CS615 - Software Project Management: Risk and Change Management MCQs with Answers & Solutions | VU SIGMA – Page 5 of 11

Question 1

Which of the following statements correctly describes how a reactive risk management strategy operates?

Accepted Answer

At best, it monitors the project for likely risks and sets aside resources to deal with them should they become actual problems.

Answer

It proactively eliminates risks by selecting expensive but proven technologies before the project starts.

Answer

It avoids all potential risks by changing the project scope and reducing key deliverables during planning.

Answer

It uses automated risk databases to immediately resolve personnel disputes without manager intervention.

Question 2

Compare and contrast reactive and proactive risk management strategies in software engineering. Discuss their respective approaches, timing of planning, and potential impact on a project's success.

Accepted Answer

1. Reactive Risk Strategy Approach: This strategy (often called the firefighting mode) monitors the project for likely risks and sets aside resources to deal with them. Most commonly, the software team does nothing until a problem occurs, then flies into action to correct it rapidly. If this fails, it quickly leads to crisis management.
2. Proactive Risk Strategy Approach: This strategy begins long before technical work is initiated. It systematically identifies potential risks, assesses their probability and impact, ranks them by importance, and establishes a plan to manage them.
3. Timing of Planning: Reactive management addresses risks after they become actual problems during project execution. Proactive planning is conducted early in the planning phase before initiating technical work.
4. Project Success Impact: Proactive management avoids risk altogether or establishes structured contingency plans to handle issues in a controlled manner. Reactive management risks cost and schedule overruns, which put the entire project in jeopardy.

Question 3

When a software development team utilizes a reactive risk strategy and does nothing about risks until an issue occurs, what is this rapid, unplanned response mode commonly called, and what takes over if it fails?

Accepted Answer

Fire fighting mode; Crisis Management takes over.

Answer

Proactive management mode; contingency planning takes over.

Answer

RMMM planning mode; risk avoidance takes over.

Answer

Statistical software process improvement mode; software quality assurance takes over.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the timing, main steps, and primary objective of a proactive risk management strategy in software engineering?

Accepted Answer

It begins long before technical work is initiated, involves identifying and ranking risks by importance, and aims to avoid risks while preparing contingency plans.

Answer

It begins during the testing phase, focuses on fixing software bugs, and aims to achieve 100% defect-free code.

Answer

It begins after the product is released, focuses on user training, and aims to minimize software maintenance costs.

Answer

It begins during database design, focuses on reengineering legacy systems, and aims to optimize query execution speed.

Question 5

Explain how a project manager prepares a simple risk analysis table, describing the key columns and how the risk priority is calculated.

Accepted Answer

A simple risk analysis table is prepared by listing potential risks, their category, their probability of occurrence (rated from 0 to 1), and their impact on the project (graded from 1 to 10). The risk factor is calculated by multiplying probability by impact, which helps prioritize high-risk events.

Question 6

Compare reactive and proactive risk management strategies. In your explanation, define 'fire fighting mode' and explain the steps to construct a simple risk table to prioritize risks.

Accepted Answer

1. Reactive Strategy: The team does nothing about risks until an issue occurs. They react rapidly in fire fighting mode, which can lead to Crisis Management if it fails, placing the project in jeopardy.
2. Proactive Strategy: Begins before technical work starts. Potential risks are identified, their probability and impact are assessed, and they are ranked by importance to establish a plan.
3. Simple Risk Table: To prioritize risks, create a table with columns for Risk Description, Category, Probability (0 to 1), and Impact (1 to 10). Multiply Probability by Impact to calculate the Risk Factor. Sort the table in descending order of the Risk Factor to determine which risks require active mitigation and monitoring.

Question 7

Explain the concept of risk refinement in software project planning. How can a generally stated risk be refined using the Condition-Transition-Consequence (CTC) format?

Accepted Answer

1. Concept of Risk Refinement: Risk refinement involves taking a generally stated risk and breaking it down into a set of detailed, specific sub-conditions as more is learned about the project. This makes the risks easier to mitigate, monitor, and manage. 2. Condition-Transition-Consequence (CTC) Format: Under this format, a risk is structured as: 'Given that , then there is concern that (possibly) '. 3. Refinement Example: A general risk of low component reuse can be refined into sub-conditions such as reusable components not conforming to design standards, or being implemented in an unsupported language. 4. Management Utility: Decomposing a general condition helps isolate underlying risk drivers, enabling the team to formulate specific, targeted mitigation and contingency plans.

Question 8

What is risk refinement, and how can the Condition-Transition-Consequence (CTC) format be used to represent a refined risk?

Accepted Answer

Risk refinement breaks a generally stated risk into a set of detailed risks that are easier to mitigate, monitor, and manage. The CTC format structures this by stating: 'Given that , then there is concern that (possibly) '.

Question 9

Explain the concept of risk projection and list the four key risk projection activities performed by a project planner.

Accepted Answer

Risk projection rates each risk on its likelihood and consequences if it occurs. The four key activities are: 1) Establish a scale reflecting perceived likelihood; 2) Delineate risk consequences; 3) Estimate the impact on the project and product; 4) Note the overall projection accuracy.

Question 10

What are the two broad categories of project risks in software management, and how should a software team react to them using a risk table?

Accepted Answer

Project risks are categorized into development process risks and product-related risks. The desired reaction is to pre-empt all possible outcomes and plan for them by developing a risk table that ranks risks by their probability of occurrence and project impact.

Risk and Change Management

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