Course 1- Foundation of Project Management qUIZ aNSWERS

Week 3: The Project Management Life Cycle and Methodologies

Google Project Management: Professional Certificate

Coursera Answers & Study Guide

Enroll in Coursera Google Project Management Certificate Here

TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: UNDERSTANDING THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: ANALYZING THE DIFFERENT PROJECT PHASES

WEEKLY CHALLENGE 3
CONCLUSION

The Project Management Life Cycle and Methodologies INTRODUCTION

The Coursera Google Project Management: Professional Certificate offers a great opportunity to learn about the phases of the project life cycle and what tasks they involve. The course will introduce you to project management methodologies, such as Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Kanban, and Lean.

You will understand which methodology best suits a given project based on its unique characteristics. Additionally, you’ll gain insight into why it is important to complete each phase of the project life cycle in order to ensure successful outcomes. After completing this course, you will have the skills to effectively manage any project from start to finish.

Upon completion of all four courses within Coursera’s Google Project Management: Professional Certificate, you will receive a Coursera Certificate, which top employers recognize. This certification proves that you are knowledgeable in the project management life cycle and methodologies, allowing employers to have confidence in your ability to successfully plan, manage, and evaluate any project.

Learning Objectives

Explain why it is important to understand and follow the life cycle of a project.

Define and outline a project’s phases and each phase’s tasks.
Compare different program management methodologies and determine which is most effective for a given project.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: UNDERSTANDING THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE

1. What are some potential consequences of rushing through the initiation phase of a project? Select all that apply.

Impact to the timeline (CORRECT)

Impact to the budget (CORRECT)
Impact to quality (CORRECT)
Impact to previous projects

Correct: Failing to gather information from project team members to define what needs to be done at the start of the project can result in impact to the project’s timeline at a later stage.

Correct: If a project manager does not take the time to define the project’s goals and gain a clear understanding of what the stakeholders are asking for during the initiation phase, they risk impacting the project’s budget.

Correct: During the initiation phase, it’s important for the project manager to clearly define the project’s goals and gather information from team members about what will be involved in accomplishing those goals. Otherwise, they risk impacting the project’s quality.

2. Imagine that a project manager has just begun working on a project for a trucking logistics company.

The customer wants to see a proposal as soon as possible, but it is taking the project manager longer than expected because he needs more input from stakeholders and the project team. What should the project manager do to turn the project into a success?

Immediately provide the customer the most recent comparable cost and timeline estimate for the work.
Ask the customer for more time to consult with stakeholders and the project team to deliver an accurate cost and timeline proposal. (CORRECT)
Research the cost and timeline for similar projects at other trucking logistics companies and share that information with the customer.

Tell the customer he will need four to six weeks to formulate a proposal.

Correct: Taking the necessary time to get input from all stakeholders and the project team is a key part of formulating an accurate proposal.

3. What are the main phases of the project life cycle? Select all that apply.

Initiate the project (CORRECT)

Make a plan (CORRECT)
Define project roles
Execute and complete tasks (CORRECT)

Close the project (CORRECT)

Correct: In the initiation phase, a project manager defines project goals and deliverables, identifies the budget, resources, and people they need, and confirms any other details that can impact the successful completion of the project.

Correct: In the planning phase, the project manager makes a plan for how to achieve the project goals. The plan should include a budget, a breakdown of all the project tasks, ways to communicate team roles and responsibilities, a schedule, and what to do in case their project encounters problems.

Correct: In the execution phase, the project team completes project tasks while the project manager monitors progress and keeps the team motivated. The project manager also removes any obstacles that come up in order to execute the tasks well and on time.

Correct: In the closing phase, the team celebrates all of their hard work and evaluates how the project went. It is also an opportunity to let everyone who had interest in the project’s goal know what the team accomplished.

4. What are three benefits of closing a project?

Share the team’s accomplishments with people outside the team (CORRECT)

Evaluate what worked and what didn’t work (CORRECT)
Remove any obstacles that come up
Celebrate the team’s success (CORRECT)

Correct: When closing a project, the project manager lets everyone who had an interest in the project’s goal know what was achieved.

Correct: Closing a project allows the project manager to make note of what worked and what didn’t so they can plan better for the next project.

Correct: Closing the project gives the team an opportunity to celebrate and be acknowledged for all of their hard work.

5. Exploring the phases of the project life cycle

Identify the correct order of the project life cycle.
Initiate the project, execute and complete tasks, make a plan, close the project
Make a plan, initiate the project, execute and complete tasks, close the project

Initiate the project, make a plan, execute and complete tasks, close the project (CORRECT)

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: ANALYZING THE DIFFERENT PROJECT PHASES

1. What is the project manager’s primary job in phase three (execute and complete tasks) of the project life cycle?

Step in to complete tasks when the team falls behind
Build out the project schedule to properly manage resources, budget, and timeline

Monitor the project team as they complete tasks and break down any barriers (CORRECT)
Document lessons the team learned during the project

Correct: The project manager’s primary job is to oversee the team’s efforts and make sure everyone understands what’s expected of them, what tasks need to be done, and how and when to complete those tasks.

2. Phase two of the project life cycle (make a plan) includes which two of the following tasks?

Identify milestones and tasks (CORRECT)
Break down any barriers that would slow or stop the team from completing tasks
Determine the purpose and mission of the project

Set the project schedule (CORRECT)

Correct: In the planning phase, the project manager creates a detailed project plan which includes the major milestones of the project and describes what tasks or deliverables make up each milestone.

Correct: In the planning phase, the project manager develops the project schedule so they can properly manage the resources, budget, materials, and timeline.

3. During which phase of the project life cycle does a project manager hand off all remaining deliverables?

Initiate the project
Make a plan
Execute and complete tasks

Close the project (CORRECT)

Correct: A project manager hands off deliverables and gets stakeholders to sign off during the closing phase.

4. Imagine a project manager oversees their company’s transition to a new financial management system. They determine that the project goal is to make the financial portal easier for employees to use. They also identify key stakeholders and outline project objectives. During which phase of the project life cycle do these activities take place?

Execute and complete tasks

Close the project
Initiate the project (CORRECT)
Make a plan

Correct: In the initiation phase, the project manager defines the client or customer’s goal, identifies key stakeholders, and determines measurable objectives for the team.

5. What does a project manager do in the project initiation phase of the project life cycle? Select all that apply.

Get project approval (CORRECT)
Determine resources, people, and project details (CORRECT)

Close the project
Define project goals (CORRECT)

Correct: Project managers need to get project approval by sharing a project proposal with decision makers at the company. They also need to define project goals and determine resources, people, and project details. This all happens in the project initiation phase.

Correct: During initiation, project managers organize all of the information they have available to them about a project. This includes defining project goals; determining resources, people, and project details; and getting project approval.

Correct: During the project initiation phase, project managers define project goals to clarify the details of a project. They also need to determine resources, people, and project details and get project approval from decision makers at the company.

6. Which of the following activities are part of the “execute and complete tasks” project phase? Select all that apply.

Communicate with the project team (CORRECT)

Confirm the acceptance of project outcomes
Make adjustments to the project (CORRECT)
Manage project progress (CORRECT)

Correct: Project managers should err on the side of overcommunication when sharing information with the team through meetings, emails, memos, and more. In this phase, project managers also manage project progress and make adjustments to the project as necessary.

Correct: Project managers make adjustments to the project as necessary. This can include updating the schedule, budget, and allocation of resources. In this phase, project managers also manage progress and communicate with the team and stakeholders.

Correct: To manage project progress, project managers oversee the team’s efforts and make sure everyone understands what’s expected of them and how and when to complete key tasks. In this phase, project managers also make needed adjustments and communicate with the team and stakeholders.

7. What is a project management methodology?

A tangible outcome from the project
An activity that needs to be accomplished within a set period of time by the project manager, team, or stakeholders
A set of guiding principles and processes for owning a project through its life cycle (CORRECT)

Correct: A project management methodology is a set of guiding principles and processes for owning a project through its life cycle. The method can be linear (with one task completed before the next can begin) or iterative (with some tasks happening at the same time).

8. When would a project manager want to use the Waterfall approach? Select all that apply.

When the phases of the project are clearly defined (CORRECT)
When project changes are expensive to implement once it’s started (CORRECT)

When project phases overlap and tasks are completed in iterations
When there are tasks to complete before another can begin (CORRECT)

Correct: Waterfall has a linear approach. It follows an ordered set of steps that are linked to clearly defined expectations, resources, and goals that are not likely to change. This is a helpful approach when the phases of the project are clearly defined.

9. In which DMAIC step do project managers begin to identify gaps and issues?

Define

Measure
Analyze (CORRECT)
Improve

Control

Correct: In DMAIC, the analyze step is when project managers learn what to improve by identifying gaps and issues.

GOOGLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT COURSERA ANSWERS AND STUDY GUIDE

Liking our content? Then don’t forget to ad us to your bookmarks so you can find us easily!

Weekly Breakdown | Google Study Guides | Back to Top

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Google Project Management: Professional Certificate WEEKLY CHALLENGE 3

1. What are the phases of the project life cycle?

Make a plan, initiate the project, communicate progress, close the project
Initiate the project, make a plan, communicate progress, close the project

Initiate the project, make a plan, measure and analyze tasks, close the project
Initiate the project, make a plan, execute and complete tasks, close the project (CORRECT)

2. Why is it important to initiate a project (phase one) before making a plan (phase two)?

Because executing and completing tasks is crucial to understanding scope, cost, and timeline

Because creating a budget, setting a schedule, and determining roles and responsibilities is crucial to understanding scope, cost, and timeline
Because understanding scope, cost, and timeline is crucial to creating a budget, setting a schedule, and determining roles and responsibilities (CORRECT)

3. What is the term for a set of guiding principles and processes for owning a project through its life cycle?

Life cycle methodology

Waterfall methodology
Project life cycle
Project management methodology (CORRECT)

4. Which answer best describes the Waterfall project management methodology?

Created in the eighties, the Waterfall methodology refers to the sequential ordering of phases, including defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling.
Created in the eighties, the Waterfall methodology refers to being able to move quickly and easily through a project by combining and eliminating tasks.
Created in the nineties, the Waterfall methodology refers to being able to move quickly and easily through a project by working on many tasks at once.

Created in the seventies, the Waterfall methodology refers to the sequential ordering of phases, including initiating, planning, executing, and closing. (CORRECT)

5. As a project manager, your team is launching a new product. Each step to launch the product includes clearly defined tasks. A task won’t begin until another task ends. Also, once the project starts, any changes to the product will be expensive. Which project management methodology is best for this project?

Lean Six Sigma methodology
Waterfall methodology (CORRECT)

Agile methodology
Scrum methodology

6. As a project manager, your team is improving one of your client’s current sales conversion processes. This is a complex project with many steps. It’s also high-risk. One missed step could cost your client significant potential revenue. Which project management methodology is best for this project?

Waterfall methodology

Sequential methodology
Lean Six Sigma methodology (CORRECT)
Linear methodology

7. Which of the following are project manager responsibilities during the planning phase? Select all that apply.

Create a budget (CORRECT)
Set the schedule (CORRECT)
Establish the team (CORRECT)

Get project approval

8. Which of the following are project manager responsibilities during the execution phase? Select all that apply.

Make adjustments to the schedule, budget, and resources
Handle communication for the team (CORRECT)

Manage the project’s progress (CORRECT)
Do the majority of the work

9. Which of the following are project manager responsibilities during the closing phase? Select all that apply.

Complete the project proposal

Confirm acceptance of the project outcome (CORRECT)
Reflect on lessons learned (CORRECT)
Ensure all tasks are complete (CORRECT)

10. In which project phase does it help to ask questions such as: “Who are the stakeholders?”, “What skills and resources will the project require?”, and “What are the client’s or customer’s goals?”

Make a plan
Close the project
Initiate the project (CORRECT)

Execute the project

11. Which project management approach is an Agile framework that delivers products through an iterative process?

Six Sigma
Waterfall

Lean (CORRECT)
Scrum

12. Choose the best definition for a project management methodology.

A project management methodology is a set of guiding tasks and measurements for owning a project through its life cycle.

A project management methodology is a set of guiding ethical values for operating a project through its life cycle.
A project management methodology is a set of guiding principles and processes for owning a project through its life cycle. (CORRECT)
A project management methodology is a set of guiding laws and measures for owning a project through its life cycle.

13. What is the main advantage of the Agile approach over the Waterfall methodology?

Agile allows the project manager to make centralized decisions and assign tasks.
Agile has clearly defined expectations and helps teams avoid expensive changes to a project once it has started.
Agile focuses on reducing waste within an operation.

Agile takes a flexible approach, letting teams make adjustments as they go. (CORRECT)

14. Which project management approach uses the 5S quality tool and implements a Kanban scheduling system to manage production?

Scrum
Waterfall

Lean (CORRECT)
Agile

15. In which project plan phase does the project manager celebrate successes and release the team to support other projects within the company?

Initiate the project

Make a plan
Execute the project
Close the project (CORRECT)

The Project Management Life Cycle and Methodologies CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the project life cycle is a set of repeating phases that are completed in order to deliver a successful project. There are four main phases in the project life cycle: initiation, planning, execution, and closure. Each phase involves different tasks and has its own objectives. It is important to complete all four phases in order to ensure the success of the project.

There are several different project management methodologies and approaches that can be used to manage a project. The most appropriate methodology or approach should be selected based on the specific needs of the project. If you want to learn more about how to effectively manage projects, join Coursera today.

Previous Week 2

Next Week 4

Subscribe to our site

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.

Quiztudy Top Courses

Popular in Coursera

Liking our content? Then, don’t forget to ad us to your BOOKMARKS so you can find us easily!