APPE NDIX 4

Examination Questions 1: Questions

The following pages show 60 typical examination questions that may appear in the APM
PMQ examination. The answers are given in appendix 8. The numbers in brackets refer to the
relevant chapter numbers in the book.
1. List 12 items (subjects) which should be set out in a PMP.  (14)
2. Explain the purpose and structure of a WBS.  (12)
3. Describe the most usual risk identification techniques.  (15)
4. Explain the risk management procedure.  (15)
5. Set out the risks associated with travelling from Bath to London by road. Draw a risk
register (log) and populate it with at least four perceived risks.  (15)
6. Describe a change management procedure. Draw up two forms relating to change
management.  (17)
7. Draw a bar chart for the following activities:

Activity Duration (days) Preceding activity

A 5 –
B 7 A
C 9 A
D 7 B
E 2 C
F 6 C
G 2 E&D
H 3 F
J 4 G&H

  What is the end date?

   What is the effect of B slipping by 3 days.  (19)
8. Explain the difference between project management and programme management. (2&3)
9. Explain the purpose of stakeholder management and describe the difference
(with examples of positive and negative stakeholders).  (7)
10. Explain what is meant by configuration management.  (18)
11. Describe a risk management plan and give its contents.  (15)
12. State four risk mitigation strategies excluding contingencies.  (15)
13. Explain the main tools used in quality management.  (16)

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14. Explain the main topics of a quality management system.  (16)

15. Describe the purpose of milestones and draw a milestone slip chart showing how
slippage is recorded.  (25)
16. Explain the advantages of EVA over other forms of progress monitoring.  (32)
17. Explain the purpose of a project life cycle and draw a typical life cycle diagram.
Explain what is meant by product life cycle and expanded life cycle.  (11)
18. Describe what documents are produced at the various stages of a life cycle.  (11)
19. Explain the difference between the three main types of project organization.  (9)
20. Explain what is meant by communication management. Give eight barriers to good
communication and explain how to overcome them.  (38)
21. Explain the advantages of a project team; list six features and give four barriers
to team building.  (39)
22. Describe what is meant by conflict management and list five techniques.  (42)
23. Describe the purpose of Belbin test and explain the characteristics of the eight Belbin
types.  (39)
24. Explain Herzberg’s motivation theory and Maslow’s theory of needs.  (39)
25. Explain the main constituents of a business case. Who owns the business case.  (5)
26. Explain what are the qualities which make a leader.  (40)
27. Describe the main stages of a negotiation process.  (41)
28. Explain what is meant by cash flow. Draw the format of a cash flow chart.  (31)
29. Describe a close-out procedure. List six documents that must be prepared and handed
over to the client on close-out.  (45)
30. Describe six topics to be considered as part of a procurement strategy. List four
types of contract.  (34)
31. Describe the selection process for employing contractors or subcontractors.  (34)
32. List and explain the phases of a project as suggested by Tuckman.  (39)
33. Describe what is meant by the project environment.  (4)
34. List 10 reasons why a project may fail and suggest ways to rectify these failures. (15,16,36)
35. Explain the role of a programme manager and show the advantages to the
organization of such a position.  (3)
36. What is meant by requirement management.  (5)
37. Describe the principal reasons for an investment appraisal and give the constituents
of such an appraisal.  (6)
38. What are the four main types of estimating techniques and what is their approximate
degree of accuracy.  (13)
39. What is meant by resource levelling and resource smoothing.  (30)
40. Describe the roles of the client, sponsor, project manager and a supplier.  (10)
41. List at least six documents that have to be handed over at the end of a project.  (44)
42. Describe six common generic causes of accidents in industry.  (36)
 Examination Questions 1: Questions 567

43. Draw a work breakdown structure for the manufacture of a bicycle. Limit the size to
four levels of detail.  (12)
44. What is meant by internal rate of return (IRR)? Show how this can be obtained
graphically.  (6)
45. Describe the functions carried out by a project office.  (2)
46. What is the purpose of a post project review.  (45)
47. Describe three methods of conflict resolution when mediation has failed.  (42)
48. State four main characteristics of a good project manager.  (2)
49. Describe two pros and cons of an AoA network and an AoN network.  (19)
50. Describe two pros and cons of DCF and payback.  (6)
51. What is meant by portfolio management.  (3)
52. What are success criteria.  (37)
53. Describe a change Register.  (17)
54. What is meant by Information Management.  (37)
55. Explain what is meant by value management.  (35)
56. Explain the difference between project management and line management.  (1)
57. What is meant by matrix project management.  (9)
58. What is benefit analysis.  (6)
59. What is meant by project governance.  (43)
60. Give eight topics of an information management plan.  (37)