PMP Practice Questions #82
As a project manager overseeing the development of a sophisticated new software system, you face a complex project with significant implications for the client’s business operations. While creating a Quality Management Plan, you need to decide on the level of testing required for the project. Which of the following factors should be the primary determinant in deciding the appropriate amount of testing for this project?
a) The project’s budget and timeline, ensuring that testing is efficient and cost-effective.
b) The complexity and risk profile of the software, focusing on critical areas that could significantly affect operations if not properly tested.
c) The quality approach and lessons learned from a previous similar project, leveraging past experiences to inform the current Quality Management Plan.
d) The industry standards for software testing, using them as a benchmark.
Analysis:
This question explores the optimal approach for determining the appropriate level of testing in a sophisticated software development project, specifically within the context of a Quality Management Plan. The focus is on understanding the ‘cost of quality’ which involves balancing the investment in testing against the potential risks and impacts associated with the software’s complexity and the project’s unique demands.
Analysis of Options:
Option A: The project’s budget and timeline, ensuring that testing is efficient and cost-effective. This option suggests basing the level of testing on the project’s budget and timeline constraints. While budget and timeline are important, they should not be the sole determinants of testing depth, especially for a complex project with significant implications.
Option B: The complexity and risk profile of the software, focusing on critical areas that could significantly affect operations if not properly tested. This option aligns testing with the software’s complexity and risk profile, emphasizing testing in critical areas. It is a more targeted approach, prioritizing areas with the greatest potential impact on client operations.
Option C: The quality approach and lessons learned from a previous similar project, leveraging past experiences to inform the current Quality Management Plan. While past experiences and lessons learned are valuable, they may not fully address the unique aspects of the current project, especially if the previous project differed significantly in scope or context.
Option D: The industry standards for software testing, using them as a benchmark. Industry standards provide a valuable baseline for testing. However, they might not fully account for the specific risks and complexities of the project at hand.
Conclusion: Option B, focusing on the complexity and risk profile of the software, is the most appropriate determinant for the level of testing. This approach ensures that testing efforts are concentrated on the most critical aspects of the software, directly addressing the unique challenges and potential impacts of the project. It acknowledges the importance of other factors like budget, past experiences, and industry standards, but prioritizes the specific needs and risks associated with this particular software development project.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| Process | Task 7: Plan and manage quality of products/deliverables |
Topics Covered
- Quality Management Plan
- Cost of Quality
