Association for Project Management Qualification (APM PMQ) Delivery, Monitoring and Control Syllabus

What is an exception report and when is it used?

An exception report is produced when a tolerance (on time, cost, scope, quality, etc.) is forecast to be exceeded. It alerts the appropriate level of management so a decision can be made, escalating the issue beyond the manager's delegated authority.

What is a milestone in a project plan?

A milestone is a key event or significant point in the schedule that marks the completion of a major deliverable or phase. It has zero duration and is used to monitor progress and signal decision/control points.

What is a milestone chart (milestone schedule) used for?

It is a high-level summary that shows planned versus actual achievement of key milestones over time. It gives senior stakeholders a simple, uncluttered view of schedule progress without task-level detail.

What is a slip chart (milestone trend / slip line) and what does it reveal?

A slip chart plots planned milestone dates against forecast/actual dates over successive reporting periods. The slope and direction of the trend lines reveal whether milestones are slipping (getting later) or being recovered, helping predict future schedule performance.

Why is trend analysis valuable in monitoring and control?

Trend analysis examines performance data over multiple reporting periods to identify the direction and rate of change. It enables forecasting of future performance and early intervention, rather than reacting only to a single snapshot.

Define information management in the project context.

Information management is the collection, storage, dissemination, archiving and appropriate destruction of project information. It ensures the right information is available to the right people, securely and in a usable form, throughout the lifecycle.

How does information management differ from communication?

Information management concerns the handling (collecting, storing, distributing, archiving, disposing) of data and documents, whereas communication concerns the exchange of information between people to create shared understanding. Information management underpins effective communication.

What is procurement in the project context?

Procurement is the process by which the resources (goods, works and services) needed to deliver the project are acquired from internal and external suppliers. It includes developing the procurement strategy, selecting suppliers, agreeing contracts and managing them.

What is a procurement strategy and what does it set out?

A procurement strategy sets out the high-level approach to acquiring the resources for the project, consistent with the organisation's objectives. It addresses make-or-buy decisions, supplier selection approach, contract and reimbursement types, conditions of contract, and the number of suppliers/provider relationships.

What is a 'make-or-buy' decision in procurement?

It is the analysis of whether to produce a deliverable or provide a service internally (make) or to acquire it from an external supplier (buy), based on cost, capability, capacity, risk and strategic factors.

Contrast a single-source (single supplier) approach with a multiple-supplier approach.

A single supplier provides simpler management, closer relationships and potential economies, but creates dependency and higher risk if that supplier fails. Multiple suppliers spread risk and encourage competition but increase coordination, interface and management overhead.

Describe a fixed-price (firm/lump-sum) contract and who bears the cost risk.

The supplier delivers the defined scope for an agreed fixed price. The supplier (provider) bears most of the cost risk, so it suits well-defined scope. The buyer has cost certainty but pays a risk premium and changes can be expensive.

Describe a cost-reimbursable (cost-plus) contract and who bears the cost risk.

The buyer reimburses the supplier's allowable actual costs plus an agreed fee or percentage. The buyer (client) bears most of the cost risk. It suits poorly-defined or evolving scope but gives the buyer less cost certainty and requires close oversight.

Describe a time-and-materials (per-unit / reimbursable rates) contract.

The supplier is paid agreed rates for labour (time) and the cost of materials used. Risk is shared: it is flexible and useful when scope is unclear or for short-term work, but the buyer has limited cost certainty and must monitor effort and usage.

Why does contract/reimbursement type matter for risk allocation?

The contract type determines how cost (and some performance) risk is shared between buyer and supplier. Fixed price pushes risk to the supplier; cost-reimbursable keeps it with the buyer. Choosing the right type aligns risk with whoever can best manage it given the certainty of scope.

Why are good supplier and provider relationships important to project success?

Suppliers often deliver critical scope; collaborative, trust-based relationships improve quality, responsiveness, problem-solving and value, while reducing disputes. Poor relationships lead to adversarial behaviour, claims, delays and degraded delivery.

Name key activities involved in managing a supplier relationship during delivery.

Monitoring performance against the contract/SLAs, maintaining communication, managing changes and disputes, resolving issues collaboratively, managing payments, conducting reviews, and building trust through fair, professional dealing.

What is project closure (closeout)?

Project closure is the formal process of bringing the project to an orderly and controlled end once objectives are achieved (or the project is terminated). It confirms acceptance, completes documentation, releases resources and disbands the team.

List typical project closure activities.

Confirming deliverables are complete and accepted; handover to operations/users; finalising and archiving documentation; closing contracts and finances; releasing resources and disbanding the team; conducting the post-project review and capturing lessons learned; and producing the closure report.

Why should closure be a planned and controlled process rather than allowed to drift?

A planned closure ensures deliverables are properly accepted, loose ends (contracts, finances, documentation) are tied up, resources are released efficiently, and lessons are captured. Uncontrolled drift wastes resources, leaves liabilities open and loses learning.

What is handover and transition into operations?

Handover is the formal transfer of the completed deliverables (the product/output) to the users, operators or customer who will run and maintain them. Transition ensures operations are ready — with training, documentation, support and acceptance — so benefits can be realised in business-as-usual.

What needs to be in place for a successful handover into operations?

Acceptance of deliverables against acceptance criteria, operational/user documentation and training, support and maintenance arrangements, readiness of the receiving organisation, and formal sign-off transferring ownership and responsibility.

Distinguish the project's output, outcome and benefit.

The output is the deliverable created by the project; the outcome is the change resulting from using the output; the benefit is the measurable improvement (value) realised from that outcome that is perceived as advantageous by stakeholders.

Give reasons for early or premature closure of a project.

The business case is no longer viable; benefits no longer justify cost; loss of funding; change in strategy or priorities; the requirement no longer exists; unacceptable risk; technical infeasibility; a sponsor decision; or external/regulatory/market changes.

Why can early (premature) closure sometimes be the right decision?

Continuing a project with an invalid business case wastes resources. Stopping early avoids further sunk cost and frees resources for more valuable work — it is a rational governance decision, not necessarily a failure.

What additional activities does a premature closure require compared with normal closure?

Securing and protecting work done so far, salvaging any usable deliverables or learning, formally documenting the reasons for closure, managing stakeholder communication, and ensuring contracts and resources are wound up properly despite the project being incomplete.

What is a post-project review and when is it held?

A post-project review is held at (or shortly after) closure to evaluate how the project was managed and delivered. It assesses performance against objectives, identifies what went well and badly, and captures lessons learned for future projects.

How does a post-project review differ from a benefits review (post-implementation review)?

A post-project review focuses on project management performance and lessons learned at closure, before benefits accrue. A benefits review (held later, after handover) assesses whether the expected benefits have actually been realised in operations.

What are lessons learned and why must they be captured and shared?

Lessons learned are the documented knowledge gained from a project's successes and failures. Capturing and sharing them (e.g. in a lessons-learned log/knowledge base) improves organisational learning and the performance of future projects through continual improvement.

Define benefits realisation and explain why it usually extends beyond the project lifecycle.

Benefits realisation is the practice of ensuring the intended benefits of a project are actually achieved and sustained. Because most benefits accrue only after the output is in operational use, realisation is typically managed by the business/operations beyond project closure, often within programme or portfolio management.