The Project Communications Management knowledge area accounts for 10 percent (30) of the questions on the CAPM exam. The PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, Sections 10.1 through 10.3, cover the three processes in the Project Communications Management knowledge area.

This chapter focuses on Project Communications Management. Like the other knowledge areas, it begins with a process of planning, which produces a communications management plan. It then has an executing process, Manage Communications, focusing on carrying out the communications management plan, and a monitoring and controlling process, Monitor Communications, focused on checking whether project communications are meeting stakeholder communication requirements.

Project Communications Management is focused upon the processes of developing a communications management plan, gathering and distributing project information according to that plan, and checking that you are completing the communications activities in accordance with the plan.

Project communications are critical for a smooth and successful running of any project, whether you are gathering information or disseminating information. You should assume that a project manager will, in fact, spend 90 percent of his or her time communicating in different ways, different forms, and to different stakeholders. Of this time spent communicating, 50 percent will be spent communicating with project team members because they are the most important of the stakeholders.

The 30 practice questions in this chapter are mapped to the style and frequency of question types you will see on the CAPM exam.

Q QUESTIONS

1.   Which of the following processes produces the communications management plan?

A.   Develop Project Management Plan

B.   Plan Communications Management

C.   Manage Communications

D.   Develop Communications Management Plan

2.   The decision to use a written document to provide project updates is an example of what type of tool or technique?

A.   Communication technology

B.   Communication models

C.   Expert judgment

D.   Meetings

3.   What is the name of the tool that analyzes the individual communication requirements for each of the stakeholders?

A.   Communication models

B.   Information management systems

C.   Communications requirements analysis

D.   Communications technology

4.   When you send a handwritten update to project stakeholders and they are unable to read your handwriting, what is this an example of?

A.   Bad handwriting

B.   Noise

C.   Interference

D.   Feedback

5.   You have set up an intranet site for project team members to be able to download project progress updates. This is an example of which method of communication?

A.   Interactive

B.   Push

C.   Pull

D.   Manual

6.   How does the project kick-off meeting act as a means of communication?

A.   The kick-off meeting does not act as a means of communication.

B.   The kick-off meeting signals to the team that enough planning has been completed to begin execution.

C.   The kick-off meeting is completed to start project initiation, and therefore it informs the team that the project is about to start.

D.   The kick-off meeting signals the beginning of project closure and communicates to the team that the job is done.

7.   What is the correct sequence of the following terms?

A.   Work performance report, work performance data, work performance information

B.   Work performance information, work performance data, work performance report

C.   Work performance data, work performance report, work performance information

D.   Work performance data, work performance information, work performance report

8.   If you are engaged in consciously paying attention to body language and trying to understand the communication from a sender, what are you involved in?

A.   Active listening

B.   Effective listening

C.   Providing feedback

D.   Paralingual communication

9.   All the following are examples of communication skills except:

A.   Reviewing the work breakdown structure to ensure team members know what has to be done

B.   Setting and managing expectations

C.   Persuading a person or organization to perform an action

D.   Listening actively and effectively

10.   What sort of communication is most appropriate when dealing with changes to a contract?

A.   Informal written

B.   Formal written

C.   Formal verbal

D.   Electronic

11.   All the following are factors that influence the method of communication disbursement between team members except:

A.   Availability of technology

B.   Duration of the project

C.   Local government regulations

D.   Urgency of the need for information

12.   All the following communications are noise except:

A.   Educational differences

B.   Differences in motivation

C.   Lack of a communications device

D.   Cultural differences

13.   What technique could help you to understand better when you are having difficulty concentrating on what a stakeholder is saying during a business meeting and you feel you are not fully understanding them?

A.   Repeat the message back to the stakeholder.

B.   Ask them to write everything down.

C.   Ask to postpone the meeting until you feel better.

D.   Ask them to speak slower.

14.   When you ask that all correspondence be conducted in English, what are you trying to minimize in your team’s communications?

A.   Environmental constraints

B.   Cultural differences

C.   Noise

D.   Foreign accents

15.   Which of the following is a characteristic of a good listener?

A.   Takes good notes

B.   Repeats some of the things said

C.   Finishes the speaker’s sentences

D.   Agrees with the speaker

16.   What sort of communication method is being used when sending out your weekly project update to a wide range of stakeholders?

A.   Stakeholder management strategy

B.   Pull communication

C.   Interactive communication

D.   Push communication

17.   What sort of communication method are you using when you use the intranet site to post large amounts of information that team members can log in to read?

A.   Encoding and decoding

B.   Push communication

C.   Interactive communication

D.   Pull communication

18.   Who should take responsibility when the team is disagreeing about what, how, and when different communication methods are to be used?

A.   Stakeholder representative

B.   Project team

C.   Project sponsor

D.   Project manager

19.   Which of the following would you not expect to find in your communications management plan?

A.   Person responsible for authorizing the release of confidential information

B.   Team members’ addresses and phone numbers

C.   Glossary of common terminology

D.   Stakeholder communication requirements

20.   All the following are techniques to ensure your project meetings are more productive except?

A.   Teleconferencing

B.   Ground rules

C.   A start and finish time for the meeting

D.   An agenda

21.   Effective information distribution includes all of the following techniques except:

A.   Writing style

B.   Presentation techniques

C.   Issue log

D.   Choice of media

22.   The Manage Communications process occurs within which PMBOK Guide process group?

A.   Initiating

B.   Planning

C.   Executing

D.   Monitoring and controlling

23.   How important is nonverbal communication to negotiations?

A.   Very important

B.   Not very important

C.   Only important when the other party is silent

D.   Only important during negotiations over cost

24.   What is the best form of communication to use when dealing with unacceptable behavior towards other project team members?

A.   Formal written

B.   Formal verbal

C.   Informal written

D.   Informal verbal

25.   What information and method would be best to use when presenting a detailed project update to some high-level stakeholders?

A.   A verbal presentation during a 10-minute meeting

B.   A summary milestone report tabled as an agenda item at their next scheduled meeting

C.   A PowerPoint presentation outlining the major issues given in your office

D.   A detailed performance report in writing with an accompanying presentation and time for questions and answers

26.   What is the best term to describe when cultural differences and using unfamiliar technology are the main communication problems?

A.   Decoding

B.   Feedback

C.   Noise

D.   Transmission

27.   Which of the following would be least useful to you when you are actively monitoring and controlling the project communications according to your approved communications management plan?

A.   Project communications

B.   Issue log

C.   Work performance data

D.   Change requests

28.   Which of the following forecasting methods is an example of using historical data about your project to forecast an estimated future outcome in your project performance reporting?

A.   Budget forecasts

B.   Judgmental methods

C.   Econometric method

D.   Time series methods

29.   What forecasting method are you using when you are currently assessing the information supplied anonymously by the respondents and plan to request a second round of opinions to use in your project forecasts?

A.   Judgmental method

B.   Causal method

C.   Earned value

D.   Econometric method

30.   Which of the following would you not expect to see in a detailed project performance report?

A.   Current status of risks and issues

B.   Staff performance reviews

C.   Forecasted project completion

D.   Summary of changes approved in the period

QUICK ANSWER KEY

1. B

2. A

3. C

4. B

5. C

6. B

7. D

8. B

9. A

10. B

11. C

12. C

13. A

14. C

15. B

16. D

17. D

18. D

19. B

20. A

21. C

22. C

23. A

24. A

25. D

26. C

27. D

28. D

29. A

30. B

ANSWERS A

1.   Which of the following processes produces the communications management plan?

A.   Develop Project Management Plan

B.   Plan Communications Management

C.   Manage Communications

D.   Develop Communications Management Plan

  B. The main output from the Plan Communications Management process is the communications management plan.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because the Develop Project Management Plan process produces the project management plan. C is incorrect because the Manage Communications process uses the communications management plan to gather, store, and distribute project information and communications. D is incorrect because Develop Communications Management Plan is a made-up process name.

2.   The decision to use a written document to provide project updates is an example of what type of tool or technique?

A.   Communication technology

B.   Communication models

C.   Expert judgment

D.   Meetings

  A. Any decision you make about the technology used, whether manual or electronic, for the dissemination of project information is a decision about communication technology.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because communication models explain what might happen between sender and receiver. C is incorrect because expert judgment is a tool used to assist with monitoring how well communications are going. D is incorrect because meetings are a tool used to help the project team understand and contribute to effective project communications.

3.   What is the name of the tool that analyzes the individual communication requirements for each of the stakeholders?

A.   Communication models

B.   Information management systems

C.   Communications requirements analysis

D.   Communications technology

  C. Communications requirements analysis is the technique used to determine individual stakeholder communication requirements.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because communications models explain what may happen to communications between sender and receiver. B is incorrect because information management systems are used to gather and store project information. D is incorrect because communications technology is a technique used to determine what form the communication will take.

4.   When you send a handwritten update to project stakeholders and they are unable to read your handwriting, what is this an example of?

A.   Bad handwriting

B.   Noise

C.   Interference

D.   Feedback

  B. Any element that can interfere with the message is noise.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because in the strictest sense of the word, it is an example of bad handwriting, but according to the basic communications model, it is an example of interference with the message, which is the definition of noise. C is incorrect because noise creates interference. D is incorrect because feedback is used by the receiver to send confirmation of the message received back to the sender.

5.   You have set up an intranet site for project team members to be able to download project progress updates. This is an example of which method of communication?

A.   Interactive

B.   Push

C.   Pull

D.   Manual

  C. This is an example of pull communication, because the receivers download the information at their discretion.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because interactive communication is where more than one person is involved in the communication at the same time. B is incorrect because push communication involves the sender sending the communication to the receiver. D is incorrect because manual communication refers to forms of communication that are not conducted electronically.

6.   How does the project kick-off meeting act as a means of communication?

A.   The kick-off meeting does not act as a means of communication.

B.   The kick-off meeting signals to the team that enough planning has been completed to begin execution.

C.   The kick-off meeting is completed to start project initiation, and therefore it informs the team that the project is about to start.

D.   The kick-off meeting signals the beginning of project closure and communicates to the team that the job is done.

  B. The use of the kick-off meeting as both a functional meeting to discuss execution and as a team morale-building exercise means that it is an effective form of communication.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because the kick-off meeting does act as a means of communication by communicating to the team that enough planning has been done to begin execution. C is incorrect because the kick-off meeting is completed after enough planning has been done to begin project execution and not at the beginning of project initiation. D is incorrect because the kick-off meeting does not begin the process of project closure.

7.   What is the correct sequence of the following terms?

A.   Work performance report, work performance data, work performance information

B.   Work performance information, work performance data, work performance report

C.   Work performance data, work performance report, work performance information

D.   Work performance data, work performance information, work performance report

  D. This is the correct order: work performance data, which is the raw data gathered about project performance, which in turn gets filtered and refined as understandable work performance information, which in turn is selected to be included in work performance reports.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because work performance reports come after work performance data and work performance information. B is incorrect because work performance data comes before work performance information. C is incorrect because work performance information comes before work performance reports.

8.   If you are engaged in consciously paying attention to body language and trying to understand the communication from a sender, what are you involved in?

A.   Active listening

B.   Effective listening

C.   Providing feedback

D.   Paralingual communication

  B. Effective listening takes active listening one step further and has the receiver monitoring nonverbal cues such as body language.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because active listening means that the receiver is actively engaged in trying to understand the message from the sender and does not necessarily involve paying attention to things like body language. C is incorrect because feedback doesn’t necessarily involve the interpretation of body language. D is incorrect because paralingual communication involves recognizing and observing vocal but nonverbal communication clues such as expressions, inflections, tone, and volume of voice.

9.   All the following are examples of communication skills except:

A.   Reviewing the work breakdown structure to ensure team members know what has to be done

B.   Setting and managing expectations

C.   Persuading a person or organization to perform an action

D.   Listening actively and effectively

  A. Reviewing the work breakdown structure is a technical, not a communication, skill. We cannot stress enough the role that effective communication plays in project success. Many people seem to think it is the technical, financial, risk, quality, and scope management skills that are more important contributors to project success. But without effective communication, they are all useless.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because setting and managing the expectations of stakeholders is achieved through the effective use of communication skills. C is incorrect because to persuade a person or organization to perform an action, you will need to display very strong and well-developed communication skills. D is incorrect because communication is a two-way process, and therefore listening actively and effectively is a key communication skill.

10.   What sort of communication is most appropriate when dealing with changes to a contract?

A.   Informal written

B.   Formal written

C.   Formal verbal

D.   Electronic

  B. A contract is a legally binding document, and as such all communication about contracts should be formal and in writing.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because informal written forms of communication are best used for memos and internal notes. C is incorrect because formal verbal forms of communication are presentations and speeches. D is incorrect because electronic forms of communication include e-mails and the Internet. When dealing with changes to a contract, formal written forms of communication are best.

11.   All the following are factors that influence the method of communication disbursement between team members except:

A.   Availability of technology

B.   Duration of the project

C.   Local government regulations

D.   Urgency of the need for information

  C. Local government regulations are related to building and town planning matters and may affect your project in other ways but will not affect the communication distribution method.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because the type and availability of technology will influence the method of communications on your project. B is incorrect because the duration of the project will affect what style of communication you choose, as you will have to keep stakeholders effectively engaged over longer periods of time. D is incorrect because the urgency of the information will influence the choice of communication method. You must always select an appropriate method of communication to ensure it is effective.

12.   All the following communications are noise except:

A.   Educational differences

B.   Differences in motivation

C.   Lack of a communications device

D.   Cultural differences

  C. Communication involves at least two people, who may have very different backgrounds, experience, and education. Many times these individuals come from different cultures, speak different languages, and certainly have different drivers.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because education differences can present problems in communication, particularly in the languages and medium chosen to communicate. B is incorrect because if one party is motivated to be part of the conversation occurring and one isn’t, then there will be a disruption to the communication. D is incorrect because cultural differences represent noise, because many misunderstandings can arise because of different cultural expectations around appropriate forms of communication.

13.   What technique could help you to understand better when you are having difficulty concentrating on what a stakeholder is saying during a business meeting and you feel you are not fully understanding them?

A.   Repeat the message back to the stakeholder.

B.   Ask them to write everything down.

C.   Ask to postpone the meeting until you feel better.

D.   Ask them to speak slower.

  A. Part of effective communication is ensuring that the message from sender to receiver is decoded properly. An effective way to do this is to repeat the key points back to get clarity.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because asking somebody to write down the message won’t improve your ability to understand. The solution to this problem is actively engaging in effective listening. C is incorrect because it is your responsibility to ensure that you are actively engaged in effectively listening to a conversation, and postponing the meeting will only complicate communication matters. D is incorrect because the problem is not the speed at which the person is speaking—the problem is your ability to concentrate. To help you concentrate, you could simply repeat the message back to the stakeholder.

14.   When you ask that all correspondence be conducted in English, what are you trying to minimize in your team’s communications?

A.   Environmental constraints

B.   Cultural differences

C.   Noise

D.   Foreign accents

  C. Noise is the term used to describe anything that gets in the way of the message between sender and receiver. Using English as a common language is an attempt to avoid the noise of different languages.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because by asking your project team to use English as a standardized language, you are not trying to minimize environmental constraints; you are trying to minimize noise and communications. B is incorrect because you are trying to minimize noise that may corrupt communications, not minimize cultural differences. D is incorrect because simply asking your team to use English as a standardized language does not minimize the use of foreign accents.

15.   Which of the following is a characteristic of a good listener?

A.   Takes good notes

B.   Repeats some of the things said

C.   Finishes the speaker’s sentences

D.   Agrees with the speaker

  B. Good listening is an important skill for any manager. One of the ways that you can become a skilled listener is by repeating some of the things that are said. Summarizing gives yourself and others a repetition of important points and makes the speaker feel more relaxed and in a friendly atmosphere.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because taking good notes is an example of a good note taker, not a good listener. C is incorrect because finishing the speaker’s sentences is often considered quite rude and not the sign of a good listener. D is incorrect because simply agreeing with the speaker without a good reason is not a sign of a good listener.

16.   What sort of communication method is being used when sending out your weekly project update to a wide range of stakeholders?

A.   Stakeholder management strategy

B.   Pull communication

C.   Interactive communication

D.   Push communication

  D. In this instance you are pushing the information out to stakeholders. Push communication occurs when the sender pushes the information to the recipient.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because the stakeholder management strategy may guide some of your communications, particularly those in relation to stakeholder expectation management, but it is not a type of communication method. B is incorrect because pull communication occurs when the recipient must go to the source to get the communication. C is incorrect because interactive communication occurs when both sender and recipient engage in a mutual exchange of information.

17.   What sort of communication method are you using when you use the intranet site to post large amounts of information that team members can log in to read?

A.   Encoding and decoding

B.   Push communication

C.   Interactive communication

D.   Pull communication

  D. It is called pull communication because recipients pull it down at their convenience, rather than having it pushed to them.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because encoding and decoding are what senders and receivers do in the standard communications model. B is incorrect because push communication occurs when the sender pushes the information to the recipient. C is incorrect because interactive communication occurs when both sender and recipient engage in a mutual exchange of information.

18.   Who should take responsibility when the team is disagreeing about what, how, and when different communication methods are to be used?

A.   Stakeholder representative

B.   Project team

C.   Project sponsor

D.   Project manager

  D. It is the responsibility of the project manager to decide what, how, and when communication methods are to be used in the project.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because the responsibility does not lie with any representative of a stakeholder, which could refer to anybody at all. The responsibility lies with the project manager. B is incorrect because the project team should not be left to make this decision; it is the responsibility of the project manager. C is incorrect because this issue does not need to be escalated to the project sponsor, as it is the responsibility of the project manager to make this decision.

19.   Which of the following would you not expect to find in your communications management plan?

A.   Person responsible for authorizing the release of confidential information

B.   Team members’ addresses and phone numbers

C.   Glossary of common terminology

D.   Stakeholder communication requirements

  B. You would not normally find information as specific as team member addresses and phone numbers in the communications management plan.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because the communications management plan will refer to the person who has responsibility for authorizing release of confidential information to stakeholders. C is incorrect because for ease of use and standardization, it is typical for the communications management plan to have a glossary of common terminology. D is incorrect because at the core of the communication management plan will be stakeholder communication requirements.

20.   All the following are techniques to ensure your project meetings are more productive except?

A.   Teleconferencing

B.   Ground rules

C.   A start and finish time for the meeting

D.   An agenda

  A. Meetings need to have structure around them, and setting an agenda, ground rules, and a set time for the meeting to run are good ways of improving efficiency. Teleconferencing is not a standardized way to make meetings more productive. Normally, the preference would be for participants to meet face to face.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because establishing ground rules for attendance, conduct, and follow-up will make a meeting more productive. C is incorrect because setting clear start and finish times for the meeting so participants know when they should be there and when they will return to work is a way to make meetings more productive. D is incorrect because a clear and defined agenda that is followed will make meetings more efficient and productive.

21.   Effective information distribution includes all of the following techniques except:

A.   Writing style

B.   Presentation techniques

C.   Issue log

D.   Choice of media

  C. The issue log can be used as a communications tool to let stakeholders know these are being monitored, but it is not a means of information distribution itself.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because selecting the appropriate writing style to match the stakeholder needs is an effective information distribution technique. B is incorrect because presentation techniques are a very effective way of distributing information to stakeholders. D is incorrect because selecting the correct and appropriate choice of media is an effective information distribution technique.

22.   The Manage Communications process occurs within which PMBOK Guide process group?

A.   Initiating

B.   Planning

C.   Executing

D.   Monitoring and controlling

  C. Manage Communications is part of the Executing process group.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. Manage Communications is part of the Executing process group.

23.   How important is nonverbal communication to negotiations?

A.   Very important

B.   Not very important

C.   Only important when the other party is silent

D.   Only important during negotiations over cost

  A. Humans are complex communicators, and the nonverbal communications we use are always very important and can, at times, be more important than the verbal communications.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. Humans are complex communicators, and the nonverbal communications we use are always very important and can, at times, be more important than the verbal communications.

24.   What is the best form of communication to use when dealing with unacceptable behavior towards other project team members?

A.   Formal written

B.   Formal verbal

C.   Informal written

D.   Informal verbal

  A. Because this situation is a serious one that needs to be documented for future reference, it would be best to use formal written forms of communication.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because using formal verbal, or any verbal, form of communication could mean that the message was understood but forgotten. So in this instance, a formal written form of communication is best. C is incorrect because this situation is a serious one and needs to be documented for future reference. It would be best to use formal, rather than informal, written forms of communication. D is incorrect because using informal verbal, or any verbal, form of communication could mean that the message was understood and forgotten. So in this instance a formal written form of communication is best.

25.   What information and method would be best to use when presenting a detailed project update to some high-level stakeholders?

A.   A verbal presentation during a 10-minute meeting

B.   A summary milestone report tabled as an agenda item at their next scheduled meeting

C.   A PowerPoint presentation outlining the major issues given in your office

D.   A detailed performance report in writing with an accompanying presentation and time for questions and answers

  D. Choosing the most appropriate information and the way in which you deliver it is an important decision to ensure the efficacy of your project reporting.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because a verbal presentation given casually during a 10-minute meeting will not contain the detailed information the stakeholders are looking for. B is incorrect because a summary milestone report will not contain the detailed information that stakeholders are looking for. C is incorrect because a PowerPoint presentation outlining the major issues will not contain the detailed information the stakeholders are looking for.

26.   What is the best term to describe when cultural differences and using unfamiliar technology are the main communication problems?

A.   Decoding

B.   Feedback

C.   Noise

D.   Transmission

  C. In the standard communications model, noise refers to any obstacle in the selected medium between sender and receiver that can affect the communication.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because decoding is the process that the receiver of the message does once the message has been received. B is incorrect because feedback is a process where the receiver provides feedback to the sender of the message to facilitate more effective listening. D is incorrect because transmission is the process of communicating a message via a selected medium.

27.   Which of the following would be least useful to you when you are actively monitoring and controlling the project communications according to your approved communications management plan?

A.   Project communications

B.   Issue log

C.   Work performance data

D.   Change requests

  D. The question is asking about the inputs into the Control Communications process, and change requests are an output from, not an input in, this process.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because the project communications are an input into the Control Communications process. B is incorrect because the issue log is an input into the Control Communications process. C is incorrect because work performance data is an input into the Control Communications process.

28.   Which of the following forecasting methods is an example of using historical data about your project to forecast an estimated future outcome in your project performance reporting?

A.   Budget forecasts

B.   Judgmental methods

C.   Econometric method

D.   Time series methods

  D. This is an example of a time series method, such as earned value.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because budget forecasts are part of earned value management, which is an example of a time series method. Time series is the best answer. B is incorrect because the judgmental forecasting method uses methods from experts, such as the Delphi method. C is incorrect because econometric methods use tools such as linear regression.

29.   What forecasting method are you using when you are currently assessing the information supplied anonymously by the respondents and plan to request a second round of opinions to use in your project forecasts?

A.   Judgmental method

B.   Causal method

C.   Earned value

D.   Econometric method

  A. This is an example of using the Delphi technique, which is an example of a judgmental forecasting method.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because causal is another name for econometric methods, which use tools such as linear regression. C is incorrect because earned value is one example of a time series method. D is incorrect because econometric methods use tools such as linear regression.

30.   Which of the following would you not expect to see in a detailed project performance report?

A.   Current status of risks and issues

B.   Staff performance reviews

C.   Forecasted project completion

D.   Summary of changes approved in the period

  B. Staff performance review information is not generally included in project performance reports. They would be included in team assessments.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because the current status of risks and issues is a crucial component of a detailed project performance report. C is incorrect because the forecasted project completion would definitely be included in a detailed project performance report to provide a project status update. D is incorrect because a clear summary of changes approved since the last report would definitely be included in a detailed project performance report to understand the scope change.