Take your PMP test prep to the next level with this simple technique for deconstructing the PMP Exam Question.

1. THE PROJECT MANAGERS COOKBOOK Volume 2
FIRST EDITION
THE KITCHEN IS NUCLEAR
ALIGNED WITH THE PMBOK GUIDE, 5TH EDITION
THE PMP WHISPERER

2. The Project Manager’s Cookbook Process Themes
Deconstructing
The PMBOK
Chapter 5
Test Question

3. The PMI PMP Exam is not and will never be your friendly neighborhood multiple choice exam. At 50 questions per hour,
for 4 hours, the exam tests the test takers endurance, reading comprehension ability, concept recognition, fault
identification skills, proper sequencing of process steps, and most importantly their level of confidence.
There are many PMP Exam questions which contain similar choices, A tactic which opens the door to the possibility of
multiple “true” choices. This requires the test taker to understand where they are at on the Project Management Process
Group and Knowledge Area Map in order to quickly eliminate the wrong choices and identify the only “true” choice.
A truth in choice does not always correlate to the correct answer. Many PMP questions test the students ability to identify
all the wrong choices which within a double negative scenario means eliminating the one true choice in order to identify the
correct answer for that particular scenario. Try four hours of that and then attempt to have a normal day.
Utilizing the PMP Whisperer’s question deconstruction technique leads to clarity and efficiency during the pre-test
preparation period (2-weeks), arming the PMP certification candidiate with absolute confidence.
INTRODUCTION

4. Whisper Note
 Acknowledge that the
right answer is on the
screen. The test is
actually evaluating
your ability to quickly
identify the wrong
answers
Whisper Note
 When there are
multiple potential
correct choices
identify the choice
that satisfies the
single concept the
question is related to
Whisper Note
 Align the question
with the available
choices via a common
statement. Select the
answer that makes the
statement true
Whisper Note
 Go to the call. Try to
answer the question
without reading
further or looking at
the choices. If you
know the answer
locate it in the list of
choices
Whisper Note
 Know what each
multiple choice
question is asking.
 Evaluate each answer
to the multiple choice
question.
 Eliminate the obvious
wrong answer ASAP
Whisper Note
 Always start the
answer selection by
working from D
through A. Select the
answer that is the
most logically correct
MAKING THE INTANGIBLE TANGIBLE
Whisper Note
 Follow the single
question single
concept writing
pattern. Correctly
identify the situation
and its place within
the sequence of events

5. 1. ID The Knowledge Area
2. ID The Process Group
3. ID The Process
4. ID The ITTO’s
5. Is it a Plan, Baseline, or Document
6. ID The Concept & Sequence of Events
Deconstructing the Question
1 2
3 4
5 6

6. During which project management process group might a Rough Order of
Magnitude (ROM) estimate be created?Question #1

7. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 The ROM is a top down
estimating technique
related to cost estimating
 Cost estimating occurs
within the Project Cost
Management Knowledge
Area
2. The Process Groups
 Cost estimates which
range from ROM’s,
budget estimates, and
definitive estimates, are
created within the
Planning Process Group
3. The Process
 Cost Estimates are
created within the
Estimate Costs Process
4. ITTO’s
 The ROM estimate is
an output of the
Estimate Costs Process
and is captured within
Activity Cost Estimate
(ACE) document
5. PBD
 The ROM ACE is a
project document and
identifies the
estimators educated
guess of cost when
utilizing limited or
historical information
6. The Concept
 The ROM concept
tests the students
understanding of why
and when estimates
increase in accuracy as
a project progresses
through its lifecycle
TAKE BREAKS
DURING THE EXAM

8. Who is responsible for determining the priority of projects within a company?Question #2

9. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 The timing of project
prioritizing and selection
occurs outside the
boundaries of project
management
2. The Process Groups
 The prioritizing of
projects is conducted by
senior leadership and
occurs prior to and after
the selection of projects
(continuous)
3. The Process
 There is no PMBOK
process that produces a
selected project as an
output.
4. ITTO’s
 Project prioritization
occurs outside of the
47 PMBOK processes
and is typically set and
re-assessed by senior
leadership
5. PBD
 Project prioritization is
not a formal PMBOK
plan, document, or
baseline
6. The Concept
 Strategic objectives
are established during
the strategic planning
process.
 Project prioritization
occurs as a result of
the senior leaderships
progression through
tactical and
operational planning
TAKE BREAKS
DURING THE EXAM

10. Question #3
The activity “ship container” in your network diagram has an early start date
of 17, a late start date of 22 and a late finish date of 37. What is the activity
duration?

11. PREPARATION
EQUALS SUCCESS
1. The Knowledge
Areas
 An activities duration can
be determined utilizing
the AON PDM which
supports the creation of
Schedule Network
Diagrams in the Project
Time Management
Knowledge Area
2. The Process Groups
 The Critical Path
Method technique is
utilized in the Planning
Process Group
3. The Process
 Activity early and late
start dates are
configured in the
Develop Project
Schedule Process
4. ITTO’s
 The Critical Path
Method (CPM) is a
technique in the
Develop Project
Schedule Process
5. PBD
The Critical Path is used to
create the Project Schedule
Network Diagram
document
6. The Concept
 The early and late
start dates can be
utilized with the late
finish date to
determine the early
finish date as the
variance between the
EF and LF dates is the
same as the variance
between the ES and LS
dates
 From here the activity
duration can be
calculated

12. Question #4
Activity “A” has an optimistic duration of 17 days, a most likely duration of 22
days, and a pessimistic duration of 33 days. What is the activities Standard
Deviation?

13. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 Activity Duration
Estimating occurs within
the Project Time
Management Knowledge
Area
2. The Process Groups
 Activity Duration
Estimating occurs within
the Planning Process
Group
3. The Process
 Activity duration
estimating occurs within
the Estimate Activity
Durations Process
4. ITTO’s
 PMBOK
acknowledges that the
PERT technique yields
the most accurate
Standard Deviation for
a range of estimates
5. PBD
The Standard Deviation for
a range of estimates is
neither a Plan, Baseline, or
Document
6. The Concept
 The PERT technique
uses three data points
(P, (4)ML, O) in order
to generate six
estimates which are
used to determine the
Standard Deviation.
Weighting the Most
Likely accounts for the
normal distribution of
random data and
minimizes the impact
of padding due to an
inflated Standard
Deviation
PROPER PREPARATION
EQUALS SUCCESS

14. Question #5
A major scope change has been formally proposed to the project team. The
next step the project manager should take is to?

15. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 Formal Change Control
occurs within the Project
Integration Knowledge
Area
2. The Process Groups
 Formal change control
occurs in the Monitor &
Control Process Group
3. The Process
 Formal change control
occurs within the
Perform Integrated
Change Control Process
4. ITTO’s
 The Project Managers
role in Formal Change
Control of a large
project is captured
within his/her Expert
Judgment
5. PBD
 The Project Managers
official position on the
change request is
documented in the
Change Log (Formal
Document)
6. The Concept
 The project managers
responsibilities are:
• #1 - Log the request
• #2 - Prevent
unnecessary change
through the formal
documentation of their
opinion
• #3 - Provide impact
• #4 - Deliver any viable
alternatives to the
CCB
START AT ANSWER
CHOICE “D” AND
WORK YOUR WAY UP
THERE CAN BE TWO
CORRECT ANSWERS
ONE MORE CORRECT
THAN THE OTHERS

16. Question #6 Which of the following techniques is used to evaluate the degree to which the data
about risks is useful for risk management?

17. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 The evaluation of risk
information occurs within
the Project Risk
Management Knowledge
Area.
2. The Process Groups
 Assessing the quality of
the risk information
under consideration for
analysis occurs in the
Planning Process Group
3. The Process
 The analysis of risk
information for validity
is a technique used in the
Perform Qualitative Risk
Analysis Process
4. ITTO’s
 The technique under
review is the Risk Data
Quality Assessment
technique
5. PBD
The analysis of risk
information is neither a
Plan, Baseline, or formal
Document. It is a
technique
6. The Concept
 The concept under
review is the student’s
understanding of the
impact of low and
high quality risk data
on the management of
risk reserves and the
resulting impact on
scope, schedule, and
cost
IN THE EVENT THERE ARE
TWO OR MORE CORRECT
ANSWERS
SELECT THE MOST
PRECISE ANSWER

18. Question #7
Sensitivity analysis is one of the tools/techniques utilized in performing
quantitative risk analysis. What are the advantages of using sensitivity
analysis?

19. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 Sensitivity Analysis
occurs within the Project
Risk Management
Knowledge Area
2. The Process Groups
 The use of the
sensitivity analysis
technique occurs within
the Planning Process
Group
3. The Process
 Sensitivity analysis is a
technique in the Perform
Quantitative Risk
Analysis Process
4. ITTO’s
 Sensitivity Analysis is
a technique used in the
Perform Quantitative
Risk Analysis Process
5. PBD
Quantitative Risk Analysis
is neither a Plan, Baseline,
or formal Document. It is
a technique
6. The Concept
 Areas of risk exposure
are rarely wholly
positive or wholly
negative.
 The degree of positive
and negative risk
exposure in each area
of identified risk is
visually captured in a
Tornado Diagram and
is important
information
ELIMINATE THE 2
OBVIOUS DISTRACTOR
CHOICES
IMMEDIATELY
THEY ARE LOGICALLY
IMPOSSIBLE TO BE THE
CORRECT ANSWER

20. Question #8 Which of the following is not one of Crosby’s Four Absolutes of Quality?

21. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 Crosby’s 4 Absolutes of
Quality are quality
success factors that are
generated outside the
PMBOK
2. The Process Groups
 Quality management
concepts are foundations
of quality management
and exist outside of the
(5) PMBOK Process
Groups
3. The Process
 The 4 Absolutes of
Quality are:
 1. Conformance to
requirements
 2. Prevention
 3. Zero Defects
 4. The cost of non-
conformance is the
measurement
4. ITTO’s
 Crosby’s 4 Absolutes
of Quality
Management are key
concepts which
influence Project
Quality Management
ITTO’s
5. PBD
 Crosby’s 4 Absolutes of
Quality are neither
Plans, Baselines, or
formal Documents.
They are key quality
management concepts
6. The Concept
 Quality concepts
identify key attributes
of quality management
which lead to the
successful
implementation and
sustainment of best
practices for project
quality management
THE FIRST SELECTION
IS STATISTICALLY THE
MOST LIKELY CORRECT
ANSWER

22. Question #9
You are in charge of developing a new product for an organization. Your quality
metrics are based on the 80th percentile of each of the last three products
developed. This is an example of?

23. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 The establishment of
quality metrics occurs
within the Project Quality
Management Knowledge
Area
2. The Process Groups
 The Identification of the
projects quality
measurements occurs
within the Planning
Process Group
3. The Process
 The establishment of the
projects quality metrics
occurs during the Plan
Quality Management
Process
4. ITTO’s
 The project team
utilizes the technique
of benchmarking to
establish quality
metrics which are
often based on best
practices and high
performance
5. PBD
 Quality Metrics are
Outputs of the Plan
Quality Management
Process which also
describes how Quality
Control will test to
ensure they were met
6. The Concept
 The concept under
review is the project
team’s effective use of
the benchmarking
technique to establish
quality metrics that
are based on
established high levels
of performance
THE FIRST SELECTION
IS STATISTICALLY THE
MOST LIKELY ANSWER

24. Question #10 Which of the following is the last step of project closing?

25. 1. The Knowledge
Areas
 The closure of a project
or phase (a sub-project
supporting a much larger
project) occurs in the
Project Integration
Knowledge Area
2. The Process Groups
 Close Project or Phase
along with its supporting
activities occurs in the
Closing Process Group
3. The Process
 The proper closure of a
project or phase occurs
within the Close Project
or Phase Process
4. ITTO’s
 The outputs the Close
Project or Phase
process are the
transition of the final
product, service or
results to the customer
and OPA updates
5. PBD
 Project closure is a
document driven
endeavor that begins
with reconciliation of
customer acceptance
documents, the update
of project files, and
finally the archive of
historical information
and lessons learned into
the lessons learned
knowledge base
6. The Concept
 The concept under test
is the students
understanding of the
sequence of events and
activities
THE FIRST SELECTION
IS STATISTICALLY THE
MOST LIKELY ANSWER