Questions from HeadFirst: share your thoughts pls.

These questions are from Headfirst PMPExam set of 200 questions. As per the answers provided with the test, I answered below questions incorrectly.

I saw their answers and was not convinced with the explanation and still think my answers were correct.

I would like to see how you guys attempt the below questions. Please share your thoughts on what should be the correct answer.

Q1 You have just been authorized to manage a new project for your company. Which of the following BEST
describes your first action?

A) Create the work breakdown structure
B) Develop the project management plan
C) Develop the project charter
D) Create the preliminary scope statement

Q2 You are managing a construction project to install new door frames in an office building. You planned on spending $12,500 on the project, but your costs are higher than expected, and now you’re afraid that your project is spending too much money. What number tells you the difference between the amount of money you planned on spending and what you’ve actually spent so far on the project?

Q3 Which of the following is NOT an input of the Contract Administration process?
A) Work Performance Information
B) Procurement Management Plan
C) Contract Management Plan
D) Selected Sellers



admin's picture

Q1 - Since the project is initiated, there will be a charter and preliminary scope statement so you should start with project plan

Q2 - CV will give you the difference between actual spend vs planned spend

Q3-  As per PMBoK Selected sellers is not an input to contract administration.  It is the person or organization you work with to create the contract terms.

RP's picture

1. B

2. C

3. D

Thanks for your replies. Here is how I had taken this Qs

1.  I selected B

Answer given in the answer sheet isAnswer: D
Take a look at the answers to this question. What do you see? A list of processes - “Create WBS”, “Develop Project Management Plan”, “Develop Project Charter” and “Develop Preliminary Scope Statement”. So your job is to figure out which of these processes comes next. So what clues do you have to tell you where you are in the project lifecycle? Well, you’ve just been authorized to manage a new project. Since the project charter is what authorizes a project manager to work on a project, it means that the Develop Project Charter process has just been performed. So which process comes next? The first thing you do after the project charter is signed is perform the Develop Preliminary Scope Statement process.

2.  I did not select any answer as I felt the question itself is not correct.

CV = EV - AC

SV = EV - PV

There is no formula to calculate difference between amount of money planned for spending and actual spent money...which is PV - AC.

Answer provided in answer sheet is

Answer: C
The cost variance (CV) is the difference between the amount of money you planned on spending
and the total that you’ve spent so far. This should make sense - if your CV is negative, it means
that you’ve blown your budget.

3. I selected D

The answer sheet has provided below weird logic.

Answer: B
Contract Administration is the Monitoring & Controlling process for Procurement Management. It’s
when you run into a change that has to be made to a specific contract. The key here is that it’s only
about one specific contract - every contract has its own way of dealing with changes, which is why
you consult the Contract Management Plan (which deals with just that one contract), and not the
Procurement Management Plan (which deals with the entire Procurement Management area.)


I think the HeadFirst Practice Exam sheet has got all the 3 questions wrong.



 I believe this question was formulated for a PMBOK 3rd Edition Exam. And back then, correct answer was D. Preliminary Scope Statement.

At this moment this can be viewed as a tricky question for PMBOK 4th Edition Exam, because Preliminary Scope Statement and the corresponding process do not exist in 4th Ed. 
The correct answer is B. Develop Project Management Plan.

What I find disappointing here, is that the PMBOK 4th Edition carries a copyright dated 2008, and HeadFirst published a second edition of their (excellent) PMP book in July 2009. The sample exam references the 1st edition of HF's PMP book, which in turn references PMBOK 3rd Edition!

Where as Q2 & Q3 along with their explanations are very much correct.


If you say the answer Q3 is correct then can you please explain how can selected sellers be an input to contract administration process?