CNIT 480 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2026
What are some of the reasons IT project management is studied? - ANS - increase in global IT
spending
Why are IT projects different from projects in other industries? - ANS - rapid, unplanned
- many times not known
- often ambiguous
- low commonality
- high turnover rates
- often chaotic
- difficult to test all options
What are some of the advantages of using formal project management practices? - ANS -
improved customer satisfaction
- better cost performance
- better scheduler performance
- increased quality
- makes everyone happier!
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
1
,Modern project management began with which historical project? - ANS - Manhatten Project
How did the Gantt chart come to be? - ANS - 1917 Henry Gantt
- tool for scheduling work in job shops
When were PERT charts developed? - ANS - 1958
- developed by the Navy
When did the military and the construction industry begin using project management software?
- ANS - 1970s
True/False: By the 1990s, virtually every industry was using some form of project management -
ANS True
What is a project? - ANS - temporary sequence of related activities that must be completed
to create a unique product or service
What are some of the key characteristics of a project? - ANS - temporary
- unique
- progressive elaboration
- single unique purpose
What are some of the secondary characteristics of a project? - ANS - each project must have
a primary sponsor or champion
- projects usually cut across organizational lines requiring resources from several different
sources
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2
,- they must do something, deliver something of value
What is project management? - ANS - the process of applying knowledge, tools, and
techniques to a project's activities to deliver stated project requirements within agreed upon
scope, time, cost, and quality constraints
How does a project manager manage projects? - ANS - setting clear and achievable objectives
- making sure requirements are discovered and documented
- adapting the project to the various concerns of the stakeholders
- balancing the demands of the triple constraint
What is the triple constraint? - ANS - scope, time, and cost objectives which have to be
balanced by project managers in order to deliver successful projects
- can also include quality
What types of skills must a project manager possess to be successful? - ANS - soft skills
- technical skills
What are the six basic functions for a project manager to be successful? - ANS - manage
project scope
- manage human resources
- manage communications
- manage schedule
- manage quality
- manage costs
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, What is a program? - ANS - a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to
obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually
What is a portfolio? - ANS - a group of programs
What are program managers? - ANS - oversee programs and often act as mentors,
supervisors for project managers
What are some project management tools and techniques? - ANS - project charter and WBS
(scope)
- Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path analysis, critical chain scheduling (time)
- integrated change control process
- cost estimates and earned value management (cost)
What are some of the key project challenges? - ANS - economic situations
- past failures
- implementation of control/reporting mechanisms
- unrealistic/over-ambitious scheduling
- planning complexities
- cross-cultural
- technological advances
What are some of the project management job functiosn? - ANS - define scope of project
- identify stakeholders
- develop task list (WBS)
- estimate time requirements
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
4
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2026
What are some of the reasons IT project management is studied? - ANS - increase in global IT
spending
Why are IT projects different from projects in other industries? - ANS - rapid, unplanned
- many times not known
- often ambiguous
- low commonality
- high turnover rates
- often chaotic
- difficult to test all options
What are some of the advantages of using formal project management practices? - ANS -
improved customer satisfaction
- better cost performance
- better scheduler performance
- increased quality
- makes everyone happier!
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
1
,Modern project management began with which historical project? - ANS - Manhatten Project
How did the Gantt chart come to be? - ANS - 1917 Henry Gantt
- tool for scheduling work in job shops
When were PERT charts developed? - ANS - 1958
- developed by the Navy
When did the military and the construction industry begin using project management software?
- ANS - 1970s
True/False: By the 1990s, virtually every industry was using some form of project management -
ANS True
What is a project? - ANS - temporary sequence of related activities that must be completed
to create a unique product or service
What are some of the key characteristics of a project? - ANS - temporary
- unique
- progressive elaboration
- single unique purpose
What are some of the secondary characteristics of a project? - ANS - each project must have
a primary sponsor or champion
- projects usually cut across organizational lines requiring resources from several different
sources
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2
,- they must do something, deliver something of value
What is project management? - ANS - the process of applying knowledge, tools, and
techniques to a project's activities to deliver stated project requirements within agreed upon
scope, time, cost, and quality constraints
How does a project manager manage projects? - ANS - setting clear and achievable objectives
- making sure requirements are discovered and documented
- adapting the project to the various concerns of the stakeholders
- balancing the demands of the triple constraint
What is the triple constraint? - ANS - scope, time, and cost objectives which have to be
balanced by project managers in order to deliver successful projects
- can also include quality
What types of skills must a project manager possess to be successful? - ANS - soft skills
- technical skills
What are the six basic functions for a project manager to be successful? - ANS - manage
project scope
- manage human resources
- manage communications
- manage schedule
- manage quality
- manage costs
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, What is a program? - ANS - a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to
obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually
What is a portfolio? - ANS - a group of programs
What are program managers? - ANS - oversee programs and often act as mentors,
supervisors for project managers
What are some project management tools and techniques? - ANS - project charter and WBS
(scope)
- Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path analysis, critical chain scheduling (time)
- integrated change control process
- cost estimates and earned value management (cost)
What are some of the key project challenges? - ANS - economic situations
- past failures
- implementation of control/reporting mechanisms
- unrealistic/over-ambitious scheduling
- planning complexities
- cross-cultural
- technological advances
What are some of the project management job functiosn? - ANS - define scope of project
- identify stakeholders
- develop task list (WBS)
- estimate time requirements
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
4
