Which is the purpose of the understand practice?

Question

Options

• ATo obtain a clear understanding of what is in the current portfolio and development pipeline,
• BTo answer the question as to which initiatives the organization should invest in
• CTo ensure a portfolio is balanced, taking into account coverage of all strategic objectives and
• DTo monitor progress against the Portfolio Delivery Plan

• A
  92% (61)
• B
  5% (3)
• C
  2% (1)
• D
  2% (1)

Explanation

Option A is correct because the Understand practice is specifically focused on conducting an inventory and assessment of the current portfolio - cataloguing existing initiatives, projects, and what's in the development pipeline - so decision-makers have an accurate baseline before taking any action.

Option B is wrong - deciding which initiatives to invest in belongs to the Prioritize practice, which evaluates and ranks proposals against strategic criteria.

Option C is wrong - ensuring the portfolio is balanced across strategic objectives describes the Balance practice, which comes after understanding what exists.

Option D is wrong - monitoring progress against the Portfolio Delivery Plan is a function of Management Control (or Benefits Realization Management), not Understand.

Memory tip: Think of Understand as the "audit before action" step - you can't manage, prioritize, or balance a portfolio until you first know exactly what's in it. The word understand implies knowledge-gathering, not decision-making.

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