IFMA CFM - Certified Facility Manager

Defining the project team requires clear roles, responsibilities, and task allocation. The three key tools are:

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Defines tasks and subtasks, ensuring clarity on who does what.

Project Organizational Chart: Maps out the project team, including reporting structures.

Responsibility Matrix (RACI): Clearly defines who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed for each task.

Why the other options are incorrect:

(A) The corporate org chart and HR policies are useful but do not define project-specific roles.

(C) A task list and RFP help with initial planning but do not structure the project team.

(D) Budget and schedule are important but focus on project execution, not team definition​.

Performance metrics in a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) help quantify success and assess risk management effectiveness. The correct answer is:

Performance metrics ensure that response strategies align with risk tolerance levels and provide measurable indicators of recovery speed, downtime, and business impact.

Why the other options are incorrect:

(A) Contracted support ensures resources but does not measure success.

(B) Lessons learned contribute to future improvements but do not track current success.

(C) Business analysis helps identify risks but does not measure performance against risk levels​.

Project management follows the iron triangle principle—balancing cost, time, and quality. A project cannot maximize all three simultaneously without trade-offs.

The best approach is to work with the sponsor to adjust expectations realistically within feasible constraints.

Implementing the project as instructed (Option B) could result in failure due to unrealistic goals.

Lowering quality (Option C) without stakeholder agreement is unprofessional and risks dissatisfaction.

Cancelling the project outright (Option D) should be a last resort. Instead, negotiation and adjustment are preferred​.

The building envelope plays a crucial role in energy efficiency and sustainability. The correct answer is:

Regular inspections help detect and prevent degradation, ensuring optimal insulation, sealing, and weatherproofing.

Why the other options are incorrect:

(B) Improving HVAC efficiency is important but does not directly enhance the envelope.

(C) Ignoring maintenance leads to increased energy costs and structural issues.

(D) Removing shading devices increases solar heat gain, reducing sustainability​.

Incremental budgeting (Option B) relies on historical budget data and makes adjustments based on prior financial performance.

Why Option B is Correct?

Incremental budgeting takes previous years’ budgets and applies incremental increases or decreases based on inflation, cost changes, and expected needs.

It is one of the most commonly used methods in facility management, as FM professionals often base budgets on past expenditures and adjust for expected operational costs.

IFMA’s Finance & Business Core Competency highlights historical budget analysis as a key practice in incremental budgeting.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A (Activity-based budgeting): This method allocates budget based on specific activities and cost drivers, rather than historical data.

Option C (Revenue-based budgeting): Revenue-based budgeting ties expenses to projected revenue rather than historical spending trends.

A Cost Plus to a GMP contract (Option C) means that the contractor is selected early in the project based on their fee and general conditions, and they provide a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) once the project drawings are further developed.

Why Option C is Correct?

The GMP contract model ensures that the contractor is involved early in the project to provide cost estimates, budgeting input, and value engineering before the final design is completed.

Once drawings reach a more advanced stage, the contractor sets a GMP, meaning the owner will not pay more than the agreed maximum price, except for approved change orders.

This approach allows cost predictability and reduces financial risks for both the contractor and the owner.

IFMA’s Project Management Core Competency highlights that FM professionals must understand contract models that balance cost efficiency with project flexibility.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A: A GMP contract does allow cost increases for approved change orders; it is not entirely fixed beyond the GMP.

Option B: Contractors cannot simply charge all invoice amounts; costs must be within the GMP cap, and some costs are not reimbursable under the GMP model.

A unifying message must align stakeholders around a shared vision that benefits the organization. The correct answer:

"How the project benefits and contributes to the success of the organization" creates alignment and motivation across different groups.

Why the other options are incorrect:

(B) Focusing only on executive needs may alienate employees and consultants.

(C) Project timelines and costs are important but do not provide a unifying message.

(D) Employee impact is valuable but does not address the broader organizational goal​.

The most common facility-related complaint in an office environment is heating and cooling (B) due to personal temperature preferences and HVAC inconsistencies.

Temperature-related issues impact comfort, productivity, and energy efficiency.

Why not other options?

(A) Indoor air quality is important but is not the most frequent complaint.

(C) Janitorial complaints occur but do not rank as high as heating/cooling issues.

(D) Ergonomic concerns exist but are less common than temperature complaints.

The first step in renovation planning is to perform a gap analysis, which identifies:

Current conditions vs. required functional space needs.

Deficiencies in space utilization, design, or infrastructure.

Necessary upgrades to align with business objectives.

Why the other options are incorrect:

(A) Space programming analysis is important but follows the gap analysis.

(C) Engaging an architect comes after identifying space needs and functional gaps.

(D) Feasibility studies assess project viability but are conducted after defining requirements​.

Risk management involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks that could result in liability. This process includes:

Implementing safety procedures and compliance measures.

Training employees on risk mitigation strategies.

Developing emergency response and contingency plans.

Why the other options are incorrect:

(B) Risk avoidance seeks to eliminate risk altogether but is not always feasible.

(C) Liability management is a subset of risk management but does not encompass the entire process.

(D) Limited liability analysis is a financial strategy, not a risk mitigation process​.