Chapter 6 – Defining Scope and Constructing Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
TRUE/FALSE
1. Plan scope management is the process of creating a project scope statement.
2. The project scope refers to the features and functions that characterize a product, service or result.
3. The project scope is the work that must be performed to deliver a product, service or result with the
specified features and functions.
4. A thorough scope definition process will often yield multiple project deliverables including
intermediate project deliverables due before the project is complete.
5. The project scope statement will frequently state what features and work elements are excluded from
the project in addition to stating which are included.
6. The best project scope statements are brief, succinct and limit their focus specifically to the work to be
performed.
7. The Work Breakdown Structure is normally developed by listing major deliverables and then
progressively smaller ones, until the team feels that every deliverable has been identified.
8. By using a systematic process of creating a Work Breakdown Structure, project team members can
ensure that they remember all deliverables that need to be created.
9. If a problem occurs during project execution, the Work Breakdown Structure can be used to
understand exactly where and why the problem occurred.
10. A Work Breakdown Structure must be decomposed at least four levels in order to be effective.
11. Since work packages provide the basis for future project planning activities, they should be as detailed
as possible.
12. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) component is a term that simply refers to an entry in the WBS
that can be at any level.
13. A WBS dictionary is a document that defines each of the terms used in the project scope statement.
14. In order to construct a project Work Breakdown Structure, a project team needs to enlist support from
subject matter experts who understand how each portion of the work will be accomplished.
15. The most conventional approach to create a Work Breakdown Structure is to adopt a “top–down”
approach, which can be used when the project work is familiar to the team.
16. Almost all projects have deliverables dealing with documentation and customer enablement in addition
to the primary deliverable.
17. Baselining is defined as a technique for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project
deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts.
18. Organizing the second level of the Work Breakdown Structure by major design components facilitates
rolling wave planning.
19. It is important to assign a unique number to every component in the project Work Breakdown
Structure.
20. Failure to include project management in the Work Breakdown Structure will increase the likelihood
that the project will finish late or over budget.
21. Once the project is underway, each potential change to a project is normally documented by some sort
of change request.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The project scope planning processes include all of the following EXCEPT:
a.
how the project scope will be defined
b.
how the requirements will be collected
c.
how the work breakdown structure will be created
d.
how the business case will be created
2. Define Scope is the process of developing:
a.
a project scope management plan.
b.
a detailed description of the project and product.
c.
a project work breakdown structure.
d.
a project scope network diagram
3. All of the following elements should be included in a project scope statement EXCEPT:
a.
project boundaries or exclusions
b.
names of the project team members
c.
assumptions and constraints that may limit or influence project work
d.
key deliverables with acceptance criteria
4. On agile projects, the scope definition begins with :
a.
brainstorming
b.
joint application development (JAD) sessions
c.
creation of the WBS
d.
user stories
5. It is helpful to list requirements and supporting information in a requirements traceability matrix.
When requirements are complete, they should meet all of these criteria EXCEPT:
a.
identified with the stakeholder who needs it
b.
assigned to a team member who will be the requirement owner
c.
measurable, so that the value and completion can be verified
d.
prioritized so tradeoff decisions can be made if necessary
6. Which of the following items best describes a project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?
a.
an organizational chart depicting who will perform project work
b.
a schedule depicting when project work will be performed
c.
a tool that the team uses to progressively divide deliverables into smaller pieces
d.
a list of activities to complete the project work packages
7. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a framework that will be used as a basis for further planning
activities including all the following EXCEPT:
a.
developing the project schedule
b.
developing the project cost estimate
c.
identifying key stakeholders
d.
identifying project risks
8. Work Breakdown Structures typically include one or more intermediate levels. Which of the
following statements correctly describe the nature of these intermediate levels?
a.
They generally represent items that need to be created in order to create the final
deliverables.
b.
They generally represent the raw materials required to create the final deliverables.
c.
They generally represent the resource assignments to create the final deliverables.
d.
They generally represent the sequence and timing of work packages
9. Work Breakdown Structures can be displayed in a variety of formats including which of the
following?
a.
a sequential process diagram
b.
an inverted pyramid
c.
an indented outline format
d.
fishbone or cause and effect diagram
10. The technique for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller,
more manageable parts is called:
a.
rolling wave planning
b.
decomposition
c.
parent child relationship
d.
requirements traceability
11. The approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control
procedures is called a ____:
a.
requirement.
b.
baseline.
c.
benchmark.
d.
component.
12. Which of the following is not a format that is typically used to represent a Work Breakdown Structure?
a.
Hierarchical
b.
Indented outline
c.
Requirements Traceability Matrix
d.
Free Format
13. All of the following statements correctly describe a contemporary approach to create the Work
Breakdown Structure (WBS) for a project EXCEPT:
a.
Project teams may adopt a top-down approach to construct the WBS.
b.
Project teams may rely upon a WBS from a previous project as a starting point.
c.
Project teams may rely upon the project manager to create the entire WBS
d.
Project teams may jump start the effort with a brainstorming session.
14. All of the following conventions are widely adopted when project teams create the second level of the
project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) EXCEPT:
a.
The second level may be organized by project phase.
b.
The second level may be organized by major design components.
c.
The second level may be organized by work function.
d.
The second level may be organized by activities and tasks
15. Which of the following statements is true concerning the adoption of rolling wave planning in project
management?
a.
It is facilitated when the second level of the work breakdown structure is organized by
phase or design components.
b.
It is initially cumbersome, often delaying a prompt and timely project start.
c.
It often creates a situation known as “analysis paralysis.”
d.
It requires detailed bottom-up estimating for every WBS component
16. A deliverable at the lowest level of each branch of a work breakdown structure is known as:
a.
a work element.
b.
a work package.
c.
a work unit.
d.
a control account
17. Which of the following statements concerning work packages is NOT correct?
a.
Work packages are the basis for subsequent project planning activities.
b.
Work packages are the basis for subsequent project control activities.
c.
Work packages are activity elements with detailed descriptions of tasks and dependencies
d.
Work packages are the elements at the lowest level of the WBS.
18. For each component in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), the WBS dictionary includes all the
following fields that will be progressively elaborated EXCEPT:
a.
a brief description of the work
b.
names of team member(s) responsible for creating the deliverables
c.
a list of associated deliverables
d.
type of resources needed
19. The approved set of procedures that describe how modifications to the project deliverables and
documentation will be managed and controlled are collectively known by which of the following
terms?
a.
scope statement
b.
change control system
c.
configuration management plan
d.
scope management plan
20. A typical change request form will include which of the following content items?
a.
a description of the change along with the impact of making the change
b.
a summary of previous changes to the project
c.
an issues log
d.
a change control process flow diagram
ESSAY
1. What are some of the benefits of creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?
2. Identify and describe the three steps that the team should follow in order to define project scope and
create a project scope statement.
3. Explain how scope is defined on agile projects.