When selecting strategies as an activity of Plan Risk Response, what is the overall goal?
Answer : C
The overall goal of selecting strategies during the Plan Risk Response activity is to choose those strategies that have the greatest overall positive influence on the project, considering factors such as cost, schedule, and resources.
According to the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Examination Content Outline1, one of the tasks in the domain ofRisk Responseis to select risk response strategies based on the risk appetite and tolerance of the organization and stakeholders1. The overall goal of selecting risk response strategies is to select the strategies with the greatest overall positive influence on the project objectives, such as scope, schedule, cost, quality, etc.The risk response strategies should aim to enhance the opportunities and reduce the threats to the project, while considering the cost-benefit analysis, the feasibility, and the alignment with the project goals and stakeholder expectations2.The risk response strategies should not be selected based on the least overall impact to resources, because that may not be the most effective or efficient way to address the risks, and it may ignore the potential benefits of some strategies that may require more resources but also deliver more value3. The risk response strategies should not be selected based on the least financial impact, because that may not be the most relevant or comprehensive criterion to evaluate the risks, and it may overlook other aspects of the project, such as quality, customer satisfaction, reputation, etc.that may also be affected by the risks4.The risk response strategies should not be selected based on the greatest benefit to stakeholders, because that may not be the most realistic or achievable goal, and it may create conflicts or trade-offs among different stakeholder groups that may have different or competing interests, needs, and expectations5.Reference:1: PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Examination Content Outline, page 102: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) -- Sixth Edition, page 4403: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) -- Sixth Edition, page 4414: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) -- Sixth Edition, page 4425: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) -- Sixth Edition, page 518.
A project manager has just been assigned to a new project. The project manager has been tasked by the project sponsor to ensure the project risks are closely managed. The project manager starts with developing the risk management plan.
What is the expected outcome of developing the risk management plan?
Answer : B
The expected outcome of developing the risk management plan is to define how risk management activities will be executed throughout the project. This includes the processes, tools, and techniques that will be used to identify, assess, and manage risks.
The risk management plan is a document that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed throughout the project. It provides guidance on how to identify, analyze, respond, monitor, and control risks, as well as how to communicate, document, and report them. The risk management plan also defines the roles and responsibilities of the project team and stakeholders in risk management, the risk categories and breakdown structure, the risk thresholds and appetite, the risk management tools and techniques, and the risk management budget and schedule. The risk management plan is an output of the plan risk management process, which is the first process in the project risk management knowledge area. Developing the risk management plan is essential for ensuring that the project risks are closely managed and aligned with the project objectives and stakeholder expectations.Reference:PMI, Project Risk Management, 2nd edition, 2019, p.67-681
In a large mobile network deployment project, there is delay risk due to insufficient staffing. The risk manager is considering executing a response plan, which involves allowing staff members to work overtime. However, this action may lead to excessive additional cost.
What should the risk manager do?
Answer : C
In this scenario, the risk manager is considering a response that could lead to a significant residual risk---excessive additional costs due to overtime. Before proceeding, it is crucial to confirm that the project sponsor is comfortable with the risk appetite for this potential outcome. This step is essential to ensure that the decision to allow overtime aligns with the sponsor's tolerance for additional costs and the overall project risk management strategy. According to the Risk Management Procedure, understanding and aligning with the sponsor's risk appetite is a critical step before implementing risk responses that could impact the project's financials. This approach ensures that all stakeholders are aware of and agree to the potential consequences of the chosen risk response strategy.
As a project approached completion, a risk manager conducted a risk response audit and verified the effectiveness of risk responses. What should the risk manager do next?
Answer : A
After verifying the effectiveness of the risk responses, the next step is to close out the risk response actions and communicate the results to relevant stakeholders. This ensures that the project team and stakeholders are aware of how risks have been managed and that any lessons learned can be applied to future projects. This aligns with PMI's emphasis on communication and documentation in risk management to ensure transparency and continuous improvement.
The project manager has completed four projects all with similar scope. The project manager has recently been assigned to start on a new project and believes some risks may occur again on this project.
What should the project manager do?
Answer : D
The project manager should discuss the identified risks with the project team to ensure that everyone is aware of the potential risks and can provide input on the likelihood and impact of each risk. This collaborative approach will help in developing a comprehensive risk management plan.
The project manager should discuss and evaluate the identified risks with the project team, as this is part of the risk identification process. The project manager can use their experience from previous projects to identify potential risks that may occur again on the new project, but they should also involve the project team to obtain their input and perspectives. The project team can help the project manager to validate, refine, and prioritize the identified risks, as well as to suggest possible risk responses. The project manager should document the identified risks and their characteristics in the risk register, which is a tool for risk management. The other options are not appropriate actions for the project manager to take. Implementing the risk response strategies into the risk plan is premature, as the project manager should first analyze and evaluate the risks before deciding on the best response strategies. Informing the sponsor that these risks should be added according to experience is not sufficient, as the project manager should also consult the project team and other stakeholders to ensure that all relevant risks are identified and assessed. Adding the risks to the risk register and determining a contingency is part of the risk analysis and response planning processes, which come after the risk identification process. The project manager should first discuss and evaluate the identified risks with the project team before moving to the next steps of risk management.Reference:2,3, [5]
As per the risk analysis process carried out for a project, two risks are registered. The probability risk A will occur is 40% and its monetary impact to the project is US$100,000. The probability risk B will occur is 60% and its monetary impact to the project is US$20,000.
What is the total contingency budget that should be created?
Answer : B
In risk management, to calculate the contingency budget for risks, we use the Expected Monetary Value (EMV) formula: EMV=ProbabilityofRiskImpactofRisk\text{EMV} = \text{Probability of Risk} \times \text{Impact of Risk}EMV=ProbabilityofRiskImpactofRisk
For Risk A:
Probability: 40% or 0.40
Impact: US$100,000\text{EMV of Risk A} = 0.40 \times 100,000 = US$40,000
For Risk B:
Probability: 60% or 0.60
Impact: US$20,000\text{EMV of Risk B} = 0.60 \times 20,000 = US$12,000
Total contingency budget = EMV of Risk A + EMV of Risk B
40,000 + 12,000 = US$52,000
Thus, the total contingency budget required for both risks is US$52,000. This approach follows PMI's risk management guidelines, specifically under the 'Quantitative Risk Analysis' process. This process focuses on determining numerical probabilities and monetary impacts to compute the expected financial impact of identified risks.
A risk manager notices that a risk owner is facing challenges implementing their response strategy and the costs are significantly exceeding expectations. What is the first thing the risk manager should do?
Answer : D
The first thing the risk manager should do is analyze the situation and meet with the risk owner. This will allow the risk manager to understand the challenges faced by the risk owner and work with them to find a solution. Conducting a cost-benefit analysis or changing the risk response strategy may be necessary, but it is important to first understand the situation before taking any action.
According to the PMI-RMP Exam Content Outline, one of the tasks in the domain of Risk Response Planning is to ''assist the risk owners in developing and implementing risk response strategies and actions based on the agreed-upon risk response plan''. Therefore, the first thing the risk manager should do is to analyze the situation and meet with the risk owner to understand the root cause of the challenges and the cost overrun, and to discuss possible solutions or alternatives. Highlighting this situation to the project manager, conducting a cost-benefit analysis, or changing the risk response strategy are possible actions that can be taken after the analysis and meeting, but not before.Reference: PMI-RMP Exam Content Outline, Domain 3: Risk Response Planning, Task 31