Mock exam IPMA Level D

Open questions
Time: 160 minutes
This test consists of 31 questions.
For this test a maximum of 64 points can be scored.
This test will determine 60% of the overall grade.

This test consists of 12 pages including draft sheets.

Instructions:

Please fill in your answers in the supplied space following each question. Only answers that are written
down in the exam booklet will be awarded points. (Please do not use the margin of the page to write
down your answer)

If you need extra space for your answer use the extra answer sheet in the back of the exam booklet.
Please keep this sheet attached to the exam booklet.

Return this exam booklet and all paper you have used for making notes to the test administrator.

A correct answer without calculation will not be awarded any points

In case a definite number of items is required according to the question, the items that you give
exceeding this number will not be awarded any points.

Good luck!

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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 1

Project schedule
The following are the turnaround times and dependencies of the eight activities of a project.
Activity
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

Turnaround
time (weeks)
6
4
2
4
4
1
2
1

Depending on
activity
A
B, H
D
E, G
D
A

Activities C and F are independent of each other.

2 p.

Calculate the total turnaround time of the project.

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2 p.

Which activities are on the critical path?

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2 p.

In which week activity C can start at the earliest?

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2 p.

In which week activity F can start at the latest?

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2 p.

Calculate the float of activity G.

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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 2

Checking and reporting

The following table contains data on a projects subprojects.
Subproject
A
B
C
D
E
Total
2 p.

Budget
(man hours)
120
40
50
60
130
400

Planned until this

period (man hours)
80
20
25
30
65
220

%
completed
50
0
40
60

Spent until this

period (man hours)
45
30
0
18
76
169

Calculate the percentage of completed work of subproject A in the case of an earned value of 72.
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2 p.

Calculate the percentage of completed work of the whole project rounded off to one decimal point.
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2 p.

Calculate the cost variance of subproject B in the event of a rate of 1.00 per hour.

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2 p.

Calculate the amount of manhours that will still have to be spent as regards subproject D.
Round off to one decimal point.
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1 p.

10

In the event of a cost variance of two man hours, is subproject E cheaper than, just as
expensive as, or more expensive than planned?
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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 3

Risk management
You are the project manager of the Amalia bridge to be completed in 2010 between the continent
and an island. One of your suppliers is facing a delay as regards the construction of one of the bridge
sections. Transportation is only possible via water.
There are two options, namely over sea or via a canal. The transport costs via the canal are 50,000
and the costs for transport over sea are 180,000.
In the event of late delivery, you will face a certain fine of 200,000. The chance of you delivering on
time via the canal is 10%, and that of over sea is 70%.
4 p.

11

Use a chance/decision tree to determine which option is preferable

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Success factors
Mary Johnson is happy with her first project, she has just passed her IPMA Level D exam and is
looking forward to working on the Efficiency Project. This is a project currently being implemented at
the Ministry of Internal Affairs which aim is to reduce the pressure of work through a more efficient
method of working, while the underlying desire is to bring about a reduction in personnel. The team
Mary is in charge of has four members and each has a clearly defined role.
One of the first things the team has to do is to engage in discussions with the managers of the
various departments and draw up a list of superfluous staff.
3 p.

12

State three factors which contribute to the possible failure of this project.
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2 p.

13

State two factors which contribute to the possible success of this project.
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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 4

Project based work

Project-based work and improvisation-based work are different in a number of ways. For example
project-based work is characterised by a defined beginning and an end, while improvisation-based
work is started as quickly as possible without there being any clear end.
4 p.

14

State four other differences between project-based and improvisation-based work.

Use the following format for your answer.
Project based work

Improvisation based work

Risk management
You are employed as a project manager by a renowned fashion designer. He has asked you to
organise a fashion show. He wants the show to be held on Monday evening from 7.00 p.m. onwards
in a castle with 500 guests attending a grandiose show with lots of artists. The evening has to finish
with an impressive fireworks display.
It is the first time you have to organise something like this and you soon find out that it is going to be
a very complex undertaking. You identify a number of risks and consider taking measures
3 p.

15

Indicate for each measure which type of risk management it concerns.

Measure taken
In consultation with the client, you decide to
drastically limit the number of artists.

Type of risk management

You organise the evening as requested by the

client and inform the fashion designer about the
risks.

You hire in a number of extra artists as backup in

the event that others are unable to make it.

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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 5

Project organisation
Four organisations offer a project to an external project manager with one quarter of the financing
provided by each organisation. They also wish to share the authority for the project between them
equally. The project manager has doubts as to whether he can accept the project.
1 p.

16

What problem might arise during this project if the project manager were simply to accept the
assignment?
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2 p.

17

State one measure with which the project manager can avoid this problem or can make it
manageable. Please give reasons for your answer.
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Assets
Company data on company balance sheets are divided into 'assets' and 'liabilities'.
2 p.

18

What are the assets of a company?

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Give two examples of assets.

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2 p.

19

What are current floating assets?

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Give one example

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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 6

Contract negotiations
With most projects, there is considerable pressure to meet the deadline. Nevertheless, the client and
supplier spend a lot of time in the initial phase drawing up a contract.
2 p.

20

What can be done to ensure that an assignment can be started before the contract negotiations
have been finished?
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Working group
A large company that works in a project-based manner is undergoing a reorganisation and decides to
standardise its method of work. A working group under your leadership is assigned the task of
compiling a project management handbook that will be used in all divisions. Up to now, each division
had its own method of working and handbook. The handbook not only has to serve as a guideline for
the project managers but also for all related officials such as controllers and purchasers. Those in
central management would actually like to see all clients working in accordance with the handbook in
the future. This would make operational management more efficient
2 p.

21

Which representatives from the different departments should participate in your working group?
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4 p.

22

Team formation
Indicate which stage of team formation applies to each of the following descriptions. Use the
terminology of the Tuckman model.
1

Friction is solved by making agreements.

The role of the project leader is being questioned.

The work that has to be done is actually being done.

None of the team members is taking any initiative.

The first friendships are being made.

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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 7

Conflict management
You have a major difference of opinion with your manager. In your previous assessment interview he
already blamed you for not accepting things and also for not really learning from your mistakes. Now
he repeats the accusations. You believe you are right and that he should stop moaning.
According to Thomas and Kilmann, you can use the following approaches to deal with this conflict:
competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding and accommodating.
2 p.

23

Indicate what the application of each style in this situation would mean and whether it would be
appropriate in this conflict. Please give reasons for your answer.
Conflict management

Meaning in this conflict

Correct choice?

Competing
Collaboration
Compromising
Avoiding
Accommodating

Leadership
A project officer who is extremely suitable from the point of view of specialist knowledge for the
execution of his task asks his project leader: Can you explain to me what exactly you expect from
me? I am not sure how I should deal with this.
The project leader replies, I recruited you precisely because you are an expert in this field. I simply
expect a working module to be available in two weeks time and you are free to decide yourself how
you should go about achieving this.
Hersey and Blanchard described various leadership styles
1 p.

24

Which style is the project officer evidently after?

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1 p.

25

Which style is the project leader apparently using?

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3 p.

26

Which of the styles, according to Hersey and Blanchard, is most suitable for this employee?
Please give reasons for your answer.
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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 8

Communication
A differentiation can be made between various levels of communication, including:
content, procedure and interaction (relationship).
A project manager pays a visit to a project team member, Joe, who has to deliver a complex
programming task. The project manager wants to know if it is going to be successful, and also wants
to show his interest.
He sits down on a chair and says: 'Hi Joe, how are things? Is everything going to plan?'
Joe reacts grumpily and without looking up says: 'Not now, dont you trust me or something.
Go and worry someone else.'
1 p.

27

Is Joe communicating at the content level? If yes, what is he communicating?

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1 p.

28

Is Joe communicating something at the procedure level? If yes, what is he communicating?

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1 p.

29

What message is Joe communicating about the relationship with the project leader?
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2 p.

30

How could the project manager react to Joes words?

Give a literal description of his reaction.
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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 9

Scope of a project
A multinational concern is a producer of all types of food products, for which the production and
logistics are organised nationally. Factories and sales organisations, therefore, are managed from a
national office, whereby each country has its own profit responsibility. There are national
organisations worldwide, and the largest regions (Europe, USA and Asia) also have regional offices
in Rotterdam, New York and Hong Kong respectively. The marketing activities are spread across all
offices.
In the RNYHK project, the marketing and sales support is being set up from the head office in
Hamburg (Germany) for all the multinationals products. The marketing is organised in product
groups, such as dairy, detergents and then further in specific products, such as milk, cheese, butter.
In general, defining the scope related to the content aspects of a project, for example, may take
place per subject (e.g.: road transport included, but not air transport).
2 p.

31

Name two other subjects, on the basis of which the scope of project RNYHK can be defined, and
provide an example for each subject.
Subject

Example

END

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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 10

IPMA Open questions draft sheet.

Please note the question number with your answer.

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Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 11

IPMA Open questions draft sheet.

Please note the question number with your answer.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cito Certification B.V. Arnhem (march 2014) mock exam IPMA Level D open questions
page 12