30 Free Questions with Answers on PMI-ACP Examination (Part - 1)

The questions for PMI-ACP have changed. For the latest questions, refer the below link.

  [NEW PMI-ACP Questions and Answers on Latest PMI-ACP Exam (Link)]

[ This series - Part - 2 ]

The questions are based on my personal experience in the PMI-ACP examination. Though I tried a few questions from a few providers, did not find any one closer to the real PMI examination. The questions in the exam are rarely direct and always tests your understanding. 

In this series, there are 15 questions (close to the real examination). 

Question – 1: Velocity is used for Iteration as well as Release Planning. It is typically the sum of delivered user stories. Which of the following is not TRUE about velocity?

A)    Even if the work is fully complete other than few bugs, it will not counts towards velocity

B)    While measuring with velocity, there is no scope to correct estimation errors

C)    As velocity informs on all the "done" stories, in a way it tracks the customer satisfaction

D)    Velocity does not inform on the productivity of the team

Question – 2: Which one of the following is correct about Kanban?

A)    No estimation is required in Kanban

B)    In Kanban Team Leader plays the Role of Coach as in XP

C)    Team focuses on completing features as quickly as possible but is not constrained by a time-box

D)    All of the above

  

Question – 3: An user story is very useful for the project. Till what time, the user story cards are considered relevant in an Agile project?

A)    End of iteration

B)    End of release

C)    End of project

D)    When work related to the story is complete

. . .
. . .

The question set is available in the embedded PDF below. 

For all the questions and answers, subscribe to this blog and send a mail (from your GMail id) to managementyogi@gmail.com. 





  

You may also like:

• Part - 2: 30 Free Questions with Answers on PMI-ACP Examination (Part - 2)
• My Experience: PMI-ACP Exam
• PMI-ACP Prep: Scrum Sprint I/O (Inputs and Outputs)
• PMI-ACP Prep: Scrum and Kanban – Similarities and Differences

Practical PMP - Applying PMBOK principles with MS Project Tool

Let me tune you into a real time situation. Many of you would have faced it in real life, while taking interviews. Even if you have never took an interview, still I believe you can correlate!

Situation: You are taking an interview for the position of an Android Developer with experience of 2 to 3 years range in your company. The management is clear - get the best possible candidate for the post. Finally you shortened it to three aspirants for the post. 

Aspirant - 1: Knows Android decently and is a certified Android professional, from a well known institute. 

Aspirant - 2: Knows Android very well as he has real world experience in Android development. But he does not hold any certification. 

Aspirant - 3: Knows Android well as has hands on experience and is also a certified Android developer from a well known institute. 
With all other things being equals, it is a no brainer on who will be your desired candidate among the above three? It is Aspirant Number 3. Is not it? 

If you consider only between Aspirant 1 and Aspirant 2, who will be considered a better candidate and will have more likelihood of succeeding? I believe it will be Aspirant Number 2. Some of you may disagree, but the majority of you will agree. And I am sure all of would agree that Practical understanding or experience rules over everything else. 

In one of my earlier posts - "What is There in A Certification", I wrote this:

Conventional education and certifications, per se, are not useful if you can not apply them in real life. I have read 48 papers in my 4 years of investment in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Though I remember some of them, they never had any practical value for me. And I doubt if it would have for anyone!

In the same post, I also informed how I remember the formula for impulse as I applied in real life - driving a bike or taking a catch in cricket match. 

Let us add on to it. In today's world, though certification is valued, there is no substitute for knowing the practical utility of a certification. Project Management Professional certification from PMI is perhaps the most well known and most respected program world wide. 

However, only PMP on its own does it help? How about knowing the practical applicability of PMBOK? How about knowing how critical path is actually analyzed in a schedule? Similarly there are many concepts which PMBOK/PMP gives you - like WBS, Various forms of Dependencies, Network Diagram, Compression Techniques (Fast Tracking/Crashing), Resource Leveling, Cost Baselinging, Schedule Baselining, Earned Value Management (EVM) et al from various knowledge areas such as Scope,Schedule,Cost, Human Resource. How about various reports that can be generated and communicated as noted in Communication Management Knowledge Area? Imagine them to be applied with a practical tool along with PMI-PMP preparation course. 

That is what makes Practical PMP. 

To put is simply, it is a combination of PMBOK and MS Project. This is one of the courses, I introduced in mid last decade to great success in India.  

Practical PMP Program - PMBOK with MS Project

And yes, let me also tell you that for the 1st time, the entire team remembered all the process areas, all the knowledge areas, all the process groups. They did not miss even one of them and also remembered many ITTO . Not only that, they learned how to use PMBOK with MS Project. 

Does it sound exciting to you? If yes, you may want to start from here. It has both PMBOK 4th and 5th along with MS Project 2007 or 2010.

Link 1: PMBOK Guide 5th Edition and MS Project 2010 - A Practical Step-by-Step Approach

Link 2: Synergy between PMBOK Guide 4th Edition and MS Project 2007 - A Schedule Management Perspective

And if interested to join me and know how to apply PMBOK principles with the help of tools, drop a mail.  

Friendly Warning: You will have to be more hands-on with PMBOK via MS Project than mostly listening to theories of PMBOK for days. So, if you decide to join, please come with a laptop or tablet to do the practicals with MS Project and to get your hands dirty!

The Trinity Analogy in Software

This is an old post, re-plugged here!

A younger relative of mine who is in Software industry has a career inflection point – which path to choose for growth. I have had mine and had learned it in a hard way. Also, in-spite of all the turmoil in the current economic environment, I believe the tech industry is the future. As I have seen the industry for quite some time - here is my take.

Most of us can understand and relate with the Trinity Gods in Hindu mythology: Bramha, the creator; Bishnu, the sustainer, and Shiva, the destroyer. In any IT company you will have 3 minimum roles - as that of a Bramha or a Bishnu and a Shiva.

The role of an Architect is that of a Brahma. He thinks, creates new things and brings new ideas or products into life. He is the person who conceptualizes the idea, and designs the architecture for the system. But, also like Brahma, he is not the person who is most worshipped. In fact, in India, Bramha is the only God who does not have many temples made by his devotees (I guess only one is there at Pushkar, Rajasthan, India). He is not glamorous, does not get much credit for the creation and likes to keep a very low profile as well. But, he deeply loves what he creates and has a profound impact on the entire ecosystem with his creation. Similar is the role of an Architect. If you are a creative person, love new technical challenges, do not want to get into various soft political battles, and do not want to be in the front page for every achievement, then this role is for you.

The role of a Manager is that of Bishnu. Bishnu is the sustainer. The role of a manager is to manage what has been created already or which is going to be designed by someone else. He is savvy, smart, and political. He is also intelligent and many times have come through the rank where you are now. He changes color (or has various incarnations) as and when the system demands. Mostly he remains in a love-hate relationship with the people, knows how to get the credit (many times doing it himself, most of the times for getting the work done, and sometimes for nothing!). If you are that of a kind of a person who loves to work with people and wants to work done and possibly reach the pinnacle in your company, this role is for you. Also like Bishnu to remain worshipped for ever, you have to create that edge for yourself - through new learning, new methodologies, new practices.

The role of a customer is that of a Shiva. Shiva is the destroyer. He can be very furious and can make you extremely nervous when things go wrong or if he is unfairly treated. He can cause havoc in your world – your company. However, gets pleased very much if served well and rewards very well. A customer is very much like that. If he is served well, and if taken care of consistently, then the reward is manifold. Also, when things go wrong, it could prove disastrous for your company. Bottomline - he must be pleased at any cost. You can play this role and/or know how to serve to this role with direct customer facing jobs such as sales, marketing and specifically pre-sales proposals writings, negotiations, customer support and so on.   

Finally, it is up-to you on what role you choose for your growth.

New Approach to PMI-PMP Classroom Course

For PMI-PMP session, this time, I significantly modified the approach to the classroom course. Every PMP aspirant is aware that PMBOK has vast course content. In PMBOK 4th edition, it is has 5 process groups (PG), 9 knowledge areas (KA), 42 process areas (PA) and hundreds of ITTO (Input, Tools and Techniques). In 4th Edition, 5 PG, 9 KA and 42 PA with hundreds of ITTO.

When you finally go for the PMP exam, you have to remember all the process groups, knowledge areas and process areas - in total 56 (4th Ed) or 62 (5th Ed) names. I believe it is a must - they must be on your finger tips. In addition to that you have remember major ITTO. Add to that the number of mathematical formula across - EVM, DTA, Critical Path, various Estimations etc. Now, that truly is a huge challenge. 

So, what was new in the approach? As they say in ancient China - "What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand" (here) - how true! Interestingly every PG or KA or PA are detailed thought out in PMBOK and really linked. No process in PMBOK is floating independently  but they are linked to other processes in different knowledge area in various process groups. The key is to know how, where, when they interact and what is the significance. And the easiest way to remember is by doing that on the "White Board". So, added a number of hands on workshop, which accomplished the result!

There is an another approach with memory cards, which I think doubles the work - you remember the cards and then the processes. Rather, the approach here is a number of scientifically designed hands on workshop combined with frequent white board session with every participant coming on the board with you! 

PMP Classroom Program - Bangalore, India 

And above all, the team came up with flying colors. They missed only 1 process area  - out of 5 PG, 9 KA and 42 PA for PMBOK 4th Edtion. Team also came to know on the differences between 4th Edition and 5th Edition and also just missed 1 PA for 5th Edition.