PMI Updated PMI-RMP Exam Questions and Answers by dominik

Variance analysis is a method used to compare planned project performance against actual performance. Since the project sponsor has requested a performance report for the entire 10-year initiative, variance analysis would allow the risk manager to identify discrepancies between what was planned and what has been achieved over the course of the project. This analysis is crucial for understanding performance trends, cost deviations, schedule variations, and overall project health.

PMI's guidelines support the use of variance analysis in performance reporting as it provides insights into how well the project is adhering to its planned budget, schedule, and scope​​.

A low CPI value (0.53) indicates that the project is over budget. This may be due to an inaccurate cost baseline, which means the initial budget estimation was not correct. This would not necessarily mean that cost control processes are ineffective, actual reported costs are inaccurate, or cost-related risks are effectively managed.

The CPI value is calculated by dividing the earned value (EV) by the actual cost (AC). A CPI value of less than 1 indicates that the project is over budget, meaning that the actual cost is higher than the planned cost. A low CPI value can have several possible causes, such as poor estimation, scope creep, change requests, or inaccurate reporting. However, in this case, the SPI value is greater than 1, which indicates that the project is ahead of schedule, meaning that the earned value is higher than the planned value. This suggests that the cost baseline, which is derived from the planned value, is inaccurate and does not reflect the true cost of the work. Therefore, the risk manager should interpret such a low CPI value as a sign of an inaccurate cost baseline, and not as a result of ineffective cost control processes, inaccurate actual costs, or effective cost related risk management. References: PMI-RMP® Certification Handbook1, page 9; PMBOK® Guide, page 267.

According to the PMI-RMP Exam Content Outline1, one of the domains of the PMI-RMP certification is risk monitoring and reporting. This domain includes tasks such as “monitor and report on risk metrics and trends”, “monitor the status of risk response activities and update risk register and risk report accordingly”, and “monitor and control project contingency and management reserves”. These tasks imply that the risk manager should regularly check and report on the status of risks identified according to their prioritization (B), monitor the status and oversee execution of the risk response plan for each identified risk ©, and ensure management reserves are sufficient to cover the mitigation plans for all identified risks (D). These actions will help the risk manager to ensure the risk management plan remains effective during the project timeframe. Therefore, the best answers are B, C, and D.

According to the PMBOK Guide, one of the tools and techniques for the identify risks process is data gathering. Data gathering is the process of collecting information from various sources to identify potential risks that may affect the project objectives. Some of the data gathering techniques are brainstorming, interviews, checklists, assumption and constraint analysis, and document analysis1. To conduct a risk identification exercise using data gathering techniques, the risk manager should take the following actions:

Arrange a team meeting, review the project’s scope, and discuss dependency mapping. This action can help the risk manager to facilitate a brainstorming session with the project team and other subject matter experts, where they can generate a list of potential risks based on the project scope and the dependencies among the project activities. Dependency mapping is a technique that helps to identify the relationships and interdependencies among the project components, such as tasks, resources, deliverables, and stakeholders2. By reviewing the project scope and discussing the dependency mapping, the risk manager can ensure that the risk identification exercise covers all the relevant aspects of the project and does not miss any important risk sources.

Ensure that all the relevant stakeholders participate. This action can help the risk manager to obtain different perspectives and insights from the stakeholders who have different roles, interests, and expectations in the project. Stakeholders are individuals or groups who can affect or be affected by the project outcomes. They may have valuable information, experience, or expertise that can help to identify potential risks that may not be obvious to the project team. By ensuring that all the relevant stakeholders participate in the risk identification exercise, the risk manager can increase the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the risk identification process and foster stakeholder engagement and buy-in1. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 397-399, 414-4151; Mastering the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Exam, page 70