Free Practice Questions for SAVE International CVS Exam

The correct answers are A, C, and D because the Presentation Phase is focused on communicating developed VM results in a form that enables decision makers to understand, judge, and act on the team’s recommendations. SAVE’s Value Methodology Standard describes the Presentation Phase as the point where the team leader develops a report or presentation that “documents and conveys the adequacy” of the developed alternatives and their value improvement opportunity. ( )

Therefore, tailoring the material to the participants is essential. Executives, technical reviewers, owners, cost specialists, and implementation personnel require different levels of detail and emphasis. Timing of the presentation is also critical because VM results should be presented while the study findings are current, decision attention is active, and implementation momentum has not been lost. Level of development of proposal write-ups is equally important because weak or incomplete write-ups reduce credibility and make approval difficult.

Option B is incorrect because the team should not present every idea generated in Creativity; only evaluated and developed alternatives should advance. The Evaluation Phase selects ideas with value potential, and the Development Phase turns selected ideas into documented proposals for decision making. ( )

References/topics: Presentation Phase; Development Phase; VM Proposal Write-Ups; Decision-Maker Communication; VM Results Presentation.

The correct answers are A and D . Value Methodology is defined by SAVE International as a systematic process used by a multidisciplinary team to improve project value through the analysis of functions. Because the method intentionally brings together people from different technical, operational, cost, owner, user, and management perspectives, it naturally encourages multidisciplinary communication . The SAVE Study Guide also explains that function naming helps multidisciplinary teams build a shared understanding of project requirements, which supports clearer communication and better identification of value-improvement opportunities. ( )

The second correct answer is develops realistic budgets . VM evaluates required functions against resources such as materials, labor, price, time, and other cost drivers. This function/resource relationship helps teams understand what the project must accomplish and what resources are reasonably required. OMB’s Value Engineering policy also describes VE as a management tool used to ensure realistic budgets , remove nonessential costs, and maintain acceptable quality. ( George W. Bush White House Archives )

Option C is incorrect because VM does not maintain paradigms; it challenges assumptions and existing approaches. Option B may occur as an indirect benefit, but it is not the stronger core answer for this two-response item.

References/topics: Value Methodology Definition; Multidisciplinary Team; Function/Resource Relationship; VM Job Plan; VM Programs.

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. Review VM proposals . Prior to the formal disposition of VM proposals, decision-makers must first understand what has been recommended, why each proposal was developed, what value improvement is expected, and what effects the proposal may have on cost, performance, quality, schedule, and risk. SAVE’s VM Standard Reference describes the Implementation Phase as the point where the sponsoring organization reviews the results of the VM study and decides which VM proposals to implement . ( )

This sequence is important. Review comes before disposition. Disposition means determining whether each VM proposal is accepted, rejected, deferred, modified, or requires additional study. The SAVE Study Guide also identifies common implementation activities as reviewing the preliminary report and then conducting an implementation meeting to determine the disposition of each value alternative. ( )

Option A occurs after proposals are accepted, because the implementation plan is developed for approved actions. Option B may occur only when information is incomplete, but it is not the normal decision-maker activity before disposition. Option C is essentially the disposition activity itself, not the step before it.

References/topics: Implementation Phase; VM Proposal Review; Preliminary Report; Disposition of Value Alternatives; Implementation Planning.

The most appropriate description of the Information Phase is to gather, organize, review, and transform data collected . In the Value Methodology Job Plan, the Information Phase begins the formal Value Study and is used to complete the data package that was initiated during the Pre-Study/Preparation work. The SAVE Value Methodology Standard identifies the Information Phase under the Value Study and lists its immediate output as completing the data package and modifying the scope when needed. ( UW Courses )

This phase is not merely administrative scheduling or management approval. Its purpose is to ensure the team has a clear factual basis before moving into Function Analysis. The project sponsor or designer may brief the team, the team asks questions based on prior data research, site visits may be completed, improvement targets such as value, cost, performance, and schedule are agreed, and the scope is reviewed based on new information. ( UW Courses )

Option A and B are mainly Pre-Study/Preparation activities. Option D is partially related, but too narrow because the Information Phase supports the entire study, not only Function Analysis.

References/topics: Information Phase; Value Methodology Job Plan; Data Package; Scope Review; Study Targets.

The correct answer is C. Recommended alternatives, list of information reviewed, and function analysis . A value study report must document the technical basis of the VM study and provide management with enough objective information to make implementation decisions. The Presentation Phase requires the VM team to prepare presentation/supporting documentation, compare conclusions to success requirements from the Information and Function Analysis Phases, ensure management has full objective information, and prepare a formal report. ( )

Recommended alternatives belong in the report because the Development Phase converts selected ideas into clearly written value alternatives, supported by assumptions, sketches, calculations, cost comparisons, and implementation considerations. ( ) A list of information reviewed is also appropriate because the Information Phase gathers project data, key documents, cost data, quality data, marketing information, process flow charts, and other baseline material. ( ) Function analysis is essential because it records the functional basis of the study, including identified functions, function models, cost drivers, performance attributes, and value-mismatched functions. ( )

Option A is administrative and incomplete. Option B includes a stakeholder survey, which is not a standard core report element. Option D is weakened by “VM presentation,” because the presentation is separate from the report deliverable.

References/topics: Presentation Phase; Value Study Report; Information Phase; Function Analysis Phase; Development Phase; Recommended Alternatives.

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 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 matches are based on formal Function Analysis classification. SAVE defines a function as what a project, product, or process must do, independent of what it is or how it is accomplished, and it should be stated in active verb/measurable noun form. A basic function is the specific purpose for which the product exists and answers “What must it do?” For prescription eyeglasses, that purpose is Correct vision . SAVE’s function-analysis examples for spectacles also classify Correct Vision as the basic function.

A higher order function represents the broader need or outcome that causes the basic function to exist. Correcting vision exists to Enhance vision , so that is the best higher-order match. A lower order function is outside the study scope and represents a required input. For prescription eyeglasses, the prescription must be determined first; therefore Assess vision is the best lower-order function. A secondary function supports the basic function and results from the selected design approach. In eyeglasses, the frames, bridge, arms, and related hardware support the basic function by Positioning lenses correctly in front of the eyes. “Fit face” is also a supporting idea, but it is less direct than “Position lenses” for this one-slot secondary classification.

References/topics: Function Analysis Phase; Basic Function; Higher Order Function; Lower Order Function; Secondary Function; FAST Logic.