INTERPRETATIONAL based questions for PMP: These require you to identify the meaning of the situation based on your understanding of the facts provided, and will require you to apply the correct awareness for the correct answer. In other words, these questions require you to go a step further than knowledge-based questions. Here you will be given some data that you have to analyze to find the correct answer, by your awareness of the knowledge and your ability to apply it to discover the answer. These test your ability to decode a situation or condition from the information you are given about status or problem.

 The wording for this kind of question could be: “If your project has an SPI and a CPI both greater than 1, how well is your project performing?” To solve this, you will need to know the concepts of  SPI and CPI as well as how they relate to the project’s performance to decode the answer. (With a knowledge-based question, the answer could simply be the difference in meaning between the two).

INTERPRETATIONAL based questions

Example – 01

If your project has a CPI and an SPI both greater than 1, how well is your project performing?

1. Under planned cost and ahead of schedule
2. Under planned cost and behind schedule
3. Over-planned cost and ahead of schedule
4. Over-planned cost and behind schedule

Correct Answer: 1. under planned cost and ahead of schedule

Explanation: The Cost Performance Index (CPI) is a measure of cost efficiency. The percentage above a CPI of 1.0 shows how much costs are under the budgeted amount for the work accomplished.

The Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is a measure of schedule efficiency. The percentage above an SPI of 1.0 shows how much the schedule is under the budgeted amount for the work planned.

A CPI and SPI both greater than 1 show that the project is under planned cost and ahead of schedule.

Example – 02

You have a project worth 100,000 USD. To date, you have spent 30,000 USD and 25% of the work is completed. For the above project, which statement is correct?

A) The project is under budget

B) The project is over budget

C) The project is ahead of schedule

D) The project is behind schedule

Explanation: Since the CPI is less than one for this project, the project is over budget. Knowing each factor and understanding how to apply the concepts is the key to decoding these questions. 

Here’s how to study for these with 4 key factors:

• Similar to knowledge-based questions, you simply have to know the concepts well. If you know the concepts, you’ll know what the circumstances tell you about the question and then have the ability to take it a step further to decode the answer.
• Use a visual aid to jog your memory. Many of the questions will have you solve similarly to the example above. Knowing you’ll have the concepts down, it becomes a matter of sorting it all out under pressure, and a few letters is often all it takes for you to jump-start your memory. Along with the formulas on your brain dump sheet, write down important acronyms in the same spot on a page starting with a few at a time. Repeat this until you can write every one of them down and remember what they mean.  Here are the acronyms:

EVA – Earned Value Analysis

EVM – Earned Value Management

CAP – Control Account Plans – Management control point where PV, EV, and AC are monitored.

PV – Planned Value – (BCWS) – Physical work scheduled to be performed

EV – Earned Value – (BCWP) – Physical work actually accomplished

AC – Actual Costs – (ACWP) – Costs incurred to achieve EV.

SV – Schedule Variance

CV – Cost Variance

CPI – Cumulative Performance Index

SPI – Schedule Performance Index

EAC – Estimate At Completion

BAC – Balance At Completion

VAC – Variance At Completion

ETC – Estimate To Completion

• Look out for choices that represent special cases. These choices tend to be correct and are characterized by words such as “often”, “sometimes”, “may”, “generally”, and “perhaps”.
• Beware of answer choices that represent generalizations, which may be characterized by words such as “always”, “never”, “must”, or “completely”.  These are often incorrect choices.

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PMP Certification: Types of Questions 

Refer to the below details for different types of questions you may face in the PMP certification exam.

1. FORMULA based questions
2. SITUATIONAL based questions
3. DEFINITION based questions
4. KNOWLEDGE based questions
5. INTERPRETATIONAL based questions
6. SPECIFIC TECHNIQUE based questions
7. PMBOK GUIDE KNOWLEDGE based questions
8. ITTO (Inputs, Tools, Techniques & Outputs) based questions
9. Professional and Social Responsibility based questions. 
10. Combination questions 

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