During the 'starting up a project' process, the Business Opportunities Director appoints the Regeneration Manager as project manager and states that the portfolio's standard role description will apply without discussion. The Regeneration Manager asks to confirm the responsibilities, but the Director refuses because the project is urgent.
Is the refusal an appropriate application of the 'define roles, responsibilities and relationships' principle, and why?

• A. Yes, because standardized portfolio role descriptions give every project manager a consistent and well- understood baseline of responsibilities, removing the need for individual discussion
• B. Yes, because it is the project executive's responsibility to appoint the project manager and establish their responsibilities as part of the 'starting up a project' process
• C. No, because it is the portfolio manager's role, rather than the project executive's, to define the project manager's responsibilities for projects within the portfolio
• D. No, because each project manager must have a clear understanding of their own individual responsibilities and formally accept those responsibilities before commencing project work

During the 'initiating a project' process, the team expects local heritage-protection groups to oppose the proposal. The Heritage Director suggests waiting until the groups contact the project. Instead, the project manager asks the Heritage Manager to identify groups known from previous work, and the manager supplies a list.
Is this an appropriate approach to leading successful change, and why?

• A. No, because stakeholder identification should not take place during project initiation
• B. Yes, because identifying a stakeholder guarantees that the stakeholder will support the project and its business case
• C. Yes, because the project manager is using existing stakeholder knowledge to identify affected and influential groups proactively
• D. No, because early identification of an opposing group will necessarily increase its opposition

Before the end of stage 2, the project board authorizes a change that adds more trees and seating to the external landscaping. The change can be delivered in stage 3 without any forecast breach of project tolerance.
While preparing the next stage plan, the project manager incorporates the additional products and work, updates the relevant product descriptions and product register entries, and reviews whether the project initiation documentation needs to be updated.
Is this an appropriate application of 'prepare the next stage plan', and why?

• A. No, because authorized changes should remain outside the next stage plan until the project has been re- authorized by the business layer
• B. Yes, because the next stage plan should reflect authorized changes, with affected product information and the project initiation documentation updated where necessary
• C. No, because project assurance should prepare the next stage plan and update the affected product information independently of the project manager
• D. Yes, because every authorized change must be implemented through an exception plan before the related work may enter the following stage

While preparing the project plan during initiation, the project manager proposes that stage 2 should end at the Council's financial year-end. This would allow the decision on funding for stage 3 to coincide with the Council's annual budget process.
Is this an appropriate application of the 'manage by stages' principle, and why?

• A. Yes, because a stage boundary may be aligned with an important external decision point, such as a funding approval
• B. Yes, because every stage may end immediately after one specialist product has been completed and funding has been approved
• C. No, because stage length must be determined solely by the level of risk
• D. No, because stage length must be determined by the technical complexity of the work

During stage 2, the Heritage Director, acting as senior user, reviews the design and raises a concern that the previously requested heritage trail has not been addressed.
Is this an appropriate use of the 'give ongoing direction' activity, and why?

• A. No, because the Heritage Director should first seek the agreement of the full project board before raising individual concerns, to ensure a unified project board position is presented to the project manager
• B. Yes, because a project board member may raise concerns and provide ongoing direction within the authority delegated to the board
• C. No, because the 'give ongoing direction' activity is only triggered when the project manager proactively requests a review by the project board, not when individual board members identify concerns independently
• D. Yes, because the senior user has an obligation to formally approve key specialist products produced during stages 2 and 3 as a standard action within the 'give ongoing direction' activity