PFMP · Question #700
You have been a successful program manager for many years in your State Department of Agriculture. During this time, you managed large programs, and some had major risks to mitigate especially in…
The correct answer is D. You emphasize strategic fitness of the portfolio. The correct answer is D: You emphasize strategic fitness of the portfolio. Portfolio-level risk management is qualitatively different from program or project risk management. At the program level, risk focuses on schedule, cost, scope, and technical execution. At the portfolio…
Question
You have been a successful program manager for many years in your State Department of Agriculture. During this time, you managed large programs, and some had major risks to mitigate especially in the information systems area as new software would be released that was commercially available, and you knew it would then enhance the benefits to your customers if you acquired it. You were the first in the Department to get your PfMP, and it led to a promotion to become the first portfolio manager. After a year in this position, you find managing risks and issues to be totally different because:
Options
- AYou must focus attention on external, political risks
- BYou are concentrating more on long-term initiatives
- CYour focus is on determining the risk tolerances of stakeholders, both internal and external
- DYou emphasize strategic fitness of the portfolio
How the community answered
(36 responses)- A3% (1)
- B11% (4)
- C6% (2)
- D81% (29)
Explanation
The correct answer is D: You emphasize strategic fitness of the portfolio. Portfolio-level risk management is qualitatively different from program or project risk management. At the program level, risk focuses on schedule, cost, scope, and technical execution. At the portfolio level, the primary risk concern is whether the portfolio as a whole remains strategically aligned and fit for purpose-i.e., whether the mix of components continues to support organizational strategy in a changing environment. Option A (external/political risks) is a valid portfolio concern but is a subset, not the defining characteristic. Option B (long-term initiatives) describes portfolio scope but not risk management approach. Option C (stakeholder risk tolerances) is important but is an input to portfolio risk governance, not the defining shift from program to portfolio risk management.
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