Sample Questions on Project Management

Question 01
a) You are in a planning stage of a project. Describe how would you work out the
Project Scope Management?
b) A three storied class room building for a school is proposed to be constructed
in Borella, Colombo. Explain briefly, why you would classify the above
construction work as a project in terms of the guidelines given in Project
Management Body of Knowledge.
c) Develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the building project in (b)
above.
Question 02
a) Time management is one of the most significant aspects in project management.
What would be the major steps in Project time management?
b) In project management, Schedule Management plan is used as an input in
defining activities, sequencing activities, estimating activity resources, estimating
activity durations and develop schedules.
How do you derive a schedule management plan of a 25 Km long grade A road
project?
Question 03
You are involved in a 20 storeyed residential building project and which has completed
30% of its scope. It is found that the progress of the project has fallen behind by 30
days. When analysed it was found that some of the Human Resources (HR) involved in
the project is below the expected level for such a project in knowledge, skill and attitude.
Management skills (including soft skills like communication skills), Technical skills and
overall control over the project were below par. Project Manager holds the primary
responsibility and his team of engineers, technicians etc were responsible at their
capacities too. It was observed that progress claims were not submitted on time,
hindering cash flow, and also payments to the sub-contractors and suppliers were
frequently delayed. Also shortage of stocks (eg: cement), frequent break down of
machinery, health and safety issues, quality assurance issues were evident.
Identify the steps to be taken to rectify the situation of the project giving due
consideration to HR aspects too.

Question 04
Discuss how the entire concreting operation for the screed concrete of a foundation
can be subjected to a Project quality management process. Describe the steps you
could take to identify the causes for concrete found to be defective.
Question 05
a) You are to build your own house, which is two storeyed, three bedrooms (with
three wash rooms), living room, pantry and a garage. House to be built of cement
blocks and the floor slab would be of concrete. Doors and windows are of class 1
timber and roof is of timber and clay tiles.
In addition, services such as water supply, power supply, telephone, and internet would
be from the local authorities. Drainage and sewer disposal would be done within your
premises.
Your budget is Rs 15 million and duration is 14 months.
Plan the housing project using the project management tools and techniques (you may
identify minimum of 10 activities to complete the house).
b) Sketch a progress chart (graph papers will be provided), and produce a progress
report at seven months time from the inception.
Question 06
(a) Describe the procurement process for selection of contractors explaining the
different types of contracts suitable for construction projects
(b) Explain the term Project Procurement Management with reference to a
construction contract. Briefly discuss advantages and disadvantages of different
type of contracts that can be used to procure materials and sub-contractor
services.
(c) Explain the procedure for selection of sub-contractors for specialised work.
(d) Describe the risks associated with cost management

Question 07

a) A road is proposed to be constructed from Matugama to Baddegama. Explain

briefly, why you would classify the above construction work as a project in terms
of the guidelines given in Project Management Body of Knowledge.

b) Develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the road project in (a) above.
c) The Bill of Quantities (BOQ) of a road project is given in Table 1. Develop a time
schedule for the project assuming that the project needs to be completed in six
months. State your assumptions very clearly if any. Your answer must include at
least two milestones in your schedule.
Question 08
a) Describe the following estimating methods:
i. Bottom up estimating
ii. Analogue estimating.
What is the estimating method used for the preparation of rates given in Table 1?
b) Using the road project BOQ given in Table 1, the planned quantities, completed
quantities and actual cost of items given in Table 2, calculate the following
earned value variables:
Earned Value (EV), Schedule Variance (SV), Cost Variance (CV), Schedule
Performance Index (SPI), Cost Performance Index (CPI), Estimate at Completion
(EAC), and Estimate to Completion (ETC).
c) Prepare a short report to the management based on your answers to part (b)
above.
Question 09
a) Explain how you would ensure proper communication management of a road
project. You may use the data provided in Table 1 and Table 2 for the road
project.
b) Prepare a HR procurement plan for the road project in Table 1.
c) What are the main elements of human resource management of a road project
according to Project Management Body of Knowledge.
Question 10
a) Briefly explain the following terms in Project Management:
i. Quality Planning
ii. Quality Control
iii. Quality Assurance

b) Why should you advise your project managers to document the lessons learnt
and share them at progress meetings?
c) Explain how you would prepare a risk management plan for a road project.

Table 1 BOQ of a road project

Item
Code
02-01
02-02
02-03
02-04
02-05
02-06
02-07
02-08
02-09
02-10
02-11

Description

Unit

Trimming, levelling and compaction of exposed

ground / subgrade
Roadway excavation in unclassified soil for edge
widening and base failure
Grade 37.5 mm aggregate base course for base
failure section and edge widening
Grade 37.5 mm Aggregate Base Course (ABC)
for overlying where necessary
Transport of ABC
Prime coat with emulsion (CSS-1) at the rate of
1.0 Ltr/m2 including blinding with sand 250 m2/m3
Tack coat using emulsion (CSS-1) at the rate of
0.5 Ltr/m2
Transport of emulsion
Supplying of asphalt concrete (wearing course)
Transport of asphalt
Asphalt spread and compacted using paver

Quantity

m2

3,200

10

m3

300

24

m3

300

4,06

m3

2,650

3,23

442,500
11,900

3
12

11,900

35,700
1,070
214,000
1,070

11,77
2
1,65

m3 km
m2
m2
100 Ltr km
ton
ton km
ton

TOTAL

Table 2 Completed works

Item
Code
02-01
02-02
02-03

Description
Trimming, levelling and compaction of exposed
ground / subgrade
Roadway excavation in unclassified soil for edge
widening and base failure
Grade 37.5 mm aggregate base course for base
failure section and edge widening

Unit
m2

Planned
Quantity
3,200

m3

300

m3

200

Co

02-04
02-05
02-06
02-07
02-08
02-09
02-10
02-11

Grade 37.5 mm Aggregate Base Course (ABC) for

overlying where necessary
Transport of ABC
Prime coat with emulsion (CSS-1) at the rate of 1.0
Ltr/m2 including blinding with sand 250 m2/m3
Tack coat using emulsion (CSS-1) at the rate of 0.5
Ltr/m2
Transport of emulsion
Supplying of asphalt concrete (wearing course)
Transport of asphalt
Asphalt spread and compacted using paver

m3
m3 km
m2

100
442,500
2,000

m2

100 Ltr km
ton
ton km
ton

Q11.
You are appointed by a Contractor, as an Assistant to the Construction Manager.
Your first assignment is to improve the effectiveness of Cost Control on site.
Explain how you would set about finding information with regard to existing cost
management systems.
Explain the Contractors Cost Control systems which embody budgetary control,
generating variances against labour, plant, materials, sub-contractors and site
administration.
What are the limitations of this approach and what other methods would you advocate
to supplement or replace the budgetary control system?
Q12.
(a) Explain the conflict faced by a contractor in attempting to control time, cost and
quality on a construction project
(b) Using diagrams to illustrate your answer describe how cost control may be
implemented on a project by a contractor
(c) Discuss the use of 'Cost Centres' and 'Cost Codes' for operating a cost control
system.
Q13.
A proposed hotel project involves the following broad items of work.
(i)
Construction of the main building including lounge & restaurant/bar.
(ii)
Kitchen apartment & dining area
(iii)
Construction of 40 numbers of two bed roomed units spread out over an area
of two acres.
(iv)
Sports complex
(v)
Swimming pool
(vi)
Car park

(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
(x)

Boiler room
Laundry
Transformer sub station
Engine room

It is required to complete the work in 24 months.

(a) Explain how you decide on the work methodology for the entire project.
Prepare a work break down structure based on the methodology you hope
to adopt in executing the different parts of the project giving reasons to
justify the structure adopted.
(b) Making reasonable assumptions, prepare a milestone network indicating
time targets.
(c) The two bed roomed units also include one attached toilet and open
verandah. Prepare a set of activities along with the resources, for the
construction of a complete unit. Draw a logic relationship for the set of
activities.

Q15.
It is required to construct one single storey house with plan area of 250 m 2.
(i) Define a set of activities consisting of approximately ten major items of work and
sequence the activities.
(ii) Assuming the project has to be completed in eight months, estimate activity
durations by making suitable resource estimations
(iii) Develop a suitable activity schedule in the form of a bar chart for the items of work
proposed by you.
(iv) At the end of the fourth month the progress of the activities shows that the
preliminary items are 100% complete. However the superstructure is only 25%
complete.
Briefly describe how you would ensure that the house is completed to schedule using
the Earned Value method for progress control.
Make suitable assumptions regarding the value of work items.
Activity Suggestion:
Activities for one house; Scope of work involvement as follows;
-Excavation for foundation
- Rubble foundation

- Brick walls and columns

-Timber doors & windows
- Asbestos roof on timber frame
- Asbestos ceiling
- Internal plumbing in toilets & kitchen
- Electrical wiring & fittings
- Wall plastering
- Cement rendering on floor
- Colour washing & painting
-Boundary wall

(a)
Activity
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L

Activity description

excavation for foundation

rubble foundation
brick walls and columns
Timber doors & windows
asbestos roof on timber frame
asbestos ceiling
internal plumbing in toilets & kitchen
electrical wiring & fittings
wall plastering
cement rendering on floor
colour washing & painting
Boundary wall
Draw the Bar chart.

Duration
(months)
0.5
0.5
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
0.5
2
0.5

Precedence
A
B,D
C
E
E
E
E
E
E
-