Exam Questions 1 Flashcards
Question
A project manager learns that in-house resources are insufficient to produce a critical component of a deliverable. This poses a significant threat. The quality of the component is integral to the project, and the in-house resources cannot guarantee high-quality output. In response to this threat, the project manager decides to outsource the production of the component by contracting a third-party vendor.
Which threat response strategy did the project manager use?
A.Accept
B.Mitigate
C.Enhance
D.Escalate
Solution: B. Mitigate
The correct answer is mitigate.
A threat is an event or condition that, if it occurs, has a negative impact on one or more objectives. In threat mitigation, action is taken to reduce the probability of occurrence and/ or impact of a threat. Early mitigation action is often more effective than trying to repair the damage after the threat has occurred. The project manager acted to reduce the probability of the threat associated with the development of a project-critical component.
The other answers are incorrect because they do not align with this situation.
Threat acceptance acknowledges the existence of a threat, but no proactive action is planned.
Enhancement refers to opportunities, not threats. In opportunity enhancement, the project team acts to increase the probability of occurrence or impact of an opportunity.
Escalation is appropriate when the project team or the project sponsor agrees that a threat is outside the scope of the project or that the proposed response would exceed the project manager’s authority.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
IT Project Management, 7th Ed. (7th) Kathy Schwalbe///chapter 11, p467 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.8.5.1 Threats]
Question
During the development phase of a construction project, key stakeholders approved a project budget. The team identified risks and appropriate risk responses. However, during project execution, an unexpected local health emergency halted and delayed work on the project. This event type was not identified as a risk or listed in the risk register. The team decides that this issue must be mitigated, which would incur additional costs.
How should the project manager address this unforeseen budgetary overrun?
A.Use the management reserve to cover the cost.
B.Identify potential ways to exploit the risk.
C.Use the contingency reserve to cover the cost.
D.Develop cost and performance baselines.
Solution: A. Use the management reserve to cover the cost.
The correct answer is to use the management reserve to cover the cost.
Since the health emergency was unforeseen, the management reserve would be the appropriate resource to cover the cost or mitigation. A management reserve is the amount of the project budget or project schedule held outside of the performance measurement baseline for management control purposes that is reserved for unforeseen work that is within the project scope.
Risk exploitation addressed opportunities, not threats. Risk exploitation is a response strategy whereby the project team acts to ensure that an opportunity occurs. Further, the question states that the issue must be mitigated, so the risk response has already been determined.
A contingency reserve is the time or money allocated in the schedule or cost baseline for known risks with active response strategies. This option is incorrect because the risk was not known.
The cost baseline is the approved version of the time-phased project budget, excluding any management reserves, which can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.4.2.4 Budget] [2.8.5.1 Threats] [2.8.5.3 Management and Contingency Reserve]
Question
A project sponsor is risk averse and is therefore concerned about negative impacts on the project. To help with this concern, the project team identifies four project risks and then evaluates both the probability of occurrence and the impact of the risk if it occurs. The team uses a 1-5 scale, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest.
Risk
Probability
Impact
A
3
3
B
5
1
C
2
4
D
4
4
Based on the table, in what order should the project manager rank these risks (high to low) for risk management purposes?
A.B, A, D, C
B.B, C, A, D
C.D, A, C, B
D.C, D, A, B
Solution: C. D, A, C, B
Risk severity is the product of probability and impact; the higher the product, the higher the risk is rated.
In order, the values are:
Risk D: 4 X 4 = 16
Risk A: 3 X 3 = 9
Risk C: 2 X 4 = 8
Risk B: 5 X 1 = 5
This being the case, C is the correct answer.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/11.1.3.1/ [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/11.5.2.9/ [Item]
| Project Manager’s Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (2015) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./7.5.5/307-308 [Item]
Question
A project manager is conducting risk identification based on high-level scope and expert judgement.
What information in the project charter could support risk identification?
A.Summary of project roles and responsibilities
B.Detailed requirements and scope
C.Project communication matrices
D.Stakeholder interest
Solution: D. Stakeholder interest
The Project Charter summarizes high-level information about project and product. It includes a general risks list developed using expert judgement technique. Individuals experienced in similar projects or area, familiar with source of risks, or either individuals familiar on how the organization approaches risks, can contribute to risk identification process.
Summary of project roles and responsibilities does not address question, and would not be in the charter.
Detailed requirements and scope would not be in the charter. The charter would be at a higher level and not detailed.
Project communication matrices does not address question, and would not be in the charter.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition, 6th edition (2017) PMI/PMI/11/404 [Item 11.1.2.1 Opinião Especializada]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition, 6th edition (2017) PMI/PMI/4/79 [Item 4.1.2.1 Opinião Especializada]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//4.1 Develop Project Charter. Pg. 66 [Item]
| Proj Managers Portable HB, 3rd Ed (3rd) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.//Chapter 6 Project Initiation and Execution. 6.1.6 Other Factors. Pg. 225. [Item]
| Project Managers Portable HandBook, 3rd Ed (2010) ///7.1.5 Sequence of Planning Actions [Item]
Question
A project is in the execution phase, and product testing is almost complete. A team member proposes that the testing can be fast-tracked by removing some of the tests. The team member believes this will help to finish the job earlier and give the project more float.
What should the project manager do?
A.Request more information from the team member.
B.Reject the team member’s proposal.
C.Discuss this proposal with the project team.
D.Ask the quality manager to consider the proposal.
Solution: B. Reject the team member’s proposal
Removing certain tests is a risky move, and can’t be done just to fast-track the project. The Project Manager should have considered all tests while assigning time for the testing phase. If the project is progressing as per the assigned time, no review of tests is needed, and the proposal should be rejected.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology Project Management, 2nd Ed (2015) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press/11/400 [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/8/293 [Item]
Question
What tools or techniques are suitable for monitoring risks? (Choose 2)
A.Data analysis
B.Affinity grouping
C.Risk Transference
D.Risk audits
Solution: A and D. Data analysis and Risk audits
The correct answer is data analysis and risk audits.
Monitoring risks provides the assurance that risk responses are being applied, verifies whether they are effective, and, as necessary, initiates corrective actions. Periodic audits should be performed to determine strengths and weaknesses in handling risks within the project. Data should be analyzed and documented throughout the risk management process. Audit measurements and data analysis provide a reliable understanding of the status of risks.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Affinity grouping involves classifying items into similar categories or collections on the basis of their likeness. Common affinity groupings include T-shirt sizing and Fibonacci numbers. Risk transference is a risk response strategy whereby the project team shifts the impact of a threat to a third party, together with ownership of the response.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI// [Item]
The Standard for Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and Projects, 2019 [X67 MONITOR RISKS]
Question
A project manager completed plans for a project and submitted all documents for approval but did not allocate time for delays in obtaining approvals. In addition to selecting a risk owner to address this potential risk, what should the project manager have done?
A.Asked the risk owner to escalate with approvers so that approvals are obtained as soon as possible.
B.Adjusted the project plans by lowering work completion estimates so that the work can be completed on time despite the delay.
C.Developed specific actions to implement the agreed-upon risk response strategy, including primary and backup strategies.
D.Used a real options analysis to perform an economic analysis of alternative risk response strategies.
Solution: C. Developed specific actions to implement the agreed-upon risk response strategy, including primary and backup strategies
The correct answer is developed specific actions to implement the agreed-upon risk response strategy, including primary and backup strategies. In situations where there are only a few possible outcomes from an area of uncertainty, the project team can prepare for each of those outcomes. This entails having a primary solution available, as well as having backup or contingency plans in case the initial solution is not viable or effective. Where there is a large set of potential outcomes, the project team can categorize and assess the potential causes to estimate their likelihood of occurrence. This allows the project team to identify the most likely potential outcomes on which to focus.
The other options are incorrect because they are reactionary and the question asks what would have been done in addition to selecting a risk owner to address this potential risk.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.8.5.1 Threats]
PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//Section 11.5.2 Plan Risk Responses: Tools and Techniques, Page 343 [Item]
| Prac Stnd for Proj Risk Management (Jul 1 2009 12:00AM) Project Management Institute/Project Management Institute//Ch 5.4 Documenting the Results of the Identify Risks Process, Page 29 [Item]
Question
Which of the following represents levels of risk attitude?
A.Conservative, moderate, and liberal
B.Risk-averse, risk-neutral, risk-tolerant, risk-seeking
C.Risk-mitigating, risk-avoiding, risk-transferring, risk-accepting
D.High, medium, and low
E.Positive, negative, and indifferent
Solution: B Risk-averse, risk-neutral, risk-tolerant, and risk-seeking
The correct answer is risk-averse, risk-neutral, risk-tolerant, and risk-seeking.
Risk attitude is a disposition toward uncertainty, adopted explicitly or implicitly by individuals and groups, driven by perception, and evidenced by observable behavior. The correct answer is therefore the one that cites the averse, neutral, tolerant, and seeking attitudes towards risk as a characteristic of the stakeholders. The stakeholder register contains details of the project’s stakeholders and provides an overview of their project roles and their attitude toward risk on the project. Risk attitude information is useful in determining roles and responsibilities for managing risk on the project, as well as setting risk thresholds for the project. Conservative, moderate, and liberal are not risk attitudes. Risk-mitigating, risk-avoiding, risk-transferring, and risk-accepting are risk response strategies. High, medium, and low are gradients that can be used for qualitative risk assessment. Positive, negative, and indifferent are not risk attitudes.
This question and rationale were created in reference to: PMBoK 6th ed. / par. 11.1.1.3 PMBoK 6th ed. / par. 11.5.2.4 e-Reads//Practical Project Risk Management: Atom methodology, figure 2-5 [Item] e-Reads//Risk and Decision Analysis in Projects, 2nd edition, Glossary, risk attitude [Item]”]
Question
A project manager has been made aware of a recent weather event that could potentially impact the project. Forecasters are unable to predict the path or strength of the event. Any delays would extend the project’s finish date and cause cost overruns.
What should the project manager do first?
A.Notify the stakeholders and revise the budget.
B.Take preventive action based on new information.
C.Check the risk register for more risk information.
D.Record information about the event in the issue log.
Solution: C. Check the risk register for more information
The correct answer is to check the risk register for more information.
Before doing anything, the project manager should review the risk register. A risk register is a repository in which outputs of risk management processes are recorded. It is important to check whether or not the risk had been identified during the planning process, or if it is an emergent risk. If the risk was previously identified, the risk register would have the information needed to address the risk. Information in a risk register can include the person responsible for managing the risk, probability, impact, risk score, planned risk responses, and other information used to get a high-level understanding of individual risks. From there, the project manager can address the risk appropriately.
The other answers are incorrect because the risk register should be reviewed before making any revisions or taking preventative actions. An issue log is used to record and monitor information on active issues, and the event has not occurred yet, and may not occur.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [4.6.2 LOGS AND REGISTERS] [3.10 OPTIMIZE RISK RESPONSES]
Question
A supplier of a critical component for a construction project notifies the project manager that the component will be significantly late. Because this risk had been identified during project planning, the cost baseline contains an adequate contingency reserve.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Identify a supplier that can provide the component within the amount of the reserve.
B.Order the component from another supplier and submit a change request to the change control board (CCB).
C.Review the risk response plan and the statement of work for the next steps and a penalty clause for late delivery.
D.Update the project schedule and the lessons learned repository.
Solution: A. Identify a supplier that can provide the component within the amount of the reserve
Realizing that project delivery is the prime focus, the project manager needs to assess alternatives without concern for the potential budget impact. Once a viable alternative is identified, they can present their case to the sponsor for a decision. So, identifying a supplier that can provide the component within the amount of reserve is the right choice.
Ordering the component from another supplier without considering the reserve is not the right choice. Updating the project schedule and reviewing the statement of work for late delivery won’t solve the current situation. That is equal to accepting the project delay.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/12/465 [Item]
| The Project Management Tool Kit: 100 Tips and Techniques for Getting the Job Done Right (No Date) /Amacom/26/60 [Item]
Question
A technology project for a multinational bank is in the testing stage. The project manager learns that a security breach has exposed the personal data of thousands of end users. The project sponsor suspends work while the cause is investigated. The threat of a security breach was identified during the risk management planning process, and the impact is significant.
What should the project manager do?
A.Refer to the stakeholder engagement plan to determine the risk owner.
B.Perform a decision tree analysis to calculate the optimal path to resolution.
C.Meet with the project sponsor to negotiate a new requirements management plan.
D.Update the issue log and review the risk response strategy outlined in the risk register.
Solution: D. Update the issue log and review the risk response strategy outlined in the risk register.
The correct answer is to update the issue log and review the risk response strategy outlined in the risk register.
Before taking action, the issue must be documented in the issue log and the risk register must be reviewed to determine how to respond to this issue. When threats occur, they are called issues and are listed in the issue log. An issue log is used to record and monitor information on active issues. Since the threat of a data breach has occurred, it must be documented in the issue log. The project manager must also review the risk register. A risk register is a repository in which outputs of risk management processes are recorded. Information in a risk register can include the person responsible for managing the risk, probability, impact, risk score, planned risk responses, and other information used to get a high-level understanding of individual risks. The risk of the breach was identified, therefore the risk register should contain information on the agreed-upon risk response strategy and other related information.
Referring to the stakeholder engagement plan to determine the risk owner is incorrect because the risk owner is documented in the risk register. A stakeholder engagement plan is a component of the project management plan that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote the productive involvement of stakeholders in project or program decision making and execution.
Performing a decision tree analysis is incorrect because it is a risk analysis tool that should have been conducted when the team was analyzing risks. A decision tree analysis is a diagramming and calculation method for evaluating the implications of a chain of multiple options in the presence of uncertainty. The output of this analysis would be recorded in the risk register.
Meeting with the project sponsor to negotiate a contingency plan is incorrect because the contingency plan must have been available in the risk register.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
The Project Management Tool Kit: 100 Tips and Techniques for Getting the Job Done Right (No Date) /Amacom/10/23-25 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.8.5.1 Threats] [4.6.2 LOGS AND REGISTERS] [4.4.1 DATA GATHERING AND ANALYSIS]
Question
A project manager learned that the project deliverables will not meet the quality requirements unless a change is made to a component. After issuing a formal change request, the project manager emailed details of the change to all stakeholders. Most stakeholders received the information promptly and are fully aware of the change. However, the project manager finds out that some stakeholders did not receive the email or did not read it.
What could the project manager have done to prevent this?
A.Reviewed the communications management plan.
B.Developed a detailed work performance report.
C.Met with the project sponsor to discuss communication.
D.Questioned the stakeholders about technological literacy.
Solution: A. Reviewed the communications management plan.
The correct answer is to review the communications management plan.
A communications management plan is a component of the project, program, or portfolio management plan that describes how, when, and by whom information about the project will be administered and disseminated. Communication is the most important factor in engaging with stakeholders effectively. Project success is dependent on effective communication and the communication medium used influences the effectiveness of communication. Before deciding to send emails to all stakeholders, the project manager should have first reviewed the communications management plan to confirm that email communication is effective for all stakeholders. Typically, preferred communication methods vary from stakeholder to stakeholder, based on a multitude of factors.
The other options are incorrect because they do not preemptively address the core issue. In this case, some stakeholders had no problems with the emails. For others, email was clearly not the most effective way to communicate. The project manager could have avoided the confusion by reviewing the communications management plan and disseminating the information in the stakeholders’ preferred medium.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [4.2.2 COMMUNICATION MODELS]
Question
A customer is concerned that the current project deliverable will not fulfill stated project requirements. What could be done to alleviate customer concerns?
A.Schedule a meeting to remind the customer of requirements previously communicated to the team.
B.Document the customer’s concern as a risk in the risk register and plan accordingly.
C.Manage the concern at the review of each deliverable with the customer.
D.Ask a product owner to review the acceptance criteria previously discussed with the customer.
Solution: D. Ask a product owner to review the acceptance criteria previously discussed with the customer
To align the customer expectations with the upcoming deliveries the product owner should work with the customer to describe functional behavior as acceptance criteria (definition of Done).
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) /// [Item The Agile Developer’s Handbook by Paul Flewelling Published by Packt Publishing, 2018 Acceptance criteria]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/5/52 [Item]
Question
The client agreed to the standards that would be used to assess final deliverables prior to hand-off, but is now asking for improvements because the deliverables do not meet the standards. Which document should the project manager consult to resolve this issue?
A.Scope management plan
B.Quality management plan
C.Requirements documentation
D.Project charter
Solution: B. Quality management plan
The quality management plan defines the standards for the project deliverables and how compliance with the standards can be demonstrated. The project charter will not have this level of detail. Likewise, the scope and requirements should not change or list specific responses to the quality acceptance criteria of the project deliverables.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/5.5.3.1/202 [Item]
| The Project Management Tool Kit: 100 Tips and Techniques for Getting the Job Done Right (2004) Tom Kendrick/AMACOM/41/100 [Item]
Question
A project deliverable does not meet the functional requirements necessary to meet stakeholder needs. As a result, the customer refuses to accept the deliverable.
How would defining the quality metrics have helped the project manager avoid this situation?
A.The test management plan would have evaluated the deliverable according to quality metrics before final acceptance.
B.Quality metrics specified in the work breakdown structure (WBS) would have identified compliance specifications.
C.Quality metrics would have described the attributes of the deliverable and how to measure them.
D.Quality metrics in the requirements plan would have allowed for a new procurement process in case of component failure.
Solution: C. Quality metrics would have described the attributes of the deliverable and how to measure them
Quality metrics are a description of a project or product attribute and how to measure it, hence it would be able to identify whether the customer would be satisfied with the deliverable as the metrics are clear and objective.
The Test Management plan take reference to the Quality Metrics, hence it is not the correct options.
The quality metrics in the WBS would only show what tasks will be performed to met specifications, but those specifications may not be measured yet.
Lastly, the option on allowing for a new procurement process will not help, as the question was about how would defining Quality Metrics would have helped out.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) //Fundamentals of Effective Program Management: A Process Approach Based on the Global Standard / Ch 7/ [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI//8/242 [Item]
Question
A manufacturing company receives customer complaints that a product is defective. A project sponsor has said that these complaints might be outliers.
What should the project manager use to investigate the cause and quantity of defects in this product?
A.Flowcharts
B.Affinity diagram
C.Control chart
D.Histogram
Solution: D. Histogram
Histogram is correct because it can show the number of defects per deliverable, a ranking of the cause of defects, the number of times each process is noncompliant, or other representations of project or product defects.
Flowchart is not correct because it show a series of steps that lead to a defect.
Affinity diagram is not correct because it can organize potential causes of defects into groups showing areas that should be focused on the most.
Control chart is not correct because it is used to determine whether or not a process is stable or has predictable performance
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) /J. Ross Publishing/Project Quality Management: Why, What and How by Kenneth H. Rose/Chapter 7 - Collecting and Understanding Project Data [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/8/298 [Item]
Question
A major project deliverable is completed. What should the project manager and team do to confirm that specifications have been met?
A.Check the organizational process assets.
B.Validate the quality audit reports.
C.Verify the scope.
D.Perform quality control.
Solution: D. Perform quality control
Quality control is used to analyze and evaluate the project deliverables against the requirements.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Quality audits are typically used to address problems or improvements, not to validate deliverable specifications. Organizational process assets are specific to the organization and not to the project, or project deliverables. Verifying the scope is not helpful, as the deliverable has already been completed.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI//8.3/248 [Item]
| Project Quality Management: Why, What and How (2005) Kenneth H. Rose/J. Ross Publishing/6/ [Item]
Question
After sponsor approval of a project, the project manager invites the sponsor, selected team members, and other stakeholders to a meeting. The major purpose of the meeting is to define how formal acceptance of the completed project deliverables will be obtained.
What document will be developed as the final output of this meeting?
A.Change log.
B.Stakeholder register.
C.Scope management plan.
D.Requirements management plan.
Solution: C. Scope management plan
The scope management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how the scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and validated.
Change log is used to document changes that occur during a project.
Stakeholder register contains information about identified stakeholders that includes identification information, assessment information and stakeholder classification.
Requirements management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how project and product requirements will be analyzed, documented, and managed.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI//5.3.1.1/109 [Item]
| Value-Based Metrics for Improving Results: An Enterprise Project Management Toolkit (24/7) (2008) Mel Schnapper and \\steven \rollins/J. Ross Publishing/18/ [Item]
Question
A project team has not been performing user acceptance tests on a deliverable because the product has been working as expected in other projects. However, after implementation, the product is not operational.
What should the project manager do to identify the source of the problem?
A.Review the quality metrics document.
B.Develop a scatter diagram.
C.Conduct a root cause analysis.
D.Perform an audit.
Solution: C. Conduct a root cause analysis
Root cause analysis is an analytical technique used to determine the basic underlying reason that causes a variance, defect, or risk. So conduct root cause analysis is the right choice
Quality metrics document is a description of a project or product attribute and how to measure it, and is not used to identify the source of the quality problem.
A scatter diagram is a graph that shows the relationship between two variables and is used for decision making, not identifying the source of the quality problem.
An audit is the process to determine if the project activities comply with the specific procedure, which doesn’t help to identify the quality problem in this case.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology PM, 2nd Ed (2nd) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press/11/392 [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/8.2.2.2/ [Item]
Question
A project manager is working with stakeholders to identify the steps that must be completed as part of a task. The project manager needs to be able to verify that team members have completed all the steps required when performing a frequently performed task.
What should the project manager use?
A.Flowchart
B.Checklist
C.Histogram
D.Facilitation
Solution: B. Checklist
The project manager should use a checklist as it is generally used in validating process steps have been implemented.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Flowcharts can only be used to outline process steps not verify that they have been conducted; histograms reflect frequency distribution and will not verify team members have completed the tasks; and facilitation is the ability to effectively guide a group event to a successful decision, solution, or conclusion.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI//80 [Item]
| Project management : A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (2009) Harold Kerzner/John Wiley/5.24/ [Item]
Question
A project has been closed and customer care needs to measure customer satisfaction with the deliverables.
What should be done next?
A.Negotiate additional contract with customer for similar service.
B.Schedule meeting with stakeholders and customer to discuss lessons learned.
C.Evaluate project deliverables and review customer feedback documents.
D.Audit project success by reviewing closing documentation for each project phase.
Solution: C. Evaluate project deliverables and review customer feedback documents
Evaluate- Closure meetings are used to confirm deliverables have been accepted, validate if acceptance criteria have been met, formalize contract completion, evaluate stakeholders satisfaction, gather lessons learned, transfer project knowledge and information, and celebrate success. Customer satisfaction can be derived by referring customer feedback documents
Negotiate- Not initiated by the customer. No need to negotiate additional contract with customer
Schedule- Previously performed at project closure. As part of Project closure meeting, lessons learned can be covered
Audit- No relevance to the question, part of gate review process
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) ///Keeping Score using the Right Metrics by Mark Graham Brown, 1996. Chapter 6 Measuring Customer Satisfaction Value, item “Method of identifying customer requirements” [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition, 6th edition (2017) PMI/PMI/4/127 [Item 4.7.2.3 Meetings]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//Chapter 8 Project Quality Management, page 229 [Item]
Question
A project manager is reviewing work performance data in preparation for the close project process. The data reveals that one of the deliverables was not accepted. The estimated work required to complete acceptance of the deliverable will delay the project completion date by two months.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Allocate the contingency reserve to procure resources needed for completion.
B.Update the schedule and perform the work.
C.Issue a change request for review by the change control board (CCB).
D.Update the watch list in the risk register.
Solution: C. Issue a change request for review by the change control board (CCB)
Since one of the completed deliverables was not formally accepted, it may require a change request for defect repair. The change requests are processed for review and disposition through the Perform Integrated Change Control process. During the “Close Project Process” the Project Manager has to go to the Change Control Board (CCB) to follow the Project Management Norms.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they are activities to be performed after the “approval” obtained from the CCB.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) ///Project Manager Street Smarts: A Real World Guide to PMP Skills by Linda Kretz Zaval and Terri A. Wagner - Task 4.1: Monitoring and Controlling Project Work, section Verifying Scope [Item]
| IT Project Management, 7th Ed. (7th) Kathy Schwalbe///Chapter 5, Validating scope, section Scope validation p209 bottom [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//Validate Scope 5.5.3.2 Change Requests [Item]
Question
Project completion will be delayed because an essential component will not be delivered on time. What should the project manager do?
A.Consult with stakeholders and revise the project schedule to reflect the delay.
B.Review the scope management plan to understand how acceptance of project deliverables could still be obtained.
C.Check the procurement contract for penalties that can be imposed on the supplier of the component.
D.Evaluate the impact of the delay before deciding what actions are necessary.
Solution: D. Evaluate the impact of the delay before deciding what actions are necessary
Before a path of action can be selected, the project manager needs to first understand the impact of the delay, and what, if any, successor activities are affected. This action would be required before advising the project sponsors who will want to know the impact before making project decisions.
Without knowing the impact of the delay, you are not ready to revise the schedule.
Acceptance criteria of project deliverables in the scope management plan would not change in this scenario.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Project Management 5th Edition (No Date) James P. Lewis/AMACOM/Project closure/428 [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/9.6.2/ [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/5/ [Item Project Scope Management]
Question
A project manager needs to close out a project and does not have time to update the lessons learned register.
What could be a consequence of this failure to act?
A.Work performance data would be incomplete and unavailable for analysis.
B.Opportunities to prevent similar problems in future projects could be missed.
C.The project management plan could be inaccurate and misleading.
D.Key stakeholders would refuse to engage in future projects.
Solution: B. Opportunities to prevent similar problems in future projects could be missed
Capturing lesson learned allows project manager to gain knowledge of past knowledge which will help prevent similar problems in future projects.
Work performance data is the raw observations and measurements identified during activities designed to carry out the project work. It is collected during project execution.
Lesson learned register is an input for the project management plan, however not updating it doesn’t cause the project management plan to be incorrect or misleading.
Not capturing lesson learned doesn’t impact key stakeholders in engaging future projects.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI//96 [Item]
| Practice Standard for Earned Value Management (10/1/2011) PMI/PMI//60/76 [Item]
Question
Which of the following is not part of the Validate Release in Transition phase?
A.Production deployment testing.
B.Active stakeholder participation.
C.Stakeholder satisfaction survey.
D.Log the deployment.
Solution: D. Log the deployment.
Logging the deployment falls under the release into production during the transition.
Production deployment testing, active stakeholder participation, and stakeholder satisfaction survey are part of validating a release in transition.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide 7th Edition
DA 5.5 (https://dabrowser.pmi.org/?version=5.5)
Question
A project manager needs to close a project phase. What step should project manager take?
A.Ensure deliverables have full buy-in according to decision process established for phase.
B.Compare project deliverables with project charter and request customer sign off.
C.Review high-level strategic and operational assumptions and constraints with stakeholders.
D.Review project management plan to ensure phase objectives have been met.
Solution: D. Review project management plan to ensure phase objectives have been met
Correct answer: When closing a project or a phase project manager must review project management plan to ensure all project or phase work is completed and project or phase has met objectives.
The remaining options are not correct for the reasons explained below
Ensure- A component of the PM plan, but not all encompassing
Compare- A component of the PM plan, but not all encompassing
Review high-level- Not reviewed at a phase closure, would address in charter development
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) ///Value-Based Metrics for Improving Results: An Enterprise Project Management Toolkit by Mel Schnapper and Steven Rollins , Chapter 18 - Project Scope Management [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition, 6th edition (2017) PMI/PMI/4/123 [Item 4.7 Close Project or Phase]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//Chapter 4.6 Close Project/Phase Page 101 [Item]
Question
A project manager is reviewing project histories, resources, and performance data to apply stored knowledge to a new project. Where is the first place the project manager should look?
A.Previously accepted project charters.
B.PMIS system.
C.Quality management tools.
D.Baseline versus actual performance reports.
Solution: B. PMIS system.
A project management information system (PMIS) is the coherent and complete organization of the information required for an organization to execute projects successfully. This should be updated with project progress right through to project completion.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Previously accepted project charters and quality management tools are useful but do not include project histories or lessons learned. Baseline versus actual performance reports are only a component of the information the project manager is seeking.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
OReilly, 5th edition (2006) David Cleland, Lewis Ireland/McGraw-Hill/14.5/302 [Item Needs a more recent citation and editor review]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI/3.7/58 [Item]
| Proj Managers Portable HB, 3rd Ed (3rd) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./9/ [Item]
Question
A project was cancelled during its initiation phase due to lack of adequate resources. What should the project manager do?
A.Inform all team members according to guidelines in the communications management plan.
B.Refer to the company’s project closure guidelines.
C.Perform a risk analysis to determine the impact of terminating the project.
D.Reassign all resources and reallocate budget.
Solution: B. Refer to the company’s project closure guidelines
Project closure guidelines or requirements will contain the organization’s procedures to follow.
The remaining options are not correct for the reasons explained below
Inform- They have not been assigned during the initiation phase
Perform- This would have been done prior to cancelling the project
Reassign- Resources have not been assigned, budget has not been allocated
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fifth Edition (2015) PMI/PMI/2.1.4.1./27 [Item]
| e-Reads (No Date) //Project Management: A Managerial Approach, Eighth Edition by Jack R. Meredith and Samuel J. Mantel chapter 13.3/ [Item]
Question
Which of the following is not considered during project/phase closure?
A.Team celebration ideas
B.Critical Success Factors
C.Fast-tracking
D.Knowledge transfer
Solution: C. Fast-tracking
Fast-tracking is performed to accelerate the project schedule by executing two activities at the same time. It occurs before project/phase closure.
Critical success factors; knowledge transfer; and brainstorming team celebration ideas are completed during project/phase closure.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide 7th Edition
DA 5.5 (https://dabrowser.pmi.org/?version=5.5)
Question
You are the project manager on a project delivered by a Scrum team. The project sponsors are not familiar with the Scrum framework and were invited to attend the first release retrospective. They ask you to describe the scope of this event.
Which of the following are the goals of the retrospective event? (Choose 3)
A.Identify what is working well and define actions to reinforce them.
B.Identify what is not working and define actions to rectify them.
C.Identify top improvement areas and define actions to implement them.
D.Identify unfinished deliverables and define actions to complete them.
Solution: A, B, and C. Identify what is working well and define actions to reinforce them, Identify what is not working and define actions to rectify them, and Identify top improvement areas and define actions to implement them.
The three correct options are the key goals of the retrospective event as they are activities that help close out the project or phase (e.g., final lessons learned, retrospective, procurement, financials, resources).
Identifying unfinished deliverables and defining actions to complete them is not the objective of a retrospective event. The retrospective event is focused on identifying and addressing problems with the Scrum process, not on managing the project backlog.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/project-closing-modular-risk-based-6806
Question
A project has components that are outsourced and the project manager is in the control phase of the procurement process.
What should the project manager focus on doing?
A.Finalize the contract and pay the vendors.
B.Develop a procurement plan and identify potential vendors.
C.Issue requests for proposals and select vendors.
D.Evaluate the performance of one of the major project vendors.
Solution: D. Evaluate the performance of one of the major project vendors.
In the control procurement phase, the project manager is responsible for monitoring the performance of the vendors and ensuring that they are meeting the agreed-upon requirements. This includes evaluating the vendors’ deliverables, managing any changes to the contract, and resolving any issues that may arise.
The other answer choices are incorrect and are not relevant to the control procurements phase. Developing a procurement plan and identifying potential vendors is a task that is performed in the plan procurement phase. Issuing requests for proposals and selecting vendors is a task that is performed in the conduct procurements phase. Finalizing the contract and paying the vendors is a task that is performed in the close procurements phase.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/project-closing-modular-risk-based-6806 [Item]
Question
Which of the following is performed in project/phase closure?
A.Schedule and conduct a project kickoff meeting.
B.Schedule and conduct a lessons learned meeting.
C.Schedule and conduct a change control meeting.
D.Schedule and conduct a project status meeting.
Solution: B. Schedule and conduct a lessons learned meeting.
The correct answer is to schedule and conduct a lessons learned meeting during project/phase closure. Documenting lessons learned during the project life cycle provides future project teams with information that can increase effectiveness and efficiency.
Project kickoff meetings, change control meetings, and project status meetings are all conducted during the project life cycle.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide 7th Edition
DA 5.5 (https://dabrowser.pmi.org/?version=5.5)
Question
A project to develop a new product is nearing its closing phase after 6 months of contributions from the project team and vendor. The project manager has confirmed that the project satisfied the strategic goal it was meant to achieve and received formal documented acceptance from the client and sponsor.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Review all contracts with the project team and suppliers.
B.Disband the project team and return resources to their functional location.
C.Ensure customer care teams have the training to perform their role.
D.Document lessons learned for future reference.
Solution: A. Review all contracts with the project team and suppliers.
When the project manager has confirmed that the project satisfied the strategic goal it was meant to achieve and received formal documented acceptance from the client and sponsor, they should review all contracts with the project team and suppliers. They should make sure that all parties have satisfied their contractual obligations—that the suppliers have delivered all of the products or services required of them and that the organization has made all pertinent payments.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Ensuring customer care teams have the training to perform their role should occur during the project, well before closure. Documenting lessons learned can come after contracts have been reviewed. Disbanding the project team and returning resources to their functional location should be the very last step.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/importance-of-closing-process-group-9949
Question
While executing a project that is nearly behind schedule, a project manager must commission a new piece of equipment. Two local parties who will be impacted by this commission ask that the project be stopped immediately because they were not given an opportunity to provide project approval.
How would implementing a stakeholder engagement plan have helped the project manager avoid this situation?
A.By using the conflict management techniques described in the plan, the project manager could have gotten approval from the local parties.
B.Including the local parties in the plan would have ensured their sign-off and approval of the project charter.
C.By understanding the local parties’ expectations, the project manager could have used appropriate negotiating techniques to engage them.
D.By identifying the local parties as stakeholders, they would have been included in relevant communications.
Solution: D. By identifying the local parties as stakeholders, they would have been included in relevant communications
By identifying the local parties as stakeholders, they would have been included in relevant communications is the correct answer as stakeholder identification should include all parties affected by the project including local, external and internal. The project charter formally authorizes the project,
Conflict management and negotiations are soft skills used after stakeholders are identified
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI/PMI Inc/13.2/ [Item]
| Project Manager’s Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (2015) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./4/135 [Item]
Question
A key stakeholder refuses to sign off on a product because it does not meet the expectations outlined in the project scope. What should the project manager have done to avoid this situation?
A.Solicited stakeholder feedback throughout the life cycle of the project.
B.Conducted risk assessments based on the stakeholder’s expectations.
C.Implemented conflict management techniques during sign-off.
D.Involved the key stakeholder during the testing phase.
Solution: A. Solicited stakeholder feedback throughout the life cycle of the project
Managing stakeholder engagement helps to ensure that stakeholders clearly understand the project goals, objectives, benefits, and risks for the project, as well as how their contribution will enhance project success. Listening to their feedback is an important part of this engagement.
Getting sign off on the product is not related to risk assessments.
Implementing conflict management is not necessary during sign-off, managing stakeholder engagement is more appropriate.
Testing is performed by the testers and the key stakeholder is responsible to provide the acceptance and sign off on the product.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology PM, 2nd Ed (2nd) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press//360 [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI//527 [Item]
Question
A project manager is developing a project charter, but a key stakeholder is failing to provide information about the expected project benefits. Why should the project manager meet with the project sponsor about this issue?
A.The project sponsor is the key person responsible for managing both tacit and explicit project knowledge.
B.The project sponsor is the party who can address internal political and strategic issues that can affect project quality.
C.The project sponsor can request that the change control board (CCB) make a change in the stakeholder community.
D.Disciplinary actions regarding stakeholders are managed by the project sponsor.
Solution: B. The project sponsor is the party who can address internal political and strategic issues that can affect project quality
The sponsor is the person who could intervene and facilitate that stakeholder’s contribution. The project sponsor may not have disciplinary control over all stakeholders. Removing a key stakeholder may not be in the best interest of the project. The project manager is the one responsible to manage project knowledge and communicate to stakeholders.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI// [Item]
| Proj Managers Portable HB, 3rd Ed (3rd) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./10.1.7/405 [Item]
Question
A new project stakeholder is identified who has interest in, but little authority or influence on, the project. How should the project manager handle this stakeholder?
A.Provide information to the stakeholder as needed.
B.Work closely with the stakeholder to proactively address their concerns.
C.Keep track of the stakeholder and respond to their needs.
D.Include the stakeholder on standard updates and keep them satisfied.
Solution: A. Provide information to the stakeholder as needed
Since the stakeholder has little authority or influence, the project manager does not need to work closely with them to address their concerns, or to keep track of them and their needs. The stakeholder does not need standard updates, either. The project manager should determine the stakeholder’s needs and provide information to them to meet their needs.
High power, high-interest stakeholders should be closely managed.
Stakeholders with high power and low interest should be kept satisfied.
Those with low interest and low power shall be only monitored with minimum effort.
A stakeholder with low power and high interest in a project should be kept informed.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/Project Management Institute/13.1.2.1/397 [Item]
| Project management : A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (2013) Harold Kerzner/John Wiley/10.6/482 [Item]
Question
A project manager recognizes the need to improve team dynamics and knowledge sharing during a megaproject.
What should the project manager do?
A.Conduct knowledge-sharing sessions where experienced team members present their expertise.
B.Assign junior team members tasks that push their skill level and offer minimal support.
C.Implement a formal mentoring program with structured goals and regular meetings.
D.Facilitate open team discussions to identify and address individual challenges and concerns.
Solution: D. Facilitate open team discussions to identify and address individual challenges and concerns.
By facilitating open team discussions, the project manager encourages dialogue and creates a safe space for team members to share their challenges and concerns. This can provide guidance and support for skill development and growth, and foster teamwork and problem-solving.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Knowledge-sharing sessions are valuable, but the mentioned approach emphasizes one-way knowledge transfer, primarily benefiting junior members. It lacks the interactive element and addressing individual needs crucial for mentoring. While pushing skills is important, limited support can be isolating and demotivating, contradicting the supportive and nurturing aspects of mentoring. Formal mentoring programs have merit, this option focuses solely on mentoring and lacks the collaborative element of facilitating open discussions for the entire team.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/stakeholder-management-strategies-megaprojects-11848
Ninan, J., Mahalingam, A., & Clegg, S. (2019). External Stakeholder Management Strategies and Resources in Megaprojects: An Organizational Power Perspective. Project Management Journal, 50, 625–640. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/8756972819847045
Question
A project manager compiling a list of project stakeholders discovers an interested stakeholder with little to no authority. How should they manage this stakeholder?
A.Keep satisfied.
B.Manage closely.
C.Monitor.
D.Keep informed.
Solution: D. Keep informed
Managing a stakeholder is the issue here. The correct answer is: “Keep Informed”. This stakeholder needs to be kept informed at this stage. As the project progresses the situation changes cannot be predicted.
A stakeholder is an individual, group, or organization that may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project. Project stakeholders may be internal or external to the project, they may be actively involved, passively involved, or unaware of the project. Project stakeholders may have a positive or negative impact on the project or be positively or negatively impacted by the project
Stakeholder involvement may range from occasional contributions in surveys and focus groups to full project sponsorship that includes the provision of financial, political, or other types of support. The type and level of project involvement can change over the course of the project’s life cycle. Therefore, successfully identifying, analyzing, and engaging stakeholders and effectively managing their project expectations and participation throughout the project life cycle is critical to project success”
PMBoK Sixth Edition Chapter 1 Section 1.6 states: “PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) //Business Analysis Tech 72 Essential/Chapter 3 [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/1/ [Item Project Stakeholders]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI//Chapter 13/397 [Item]
Question
A project schedule requires that two teams work simultaneously on separate parts of a complex project. The two parts of the project are dependent on each other. The project manager needs to ensure there are no conflicts when the outputs from the two teams are combined.
What should the project manager do to manage any potential conflicts first?
A.Set up weekly meetings between the teams to monitor each other’s work.
B.Prioritize conflict resolution for the part of the project that is on the critical path.
C.Review the lessons learned register to anticipate potential conflicts and plan their resolution.
D.Engage project stakeholders to ensure their support through any conflicts as they arise.
Solution: A. Set up weekly meetings between the teams to monitor each other’s work
The Project Manager must maintain open channels of communication to prevent suboptimization of individual projects. Set up weekly meetings between the teams to monitor each other’s work is the right choice.
Prioritize conflict resolution, review the lessons learned and engaging project stake holders are the next steps
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Contro (No Date) /Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Control/11.27/ [Item]
| The AMA Handbook of Project Management, Third Edition (No Date) /AMACOM/35/ [Item]
Question
A project stakeholder has been missing scheduled facilitation workshops and has delegated assigned tasks to another member of the stakeholder community. What should the project manager do to engage this stakeholder?
A.Review with the stakeholder the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved as specified in the project charter.
B.Explain to the stakeholder the differences among the tasks assigned to each project team member.
C.Ask the program manager to brief this stakeholder and to require the stakeholder’s attendance at all relevant meetings.
D.Pair the stakeholder with a more experienced team member who can act as a mentor.
Solution: A. Review with the stakeholder the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved as specified in the project charter
The first version of the stakeholder engagement plan is developed after the initial stakeholder community has been identified by the Identify Stakeholder process. The stakeholder engagement plan is updated regularly to reflect changes to the stakeholder community.
Review the stake holder the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved as specified in the project charter will help us to engage the project stake holder
Explaining the stakeholder the differences among the tasks assigned to each project team member will not help us the stake holder to understand the roles and responsibilities
Asking the program manager to brief this stake holder job can be done by project manager also by explaining the roles and responsibilities. There is no need of Program manager involvement required here
Pairing the stake holder with a more experienced team member will not be accepted by the stake holder and it may decrease the engagement level of stake holder
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Implementing Program Management: Templates and Forms Aligned with the Standard for Program Management , Second Edition (2008) (No Date) Ginger Levine, Allen R. Green/Auerbach Publications/5/ [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/Project Management Institute/13.1.1.1/394 [Item]
Question
A new project manager joins a project during the delivery of a critical milestone. This project has multiple stakeholders, and each has a different level of interest. The project manager needs to determine how much detail to provide to the stakeholders about the delivery.
Which document should the project manager refer to?
A.Communications management plan
B.Stakeholder register
C.Stakeholder engagement plan
D.Project management plan
Solution: C. Stakeholder engagement plan
The stakeholder engagement plan outlines the communication strategy for each stakeholder group. It considers factors like stakeholder interest level, communication preferences, and information needs.
The other answer choices are incorrect. The communications management plan outlines the project’s overall communication strategy but might not delve deep into specific stakeholder communication details. The stakeholder register lists stakeholders and their basic information, not communication specifics. The project management plan defines the overall project scope, timeline, and resources, but doesn’t necessarily detail stakeholder communication strategies.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/13/369 [Item]
PMI Article - “The Agile Project Manager’s Guide to Stakeholder Engagement”: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/stakeholder-management-task-project-success-7736
Question
An intern is replacing a critical resource midway through a sprint. To help the intern get up to speed, the project manager assigns a senior engineer in the team as the intern’s mentor. Two months later, the project goes into critical status, delaying the release milestone by a month.
What should the project manager have done to avoid this scenario?
A.Convinced the critical resource to remain on the project.
B.Requested an experienced resource as a replacement.
C.Negotiated additional time to complete the project.
D.Allocated additional time for mentoring.
Solution: C. Negotiated additional time to complete the project.
As this is a time-critical project, it is not a good idea to allocate mentoring responsibility to a Senior Engineer in a short period of time. Mentoring requires the allocation of additional time which was not planned properly. Allocating more time for mentoring will not solve the problem completely because the mentor/senior person will have lesser to complete their own task.
Rest of the options are not fully within the capacity of the project manager
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //2. Mentoring/Tips for the Manager of a Mentor [Item Book: The Manager’s Path by Camille Fournier]
| O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //7/Not Coaching as Usual [Item Measuring the Success of Coaching]
Question
A key project team member is leaving the organization at the halfway point of the project. What should the project manager do first?
A.Meet with remaining team members to reassign workloads.
B.Work with the functional manager to find a replacement.
C.Evaluate the impact of the loss of the team member on the project.
D.Reassess the resource roles and team composition.
Solution: C. Evaluate the impact of the loss of the team member on the project
The first thing the project manager needs to do is to understand what impact this absence will have on the project. The project manager should asses the responsibilities and expertise of the team member that is leaving and determine how their departure will impact the project.
The other options are incorrect because they are not the first thing the project manager should do. Before assessing the situation, the project manager can not make decisions such as reassigning workloads, team composition, or finding a replacement. Actions such as these would follow the evaluation of the impact of the loss.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) /Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling, Tenth Edition, Harold Kerzner/The Human Aspects of Project Management: Managing the Project team, Volume Three/ Chapter 1/ [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) ///[2.2 TEAM PERFORMANCE DOMAIN]
Question
After a review meeting, a scrum master repeats the importance of quality, focusing especially on the Cost of Change. Which of the following is the scrum master not referring to?
A.Shorten the defect cycle time.
B.Fix escaped defects.
C.Support more features.
D.Reduce the technical debt.
Solution: C. Support more features
The scrum master is referring to all the listed options, except supporting more features. In regards to the cost of change, the cost of quality (COQ) measures the total costs required to prevent, identify, and deal with the results of defects in deliverables. The cost of poor quality is higher the later the defect is found and will impact the length of the cycle time.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Agile Practice Guide (2017) PMI/PMI// [Item]
| PMI-ACP Exam Prep, 2nd Ed edition (Oct, 15) Mike Griffiths/RMC/6/236 [Item]
Question
During a project review, the construction manager reports that the concrete production rate has changed over the last three months. They would like to have an idea of what to expect in the next three months.
What analysis should be conducted?
A.Earned value analysis
B.Critical path analysis
C.Trend analysis
D.Cost-benefit analysis
Solution: C. Trend analysis.
The trend analysis will help the construction manager forecast the concrete production rate for the next three months and the future. A trend analysis is a tool and technique used during the monitor and control phase of the project life-cycle. It can be used in the integration, time, cost, and risk knowledge areas.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Earned value analysis (EVA) is a method that allows the project manager to measure the amount of work actually performed on a project beyond the basic review of cost and schedule reports. Critical path analysis provides information to determine the most efficient timeline possible to complete a project. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a tool to evaluate the costs vs. benefits of an important business proposal.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) //Project Planning, Scheduling and Control Fifth Edition by James Lewis/Chapter 12 [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//6.7.2.1 Performance Reviews, Page 188 [Item]
| PMP: Project Management Professional Study Guide, Ninth Edition, 9th edition (2018) Kim Heldman/Sybex/11/
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/earned-value-management-systems-analysis-8026
Question
A project manager is managing an agile project which has many risks identified in the risk register. The current sprint deals with a critical aspect of the project. During the iteration, an identified risk occurs which ceases project development. The project manager logs the risk occurrence.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Raise the frequency of communications and leverage stakeholders to assist in resolving issues.
B.Assign responsibility for the communication management plan to a senior team member.
C.Invite the stakeholders to the next retrospective meeting and inform them of the issue.
D.Delay development of the critical aspect to the next sprint and work on items currently in the backlog.
Solution: A. Raise the frequency of communications and leverage stakeholders to assist in resolving issues.
Effective issue management requires increased communication and should include stakeholders whenever necessary. If progress is halted, the project manager cannot wait for the next retrospective meeting. In agile, items from the backlog are not added to a current sprint once it has started.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Identifying and Managing Project Risk (No Date) Tom Kendrick//11-Monitoring and Controlling Risky projects/
The Project Management Toolkit. 100 Tips and Tricks for Getting the Job Done Right by Tom Kendrick, page 228.
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) ///[2.6.2 DELIVERABLES] [2.5.7 MONITORING NEW WORK AND CHANGES]
Question
A project manager identifies that the work started by the project team is inconsistent with industry regulations.
What should the project manager update?
A.Organizational process assets
B.Work performance data
C.Issue log
D.Project management plan
Solution: C. Issue log
The project manager should update the issue log because noncompliance with industry regulations is an issue. The issue log is a project document where all the issues are recorded and tracked and should be updated as issues arise as a result of monitoring and control activities throughout the project’s life cycle.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Organizational process assets would include anything the organization has acquired that you can use in the management of the project. Work performance data is the status of project parameters, such as how much work has been completed, how much time has elapsed, and the cost incurred so far. A project management plan is a collection of baselines and subsidiary plans.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) ///Practical Project risk management: The ATOM Methodology. Chapter 9 - Just do it (implementation) [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/4/ [Item Issue Log]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//Chapter 10 - Project Communications Management. Page 303-305
Question
During an agile retrospective session, several team members mentioned that they were confused about the iteration’s progress. What should the project manager do to avoid this confusion?
A.Coach the team to review the iteration board.
B.Prepare a daily project status report and share it with the team.
C.Ask the team to refer to the iteration backlog report.
D.Address the issue at the next retrospective session.
Solution: A. Coach the team to review the iteration board
In agile, it is important that the project manager coaches their team to self-manage their work and review the iteration board.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Daily project status reports and iteration backlog reports are not standard agile processes. A retrospective session is for identifying actions for improvement, not addressing the issue
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Hybrid (No Date) Robert K. Wysocki//Understanding project management processes and practices/556 [Item]
| The Agile Guide to Business Analysis and Planning: From Strategic Plan to Continuous Value Delivery (March-2021) Howard Podeswa//15.7 Monitoring Progress/ [Item]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/5/58 [Item]
Question
During acceptance testing of a deliverable, some senior stakeholders complain that a feature essential to their department was not included. What should the project manager have done to prevent this?
A.Consulted lessons learned from similar projects to adapt processes
B.Prepared a change management plan and logged changes during project implementation
C.Analyzed the project charter and developed a scope management plan
D.Prepared a prototype and conducted a product demo with stakeholders
Solution: C. Analyzed the project charter and developed a scope management plan
Analyzed the project charter and developed a scope management plan is correct, because the question is about what Project Manager should have done to prevent this situation. The scope management plan is a component of the project or program management plan that describes how the scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and verified.
The remaining options are not correct for the reasons explained below
Consulted … appears to be close but it is a distractor because lessons learned provides an insight of how other projects were executed in general
Prepared a change…. is the next step but not what should have been done to prevent this situation
Prepared a Prototype…. is on the basis of Scope and Requirements which is part of Scope Management plan
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology PM, 2nd Ed (2nd) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press//129-130 [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/9.1.2//123-124 [Item]
Question
A new project manager has been assigned to a project during its execution stage. During a review of the work breakdown structure (WBS), the project manager discovers that some deliverables were overlooked. The project manager needs to ensure that no work is left out of the project scope and no extra work is performed.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Add the work to the WBS and recalculate the project metrics.
B.Ask the stakeholders if these deliverables need to be added to the WBS.
C.Roll up the lower-level deliverables into higher-level work already accounted for in the WBS.
D.Initiate a Change Control Request with the project management office (PMO).
Solution: A. Add the work to the WBS and recalculate the project metrics
The WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team in order to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. The WBS organizes and defines the total scope of the project and represents the work specified in the currently approved project scope statement. This must always reflect the complete and accurate scope of work.
There is no need to go to the stakeholders as the scope was agreed and not changed.
The WBS needs to reflect the reality without “rolling up” to existing items.
The original scope needs to be delivered, therefore there is no change and no role for the PMO.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) //“Practice standard for work breakdown structure 2nd Edition” by PMI, Chapter 5/42 [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/5/ [Item 5.4.3 CREATE WBS: OUTPUTS]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI//5/131 [Item]
Question
The sponsor of a hybrid project wants to see a more detailed breakdown in the project charter, not just the milestones. The project manager informs the sponsor that preparing the breakdown will require two more iterations.
Why is this additional time required?
A.The milestone schedule was prepared based on the project manager’s experience only.
B.The steering committee has to review and approve the schedule first.
C.Scope in the charter should be approved before detail planning with the team can occur.
D.Schedule details are only planned one iteration in advance in a hybrid approach.
Solution: C. Scope in the charter should be approved before detail planning with the team can occur.
Project Charter scope needs to be agreed on by the sponsor before the team starts detailed planning.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they are not relevant as the ask is about detail planning and not on a milestone schedule.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Hybrid (No Date) Robert K. Wysocki//Importance of Planning/114 [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/4.1.3.1/118 [Item]
Question
Common problems during project scope definition are internal and external dependencies. Which of the following is a dependency that can add complexity to the project?
A.Non-dependency between a project and the overall program.
B.Underfunded projects that are dependent upon external resources.
C.Non-dependency of the project upon an environment in which it is designed to be functional.
D.Over-staffed project with extra capacity.
Solution: B. Underfunded projects that are dependent upon external resources
More resources than estimated need can be a risk mitigation strategy. It is neither internal or external dependency related to scope.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.projectmanagement.com/articles/433462/Project-Scope–Managing-Complexity-and-Uncertainty [Item]
Question
A project manager is working on a new software development project and has met with the customer to discuss their requirements. The customer has provided the project manager with a list of requirements, but did not differentiate the technical requirements from the customer requirements.
Which of the following requirements should the project manager classify as a customer requirement?
A.The software should be able to process 1000 transactions per second.
B.The software should use a secure database encryption algorithm.
C.The software should be able to run on a variety of operating systems.
D.The software should be easy to use and navigate.
Solution: D. The software should be easy to use and navigate.
Customer requirements refer to the specifications or features of a product or service deemed necessary by customers that must be completed (developed and tested) for the project to be completed. They are more general and describe what the customer wants the product or service to do. They are typically expressed in the customer’s own words and may not be specific enough to be implemented and tested. It is important to note that customer requirements are the starting point for technical requirements. The project team needs to work with the customer to understand their requirements and then translate those requirements into more specific technical requirements that can be implemented.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they are classified as technical requirements. They are specific enough to be implemented and tested. They describe what the software should do, how it should behave, and the desired quality attributes it should have.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.projectmanagement.com/articles/433462/Project-Scope–Managing-Complexity-and-Uncertainty [Item]
Question
A project manager is using an agile delivery approach for a project. The team members and business stakeholders are unfamiliar with formal requirements prioritization methods and are inexperienced with agile delivery approaches. The project manager wants to ensure that the critical business requirements will be planned and delivered.
What prioritization technique should the project manager use?
A.Get the opinion of all team members and business stakeholders.
B.Use a mathematical model defined by the team members and stakeholders.
C.Collect the needs of the team members and business stakeholders.
D.Reach a common understanding with the team members and stakeholders.
Solution: B. Use a mathematical model defined by the team members and stakeholders.
The project manager should use a mathematical model like weighted shortest job first (WSJF) is an objective approach for prioritization.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Getting opinions is too subjective; collecting the needs doesn’t provide us with prioritization; establishing a common understanding is subjective and can be difficult to achieve.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/disciplined-agile/improving-wsjf
https://www.pmi.org/disciplined-agile/da-value-stream-consultant-resources/minimum-business-increments/managing-large-and-small-mbis
Question
A project manager working on an agile project discovers that the allocated budget and resources are insufficient to cover the estimated total cost. The PMO recommended the development of requirements prioritization model.
What should the project manager take into consideration in the model?
A.Cost, associated risk, and company culture.
B.Associated risk and company culture.
C.Cost and associated risk.
D.Associated cost impediments.
Solution: C. Cost and associated risk
For each feature, the project manager should identify the benefits of implementing it and the impact of skipping it, in addition to the cost and associated risk.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Company culture has the same impact on all the projects and requirements, therefore it can’t be used to prioritize requirements. Cost impediments are not yet known, therefore risk should be a prioritization criterion.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2018) //Six Ways to Prioritize Projects/Dr. Nidhi Gupta/ [Item https://snippets.pmi.org/snippet/six-ways-to-prioritize-projects/]
Question
The project manager for a complex project discovers that a certain team member has missed several targets. What should the project manager do?
A.Determine if the team member has been assigned to a concurrent project.
B.Impose a penalty for each day the team member misses a target.
C.Ask the team member’s functional manager to address the issue.
D.Discuss the issue with the team member and offer any needed assistance.
Solution: D. Discuss the issue with the team member and offer any needed assistance
The project manager needs to proactively and directly manage this team member. They need to understand the reason for repeatedly missing deadlines and offer support as needed
The other answer choices are incorrect as they promote taking action without understanding the root cause. Imposing a penalty is harsh and discussing it with the functional manager is indirect.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology PM, 2nd Ed (2nd) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press/14/451 [Item]
| Project Manager’s Portable Hand Book, 3rd Ed (3rd) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./9/387 [Item]
Question
The change control board (CCB) has evaluated and approved several change requests in a timely manner in the last several weeks. However, implementation of the changes is taking more time than anticipated.
What should the project manager do?
A.Revise the change control system to allow only critical changes to be raised.
B.Acquire additional resources to ensure the project milestones are met.
C.Perform a detailed risk analysis to determine the impact of the time required to implement the changes on the success of the project.
D.Monitor implementation of the changes to ensure that change management procedures are being followed.
Solution: D. Monitor implementation of the changes to ensure that change management procedures are being followed
The project manager can only follow approved procedures and should monitor the implementation to make sure the processes are being followed.
The other answer choices are incorrect. The CCB has approved all of the changes so there is no need to revise the change control system. Additional resources may not be necessary to implement changes so there is no need to acquire additional resources. A detailed risk analysis will add to the project delay.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/.1.2/4/96 [Item]
| Project Management & Project Network Techniques (10/24/2005) Keith Lockyer & James Gordon/Prentice Hall/5/38 [Item]
Question
A project manager is working on a hybrid project. The team performance has been suffering and multiple team members have identified one of the stakeholders as a constant obstacle. They say that the stakeholder regularly asks team members for status updates and tries to implement project changes directly through the project team.
How can the project manager improve project performance?
A.Identify the stakeholder as a risk in the risk register and work with the team on a mitigation strategy.
B.Have the team direct all project requests from the stakeholder to the project manager.
C.Work with the project management office (PMO) to remove the stakeholder from the project.
D.Meet with the project sponsor to address and remove impediments and obstacles for the team.
Solution: D. Meet with the project sponsor to address and remove impediments and obstacles for the team
Address and remove impediments, obstacles, and blockers for the team. This also falls into the servant leadership role a PM needs to have in Agile and hybrid environments. This enables teams to focus on their mission and not organizational policies or challenges
The correct Answer is D because you cannot remove “a” stakeholder of the project. The Project Manager needs to engage with the identified stakeholder to address concerns and work-the-way-forward
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//27/382 [Item]
| O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //6/ [Item Agile Foundations - Principles, Practices and Frameworks by Peter Measey (2015)]
Question
An organization decides to implement the Scrum delivery framework. The project manager is using an impediment board with the Scrum team to identify and raise impediments.
What should happen after the impediments are recorded?
A.Address the highest priority impediments from the log and ensure that it is removed so that the team can continue to reach the sprint’s objective.
B.Prioritize impediments based on their levels of importance and in relation to those that are already on the log.
C.Publish and post the impediments log and make it visible to everyone.
D.Communicate that the impediment is removed to the involved parties and update the impediments log.
Solution: B. Prioritize impediments based on their levels of importance and in relation to those that are already on the log
The process used to create, monitor, and maintain the impediments log begins with the daily standup meeting. It is the best time to record impediments in the impediments log as each team member reveals them. Then, the impediments should be prioritized based on their levels of importance and in relation to those on that are already on the log.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they come after the impediments have been prioritized.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2018) //Impediment Logs in Scrum// [Item https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/46050/Impediment-Logs-in-Scrum]
Question
A project integrates with several systems developed by various vendors and one of these vendors has gone out of business. What should the project manager do first?
A.Meet with this vendor to identify a replacement.
B.Review the risk register and update the issue log.
C.Calculate the delay and notify the project sponsor of the new timeline.
D.Negotiate with another vendor to produce the deliverable.
Solution: B. Review the risk register and update the issue log.
The risk register contains response strategies in situations like these. The project manager should review the risk register for potential action plans, and update the issue log with the issue of the absent vendor. The issue log is fundamentally about corrective actions since the project has deviated from the plan.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Calculating the delay, meeting the vendor for a replacement, and negotiating with another vendor for deliverable are the next steps after risk register and updated and risk components are performed
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology PM, 2nd Ed (2nd) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press/10/ [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI//11/327 [Item]
Question
A functional manager has been making changes to a project outside of the established management plan. The functional manager recently went straight to the project sponsor to request another change.
What should that project manager do?
A.Determine if the change control board (CCB) needs to review the changes.
B.Tell the functional manager that all changes must go through the change control process.
C.Modify the project management plan to allow flexibility in the change control procedures.
D.Meet with the project sponsor to discuss details about the requested changes.
Solution: B. Tell the functional manager that all changes must go through the change control process.
The project management plan defines a change control process to which stakeholders have agreed. The project manager must enforce adherence to that process. Telling the functional manager that all the changes must go through the change control process is the ideal solution.
The other answer choices are incorrect. The change control board must always review changes so there is nothing to determine here. Modifying the project management plan to allow flexibility is the worst approach and could lead to confusion and delay in the project. Meeting with the project sponsor to discuss the details of the requested change will not encourage the proper course of action.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology PM, 2nd Ed (2nd) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press/Change management request/184 [Item]
| Project Manager’s Spotlight on Change Management | Claudia M. Baca/Jossey-Bass/4/56 [Item]
Question
A project manager identifies conflicts among local and virtual team members’ understanding of the deliverables. How can the project manager resolve these conflicts?
A.Ask the project sponsor to meet with the team
B.By collaborating with team members to address the conflicts
C.Host a mediation session that brings a degree of satisfaction to all team members
D.By emphasizing areas of agreement rather than areas of difference
Solution: B. By collaborating with team members to address the conflicts
Project Manager uses soft skills to balance conflicting and competing goals to achieve consensus and bring stakeholders to alignment on objectives, which is called collaborating.
Ask the project sponsor- not the first step, nor the sponsor’s responsibility
Host a mediation- not the step to take to resolve the conflict
emphasizing- it’s a way to resolve, but does not involve collaborative problem solving
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition, 6th edition (2017) PMI/PMI/3/53 [Item 3.2.2 The project]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition, 6th edition (2017) PMI/PMI/9/349 [Item 9.5.2.1 Interpersonal and Team Skills - Collaborate/problem solve]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/Project Management Institute/Chapter 9/9.4.2.3 Pages 282-283 [Item]
| Scrum in Action: Agile Software Project Management and Development (No Date) Andrew Phan and Phuong-Van Pham//Chapter 10 - The Importance of Teamwork/Techniques to Resolve Team Conflicts [Item]
Question
A new project manager has been assigned to a global project team. In the next few days, the project team must create a resource breakdown structure (RBS) for the project. However, the resource management plan states that the RBS should be created and reviewed only at the beginning of the project.
What should the project manager do first?
A.Update the resource management plan.
B.Update the project management plan.
C.Update the resource breakdown structure.
D.Update the work breakdown structure.
Solution: A. Update the resource management plan
The resource breakdown structure should be revisited throughout the project to adjust for any changes in resource needs so the Resource Management Plan needs to be rectified first.
Update the project management plan is incorrect as updating the project management plan will not update the resource breakdown structure
Update the resource breakdown structure is incorrect as the Resource Management Plan needs to be rectified first.
Update the work breakdown structure is incorrect as WBS is not related to resources.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://standardsplus.pmi.org/posts/Res_14/83b71ea9-307a-4362-9704-19e840cd65f1 [Item]
| Project Management Body of Knowledge (11/02/16) Project Management Institute//9.1.3.1/ [Item]
Question
A project is delayed due to resource availability, which puts the project budget at risk. Which document should the project manager use to review and update resources?
A.Requirements Traceability Matrix
B.Work Breakdown Structure
C.Resource Breakdown Structure
D.Responsibility Assignment Matrix
Solution: C. Resource Breakdown Structure
A resource breakdown structure is a hierarchical representation of resources by category and type. It should be revisited throughout the project to adjust for any changes in resource needs.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Responsibility Assignment Matrix is a grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package; Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables; and Requirements Traceability Matrix is a grid that links product requirements from their origin to the deliverables that satisfy them.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://standardsplus.pmi.org/posts/Res_14/83b71ea9-307a-4362-9704-19e840cd65f1 [Item]
| Project Management Body of Knowledge (11/02/16) Project Management Institute//9.2.3.3/ [Item In Plan Resource Management, the resource breakdown structure was used to guide the categorization for the project. In [Estimate Activity Resources] it is a completed document that will be used to acquire and monitor resources.]
Question
A project is slightly ahead of schedule. However, the project manager was informed that a critical deliverable will not be available on time.
If the project manager is able to crash the deliverable that is behind what would the impact be?
A.Project warranty issues would result.
B.Project costs and risks would decrease.
C.Project costs and risks would increase.
D.Rework would need to be performed.
Solution: C. Project costs and risks would increase
Crashing a project will increase both costs and risks.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI//7/219 [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI/PMI/6/181 [Item]
| Project management the managerial process (2009) Erik W. Larson/McGraw Hill/7/225 [Item]
Question
A project has an approved project baseline schedule of 180 days and the baseline budget is US$250,000. After 21 days, the project has spent US$60,000 and earned value is US$75,000.
What is the cost performance index (CPI) for this project?
A.0.8
B.0.75
C.1.25
D.1.02
Solution: C. 1.25
CPI is the ratio of earned value (completed features value) (EV) to date divided by the actual costs (AC) to date.
EV = $75,000
CPI = EV/AC
= $75,000/$60,000
= 1.25
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/7.4.2.2/263 [Item]
| Practice Standard for Earned Value Management (10/1/2011) PMI/PMI/9/60 [Item]
Question
In the implementation phase of a project, the project manager receives news that a team lead will be leaving the organization. The project sponsor has been made aware and has suggested a replacement. What is the first action the project manager should take in response to this change?
A.Determine the competence levels of the suggested new resource.
B.Review the project baselines to assess the impact of the change.
C.Document the change according to the change management plan.
D.Edit the communications management plan to reflect the change.
Solution: B. Review the project baselines to assess the impact of the change.
Before making any decisions, the project manager should first assess the impact of change. The change may impact the scope, schedule, or budget of the project, so the project manager should assess the impact in order to make a well-informed decision on how to proceed. The impact of the team lead’s departure will be greater for more complex projects. It is essential to assess the extent of the impact and to determine what adjustments, if any, are needed to keep the project on track. The project manager may need to make adjustments to the project plan, budget, or the project team, depending on the impact of the change.
The other options are incorrect because they should come after reviewing the project baselines.
Determining the competency of the suggested resource is crucial, but the project manager should first understand the impact of the change. Once the project manager has a clear understanding of the impact of the change, they can then determine the competence levels of the new resource and make any necessary adjustments.
Documenting the change is necessary, but the project manager needs to have a clear understanding of the impact of the change before they can document it accurately.
Updating the communication management plan may be necessary, but is not the first action the project manager should take.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
| Understanding and Managing Risk Attitude, 2nd edition (3/30/2007) David Hillson and Ruth Murray-Webster/Gowar Publishing/8/135-136 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.8 UNCERTAINTY PERFORMANCE DOMAIN]
Question
A company is developing a breakthrough product in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving market. The project manager acknowledges that, due to the significantly competitive environment, the definition of done (DoD) is likely to shift. What should the project manager do to ensure the project’s successful delivery of value?
A.Implement robust project tracking and reporting procedures.
B.Expand the project timeline and budget to address potential risks.
C.Allocate additional resources to expedite product development.
D.Restrict project scope and focus on meeting project deadlines.
Solution: A. Implement robust project tracking and reporting procedures.
For projects that operate in uncertain and rapidly changing environments, the definition of done (DoD) may be subject to change. The DoD is a checklist of all the criteria required to be met so that a deliverable can be considered ready for customer use. Implementing robust project tracking and reporting procedures allows the project manager to closely monitor progress, identify potential issues, and make timely adaptations.
The other options are incorrect because they have limitations and potential drawbacks, especially in a highly competitive market.
Expanding the project timeline and budget could lead to missed market opportunities and does not address the root causes of a shifting DoD.
Allocating additional resources will increase costs and does not guarantee the successful delivery of value.
Restricting the project scope could compromise the project’s ability to deliver valuable and competitive features.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.7.1 ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE MEASURES] [ 2.6.2.3 Moving Targets of Completion]
Question
A key stakeholder requests new features to be added to a product during the project implementation phase. The stakeholder insists that the new features will add value to the product.
What should the project manager do first?
A.Meet with the project sponsor to discuss the benefits of the new features.
B.Review the stakeholder engagement plan to determine the key stakeholder’s level of involvement.
C.Assess and review how the changes will impact the project budget and schedule.
D.Implement the change and document the outcome in the lessons learned repository.
Solution: C. Assess and review how the changes will impact the project budget and schedule.
The change management plan establishes how the change control board, documents the extent of its authority and describes how the change control system will be implemented. Any proposed changes to the project should follow the change management plan.
Meeting with the project sponsor is not the first thing to do after receiving the new features from the key stakeholder.
A stakeholder engagement plan identifies the strategies and actions required to promote the productive involvement of stakeholders in a project or program decision-making and execution and is not used to document change requests.
Change requests need to be approved before they can be implemented.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/4/113-115 [Item]
| Proj Mg’s Spotlight on Change Mngm’t (Apr 19 2005 12:00AM) Claudia M. Baca/Jossey-Bass/3/32-38 [Item]
Question
A software development project is in the testing phase. New government regulation requires that additional documentation be delivered under the contract.
What should the project manager do first?
A.Terminate the project.
B.Submit a change request.
C.Update the schedule forecast.
D.Review the project budget.
Solution: B. Submit a change request
Since compliance is mandatory, a change request needs to be submitted.
Terminating the project is not an appropriate response because it may not be necessary,
Updating the schedule forecast and reviewing the project budget are only done after the change is approved.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) ///[2.5.7 MONITORING NEW WORK AND CHANGES]
| Project Manager’s Spotlight on Change Management (No Date) Claudia Baca/Sybex © 2005 Citation/6/89 [Item]
Question
A project manager is a part of a large business transformation project. The project’s main goal is to increase production and create capacity to bring new products to the market. The project manager notices during a lunch break that employees are discussing the changes introduced by the project and are afraid that they will result in staff layoffs, even though it is not true.
Which groups should the project manager contact to address this concern and ensure that the project meets its goal? (Choose 3).
A.The human resources (HR) department to ask for support to resolve the issue
B.The change manager to revise the communications management plan
C.The employees’ functional managers to include the issue in their performance reviews
D.The employees’ functional managers to ask for support in explaining the change
E.The sponsor to ask for executive support and reinforcement
Solution: B, D, and E. The change manager to revise the communications management plan, The employees’ functional managers to ask for support in explaining the change, and The sponsor to ask for executive support and reinforcement
CORRECT CHOICES
The change manager should be notified since the audience apparently has received the wrong message.
The sponsor can help address concerns and reduce resistance. Executives have the power to allocate resources and formulate a clear message on the necessity of the change and the intended outcome.
Functional managers can help explain the change to their employees, who will trust their immediate managers.
INCORRECT CHOICES
Asking Human Resources to get involved will only increase resistance to change and likely confirm employee fears that the objective of the project is to reduce staff. Having functional managers punish the employees in their performance reviews will get a similar result.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2011) //Change management: understanding the human dynamics of change/Nelson, K./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/change-management-understanding-human-dynamics-6252
Nelson, K. (2011). Change management: understanding the human dynamics of change. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2011—North America, Dallas, TX. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.]
Question
A project manager is working on a project in its implementation phase when a stakeholder informs them that sales have suddenly decreased significantly. Upon investigation, the project manager finds out that an unexpected shift in market conditions resulted in a significant reduction in demand for the product, leading to decreased sales.
What should the project manager do first to address this issue?
A.Identify the potential risks associated with the market shift and develop plans to address them.
B.Use forecasting formulas to generate a high-level estimate of the impact of the decreased demand.
C.Increase the contingency reserve to compensate for the cost of responding to the unexpected shift.
D.Use earned value management (EVM) techniques to calculate an estimate at completion (EAC) forecast.
Solution: A. Identify and analyze the risks associated with the market shift and develop plans to address them.
The project manager is faced with a sudden change that is significantly impacting sales, so it is important for them to understand the full scope of the change and the risks associated with it. The project manager should first identify and analyze the risks and develop a plan to address them. This may involve adjusting the project plan, scope, or budget. It may also involve developing new strategies to reach the target market or to improve the product or service.
The other options may be helpful but should come after risk identification and analysis.
Using forecasting formulas is helpful but should not be the project manager’s first action. Once the project manager understands the risks, they can use forecasting formulas to estimate the impact of the decreased demand.
In this case, the market shifted unexpectedly, and the project manager should not increase the contingency reserve without understanding the new risks associated with the shift in market conditions.
EVM techniques may be valuable, but they are primarily used for cost and schedule management and should not be the initial consideration.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
| Project Manager’s Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (2015) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./7.5.2/310 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.8 UNCERTAINTY PERFORMANCE DOMAIN]
Question
During the development of a project management plan, the project team inadvertently omitted an essential component required for a product. The team quickly developed a workaround, but during a quality compliance review, the project management office (PMO) determined that the workaround was not effective.
What should the project manager do?
A.Design a revised prototype of the workaround with a new modification to resolve the issue.
B.Review the requirements traceability matrix to determine the business value of the missing component.
C.Follow the formal integrated change control process to submit a change request to the change control board (CCB).
D.Perform a qualitative risk analysis to assess the impact of designing a
replacement for the workaround.
Solution: C. Follow the formal integrated change control process to submit a change request to the change control board (CCB)
A change must be made in order to address the issue of the missing component and failed workaround. During this process, the specific changes required will be defined, analyzed, and assessed for their impact on the project in terms of scope, schedule, budget, and other relevant factors. The change request can include a proposal for a solution, but it is not necessary to have a fully developed solution in place before submitting the change request. Approved changes are integrated into the applicable project planning documents, product backlog, and project scope. The changes are also communicated to the appropriate stakeholders. By following the change control process, the project manager can increase the chances of success in resolving the problem and minimizing its impact on the project.
The other options are incorrect.
Designing a revised prototype is not the best course of action because making changes without proper approval can lead to a lack of documentation, accountability, and oversight.
Reviewing the requirements traceability matrix does not address the need to rectify the omission of the essential component or the ineffective workaround.
Risk analysis is necessary, but should be comprehensive and should be part of the change control process rather than a standalone action.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology Project Management, 2nd Ed (2015) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press/10/360 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.6 DELIVERY PERFORMANCE DOMAIN] [2.4.7 CHANGES]
Question
A project manager is working on a software development project. Several team members have become overly focused on delivering individual features and cannot reach a consensus on which features to prioritize. A stakeholder contacts the project manager and expresses concerns about value delivery.
What action should the project manager take?
A.Meet with the team to develop a plan to prioritize features based on value.
B.Request that the stakeholder provide a checklist of the most important features.
C.Mandate a specific prioritization schema to the team after receiving approval.
D.Perform quality inspections and document the results in a report to the stakeholder.
Solution: A. Meet with the team to develop a plan to prioritize features based on value.
Meeting with the team to develop a plan based on value ensures that the project aligns with stakeholder concerns and focuses on delivering value. When the team is involved in developing the prioritization plan, they are more likely to understand and agree with it. Meeting with the team to develop a prioritization plan will also help to ensure that the plan takes into account all of the relevant factors. This will help to ensure that the team is prioritizing features in a way that is both feasible and valuable.
Requesting that the stakeholder provide a checklist of features may not result in an effective solution. The stakeholder may not have a complete understanding of all of the technical and business constraints involved in the project.
Imposing a prioritization schema without involving the team in the decision-making process is not advisable. It is important to collaborate with the team to build a shared understanding and get buy-in on the prioritization process.
Conducting quality inspections addresses a different concern and doesn’t directly address the value delivery and prioritization issue.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.6 DELIVERY PERFORMANCE DOMAIN] [2.7.2.5 Business Value] [3.4 FOCUS ON VALUE]
Question
A project manager is leading a large business transformation project that involves the entire organization. The project manager is working on the communications management plan.
Which two elements should the project manager consider while planning communications? (Choose 2).
A.Key messages
B.Objectives and values
C.Collecting feedback
D.Multiple communication channels
E.Best communication channel
Solution: A and D. Key messages and Multiple communication channels
The project manager should focus on key messages and the use of multiple communication channels while planning communications for the transformation.
The other answer choices are incorrect. The organization’s objectives and values will not be included because they may change after the transformation of the entire organization. Collecting feedback is already a part of the project plan and has been well considered in advance. The project manager should aim to use all communication channels and should avoid narrowing usage down to a single “best” option.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2013) //Integrated change management/Wanner, M. F./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/integrated-change-management-5954
Wanner, M. F. (2013). Integrated change management. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.]
Question
A project manager is assigned to a complex IT project that is expected to deliver significant benefits to the organization. The project manager has a team of experienced engineers and analysts, but no dedicated data scientist or business intelligence specialist. The project manager must enable data capture and reporting related to benefits realization.
What is the most appropriate approach for this task?
A.Recruiting an external consultant to supervise data capture and business value reporting procedures.
B.Implementing a single data collection and analysis system for all stakeholders and all benefits.
C.Collaborating with the team to define key performance indicators (KPIs) and data collection methods.
D.Using a variety of data collection methods and tools to meet the needs of different stakeholders.
Solution: C. Collaborating with the team to define key performance indicators (KPIs) and data collection methods.
The project manager should work with the project team and other stakeholders to establish the metrics, gather the data, analyze the data, make decisions, and report on project status. KPIs are quantifiable measures used to evaluate the success of a project. Defining KPIs and data collection methods ensures that the data capture and reporting procedures are aligned with the project’s goals. Involving the project team fosters collaboration and ensures that the team is aware of and understands the KPIs and data collection methods. By carefully planning and executing the data capture and reporting process, the project manager can help to ensure that the project is successful and that the organization is able to realize the benefits that were expected.
The other options are incorrect.
Recruiting an external consultant can be expensive and time-consuming and may not be necessary. There may not be sufficient budget or resources to hire a consultant and the project manager should first explore options within the current project team.
Implementing a single data collection and analysis system may not be feasible or effective for a complex project. Complex projects often have a variety of different stakeholders with different needs.
Using a variety of data collection methods and tools without a clear strategy and collaboration with the project team can lead to inefficiencies and inconsistencies in data reporting.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.7 MEASUREMENT PERFORMANCE DOMAIN]
Question
A project manager is managing a technology project that is in the implementation phase. A key stakeholder communicates the need for changes to the project. The stakeholder and team members disagree about the need for the changes and how to implement them.
What should the project manager do?
A.Meet with the stakeholder and the team members separately to understand their concerns.
B.Conduct a risk assessment to determine the impact of the changes.
C.Present the pros and cons of the changes to the stakeholder and team members.
D.Make the changes without consulting the stakeholder or team members.
Solution: A. Meet with the stakeholder and the team members separately to understand their concerns.
The project manager should meet with the stakeholder and the team members separately to understand their concerns. This will allow the project manager to get a better understanding of the different perspectives on the changes. By listening to both sides, the project manager can then work to find a solution that meets the needs of everyone involved.
The other answer choices are incorrect. The project manager needs to first understand the concerns of the stakeholder and the team members before they can conduct a risk assessment. The project manager also needs to listen to the concerns of the stakeholder and the team members and work to find a solution that meets the needs of everyone involved before presenting the pros and cons. The project manager should always consult the stakeholder and team members before making any changes to the project.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Project Manager’s Spotlight on Change Management (Apr 19 2005 12:00AM) Claudia M. Baca/Jossey-Bass/Chapter 2. Setting up the process/16 [Item]
| The Project Management Tool Kit: 100 Tips and Techniques for Getting the Job Done Right (No Date) /Amacom/Implement and track changes/2985 [Item]
Question
A project manager is leading a business transformation project at a company facing significant financial challenges due to a declining market share. The project manager’s stakeholders are skeptical of the need for change and are reluctant to invest in the project. What should the project manager do to demonstrate the urgency and benefits of the change?
A.Create a detailed communication plan outlining project goals, milestones, and benefits.
B.Delegate tasks and provide necessary resources to team members for success.
C.Hold regular stakeholder meetings to keep them updated and address their questions.
D.Develop a business case quantifying project benefits and aligning with company goals.
Solution: D. Develop a business case quantifying project benefits and aligning with company goals.
The project manager should develop a business case to convince the skeptical stakeholders that the project is worth investing in. A business case can contain information about strategic alignment, assessment of risk exposure, economic feasibility study, return on investments, expected key performance measures, evaluations, and alternative approaches. A business case would provide a clear, evidence-based rationale for the transformation project, making it easier to convince skeptical stakeholders, especially in a situation with financial challenges.
The other options are not as effective for demonstrating the urgency and benefits of the change.
Creating a communication plan and holding regular meetings without a concrete strategy for demonstrating the urgency and benefits of the change may not be sufficient to win over skeptical stakeholders.
Delegating tasks and providing resources focuses on internal project management processes and does not convince stakeholders that the project is worth investing in.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.6 DELIVERY PERFORMANCE DOMAIN] [2.7.2.5 Business Value] [3.4 FOCUS ON VALUE]
Question
A customer representative asks the project manager for a new product feature. Which document should the project manager consult?
A.Scope management plan
B.Change management plan
C.RACI matrix
D.Requirements traceability matrix
Solution: B. Change management plan
The change management plan describes the process for submitting, evaluating and implementing changes to the project. In this case, a new feature is being added.
The scope management plan documents how scope is defined, validated, and controlled.
The RACI matrix will not handle changes.
The requirements traceability matrix tracks changes but does not manage them.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Implementing Program Management: Templates and Forms Aligned with the Standard for Program Management , Second Edition (2008) (2010) Ginger Levine, Allen R. Green/Auerbach Publications/5/ [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/Project Management Institute/5/138 [Item]
Question
During the project planning phase, the stakeholders neglected to document an essential system feature. The client realizes the oversight during an initial review of the deliverables.
What should the project manager do?
A.Review the procurement management plan to determine if the missed feature can be added to the final deliverables.
B.Determine what effect overlooking the feature will cause and submit a change request to the change control board (CCB).
C.Ask the project sponsor to authorize a price discount for the client.
D.Work with the customer to agree on a new price to compensate for the omission.
Solution: B. Determine what effect overlooking the feature will cause and submit a change request to the change control board (CCB)
The missing feature is needed, so the project manager needs to understand the impact of this and start the normal, agreed upon change management process via the CCB. Determine what effect overlooking the feature will cause and submit a change request to the change control board (CCB) is the right choice. None of the other answers conform to expected processes. Discounts and changing the product price do not account for the missing feature, though revisiting planned price may be required.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/5.6.3.2/170 [Item]
| Project management : A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (2009) Harold Kerzner/John Wiley/11.27/ [Item]
Question
A project manager is acting as a scrum master in a hybrid project and is dealing with a conflict between team members. What strategy should be used to handle this conflict?
A.Place conflicts on a shared conflict list and ensure it is visible.
B.Sort conflicts into two groups: positive and negative.
C.Review conflicts during the daily standup.
D.Organize conflicts into two categories: structural and interpersonal.
Solution: D. Organize the conflicts into categories: structural and interpersonal.
By organizing the conflicts into categories, the scrum master can identify the root cause of the conflict and develop a plan to address it. Structural conflict is caused by factors outside of the team, such as unrealistic deadlines or unclear expectations. Interpersonal conflict is caused by differences between team members, such as personality clashes or different work styles. Once the scrum master has identified the root cause of the conflict, they can develop a plan to address it.
The other answers are incorrect. Working with the team to identify the points of conflict and remove the members responsible for the conflict is not a good approach because it does not address the root cause of the conflict. It is also unfair to remove team members who are simply trying to do their job. Documenting the list of conflicts and have the team vote on how to proceed is not a good approach because it does not involve the scrum master in the conflict resolution process. The scrum master is responsible for facilitating communication and resolving conflict, so they should be involved in the decision-making process. Reviewing conflicts during daily Scrum so they are addressed quickly. This is not a good approach because it does not give the scrum master enough time to address the conflict effectively. The scrum master needs time to gather information, identify the root cause of the conflict, and develop a plan to address it.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2021) / 14 [Section 2.3.2], 29 [Section 2.2.4.4] & 168 [Section 4.2.7.1]
Question
During a meeting with project stakeholders, two stakeholders have a disagreement regarding how a software component is being developed. The disagreement escalates as the stakeholders raise their voices.
What should the project manager do in this situation?
A.Adjourn the meeting and meet with the other stakeholders on how to proceed.
B.Identify what is causing the conflict, attempt to de-escalate the situation, and focus on finding a common solution.
C.Take detailed notes of both stakeholders’ positions and ask the remaining stakeholders to vote on the best option.
D.Inform the sponsor about the conflict and ask them to find a solution.
Solution: B. Identify what is causing the conflict, attempt to deescalate the situation, and focus on finding a common solution
One of the required abilities of a project manager is to identify what is causing the conflict to arise and the reason behind that escalation of their voice. If it happens, the Project Manager should help to facilitate a satisfactory solution, addressing conflict early, in private using a direct and collaborative approach.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/9.5.2/348 [Item]
| Project Management: The Managerial Process (No Date) //11/396 [Item]
Question
A project involving seven partners is falling behind schedule. The steering committee decides that all conflict resolution attempts must be sped up and requests that the project manager remove the requirement for all parties to make concessions.
What should the project manager do?
A.Eliminate the withdraw/avoid technique.
B.Eliminate the smooth/accommodate technique.
C.Eliminate the force/direct technique.
D.Eliminate the compromise/reconcile technique.
Solution: D. Eliminate the compromise/reconcile technique.
The compromise/reconcile technique is a conflict resolution technique in which both parties give up something in order to reach an agreement. If one party is not required to make any concessions, then it is not possible for both parties to compromise.
The other answer choices are incorrect as they are not eliminated by the steering committee’s decision. Withdraw/avoid: This technique involves withdrawing from the conflict or avoiding it altogether. The project manager can still allow the parties to use this technique, as long as they do not delay the project. Smooth/accommodate: This technique involves giving in to the other party’s demands to avoid conflict. The project manager can still allow the parties to use this technique, as long as they do not delay the project. Force/direct: This technique involves using one’s power or authority to get the other party to agree to one’s demands. The project manager can still allow the parties to use this technique, as long as they do not delay the project.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) PMI/PMI/ [4.2.7.1 CONFLICT MODEL]
Question
A project manager is assigned to an existing project, replacing the previous project manager. Soon after joining the project, the project manager sees that the project’s key performance indicators (KPIs) are decreasing, as is the project team’s overall enthusiasm for the project. The project manager reviews earlier projects completed by the team and sees that they previously performed well together.
What should the project manager do to address the performance issues?
A.Meet with the sponsor to express concerns regarding the team performance.
B.Work on identifying other resources to replace the current team.
C.Meet with the project team to discuss the current level of performance.
D.Meet with the functional managers of the team asking them to address the decreasing performance.
Solution: C. Meet with the project team to discuss the current level of performance
The new project manager should meet directly with the project team to discuss, analyze, and understand the reason for the lower performance.
The other answer choices are incorrect as they promote deflecting project manager responsibilities to functional managers and the sponsor and avoiding the main issue.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //3/ [Item Book Name - Breaking failure: how to break the cycle of business failure and underperformance
Topic Name -The business failure audit and domain transfer of root cause analysis]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/13.2/516 [Item]
Question
A project manager learns that the project team is involved in an ongoing conflict with an overseas supplier team. The conflict is beginning to impact the performance of the project team.
After reviewing the team charter, what should the project manager do next?
A.Meet with the manager of the supplier team in person to find a resolution.
B.Organize a virtual meeting with the supplier team to address and resolve the conflict.
C.Send a copy of the procurement agreement to the manager of the supplier team.
D.Send an email to the manager of the supplier team explaining the issue and asking for a response.
Solution: B. Organize a virtual meeting with the supplier team to address and resolve the conflict.
The project manager should seek to address and resolve the conflict between the teams as quickly and effectively as possible. The project manager should set up a meeting, virtual in the case of an overseas supplier, and facilitate communication between the teams that leads to identifying and resolving the issue.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not effectively get to the root cause of the conflict or accommodate proactive solutions. Meeting with the manager of the supplier team does not enable the teams to communicate and work together to resolve the conflict. If the project manager was not aware of the conflict until the project team alerts them, it is likely that the manager of the other team is unaware as well. The teams are experiencing the conflict and should meet to identify the pain points and identify how the conflict can be resolved. Sending a copy of the procurement agreement resolves nothing and does not address the issue. Sending an email explaining the issue is not an effective or collaborative way to confront this issue. Meeting in person may not be possible, and the time and costs associated with this option are not justifiable.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/X4.10/678 [Item]
| Project Manager’s Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (2015) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./9.2.2/388 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) ///[2.3.3 FACILITATE AND SUPPORT] [3.2 CREATE A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT TEAM ENVIRONMENT]
Question
Over the course of a month, a remote project team has experienced multiple conflicts. The project manager decides to coach remote team workers on their level of agreeableness in order to minimize the occurrence of conflicts.
What should the project manager expect from team behavior?
A.Team members will take accountability for their work and output quality.
B.Team members will exchange ideas freely without judgment.
C.Team members will communicate ideas in a non-confrontational way.
D.Team members will be outgoing, extroverted, and spontaneous.
Solution: C. Team members will communicate ideas in a non-confrontational way.
The project manager should expect team members to communicate ideas in a non-confrontational way after coaching them on their level of agreeableness. Agreeable people are more likely to be cooperative and willing to compromise. They are also more likely to be respectful of others’ opinions, even if they disagree with them. This can help to reduce conflict and create a more positive team environment.
The other answer choices are not as likely to be affected by the project manager’s coaching on agreeableness. Team members taking accountability for their work and output quality is a positive behavior related to conscientiousness; team members exchanging ideas freely without judgment is a positive behavior related to openness; and team members being extroverted is a different personality trait than agreeableness. It is important for the project manager to note that they will not see an immediate change in team behavior after coaching them on agreeableness as it takes time for people to change their behavior. However, the project manager should start to see some improvement in team communication and conflict resolution over time.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/virtual-teams-leadership-practices-framework-6603 [Exhibit 3: Five-Factor Model Applied to Remote Workers]
Question
A project manager is working on a complex software project. Two team members must team up and work together on a critical module of the project. Before long, the two team members begin to argue and these arguments are impeding progress. How should the project manager resolve this conflict?
A.Ignore the conflict and hope that they can work it out on their own.
B.Assign them to work separately on different tasks to avoid further conflicts.
C.Schedule a team meeting to discuss the issues openly and find a resolution.
D.Reassign one of them to a different project to eliminate the conflict entirely.
Solution: C. Schedule a team meeting to discuss the issues openly and find a resolution.
The project manager should work with the team members to address the conflict and find a resolution. This moves the conflict into more of a problem-solving space where people can work together to generate creative alternatives. It can also create more constructive relationships. By facilitating a meeting between the two team members, the project manager can help the team members communicate with one another and empower them to find a resolution to the conflict.
The other options are incorrect because they are not the best way to address this issue. Addressing conflict inappropriately can lead to dissatisfaction, lack of trust, and reduced morale and motivation. Ignoring the conflict, separating the team members, or reassigning one of them is inappropriate and does not resolve the conflict.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/enabling-maintaining-trust-multicultural-projects-6248 [Item Projects bring together people and people naturally have conflicts. The project manager can work with the individuals having conflict to resolve issues. Where possible this should be done face to face.]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.2.4 LEADERSHIP SKILLS] [4.2.7.1 Conflict Model]
Question
The project manager’s last IT transformation project was canceled due to a misalignment of a business process with the accounting department. A similar project will begin soon, and a process alignment activity will be planned to identify potential scope changes.
What should the project manager do to ensure a collaborative and incremental approach to the process alignment work is utilized?
A.Identify an external expert team to research and apply best practices in adapting businesses to IT transformation.
B.Plan for an early, two-week activity where impacted units work together to finalize adaptations to the business processes.
C.Plan for iterations early in the project to allow cross-functional stakeholders to agree on steps to adapt the business processes.
D.Plan for iterations late in the project to allow cross-functional stakeholders to adapt the processes according to delivered work.
Solution: C. Plan for iterations early in the project to allow cross-functional stakeholders to agree on steps to adapt the business processes
Planning for iterations early in the project to allow cross-functional stakeholders to agree on steps to adapt the business processes is the most suitable option. An Agile approach between cross-functional teams without a fixed deadline ensures a collaborative approach for as long as necessary to create alignment based on internal needs. Early identification of scope changes will increase the efficiency of the project.
The other options are incorrect based on the following:
You may not necessarily need an external expert team to research and apply best practices in adapting the business to IT.
The alignment of business processes and IT transformation should be early and upheld throughout the project delivery, not just a two-week activity.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/3.3 Collect requirements/ [Item]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/4.2.3/ [Item]
Question
Stakeholders in a multinational project are experiencing cross-cultural misunderstandings. A seemingly small cultural misinterpretation during the planning phase resulted in the failure to approve the project management plan. What should the project manager have done to avoid this situation?
A.Reviewed the lessons learned register to understand previous cultural mistakes made by the organization.
B.Researched common cultural mistakes made when dealing with stakeholders from the countries involved with the project.
C.Monitored direct and indirect communication during initial interactions to minimize the chance of a misunderstanding.
D.Held a workshop with the stakeholders before the initial meeting to develop a common communication language.
Solution: D. Held a workshop with the stakeholders before the initial meeting to develop a common communication language.
When faced with cross-cultural misunderstandings in a multinational project, holding a workshop with stakeholders before the initial meeting to develop a common communication language is a proactive step that a project manager can take to avoid such situations. This approach can help in bridging cultural gaps, setting clear expectations, and promoting effective communication among the diverse group of stakeholders. It’s a proactive measure to prevent misunderstandings and enhance collaboration in a multicultural project environment.
The other answer choices are incorrect.
Reviewing the lessons learned register can help the project manager avoid making the same mistakes that were made in the past, but it does not address the current situation.
Researching common cultural mistakes is also helpful, but it is not as effective as discussing the specific cultural differences that are relevant to the project.
Monitoring direct and indirect communication can help to minimize the chance of a misunderstanding, but it is not a guarantee that misunderstandings will be avoided.
Holding a workshop will allow the project manager to identify and address any potential cultural differences, and it will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page from the start.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/10/ [Item Section 10.1.2.6 Interpersonal and Team Skills]
| The Cultural Dimension of International Business (6th Edition) (2015) Gary P. Ferraro/Published/4/82 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [4.2.2 COMMUNICATION MODELS]
Question
A product owner has been attending daily standups but seems focused only on the budget and costs of each iteration. When addressing these inquiries, the project manager explains the rationale of the spend and the impact on the product development. The product owner does not seem interested in the rationale, only in the amount spent.
What should the project manager do in this scenario?
A.Adjust the daily standups to first address the budget, then discuss the project status once the product owner leaves the meeting.
B.Modify the communications management plan to send daily budget status updates to the product owner.
C.Meet with the product owner to educate them on the value delivered by the project, not just the cost of development.
D.Breakout the budget to reflect daily spend and provide this to the product owner to address their concerns.
Solution: C. Meet with the product owner to educate them on the value delivered by the project, not just the cost of development
Analysis of stakeholders is a key aspect of succeeding in projects and in this case it would have helped to identify that money spent was the main interest of the Product Owner. Project Manager should work on planning to make stakeholders understand Agile concepts and making them move away from a budget mindset towards a value delivered one.
There is no point in discussing about the project status without product owner. Product owner is one of the key stake holder.
sending the daily budget status alone we can’t resolve the issue
Product owner should aware of the value delivered along with the cost is spent for delivering the value
Breaking out the budget to reflect daily spend and sharing the same to the product owner, may not be helpful.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Essential Scrum - chapter 20 - Sprint execution/ [Item]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/4/37 [Item Educate stakeholders around why and how to be agile. Explain the benefits of business value based on prioritization, greater accountability and productivity of empowered teams, and improved quality from more frequent reviews, etc.]
Question
When a project manager finishes the Identify Stakeholders process, which of the following is the main output?
A.A registry with the name, area of interest, and level of positive or negative influence that each stakeholder will have on the project, among others
B.A document with change requests for the product, project management plan, or project documents
C.A stakeholder engagement plan that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in decision making and execution
D.Project documents updates, such as the assumption log, issue log, and risk register
Solution: A. A registry with the name, area of interest, and level of positive or negative influence that each stakeholder will have on the project, among others
After stake holder process, a registry with the name, are of interest, influence of stake holder will be the main output
Change request for the product will be created after the change in scope
Assumption log, issue log and risk register will be updated in a later stage not immediately after the stake holders process
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://standardsplus.pmi.org/posts/STAK_8/21f19506-ace1-4f36-b78f-5815e59ee0f4 [Item As you identify stakeholders, build a registry with their name, area of interest and the level of positive or negative influence that each stakeholder will have on the project]
Question
A marketing team has identified the target audience for their company’s new website. This audience is varied and geographically disperse, but the marketing team wants to compile a statistical analysis quickly.
What tool or technique should the project manager use to gather this information?
A.Focus groups
B.Questionnaire
C.Interview
D.Benchmarking
Solution: B. Questionnaire
Questionnaires and surveys are written sets of questions designed to quickly accumulate information from a large number of respondents. Questionnaires and/or surveys are most appropriate with varied audiences, when a quick turnaround is needed, when respondents are geographically dispersed, and where statistical analysis could be appropriate.
Focus groups bring people together for a discussion with a moderator. Likewise, interviews involve talking directly to the audience, usually on an individual bases. Neither of these is feasible for a disperse audience and for quick turn around. Benchmarking compares products, processes, or practices to other organizations, it does not gather information from the audience in question.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fifth Edition (2015) PMI/PMI/5.2.2.2/114 [Item]
| e-Reads (No Date) //Determining Project Requirements/7.10: Focus Groups [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2017) /PMI/5.2.2.2/ [Item]
Question
During the initial planning phase of a complex development project, a project team has identified several stakeholders, including the project sponsor, end-users, regulatory authorities, and the development team. What should the project manager do to ensure that they have a thorough understanding of the various degrees of influence these stakeholders have on project requirements?
A.Conduct one-on-one interviews with each stakeholder to gather their input and preferences.
B.Send a questionnaire to stakeholders to gather their feedback on project requirements.
C.Hold a stakeholder workshop to discuss and prioritize project requirements collectively.
D.Review historical project documents to identify stakeholder influence patterns.
Solution: C. Hold a stakeholder workshop to discuss and prioritize project requirements collectively.
A stakeholder workshop is a meeting where all stakeholders come together to discuss and prioritize project requirements. This allows the project team to hear directly from stakeholders and understand their needs and concerns. It also allows stakeholders to interact with each other and learn more about the project’s overall goals. During the workshop, the project team can use a variety of techniques to gather input from stakeholders, such as surveys, brainstorming sessions, and voting. The project team can also use the workshop to develop a stakeholder influence matrix, which is a tool that helps to identify and prioritize stakeholders based on their level of influence and interest in the project.
The other options are not as effective in understanding the varying degrees of influence that stakeholders have on project requirements. These methods can be used in combination with the workshop to gather additional information and historical context, but they may not provide as comprehensive and real-time insights into stakeholder influence as a well-facilitated stakeholder workshop.
Conducting one-on-one interviews with each stakeholder can provide valuable individual perspectives but may not capture the collective dynamics and consensus among stakeholders.
Sending a questionnaire to stakeholders may not provide the project team with the depth of information that they need to understand stakeholder influence.
Reviewing historical project documents may provide insights into past stakeholder influence patterns, but it may not account for potential changes in stakeholder influence for the current project.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.1.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT] [3.3 EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS]
Question
A project team meeting is focused on examining if the business value and vision for a project are being delivered by all parties. During the meeting, it was discovered that a few team members were unaware of the project’s vision and business value.
What should the project manager do to ensure everyone is aware of the vision and business value the project is expected to bring moving forward?
A.Schedule regular meetings between the team and senior management to remind them what the vision and business value are.
B.Tell the team members to refer to the company vision statement and other high-level strategy documents for clarity.
C.Hold the team accountable as they have had ample time to become aware of the project vision and business value.
D.Engage with the team regularly regarding the business case and ensure that all doubts are addressed properly and cleared.
Solution: D. Engage with the team regularly regarding the business case and ensure that all doubts are addressed properly and cleared.
It is the responsibility of the project manager to make sure the project team is aware of the vision and business value and that they are reflected in all deliverables. Engaging the team directly is the most effective way for the project manager to address this situation and ensure that all team members have a clear understanding of the business value and vision.
Scheduling meetings between the team and senior management are incorrect as senior management typically communicates with the project manager directly, and it may not be necessary that they are involved.
It is insufficient to simply tell the team members to refer to the company vision statement and other high-level strategy documents and does not necessarily ensure that all are fully aware of the vision and business value. While the team members should refer to these documents, the project manager should make sure that the team understands the documents and the impact they have on projects.
Holding the team accountable is incorrect as it’s the project manager’s responsibility to ensure the team is aligned with the vision and strategy. Assigning blame is not helpful and the project manager should step up and lead the education process.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2014) //Phillipy, M. A. (2014). Delivering business value: The most important aspect of project management. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2014—North America, Phoenix, AZ. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute// [Item]
Question
In the middle of a three-year-long project, the company committee overseeing the project becomes uncertain about whether the final outcome will meet their expectations and provide the anticipated value. As the project manager, what proactive step can you take to address the committee’s concerns and ensure that the project delivers the expected value?
A.Extend the project timeline to allow for more thorough testing.
B.Develop a prototype to present to the committee.
C.Increase the project budget to accommodate potential changes.
D.Update the project schedule with detailed milestones.
Solution: B. Develop a prototype to present to the committee.
Developing a prototype to present to the committee is an effective way to anticipate and demonstrate the value delivery of the final project result. A prototype provides a tangible representation of the product or project, allowing the committee, to visualize how it will work and look. This can help them understand its functionality, user experience, and alignment with their expectations. Prototypes also allow for early feedback, which can be invaluable in addressing concerns and making necessary adjustments before the project progresses too far. It’s a proactive approach to ensure that the final result meets expectations.
The other options are incorrect because they do not actively address the committee’s concerns about value delivery.
Extending the project timeline may provide more time for testing, but it may not be necessary and does not directly address the committee’s concerns.
Increasing the project budget to accommodate potential changes may provide more financial flexibility, but it focuses on budget management rather than demonstrating value to the committee.
Updating the project schedule with detailed milestones does not actively address the committee’s concerns about value delivery.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/5.2.2.8 - Prototypes/147 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.4.2 PLANNING VARIABLES]
Question
A development project’s earned value is US$640,000, and the planned value is US$800,000. What should the project manager do to control this variance?
A.Calculate the earned value and change the project baseline to reflect the latest project status.
B.Reallocate US$160,000 to project tasks that are behind schedule.
C.Use project performance measurement and decide on corrective actions.
D.Release US$160,000 to the supplier to fast-track the project so that it is completed on time and within budget.
Solution: C. Use project performance measurement and decide on corrective actions
Since the project’s earned value is less than the planned value, the Project Manager should decide on the corrective actions to bring the project back on track. Hence this option is the correct option.
The Project Manager cannot change the project baseline without going through the change control process. Hence this option is incorrect.
Reallocation of project funds or using contingency fund to project tasks is done at the discretion of the Project sponsor or the senior management based on the importance of the tasks to the project objective and not based on any other factor like project is behind schedule or releasing project funds to the supplier to fast track the project. Hence these two options are incorrect.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//Variance Analysis pg.139 and Rules of Performance Measurement pg.188-189. [Item]
| Project Manager’s Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (2015) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./7/343 [Item]
Question
A project manager just started managing agile projects. The project manager realizes that due to the lack of a clear definition of project objectives and definition of done (DoD), their colleague’s projects have had many difficulties. Sponsors keep asking for more features and the project is yet to be completed.
What should the project manager do to avoid these issues?
A.Arrange meetings to ensure every task to complete the project is included in the project management plan.
B.Convince the project sponsor to incorporate quality experts so the product can be tested and accepted as completed.
C.Convince the product owner to approach the team and define project objectives.
D.Schedule meetings with key stakeholders to build the agile project charter and set clear expectations for the project.
Solution: D. Schedule meetings with key stakeholders to build the agile project charter and set clear expectations for the project.
By scheduling meetings with the key stakeholders to build the agile project charter and set clear expectations for the project, the project manager can avoid the problems that their colleague is facing. The project charter will help to ensure that everyone involved in the project has a clear understanding of the project’s goals and objectives. This will help to reduce the risk of scope creep and ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.
The other answer choices are not as relevant or effective. Arranging meetings to ensure every necessary task to complete the project is included in the project management plan does not address the issue of setting clear project objectives and expectations. Convincing the project sponsor to incorporate quality experts so the product can be tested and accepted as completed will not help the project manager avoid the problems that their colleague is facing. Convincing the product owner to approach the team and define project objectives is not effective because the product owner is responsible for defining the project’s objectives, but the project manager should also be involved in this process. The project manager can help the product owner to ensure that the project objectives are realistic and achievable.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Chapter 9: Requirements Thread/ [Item Agile Development in the Real World]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date)
| PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) PMI/PMI/ [2.6.2.2 Scope Definition (Completion Of Deliverables)]
Question
After completing the project charter, the project manager sends it to the project stakeholders. What should the project manager do before starting the project planning process?
A.Conduct the project’s kick-off meeting.
B.Develop the risk register.
C.Create the work breakdown structure (WBS).
D.Obtain project charter approval.
Solution: D. Obtain project charter approval
The project charter must be approved before any other work can be completed. If the stakeholders change the scope, that will impact the WBS and risk register. The kick-off meeting is done at the end of planning and prior to execution. If the charter has not been approved, project initiation has not been completed.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI// [Item]
Question
A company contracts a software vendor to implement and customize a new software application and assigns a project manager to initiate and lead the project. Which of the following inputs to the project charter describes the key deliverables?
A.Business case
B.Agreements
C.Project scope statement
D.Project schedule
Solution: C. Project scope statement.
The project scope statement is a document that describes the project’s scope, which includes the project’s goals, objectives, deliverables, and acceptance criteria. It is the most specific and relevant input to the project charter that describes the key deliverables. The project scope statement should be developed in collaboration with the customer or end user of the software application to ensure that it meets their needs and expectations.
The other answer choices are not as relevant or effective. The business case is a document that justifies the project and explains how it will benefit the organization. It is not a key input to the project charter. Agreements, such as contracts and service level agreements (SLAs), are important documents for managing the project, but they are not key inputs to the project charter. The project schedule focuses on the tasks and timeline for completing the deliverables.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Proj Managers Portable HB, 3rd Ed (3rd) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.//Page 251-255
| PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) PMI/PMI/ [3. Definitions]
Question
A project manager is leading a project using a hybrid approach. The project team began the project with high morale and performance but both have decreased significantly in the project’s later stages. One team member has maintained the initial level of performance and the remaining team members are distracted and showing signs of conflict.
What should the project manager do to increase team performance?
A.Instruct the team to emulate the member with high performance, praising that member’s work ethic.
B.Mentor the team member who performing well and recommend that he/she work with other team members and train them on iterative development techniques.
C.Recommend to the project sponsor that this team should switch back to traditional project management methodologies to not waste additional budget.
D.Note the issues in the risk register and address it during the next scheduled standup.
Solution: B. Mentor the team member who performing well and recommend that he/she work with other team members and train them on iterative development techniques
Encouraging the top performer to share his/her knowledge with the others will address both things: training needs and recognition. The other options may not increase team performance.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//5 and 7/68 to 71, 107 [Item while performance decrease is common due to lack of understanding on Agile processes when switching from Waterfall to Agile, it is also important to appraise outstanding individuals. Encouraging the top performer to share his/her knowledge with the others will address both things: training needs and recognition.]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/4.2.1.1 SERVANT LEADERS FACILITATE/35 [Item]
Question
A marketing team is developing ideas in order to revamp an existing product. The marketing executive reaches out to the project manager to make sure that necessary measures are in place for a successful launch.
What should the project manager focus on?
A.Ensuring that the scope management plan is in place to cover all related objectives.
B.Ensuring that the team is also focused on the overall change management plan.
C.Planning for regular project updates to cover the status of critical deliverables.
D.Determining and aligning performance indicators that will help in assessing successful delivery.
Solution: D. Determining and aligning performance indicators that will help in assessing successful delivery
In order to measure successful delivery and completion of any initiative, it is critical to determine performance indicators beforehand and is the correct answer.
The other choices are incorrect as they do not represent performance indicators.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Objectives and key results - Chapter 5 - Managing with OKRs/ [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/Project Resource Management/350 [Item]
Question
During one of the final incremental deliveries of a project, the end user informed the project leader that they are not satisfied with the outcome and asked to remove a team member which is causing an unfavorable outcome.
What should the project leader do?
A.Acknowledge the fact, and promise the end user the issue will be resolved.
B.Inform the end user that this is a key member, and promise the issue will be resolved.
C.Remove the team member as requested to not delay the acceptance.
D.Discuss the issue during the regular stakeholder feedback meeting and take action to resolve the issue.
Solution: D. Discuss the issue during the regular stakeholder feedback meeting and take action to resolve the issue
Discussing the issue with the stakeholders is correct as it is project leader’s responsibility to provide appropriate feedback in a timely manner to ensure project team and stakeholder effectiveness
The option to acknowledge the fact and make promises is incorrect as the facts can note be ascertained without discussing with all the stakeholders involved, so making a promise without discussion can be detrimental.
The option to first inform the end user and promise resolution is incorrect as the issue needs to be discussed with the stakeholders first before informing any team member of the decision.
The option to remove the team member is incorrect as the issue needs to be discussed and then resolved accordingly.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//22/310 [Item]
Question
For a hybrid project, when should feedback be provided?
A.The timing for feedback depends on the performance measurement plan set by the project lead at the start of the project.
B.The project manager is responsible for communicating feedback during internal meetings.
C.With each delivery, the project leader is supposed to receive feedback from the stakeholders and share it with the team.
D.For the effective performance of the team, feedback is provided on a regular and continuous basis.
Solution: D. For the effective performance of the team, feedback is provided on a regular and continuous basis
The feedback is required on a regular and continuous basis and it is better to shorten the feedback cycle as much as possible.
Providing feedback depending on performance measurement is not correct as in the hybrid project management approach the iterations are continuous so continuous feedback is necessary.
Providing feedback during internal meetings is not correct as it defines the responsibility but the frequency is not defined as in question.
Receiving feedback only with each delivery is not correct as the feedback is required to be continuous in hybrid project management methodology and is not linked with delivery.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Agile Practice Guide (2017) PMI/PMI// [Item]
| Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//22/310 [Item]
Question
In a functional organization, a product analyst is assigned to a short-duration application development effort. The analyst expresses concerns about the task and asks the project manager to provide the support of a peer with expertise in this domain.
What should the project manager do?
A.Recognize the analyst’s concerns and reassign the task to another team member.
B.Enroll the analyst in a capacity-building program, and keep this analyst assigned to the task.
C.Ask the analyst to use skills to develop the tool, then move development to another team member.
D.Make sure the analyst has regular pairing meetings with the other team member throughout task execution.
Solution: D. Make sure the analyst has regular pairing meetings with the other team member throughout task execution
The correct option is the most suitable. In short-term projects, pairing is a beneficial option to help keep on up the learning curve of the team members.
The remaining options are not suitable:
Recognizing the analyst’s concern is great, but reassigning the task may be difficult in a functional organizational setup.
It is a short-duration project, and there may not be adequate time to start doing capacity building program.
Asking the analyst to use skills to develop tools without a technical understanding of the application development process can be dangerous.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//Section 5/355 [Item Choose team collaboration style: regular pairing, sharing skills and knowledge ]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/9/307 [Item]
Question
Working in a continuous delivery environment, a project leader notices that one of the key team members is experiencing low morale, affecting the project delivery and causing a serious delay in the project schedule. While discussing the issue with the team member, the project leader discovers the team member’s attitude is because of uncertainty in relation to the performance review set of criteria.
What should the project leader have done to avoid this situation?
A.Explain the ground rules of the team.
B.Inform the team about incentives and rewards.
C.Share feedback and performance results.
D.Define the team-building strategies.
Solution: C. Share feedback and performance results.
To avoid this situation, the project leader should share the team feedback and performance results. Providing appropriate feedback is an effective and incredibly powerful tool that should be used to the project manager’s advantage to deliver a successful project. Providing effective feedback to project team members on time in a continuous delivery environment will minimize poor performance and maximize desired performance early.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Optimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//22/310 [Item]
Question
A new project manager is developing a resource management plan but is unfamiliar with skill sets required by the project. How would engaging SMEs help the project manager create a resource management plan?
A.By showing the project manager how to determine organizational process assets.
B.By helping the project manager to understand authority relationships specified in project organization chart.
C.By enabling the project manager to determine the required skill sets to meet project objectives.
D.By enabling the project manager to manage virtual teams of skilled personnel.
Solution: C. By enabling the project manager to determine the required skill sets to meet project objectives
Expertise should be considered from individuals or groups with specialized knowledge or training in team and physical resource planning and estimating.
showing- organizational assets, do not provide insight to the risk management plan (RMP)
helping- there is no organization chart at this stage of the project
enabling to manage- resource management plan does not enable PM
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PM: The Managerial Process - 5th ed (5th) Clifford F. Gray & Erik W. Larson//Chapter: 8/Page: 252 [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition, 6th edition (2017) PMI/PMI/9/315 [Item 9.1.2.1 Expert Judgment]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/Project Management Institute/Chapter: 9/Page: 264 [Item]
Question
A key supplier has become unavailable and the project manager has found a replacement that will meet project approval. Bringing the new supplier onboard will add 10 days to the project timeline. However, a key stakeholder does not want to extend the schedule. The new supplier must be used to move to the execution phase.
What should the project manager do?
A.Meet with the stakeholder to explain that using the new supplier will increase the timeline but will meet the overall project goals.
B.Let the stakeholder know that the current schedule will require updates, and continue with periodic reviews to discuss the updates.
C.Inform the stakeholder that there will be a 10-day delay in the schedule to onboard the new supplier, but critical path tasks will be fast tracked.
D.Communicate to the stakeholder that using the new supplier will require a restart at the beginning of the next planning phase.
Solution: B. Let the stakeholder know that the current schedule will require updates, and continue with periodic reviews to discuss the updates
The project manager need to keep the project moving as scheduled while also managing the expectations of the stakeholders.
The other choices are incorrect as there is no evidence that increasing the timeline will either meet the project goals or critical path tasks will be fast tracked or will require a restart at the beginning of the next planning phase.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI//155 [Item]
| Project Manager’s Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (2015) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.//334 [Item]
Question
A project manager is in the halfway point of an agile project comprised of 100 user stories broken down into five iterations. Each user story is worth US$50. The actual expenditure is US$2,000 and 50 user stories have been delivered.
Which statement is true?
A.The project is over budget and behind schedule.
B.The project is under budget and on schedule.
C.The project is on budget and on schedule.
D.The project is under budget and ahead of schedule.
Solution: B. The project is under budget and on schedule.
Based on the scenario, the following is the computed Earned Value Metrics, Variances, and Indices.
Metrics:
Budget at completion[BAC] = $5000 as 100 user stories should be completed by the end of the project. However, the planned value at the halfway point of the project is 50% of $5000, which is $2500. Planned Value[PV] = $2500
Earned Value[EV] = $2500 as 50 user stories have been delivered
Actual Cost[AC] = $2000 which is the actual expenditure for completing 50 user stories
Schedule performance index = EV/PV = 2500/2500 = 1, and cost performance index = EV/AC = 2500/2000 = 1.25.
SPI value equal to 1 indicates the project is on schedule, meaning work is progressing as planned, and CPI value greater than 1 indicates the project is under budget, meaning work is being completed at a lower cost than planned.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/Chapter 6 & 7 - Earned Value Management/ [Item]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/5/61 [Item A]
Question
A recently assigned project manager is working on detailing out all requirements and estimating each task required to complete the implementation of a healthcare system across three countries. The project manager needs this information to create the project schedule.
What approach is the project manager using?
A.Agile
B.Traditional
C.Steel Thread
D.Rolling Wave
Solution: B. Traditional
Detailed scope (WBS) and schedule are characteristics of traditional (predictive) project life cycles.
Steel Thread and Rolling wave are planning approaches used in Hybrid and Agile delivery
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/agile-project-estimation-techniques-6110 [Item]
Question
There are three main work packages in a new product development project. Work package A must be delivered one week before work package C starts, and work package C will start at the same time that work package B begins.
What is the relationship between work packages A and B?
A.Finish-to-start (FS)
B.Finish-to-finish (FF)
C.Start-to-start (SS)
D.Start-to-finish (SF)
Solution: A. Finish-to-start (FS)
The scenario states that A must Finish before B or C can Start. Therefore this is a clear FS relationship between both B and C items.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) /J. Ross Publishing/Improving Your Project Management Skills, Second Edition/Chapter 5 - Defining and Sequencing Activities [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/6/ [Item 6.3.2 SEQUENCE ACTIVITIES: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI/PMI/6.3.2.1/156 [Item]
Question
After a system review for a nursing team, it was found that integration of the Radiology Informatics System was not delivered and should be included in the next sprint. The scrum master is organizing a Planning Poker session to estimate the effort.
Who is responsible for making the estimate?
A.Project team
B.Scrum Master
C.Product owner
D.Stakeholders
Solution: A. Project team
Work is estimated by the people that will deliver the increment, the project team in this case.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/agile-project-estimation-techniques-6110 [Item]
Question
A project management organization has a project that leverages waterfall for the requirements gathering phase and agile for development and testing phases. Not everyone on the project team is familiar with both approaches and the project encounters delays due to project team uncertainty.
What should have been done to prevent this scenario?
A.Train the project team on the benefits of hybrid project management.
B.Have the project team members familiar waterfall be responsible for the requirements gathering phase and those familiar with agile handle development and testing phases.
C.Schedule daily standup meetings to keep the team informed of progress and address issues as they occur.
D.Request that the PMO leverage either waterfall or agile for the full project as the team cannot be trained in time for the project to succeed.
Solution: C. Schedule daily standup meetings to keep the team informed of progress and address issues as they occur
The key point is quick to respond! Weekly is not enough and in waterfall communication of performance goals and understanding of approach are critical.
Option A: Training the team on benefits of hybrid project management will not fully prevent this scenario
Option B: Project team members cannot work in isolation as per the defined methodology. All team members must be familiar with both waterfall and Agile.
Option D: Changing the methodology during project execution will further delay the project.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//Coordinate Activities/ [Item]
| O’Reilly Platform (No Date) /// [Item Walking the Talk: Accountability - The key to driving a high performing culture]
Question
A project manager is uncertain about the duration of a new phase and consults three groups of subject matter experts (SMEs). The first group advises that the phase can be complete in 20 days. The second group identifies some risks that could extend the duration up to 35 days. The third group proposes a new approach that can shorten the time to 11 days.
What is the estimated duration for the new phase?
A.19 days
B.21 days
C.23 days
D.25 days
Solution: B. 21 days
Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is used calculate durations when they are difficult to define.
Option B is correct because, as per PERT formula [Optimistic + 4Most Likely + Pessimistic]/6. When you apply this formula using the given data in the question (Optimistic:11, Most Likely:20 and Pessimistic:35), it will be (11+420+35)/6=126/6 = 21
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) //Building A Project Work Breakdown Structure: Visualizing Objectives, Deliverables, Activities, and Schedules, Chapter 11 - Step 7—Estimate the Durations/ [Item]
| e-Reads (No Date) //Project Management JumpStart, Chapter 8 - Developing the Project Plan/ [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI//6/170 [Item]
Question
A meeting is being scheduled for the scrum master, product owner, and project team to discuss what went well and what did not go well during the last project iteration. The meeting also includes planning improvements for future iterations.
Which meeting objectives are being described?
A.Iteration planning meeting
B.Retrospective meeting
C.Daily stand-up meeting
D.Backlog refinement meeting
Solution: B. Retrospective meeting
The lessons learned meeting in agile held at the end of completion of an iteration is the retrospective meeting.
The other answer choices are incorrect. In the daily standup meeting, every team member tries to cover the following questions: what did I do yesterday? what am I going to do today? what is the road blocker? A backlog refinement meeting is when the product owner tries to prioritize the items in the backlog. The iteration planning meeting is where items that need to be picked up for the current sprint will be discussed
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2008) //Schneider, R. A. (2008). Managing projects in complex business environments: the contribution of systems thinking. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Warsaw, Poland. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.// [Item]
Question
A company is using a predictive approach for the development of a particular component as defined in the scope management plan. Due to regularly changing regulatory requirements, the development team has requested to utilize agile approaches.
What should the project manager do about the development team’s request?
A.Escalate the request for additional financial resources.
B.Analyze the requirements that will need to be addressed under the requested method.
C.Forward the request to the project management office (PMO) to amend the organizational process assets.
D.Ask the project sponsor to obtain approval for implementation of the new approach.
Solution: B. Analyze the requirements that will need to be addressed under the requested method
This is a typical hybrid scenario. So making a tailor made process incorporating both agile and waterfall methodologies is the best response to this scenario
Forwarding the request to the Project Management Office (PMO) to amend the Organizational Process Assets (OPA) and asking the project sponsor to obtain approval for implementation of the new approach can be done only after analysing the requirements. Hence these two choices are not the most appropriate answers.
Escalating the request for additional financial resources is not connected to the objective of utilizing agile approaches, Hence it is not a correct answer.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines/// [Item Page No.78]
| O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //6/np [Item The Professional product owner: Leveraging scrum as a competitive advantage by Don McGreat and Ralph Johnson 2018. ]
Question
In order to identify and assess the hindering and enabling factors that may affect project delivery as a result of the organization’s specific environment, a project manager undertakes an environmental scan.
Which of the following combinations represents some of the factors that will be considered in this scan?
A.Laws and regulations, market trends, and new technology.
B.Published research, articles, and journals.
C.Seminars, exhibitions, and upcoming conferences.
D.New technology, seminars, and webinars.
Solution: A. Laws and regulations, market trends, and new technology
Environmental scanning is a process that systematically surveys and interprets relevant data to identify external opportunities and threats that could influence future decisions. Laws and regulations, market trends, and new technology have the PESTLE factors that an environmental scan will normally look out for.
PESTLE stands for:
Political
Economic
Social
Technological
Legal
Environmental
The other answers are incorrect because they will not provide a comprehensive understanding of the hindering and enabling factors that may affect project delivery as a result of the organization’s specific environment. The project manager must assess the laws and regulations, market trends, and new technology to adequately identify and assess environmental factors that may impact project delivery of the business environment as a whole.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2008) //Schneider, R. A. (2008). Managing projects in complex business environments: the contribution of systems thinking. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Warsaw, Poland. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.// [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) ///[2.3 FUNCTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PROJECTS]
Question
During the design process for a multinational construction project, the project manager conducted a cost-benefit analysis based on current foreign exchange rates. The risk of changes to the exchange rate had been recorded in the risk register. During the project implementation phase, the exchange rate has fallen to such a degree the project manager believes the project might not be successful.
What should the project manager do as a proactive action?
A.Update the risk management plan.
B.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor.
C.Submit a budget increase change request.
D.Conduct a new cost-benefit analysis.
Solution: D. Conduct a new cost-benefit analysis.
Conducting a new cost-benefit analysis is the most proactive action that the project manager can take in this situation. It allows the project manager to quantify the impact of the falling exchange rate on the project’s budget and schedule, and to make informed decisions about how to proceed.
The other options are incorrect because they are not as proactive, and could potentially lead to further problems if the project manager does not have a clear understanding of the impact of the falling exchange rate.
Updating the risk management plan it is not the most proactive action that the project manager can take. The project manager already has a risk management plan in place, and the falling exchange rate is already a known risk. The risk management plan should be updated after the analysis.
Escalating the issue should be done after the project manager has conducted a new cost-benefit analysis and has a clear understanding of the impact of the falling exchange rate. This will allow the sponsor to make an informed decision about how to proceed beyond what the project manager “believes.”
Submitting a budget increase change request should come after the project manager has conducted a new cost-benefit analysis to understand the extent of the impact on the project’s budget. This action should be based on data and analysis rather than just a belief that the project might not be successful.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide Seventh Edition (2022) PMI/PMI//[3.10 OPTIMIZE RISK RESPONSES]
The Standard for Risk Management in Portfolios, programs, and Projects (2019) PMI/PMI/[7: RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT]
Question
A project manager is managing a hybrid project. After attending an iteration review, a stakeholder tells the project manager that they are very busy and asks why these reviews are held so frequently.
How should the project manager respond?
A.Discuss with the stakeholder the benefits of the hybrid project and how frequent reviews lead to greater value and less rework.
B.Negotiate a reduced review attendance with the stakeholder and update the stakeholder engagement plan to reflect this reduced attendance.
C.Explain to the stakeholder that the stakeholder engagement plan requires their attendance at all reviews.
D.Record the issue in the issue log and escalate the conflict to the project sponsor for assistance.
Solution: A. Discuss with the stakeholder the benefits of the hybrid project and how frequent reviews lead to greater value and less rework.
The project manager should discuss with the stakeholder, the benefits of the hybrid project and how frequent reviews lead to greater value and less rework. This is the best course of action because it allows the project manager to explain the benefits of the hybrid project and the importance of frequent reviews to the stakeholder. It also allows the project manager to learn more about the stakeholder’s concerns and to develop a plan to address them.
The other answer choices are not as effective.
Negotiating a reduced review attendance with the stakeholder and updating the stakeholder engagement plan to reflect this reduced attendance may be necessary in some cases, but it is important to try to convince the stakeholder of the benefits of attending all of the reviews before doing so. Explaining to the stakeholder that the stakeholder engagement plan requires their attendance at all reviews is a direct approach, but it may not be the most effective way to resolve the issue. Recording the issue in the issue log and escalating the conflict to the project sponsor for assistance should be a last resort, as it could escalate the conflict and make it more difficult to resolve.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines//4/58 [Item]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/4.2.1.4/36 [Item]
Question
During project execution, the project manager realizes that a team member is not completing tasks in accordance with the project management plan. What is the first action the project manager should take?
A.Build a matrix team to review the relationships on all project teams.
B.Ask all the team members to focus more on the project.
C.Reassign the uncompleted tasks to another team member.
D.Engage the team member to determine the reasons for poor performance.
Solution: D. Engage the team member to determine the reasons for poor performance
Project manager must identify changes in the behavior of each team member and help them to achieve the goals of the project.
The other answer choices are incorrect. There is no indication that the team is matrixed or non-matrixed. This has no bearing on an individual’s performance. Asking other team members to focus on the ask or adding team members may not be the most efficient means to accomplish the task.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) /// [Item https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/program-management-leadership/9781466577107/chapter-44.html
communicating honestly and openly with the team is a critical success factor]
| O’Reilly Platform (No Date) ///83 [Item Reference source: Kindle cloud reader
The Project Management Tool Kit: Maintain an effective matrix]
Question
A sales manager is overpromising deliverables beyond the contractual scope. In order to resolve the disagreement, the project manager wishes to find someone with a higher ranking in the sales department who is favorable to the project.
What project data should the project manager consult?
A.Stakeholder power/interest grid
B.Communications management plan
C.Resource breakdown structure
D.Organizational process assets
Solution: A. Stakeholder power/interest grid
The stakeholder power/interest grid provides both influence ranking as well as attitude and support level about the specific project.
In a Communication management plan, Communication channels, method of communication, frequency of communication are present.
In resource break down structure, break down of resources are present in a vertical way.
In Organizational process assets, plans, processes, policies, and procedures are present.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/stakeholder-management-plan-6090 [Item Forman, J. B. & Discenza, R. (2012) article citation: “Most stakeholder power/interest/influence/impact analysis tools take a two-dimensional grid-based approach to stakeholder classification”]
| Project Management Body of Knowledge (11/02/16) Project Management Institute//13.1.2.4/ [Item “Project managers need to do careful and timely stakeholder research to identify, classify, prioritize, and assess stakeholder’s abilities to affect their projects, both favorably and unfavorably….The power/interest grid … supports grouping stakeholders according to their level of authority (power), level of concern about the project’s outcomes (interest), ability to influence the outcomes of the project (influence) or ability to cause changes to the project’s planning or execution.”]
Question
In the early stages of a project, two key stakeholders have different opinions about a project’s goals. Why should the project manager negotiate an agreement between the two stakeholders?
A.To understand the stakeholders’ ability to influence the project’s direction
B.To obtain approval of the project charter
C.To engage the stakeholders in the conflict resolution
D.To allow the stakeholders to discuss their opinions at the kick-off meeting
Solution: B. To obtain approval of the project charter
Projects experiencing a high degree of change require active engagement and participation with project stakeholders. To facilitate timely, productive discussions, and decision-making, adaptive teams engage with stakeholders directly rather than going through layers of management.
To obtain the approval of the project charter, the project manager needs to negotiate an agreement between the two stakeholders.
To understand the stakeholder’s ability to influence the project’s direction, there is no need to negotiate an agreement between stakeholders. Engaging the stake holder in the conflict resolution is not the primary responsibility of project manager. Stakeholders normally discuss their opinions at the kick-off meeting. that is not controlled by the project manager
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (No Date) PMI//13/408 [Item]
| The Human Side of PM: Ldshp Skills (No Date) PMI/PMI/4/31 [Item]
Question
A project to design and develop new equipment is in the planning stage. The project team has little experience with the new features and functions of this equipment and has subsequently received training.
How can the project manager maximize the effectiveness of the team’s training activities for this project?
A.Invite a subject matter expert (SME) to show the team how the features and functions are used.
B.Include peer-to-peer demonstrations of the new features and functions in the project training plan.
C.Schedule a proof of concept presentation of the features and functions during the training activities.
D.Assign a functional manager to work with the team to make sure they understand the equipment’s features and functions.
Solution: B. Include peer-to-peer demonstrations of the new features and functions in the project training plan
Through peer to peer training, the project team will better internalize the knowledge and thus will increase their quality of learning is the correct answer
The remaining options are not correct for the reasons explained below
Invite…the team has already received training
Schedule ..is a Phase of the project likely to be in the project
Functional ….likely functional manager already assigned as project is in the planning stage
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Fundamentals of Technology PM, 2nd Ed (2nd) Colleen Garton, Erika McCulloch/Mc Press//632 [Item]
| Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Contro (No Date) /Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Control/5.21/ [Item]
Question
A newly formed project team features members from several countries and continents, with significant age differences and a variety of social circles. How should the project manager address this challenge?
A.Help the team discover how their different perspectives can expand their skill sets and strengthen team productivity.
B.Appoint a delegate for each ethnic/social group to contribute to inclusive decision making.
C.Require all team members to attend a virtual class on diversity and inclusion.
D.Plan to intervene authoritatively if confrontations occur between incompatible team members.
Solution: A. Help the team discover how their different perspectives can expand their skill sets and strengthen team productivity
Help the team discover how their different perspectives can expand their skill sets and strengthen team productivity is the correct answer. Inherent differences in culture and experience will be an enabling platform to the project team with a wider variety of perspectives and talents.
Delegating does not build teamwork
Require - assumes training is need
There is no indication of conflict such that intervention is necessary
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/embracing-diversity-positive-workplace-approach-7309 [Item Hicks, R. F., Davis, J. S., & Cable, J. H. (2007) article citation:
“In the project environment we must be cognizant of the confirmation bias and willingly reexamine initial positions when appropriate..”]
| Project Management Body of Knowledge (11/02/16) Project Management Institute//9.4/ [Item “The project management should capitalize on cultural differences, focus on developing and sustaining the project team throughout the project life cycle, and promote working together interdependently in a climate of mutual trust.”]
Question
A project manager wants to recruit another team member to replace an architect who recently resigned. What document should be consulted for this change?
A.Stakeholder register
B.Project management plan
C.Responsibility assignment matrix (RAM)
D.Organizational process assets (OPA)
Solution: D. Organizational process assets (OPA)
The Organizational Process Assets (OPAs) encompass various organizational procedures, policies, historical information, and knowledge repositories. These assets often include guidelines and procedures for staffing and recruiting processes within the organization. Therefore, the project manager should consult the OPAs when recruiting a new team member.
The other answer choices are incorrect. The stakeholder register helps identify project stakeholders but doesn’t directly address technical skill and experience requirements for team members. The project management plan references resource needs, but it typically doesn’t provide detailed role descriptions or competency expectations. The responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) focuses on defining responsibilities within the existing team, not necessarily outlining specific role requirements for newcomers.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fifth Edition (2015) PMI/PMI/9.2.3.2/272 [Item]
| e-Reads (No Date) //The complete project management office handbook by Gerard Hill/Chapter: 9 - Resource management
Question
Which leadership behavior is least likely to boost motivation in an Agile project team?
A.Instruct the team to immediately use a new productivity tool.
B.Ask the team to vote if a new work method should be adopted.
C.Assign individual team members to the tasks in the backlog.
D.Ask for a volunteer to run a customer satisfaction survey.
Solution: A. Instruct the team to immediately use a new productivity tool
Instructing or dictating the team immediately to do something is least likely to boost motivation. The principles of servant leadership and the Agile Manifesto recognize that empowerment and autonomy promote individual and team motivation.
Agile Manifesto Principle #5 - Build projects around motivated individuals. The remaining options align with this. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
Asking the team to vote about a new work method will also boost motivation.
Asking for a volunteer to run a customer satisfaction survey will also boost motivation.
Assigning individual team members to the tasks in the backlog will also boost motivation.
Allowing the team members to decide what to work on based on prioritized objectives or features will motivate them.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/motivation-project-management-leadership-perspective-2390 [Item Schmid, B. & Adams, J. (2008) article citation : “ Being capable of and allowed to manage themselves is one of the most important needs and requirements of the knowledge worker …. When participants were given autonomous control, increased performance, increased intrinsic job satisfaction, and decreased job pressure were reported… When a manager specifies ends and means to a task, a waste of human resources and decline in motivation occur.”]
| Project Management Body of Knowledge (11/02/16) Project Management Institute//9.4.2.4/ [Item “Teams are motivated by empowering them to participate in decision making and encouraging them to work independently.”]
Question
In the company cafeteria, a project manager overhears an unengaged stakeholder mocking the style of language used in the project manager’s status report.
What should the project manager do?
A.Meet with the stakeholder privately to find out how to make communication more engaging.
B.Ask the company’s public relations officer for tips on how to make written communications more captivating.
C.Stop sending the status reports to the stakeholder and use only direct email to communicate with them.
D.Update the project social contract to prohibit disrespectful communications when referring to project members.
Solution: A. Meet with the stakeholder privately to find out how to make communication more engaging.
A leader should assess ways to re-engage an unengaged or hostile stakeholder. Direct interviews are the best method to gather input and adapt communications as part of the engagement strategy.
The other options are incorrect because they are not appropriate ways to address the issue.
Public relations officers manage the external communications of the company. Getting tips from them may help, but it is not an effective strategy.
To stop sending status reports to stakeholders will make the situation worse and is not permitted.
Updating the project social contract to prohibit disrespectful communication will also make the situation worse and is not permitted.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/leadership-competencies-develop-strategic-roles-6627 [Item Bristol, P. & Yeatts, G. (2010) article citation: “A leader’s ability to identify and calibrate to the preferred communication style of another coupled with the flexibility to adapt to the other person’s style is the most effective way to establish trust.. Understanding the similarities and differences between style preferences can help team effectiveness by preventing or defusing conflict.”]
| Project Management Body of Knowledge (11/02/16) Project Management Institute//10.1.2.6/ [Item “Communication styles assessment [is a] technique used to assess communication styles and identify the preferred communication method, format, and content for planned communication activities. Often used with unsupportive stakeholders, this assessment may follow a stakeholder engagement assessment to identify gaps in stakeholder engagement that require additional tailored communication activities and artifacts.”]
Question
Projects using different methodologies with cross-project dependencies must have visibility to each other’s plans and deliverables. An agile project manager should use which type of project management approach to ensure that dependent deliverables are available?
A.Hybrid
B.Agile
C.Predictive
D.Iterative
Solution: A. Hybrid
The project manager should use a hybrid approach. Projects using different methodologies with cross-project dependencies must have visibility of each other’s plans and deliverables. A hybrid development approach is a combination of adaptive and predictive approaches. This means that some elements from a predictive approach are used and some from an adaptive approach are used. This development approach is useful when there is uncertainty or risk around the requirements. Hybrid is also useful when deliverables can be modularized, or when there are deliverables that can be developed by different project teams. A hybrid approach is more adaptive than a predictive approach, but less so than a purely adaptive approach. The agile (adaptive) project may negotiate with the waterfall (predictive) project to ensure that dependent deliverables will be available for sprints based on the respective project plans and release plans for each project.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly (Nov 2020) Shawn Belling/Apress/1. Defining Agile Hybrids/ [Item ]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.3.3 DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES]
Question
Following project approval, a project team is assigned and the project management plan is created.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Hold a kickoff meeting with the project team and stakeholders.
B.Develop a detailed project schedule.
C.Initiate procurement processes for required resources.
D.Conduct individual performance reviews.
Solution: A. Hold a kickoff meeting with the project team and stakeholders.
By prioritizing a kickoff meeting, the project manager sets a strong foundation for project success by engaging stakeholders, establishing team alignment, and communicating project goals.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Individual performance reviews are important but are typically conducted later in the project cycle, not as the initial priority. A detailed project schedule should build upon the project scope and resource allocation clarified through the kickoff meeting. Procurement often follows resource needs confirmed during the kickoff meeting and after understanding stakeholder priorities.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PM: Sys Aprch Plng, Sch & Cntrl,11th (11th) Harold, Ph.D. Kerzner/Wiley//Section 4.8, p. 193, Harold Kerzner [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/4 and 9/ [Item Acquire Project Team]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//Chapter 9 - Project Human Resource Management, 9.2 - Acquire Project Team, page 267-268. [Item]
Question
A project manager is in a matrix organization environment. The project manager notices the team is not working well together, performing poorly, and delivering poor quality results.
How should the project manager address this with the team?
A.Conduct a team meeting to discuss the issue.
B.Meet with each team member individually to get their perspective.
C.Create a communication plan to improve communication between team members.
D.Reassign team members to different roles.
Solution: A. Conduct a team meeting to discuss the issue.
The first step is to get the team together and discuss the issue. This will help to identify the root cause of the problem and to develop a plan to address it. The project manager should listen to the team members’ concerns and suggestions and should be open to feedback.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Meeting with each team member individually may not be enough to get a complete picture of the issue. It is also important to get the team members to communicate with each other in a meeting setting. Creating a communication plan is a good idea, but it is not enough to address the underlying problems. Reassigning team members may be necessary in some cases, but should be a last resort.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/ground-rules-high-performing-team-9338 [Item]
Question
After preparing the project management plan, a project manager schedules a meeting with key stakeholders to finalize the planning phase. The project manager is now preparing for the executing phase.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Define the project and create the project charter.
B.Put the project plan into action.
C.Ensure all deliverables are completed.
D.Address risks to make sure the project is on track.
Solution: B. Put the project plan into action.
The Executing phase is the phase where the project plan is put into action. The project manager and the team work to deliver the project’s objectives and deliverables. This includes tasks such as assigning work, communicating with stakeholders, and managing risks.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Defining the project and creating the project charter is done in the Initiating phase of the project. Ensuring all deliverables are completed is done in the Closing phase of the project. Addressing risks to make sure the project is on track is especially important in the Monitoring and Controlling phase.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
e-Reads (No Date) ///Do Not Use Advanced Project Management: Best practices of implementation. 2nd Edition. [Item]
| e-Reads (No Date) ///Project Management: Step by Step. Chapter 3 [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide–Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//13.3 Manage stakeholder engagement. Page 404 [Item]
Question
A project manager is overseeing the development and launch of a new product. In order to comply with the Project Management Office (PMO)’s guidelines, the project manager is required to ensure a Benefits Realization Plan outlining the business value to be delivered is created. The project manager is currently documenting the Roles and Responsibilities for this task in the form of a RACI chart.
Who will be accountable for ensuring the project brings value to the organization?
A.Project sponsor
B.Project manager
C.Solution architect
D.Steering committee
Solution: A. Project sponsor
The project sponsor is accountable for ensuring the project brings value to the organization. The project sponsor is the senior-level executive who is responsible for the project’s success. They are responsible for ensuring that the project is aligned with the organization’s strategic goals and that it delivers the expected business value.
The other answer choices are not as accurate as they are not accountable for ensuring that the project brings value to the organization. The project manager is responsible for the day-to-day execution of the project. The solution architect is responsible for designing and implementing the project’s technical solution. The steering committee is a group of senior stakeholders who provide guidance and oversight for the project.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2012) //Achieve project success by delivering business value/James, Vicki M./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/achieve-project-success-delivering-business-value-6055
James, V. M. (2012). Achieve project success by delivering business value. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2012—North America, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.]
Question
A team member received a request from a stakeholder to conduct a quantitative risk analysis. The team member is not certain exactly what the stakeholder requested and comes to the project manager for guidance.
What should the project manager do in this situation?
A.Communicate to the stakeholder that all requests should come through the project manager.
B.Meet with the team to see if any of the other team members can perform the requested analysis.
C.Work with the team member and stakeholder to ensure proper task assignment processes are clear and followed.
D.Perform the risk analysis for the team member, providing it to them so that they can provide it to the stakeholder.
Solution: C. Work with the team member and stakeholder to ensure proper task assignment processes are followed and clear.
The project manager should ensure that communication is clear and the proper processes are followed, as to whether the stakeholder has the ability to assign tasks or not. Then, as a servant leader, the project manager and as such should help the team through any gaps of understanding and ensure that the team and team members have the right training, coaching, or support to perform the task.
Meeting with the team to see if other team members can perform the requested analysis is not the correct action as the project manager should guide the current team member. The project manager shouldn’t be doing the risk analysis for the team member as it will not help on a similar situation in the future. The project manager shouldn’t force that all requests come through them.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Choose Your WoW! A Disciplined Agile Delivery Handbook for Opitimizing Your Way of Working (January 2019) Scott W Ambler and Mark Lines///121 [Item Topic: support the team.]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2017) /PMI/Chapter 11/ [Item]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/4/37 [Item]
Question
During a project meeting, a project manager is made aware that team members find it very difficult to verify completed deliverables for compliance as no reference documents exist with the information on specifications and the related customer needs. The team decides to document clear acceptance criteria to address this.
Which document can be used to identify and relate the specific customer needs in this instance?
A.Business case
B.Project charter
C.Requirement traceability matrix
D.Responsibility assignment matrix
Solution: C. Requirement traceability matrix
Requirement traceability matrix documents the client requirement from conception and traces them to delivery, additional information included as these are refined through the different stages. This will be the best document to get the required Customer needs and make the required mapping.
Business case is used as a basis for the authorization of further project management activities and not used to identify customer needs.
Project charter is a document issue by the project sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. It is not used to identify customer needs.
Responsibility assignment matrix shows the project resources assigned to each work packages and doesn’t have the customer needs information.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2013) //Sham, K. (2013). Practical approach to project management metrics. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.// [Item]
Question
After going through a project earned value exception report, a project manager notices that two tasks are flagged both with a Cost Performance Index (CPI) of 0.5. Which is the correct deduction the project manager should make from this report?
A.Each task has spent twice the budgeted amount it should have at this point
B.Each task has spent half the amount (budget) it should have at this point
C.Each task has spent half the budgeted amount it should have at this point
D.Each task has spent a quarter the amount (budget) it should have at this point
Solution: A. Each task has spent twice the budgeted amount it should have at this point
CPI is a ratio of earned value to actual cost of work performed. A CPI of 1.0 means that earned value exactly matches the resources expended. Below 1.0 indicates work being performed at a cost overrun. In this case, a 0.5 CPI means that only half of what is expended is producing the expected earned value for the work performed.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2013) //Sham, K. (2013). Practical approach to project management metrics. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute// [Item]
Question
A project manager is leading a complex project with diverse stakeholders and a strict regulatory environment. The project team is struggling to consistently achieve compliance with project processes, leading to delays and rework.
What should the project manager do to effectively motivate the team to comply with project processes?
A.Offer individual performance-based bonuses for exceeding compliance targets.
B.Implement a system of frequent audits and compliance checks.
C.Develop and communicate a compelling vision and rationale for the overall project goals.
D.Facilitate team workshops to collaboratively identify and address compliance challenges.
Solution: D. Facilitate team workshops to collaboratively identify and address compliance challenges.
The project manager should facilitate team workshops to collaboratively identify and address compliance challenges. This will empower the team to own solutions and foster increased buy-in for compliant practices. It also provides a platform for open communication and understanding of the importance of compliance.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Frequent audits and checks can create a climate of fear and distrust, ultimately demotivating team members. Performance-based bonuses for compliance can distract from intrinsic motivation and ethical considerations. Communicating the project vision is important, however, it needs to be coupled with concrete actions and engagement to address specific compliance challenges and effectively motivate.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/project-managers-making-bad-decision-making-5967
| https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/36712/Addressing-Process-Non-Compliance
Question
An agile team is working on a new product development project. The product owner has requested a new change to accommodate recent technology requirements as a result of changes in the market environment.
Which of the following should the project manager do next?
A.Go ahead and implement the change immediately
B.Log a change request document and set up a change control board
C.Ensure the change request has been added to the product backlog
D.Reject the change as it may cost more money and delay the project
Solution: C. Ensure the change request has been added to the product backlog
An agile project will required the product owner or project manager to add the new story or task (change request) to the product backlog so it can be prioritized and then sized without adding the item in to backlog and without prioritization, implementing / rejecting the change request is not possible
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2013) //Wanner, M. F. (2013). Integrated change management. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.// [Item]
Question
A project team just completed a major milestone and is now on track to deliver the project ahead of the due date. The project manager is pleased and would like to use rewards to keep team cohesion and productivity on the rise.
Which of the following types of rewards will improve team cohesion and productivity for the remainder of the project?
A.Provide a team reward to all involved in the project in order to sustain productivity and cohesion
B.Provide rewards to all team leaders only so that they can keep driving their respective teams in a cohesive and productive manner
C.Provide individual rewards to the most productive team members in order to sustain productivity and team cohesion
D.Provide individual rewards to the struggling team members only in order to encourage them and increase productivity and team cohesion
Solution: A. Provide a team reward to all involved in the project in order to sustain productivity and cohesion
Team reward to all is best in this instance so as to improve team dynamic and cohesion.
Team rewards only to team leaders or productive team members or struggling team members will kill the team cohesion
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2014) //Banister-Hazama, D. & Hazama, C. (2014). Culture Is As Culture Does: The Impact of Corporate Culture on Portfolio, Program, and Project Management. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2014—North America, Phoenix, AZ. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute// [Item]
Question
A project team member assigned to a new project will be required to report on all project tasks progress to the project manager while his current line manager will be responsible for his career growth and development.
Which of the following describes the project organization structure?
A.Matrix
B.Projectised
C.Functional
D.Cross-functional
Solution: A. Matrix
The two bosses or more scenario is a characteristic of matrix organizational structures.
Projectized organization performs based on the assigned projects. one project manager reporting will be there
Functional organization performs based on the function wise.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2014) //Banister-Hazama, D. & Hazama, C. (2014). Culture Is As Culture Does: The Impact of Corporate Culture on Portfolio, Program, and Project Management. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2014—North America, Phoenix, AZ. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute// [Item]
Question
A project manager is working with an agile team on project delivery. While planning, what should the team focus on to ensure the project objectives are met?
A.Organize workshops with business stakeholders and the project team.
B.Verify that the product owner signs off on all user stories.
C.Verify that each user story has a definition of done (DoD).
D.Arrange for a deliverable evaluation as the final quality assurance (QA) checkpoint.
Solution: D. Arrange for a deliverable evaluation as the final quality assurance (QA) checkpoint
In a project environment, there should be clear and documented validation criteria that should be met before the project closure. The project manager should plan and arrange for deliverable evaluation to ensure objectives are met.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2002) //Quality management for large software development programs/Bobey, K./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/quality-management-software-development-programs-1059]
Question
A project manager is working on a complex project with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities. What should the project manager do with respect to the stakeholders to achieve a better project result?
A.Identify and seek stakeholder consensus on project objectives and deliverables.
B.Preserve the relationships and rapport with the stakeholders.
C.Meet the personal interests of the stakeholders.
D.Encourage the stakeholders to accept the proposed viewpoint.
Solution: A. Identify and seek stakeholder consensus on project objectives and deliverables.
In a multi-stakeholder project, it is important that all stakeholders agree upon the objectives and deliverables
Preserving the relationship with stakeholders, meeting individual stakeholder’s objectives, or stipulating what should be done are not project objectives.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (1997) //Negotiating the right decision/Long, A./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/negotiating-right-decision-5132]
Question
A complex project, involving multiple stakeholders with diverse priorities, requires long and challenging negotiations to finalize the project agreement. The project manager must facilitate setting the right priorities for these crucial negotiations.
What should the project manager do first?
A. Develop a detailed risk register.
B. Organize a brainstorming session with all stakeholders.
C. Define clear project success criteria.
D. Conduct individual interviews with key stakeholders.
Solution: C. Define clear project success criteria.
By prioritizing the definition of clear success criteria, the project manager sets a strong foundation for effective negotiations. This ensures all parties are focused on achieving the project’s desired outcomes and facilitates aligning stakeholder priorities with those goals.
The other answer choices are incorrect as they should be done after clear project success criteria have been defined. While risk management is crucial, prioritizing all risks does not address specific stakeholder priorities and their bargaining points. Stakeholder brainstorming sessions can be valuable later in the process, but at the initial stage, focusing on success criteria provides a clearer direction for stakeholder engagement. Individual stakeholder interviews can offer valuable insights, but prioritizing defining success criteria first offers a broader framework for conducting interviews and understanding priorities in context.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (1997) //Negotiating the right decision/Long, A./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/negotiating-right-decision-5132]
Question
A project manager is working on a complex project that requires expertise in negotiation skills. What should the project manager do to persuade the stakeholders to accept the proposed viewpoint?
A.Discuss the business case for the project.
B.Establish the schedule and contingency measures.
C.Understand the reasons for potential disagreement.
D.Assess the risk of unsuccessful negotiation.
Solution: C. Understand the reasons for potential disagreement
Before solving a problem or conflict the problem, the source of conflict must be understood.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (1997) //Negotiating the right decision/Long, A./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/negotiating-right-decision-5132]
Question
A project manager is working on a complex project with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities. During a meeting with the stakeholders, the project manager conducted a brainstorming session to facilitate reaching consensus.
What did the project manager do to reach a state of general consensus?
A.Focused on preserving relationships and rapport with stakeholders.
B.Focused on finding a solution to meet the needs of stakeholders.
C.Focused on meeting the personal interests of stakeholders.
D.Focused on pushing stakeholders to accept the proposed view.
Solution: B. Focused on finding a solution to meet the needs of stakeholders
In this instance consensus can be easier obtained using a collaborative approach. Distributive and Accommodative negotiations have different objectives. Any negotiation is persuasive.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/Chapter 4/80 [Item]
| PMI.org (2010) //Five things every project manager should know about negotiation/Craddock, William T./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/negotiate-success-element-communication-managers-6504]
Question
A project manager is managing an agile project. The project sponsor asks the project manager whether agile supports entering a fixed-price contract with the customer instead of a time-and-materials contract. The customer needs a fixed-price contract to support their concrete business goals.
What should the project manager’s response to the sponsor be?
A.Inform the customer that agile does not support fixed-price contracts, as it favors customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
B.Inform the customer that agile supports only time-and-materials contracts, as scope is not fixed in agile.
C.Agree with the customer to move forward with fixed-price contract, as there is no such restriction in agile.
D.Influence the customer to use a time-and-materials contract, as the cost overrun of this contract lies with the customer.
Solution: C. Agree with the customer to move forward with fixed-price contract, as there is no such restriction in agile.
In agile environments, specific sellers may be used to extend the team. This collaborative working relationship can lead to a shared risk procurement model where both the buyer and the seller share in the risk and rewards associated with a project.
Larger projects may use an adaptive approach for some deliverables and a more stable approach for other parts. In these cases, a governing agreement such as a master services agreement (MSA) may be used for the overall engagement, with the adaptive work being placed in an appendix or supplement. This allows changes to occur on the adaptive scope without impacting the overall contract
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Article (August 2012) /PM Network/Fewell, J. (2012). True agility. PM Network, 26(8), 28./Fewell, Jesse/ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/agile-project-managertrue-agility-2305]
| Article (August 2012) /PM Network/Fewell, J. (2012). True agility. PM Network, 26(8), 28./Fewell, Jesse/ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/agile-project-managertrue-agility-2305]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2017) /PMI// [Item Section 12]
Question
A project manager leaves an ongoing project and is replaced by a new project manager. What should the new project manager do first to help ensure the success of the project?
A.Become familiar with the project goals as specified in the project charter.
B.Consult the issues log and lessons learned register kept by the former project manager.
C.Modify the project schedule and budget to include knowledge transfer activities.
D.Meet with key stakeholders and update the communications strategy as necessary.
Solution: A. Become familiar with the project goals as specified in the project charter
In order to successfully lead a project, the PM must first understand the purpose of the project and what the goals and deliverables are. The document that defines the project is the Charter.
PMBoK Sixth Edition Chapter 1 states: “
1.2.6.3 PROJECT CHARTER AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
The project charter is defined as a document issued by the project sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
The project management plan is defined as the document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled”
Therefore, the first place to go to for the new PM is the Project Charter.
The distractors are correctly worded. Once the PM is familiarized with the Project Charter then the PM shall do these other activities
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/1/ [Item 1.2.6.3 Project Charter and Project Management Plan]
| Project Manager’s Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (2015) David I Cleland and Lewis R Ireland/McGraw Hill Companies, Inc./6.4/240 [Item]
| The Project Management Tool Kit: 100 Tips and Techniques for Getting the Job Done Right (2004) Tom Kendrick/AMACOM/63/134 [Item]
Question
A project manager is helping their organization transition from using predictive methods to agile methods. The leadership team complains to the project manager that less work is being done after the agile approaches were implemented.
How should the project manager respond to the leadership team?
A.Ask all team leads to explain why less work has been done since the agile implementation began.
B.Explain a decrease in productivity is expected in the beginning as teams try to understand and adjust to agile approaches.
C.Enforce 2-week sprints across the organization so all teams deliver at the same agile cadence.
D.Stop implementing agile if the organization is not making any improvements and people are becoming frustrated.
Solution: B. Explain a decrease in productivity is expected in the beginning as teams try to understand and adjust to agile approaches.
Agile is a disruptive transformation, resistance is normal and benefits are not visible immediately. A, C, and D are recommendations that will impact further the agile adoption and delay the productivity improvements.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI Conference Paper - Transitioning to agile methods (23 October 2012) //// [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/transitioning-agile-methods-5989]
Question
A project team is writing the lessons learned at the end of the sprint. They explicitly declare their willingness to improve their expertise using the retrospective approach.
Based upon the agile manifesto, what should the team focus on?
A.Competing
B.Debating
C.Defending
D.Conversing
Solution: D. Conversing
The Agile Manifesto focuses on individuals and interactions over processes and tools and collaboration. Conversation prevails over defending and debating in regards to improving their expertise. Team members should not compete with each other as this diminishes the motivation to collaborate and achieve goals together as a team.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI-ACP Exam Prep, 2nd Ed edition (Oct, 15) Mike Griffiths/RMC/7/395 [Item]
Question
A project manager learns that a new law will go into effect that will regulate the type of products the company can manufacture. The company is planning to launch a new product in the next few weeks that would not comply with the new regulations. The project manager meets with the sponsor and stakeholders to discuss the changes.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Update the project charter to reflect the results of the meeting.
B.Plan to launch the product on time without modification but update the risk management plan.
C.Plan to modify the product to meet the new regulations before the law goes into effect.
D.Advise the sponsor and stakeholders to cancel the launch until the product can be modified to meet the new regulations.
Solution: A. Update the project charter to reflect the results of the meeting
This new law can have a profound effect on the project. It will certainly lead to new potential risks, new assumptions and possible charter changes. Launching the product that would not comply with regulations could lead to legal actions and loss of company reputation, clearly not a good idea. Modifying the product may be done prior or post launch, this would be determined through the discussion with the sponsor and stakeholders and updating the project charter.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI//81 [Item]
| The AMA Handbook of Project Management, Third Edition (No Date) /AMACOM/Project Management Process Groups’ Interactions, Par.3/ [Item]
Question
A project manager is on a project with high technical complexity. The project manager is developing the resource plan based on the learnings from a pilot rollout and decides to apply the resource profile used during the pilot to the complex technical project.
Which of the following criteria should the project manager use to apply the resource profiles to meet the project needs for the full roll-out? (Choose 3).
A.Project complexity
B.Business domain
C.Organization size
D.Project duration
E.Team size
Solution: A, C, and D. Project complexity, Organization size, and Project duration
Correct answers are project complexity, organization size, and project duration. The project duration and complexity will have an impact on scaling weightings. The team dynamic, in which stage of team development the team is will impact the project duration and it could be an important factor. The organization factor will determine how many (if) resources need to be externally resourced.
The business domain is not a factor because the project scope is already set. The team size is also irrelevant because the profiling is done per skill.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2013) //Resource profiling/Kaczmarek, M. & Lakshminarayanan, H/ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/resource-profiling-macro-view-needs-5945
Kaczmarek, M. & Lakshminarayanan, H. (2013). Resource profiling. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.]
Question
A supplier has been awarded a firm fixed price (FFP) contract to provide various materials for a construction project. The supplier has received all necessary documents relating to material standards and specifications. By contract, the supplier must deliver all materials to the construction site on a specific date.
When the materials arrive at the site on time, why should the project manager inform the inspections group?
A.To inform the team member responsible for the materials to pick them up
B.To provide the finance department with documentation needed to pay the supplier’s invoice
C.To advise the procurement department that the contract has been fulfilled
D.To ensure that the materials comply with the contract standards and specifications
Solution: D. To ensure that the materials comply with the contract standards and specifications
The delivered materials need to be verified as complete and correct. The PM is responsible to ensure that standards are met.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Amazon - Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Control (No Date) /Amazon - Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Control/11/917 [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/8/298 [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/8/ [Item 8.3.2.4 Testing/Product Evaluations ]
Question
A project manager is on a project in collaboration with a vendor. The vendor responded to all the Request for Proposal (RFP) criteria and the project manager is working on the Statement of Work (SOW). The project sponsor wants to reduce the project cost and asked the project manager to recommend options for the reduction of external cost.
Which option has the best chance of success?
A.Develop two project plans and delegate the delivery responsibility to the most senior external resource
B.Develop a single project plan, taking full responsibility for the delivery
C.Develop two project plans, and delegate the delivery responsibility to the most senior internal resource
D.Develop a single project plan, and share responsibility for the delivery
Solution: B. Develop a single project plan, taking full responsibility for the delivery
Single plan, full responsibility: Planning and ownership remain the responsibility of the project manager.
Two plans, delegate externally or internally: For clarity of scope, there shall be only one active and approved project management plan. The project manager is ultimately responsible for the success of the project, including project deliverables.
One plan, share responsibility: One plan is to be expected, however the responsibility ultimately remains with the project manager. Lack of accountability for the delivery will very likely result in a ‘blame game’ otherwise.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI.org (2003) //Practicalities of supplier management on global projects/Goodman, E./ [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/supplier-management-global-projects-pitfalls-7775
Goodman, E. (2003). Practicalities of supplier management on global projects: avoiding the pitfalls. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2003—EMEA, The Hague, South Holland, The Netherlands. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.]
Question
The production of a key component in a construction project is outsourced to a third-party vendor. The vendor informs the project manager that due to component shortages, the product will arrive in variable quantities and during a longer delivery schedule.
What should the project manager do to address this issue?
A.Meet with the project sponsor to discuss penalties that can be imposed because of the changes.
B.Adjust the project phases to match the delivery schedule of this critical component.
C.Review the third-party vendor’s terms of delivery as specified in the vendor contract.
D.Review the procurement plan for contract cancellation procedures while researching alternate suppliers.
Solution: C. Review the third-party vendor’s terms of delivery as specified in the vendor contract
A contract should clearly state the deliverable schedule and method expected, including any knowledge transfer from the seller to the buyer. The vendor contract should also include statements regarding penalties for non-performance and other contingencies.
A purchasing contract includes terms and conditions and may incorporate other buyer specifics as to what the seller is to perform or provide. It is the project management team’s responsibility to make certain that all procurements meet the specific needs of the project while working with the procurement office to ensure organizational procurement policies are followed.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fifth Edition (2015) PMI/PMI/12.3.2.2/383 [Item]
| Advanced Project Management A Structured Approach 4th Ed (1/1/2004) Frederick Harrison and Dennis Lock/Gower Publishing Co./3/27 [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/12/ [Item 12.3 Control Procurements]
Question
A project manager needs to contract with a provider for a large government project. Project guidelines mandate that all potential providers have the same understanding of the procurement process.
What should the project manager hold to ensure compliance with the guidelines of the project?
A.Direct negotiations with providers of similar past projects
B.Bidder conference
C.Individual meetings with each potential provider
D.Procurement team video conference
Solution: B. Bidder conference
A bidder conference is a meeting between the buyer and prospective sellers prior to proposal submittal. They are used to ensure that all prospective bidders have a clear and common understanding of the procurement and no bidders receive preferential treatment.
Direct negotiations- They don’t ensure common messaging all potential bidders. May exclude other bidders.
Individual meetings- The same message will not be conveyed.
Procurement team- No bidders are present
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PM: Sys Aprch Plng, Sch & Cntrl,11th (11th) Harold, Ph.D. Kerzner/Wiley//Page 982 - 19.3 Conducting the procurements [Item]
| PMBOK® Guide—Fifth Edition (5th) PMI/PMI//Page 375. Section 12.2.2.1 Bidder Conferences [Item]
Question
A project manager is leading a project where a vendor is engaged. The project team has a dependency on the vendor to complete some work first. However, the vendor is constantly failing to complete their work on time.
How should the project manager mitigate this risk?
A.Create an integrated project schedule with the vendor and keep regular checkpoints with the vendor.
B.Get approval from the project sponsor to add a contingency buffer to the project, and inform the vendor about it.
C.Remove this vendor immediately, and start the request for proposal (RFP) process for new vendor selection.
D.Ask the vendor to add new resources, and approve overtime for existing resources to deliver their work on time.
Solution: A. Create an integrated project schedule with the vendor and keep regular checkpoints with the vendor
Before changing the vendor or allocating more resources it is preferable to address the synchronisation and communication issues.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMI Conference Paper (19 October 2008) //// [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/vendors-cost-more-project-prevent-risks-6949]
Question
A project manager is leading a project where a vendor is engaged in a fixed price contract. Even though the project requirements and timelines have been clearly defined and shared with the vendor, the project sponsor is worried about cost overrun.
How should the project manager respond to the sponsor?
A.Inform the project sponsor that the risk of cost overrun is transferred to the vendor.
B.Discuss this issue in the next team meeting and ask team members for feedback.
C.Ask the project sponsor to provide contingency funding to mitigate the risk.
D.Issue a request for proposal (RFP) to identify potential vendors if the issue materializes.
Solution: A. Inform the project sponsor that the risk of cost overrun is transferred to the vendor.
In a fix price contract there is no risk of cost overrun, there is no need for mitigation actions
PMBoK Sixth Edition Chapter 12 states: “12.1.1.6 ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS ASSETS
The various types of contractual agreements used by the organization also influence decisions for the Plan Procurement Management process.
Fixed-price contracts. This category of contracts involves setting a fixed total price for a defined product, service, or result to be provided. These contracts should be used when the requirements are well defined and no significant changes to the scope are expected. Types of fixed-price contract include:
Firm fixed price (FFP). The most commonly used contract type is the FFP. It is favored by most buying organizations because the price for goods is set at the outset and not subject to change unless the scope of work changes.
Fixed price incentive fee (FPIF). This fixed-price arrangement gives the buyer and seller some flexibility in that it allows for deviation from performance, with financial incentives tied to achieving agreed-upon metrics. Typically, such financial incentives are related to cost, schedule, or technical performance of the seller. Under FPIF contracts, a price ceiling is set, and all costs above the price ceiling are the responsibility of the seller.
Fixed price with economic price adjustments (FPEPA). This type is used whenever the seller’s performance period spans a considerable period of years, or if the payments are made in a different currency. It is a fixed-price contract, but with a special provision allowing for predefined final adjustments to the contract price due to changed conditions, such as inflation changes or cost increases (or decreases) for specific commodities’
This is a case of Fixed Price Contract, therefore, the correct answer is: “Inform the project sponsor that the risk of cost overrun is transferred to the vendor”
The Distractors are valid and accepted
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/12/ [Item Plan Procurement Management Process Fixed Price Contracts]
| PMI Conference Paper (19 October 2008) //// [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/vendors-cost-more-project-prevent-risks-6949]
Question
Which of the following is not an effective way to build trust within virtual teams?
A.Spend some part of the meeting focused on building relationships and learning about other team members’ capabilities
B.Help people manage conflicts, dealing with any that arise, and not avoid them
C.Ensure that team members feel empowered to make and act on decisions
D.Hourly, daily, and weekly check-ins with your team members
Solution: D. Hourly, daily, and weekly check-ins with your team members
The question is what would not be done to build trust within a virtual team?
Hourly, daily, and weekly check-ins with the team members may not help us to build trust within a virtual team. Scheduling meetings too frequently is a form of micromanagement and can be a waste of time and a source of discontentment. It is more important to empower the team members, and trusting the team to do their jobs is empowering. Project team members who feel empowered to make decisions about the way they work perform better than those who are micromanaged. Meetings will need to be held, of course, but scheduling more meetings than necessary is counterproductive. A project team in which its members trust each other is willing to go the extra distance to deliver success. People are less likely to do the extra work it may take to succeed if they do not trust their project team members, project manager, or the organization. Redundant and unnecessary meetings could serve more as an impediment than a path to a high-performing team.
Spending some part of the meeting focused on building relationships, empowering the team, and managing conflicts will help us to build trust with virtual teams.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/successful-leadership-virtual-project-teams-6039 [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/successful-leadership-virtual-project-teams-6039]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.2.2 PROJECT TEAM CULTURE] [2.2.3 HIGH-PERFORMING PROJECT TEAMS]
Question
What may cause leaders to ignore the Shared Leadership Potential in their teams? (Choose 2)
A.Over-confidence in their own role
B.Providing autonomy and control
C.Fear of becoming dispensable
D.Trusting the team
Solution: A and C. Over-confidence in their own role and Fear of becoming dispensable
The correct answers are over-confidence in their own role and fear of becoming dispensable.
Over-Confidence in Their Own Role
Team leaders might believe that leadership behaviors are superior to task-related behaviors and that only a higher ranking (formal) leader can provide adequate leadership behavior due to their leadership capabilities.
Fear of Becoming Dispensable
Leaders might have trouble acknowledging that a team might be better off without their interference because that makes them feel dispensable.
Leaders should be able to trust their teams and grant them a level of autonomy. These factors do not make leaders ignore the Shared Leadership Potential in their teams.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/shared-leadership-virtual-team-10058
Question
Which of the following reduces complexity on any project?
A.Team members are represented by diverse time zones
B.Team members come from multiple global offices
C.Team members have a variety of cultural backgrounds
D.Team members use an agreed upon process to get the work done
Solution: D. Team members use an agreed upon process to get the work done
In virtual team environments, it is essential to have agreed upon processes and procedures to ensure effectiveness in resolving issues and reporting on the project to ensure the project keeps moving forward toward a successful conclusion.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/best-practices-virtual-project-teams-6038 [Item https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/best-practices-virtual-project-teams-6038]
Question
ABC’s case study points out the significance of a key attribute of communication. Which key attribute does it highlight?
A.Interactive communication can help maintain project team/stakeholder engagement.
B.Effective communication includes who, how, when, how often, and the context of communication.
C.Pull communication includes the information sought by the stakeholders.
D.None of the above
Solution: B. Effective communication includes who, how, when, how often, and the context of communication.
Effective and efficient communication requires key details such as who, when, how often, context, etc. ABC’s project manager should have kept this in mind while communicating with stakeholders.
Communication is the most important factor in engaging with stakeholders effectively. Planning communication for the project entails considering the following:
Who needs information?
What information does each stakeholder need?
Why should information be shared with stakeholders?
What is the best way to provide information?
When and how often is information needed?
Who has the information needed?
Question
ABC’s project manager did not receive a response from the stakeholders. To avoid this, the project manager should have adopted all of the following measures, except which?
A.Changing the message to suit the context.
B.Adhering to the existing communication method.
C.Tailoring the communication style.
D.Reassessing the need for communication.
E.Validating the quality of the business proposal.
Solution: B. Adhering to the existing communication method.
To avoid miscommunication and increase the chances of project success, it is important to adopt effective communication methods and tailor them to the needs of various stakeholders. This involves changing the message to suit the context, adapting the communication style, reassessing the need for communication, and validating the quality of the business proposal. Due to key communication failures, ABC failed to obtain the contract, despite having the best product. Communication styles must be reassessed periodically to suit the current project and stakeholder needs. The project manager should have also taken the time to review the quality of the business proposal and confirm that it met the needs of the stakeholders effectively.
Question
Which of the following could have been better used by ABC’s project manager to increase the chances of successfully obtaining the contract?
A.Monitoring the market landscape for the need for electric conductors.
B.Appointing a project manager with relevant domain knowledge of the project.
C.Effectively analyzing and tailoring stakeholder communication methods.
D.Launching the product in multiple geographical locations at the same time.
E.Conducting a brainstorming session with stakeholders at project inception.
Solution: C. Effectively analyzing and tailoring stakeholder communication methods.
Effective communication of the product’s business value would have increased the chances of the project’s success. The project manager should have tailored stakeholder communication methods to better demonstrate value. This involves selecting the appropriate method and style of communication, prioritizing stakeholders, and providing information to demonstrate business value.
The other options can all be helpful, they are not as essential to the project’s success as effective communication.
Question
A project manager is leading an environmental project and realizes that they missed an influential foreign stakeholder. After the project manager contacted the stakeholder, the stakeholder requested a copy of the project documents in their local language.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor.
B.Tell the stakeholder that the documents are available only in the performing organization’s language.
C.Update the stakeholder register.
D.Ignore the request and continue working.
Solution: C. Update the stakeholder register
The first step to do when a new stakeholder is identified is to add them to the stakeholder register.
Stakeholders never should be ignored, so the choice to ignore their request is incorrect.
A project manager should try to provide information in a form that stakeholders need, so flippantly telling the stakeholder that documents are unavailable in their language would not be correct. The project manager should at least see what kind of accommodation could be made.
There is not enough information to know whether the sponsor needs to be involved, e.g., whether the stakeholder asked for proprietary documents, so this choice is incorrect.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI// [Item]
Question
A project manager is consolidating project documentation such as videos, pictures, audio, to ensure the team is sharing out project experiences. Where should this information be placed?
A.Lessons learned register.
B.Knowledge sharing register.
C.Risk register.
D.Issue log.
Solution: A. Lessons learned register
The lessons learned register can include the category and description of the situation. The lessons learned register may also include the impact, recommendations, and proposed actions associated with the situation. The lessons learned register may record challenges, problems, realized risks and opportunities, or other content as appropriate. The lessons learned register is created as an output of this process early in the project. Thereafter it is used as an input and updated as an output in many processes throughout the project. The persons or teams involved in the work are also involved in capturing the lessons learned. Knowledge can be documented using videos, pictures, audios, or other suitable means that ensure the efficiency of the lessons captured.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/4. Project Integration Management/104 [Item 4.4.3.1 LESSONS LEARNED REGISTER
The lessons learned register can include the category and description of the situation. The lessons learned register may also include the impact, recommendations, and proposed actions associated with the situation. The lessons learned register may record challenges, problems, realized risks and opportunities, or other content as appropriate.
The lessons learned register is created as an output of this process early in the project. Thereafter it is used as an input and updated as an output in many processes throughout the project. The persons or teams involved in the work are also involved in capturing the lessons learned. Knowledge can be documented using videos, pictures, audios, or other suitable means that ensure the efficiency of the lessons captured.]
Question
An organization is halfway through a five year project and everything has progressed as scheduled. The latest project assessment indicates that the project will not be in compliance with a recently introduced international regulation.
What should the project manager do?
A.Proceed with the project because the new regulation is not part of the initial project requirements.
B.Conduct a workshop with the project steering committee to review the new regulation and find a resolution.
C.Leverage the contingency reserve to fund the additional tasks required for the new regulation.
D.Ask for funds from the management reserve because the new regulation is an unknown risk.
Solution: B. Conduct a workshop with the project steering committee to review the new regulation and find a resolution.
The project manager needs to work with the project steering committee to find a resolution and ensure compliance with the new regulation
The other answer choices are incorrect. Proceeding without addressing the new regulation will result in non-compliance upon project completion. The project manager should not ask for new funds or leverage the contingency reserve without getting the approval of the change control board.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Adv PM: A Structured Approach 4th Ed (Jan 1 2004 12:00AM) Frederick Harrison and Dennis Lock/Gower Publishing Co./18/ [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/8. Quality Mangement/282 [Item]
Question
One of the retrospective action items that has recurred for the past two iterations is related to the verification and validation of the delivered functionality before production readiness.
Which two solutions should the project manager use? (Choose two)
A.Adjust velocity for the project team to address additional testing.
B.Incorporate unit and integration test criteria as part of the validation.
C.Modify the methodology of delivery to test-driven development.
D.Review the working agreement for acceptance criteria with the project team.
E.Include a product backlog item to build an integration test suite.
Solution: B and D. Incorporate unit and integration test criteria as part of the validation and Review the working agreement for acceptance criteria with the project team.
The project manager should incorporate unit and integration test criteria as part of the validation and review the working agreement for acceptance criteria with the project team. Working agreements help define what “ready” means (so the team can take in work) and what “done” means (so the team can judge completeness consistently).
The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not meet the criteria for validation. They either suggest masking the problem without addressing the root cause or do not introduce specific testing measures.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process (No Date) Kenneth S. Rubin//2/ [Item]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/5.1/50
Question
Early in a project, the project manager realizes that one of the key team members is not prepared to perform the assigned task.
How should the project manager address this issue?
A.Ensure training is built into the resource management plan.
B.Review the training requirements with the team member.
C.Review each required task with the team member when it starts.
D.Escalate the issue to the resource’s functional manager for resolution.
Solution: B. Review the training requirements with the team member.
By reviewing the specific skills and knowledge needed for the assigned tasks, the project manager can identify any gaps and develop a plan to address them. This could involve providing additional training, mentoring, or shadowing opportunities.
The other answer choices are not as effective.
Review each required task with the team member when it starts: While this approach could provide the team member with some initial guidance, it does not address the underlying lack of preparation. Without proper training or support, the team member may struggle to perform the tasks efficiently and effectively.
Escalate the issue to the resource’s functional manager for resolution: While the functional manager may be able to provide some assistance, it is ultimately the project manager’s responsibility to ensure that their team members are prepared to perform their assigned tasks. This includes identifying and addressing any training needs.
Ensure training is built into the resource management plan: While this is a good long-term solution, it does not address the immediate issue of the unprepared team member. The project manager needs to take action now to ensure the team member can contribute to the project.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition PMI/PMI/2.2.1.3/18
| Project Managers Portable HandBook, 3rd Ed (No Date) //2.4/ [Item]
Question
A project manager in a quickly growing hybrid organization is becoming increasingly frustrated at the rapid amount of change in daily operations. Several newer team members have already left the team or have been promoted to other roles in the organization.
What should the project manager do to ensure the project governance remains stable?
A.Work with leadership to update the organizational process assets (OPAs).
B.Develop a new social contract to empower the team.
C.Update the team charter with new team members.
D.Update the project management plan on a regular basis.
Solution: A. Work with leadership to update the organizational process assets (OPAs).
By working with senior leadership to update the OPAs, the project manager can help to ensure that the organization has a clear and consistent understanding of how work should be done. This will help to reduce confusion and frustration among employees, and it will also help to ensure that project governance remains stable in the face of rapid change.
The other answer choices are not as effective.
Develop a new social contract to empower the team: A social contract is an agreement between the project manager and the team that outlines the expectations for behavior and performance. While a social contract can be helpful in creating a positive and productive team environment, it is not enough to ensure project governance remains stable in a rapidly changing environment.
Update the team charter with new team members: The team charter is a document that outlines the team’s purpose, goals, and roles and responsibilities. While it is important to update the team charter when new team members join the project, this is not enough to ensure project governance remains stable in a rapidly changing environment.
Update the project management plan on a regular basis: The project management plan is a document that outlines the overall approach to managing the project. While it is important to update the project management plan as needed, this is not enough to ensure project governance remains stable in a rapidly changing environment.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI//43, 47 [Item]
| Project Managers Portable HandBook, 3rd Ed (No Date) //2/ [Item Project organizational design]
Question
In order to function optimally, a project team should have a project charter that states the vision or purpose of the project and a clear set of working agreements. To achieve this, which question should the project charter answer?
A.Why is this project being done?
B.Why did the organization prioritize this project?
C.What are the key risks and their mitigation?
D.Who will be doing the work?
Solution: A. Why is this project being done?
Answering why the project is being done would explain the purpose of the project.
The other options are less of a priority for addressing the project vision and purpose.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/4/75 [Item 4.1]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/5/49 [Item CHARTER THE PROJECT AND THE TEAM]
Question
In the midst of an ongoing agile construction project, the project manager receives notification that the local government has recently approved stricter sustainability legislation applying to all construction projects in the region. These new regulations will have an impact on the project’s materials and processes related to sustainability.
What should the project manager do first to adapt to these newly instituted environmental parameters?
A.Meet with the product owner to update the project plan to incorporate the new sustainability requirements.
B.Organize a team workshop to identify and evaluate solutions for meeting the new sustainability requirements.
C.Continue the project as planned and meet with stakeholders to describe the new regulations and solicit their feedback.
D.Request a timeline extension from the project client to allow for additional time needed to meet the new requirements.
Solution: A. Meet with the product owner to update the project plan to incorporate the new sustainability requirements.
The project manager should work with the product owner to adapt the project plan to incorporate the new sustainability requirements and ensure that the project aligns with the updated legislation. The project manager and the product owner should work together to identify the specific requirements that apply to the project and to develop a plan for meeting those requirements.
Organizing a workshop is not the first step that the project manager should take. Before organizing a workshop, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of the new requirements and how they impact the project.
Continuing the project as planned ignores the impact of the new regulations and can lead to non-compliance and costly changes later in the project. It’s crucial to update the project plan first to ensure alignment with the new requirements before seeking feedback from stakeholders.
Requesting a timeline extension is incorrect because it may not be necessary. It is important to understand the impact of the changes before requesting additional time, as it helps provide a more accurate and justified request.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/3/ [Item 3.1.3]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) PMI/PMI/ [2.3.7 INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER PERFORMANCE DOMAINS]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) PMI/PMI/ [x3.4 EVOLVING FOR STRONGER BENEFITS REALIZATION]
Question
A company must launch a global product to respond to a competition threat. As part of an agile approach, the team chooses Region X as the baseline to test the first iteration. While the product meets standards and requirements in Region X, it does not comply with two of the other regions’ standards.
What should the project manager do?
A.Ensure that the product meets the standards and requirements in Region X and plan future iterations to address the noncompliance with the standards in the other regions.
B.Document this as a noncompliance in the quality management plan and correct it in the next iteration.
C.Re-plan all of the iterations to meet all three regions’ standards within the scope of the work.
D.Connect with customers from each region to reach an agreement on the existing design.
Solution: A. Ensure that the product meets the standards and requirements in Region X and plan future iterations to address the noncompliance with the standards in the other regions.
An agile approach refines work items and delivers them frequently. It also assures controlling quality to comply with the requirements throughout the project. In the case of non-compliance, the project manager should plan iterations to implement other requirements and standards. The project manager should prioritize ensuring that the product meets the standards and requirements of the region where it will be launched first. Once the product is launched in Region X, the project manager can then plan future iterations to meet the standards and requirements of the other regions. This approach allows the project manager to respond to the competition threat while also ensuring that the product meets the needs of all of the target markets.
The other options are incorrect because are not the most realistic and feasible solutions.
Documenting this as noncompliance in the quality management plan is incorrect because it does not address the fact that the product does not meet the standards and requirements of two of the other regions. The project manager needs to take action to modify the product to meet those standards.
Re-planning all iterations is incorrect because it is not feasible to re-plan all of the iterations to meet all three regions’ standards within the scope of the work. This would require a significant amount of rework and could delay the launch of the product.
Connecting with customers is incorrect because it does not resolve the issue of the product not meeting the standards and requirements of two of the other regions. The project manager needs to take action to modify the product to meet those standards.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK® Guide Seventh Edition (2022) PMI/PMI//[A GUIDE TO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE 2.5 PROJECT WORK PERFORMANCE DOMAIN]
Question
A project manager was assigned to deliver new software for university students. In this project, the software is being delivered to a specific niche of people. To better understand this niche, the project manager needs to develop an archetype user.
How should the project manager do that?
A.Create a persona character.
B.Contract with an architecture firm.
C.Submit a public questionnaire.
D.Publish a marketing plan.
Solution: A. Create a persona character.
The project manager should create a persona to develop an archetype user representing a set of similar end users, described with their goals.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they will not help the project manager learn about the niche group and develop archetype users in a timely manner.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/9/339 [Item]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/Glossary/152 [Item]
Question
A functional manager involved in a project complains about the latest quality metrics reports associated with all previous iterations. The team does not think this is a valid complaint.
What should the project manager do first?
A.Fix the reports to accommodate the functional manager’s complaints.
B.Speak to the functional manager to understand their specific concerns.
C.Review the RACI matrix to identify who is responsible for quality metrics.
D.Perform a quality audit to validate the applied quality metrics.
Solution: B. Speak to the functional manager to understand their specific concerns.
The first thing a project manager should do in this situation is speak to the functional manager to understand their specific concerns. This will help the project manager determine whether the concerns are valid and, if so, what steps need to be taken to address them.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Fixing the reports to accommodate the functional manager’s complaints should only be done once the project manager has a good understanding of the functional manager’s specific concerns and has determined that they are valid. Reviewing the RACI matrix to identify who is responsible for quality metrics and performing a quality audit to validate the applied quality metrics are important but not the first things the project manager should do.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/10.3/389 [Item]
| Project Management Essentials, 2nd Edition (No Date) Kathryn N. Wells and Professor Emeritus Timothy J. Kloppenborg//5/Project scheduling [Item]
Question
An inexperienced project manager requires HR support for a project. The HR manager hired interns and sent them for training. However, the training did not deliver on the competency-based outcomes. The HR manager is not willing to accept the training costs because the training budget is exhausted.
What should the project manager do to resolve the situation?
A.Prepare clear training requirements for full-time staff and interns.
B.Identify the competency gaps and collaborate with the HR manager for options.
C.Communicate training and hiring requirements to the HR manager.
D.Analyze the risk, update the risk register, and inform the HR manager.
Solution: B. Identify the competency gaps and collaborate with the HR manager for options.
The best option to resolve the situation is to work with the HR manager to identify the gaps and relevant solutions.
All the other options are important but do not work towards a solution for the current situation.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process (No Date) Kenneth S. Rubin//19/335 [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/9.3 - Acquire resources/330 [Item]
Question
A project manager is managing a long-term project that is behind schedule. The client is concerned that the project will be delayed.
Which two actions should the project manager take to address the client’s concerns? (Choose two)
A.Create a new baseline schedule.
B.Review the change control process.
C.Add more resources to critical path tasks.
D.Perform a risk reserve analysis.
E.Run some activities concurrently.
Solution: C and E. Add more resources to critical path tasks. and Run some activities concurrently.
The project manager should add more resources to critical path tasks (crashing) and run some activities concurrently (fast tracking).
The other answer choices are incorrect. Creating a new baseline schedule hides the problem or changes the timeline; reviewing the change control process and performing a risk reserve analysis do not address the client’s concerns immediately.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Mastering Project Time Management, Cost Control, and Quality Management (No Date) Randal Wilson//7.3/ [Item Once the project manager has established monitoring tools to gather information that allows him to assess work activity performance, if the data suggests that a particular work activity is not producing the performance expected, he will need to implement a change to alter the performance to meet expectations, which is called a control.]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/6/6.5.2.6 SCHEDULE COMPRESSION [Item Crashing. A technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources. Examples of crashing include approving overtime, bringing in additional resources, or paying to expedite delivery to activities on the critical path.
Fast tracking. A schedule compression technique in which activities or phases normally done in sequence are performed in parallel for at least a portion of their duration. ]
Question
A team member in a hybrid organization informs the project manager of a new way to execute an activity with a shorter duration. The project manager has not used the new process before, but a trusted team member explains that their previous experience with the process validates the efficacy of the new process.
Which two actions should the project manager take? (Choose two).
A.Involve the team member’s functional manager.
B.Postpone the decision until the next sprint.
C.Update the work breakdown structure (WBS).
D.Assess the impact of adopting the new process.
E.Communicate the impact with key stakeholders.
Solution: D and E. Assess the impact of adopting the new process and Communicate the impact with key stakeholders.
The project manager should assess the impacts of implementing the new process and communicate the findings with key stakeholders. Assessment will help identify the opportunities and threats of implementing the new process. It is necessary that the project manager communicates the results of the analysis with key stakeholders.
The other answer choices are incorrect. They may occur after the impact is assessed and the stakeholders are made aware. Involving the functional manager may not be necessary at this stage. Postponing the decision is not efficient, the project manager should assess the impact first because the new process may help execute an activity with a shorter duration, which would benefit the project. Updating the WBS is not necessary at this time because no decision has been made at this point.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Effective Project Management, 8th Edition (No Date) /Robert K. Wysocki/8 How to launch a TPM Project/Managing scope changes [Item]
| O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Software Project Management by Dutt and Chandramouli/Chapter 2 - Introduction to Software Project Management [Item 2.3.2 Procedure/Process Procedure describes the way in which a product is developed. The order and types of procedures are devised by the team members. https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/software-project-management/9789389552782/xhtml/chapter002.xhtml]
Question
A project manager is overseeing an agile project that has finalized scope and compliance requirements. During a regular project review, a stakeholder informs the project manager that proposed changes to the country’s safety legislation could impact the project’s scope.
What should the project manager do?
A.Focus on completing the activities per the product backlog.
B.Analyze the impact of the legislative changes on the project plan.
C.Incorporate the changes in the next sprint based on the proposal.
D.Ask the sponsor to approve the additional budget for the change.
Solution: B. Analyze the impact of the legislative changes on the project plan.
Changes in the external environment will impact value delivery within the organization. Legislative changes can have a significant impact on a project’s scope, compliance requirements, timeline, and budget. Analyzing this impact is crucial to understanding how the project may need to adapt.
The other options are incorrect because the most important step for the project manager to take is to analyze the impact of the proposed change.
Focusing on completing backlog activities does not address the potential impact of the legislative changes on the project. This also assumes that the project can proceed without considering the potential impact of external factors like legislative changes.
Implementing changes immediately without analyzing their impact could lead to unnecessary disruptions and might not align with the project’s overall goals and objectives.
Asking the sponsor to approve the additional budget without a clear analysis of the situation is premature. It is possible that the changes will not have a significant impact on the project, or that they can be accommodated within the existing budget and schedule.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Chapter2/ [Item Agile project management for business transformation success]
| Succeeding with Agile (No Date) //15/295 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) PMI/PMI/ [2.1.1 VALUE DELIVERY COMPONENTS]
Question
A company has launched a new strategic project. The goal and scope of the project were loosely defined at the executive committee meeting, and the stakeholders have been appointed. The project manager needs to hold the kickoff meeting. However, most of the stakeholders are in different locations and some are on vacation.
What should the project manager do?
A.Hold the kickoff meeting with the available stakeholders and update others later.
B.Postpone the kickoff meeting until the stakeholders have returned.
C.Schedule one-on-one sessions with the stakeholders before they leave.
D.Arrange a virtual team kickoff meeting with the stakeholders.
Solution: D. Arrange a virtual team kickoff meeting with the stakeholders.
A virtual team kickoff meeting allows the project manager to engage with all stakeholders, regardless of their location or vacation schedule. This ensures that all stakeholders receive the same information and have an opportunity to ask questions. Additionally, virtual team kickoff meetings can be recorded and shared with stakeholders who are unable to attend live.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Holding the kickoff meeting with only some stakeholders present can lead to a lack of alignment and understanding among stakeholders. Additionally, updating stakeholders who were not present can be time-consuming and may not be as effective as providing them with the information in person. Postponing the kickoff meeting can delay the start of the project and may not be feasible if the project has a tight deadline. While one-on-one sessions with stakeholders can be helpful for gathering input and addressing concerns, they do not provide the same level of engagement and interaction as a group meeting.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Information Technology Project Management, 7th Ed. (2015) Kathy Schwalbe/Course Technology/3/99 [Item]
| Project Managers Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (No Date) //6.4/ [Item Project Initiation and Execution- Project startup]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [4.4.3 MEETINGS AND EVENTS]
Question
A project manager in Location A works with a local team, while developers are in another remote location, and a quality assessor is in yet another remote location. The project manager is aware that these distances mean that the team could struggle with lag when needing to communicate.
What could the project manager do to mitigate this issue?
A.Increase the number of standup sessions per day.
B.Source new team members locally.
C.Create a fishbowl window.
D.Decrease the need for team communications through backlog grooming.
Solution: C. Create a fishbowl window.
There are a myriad of tools that project managers can employ to facilitate working with virtual and remote teams. Geographically distributed teams need virtual workspaces. A fishbowl window alleviates lag by providing a long-lived video link that remains open during the workday for a dispersed team. In this way, people can see and engage spontaneously with each other, reducing the collaboration lag otherwise inherent in the geographical separation.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they either do not solve the issue of communication lag or they are not feasible.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Chapter 9: Communication; Project Communication Strategy; from Project Kickoff to Daily Meetings/ [Item The Complete Software Project Manager]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/4/47 [Item]
Question
Even though the customer is receiving sprint velocity and results reports from the project manager by email, escalations to the project sponsor complaining about project performance are common. What should the project manager do in this situation?
A.Involve the customer in the sprint planning and review sessions to agree on release dates.
B.Schedule regular sessions with the customer to explain the reports and address feedback.
C.Send a document detailing the team capacity and role assignments to the customer.
D.Have the technical leader call the customer to explain the technical details about the project issues.
Solution: B. Schedule regular sessions with the customer to explain the reports and address feedback.
The project manager needs to understand why the customer is escalating even though he is receiving the reports. The best way to address this situation is to schedule regular sessions with the customer to receive feedback and provide more details.
The other answer choices are incorrect. These options do not address understanding the main issue the customer is having with project performance, but instead promote agreeing on release dates, sending documents, and involving the technical leader.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //6/ [Item Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers, 2nd Edition
Chapter 6 section: PMs are communicators]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/4/ [Item Section 4.2.1.2]
Question
A new project manager joins an existing team. The project manager is made aware that there are strong personalities on the team, which has resulted in management becoming involved to resolve team performance issues.
What should the new project manager do when first joining this team?
A.Implement the plan that senior management has developed to resolve conflicts on the team.
B.Review the team velocity records and observe the team and interactions between the team members.
C.Follow the advice of the most vocal team member on how to improve team dynamics.
D.Observe the team and determine who should be removed from the team.
Solution: B. Review the team velocity records and observe the team and interactions between the team members.
As the new project manager joins the existing team , they should simply observe to understand the dynamics and nature of the existing team. If there is dysfunction, all the more important to observe, and then take action once there is a better understanding of the team.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Implementing plans that the project manager is not fully aware of before getting to know the team may have adverse effects; listening to the most vocal team member does not take into account the thoughts of the entire team; and observing the team to remove a member is not the primary goal of the new project manager.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Coaching Agile Teams (00/00/0000) Lyssa Adkins//9/211 [Item]
| O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Succeeding with Agile - Chapter 6 - Overcoming Resistance/ [Item]
Question
A project manager is planning the next release for the software development team. The team has completed two releases to date, and the product backlog for the next release has been confirmed.
Which of the following tools should the project manager use to plan the duration for the next release?
A.Product roadmap
B.Resource calendar
C.Work breakdown structure (WBS)
D.Burndown chart
Solution: C. Work breakdown structure (WBS)
The WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the work to be done in a project. It is used to estimate the total effort required to complete the project. By breaking down the work into smaller tasks, the project manager can get a better understanding of the time and resources required to complete each task. This information can then be used to estimate the overall duration of the project.
The other answer choices are incorrect. The product roadmap is a high-level plan for the development of the product but it does not provide any information about the time required to complete each release. The resource calendar shows the availability of resources, such as people and equipment but it does not provide any information about the tasks that need to be completed or the time required to complete each task. A burndown chart is used to track the progress of a project. It shows the amount of work remaining to be done over time but it is not used to estimate the duration of a project.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Chapter 8: Planning Releases and Sprints/ [Item Agile Project Management For Dummies, 2nd Edition]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/5/64 [Item]
Question
Due to budgetary constraints, the program manager has requested that project managers prioritize resources over schedule milestones. A project manager reviews the resource histogram and finds that 80% of the project’s resources will be used in the last month of the project.
What should the project manager do?
A.Request that activities be fast-tracked to make better use of available resources.
B.Allow some of the current resources to be available for other projects.
C.Suggest the program manager perform an integrated resource leveling among the projects.
D.Continue the project execution according to the original plan.
Solution: C. Suggest the program manager perform an integrated resource leveling among the projects.
Suggesting the program manager perform an integrated resource leveling among the projects is the best option. Integrated resource leveling is a technique used to balance resource demand across multiple projects. This can be done by adjusting activities’ start and end dates across projects. In this case, the project manager would need to work with the program manager to identify other projects that have resources that could be used to support the project during the first few months. This would help to spread out the resource demand throughout the project and make it more likely that the project can be completed on time and within budget.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Fast-tracking is a technique used to accelerate the completion of a project by reducing the duration of activities. In this case, fast-tracking is not a good option because the project manager is already facing budgetary constraints. Allowing some of the current resources to be available for other projects may be a necessary step if the project cannot be completed on time and within budget with the current level of resources. However, in this case, it is better to try to level the resources across all projects so that no one project is disproportionately impacted. Continuing the project execution according to the original plan is not a viable option, as the current resource allocation will not allow the project to be completed on time and within budget.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/6.5.2.3/211 [Item Resource Optimization: Resource Leveling]
| Portfolio Management: A Strategic Approach (1-Jan-01) Levin and Wyzalek/CRC Press// [Item]
| The AMA Handbook of Project Management, Third Edition (2011) Paul C. Dinsmore and Jeannette Cabanis-Brewin/AMACOM/23/ [Item Project Portfolio Management: Principles and Best Practices]
Question
A project manager receives an email shortly after the beginning of a sprint. It is from a key stakeholder who is unfamiliar with agile methodologies and has a serious complaint about the work that was just started. The stakeholder insists that one deliverable should be changed.
What should the project manager do?
A.Address the request at the daily standup and ask for the project team’s opinion.
B.Modify the backlog to accommodate the change, and tell the team to start the requested deliverable immediately.
C.Schedule a meeting with the stakeholder and product owner to discuss the request.
D.Cancel the current sprint, schedule a priority retrospective, and invite the stakeholder to discuss the request.
Solution: C. Schedule a meeting with the stakeholder and product owner to discuss the request.
The project manager should schedule a meeting with the stakeholder and the product owner so that the concern can be discussed and addressed.
The other answer choices are incorrect.
The daily standup meeting is for checking the progress of the sprint and addressing the team members’ issues/challenges and is not an appropriate course of action in this situation.
The backlog is owned by the product owner and only the product owner is authorized to make changes to it.
Canceling the current sprint would be a drastic action and should be a last resort.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
IT Project Management, 7th Ed. (7th) Kathy Schwalbe/Course Technology//71 [Item]
PMBOK Guide – Seventh Edition (2021) PMI /// [2.6.3 QUALITY] [2.4.2 PLANNING VARIABLES]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI//52 [Item]
Question
A project manager provided video-based training for new software but several team members reported feeling unprepared to use it.
What should the project manager have done to ensure effective training?
A.Tested the team members’s understanding after they completed the training.
B.Requested that the training department find more appropriate courses.
C.Asked the team members to learn the required skills from the accompanying software manual.
D.Conducted individual and team assessments on their preferred learning method.
Solution: D. Conducted individual and team assessments on their preferred learning method(s).
The project manager should conduct individual and team assessments on their preferred learning methods as different project team members will need different training. By proactively understanding the team’s preferred learning styles and adapting the training approach accordingly, the project manager can create a more engaging and effective experience, ensuring everyone feels prepared to use the new software.
The other answer choices are incorrect. While assessing knowledge is important, it doesn’t guarantee effective training. If the video format doesn’t resonate with team members, testing won’t necessarily improve their skills. Requesting new courses is a reactive approach that could be necessary later, but understanding learning preferences first might reveal ways to adapt the existing training or identify suitable internal options before requesting external resources.
Manuals could be helpful supplements for knowledge, but they often lack interactivity and engagement, potentially leaving some team members behind. A mix of methods catered to individual learning styles is often more effective.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Hybrid (No Date) Robert K. Wysocki//15/533 of 699
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/9.4.2.6 TRAINING/342 [Item]
Question
An urban hotel design project has an international, multidisciplinary, and cross-cultural team. The project manager is in the process of developing the first version of the project management plan.
What should the project manager do?
A.Use a waterfall approach to project management.
B.Delegate most tasks to team members based in their same timezone.
C.Use a single communication channel for the entire project team.
D.Incorporate cultural considerations into the project management plan.
Solution: D. Incorporate cultural considerations into the project management plan.
The project manager should incorporate cultural and communication considerations into the project management plan because it will help to ensure that the project plan is understood and followed by all team members, regardless of their cultural background or communication style.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Using a waterfall approach is not well-suited for projects with complex dependencies or cross-functional teams. Delegating more tasks to team members based on their similar timezone is not fair or practical, as the project manager needs to consider the skills and expertise of the team members, not just their location. Using a single communication channel for the entire project team may not be possible or practical for projects with international or cross-cultural teams. By incorporating cultural and communication considerations into the project management plan, the project manager can help to ensure that the project is successful.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/4.2/82 [Item]
| Project Management & Project Network Techniques (10/24/2005) Keith Lockyer & James Gordon/Prentice Hall/4/23 [Item]
Question
A key stakeholder is upset about the new features in the current iteration for the product. The key stakeholder was unavailable during the last review and did not have the opportunity to provide input.
What should the project manager have done to prevent the stakeholder from being upset?
A.Waited until all stakeholders approved the change before implementing
B.Ensured that updated project information is always accessible to all stakeholders
C.Met individually with every stakeholder to avoid disagreement
D.Scheduled meetings only when all stakeholders could be present
Solution: B. Ensured that updated project information is always accessible to all stakeholders
It is imperative that stakeholders have updated project information that is accessible. This transparency is necessary to ensure all involved are well aligned about the product outcome.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Waiting for the stakeholders to be present or to approve, or meeting with them individually does not avoid disagreement and may cause unnecessary delays.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Effective Project Management, 8th Edition (No Date) /Robert K. Wysocki/8: How to Launch a TPM Project/ [Item The best way to keep stakeholders informed is to send them copies of the meeting notes from your status meetings so they’re aware of the project’s progress. This is simple enough to do but is often overlooked. The effective project manager makes sure all people who have an interest in the project are informed.]
| The AMA Handbook of Project Management, 4th Edition (No Date) Paul C. Dinsmore and Jeanette Cabanis-Brewin//14/Inform the ultimate beneficiaries and others [Item]
Question
Organizations face different challenges within their operational areas due to external factors. This has required companies to develop formal engagement documents to guide their various operations.
How should a project manager make their team members and stakeholders aware of the uniqueness of the organizational standards?
A.The various external factors of the project will be an input to the project management plan and will form part of the briefing at the kick-off meeting.
B.The various external factors should already be understood by team members and stakeholders and including them is optional.
C.Anyone who is involved in the project must understand these various external factors and make an effort to research them.
D.The team members and stakeholders will be informed about these various external factors through the official organizational communications channel.
Solution: A. The various external factors of the project will be an input to the project management plan and will form part of the briefing at the kick-off meeting.
Project environment is one of the ground rules that needs to be communicated to all stakeholders at the beginning. It has to do with the organization, the government, and other external factors from the project itself.
The other answer choices are incorrect. We cannot assume that the team has prior knowledge of the standards and the project has to explicitly ensure awareness.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Mastering Project Human Resource Management (No Date) Harjit Singh/// [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/2.2/38 [Item]
Question
A project is in the execution phase when new team members are onboarded. Before onboarding the new team members, what should the project manager do to reduce the impact of this action on project performance?
A.Conduct a session to update the existing social agreement on how the team will work collaboratively.
B.Schedule a session to let the existing team members explain to the new ones about the current social contract.
C.Organize a meeting with all of the team members to communicate the current social agreement.
D.Plan a meeting with the new team members to explain the rules included in the social contract.
Solution: A. Conduct a session to update the existing social agreement on how the team will work collaboratively.
When new team members join an existing team, a new team is created. The project manager should conduct a session to update the existing social agreement on how the new team will work collaboratively. Setting the ground rules of the new team is a key factor and the role of the project manger in facilitating the participation of everybody to reach an agreement.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not suggest updating the current social agreement to accommodate the new team members.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Succeeding with Agile - Chapter 19 - Coexisting with other approaches/ [Item]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/4 Project Integration Management/80 [Item 4.1.2.3]
Question
A company used to deliver technical services to customers using external labor. When a new project manager arrived, the team hired specialized personnel to reduce costs by delivering an in-house service. Some of the stakeholders are frustrated that the resources are taking too much time to deliver the service.
What should the project manager do to address the concern?
A.Review the communication plan with the frustrated stakeholders.
B.Increase stakeholders’ understanding of the project approach.
C.Rehire the external contractor who provided the service previously.
D.Develop a glide path and communicate the ramp-up plan to stakeholders
Solution: B. Increase stakeholders’ understanding of the project approach.
The project manager should interact with the stakeholders and explain the project approach and plan to address their concerns and reduce frustration.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Reviewing the communication plan doesn’t clarify the project timeline with the stakeholders; rehiring the external contractor that provided the service previously may cause the same issues of delay that frustrated the stakeholders; and developing a glide path does not address stakeholder concerns about the delay.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition
PMI /2.1.1/11
| The AMA Handbook of Project Management, Third Edition (2011) Paul C. Dinsmore and Jeannette Cabanis-Brewin/AMACOM/13A Who determines project success?/ [Item]
Question
One of the project vendors is late in providing a related product solution, which is affecting the release due dates. What should the project manager do to help the agile team manage this impediment?
A.Work with the vendor to understand the alternatives.
B.Review and update the release date with the team.
C.Have the technical lead escalate the issue to the functional manager.
D.Have the team members and experts work together on a solution.
Solution: A. Work with the vendor to understand the alternatives.
The project manager should take ownership of the impediment and work with the vendor to find solutions or alternatives. The project manager can work with the vendor to identify potential alternatives that could mitigate the delay. The project manager also needs to understand the full scope and impact of the delay.
The other answer choices are incorrect because before taking action, the project manager should have a thorough understanding of the issue and possible paths forward. Reviewing and updating a release date without assessing the delay and having an accurate release date is not good practice. Escalation may be necessary, but the project manager should gain insight into the issue and potential resolutions beforehand. There is also not typically a functional manager in an agile environment. The team cannot make decisions or find a solution without involving the vendor.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process (No Date) Kenneth S. Rubin//9/ [Item Impediment Remover]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/4/ [Item 4.2.1.2]
Question
A project manager has been asked to manage an existing complex project. Some goals have already been delivered by the previous project manager. While reviewing the project management plan, the project manager realizes that one of the key deliverables is missing from the project goal.
What should the project manager do next to ensure the expected project value is delivered?
A.Escalate the issue about the deliverable to the project sponsor.
B.Confirm the expected deliverables and rebaseline the project.
C.Track the deliverable by reviewing the requirements traceability matrix.
D.Use the contingency fund for more resources to complete the missing deliverable.
Solution: B. Confirm the expected deliverables and rebaseline the project.
By confirming the expected deliverables and rebasing the project, the project manager can proactively address the missing deliverable and ensure that the project is on track to deliver the expected value. This will help to build trust and confidence with the stakeholders and increase the chances of project success.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Escalation should be a last resort, as it can create unnecessary tension and conflict. The project manager should first try to resolve the issue with the project team and other stakeholders. While the requirements traceability matrix can be a helpful tool for tracking deliverables, it is not enough to ensure that the missing deliverable is actually completed. The project manager needs to take action to address the issue. While using the contingency fund may be necessary, it should not be the first option. The project manager should first try to identify why the deliverable is missing and then develop a plan to address the issue.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/5.2.3.1/147 [Item]
| PMBoK, Sixth edition (2021) PMI/PMI/5/ [Item Requirements Documentation and Requirements Traceability Matrix]
| The AMA Handbook of Project Management, Third Edition (2011) Paul C. Dinsmore and Jeannette Cabanis-Brewin/AMACOM/8/Location 1822 [Item]
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.6.2.1 Requirements]
Question
A project to develop a new software program has been delivered. The software has been put into production, but members of the project team are continuously contacted by users asking how to use or report problems, even though the project received administrative closure.
What should the project manager have done to prevent this situation?
A.Included an activity in the project scope that allows the project to support the tool after production release.
B.Communicated the project’s conclusion with the rest of the organization formally, as per the communications management plan.
C.Ensured the final product is transitioned to a different group or organization to take care of the software during its life cycle.
D.Asked the team members to stop answering or addressing questions from users and encouraged the users to read the documentation instead.
Solution: C. Ensured the final product is transitioned to a different group or organization to take care of the software during its life cycle.
As the project received administrative closure, the project manager should have ensured that all deliverables, including the new software program, be handed over to a different group or organization that will operate, maintain, and support it throughout its life cycle.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Asking the team members to stop answering or addressing questions or including the activity to support the tool after production release are not a part of the project closure activities. Communicating to the rest of the organization formally is done only after the project closure is obtained.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/4.7.3.2/127 [Item]
| Project Managers Portable HandBook, 3rd Ed (No Date) //7.8.6/ [Item project management outsourcing guidelines]
Question
In a large organization, a project is experiencing communication difficulties. Team members and functional leaders are expressing that they are informed too late or not included in project discussions, or are simply unaware of important project delivery information.
How should the project manager address this situation?
A.Ensure adherence to the agreed process as stated in the communications plan.
B.Send a regular email update to each functional manager regarding the project’s status and next steps.
C.Coordinate a meeting with the team leaders to find a solution.
D.Refer to the RACI chart on who needs to know what and when and ensure compliance.
Solution: A. Ensure adherence to the agreed process as stated in the communications plan.
The project manager should review the communications plan and ensure adherence to the agreed process as stated within. The project manager should develop an appropriate approach and plan for project communication activities based on the information needs of each stakeholder or group, available organizational assets, and the needs of the project. This plan needs to be reviewed and updated.
If there is any communication gaps during the project, it is never too late to include key stakeholders and improve communication.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not mention the importance of a communications plan to address the communication difficulties.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/10.2 Manage Communications/381 [Item Page 381 - Facilitation….]
| Project Managers Portable HandBook, 3rd Ed (No Date) //5.5/ [Item]
Question
A project manager works in an organization using a hybrid project delivery approach. The scope of the project is to implement a new human resources system. The infrastructure will be delivered by another project, and both projects are part of a business transformation program aimed to improve human resources processes. The project schedule needs to be finalized, but the project manager of the other project is unable to provide delivery dates for the infrastructure.
What should the project manager do?
A.Wait for the infrastructure project to have a schedule and then develop the human resources system project’s schedule.
B.Discuss the situation with the other project manager, agree on a few milestones, and then continue working on the human resources system project’s schedule.
C.Develop a schedule based on the information available from the program management team and then progressively align the milestones with the infrastructure project.
D.Develop a schedule based on the information available and ask the other project manager to align the infrastructure milestones with the human resources project’s delivery dates.
Solution: C. Develop a schedule based on the information available from the program management team and then progressively align the milestones with the infrastructure project.
Program milestones are established and must be followed. In this case, the project schedules should be aligned with those milestones. They should know the dependencies between projects in the program and adjust their schedules accordingly.
The other answer choices are incorrect. They do not take into account the entire program management principles and are not aligned with the program manager as a key stakeholder in this case.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge ( PMBOK® Guide )—Sixth Edition (ENGLISH) (2018) /// [Item Program management focuses on the interdependencies between projects and between projects and the program level to determine the optimal approach for managing them. ]
| Effective Project Management, 8th Edition (No Date) /Robert K. Wysocki/11 Complexity and uncertainty in …/Cross project dependencies [Item]
| The AMA Handbook of Project Management, 4th Edition (No Date) Paul C. Dinsmore and Jeanette Cabanis-Brewin//10. Time Management in Practice/ [Item Progressive elaboration enables you to provide a more precise date of when the project will actually be delivered,
https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/the-ama-handbook/9780814433393/xhtml/chapter10.html]
Question
A project manager is managing multidisciplinary teams. During the last project review meeting, the project manager realized that there is friction between some of the team members.
What should the project manager do next?
A.Identify the team members and review their project performance.
B.Consult with the sponsor to find replacements for the team members.
C.Evaluate the issue and apply conflict resolution techniques.
D.Report the issue in the monthly project executive summary.
Solution: C. Evaluate the issue and apply conflict resolution techniques.
The project manager’s priority should be to address the underlying cause of the conflict. Once the project manager has a better understanding of the issue, they can then apply appropriate conflict resolution techniques to help the team members resolve their differences.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not address the root cause of the problem. Identifying the team members and reviewing their project performance may help to identify potential sources of conflict, but it will not resolve the conflict itself. Consulting with the sponsor to find replacements for the team members is a drastic step that should only be taken as a last resort. Reporting the issue in the monthly project executive summary may raise awareness of the problem, but it will not take any steps to resolve it.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/9.5.2/348-349 [Item]
| Project Managers Portable Handbook, 3rd Ed (No Date) //5.4/193-194 [Item]
Question
A project manager leads a project team on a project. This project’s goal is to enhance a product’s capability in the market.
What should be the top consideration when defining the team’s key performance indicators (KPIs)?
A.Alignment with an individual’s growth and development
B.Alignment with the customer’s needs
C.Alignment with the project manager’s goals
D.Alignment with the sponsor’s business goals
Solution: B. Alignment with the customer’s needs
Project teams must balance work in support of individual, sponsor, team, and customer goals to achieve project outcomes. Across the options, the highest goal or top consideration should be to satisfy the customer or client benefiting in its business by enhancing product range or capability. Alignment to the customer needs would be the most appropriate top consideration when developing the metrics to measure their performance.
The other answer choices are incorrect because they would be secondary considerations.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //12/ [Item Key Performance Indicators]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI//9 [Item Figure 2-2. The Twelve Principles behind the Agile Manifesto]
Question
A project team adopted agile practices to meet the business need to develop an application. One of the senior team members inconsistently attends the team meetings, even the daily standup meetings. This senior team member then asks other team members to provide status updates on the senior team member’s behalf.
What should the project manager do to handle this situation?
A.Request the removal of the senior team member due to the participation issues.
B.Remind the senior team member to adhere to the team’s working agreement.
C.Escalate the senior team member’s participation to upper management.
D.Ask the other team members to cover the tasks assigned to the senior team member.
Solution: B. Remind the senior team member to adhere to the team’s working agreement.
The project manager should remind the senior team member of the team’s working agreement and ensure they stick to it.
The other answer choices are incorrect. The project manager should first try to resolve this situation with the senior team member. Having other team members cover is also not sustainable and affects team dynamics. Removal requests are a form of escalation, and is done only if the Project Manager is unable to resolve the current issue.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //1/ [Item Improving Agile Retrospectives: Helping Teams Become More Efficient ]
| The Agile Practice Guide (No Date) PMI/PMI/Chapter 5: Delivering in an Agile environment/50, 51 [Item 5.1 Charter the project and the team]
Question
In the middle of executing an IT project, two project team members discover a new feature that will change the appearance of the product and make it more aesthetically appealing. Excited about the opportunity to add this feature, they approach the project manager to approve this addition to the deliverables, which will increase client satisfaction and possibly increase the company’s chances of receiving additional project contracts from the client.
How should the project manager respond?
A.Approve the idea in order to achieve the projected expectations of the team members.
B.Remind team members that, without an approved change request, the focus should be on the agreed scope.
C.Get the buy-in of the remaining team members and implement the feature once the team members give their consent.
D.Implement the change as soon as possible to improve the possibility for future revenue.
Solution: B. Remind team members that, without an approved change request, the focus should be on the agreed scope.
Any changes to already approved project plans must go through the change management process first. Gold plating is not acceptable by PMI standards.
The other answer choices are incorrect. Although the project manager is excited about the great opportunity, they cannot approve and implement the change without following the correct procedures to meet the contract requirements.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
O’Reilly Platform (No Date) //Chapter 1 Project Management and Accounting/ [Item Project Management Accounting: Budgeting, Tracking, and Reporting Costs and Profitability, Second Edition by Kevin R. Callahan, Gary S. Stetz and Lynne M. Brooks url: https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/project-management-accounting/9781118078228/c01anchor-2.html Under Project Planning The last paragraph before Project Cost]
| PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition (2018) PMI/PMI/5.3.3.1/155 [Item]
Question
A project manager is working on an agile project that is currently in its third iteration. During the ongoing iteration, the customer contacts the project manager requesting additional features. These additional features are considered important and can be accommodated without requiring significant additional resources. The customer requests immediate changes to the current iteration to incorporate the additional features.
How should the project manager respond?
A.Remind the customer that no changes are allowed per the contract.
B.Change the current iteration to include the additional features.
C.Prioritize the additional features for the start of the next iteration.
D.Tell the customer that new features will be added at a later stage.
Solution: C. Prioritize the additional features for the start of the next iteration.
In this case, the project manager should inform the customer that their request has been received and will be prioritized for the next iteration. This will allow the team to complete the work that is currently in progress without disruption, and it will also give the team time to estimate the effort required for the new features and to plan how they will be implemented. This approach is the best way to balance the customer’s needs with the team’s ability to deliver the product on time and to a high standard of quality. It also allows the team to be flexible and to respond to changes in the customer’s requirements.
The other options are incorrect.
Reminding the customer that no changes are allowed is incorrect because the project manager should not simply decline the customer’s request. Agile principles value customer collaboration and responding to change over following a strict plan or contract. While contracts often exist on agile projects, they often have room for flexibility and changes as needed.
Changing the current iteration is incorrect because changes during an ongoing iteration are generally discouraged as they can disrupt the workflow. While there can be exceptions to this, changing the current iteration should be a last resort and should only be considered if the requested changes are absolutely critical and have a higher business value than the current work.
Telling the customer that the additional features will be added at a later stage is incorrect because it does not provide a clear plan of action, which can lead to misunderstandings and dissatisfaction. Agile encourages the prioritization of work based on customer value. It is important to be transparent with customers about the prioritization process and to give them a realistic idea of when their requests will be implemented.
This question and rationale were developed in reference to:
PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition (2022) /// [2.3.3 DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES]
