper identification
- Group dependencies by cost
- Compare dependencies with competitors
- Record dependencies
- Continuous monitoring and control
- Efficient communication
Explanation:
- Identifying, recording, and monitoring dependencies ensures they are tracked and managed effectively.
- Efficient communication helps keep stakeholders informed and ensures alignment.
7. Imagine you are a project manager working on a large campaign for a public relations (PR) firm. One of the designers you have contracted with has pulled out of the project at the last minute, requiring your in-house design team to take on more work while you search for a replacement. What type of project change does this represent?
- New or changing dependencies
- Scope creep
- Changing priorities
- Capacity and people available
- Force majeure
- Budget or resource limitation
Explanation:
This scenario reflects a change in the availability of resources (the contracted designer), which impacts the capacity of the team and requires adjustments.
8. You and your stakeholders will use change request forms to stay on top of and manage changes. What information should be included in these forms? Select all that apply.
- The expected outcome of the discussion
- An in-depth proposal for the necessary changes
- Background information
- Similar changes on past projects
- A short description of the current situation
Explanation:
These components provide a clear understanding of the change, its context, and its justification, helping stakeholders make informed decisions.
Activity: Put together a ROAM analysis
Practice Quiz
9. Some customers called to cancel their subscription despite your team’s best efforts. How do you categorize this issue?
- Resolved
- Owned
- Accepted
- Mitigated
Explanation:
When an issue cannot be fully resolved or mitigated despite the team’s best efforts, it is categorized as “Accepted.” This means the team acknowledges the issue but chooses not to take further action.
10. There are not enough delivery drivers to ensure all Plant Pals orders are delivered on time. You ask your HR Specialist to hire more drivers. How do you categorize this issue?
- Resolved
- Owned
- Accepted
- Mitigated
Explanation:
When action is assigned to a team member or department (e.g., HR hiring more drivers), the issue is categorized as “Owned.” This means it is being actively addressed and monitored.
11. Some plants are being delivered late. Your team reassessed delivery routes to make them more efficient. This has reduced the number of late deliveries, but not eliminated the problem. How do you categorize this issue?
- Resolved
- Owned
- Accepted
- Mitigated
Explanation:
Mitigation involves reducing the impact or likelihood of an issue. Since the delivery routes were reassessed to improve efficiency, the problem has been mitigated, though not fully resolved.
12. You discover that 10% of Plant Pals orders are not potted properly. In which of the following scenarios is this issue resolved?
- The Warehouse Operations Manager makes a plan to update the potting process.
- The warehouse team updated the potting process and there have been no issues for two weeks.
- You decide that 10% is a reasonable amount of poorly potted plants, so you take no further action.
- You assigned your Warehouse Operations Manager to handle the issue as soon as possible.
Explanation:
An issue is resolved when corrective actions have been taken, and the problem no longer occurs. The absence of potting issues for two weeks indicates the issue has been effectively resolved.
Module 1 Challenge
Practice Quiz
13. What is project tracking?
- A method for responding to project risks.
- A method for assessing project successes and areas for improvement.
- A method for following the progress of a project’s activities.
- A method for reaching agreement among stakeholders on project scope.
14. Which five items should you track throughout the project execution phase?
- Project costs
- Key tasks and activities
- Project goals
- Progress toward milestones
- Action items
- Project schedule
15. Which tracking method is best for teams with a lot of people and projects with many tasks or milestones that are dependent on one another?
- Roadmap
- Project status report
- Gantt chart
- Burndown chart
16. Which tool is most useful near the end of a project, when meeting deadlines is the top priority?
- Burndown chart
- Roadmap
- Gantt chart
- Probability and impact matrix
17. Imagine that an aerospace company builds a new line of passenger jets. Increased raw material costs cause the company to spend more on aluminum than planned. Which of the triple constraints does this change impact the most?
- Timeline
- Scope
- Budget
18. Imagine a home improvement chain develops a new line of power tools. One of the designers wants to adopt a new process that will simplify the team’s workflow. Which method should they use to convey their idea to team members and stakeholders?
- Gantt chart
- Escalation email
- Change request form
- Risk register
19. Imagine that a toy company is known for making a popular doll, but their design team decides to test out a new material for the doll’s clothes before beginning a new batch. This test has what two types of dependencies?
- External dependency
- Discretionary dependency
- Internal dependency
- Mandatory dependency
20. What is the process of identifying risks and issues that could impact a project, and taking steps to address their potential effects?
- Risk management
- Dependency management
- Project tracking
- Escalation
21. What should you do in an escalation email? Select all that apply.
- Explain the problem.
- Make a request.
- State your connection to the project.
- Be serious and assert authority.
22. What can project managers do to keep trench war disagreements from bringing projects to a standstill?
- Send an escalation email
- Assess risk exposure
- Apply the ROAM technique
- Rely on the project roadmap
23. Which of the following categories are part of the ROAM technique?
- Restored, organized, allocated, and managed
- Resolved, owned, accepted, and mitigated
- Restored, organized, accepted, and managed
- Resolved, owned, allocated, and mitigated
24. Project managers should track the details of their projects to be transparent and manage risks as they arise. What is another benefit of tracking in project management?
- It decreases the overall cost of the project.
- It helps the overall project stay on schedule.
- It increases the number of tasks completed.
- It keeps team members competitive.
25. A project manager closely tracks the hours and pay rate of a writer contracting on an ongoing project. What item are they tracking?
- Project costs
- Key tasks
- Project schedule
- Action items
26. A stakeholder wants you to create a chart with a granular breakdown of each task and the time remaining to complete the tasks. What type of chart can you present to them?
- Gantt chart
- Project status report
- Burndown chart
- Roadmap
27. A burndown chart tracks time and amount of remaining tasks. What data is typically represented on the graph's X-axis, the horizontal axis?
- Remaining time on the project
- Remaining tasks on the project
- Calculation of the sum of tasks
- Assigned roles for the project
28. A software company builds an application to track employee satisfaction. The client wants to add three new features to the homepage of the application. Which of the triple constraints does this change impact the most?
- Timeline
- Scope
- Budget
29. Which of the following methods can be used to communicate change to stakeholders during a project? Select all that apply.
- Change request form
- Project charter
- Work breakdown structure
- Escalation email
30. What should a project manager do first in order to incorporate dependency management into a project effectively?
- Schedule regular meetings with the team members
- Create a risk register for the dependencies
- Identify all possible dependencies and categorize them
- Communicate updates with stakeholders
31. Imagine that a project manager creates a matrix with two variables: risk impact and probability. They use the matrix to measure potential future losses to a project resulting from specific activities or events. What is the project manager trying to determine?
- Risk management
- Risk dependencies
- Risk exposure
- Risk appetite
32. Three team members on your project cannot agree on an implementation for a key task. How can you ensure a decision is made in time?
- Adjust the timeline for the project due to the delay
- Escalate the question to leadership for feedback
- Make a guess to the best of your knowledge and implement
- Give the team members more time to make a decision
33. How can escalation benefit a project? Select all that apply.
- Makes external dependencies trackable
- Speeds up decision-making
- Provides checks and balances
- Encourages team participation
34. Imagine you are managing a project that hits a major milestone early, putting the team ahead of schedule. This alters the project plan’s original course of action. What is the name for this type of event?
- A risk
- A deviation
- An issue
- A reset
35. What should project managers track to ensure the team meets deadlines?
- Track costs to avoid over- or under-spending on project activities.
- Track stakeholder engagement to ensure they are aligned on project goals.
- Track tasks as they progress and as the project approaches key milestones.
- Track project successes and celebrate achievements with the team.
36. Which tracking method is most useful when project managers need a way to track big milestones in a project?
- Gantt chart
- Project status report
- Roadmap
- Burndown chart
37. Imagine that a client wants to add an auction of donated items to a fundraising event. The project manager is currently executing the project for a dinner and short concert. Which of the triple constraints does this change impact the most?
- Timeline
- Budget
- Scope
38. You brainstorm with your team members to identify and list the events that might delay the project. What type of document are you creating in this scenario?
- Impact Matrix
- Risk register
- Task List
- Risk Matrix
39. During a project you are managing, a major disaster shuts down the design facility. What is this type of event called?
- A start
- A risk
- A deviation
- An changelog
40. What item should you track during the project execution phase to ensure the project successfully moves towards its completion date?
- Retrospective notes
- Team performances
- Project proposal
- Project schedule
41. You manage a project with multiple milestones dependent on each other. One team must hit these milestones before another team can begin their tasks. What type of chart can you use to track this project?
- Roadmap
- Burndown chart
- Project status report
- Gantt chart
42. How does a roadmap differ from a burndown chart?
- A roadmap tracks big milestones and includes a high-level project overview; a burndown chart measures time against the amount of work completed and remaining.
- A roadmap is useful for large projects with many dependencies; a burndown chart tracks big milestones and includes a high-level project overview.
- A roadmap tracks big milestones and includes a high-level project overview; a burndown chart is useful for large projects with many dependencies.
- A roadmap measures time against the amount of work completed and remaining; a burndown chart tracks big milestones and includes a high-level project overview.
43. During a project’s execution phase, what type of event does scope creep signify?
- Milestone
- Task
- Concern
- Risk
44. Imagine that a restaurant is moving to a new location and must pass a government health inspection before it can open. What type of dependency is the inspection? Select all that apply.
- External dependency
- Mandatory dependency
- Discretionary dependency
- Internal dependency
45. What tool can project managers use to calculate risk exposure and prioritize risks using high, medium, and low rankings?
- Probability and impact matrix
- Mitigation plan
- Risk register
- ROAM technique
46. Which term refers to the process of enlisting leadership or management to remove an obstacle, clarify or reinforce priorities, and validate next steps?
- Escalation
- Risk management
- Elevation
- Risk exposure
47. During the project, two members of your team settle on a decision for the project, which will negatively impact the project outcome. What issue does this represent?
- Risk appetite
- Bad compromises
- Trench wars
- Mid agreement
48. As a project manager, you’re implementing the ROAM technique for a new risk. You work with stakeholders and team members to formulate a plan to lessen the impact the risk will have on the project. Which ROAM category is this risk now in?
- Resolved
- Owned
- Accepted
- Mitigated
49. Why should project managers track changes, dependencies, and risks throughout a project?
- Keep teams aligned on how to ensure project success
- Determine who made tracking mistakes during the retrospective
- Help prepare for the next project
- Demonstrate the importance of accepting change
50. Which tool provides an overview of a project’s common elements, summarizes them as a snapshot, and communicates project status to the team and stakeholders in a centralized place?
- Gantt chart
- Burndown chart
- Project status report
- Roadmap
51. A team starts a new project to launch a website. The first task is to create the designs of the webpage. The second task is to develop the web pages based on the designs. What type of dependency does this indicate?
- Discretionary dependency
- External dependency
- Mandatory dependency
- Internal dependency
52. Under what conditions should you send an escalation email? Select all that apply.
- Key stakeholders need to sign off on a final decision.
- A problem inconveniences the core project team, but they resolve it themselves.
- A project team member identifies a potential risk that may have an impact in several months.
- A problem leads to major changes in budget or timeline.
53. What common problems can a project manager avoid by escalating an issue? Select all that apply.
- Trench wars
- Risk appetite
- Force majeure
- Misdirected compromises
54. In the ROAM technique, what does it mean to resolve a risk?
- To classify a risk as addressed because it no longer creates a problem
- To give a team member ownership over a certain risk and entrust them to handle it
- To understand and accept a risk for what it is because it cannot be resolved
- To reduce the impact of a risk or the likelihood the risk will occur
55. As a project manager, you regularly send progress reports out to team members and stakeholders. These reports make the project progress transparent to all involved. What project management activity could these progress reports be a part of?
- Assessing Risks
- Tracking
- Resetting
- Documenting
56. What type of chart will you create to represent tasks with multiple dependencies?
- Roadmap
- Gantt chart
- Probability and impact matrix
- Burndown chart
57. A software company builds an application to track employee satisfaction. A contractor delays the completion of a key task. Which of the triple constraints does this change impact the most?
- Scope
- Timeline
- Budget
58. When writing an escalation email, you open the email with “I hope you all had a great, long weekend.” Which of the five keys to writing a strong escalation email is this an example of?
- Maintain a friendly tone
- Explain the consequences
- Make a request
- Explain the issue
59. Which of the following items should a project manager include in a change request form for a project team? Select all that apply.
- Teams involved
- Retrospective summary
- Project name
- Original project proposal
60. Which of the following steps are part of dependency management? Select all that apply.
- Continuous monitoring and control
- Recording dependencies
- Eliminating dependencies
- Efficient communication
61. What tool can project managers use to calculate risk exposure and prioritize risks using high, medium, and low rankings?
- Probability and impact matrix
- Risk register
- ROAM technique
- Mitigation plan
62. When writing an escalation email, you describe how the current obstacle will delay the project in the next phase. Which of the five keys to writing a strong escalation email is this an example of?
- Make a request
- Explain the consequences
- Maintain a friendly tone
- Explain the issue
63. Two team members in your project cannot seem to come to an agreement on a new design feature. What common issue does this represent in project management?
- Bad compromises
- Trench wars
- Risk appetite
- Trade-off agreement
64. In the ROAM technique, what does it mean to accept a risk?
- To reduce the impact of a risk or the likelihood the risk will occur
- To give a team member ownership over a certain risk and entrust them to handle it
- To classify a risk as addressed because it no longer creates a problem
- To agree nothing will be done about a risk
65. During the execution phase, an issue arises that will cause the project's costs to overrun the budget. How can the project manager address the issue?
- Ask your team to work more hours to meet timelines
- Document the issue and move forward
- Make a mental note to discuss in the retrospective
- Escalate the issue to leadership
66. As a project manager, you ensure the team is accomplishing the necessary tasks to hit target dates along the way. What item are you tracking?
- Progress towards milestone
- Team members planned PTO
- Project proposal
- Stakeholder options
67. During the project execution phase, what chart can you use to illustrate how a project should evolve over time to your stakeholders and team members?
- Burndown chart
- Roadmap
- Project status report
- Gantt chart
68. How does a change request form differ from an escalation email?
- Change request forms help teams manage proposed changes; escalation emails enlist leadership to remove obstacles, reinforce priorities, and validate next steps
- Change request forms enlist leadership to manage proposed changes; escalation emails help teams remove obstacles, reinforce priorities, and validate next steps
- Change request forms help teams remove obstacles, reinforce priorities, and validate next steps; escalation emails enlist leadership to manage proposed changes
- Change request forms enlist leadership to remove obstacles, reinforce priorities, and validate next steps; escalation emails help teams manage proposed changes
Related contents:
Module 2: Quality management and continuous improvement
Module 3: Data-informed decision-making
Module 4: Leadership and influencing skills
Module 5: Effective project communication
Module 6: Closing a project
