TOPIC: Free PMP® Exam Sample Question

You are assigned to manage a project to build five bridges in a metropolitan city. The project is divided into five sequential phases, with each phase representing the construction of one bridge. You have just finished the first phase of your project, and you are about to start your second phase. Which project management process should begin the second phase of the project?

A. Develop Project Charter
B. Develop Project Management Plan
C. Direct and Manage Project Work
D. Monitor and Control Project Work

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HINT: Which process group is performed at the beginning of a new project or a new phase of an existing project?

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Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is A

The Initiating Process Group is made up of two project management processes, Develop Project Charter and Identify Stakeholders. The Initiating Process Group is performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase. In the scenario described, you are about to start a new project phase. Therefore, you should start with the Develop Project Charter process. It does not necessarily mean you would develop a new project charter for each consecutive project phase, but it means that you will perform the processes of the Initiating Process Group starting with the Develop Project Charter process. You will review the project charter to see if the high-level assumptions and constraints made during project initiation are still valid, and whether or not the market conditions are still favorable for the project. Performing this process may result in an update of the charter or an addendum to the project charter. In an extreme scenario, this process may result in project termination.

While the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK^® Guide) does not explicitly mention going back to the Initiating Process Group to look at the project charter, it does provide several examples implying that the project team may choose to go with each new phase as a separate, stand-alone project. Undertaking a stand-alone project means performing all its processes, starting with the Develop Project Charter. The same logic applies to the next process in the Initiating Process Group, the Identify Stakeholders process. It is possible that new stakeholders became involved in the project, or some of the previous stakeholders left, or the level of engagement of the existing stakeholders have changed. Even if nothing has changed, the Develop Project Charter and the Identify Stakeholders' processes should be performed. Otherwise, how would you be able to conclude that nothing has changed? Therefore, starting the new phase of the project with the Develop Project Charter process is the best answer to the question asked.

Details for each option:

A. Develop Project Charter
Correct. The Initiating Process Group is made up of two project management processes, Develop Project Charter and Identify Stakeholders. The Initiating Process Group is performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.

B. Develop Project Management Plan
Incorrect. The Develop Project Management Plan process is part of the Planning Process Group. A phase is started with the Initiating Process Group and not the Planning Process Group.

C. Direct and Manage Project Work
Incorrect. Authorization to start a new phase of a project is obtained in the Initiating Process Group. The Direct and Manage Project Work process is part of the Executing Process Group.

D. Monitor and Control Project Work
Incorrect. The Monitor and Control Project Work process is part of the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group. The phase must be initiated, planned, and execution must be underway before there can be any project work to monitor and control.

Reference: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK^® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2017, Page(s) 23, 75