Six Sigma Global Institute (SSGI) Project Management Professional Certification Practice Exam

What characterizes a Traditional Project Structure?

1. Permanent teams dedicated to projects

2. Team members on loan from functional departments

3. Direct reporting to project managers only

4. Increased flexibility in team assignments

The correct answer is: Team members on loan from functional departments

A traditional project structure is characterized by team members being on loan from functional departments. This means that individuals continue to be part of their respective departments but are assigned to the project for a specific duration. This arrangement allows projects to leverage specialized skills and knowledge from various functional areas while maintaining the organizational hierarchy and functional expertise within departments. In a traditional project structure, project managers coordinate efforts and manage timelines, but the functional managers still retain authority over their respective employees. This setup can create challenges, such as conflicts in priorities between project needs and departmental responsibilities and may limit the project manager's control over resources. The other options present characteristics that are not aligned with the traditional structure. For instance, permanent teams dedicated entirely to projects indicate a more permanent or matrix organizational approach, which can lead to higher levels of project autonomy and flexibility. Direct reporting to project managers only would imply some level of project authority over resources that doesn't typically exist in traditional structures. Lastly, increased flexibility in team assignments suggests a more dynamic organization, which contrasts with the structured and stable nature of traditional project management settings.