PMP exam prep: Project management test and answers

Use this 20-question practice test to review your knowledge of project management key concepts ahead of taking the PMP exam. The certification exam will cover 49 management processes.

Before taking on either the Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exams, ensure you properly recognize the key concepts that project managers need to understand.

You'll need to know the 49 management processes and how these processes map to the 10 knowledge areas of project management. CAPM/PMP Project Management Certification All-in One Exam Guide, Fourth Edition discusses clearly and in detail these project management processes and knowledge areas you'll need to be familiar with to pass your certification exam.

Projects are created for any number of reasons, from responding to marketplace demand, to solving a problem within an organization, to following laws and regulations. Projects, regardless of why they were created, move through a progressive elaboration to provide accurate and complete descriptions of their goals and objectives. Progressive elaboration typically starts with a broad synopsis of a project's goals and, through rounds of discussion, analysis and brainstorming, the characteristics of a project become more detailed until, finally, the project vision is created.

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The project lifecycle is made up of the phases of the project. A project lifecycle usually has multiple phases and each phase describes the work that will happen within that phase of the project. At the end of a project phase, known as a stage gate or kill point, a decision is made at the phase-end review to determine whether the project is ready to move forward in the project lifecycle, rework needs to be done in the phase, or the project should be terminated.

A project manager must understand the environment and circumstances in which the project will operate. The locale, culture and conditions surrounding the project can affect the project success as much as the project manager's ability to lead and manage the facets of the project and the project team. If a project management office exists, it can provide training and support for the project manager to lead the project team to complete the project work effectively.

The following is a 20-question practice quiz to test yourself on your knowledge.