The Executing the Program questions on the PgMP® certification exam, which constitute 14 percent of the exam, or 24 questions, focus on the Executing phase in the life cycle from the Examination Content Outline. During this phase of the program life cycle, component projects of the program are initiated, component interfaces are managed, and the development of program benefits is managed. The various program management plans are executed, and uniform standards, resources, infrastructure, tools, and processes are used for consistency and informed decision making. The program manager’s performance is reviewed to maximize achievement of the program’s goals, and the program manager leads the human resource functions. Questions will cover interpersonal skills and competencies to best manage the team and stakeholder expectations. A communications feedback process is set up to capture lessons learned. A continuing activity is to evaluate the program’s status and to consolidate program data as well as data from the components. During this process, some components will close.
In The Standard for Program Management—Third Edition (2013), executing, along with monitoring and controlling, is in the Program Benefits Delivery phase of the life cycle in this Standard. Therefore emphasis is on information distribution (which is covered in this book in the Stakeholder Management section); program execution management; component cost estimating and program cost budgeting (covered in this book in Planning); program procurement; program quality assurance; resource prioritization (covered in this section); and risk identification, risk analysis, and risk response planning (covered in this book in Planning).
The purpose of Executing is to perform the program’s work and produce the program deliverables and intended benefits. Because resources are typically difficult to obtain, questions may cover trade-offs and adaptations in the use of program resources throughout the program life cycle. The emphasis is on the provision of resources at the program level and focusing on selecting suppliers and issuing contracts.
Please recognize that since stakeholder management is a separate domain on the exam, questions involving information distribution and interactions with stakeholders primarily are covered in this domain in this book. Similarly most benefit delivery questions are covered in the benefit management domain in this book, and relevant governance questions are in the governance domain section.
Following is a list of the major topics covered in Executing the Program. Use this list to focus your study efforts on the areas that are most likely to appear in the exam.
Executing Processes in Program Benefits Delivery
Program Procurement
Program Quality Assurance
Program Resource Prioritization
Purpose of Program Benefit Delivery
Executing program management plans
Program manager performance
Leading the team
Capturing lessons learned
INSTRUCTIONS: Note the most suitable answer for each multiple-choice question in the appropriate space on the answer sheet.
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1. d. | Ask a sponsor to make the business case to approve this new component Although programs have a wide scope that may require changes to meet the organization’s benefits expectations, this request is for a new component to the program. Therefore, it requires a component initiation request with a business case to evaluate whether it should be included according to the approved selection criteria. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 87 |
2. a. | Define and apply a mandatory common time-reporting process In executing a program, it is important for each team member to record his or her time in accordance with a well-defined, common standard. Cultural norms and country holiday schedules have little to do with the number of hours or days someone works on a program. PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 |
3. a. | Program manager The program manager must set clear goals, assess readiness, plan for the change, monitor the change, and address those who are not fully embracing the change. Change management is a core knowledge and skill area for program managers. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 22, 147 |
4. d. | Define the program data naming conventions To avoid confusion and the proliferation of numerous naming conventions across projects, the program should have a standard naming convention for all data, and the application of such conventions should be consistent across all projects. This will increase efficiency and productivity across the program team. PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 |
5. a. | Use your program management office (PMO) for support with this software Programs tend to have a supporting infrastructure that includes specific processes and procedures as well as physical facilities. The infrastructure may include program-specific tools such as enterprise resource planning software. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 64–65 PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 |
6. b. | Align personnel aspirations to available roles Team members tend to be more motivated when they are working on projects or in roles in which they have strong interest. Therefore, a program manager should always consider someone’s personal interest or desires when making assignments. PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 |
7. b. | Finding the right fit between the role and the person Without the performance of people, the program cannot be completed. It is difficult to find the right fit between the role and the person as people will do their best work in the areas in which they excel. While values and abilities are unlikely to change quickly, additional skills can be acquired in a short time. The responsibilities of the role must complement how a person sees things and thinks. Herzog, Kim “Mobilizing the Organization: The Discipline of Execution”, in Levin, Ginger. Program Management A Life Cycle Approach, 2012, Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 221 PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 |
8. b. | Manage and integrate the program components The purpose of Program Delivery Management is to manage and integrate the program components throughout benefits delivery. Therefore, components need to be initiated, change requests must be acted upon, and components will transition as appropriate. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 86–87 |
9. b. | Preparing a human resource plan In Resource Prioritization, human resource planning is useful to identify, document, and assign program roles and responsibilities to individuals and groups. Resources should be allocated to meet key program needs. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 95 |
10. a. | The ability to coordinate use of external resources Use of contractors is common on programs, and managing their inputs and contributions is fundamental to program success. To ensure external resources add value, it is necessary to coordinate effectively the input of different third parties in a seamless and integrated manner. Williams, David and Parr, Tim. 2006. Enterprise Programme Management Delivering Value. Hampshire, England: Palgrave MacMillan, 282–283 |
11. d. | Ensure there are unambiguous contract management procedures Unambiguous contract management procedures are essential if the program team is to manage the overall program as an integrated program using common processes. Each contractor, for example, requires comparable acceptance criteria that fit in with the agreed-upon program processes. If an organization has standard supplier contracts in place, they may require substantial changes to be effective for the program. It is important not to contract too early and to make sure procedures are not ambiguous. Successful buyer-seller relationships depend on such factors as trust and good working relationships, both of which are best addressed at the program level. Williams and Parr, 2006, 194–195 |
12. a | Interactions and realignment of this project must be managed In the Program Benefits Delivery Phase, the program manager is responsible to maintain alignment from components with the program to deliver the program’s benefits. At the program level, interactions with components are essential to accomplish goals to position the program for success. The program manager must manage each component in a consistent and coordinated way and oversee the performance of the program’s components. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 69–70 |
13. b. | Issue requests for proposals (RFPs) or requests for quotations (RFQs)
Qualified seller lists are used when RFPs, RFQs, or requests for information (RFIs) are issued. They can save time in the overall program procurement management process, because they list only known sellers who can provide needed products and services. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 91 |
14. b. | Formalized procurement evaluation criteria Program managers have many tools and techniques available to conduct program procurements and must set standards for the program’s components. Formalized proposal evaluation criteria are a best practice to follow. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 91 |
15. c. | Promoting integrity in all interactions As PMI® members according to the “Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct”, honesty is a critical component as one must “understand the truth and act in a truthful manner both in our communications and in our conduct”. By promoting integrity in all interactions, the emphasis is to behave honestly, provide facts, confront dishonesty, and challenge any system that encourages dishonesty or rewards. Ethical behavior must be practiced on programs. PMI®, IPMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Available from http://www.pmi.org/codeofethics/PDF, 4 Levin, Ginger and Ward, J. LeRoy. 2011. Program Complexity A Competency Model. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 77 |
16. c. | A component initiation request is approved Component planning is performed in the Program Benefit Delivery Phase. The component must properly support the program’s outcomes before it is authorized. A new component initiation request must be submitted and approved. PMI®, The Standard for Program Management, 2013, 60–61, 69 |
17. b. | Setting up a master schedule that has some early milestones, which you know you can meet It is easy for team members to lose motivation especially on large programs. One approach is to celebrate success among your team and maximize their contribution to achieving program goals. If the master schedule has early milestones set up that are ones that can be met, this then provides an opportunity to celebrate success and build a winning team. PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 Levin and Ward, 2011, 67 |
18. d. | Evaluate the program status while maintaining current program information Key Performance Indicators are a best practice in program management especially to show how the program remains in alignment with strategic goals and objectives, and the Balanced Scorecard is helpful in setting performance targets. The purpose is to be able in executing to evaluate the program’s status in order to monitor and control the program while maintaining current program information. PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 |
19. a. | Deliverables are complete, and scope is compliant with the functional overview Before the request to close a project is approved, the program manager must ensure the project’s deliverables are complete. The scope should be compliant with the functional overview so requirements are met as well as the success criteria in the scope statement. PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 |
20. b. | Set up a training session for your project managers and team members to explain the benefits of program management Program management is used because through it more benefits can be achieved than if the projects were managed in a standalone fashion. There is a far greater emphasis therefore on strategic alignment, benefits realization, stakeholder engagement, and governance than in project management. As a program manager, one must lead by training among other things in order to improve team engagement and achieve commitment to the program’s goals. PMI®. Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Examination Content Outline, 2011, 10 |
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