PMI Scheduling Professional Certification (PMI-SP) Practice Exam

What is the primary function of a histogram in project management?

1. To depict trends over time

2. To analyze cost variations

3. To show data distributions across a group of items

4. To identify root causes of project delays

The correct answer is: To show data distributions across a group of items

A histogram is a graphical representation that organizes a group of data points into user-specified ranges. The primary function of a histogram in project management is to show data distributions across a group of items. This allows project managers to visualize the frequency of different outcomes or the distribution of measurements, which is crucial for understanding variability and performance trends. By displaying the data in this manner, histograms help project teams identify patterns and assess how data is spread out. This can aid in decision-making processes related to resource allocation and risk management. For example, if a project manager uses a histogram to evaluate task completion times, they can quickly identify if most tasks are completed within a certain timeframe, or if there are outliers that could indicate potential issues. The other options, while relevant in different contexts, do not capture the primary role of a histogram in project management. Depicting trends over time more accurately involves line graphs; analyzing cost variations typically utilizes cost performance indexes or other financial metrics; and identifying root causes of project delays generally relies on techniques such as root cause analysis rather than frequency distributions presented in histograms.