PeopleCert MSP-Practitioner MSP Practitioner, 5th edition Exam Exam Practice Test

Dependency management isnotconsidered a principal control for managing the tranches but rather a governance control related to delivering the benefits.

The MSP Practitioner explains:“Dependency management is governance control for Delivering the benefits,”which means while dependencies between projects and benefits must be managed, they are not direct tranche controls.

Principal tranche controls focus on approving and reviewing Business Cases and conducting Benefit Reviews to ensure each tranche delivers value and remains aligned with strategic objectives.

Recognizing this distinction helps ensure the programme maintains effective controls focused on stage delivery and benefit realization without conflating governance functions.

The process of how issues will be identified, captured, and assessed isnotrecorded in the Issue Register itself but is instead documented in the Issue Management Strategy.

The MSP Practitioner clarifies:“How to deal with issue is identified in issue management strategy,”meaning the register contains actual issues with details such as date raised, description, and categorization but not the procedural approach.

This distinction ensures that the register remains a real-time log of current issues while the management strategy defines policies and processes for consistent issue handling across the programme.

Maintaining this separation improves clarity and operational efficiency in issue management.

While identifying the correct people to communicate with is important, MSP does not list it as one of the four core elements of successful communication.

The MSP Practitioner outlines the four core elements as:

a) Stakeholder identification and analysis

b) Message Clarity and consistency

c) Effective system of message delivery

d) Feedback Collection system

These elements ensure messages are targeted, clear, consistently delivered, and that feedback is captured to improve communication.

Misidentifying core communication elements can weaken engagement efforts, so focusing on these pillars supports stronger communication outcomes throughout the programme lifecycle.

The Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) approves the Business Case and is accountable for ensuring it remains valid and aligned with strategic objectives.

The MSP Practitioner states:“SRO approves (as he is accountable for it).”This underscores the SRO’s critical role in governing programme justification and ensuring investment decisions remain sound.

While the Sponsoring Group may endorse or sponsor the programme, formal accountability and approval for the Business Case rest with the SRO, ensuring clear responsibility for delivery against agreed benefits.

This accountability helps maintain control and confidence in programme investment and delivery.

The Programme Manager is responsible for producing the Business Case. This document outlines the justification for the programme, including costs, benefits, risks, and options. The Programme Manager prepares the Business Case to ensure it is comprehensive, realistic, and aligned with the programme’s objectives.

The MSP Practitioner notes:“Programme manager prepares it as he is responsible for it,”emphasizing the role’s responsibility to articulate the strategic rationale and provide a sound basis for decision-making. The Business Case is then reviewed and approved by the SRO and other governance bodies.

The Programme Manager collaborates with other roles such as the Business Change Manager and SRO to ensure all aspects of the Business Case are valid and supported. This role is pivotal in maintaining the integrity and credibility of the programme justification throughout its lifecycle.

Transformational Flow in MSP defines the route a programme follows through its lifecycle—from initial conception, through delivery of new capabilities, transitioning to desired outcomes, realizing benefits, and finally closing the programme. It guides the programme’s progression through each phase to ensure the transformation is successful. This concept is central to MSP's approach to managing transformational change and is explicitly described as providing the route through the lifecycle of a programme, from conception to delivering new capability.

Programmes aimed at political and societal change face lower success probability when outcomes are vague or have long-term horizons that are difficult to define and measure. The MSP Practitioner explains:“Vaguely defined outcomes decrease probability of success.”Long-term societal effects are often uncertain and harder to control, thus reducing the clarity needed for successful programme management and delivery.

An Emergent programme is characterized by its evolution from a set of concurrent, individual projects that arise independently but require coordination to ensure they align with organizational strategy. The MSP Practitioner defines Emergent programmes as:“Programmes evolved from concurrent, individual projects with need to ensure compliance to organization strategy.”This reflects programmes that may not have been planned from the start as a programme but are brought together to align with strategic goals and provide greater control and coherence.

The critical organizational elements in MSP include Corporate strategy, Delivery mechanisms for change, and the Business as usual environment. Delivery mechanisms for change refer to the structures and processes organizations use to implement and manage changes introduced by programmes. These elements are foundational to effective governance and ensure alignment with strategic objectives. Other options like Leading change and Stakeholder engagement are important but classified differently within MSP's framework.

Project outputs are actually theoutputof delivering the capability, not an input. Inputs to delivering the capability include the Project Dossier, Business Case, and Blueprint, which provide the framework, justification, and detailed design for what is to be delivered.

The MSP Practitioner clarifies:“Project outputs are output of delivering the capability,”meaning these are the tangible products or deliverables produced by the projects managed within the programme. In contrast, the Project Dossier contains detailed descriptions and plans for the projects, the Business Case justifies the programme’s existence and value, and the Blueprint defines the future state and capabilities required.

This distinction is important because delivering the capability depends on having a clear, approved vision (Blueprint), a solid business justification (Business Case), and a structured project plan (Project Dossier). Only once these inputs are in place can project outputs be successfully created and integrated to achieve the programme’s objectives.

Understanding this flow ensures that programme teams focus on the correct artefacts at each stage—inputs for planning and delivery, outputs for realization and benefits management—ensuring clarity and control throughout the transformational flow.

All the options listed are correct. Benefits Management in MSP ensures the programme is aligned with strategic goals, understands both positive and negative impacts, and integrates closely with the transformational flow to realize benefits effectively. The MSP Practitioner confirms:"All of the options are correct,"underscoring the comprehensive nature of benefits management across the programme lifecycle.

Approval to proceed at this stage authorizes work on all projects within the first tranche of the programme. The MSP Practitioner explains:"Approval to proceed is for first tranche, at end of that tranche, Go/No Go decision will be taken for next tranche,"meaning that the programme is phased with controlled progression through tranches rather than approval for the entire programme upfront.

Both the Business Change Manager (BCM) and the Programme Manager share responsibility for aligning projects with benefits realization. The MSP Practitioner highlights that“Both roles are responsible for this task as projects are overseen by programme manager, and benefits are under BCM supervision.”

The Programme Manager ensures that project outputs are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned to programme objectives, while the BCM ensures that these outputs translate into tangible benefits once transitioned into operational use.

This dual responsibility ensures seamless coordination between delivery and realization functions, bridging the gap between project outputs and strategic outcomes. Without this collaboration, there is a risk of projects delivering outputs that fail to produce the intended business improvements.

Together, the Programme Manager and BCM form a critical partnership in MSP’s approach to ensuring benefits are fully realized, tracked, and maximized throughout and beyond the programme lifecycle.

In MSP, threats are negative risks that could impact the programme adversely. Valid responses to threats include Avoiding, Accepting, or Reducing the risk to mitigate potential harm. However, “Enhance” is not a valid response for a threat because it implies increasing the likelihood or impact, which is contrary to risk management objectives.

The MSP Practitioner states:“Threats should be minimized not enhanced,”reinforcing the principle that risk responses should focus on reducing negative effects or avoiding risks altogether. Accepting a risk might be chosen when mitigation is impractical or cost-prohibitive but still requires monitoring.

Understanding and applying appropriate risk responses is vital to effective programme risk management and maintaining control over uncertainties that could derail delivery.

Basic governance arrangements, including programme controls, are established during the 'Identifying the Programme' phase. These initial controls set the foundation for how the programme will be governed, including accountability structures, reporting lines, and approval mechanisms.

The MSP Practitioner states:“Basic governance arrangements to be used in Defining a programme are prepared in identifying a programme,”emphasizing the importance of establishing governance early to guide subsequent programme phases effectively.

Establishing these controls upfront ensures clarity, reduces ambiguity, and provides a framework within which the programme can operate with discipline and alignment to strategic goals.

The Benefits Map is typically created during the 'Defining a Programme' phase of the transformational flow. This map visually links programme outputs to expected benefits and outcomes, providing a clear picture of how the programme’s work will realize its intended value.

The MSP Practitioner explains:“Benefits are identified and analyzed in Defining a programme,”which highlights that the Benefits Map is a key planning tool used to understand dependencies, confirm benefit ownership, and ensure alignment with strategic objectives before detailed delivery begins.

Creating the Benefits Map at this stage supports informed decision-making and prioritization, as well as effective communication with stakeholders about how change initiatives contribute to strategic goals. It also serves as a baseline for benefits realization planning and tracking throughout programme delivery.

By defining and mapping benefits early, the programme can mitigate risks of misalignment or overlooked benefits, thereby improving chances of successful transformation and measurable value creation.

One key output of the 'Identifying the Programme' process is the appointment of the Programme Board and the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO). This formalizes the governance structure needed to provide leadership and oversight for the programme. The MSP Practitioner clearly states:“Programme board is set up by SRO in this process,”highlighting that governance is established early to ensure accountability and decision-making capability is in place before the programme progresses further.

The progression of stakeholder engagement levels, as a stakeholder’s influence increases, follows the sequence:“Keep informed, maintain interest, active consultation.”This reflects a growing degree of interaction and involvement.

Initially, stakeholders should be kept informed to maintain awareness. As their influence or importance increases, programmes must maintain their interest by involving them more proactively. Finally, for highly influential stakeholders, active consultation is required to ensure their views are heard, concerns addressed, and their support secured.

The MSP Practitioner explains:“This option signifies increasing interaction with stakeholder,”emphasizing that engagement strategies must be tailored according to stakeholder influence and interest to maximize positive impact and minimize resistance.

This graduated approach ensures resource-effective stakeholder management, helping to build trust and alignment throughout the programme lifecycle.

Capital costs are the costs of fixed assets and other tangible assets that are required for the programme. The MSP Practitioner states:“Cost of fixed assets and other assets that are found under 'Technology' head in blueprint is called Capital cost.”This typically includes equipment, buildings, and infrastructure necessary for the programme outputs.

A key attribute for the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) is having access to and credibility with key stakeholders because the SRO plays a pivotal role in stakeholder management and programme accountability. The MSP Practitioner notes,"This attribute is necessary as SRO is also involved in stakeholder management,"emphasizing that SRO’s influence and stakeholder credibility are critical to programme success.

Approval to proceed is a critical input for the 'Managing the Tranches' process. Without formal approval, the programme cannot move into tranche delivery phases. The MSP Practitioner specifies:“Without approval to proceed, programme will not enter this process.”This highlights the formal gating and control process essential for structured programme progression.

Levels of confidentiality and information security requirements are documented in the Information Management Strategy. This strategy sets out how information will be handled throughout the programme, covering aspects such as access rights, data classification, storage, and dissemination protocols to protect sensitive information.

The MSP Practitioner specifies:“Confidentiality details are defined in Information management strategy,”indicating that this document governs the secure management of programme data and communication. It is essential that confidentiality levels are clear to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information, which could jeopardize the programme’s success or breach legal and regulatory obligations.

While Quality Management, Resource Management, and Benefits Management Strategies address different governance aspects such as assurance, resource allocation, and benefit realization, they do not primarily deal with confidentiality.

Information management is critical for stakeholder trust, compliance with legislation (e.g., GDPR), and safeguarding intellectual property or competitive advantage. Clear documentation in the Information Management Strategy ensures that all programme participants understand their responsibilities regarding confidentiality, promoting consistent and secure handling of data.