This post is for anyone who is studying for the APM PMQ exam (previously the APMP exam). It contains both standard and no-standard questions for delegates to practise prior to their exam…
Describe Five Health And Safety Duties Of A Project Manager
This is an easy type of question for a project manager in the construction sector. However, keep it simple. Five paragraphs of 2-3 sentences each is enough.
Explain The Benefits Of Project Management – Five Points
This is a simple question. Write five paragraphs of 2-3 sentences each describing the advantages of project management. Each paragraph should describe a distinct benefit and if possible be illustrated by an example
What Would Be The Consequences Of Poor Requirements Management?
This is a bit of an obtuse question, but think about the things that would go wrong in the design and acceptance phases of the project if the requirements were not understood and documented. It is just the benefits of requirements management from the opposite perspective. Write five paragraphs of three sentences.
What Are The Advantages Of Earned Value Management? 5 Points
In this question you have to write five paragraphs of three sentences each describing the advantages of earned value. Typical areas might be: 1) Predicts cost and time outcomes, 2) Visual communication helps executives, 3) Provides view of performance to date, 4) May give corrective measures 5) Predictive tool which gives early warning signs. Each of these need expanding into a paragraph explaining how this is done and the benefits.
3 APMP Exam Starter Questions
Anyone preparing to take the APMP exam should think about how they would answer questions like:
- What is the difference between a project and business as usual, make five points in your answer?
- Describe five key duties of the project manager across the project life cycle?
- Describe five actions which are the responsibility of the project sponsor?
Each answer should be made up of five short paragraphs with 2-3 sentences in each.
Another APMP Style Question
What are some of the primary advantages and disadvantages of using project management software to plan a project schedule. (make five points in your question)
The trick in this question is not treat it very simply and just describe a number of advantages and a disadvantage. Each paragraph should be two or three sentences. Fist state the advantage (or disadvantage), then explain in in a bit more then detail, finally provide and example.
3 More Questions To Try Before The Exam
1) What is the difference between a project and business as usual operations? (make five points in you answer each point should be a paragraph of at least three sentences in your answer)
2) Describe five key responsibilities of a project manager (again make five points in you answer each point should be a paragraph of at least three sentences in your answer) ?
3) What are the benefits of effective project management (again make five points in you answer each point should be a paragraph of at least three sentences in your answer)
Explain What Is Meant By Resource Management (10 Marks)
Resource management is the proactive approach of managing resources on a project i.e. human and other project resources. The project manager will need to make sure resources are managed efficiently and will need to consider things like the availability of the resources i.e. when people are available to work. Also, if there are any limitations in undertaking project activities for example, if making upgrades to a live IT system when is the window of opportunity to make the upgrades without affecting the users. This could be done overnight.
State 10 main characteristics of Projects
The ten main characteristics of projects would be the following.
• The application of process to achieve the project goals
• The project is temporary and will have finite duration
• A budget allocation is created
• A business plan has been created
• There are risk and change management process
• A project management plan has been developed
• The stakeholder will be engaged from the beginning
• Project leadership
• The project is monitored and controlled
• There will be specific goals and benefits created from the project
Hi Saad,
It depending on what book you are learning from, i have one from APM and it goes through each chapter with subheadings which makes it easy not to memorise everything but more so remembering or working out the logical path through the chapter example SCOPE – DEFINITIONS – TIME PLANNING – RESOURCE PLANNING – COST PLANNING – HISTOGRAMS – GANTTS etc etc . From looking through a sample test paper most questions will ask for a top level description i.e “describe the process of requirements capture” then if you can remember the sub heading in the requirements capture chapter, you should be able to go through the question. Usually it goes like this 1 – Little intro with some definitions (these you should commit to memory) 2 – answer the question (e.g drawing and explaining a life cycle or something) and 3 – give an example, usually i mix this in with point two and give examples along the explanation. Most chapters follow the same structure, and most life cycles will all be slightly similar.
Saad
I wouldn’t recommend trying to memories all the answer to the questions, you need to understand the principles and then answer the questions asked. As Sally said then you need to answer questions using the list, state, describe, explain, and list and describe format prescribed for the exam.
Please do fee free to post some of you attempts at questions here and we will give you some feedback.
Paul
Hi,
Having already had a go at the exam itself, I would say that this is a fairly good approach.
Some of the questions in the exam have one, two or three parts to them but overall if you have completed the model questions successfully you have a good chance of passing.
My downfall was that I didn’t get my timing right and spent a whole hour on the first question, but was pleased with the mark I got for it. So practicing model answers in good time, in my opinion, is a good plan.
Just remember to take note whether the question is asking you to list or describe etc, as this affects the content of your answer.
Best of luck.
Sally