Pass the PRINCE2 Certification Prince2-Practitioner Questions and answers with Dumpstech

Scenario

Additional Information

Chief Executive Officer (CEO): He started the company 25 years ago and knows his job very well. He injured his leg two years ago which has restricted his visits to the engineering area. As CEO he has an overall perspective of the business strategic requirements and the authority to commit resources as required.

Marketing Director: She has been with the company for three years, following a successful career with a publicity company. She has the ability to represent the needs of the business, particularly as this is a marketing project. She has the authority to commit the annual business marketing budget, from which the project will be funded, as she sees appropriate. She will be responsible for monitoring the expected benefits of the calendar, in particular the improvement of the company's image.

Engineering Manager: He has been responsible for many engineering innovations in the company and is still as keen and energetic as the day he started. VVhilst he will not be part of the project team, his staff will feature in the photos for the promotional calendar.

Central Records: This group of five staff looks after all company records and document control. They now maintain all project files.

Bright Lights: This is the local office supplies company. It supplies all the stationery and office equipment needs of the company and will supply the stationery for this project.

Portraits ltd: This is a professional photographic company with a number of excellent photographers and a history of successful work. This company has been selected to take the photos for the company calendar. It has yet to be decided which of the photographers to use.

Which 2 statements explain why Central Records should be appointed as Project Support for this project?

Scenario

Additional Information

Chief Executive Officer (CEO): He started the company 25 years ago and knows his job very well. He injured his leg two years ago which has restricted his visits to the engineering area. As CEO he has an overall perspective of the business strategic requirements and the authority to commit resources as required.

Marketing Director: She has been with the company for three years, following a successful career with a publicity company. She has the ability to represent the needs of the business, particularly as this is a marketing project. She has the authority to commit the annual business marketing budget, from which the project will be funded, as she sees appropriate. She will be responsible for monitoring the expected benefits of the calendar, in particular the improvement of the company's image.

Engineering Manager: He has been responsible for many engineering innovations in the company and is still as keen and energetic as the day he started. VVhilst he will not be part of the project team, his staff will feature in the photos for the promotional calendar.

Central Records: This group of five staff looks after all company records and document control. They now maintain all project files.

Bright Lights: This is the local office supplies company. It supplies all the stationery and office equipment needs of the company and will supply the stationery for this project.

Portraits ltd: This is a professional photographic company with a number of excellent photographers and a history of successful work. This company has been selected to take the photos for the company calendar. It has yet to be decided which of the photographers to use.

Which 2 statements explain why the Purchasing Manager should be appointed as a Senior Supplier for this project?

Who is responsible for ensuring that Communication Management Strategy is appropriate and that planned communication activities actually take place?

Scenario

Additional Information

Chief Executive Officer (CEO): He started the company 25 years ago and knows his job very well. He injured his leg two years ago which has restricted his visits to the engineering area. As CEO he has an overall perspective of the business strategic requirements and the authority to commit resources as required.

Marketing Director: She has been with the company for three years, following a successful career with a publicity company. She has the ability to represent the needs of the business, particularly as this is a marketing project. She has the authority to commit the annual business marketing budget, from which the project will be funded, as she sees appropriate. She will be responsible for monitoring the expected benefits of the calendar, in particular the improvement of the company's image.

Engineering Manager: He has been responsible for many engineering innovations in the company and is still as keen and energetic as the day he started. VVhilst he will not be part of the project team, his staff will feature in the photos for the promotional calendar.

Central Records: This group of five staff looks after all company records and document control. They now maintain all project files.

Bright Lights: This is the local office supplies company. It supplies all the stationery and office equipment needs of the company and will supply the stationery for this project.

Portraits ltd: This is a professional photographic company with a number of excellent photographers and a history of successful work. This company has been selected to take the photos for the company calendar. It has yet be decided which of the photographers to use.

Which 2 statements explain why the Marketing Director should be appointed as the Executive for this project?

Scenario

Additional Information

Further information on some resources who could be involved in the project:

Outcome Account Manager: He represents Outcome which is a recruitment agency that provides specialist outsourcing resources. Outcome provided the consultants who carried out the feasibility study and the same consultants will be providing support and guidance to the Information Technology and Facilities teams during the project.

Director of Finance Division: She was transferred from the Information Technology Division 12 months ago. She is responsible for ensuring a cost-conscious approach is adopted in all operational and project activities across the Ministry of Food Hygiene.

Hardware Manager: Reports to the Director of Information Technology. He provides computer hardware to all business functions but has little awareness of the needs of his colleagues working in software.

Payroll Manager: Reports to the Director of Finance. He is a very experienced and efficient qualified accountant who has much of the responsibility of running the Finance Division on behalf of the Director of Finance. He has been involved in drafting the Ministry's business strategy and assisting in a full business risk assessment. He also drafted the corporate Business Case standards.

Which 2 alternative actions apply to the proposed supplier assurance for this project?

Scenario

Additional Information

During the initiation stage the Project Manager met with the Marketing Director to find out more about the requirements of the promotional calendar and recorded the following notes:

There has been a reduction in the order numbers at the MNO Manufacturing due in part to the increased marketing activities of its competitors. 10% of customers have not re-ordered in this financial year and staff morale is poor. A number of skilled staff have left as a result and replacement staff have not been recruited due to the reduced operation. If the project is successful, a recruitment campaign will be required to fill the existing staff vacancies and there may be a requirement for additional staff. Operational costs are likely to increase because skilled staff are expensive and difficult to find.

In financial terms, there were a total of 1,500 orders in the last financial year, each with an average profit of £2k. The Marketing department believes that sending a promotional calendar to our current and prospective customers would increase orders by at least 10% with a minimum of 10 further orders from the list of prospective customers within 12 months from the date of distribution.

The Marketing Director will be funding the project from the business marketing budget. She believes that the effect of a good company image portrayed by a successful calendar would last into a second year. She has forecast the same increase in orders for a second year and predicts that the annual employee satisfaction survey will show a measurable improvement in staff morale.

A number of alternatives were explored, including:

20% discount for all repeat customers - not cost-effective and very short term

A promotional calendar as a free Christmas gift - would target current and prospective customers and the benefits would last into a second year

A series of television and press advertisements was too expensive

A direct mail shot to all customers - benefit would be short term

Creation of an internet website - would not suit all customers

The calendar is seen as the favored option, as long as the company's competitors do not increase their marketing activity. Whilst the Marketing department wants a very high quality, glossy product, the project management team must be aware of the cost this will incur.

Using the Project Scenario and the additional Information provided for this question In the Scenario Booklet, answer the following question.

Which 2 statements should be recorded under the Expected dis-benefits heading?

When considering the business options in the business case, which of these is NOT an option?

Scenario

A central government department, the Ministry of Food Hygiene (MFH), faces increasing pressure to cut costs, better manage suppliers’ performance and reduce the confusion caused by inadequate internal controls, outdated standards and outdated technology. External consultants were employed to conduct a feasibility study to identify options to address the problems, and the likely costs and benefits. The following options were considered:

● Do nothing.

● Re-engineer selected business functions.

● Outsource selected business functions.

The feasibility study concluded that there was a case for outsourcing the MFH Information Technology

Division and the Facilities Division (maintenance of buildings and grounds). The recommendations were:

● One service provider should be contracted to provide the services currently provided by the

Information Technology Division and the Facilities Division.

● A 10-year service contract should be agreed with the selected service provider.

The feasibility study developed high-level designs of the current organization, processes, systems and

operating models, plus an outline Business Case for the required project. The external consultants

also made the following recommendations for the management of the project:

● Use PRINCE2.

● Set up the project with 4 management stages:

Stage 1. Standard PRINCE2 initiation activities.

Stage 2. Create detailed designs (future organization, processes, systems and operating

models) and the service level agreement between MFH and the future service

provider.

Stage 3. Request and evaluate proposals, select service provider and agree contract.

Stage 4. Transfer equipment and staff, transfer responsibility for service provision and run

trial period.

Initial estimates indicated that the project would cost £2.5m and take two years to complete.

MFH senior management agreed that there was a case for outsourcing, and accepted the

recommendations as a basis for the project. There is an expected saving of £20m over 10 years.

The Outsourcing project has completed the Starting up a Project process and is now in the initiation stage. Because of the strategic importance of the project, the MFH Chief Executive Officer has taken the role of Executive. A PRINCE2-experienced Project Manager has been appointed from within MFH. Staff within the business functions being outsourced will work with the external consultants who conducted the feasibility study to define the detailed designs.

Which 2 statements should be recorded under the Reasons heading?

Scenario

Additional Information

During the initiation stage the Project Manager met with the Marketing Director to find out more about the requirements of the promotional calendar and recorded the following notes:

There has been a reduction in the order numbers at the MNO Manufacturing due in part to the increased marketing activities of its competitors. 10% of customers have not re-ordered in this financial year and staff morale is poor. A number of skilled staff have left as a result and replacement staff have not been recruited due to the reduced operation. If the project is successful, a recruitment campaign will be required to fill the existing staff vacancies and there may be a requirement for additional staff. Operational costs are likely to increase because skilled staff are expensive and difficult to find.

In financial terms, there were a total of 1,500 orders in the last financial year, each with an average profit of £2k. The Marketing department believes that sending a promotional calendar to our current and prospective customers would increase orders by at least 10% with a minimum of 10 further orders from the list of prospective customers within 12 months from the date of distribution.

The Marketing Director will be funding the project from the business marketing budget. She believes that the effect of a good company image portrayed by a successful calendar would last into a second year. She has forecast the same increase in orders for a second year and predicts that the annual employee satisfaction survey will show a measurable improvement in staff morale.

A number of alternatives were explored, including:

20% discount for all repeat customers - not cost-effective and very short term

A promotional calendar as a free Christmas gift - would target current and prospective customers and the benefits would last into a second year

A series of television and press advertisements was too expensive

A direct mail shot to all customers - benefit would be short term

Creation of an internet website - would not suit all customers

The calendar is seen as the favored option, as long as the company's competitors do not increase their marketing activity. Whilst the Marketing department wants a very high quality, glossy product, the project management team must be aware of the cost this will incur.

Using the Project Scenario and the additional Information provided for this question In the Scenario Booklet, answer the following question.

Lines A to E in the table below consist of an assertion statement and a reason statement. For each line identify the appropriate option, from options A to E, that applies. Each option can be used once, more than once or not at all.

Scenario

A central government department, the Ministry of Food Hygiene (MFH), faces increasing pressure to cut costs, better manage suppliers’ performance and reduce the confusion caused by inadequate internal controls, outdated standards and outdated technology. External consultants were employed to conduct a feasibility study to identify options to address the problems, and the likely costs and benefits. The following options were considered:

● Do nothing.

● Re-engineer selected business functions.

● Outsource selected business functions.

The feasibility study concluded that there was a case for outsourcing the MFH Information Technology Division and the Facilities Division (maintenance of buildings and grounds). The recommendations were:

● One service provider should be contracted to provide the services currently provided by the Information Technology Division and the Facilities Division.

● A 10-year service contract should be agreed with the selected service provider.

The feasibility study developed high-level designs of the current organization, processes, systems and operating models, plus an outline Business Case for the required project. The external consultants also made the following recommendations for the management of the project:

● Use PRINCE2.

● Set up the project with 4 management stages:

Stage 1. Standard PRINCE2 initiation activities.

Stage 2. Create detailed designs (future organization, processes, systems and operating models) and the service level agreement between MFH and the future service

provider.

Stage 3. Request and evaluate proposals, select service provider and agree contract.

Stage 4. Transfer equipment and staff, transfer responsibility for service provision and run trial period.

Initial estimates indicated that the project would cost £2.5m and take two years to complete.

MFH senior management agreed that there was a case for outsourcing, and accepted the recommendations as a basis for the project. There is an expected saving of £20m over 10 years.

The Outsourcing project has completed the Starting up a Project process and is now in the initiation stage. Because of the strategic importance of the project, the MFH Chief Executive Officer has taken the role of Executive. A PRINCE2-experienced Project Manager has been appointed from within MFH. Staff within the business functions being outsourced will work with the external consultants who conducted the feasibility study to define the detailed designs.

Lines 1 to 6 in the table below consist of an assertion statement and a reason statement. For each line identify the appropriate option, from options A to E, that applies. Each option can be used once, more than once or not at all.