4.4: PgMP-Style Questions

Sample Questions

1. A program has delivered all four of its component projects on time and within budget. However, the expected 30% reduction in customer complaint rates has not occurred. What is the most likely cause?
   1. The component projects were poorly executed.
   2. The program lacked a benefits management process to connect project outputs to the intended outcome.
   3. The 30% target was unrealistic.
   4. The customer complaint data is inaccurate.
2. A program manager is building the benefits register. A stakeholder insists on including "improved employee morale" as a benefit but another stakeholder argues it should be excluded because it cannot be measured in dollars. What should the program manager do?
   1. Exclude it because only tangible benefits belong in the register.
   2. Include it as an intangible benefit with proxy metrics such as employee engagement survey scores and retention rates.
   3. Convert employee morale to a dollar value using an estimate of productivity impact.
   4. Defer the decision to the governance board.
3. During program delivery, the program manager discovers that the data analytics platform built by one component project has revealed market insights that could generate $5 million in new revenue for a different business unit. This opportunity was not in the original business case. What type of benefit is this?
   1. Tangible benefit.
   2. Intangible benefit.
   3. Emergent benefit.
   4. Incremental benefit.
4. A benefit statement reads: "Improve operational efficiency." What is wrong with this statement?
   1. Nothing; it clearly states the intended benefit.
   2. It lacks a baseline, target, measurement method, timeline, and owner, making it unmeasurable and unactionable.
   3. It should specify which operations will be improved.
   4. It should be expressed in financial terms.
5. A program is approaching closure. The program manager has not yet engaged the receiving organization in transition planning. What risk does this create?
   1. The program closure will be delayed.
   2. The receiving organization may lack the resources, knowledge, and commitment to sustain the program's benefits, causing value to decline after closure.
   3. The governance board may reject the closure request.
   4. The program team will need to continue operating indefinitely.
6. A program's benefits register shows that three of five planned benefits are tracking below their targets at the midpoint of the program. What should the program manager do first?
   1. Revise the targets downward to reflect realistic expectations.
   2. Escalate immediately to the program sponsor for additional funding.
   3. Conduct a causal analysis to understand why the benefits are underperforming and develop corrective actions.
   4. Terminate the underperforming components and redirect resources.
7. Who should be assigned as the benefit owner for a program benefit that will be sustained by the operations team after program closure?
   1. The program manager.
   2. The component project manager who delivered the related output.
   3. A member of the operations team who will be responsible for sustaining the benefit.
   4. The program sponsor.
8. A benefits realization plan maps component outputs to outcomes and benefits. What is the primary purpose of this mapping?
   1. To create a project deliverables list.
   2. To establish the causal chain that connects what the program produces to the value the organization receives.
   3. To assign tasks to project team members.
   4. To calculate the program's return on investment.
9. Which of the following is a leading indicator of benefits realization, as opposed to a lagging indicator?
   1. Revenue increase from a new service launched by the program.
   2. Customer satisfaction survey scores after full deployment.
   3. Percentage of end users who have completed training and are actively using the new system.
   4. Actual cost savings compared to the benefits realization plan target.
10. A program's benefits sustainment plan includes metrics, processes, and tools for managing benefits after program closure. When should this plan be developed?
    1. During program closure.
    2. During program delivery, when benefits begin to materialize.
    3. During program planning, when the benefits realization plan is developed.
    4. After program closure, when the receiving organization takes ownership.

Answer Key

1. B. All outputs were delivered successfully, so the gap between outputs and outcomes indicates a benefits management failure.
2. B. Intangible benefits are legitimate and should be documented with proxy metrics rather than excluded or forced into dollar terms.
3. C. An emergent benefit is one not anticipated in the original business case but discovered during program delivery.
4. B. An effective benefit statement requires a baseline, target, measurement method, timeline, and owner.
5. B. Late transition planning is a leading cause of benefit degradation, since the receiving organization must be prepared before closure.
6. C. Before adjusting targets or escalating, the program manager should understand root causes through causal analysis.
7. C. Benefit owners should come from the organization that will sustain the benefit, not from the program team, which will dissolve at closure.
8. B. The output-to-outcome-to-benefit mapping establishes the causal chain that is the foundation of benefits management.
9. C. Training completion and active usage predict future benefit realization, while revenue and satisfaction scores are lagging indicators.
10. C. Sustainment planning should begin during program planning so the receiving organization is involved early and prepared to take ownership.