Pass the SAVE International Value Methodology CVS Questions and answers with CertsForce

The correct answer is D. Identify a few subjects that would benefit from change and recommend a VM study through dialogue with staff . When an organization resists a new VM program, the coordinator should build acceptance through participation, relevance, and early demonstrated value—not by forcing compliance or emphasizing deficiencies.

SAVE’s Study Guide describes VM as a systematic process used by a multidisciplinary team to improve value through function analysis, with value improvement achieved by identifying alternate ways to accomplish required functions. ( ) This means VM acceptance is strongest when people see how the method applies to real organizational problems. The Study Guide also emphasizes that management should support resources and implementation, while affected parties should be involved early to gain maximum benefit from a Value Study. ( )

Option A may help education, but it does not directly overcome resistance. Option B can sound accusatory and may increase defensiveness. Option C creates top-down compliance, not genuine acceptance. Option D is best because it uses dialogue, selects practical pilot opportunities, and allows staff to experience VM as useful rather than imposed.

References/topics: VM Programs; Program Acceptance; Value Manager Role; Stakeholder Engagement; Organizational Change; Value Study Selection.

The correct answer is F: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timebound . In Value Methodology, SMART thinking is used to make recommendations, implementation actions, objectives, and follow-up responsibilities clear enough to be managed. A VM proposal or implementation action should not be vague, general, or open-ended. It must state exactly what is to be done, how success will be measured, whether the action can realistically be achieved, how it supports the study objective or project need, and when it must be completed.

“Specific” requires a clear action or target. “Measurable” means the result can be checked through cost, performance, schedule, quality, or other defined criteria. “Attainable” confirms that the action is practical within available resources and constraints. “Relevant” ensures alignment with the value study objectives, functions, and stakeholder requirements. “Timebound” creates accountability through a completion date or defined time frame.

The incorrect options replace key SMART terms with weaker or incorrect words such as Standards , Accountable , or Reasonable . These may be useful concepts in management, but they do not form the standard SMART acronym used in VM action planning.

References/topics: Implementation Phase; VM Action Planning; Proposal Follow-Up; Performance Objectives; VM Programs.

The correct answers are B, C, and D . Effective VM facilitation depends primarily on the facilitator’s ability to guide a multidisciplinary team through a structured process, not on personally solving the technical problem. SAVE’s VM Standard Reference defines VM as a systematic process used by a multidisciplinary team, led by a qualified VM facilitator , to improve value through function analysis. It also states that a VM study is facilitated by someone competent in VM techniques, ideally a CVS®.

Therefore, the facilitator must have belief in the group and its possibilities because VM relies on team intelligence, cross-functional input, creativity, and consensus-building. The facilitator must also have familiarity with facilitation concepts and methods , including managing participation, conflict, divergent thinking, convergence, and decision flow. Finally, the facilitator needs a practiced ability to plan appropriate group processes , because each VM phase requires the right method, timing, participation structure, and output control.

Option A is incorrect because disruptive behavior should be managed objectively, not treated as personal. Option E is not a core facilitation requirement; technical knowledge belongs mainly to subject-matter team members, while the facilitator protects the VM process.

References/topics: VM Facilitation and Team Dynamics; Facilitator Competence; Group Process Planning; Team Participation; VM Study Leadership.

The correct answers are A, C, and E . The Implementation Meeting is not merely another presentation session; it is the point where management and the project team review the preliminary VM report, determine the disposition of each value alternative, establish action plans for accepted alternatives, obtain implementation commitments, and set timeframes for review and implementation. ( )

The VM facilitator and study team members should participate because they understand the technical basis, assumptions, cost comparisons, performance effects, and risk considerations behind the proposals. Therefore, they are needed to answer cost-impact questions , because accepted alternatives often depend on capital cost, operating cost, life-cycle cost, and implementation-cost implications. They are also needed to respond to technical questions , since the proposal write-ups include descriptions, sketches, assumptions, calculations, vendor information, performance data, and possible negative factors. ( )

They should also address the level of effort required for implementation , because implementation requires action steps, responsibilities, timing, resources, and follow-through. Option B is less appropriate because formal presentation occurs in the Presentation Phase. Option D is not the main purpose; the meeting disposes developed value alternatives, not creates a new set of alternative proposals.

References/topics: Implementation Phase; Implementation Meeting; Disposition of Value Alternatives; Cost Impact; Technical Clarification; Implementation Effort.

The correct answer is D. Describe the project . During the Information Phase, the VM team must gain a shared and factual understanding of the project before performing function analysis or generating alternatives. The designer’s role is to explain the current design, project background, design intent, major assumptions, technical criteria, constraints, drawings, specifications, cost basis, and reasons behind key design decisions. This helps the VM team understand what has been proposed, why it has been proposed, and what limits or requirements must be respected during the study.

Option A is not the best answer because defining expectations is usually led by the sponsor, owner, or VM facilitator during planning and study setup. Option B belongs primarily to the Preparation Phase, where the study scope, participants, agenda, and logistics are established. Option C is incorrect because identifying functions is the responsibility of the VM team during the Function Analysis Phase, not the designer’s primary role in the Information Phase.

The designer provides the technical baseline; the VM team then analyzes that baseline objectively. Without a clear project description, later phases may address the wrong problem or challenge valid requirements incorrectly.

References/topics: Information Phase; Designer Role; Project Background; Design Intent; VM Job Plan.

The correct answer is B . FAST stands for Function Analysis System Technique. SAVE defines a FAST diagram as a graphical representation of dependent relationships of functions within a project, product, or process. The diagram uses logical relationships such as “How,” “Why,” and “When” to organize functions. It is a core Function Analysis tool because it forces the team to examine why functions exist, how they are accomplished, and which functions lie on the critical function logic path.

Option A is incorrect because schedule networks belong to project scheduling, not function modeling. Option C is wrong because cost spreadsheets may support resource analysis, but they do not show functional dependency logic. Option D is a procurement management artifact. FAST is valuable because it shifts the team from objects and components to function relationships. This enables better creativity because the team can ask, “How else can we perform this function?” rather than merely asking, “How can we make this component cheaper?”

References/topics: FAST Diagram; Function Analysis System Technique; How-Why Logic.

The correct answers are C. Technological evolution, D. Process reviews, and E. Crises . In VM facilitation and change management, a change driver is a force or condition that creates the need for an organization to alter processes, systems, products, services, or behaviors. SAVE’s Value Methodology glossary specifically identifies common change drivers as including technological evolution, process reviews, and crises , along with other external and internal pressures. ( )

Technological evolution drives change because new tools, automation, systems, and digital capabilities can make existing methods outdated or inefficient. Process reviews are also common drivers because structured review often reveals waste, duplication, poor function performance, or value gaps that require improvement. Crises are strong change drivers because urgent disruption, failure, cost pressure, safety issues, or market shock can force rapid organizational response.

Option A, organizational culture, may influence how change is accepted or resisted, but it is not listed here as a primary change driver. Option B, maintaining habits, is usually a resistance behavior, not a driver of change.

References/topics: VM Facilitation and Team Dynamics; Change Management; Change Drivers; Organizational Change; VM Programs.

The correct answers are A and B . Function Analysis is used to give the VM team a clearer and often new understanding of the project by describing the project in terms of what it must do , rather than what it currently is . The SAVE International Study Guide identifies Function Analysis as the foundation of Value Methodology and states that functions are identified to describe the work being performed within the study scope. It also explains that functions are expressed through active verb and measurable noun pairings, which supports clear thinking and a shared understanding of functional requirements. ( )

Function Analysis is also used to identify improvements . After defining and naming project functions, the team reviews them to determine which functions may be inefficient, over-costly, or suitable for improvement. The Study Guide further explains that this process allows the team to identify where value improvement opportunities exist in the project. ( ) Creating a collaborative environment is more broadly related to facilitation and team dynamics, not the primary purpose of function analysis. Assisting only individuals with a technical background is incorrect because VM is multidisciplinary.

References/topics: Function Analysis Phase; Function Definition; Functional Requirements; Value Improvement Opportunities; FAST/Function Modeling.

The correct answers are A. Encourage participation by those affected by the change and D. Appoint an oversight committee . In the Implementation Phase, the approved VM proposal must be converted from an accepted recommendation into an actual organizational action. When the proposal requires organizational change, technical approval alone is not enough; successful implementation depends heavily on acceptance, ownership, coordination, and follow-through.

Encouraging participation by those affected by the change is essential because employees, managers, operators, and process owners who must live with the change often understand the practical barriers, workflow impacts, training needs, and resistance points. Their involvement improves buy-in and reduces implementation failure.

Appointing an oversight committee is also appropriate because organizational change normally crosses departments, responsibilities, and authority levels. Oversight provides governance, monitors progress, resolves conflicts, confirms accountability, and ensures the approved VM proposal remains aligned with the intended value improvement.

Option B is less suitable because an implementation plan should be clear and controlled, but not so rigid that it prevents adjustment during organizational transition. Option C is not required; a consultant may help in special cases, but it is not a primary VM implementation requirement.

References/topics: Implementation Phase; Change Adoption; Stakeholder Participation; Implementation Governance; VM Proposal Follow-Through.

The correct answer is D. demonstrate that the VM team understood objectives of the VM study . At an Implementation Meeting, the decision-makers are not primarily looking for a training session on Value Methodology or a review of the VM Job Plan. They need confidence that the VM study results are grounded in the actual project objectives, constraints, required functions, and success criteria.

A five-minute presentation must be concise and decision-focused. The facilitator should quickly show that the VM team understood the study scope, owner goals, performance needs, cost drivers, risks, and implementation expectations. This builds credibility before decision-makers review the disposition of VM proposals.

Option A is incorrect because the Job Plan explains the process, but implementation decision-makers need results and alignment, not a phase-by-phase lecture. Option B is also too broad for a five-minute implementation presentation. Option C is inappropriate because the meeting is not about individual team-member recognition. The strongest presentation is one that links the VM recommendations back to the study objectives and shows that the team’s proposals support those objectives.

References/topics: Implementation Phase; Implementation Meeting; VM Proposal Disposition; Study Objectives; Decision-Maker Confidence.