Which of the following is TRUE about most project life cycles?

Question

Options

• AStaffing level is highest at the start.
• BThe stakeholders' influence is highest at the start.
• CThe level of uncertainty is lowest at the start.
• DThe cost of changes is highest at the start.

• A
  4% (2)
• B
  83% (38)
• C
  9% (4)
• D
  4% (2)

Explanation

Stakeholder influence is highest at the start because that's when project scope, requirements, and key decisions are still being defined - stakeholders can shape the direction of the project before significant work or commitments are made.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (Staffing highest at start) - Wrong. Staffing ramps up through the middle phases (execution) and tapers off at closure. The start typically involves only a small team.
• C (Uncertainty lowest at start) - The opposite is true. Uncertainty is highest at the beginning (we don't yet know what we don't know) and decreases as planning and execution progress.
• D (Cost of changes highest at start) - Also the opposite. Changes are cheapest early on when little has been built; the cost of changes rises steeply as the project advances and more work must be undone or redone.

Memory tip: Think of it as a funnel - at the wide top (project start), stakeholders have the most room to influence where the project goes. As the funnel narrows (execution and closure), decisions solidify, uncertainty drops, and changing course becomes increasingly expensive.

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