Suppose somehow the individual has multiple starts and finishes dates and duration estimates proportional to the number of phases or levels in the total project. In that case, this is something the interviewer will want to verify. Even though they are only forecasts, they are significant because, as a project manager applicant, one must determine whether their employer can manage it in terms of both time and exact timeline of events.  While answering this type of question, always consider your own experiences as one can easily relate to the idea of plan baselines. Giving a general or merely technical response is of limited use. Instead, briefly provide all the important elements. Give an example of a project you completed despite having explicit plan baselines at your prior job. Here is a sample of the answer, do modify it according to the need and requirements of the situation.  "For projects to be managed effectively, a baseline plan is necessary. You absolutely must integrate at the beginning of any project. A baseline plan accurately describes the desired outcome of a specific project.  It contains crucial components, including the project's overall cost over its lifetime, the goal factors, and the time needed for fulfillment. It is a rough attempt at putting out acceptable predictions.  It can simply be described as the project's overall blueprint. Any flaws or irregularities in the procedures or red light can be rectified whenever you have the project's structure before circumstances go out of hand. Baseline plans are much more frequently employed for projects where you need to work quickly since you're running against the clock or deadline."