CPSM CSPM Quality, Risk & Procurement Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A software project manager discovers that defect density is increasing in later sprint deliveries. Which quality metric should be tracked to identify the root cause?
- Velocity trend
- Defect escape rate by phase (Correct answer)
- Sprint burndown variance
- Team utilization rate
Correct answer: Defect escape rate by phase
Defect escape rate by phase shows where defects are introduced versus where they are found, pinpointing which phase is causing the increase.
Question 2: In risk management, what is the purpose of a risk register?
- To assign financial penalties for risk events
- To document identified risks, their probability, impact, and response plans (Correct answer)
- To replace the project schedule during risk events
- To communicate risks exclusively to executive stakeholders
Correct answer: To document identified risks, their probability, impact, and response plans
A risk register is a living document that captures all identified risks along with their likelihood, potential impact, and planned responses.
Question 3: A procurement manager is evaluating vendors for a critical software component. Which evaluation approach best mitigates selection bias?
- Choosing the lowest bidder automatically
- Using a weighted scoring model based on predefined criteria (Correct answer)
- Selecting the vendor with the longest company history
- Deferring selection to the development team
Correct answer: Using a weighted scoring model based on predefined criteria
A weighted scoring model applies objective, predefined criteria consistently across all vendors, reducing the influence of personal bias.
Question 4: Which risk response strategy is appropriate when a risk has low probability but catastrophic potential impact?
- Accept
- Avoid
- Transfer (Correct answer)
- Mitigate
Correct answer: Transfer
Transferring catastrophic risks (e.g., through insurance or contracts) protects the organization from devastating consequences even when the likelihood is low.
Question 5: What does a quality audit in software project management primarily accomplish?
- Tests individual code modules for bugs
- Verifies that quality processes are being followed correctly (Correct answer)
- Reviews the project budget for compliance
- Evaluates customer satisfaction scores
Correct answer: Verifies that quality processes are being followed correctly
A quality audit independently reviews whether quality management processes and standards are being properly implemented on the project.
Question 6: A fixed-price contract shifts the majority of financial risk to which party?
- The buyer
- The seller/vendor (Correct answer)
- The project sponsor
- The end users
Correct answer: The seller/vendor
In a fixed-price contract, the seller absorbs cost overruns because the buyer pays only the agreed amount regardless of actual costs.
Question 7: Which tool is used to visualize the cumulative cost and schedule variance of a project over time?
- Gantt chart
- S-curve (Correct answer)
- Fishbone diagram
- Control chart
Correct answer: S-curve
An S-curve plots planned versus actual expenditure and progress over time, revealing cumulative cost and schedule variances.
CPSM CSPM Quality, Risk & Procurement Management 2
A software project manager discovers that defect density is increasing in later sprint deliveries.
Which quality metric should be tracked to identify the root cause?