Benefits Analysis PGMP Practice Questions (Page 3)

Questions 11–15

1. 11application · medium

   A program is tracking a benefit of 20% reduction in customer wait times. The latest variance analysis shows the program is at 15%, and the root cause is a delay in the deployment of a new scheduling system. The program manager has decided on corrective actions. What is the MOST effective way to communicate this to stakeholders?

   • AOnly inform the sponsor, since they are the only stakeholder who needs to know about the variance.
   • BPresent the variance, the root cause (scheduling system delay), the corrective actions, and the revised forecast in a structured stakeholder update.
   • CSend a brief email to all stakeholders stating that the program is behind target and corrective actions are underway.
   • DWait until the corrective actions are complete and the benefit is back on track before communicating.
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2. 12application · medium

   A program aimed at reducing manufacturing defects is 6 months from completion. The benefits baseline targeted a 20% defect reduction, but the latest monthly report shows only 14%. The program manager interviews the plant managers and discovers that the new quality-control software was installed, but operators were only trained on the basic features, and the advanced analytics module is not being used. Which action is MOST aligned with causal analysis?

   • ADocument that the shortfall is due to insufficient operator training and immediately schedule advanced training sessions.
   • BTrace the variance to the specific process step where defects are not being caught and determine whether the software, the training, or the process flow is the root cause.
   • CBlame the software vendor for delivering a product that is too complex for the operators to use.
   • DAccept the 14% reduction as the final benefit and close the program, since the remaining 6 months are unlikely to yield significant improvement.
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4. 13application · medium

   A program to reduce customer churn is 12 months into a 24-month timeline. The benefits baseline projected a 5% churn reduction by month 12, but the latest metric shows only a 3.2% reduction. The program manager reviews the data and finds that the customer retention team was staffed two months later than planned, and the new CRM analytics module was deployed with a reduced feature set. What should the program manager do FIRST?

   • ARevise the benefits baseline downward to 3.2% to reflect the current reality and avoid future variance reporting.
   • BUpdate the benefits realization plan to reflect the revised churn reduction forecast and communicate the change to stakeholders.
   • CConduct a variance analysis to quantify the deviation and perform causal analysis to identify which factor contributed most to the shortfall.
   • DImmediately implement corrective actions by accelerating the staffing plan and restoring the full CRM feature set to close the gap.
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5. 14foundation · easy

   When should corrective actions be taken in benefits management?

   • AWhen monitoring indicates a deviation from the benefits baseline
   • BOnly when the program schedule slips
   • COnly at the end of the program
   • DOnly after a benefits shortfall has occurred
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6. 15application · medium

   A program to reduce IT support costs is targeting a 15% reduction. A key risk is that the new self-service portal will not be adopted by employees, which would reduce the benefit to 5%. The program manager has identified this risk. Which mitigation strategy is MOST appropriate?

   • ATransfer the risk to the portal vendor by requiring them to guarantee adoption rates.
   • BAccept the risk and report it to the steering committee without taking action.
   • CLaunch a comprehensive change management campaign, including training and incentives, to drive portal adoption.
   • DReduce the benefits target to 5% to eliminate the risk.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first