CVS Exam Dumps - SAVE International Value Methodology Questions and Answers

The correct answer is A. creative steps from analytical steps . The VM Job Plan is structured so the team does not mix information gathering, function analysis, idea generation, judgment, and proposal development into one uncontrolled discussion. SAVE guidance describes the Job Plan as the process that guides the study team in identifying and focusing on key project functions to create ideas that result in value improvement. ( )

This separation is important because the Creative Phase requires free idea generation without premature criticism, feasibility judgment, or cost filtering. The Evaluation Phase then applies analytical judgment to screen, rank, and select ideas with value potential. The Development Phase further analyzes selected alternatives through cost, performance, risk, and implementation considerations. SAVE’s VM Standard also states that a qualifying value study follows an organized Job Plan with defined phases, including Function Analysis, Creative, Evaluation, Development, and Presentation. ( )

Option B is incorrect because designers may be part of the multidisciplinary VM team. Option C is incorrect because cost and function are intentionally related during VM analysis. Option D is incorrect because project needs and functions are also connected; functions express what must be done to satisfy needs.

References/topics: Value Methodology and Job Plan; Creative Phase; Evaluation Phase; Function Analysis; Analytical vs Creative Thinking.

The correct answers are A and C . In the Creativity Phase , the VM team generates alternative ways to perform the required functions identified during Function Analysis. The atmosphere must support open participation, free thinking, and non-defensive contribution. Encouraging all team members to participate is essential because Value Methodology relies on a multidisciplinary team, not on one dominant expert. SAVE describes VM as a systematic process used by a multidisciplinary team led by a qualified facilitator to improve project value. ( Value Engineering )

The second correct answer is defer judgment of ideas to the Evaluation Phase . During creativity, ideas should be generated first and evaluated later. Early criticism reduces participation, blocks unusual ideas, and weakens team energy. The SAVE certification study material identifies Creativity as a distinct Job Plan phase before Evaluation, meaning idea generation and idea judgment are intentionally separated. ( )

Option B is incorrect because limiting each member to five ideas reduces quantity and restricts creative flow. Option D is also incorrect because selectively recording ideas introduces premature screening. In effective VM facilitation, all ideas are captured first, then screened in the Evaluation Phase.

References/topics: Creativity Phase; Evaluation Phase; VM Facilitation; Team Dynamics; Brainstorming Ground Rules.

The correct techniques are Random function identification and FAST diagramming . In the Function Analysis Phase, the team must shift away from describing components, designs, or solutions and instead define what the project, product, or process must do . SAVE’s Value Methodology Standard states that this phase defines project functions using a two-word active verb / measurable noun format and analyzes those functions to determine which require improvement, elimination, or creation. This directly supports random function identification, commonly aligned with Random Function Definition, where the team identifies functions in verb-noun form before classifying and organizing them.

FAST diagramming is also a core Function Analysis technique. The standard function-analysis sequence includes building a function model as a Function Analysis System Technique (FAST) diagram , and the SAVE glossary defines a FAST diagram as a graphical representation of dependent function relationships using How/Why logic. Detailed cost analysis is not the primary technique here; cost is allocated to functions after functions are defined. A paired comparison matrix is more typical of evaluation/prioritization, and a process flowchart belongs more naturally in information/process understanding rather than function modeling.

References/topics: Function Analysis Phase; Random Function Definition; FAST Diagramming; Function Classification; Function Modeling.

The correct answers are B. Stimulate communication, C. Change viewpoints, D. Expand knowledge, and E. Identify opportunities . Function Analysis is the central differentiator of the Value Methodology because it forces the team to define what the project, product, process, or service must do , rather than defending existing solutions. SAVE’s Study Guide states that Function Analysis is the foundation of VM and that functions are identified within the study scope using active verb/measurable noun descriptions. It further explains that naming functions enables clear thinking, helps multidisciplinary teams build shared understanding, and allows the team to identify where value-improvement opportunities exist. ( )

Function Analysis therefore stimulates communication by giving different disciplines a common functional language. It changes viewpoints by shifting discussion from components and preferred solutions to required purposes. It expands knowledge because team members learn how functions, resources, cost, worth, and performance relate. It also identifies opportunities by exposing inefficient, high-cost, unnecessary, or poorly performed functions.

Option A is less precise because Function Analysis does not primarily “communicate ideas”; idea communication occurs more strongly in Creativity, Development, and Presentation. Option F is incorrect because opportunities are identified in Function Analysis, while new alternatives are created in the Creativity Phase.

References/topics: Function Analysis Phase; Function Definition; Shared Understanding; Value Improvement Opportunities; FAST/Function Modeling.

The correct answers are A, D, and E . A RACI matrix is a facilitation and stakeholder-management tool used to clarify how individuals or stakeholder groups participate in activities, tasks, deliverables, or decisions. In VM practice, this supports the facilitator’s responsibility to coordinate participation, communication, and accountability across the multidisciplinary study environment. The SAVE Study Guide emphasizes that VM is performed through a systematic process by a multidisciplinary team and that proper stakeholder participation is necessary to capture real needs versus wants and achieve maximum value. ( )

A RACI matrix identifies the level of stakeholder involvement in activities by assigning roles such as Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. It also identifies stakeholders required to provide feedback, which aligns with the Consulted role. Cornell’s RACI definition describes Consulted parties as people whose opinions are sought and who provide knowledge or information before a decision is made. It also describes Informed parties as stakeholders kept updated on progress, process execution, and quality. ( it.cornell.edu ) Therefore, the matrix also helps identify what reasonable information should be provided to stakeholders. Threats and opportunities belong to risk or SWOT analysis, while weighted performance attributes belong to criteria weighting or evaluation methods.

References/topics: VM Facilitation; Stakeholder Engagement; Communication Planning; Team Roles and Responsibilities; RACI Matrix.

The correct answers are B and D . A risk register is used to document, organize, and evaluate risks so that the VM team can understand how uncertainty may affect proposed alternatives. The two essential risk-register elements shown in the choices are probability of occurrence and impact on the scope . Probability identifies how likely the risk is to happen. Impact identifies what the consequence will be if the risk occurs, including possible effects on scope, cost, schedule, quality, performance, implementation, or stakeholder acceptance.

In the VM Job Plan, risk thinking becomes especially important when ideas move from creativity into evaluation and development. At that point, alternatives are no longer just possibilities; they must be tested for feasibility, consequences, and implementation exposure. A risk with high probability and high impact demands more attention than one with low probability and minor impact.

Option A, performance criteria , is related to evaluation criteria, not a core risk-register field. Option C, function of the risk , is not a standard risk-register element. Functions belong to Function Analysis and are normally expressed in verb-noun format, while risks are documented as uncertain events or conditions.

References/topics: Evaluation Phase; Development Phase; Risk Register; Risk Probability; Risk Impact; VM Proposal Screening.

The correct answers are A and C because the VM Job Plan is a sequential, function-based process. SAVE’s study guide explains that the Job Plan guides the study team through identifying and focusing on key project functions so new ideas can be created for value improvement. It also states that Job Plan phases are performed in sequence because each phase provides the information needed for the next phase. ( )

Therefore, functions must be defined before alternative solutions are generated . This occurs in the Function Analysis Phase , where the team identifies, classifies, and models project functions, then selects value-mismatched functions to focus the Creativity Phase. ( ) The Creative Phase then generates alternative ideas for performing those functions, while the Evaluation Phase later reduces and prioritizes those ideas by considering cost, performance, and other evaluation methods. ( )

Option B is incorrect because idea generation and evaluation are intentionally separated; judgment is suspended during Creativity and applied during Evaluation. Option D is incorrect because functions are not fully defined before the VM study; they are formally developed during the Job Plan.

References/topics: VM Job Plan; Function Analysis Phase; Creativity Phase; Evaluation Phase; Sequential Job Plan Logic.

The correct answer is D. Recognition of VM study contributors . The Presentation Phase is intended to communicate the developed VM recommendations to decision makers in a way that supports approval, concurrence, and movement toward implementation. SAVE’s Value Methodology Standard states that the team leader develops a report and/or presentation that documents the adequacy of the developed alternatives and the associated value improvement opportunity.

Therefore, recommended proposals are central to the presentation. The VM study scope and goals are also appropriate because decision makers need to understand the boundaries, objectives, assumptions, and basis of the study. Expected implementation decisions are also relevant because the presentation should help management determine whether alternatives should proceed, require more information, or be rejected. The Presentation Phase is specifically tied to obtaining concurrence and commitment to proceed with implementation recommendations.

Recognition of contributors may be professionally courteous and can appear in a report appendix, closing remarks, or acknowledgments section, but it is not essential technical content for decision making. Compared with scope, goals, recommendations, and implementation decisions, it is the least appropriate core information for the VM presentation.

References/topics: Presentation Phase; VM Report; Recommended Proposals; Implementation Commitment; Decision-Maker Communication.

The correct answers are A, C, and E . A VM Facilitator creates a collaborative client relationship by first diagnosing client needs and then tailoring the VM Job Plan to produce the intended outcomes. Value Methodology is not a rigid checklist; it is a systematic, function-oriented team process led by a qualified facilitator to improve value. ( Value Engineering ) Therefore, the facilitator must understand the client’s objectives, constraints, decision environment, and expected deliverables before structuring the study.

Analyzing organizational involvement is also essential because successful VM depends on the correct sponsor, decision-makers, technical experts, users, and stakeholders being involved at the right level. The SAVE certification study material identifies Pre-Workshop responsibilities such as identifying team members, obtaining commitment, and preparing the study structure. ( )

Clarifying mutual involvement completes the collaborative relationship by defining how the facilitator, client, sponsor, team, and management will participate. This builds shared ownership and prevents misunderstanding. Option B is too narrow because structure alone does not create collaboration. Option D is incorrect because “dictating” tasks and responsibilities is directive, not collaborative.

References/topics: VM Facilitation; Client Relationship; Preparation Phase; Team Dynamics; VM Job Plan Planning.

The correct answer is C. RACI matrix . When stakeholders disagree about their level of involvement, the facilitator needs a tool that clarifies roles, responsibility, authority, consultation, and communication expectations . A RACI matrix directly addresses this issue because it defines who is Responsible , Accountable , Consulted , and Informed for each activity or decision. In VM and VE practice, a RACI matrix is specifically used to identify who is responsible for implementation, who is accountable for costs and outcomes, who needs to be consulted during VM/VE studies, and who needs to be kept informed.

This makes RACI especially useful when involvement levels become controversial. It gives the facilitator a neutral structure to move the group away from personal preference and toward agreed participation logic. It also helps prevent over-involvement, under-involvement, unclear decision authority, and unnecessary stakeholder conflict.

A work breakdown structure defines work packages, not stakeholder engagement levels. SWOT analysis examines strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, but does not assign participation roles. Paired comparison is used for prioritizing options or criteria, not resolving involvement disagreements.

References/topics: VM Facilitation and Team Dynamics; Stakeholder Engagement; Study Scope Alignment; RACI Matrix; VM Program Governance.