PMP Exam Tricky Questions Explanation Series - Q313 | ShriLearning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bsszNpvAYo

Summary

TL;DR — This video explains how to handle conflicting project metrics, specifically a low Cost Performance Index (CPI) and a high Schedule Performance Index (SPI), on a high-profile project. It emphasizes that the first step should always be to investigate the root cause of the variances before taking any corrective actions, as rash decisions can negatively impact the project.

Key points

• A CPI of 0.9 indicates the project is over budget, while an SPI of 1.2 means it is ahead of schedule.

• On a high-profile project, meeting all objectives, including scope, is critical, making scope reduction an inappropriate first step.

• Crashing the schedule (Option B) is counterproductive when already ahead of schedule, as it would increase costs.

• Releasing a developer (Option D) is a premature action that risks impacting other project constraints without understanding the cost issue.

• The correct first step is to conduct further research (Option C) to understand the reasons behind the cost variance.

• Project managers should never take action to fix a variance until the root cause and the impact of any intervention are fully understood.

Takeaway — Always investigate and understand the root cause of project variances before taking any corrective action, as hasty decisions can create more problems than they solve.