TOPIC: Free PMP® Exam Sample Question

A project manager is meeting with Sally, the program manager, to review the decomposed deliverables for a new product. Sally reviews the work breakdown structure and requests it to be arranged in the order the work should be performed. Is Sally correct saying that the work breakdown structure should be ordered according to how the work will be performed?

A. Sally is wrong. Work is decomposed and sequenced in the Define Activities process.
B. Sally is correct. Since she has superiority, the WBS should be ordered the way she wants it to be done.
C. Sally is wrong. The chronological order of tasks is defined in the Sequence Activities process.
D. Sally is correct. When decomposing the work, the order of tasks must be considered.

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HINT: In what process are project activities sequenced?

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Answer and Explanation

The correct answer is C

Being able to distinguish the difference between a deliverable and work package from the schedule and activities is required to determine the correct answer. The project manager should inform Sally that the work packages are further decomposed into schedule activities that are then sequenced to obtain the greatest efficiency given all the project's constraints. The Create WBS process provides a framework of 'what' has to be delivered but does not involve sequencing.


Details for each option:

A. Sally is wrong. Work is decomposed and sequenced in the Define Activities process.
Incorrect. It is not the work itself that is decomposed in the Define Activities process. It is the WBS work packages that are decomposed into activities required to produce the deliverables. The WBS decomposition does not involve sequencing.

B. Sally is correct. Since she has superiority, the WBS should be ordered the way she wants it to be done.
Incorrect. The fact that Sally has superiority is not relevant to how the project processes are performed.

C. Sally is wrong. The chronological order of tasks is defined in the Sequence Activities process.
Correct. Sequence Activities is the process of identifying and documenting relationships among the project activities. The key benefit of this process is that it defines the logical sequence of work to obtain the greatest efficiency given all project constraints.

D. Sally is correct. When decomposing the work, the order of tasks must be considered.
Incorrect. The WBS is decomposed to create activities which are then sequenced in the Sequence Activities process. Therefore, the order of the activities is not considered during the WBS decomposition.

Reference: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK^® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2017, Page(s) 187