PMI PMP Project Manager Certification

Answer: c - Estimates done utilizing a WBS, or on small increments of work, yield the best results.

Padding, contrary to popular belief, is not a recommended practice because it’s often used as a substitute for analytical thinking about a project time line. Everyone knows there is variation in the time it takes to complete tasks. A good project manager estimates probabilities, risks and other key factors and includes a buffer, rather than just padding the time required. A good program manager will call you out on poorly thought through padding since this usually increases the budget for the project and needs to be justified.

Project managers ought to look at any requirements given to them from managers or any other sources with a critical eye, and not just receive those requirements ‘as is.’ Lastly, baselines should not being moving or they’re not what they were intended to be - a ‘base’ of measure for the project.

Key Take Away: Remember Parkinson’s Law, which states that “Work expands to the time allocated for its completion”. Padding causes additional time to be allocated to the project that may not be necessary - people will expand work to fill this time.