PMP Exam Simulator

PMP Exаm 4

Question 1 of 180 Question ID: 6112135

On a project, several programmers were hired as independent consultants to supplement the in-house programmers to
ensure the timely completion of the project. Towards the end of the project, the project manager has performed some analysis
and determined that the CPI is 0.8 and the SPI is 1.2.

What is the best course of action to bring project performance back into alignment with the project management plan?

A Approve the use of overtime for the in-house programmers

B Reduce or eliminate the independent contractors

C Perform fast tracking to address the performance gap

D Eliminate the non-essential features from the project scope

J Question answered incorrectly

Hint:

What is the best way to address the cost variance?

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

The key to correctly answering this question lies in the interpretation of the cost performance index (CPI) and schedule
performance index (SPI). A CPI of 0.8 and an SPI of 1.2 indicates that the project is over budget and ahead of schedule.
Therefore, costs must be reduced to meet the project budget. Reducing or eliminating the independent contractors, to the
extent that the project schedule allows without impacting the schedule baseline, will reduce costs to bring project
performance back into alignment with the project management plan, and that is the best course of action given the
circumstances provided by the question.

Details for Each Option:

A Approve the use of overtime for the in-house programmers

Incorrect. A cost performance index (CPI) of 0.8 indicates that the project is already over budget and approving
overtime will increase costs which will increase the performance gap rather than correct it.
 B Reduce or eliminate the independent contractors
Correct. A cost performance index (CPI) of 0.8 and a schedule performance index (SPI) of 1.2 indicates that the project
is over budget and ahead of schedule. Reducing or eliminating the independent contractors, assuming it is permitted by
the contract, will reduce costs to bring project performance back into alignment with the project management plan.

C Perform fast tracking to address the performance gap

Incorrect. Fast tracking is a schedule compression technique, and the cost performance index (CPI) of 0.8 is the
variance that needs to be addressed. Fast tracking will not reduce costs and may introduce additional risks for the
project.

D Eliminate the non-essential features from the project scope

Incorrect. Reducing the scope might reduce costs to address the performance gap indicated by the cost performance
index (CPI) of 0.8. However, the question is asking for the best course of action to bring the project back into alignment
with the project management plan, and project scope is part of the project management plan. Therefore, of the
available choices, eliminating non-essential features is not the best answer to the question asked.

Reference:

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc.,
2017, Page(s) 263