Project Life Cycles & Organisational Context
32 practice questions with explanations — 15 free to try
3 of these 32 questions are in the free 15-question taster · the full topic is part of Premium
PassNova has 32 APM PMQ practice questions on Project Life Cycles & Organisational Context, each with a clear explanation. A 15-question taster is free with no sign-up; the full bank is part of PassNova Premium. Updated for 2026.
Project Life Cycles & Organisational Context: example questions & answers
3 worked examples with answers and explanations below. Try 15 APM PMQ questions free in the browser; the full 32-question Project Life Cycles & Organisational Context bank is part of PassNova Premium.
Which of the following BEST differentiates a project from business-as-usual (BAU) operations?
- ABAU is a temporary endeavour undertaken to deliver a unique output, while a project is the continuing work that keeps the organisation running
- BA project is repetitive, ongoing work with no defined end date, and it is distinguished from business-as-usual only by the size of its budget
- CA project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to bring about a unique, defined outcome, whereas BAU is ongoing and repetitive✓
- DA project and business as usual are the same thing under two different names
Answer: APM defines a project as a unique, transient endeavour undertaken to bring about change, in contrast to BAU, which is the continuing, repetitive activity that keeps an organisation functioning.
Why are projects commonly structured as sequential phases in a linear life cycle?
- ATo let the project manager bypass the sponsor's gate decisions between phases
- BBecause a linear life cycle lets the business case be written after delivery ends
- CSo that phases can overlap and run in parallel, starting later work before the earlier work has been fully reviewed
- DTo break the work into stages so each can be planned, resourced and reviewed before the next begins, reducing risk✓
Answer: Structuring a project into sequential phases lets each stage be defined, resourced and reviewed in turn, with a decision to proceed taken before commitment to the next phase, which helps control risk and investment.
An iterative life cycle is MOST appropriate when:
- Athe customer needs to see working increments and provide feedback to refine evolving requirements✓
- Brequirements are fixed and fully understood before work starts
- Cthe solution can be specified in full at the outset and delivered in one pass
- Dthe customer prefers to see the solution for the first time at handover
Answer: Iterative life cycles repeat cycles of develop-review-refine, suiting situations where requirements are expected to evolve through feedback on working versions of the solution.