what are the main uses of scheduling and work management software

COURSE 2- PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT QUIZ ANSWERS

Week 4: Utilizing Resources and Tools for Project Success

Google Project Management: Professional Certificate

Coursera Answers & Study Guide

Utilizing Resources and Tools for Project Success INTRODUCTION

This Coursera Google Project Management: Professional Certificate course focuses on utilizing resources and tools for project success. It overviews the typical resources needed to manage a project, including scheduling, budgeting, communication, risk management, and resource allocation.

Furthermore, the course emphasizes the importance of clear and consistent project documentation. Participants will learn how to develop a project charter that accurately describes goals and objectives, identifies stakeholders, and outlines timelines for better use of scheduling and work management software. Participants will also gain insights into various project management tools, such as Gantt charts and Kanban boards, which can be applied to structure complex projects.

By completing this course successfully, students will become more familiar with the resources necessary to effectively carry out their projects in a professional manner.

Learning Objectives

  • Outline the typical resources needed to manage a project.
  • Identify the key components of project charters and develop a project charter for project initiation.
  • Evaluate various project management tools to meet project needs.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: EVALUATING TOOLS

1. What are the main uses of scheduling and work management software? Select all that apply.

  • Efficiently track progress on the team’s work (CORRECT)
  • Quickly communicate with teammates and stakeholders
  • Help visualize a team’s project progress (CORRECT)
  • Easily assign tasks to multiple teammates (CORRECT)

Correct: Work management software is useful to track and visualize progress so project managers don’t have to do it manually. It also helps them easily assign tasks.

Correct: The software typically has a visual component that makes it easy to understand task progress. It also helps project managers easily assign tasks.

Correct: With the software, the project manager can easily assign tasks and the team can understand who is working on what tasks. It also helps the project manager visualize team progress.

2. Which of the following are best practices when introducing a new tool to a team? Select all that apply.

  • Ensure the tool is functional after the team is introduced to it.
  • Get feedback from stakeholders on important features that may help manage the project. (CORRECT)
  • Discuss the tool early and often (CORRECT)
  • If replacing a tool, allow for a transition period (CORRECT)

Correct: Use stakeholder expertise to get feedback on features. You may also ask for their input on the tool’s functionality.

Correct: Make sure you give your team enough time to prepare to use a new tool. Discuss the new tool with them from the start so they don’t feel surprised when you introduce it. You should also give them the chance to provide feedback.

Correct: If you are replacing an existing tool, allow for a period of time to transition from the old tool to the new. You should also ask for stakeholder input and make time to discuss the tool from the start.

3. Fill in the blank: If a project has a _____, then it may be worth the team’s time to learn a more sophisticated tool.

  • large scope (CORRECT)
  • short deadline
  • limited budget
  • small team

Correct: Projects with a large scope and sufficient funding may benefit from a more robust project management tool. With a more sophisticated tool, the project team and stakeholders will need time to get familiar with it.

Correct: Stakeholder analysis can help you know what to expect as the project unfolds. It can also help you build partnerships and include the right people in important conversations.

4. As a project manager, you need to determine how best to communicate with stakeholders across the company. Which tools are best for communicating?

  • Collaboration tools (CORRECT)
  • Work management software
  • Budgeting tools
  • Productivity tools

Correct: Collaboration tools such as email and chat can help you quickly and efficiently communicate with your team and stakeholders.

5. Which three of the following best practices can help you choose tools for your project?

  • Select tools based on your project’s scope (CORRECT)
  • Choose the same tools you used in your last project.
  • Know a tool’s capability. (CORRECT)
  • Understand a tool’s purpose. (CORRECT)

Correct: You may choose a tool based upon the project’s scope. For a larger project, you may need to use a more sophisticated tool. For a smaller straight-forward tool might be more effective.

Correct: When you understand a tool’s capability, you determine if it’s going to make tasks easier for you or cause additional confusion. Sophisticated tools like scheduling and work management software can solve very specific problems. For example, they can help you visualize your team’s progress.

Correct: When you understand a tool’s purpose, you can determine if it’s going to solve a specific problem. For example, some tools are good at helping you organize work and manage resources. Other tools will help you communicate more effectively.

6. Fill in the blank: A senior organizational leader creates the project proposal _____ the project manager creates the project charter.

  • Before (CORRECT)
  • at the same time
  • after

Correct: An organizational leader typically uses a project proposal to persuade the organization to move forward with the project.

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

PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT WEEKLY CHALLENGE 4

1. Fill in the blank: For small projects, project managers should typically use _____.

  • recently-created tools
  • highest-rated tools
  • simple and straightforward tools (CORRECT)
  • more sophisticated tools

2. What details should be in your project charter? Select all that apply.

  • Project goals (CORRECT)
  • Stakeholder analysis
  • Detailed project plan
  • Scope (CORRECT)
  • Deliverables (CORRECT)

3. Fill in the blank: A project manager creates a project charter _____ a project proposal.

  • at the same time as
  • before
  • as an introduction to
  • after (CORRECT)

4. In which of the following scenarios does the project manager implement documentation well? Select all that apply.

  • The key stakeholder determines they want to add a feature to the product in development. The project manager includes this update in the project charter and communicates it to the team. (CORRECT)
  • A stakeholder talks with two different team members and receives conflicting information on a vendor. They cannot find information about the vendor in the shared document drive.
  • The project manager shares the project timeline on a cloud-based document sharing program. (CORRECT)
  • Because the project manager doesn’t have all the project’s details, they ask a current team member to onboard the new team member.

5. Which are examples of work management tools?

  • Asana, Basecamp, and Trello (CORRECT)
  • Microsoft Word and Google Docs
  • Email and chat
  • Microsoft PowerPoint, Keynote, and Google Slides

6. A project manager needs a tool to assign tasks and help visualize the team’s task progress. Which tool type should they choose?

  • Shared documents
  • Work management (CORRECT)
  • Email
  • Chat

7. Digital documents, such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word, help a project manager complete what three tasks?

  • Outline project scope and next steps (CORRECT)
  • Track and review team processes (CORRECT)
  • Create agendas (CORRECT)
  • Chat efficiently with the team

8. A spreadsheet is a versatile tool that helps a project manager to do what? Select all that apply.

  • Manage budgets (CORRECT)
  • Communicate with teammates
  • Build charts (CORRECT)
  • Track tasks (CORRECT)
  • Create timelines (CORRECT)

9. Fill in the blank: _____ are items you need to help get the project done. They are considered project resources.

  • Materials (CORRECT)
  • Reports
  • Meetings
  • Status updates

10. Fill in the blank: Since the project manager uses the project charter throughout the project, it acts like a _____ for the project.

  • Bank
  • compass (CORRECT)
  • storage unit
  • main communication channel

11. Fill in the blank: If the project has a _____, then it may be worth it for the team to learn a more 

  • short timeline
  • large scope (CORRECT)
  • new project sponsor
  • few deliverables

12. What details should be in your project charter? Select all that apply.

  • Deliverables (CORRECT)
  • Scope (CORRECT)
  • Detailed project plan
  • Project goals (CORRECT)
  • Stakeholder analysis

13. Fill in the blank: Project managers need to ensure project information is _____ through formal documentation, such as email, a presentation, or a digital document.

  • available only to stakeholders
  • easily accessible to everyone (CORRECT)
  • available only to team members
  • easily accessible to the public

14. As a project manager, you introduce a new tool to the team on Monday and tell them to be ready to use it by Wednesday. Your team members are resistant to using it. They also report that technical issues with the software are keeping them from completing tasks. What three steps could you do next time to ensure a smooth transition?

  • Set up training for the tool before the team uses it. (CORRECT)
  • Introduce the tool to the team earlier than on Monday. (CORRECT)
  • Test the tool thoroughly before rolling it out to the team. (CORRECT)
  • Have the team take an online training course after introducing the tool.

15. The project sponsor requests a report on the current budget needs of a project. They would like to review a detailed breakdown of costs. Which type of tool would be best to use to meet the project sponsor’s request?

  • Chat
  • Scheduling software
  • Visualization cards
  • Spreadsheets (CORRECT)

16. Collaboration tools allow teammates to do what two tasks?

  • Check in with each other efficiently (CORRECT)
  • Comment on topics related to the project (CORRECT)
  • Visualize the team’s progress
  • Demonstrate an overview of the project

17. Fill in the blank: Project managers use tools to manage _____, which typically include the project’s budget, people, and materials.

  • project timelines
  • project resources (CORRECT)
  • project proposals
  • project charters

18. When developing the project charter, who does the project manager typically work with?

  • stakeholders only
  • the customer only
  • teammates only
  • teammates and stakeholders (CORRECT)

19. Fill in the blank: If the project has a _____, then it may be worth it for the team to learn a more sophisticated project management tool.

  • short timeline
  • large scope (CORRECT)
  • new project sponsor
  • few deliverables

20. At the beginning of a project, a senior organizational leader creates a document to persuade stakeholders that a project should begin. What is the name of this document?

  • Project framework
  • Project plan
  • Project proposal (CORRECT)
  • Project charter

21. Why is it important for a project manager to properly document a project? Select all that apply.

  • Proper documentation helps communicate any changes to the project’s scope. (CORRECT)
  • Without proper documentation the team members may receive conflicting information about the project. (CORRECT)
  • Proper documentation ensures nothing in the project can go wrong.
  • Proper documentation can pave the way for the success of the project within the time constraints. (CORRECT)

22. Email and chat are examples of what type of project management tool?

  • Work management
  • Collaboration (CORRECT)
  • Scheduling
  • Progress visualization

23. The project manager needs to plan, track, and complete work across many project phases. They also need to visually represent the team’s day-to-day tasks. Which type of tool is best for these activities?

  • A presentation tool, such as Google Slides
  • A work management software, such as Asana (CORRECT)
  • A collaboration tool, such as email
  • A productivity tool, such as Microsoft Word

24. Which of the following circumstances indicates that the project is approved to move forward?

  • The project manager finishes the project’s deliverables and milestones.
  • The finance department approves the budget and the team members have been selected.
  • The project sponsor and key stakeholders sign off on the project charter.
  • The stakeholders state the cost of the project outweighs the value it brings to the organization. (CORRECT)

25. As a project manager, you need to update your project charter with a statement about the tangible outcome of the project. In which section of the project charter does this information go?

  • Project deliverable (CORRECT)
  • Business case
  • Benefits
  • Project scope

26. Who does the project manager need to get approval from before indicating a Go for the project? Select all that apply.

  • Project team members
  • Project sponsor (CORRECT)
  • Key stakeholders (CORRECT)
  • Vendors

27. Fill in the blank: As a project manager, you may use Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple’s Keynote, or Google Slides to _____.

  • share documents
  • manage budgets
  • send emails
  • create presentations (CORRECT)

28. Project managers use tools to accomplish which of the following activities? Select all that apply.

  • Keep stakeholders informed (CORRECT)
  • Manage the budget (CORRECT)
  • Carry out team-building exercises
  • Negotiate with vendors
  • Build charts and diagrams (CORRECT)

Utilizing Resources and Tools for Project Success CONCLUSION

In this week of the course, you will learn the typical resources needed to manage a project. You will also recognize the importance of clear and consistent project documentation. Furthermore, you will understand the key components of project proposals and charters and develop aproject charter.

Finally, you will evaluate various project management tools to meet project needs. Join now in Coursera.org!