Practice Free PMP Exam Online Questions
A project manager discovers that the project team is spending a large amount of time delivering several reporting formats for the same project updates to multiple stakeholders.
What should the project manager do to reduce the time spent on these activities?
- A . Segment the types of communications to be delivered to different stakeholders.
- B . Update the communications management plan to remove less influential stakeholders.
- C . Hold biweekly status meetings to deliver information to all stakeholders at once.
- D . Delegate all of the stakeholder communications activities to a project team member.
A
Explanation:
To optimize the time spent on reporting, the project manager should segment the types of communications based on the needs and interests of different stakeholders. This tailored approach ensures that each stakeholder receives information that is relevant to them, without the need for multiple reporting formats for the same updates. It also aligns with the principles of effective communication and stakeholder engagement, which are to provide value and avoid overloading stakeholders with unnecessary information.
Reference: The PMBOK® Guide suggests that the format of communication should depend on the type of stakeholder, and various ways should be tailored to each group1. This is further supported by discussions within the PMP community, where segmenting communications is often recommended as a best practice for reducing time spent on reporting to stakeholders2. Additionally, the Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) materials advocate for the efficient generation of reports that cater to the specific requirements of stakeholders34.
A new project team has formed and the project manager notices that some of the team members do not feel comfortable being part of the project team As a result members of the team are working individually and not as a team
What should the project manager do to resolve this?
- A . Facilitate a team-building meeting to help this issue
- B . Allow the team members to remain in their former individual roles
- C . Directly guide the team members on how to perform their tasks
- D . Wait until some iterations are completed to intervene
A
Explanation:
Team building in project management is the process of developing a cohesive team that will work together to achieve successful outcomes12. It involves identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each member and using those insights to create an environment where collaboration, trust, and open communication are encouraged3. In this case, facilitating a team-building meeting can help address the issue of team members working individually rather than as a team. This meeting can help the team members understand each other better, build trust, and foster a sense of belonging, which can encourage them to work together as a team12.
Reference: Team Building in Project Management | PMI1 Team Building | Project Management Professional (PMP) – GreyCampus2 Ways to Create a Strong Project Team | PMI – Project Management Institute4 Team Building: Success Path to Project Management – Eduhubspot3
An agile project to provide a material information system has started. During the kick-off meeting,
the team realizes that the stakeholders require a solution in 2 months, but it will take at least 4 months to deliver the entire project.
Who should the project manager contact to help the team accelerate the delivery?
- A . The human resources (HR) department―to ask for more resources to add to the project team.
- B . The product owner and the stakeholders―to prioritize the requirements in the product backlog.
- C . The team―to have them increase their velocity to accomplish the stakeholders requirements.
- D . The stakeholders―to have them prioritize the requirements in the product backlog.
B
Explanation:
In an agile project, the product owner is the key stakeholder who represents the customer’s interests and has the authority to prioritize work for the team. If the stakeholders require a solution in a shorter time than it will take to deliver the entire project, it’s important to prioritize the requirements in the product backlog. This way, the most critical features can be developed and delivered first, potentially meeting the stakeholders’ immediate needs while the rest of the project continues. The project manager should facilitate this prioritization process by engaging with the product owner and the stakeholders12.
Reference:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/delivery-manager-vs-project-manager-in-agile https://www.knowledgehut.com/blog/project-management/project-delivery-management
A project manager is managing a project to deploy new software to 200 end users. During the implementation, there is a missed process that caused some of the users to lose their computer data.
What should the project manager do first?
- A . Meet with the team to discuss the root cause and encourage the team to take note of it and continue to focus on the deployment.
- B . Record this case until the final lessons learned session is complete to prevent impacting the team’s morale during implementation.
- C . Meet with the team members and request they conduct a review of the case by providing feedback as lessons learned.
- D . Invite a consultant to review the process in order not to repeat the same issue and share the results with the team.
D
Explanation:
In the event of a data loss during a software deployment, it is crucial for the project manager to take immediate action to prevent further loss and to understand the root cause of the issue. Inviting a consultant to review the process allows for an expert assessment of the situation, which can help in identifying the problem quickly and preventing recurrence. This approach aligns with the best practices in project management and business analysis, which advocate for prompt and effective response to project issues to mitigate risks and ensure project success123.
Reference: Exam PMP topic 1 question 183 discussion – ExamTopics1.
How to Avoid Common Software Deployment Challenges – xMatters2.
Project Managers:
How to Leverage Business Analysis for Project Success – AdaptiveUS3.
During an ongoing project a key resource asks the project manager about the project purpose and if it is aligned with the organization’s strategy.
What should the project manager share with the key resource?
- A . The updated benefits management plan
- B . The updated scope management plan
- C . The updated project management plan
- D . The updated communications management plan
C
Explanation:
The project manager should share the updated project management plan with the key resource, as it contains the information about the project purpose and alignment with the organization’s strategy. The project management plan is the primary source of guidance for the project team and stakeholders, and it integrates all the subsidiary plans and baselines, such as the benefits management plan, the scope management plan, and the communications management plan. By sharing the updated project management plan, the project manager can ensure that the key resource understands the project objectives, scope, benefits, risks, assumptions, and constraints, as well as the communication channels and methods for the project.
Reference: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents) PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 4.2.3.1, page 89
PMP Exam Prep, 10th edition, Rita Mulcahy, page 78
PMP Practice Questions #58 – iZenBridge1
The project manager of an agile project has been asked to reduce the budget by 30%. Since this is a small project team, the budget is primarily allocated to resources.
What strategy should the project manager use in order to keep delivering value in a restricted environment?
- A . Prioritize the product backlog looking for high business value and low effort, and adjust the project budget and staffing to account for those items.
- B . Balance the project team in order to accommodate the budget challenges, and provide training to mitigate the risk of low performance.
- C . Restrict the project scope only to basic critical features, and run the project with the current staffing level until all of the budget is consumed.
- D . Reduce the project staff and adjust the scope and timelines accordingly in support of the budget reduction
A
Explanation:
According to the PMBOK Guide, agile project management is an iterative and incremental approach that delivers value to the customer frequently and responds to changes quickly. One of the principles of agile project management is to maximize the amount of work not done, which means eliminating waste and focusing on the most valuable features. The product backlog is a prioritized list of features or requirements that the project team delivers in iterations or sprints. The project manager, in collaboration with the product owner and the stakeholders, should prioritize the product backlog based on the business value and the effort required to deliver each item. By doing so, the project manager can ensure that the project delivers the highest value possible within the budget constraints. The project manager should also adjust the project budget and staffing to account for the prioritized items, and communicate the changes to the project team and the stakeholders. The project manager should not balance the project team, restrict the project scope, or reduce the project staff, as these strategies may compromise the quality, value, or customer satisfaction of the project deliverables.
Reference: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53…
PMI-PBA Guide, pages 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53…
A new project manager is assigned to an ongoing agile innovation project that started 2 weeks ago. After reviewing the project, the new project manager discovered that the previous project manager was planning to use a predictive approach. The previous project manager planned to present the first major deliverable to the client when the project was completely finished in 8 months.
What should the new project manager do?
- A . Meet with the team to review the backlog and create small iterations that can deliver incremental value to the client,
- B . Continue working with the predictive approach to deliver the value at the end of the project.
- C . Use a hybrid approach in which agile practices are used but the value is provided to the client at the end of the project.
- D . Submit a change request to the project board to adjust the delivery date to 2 months earlier than planned.
A
Explanation:
Agile project management emphasizes the delivery of value to the client in small, incremental stages rather than waiting until the end of the project. This approach allows for more flexibility and adaptability, as changes can be made more easily in response to feedback from the client or changes in the project environment. Therefore, the new project manager should meet with the team to review the backlog and create small iterations that can deliver incremental value to the client.
Reference: Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)CSeventh Edition. Project Management Institute.
An agile team is developing a new content management system. Some of the team members are struggling to deliver certain features since they have never worked on this type of solution.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Replace the members with new members who understand the system.
- B . Encourage the team members to make changes directly in the system.
- C . Ask the team to read through all of the available system documents.
- D . Encourage the team to hold a knowledge-sharing session in each iteration.
D
Explanation:
For an agile team developing a new content management system, it’s important to foster a collaborative environment where knowledge can be shared effectively. When team members struggle with unfamiliar features, holding a knowledge-sharing session in each iteration can be highly beneficial. This approach allows team members to learn from one another, share experiences, and collectively improve their understanding of the system. It promotes continuous learning and adaptability, which are key principles of agile methodologies123.
Reference:
How to Promote Team Learning and Sharing in Agile – LinkedIn1.
How to Integrate Team Learning and Knowledge Sharing in PM – LinkedIn2.
Exam PMP topic 1 question 223 discussion – ExamTopics3.
A product owner has provided the team with a prioritized backlog for the initial launch of a new product. After analysis, the team concludes that some work is missing to support the initial launch and provides this information to the product owner. The product owner acknowledges the missing work and adds it to the bottom of the backlog. The team is not happy with the prioritization that the missing work received.
What should the project manager do in this situation?
- A . Let the project team pull the recommended work from the bottom of the backlog to maximize value creation.
- B . Analyze and reprioritize the backlog and provide the decision to the product owner and team.
- C . Recommend the product owner prioritize the missing work higher because it is needed for the minimum viable product (MVP).
- D . Empower the product owner by supporting the decision and instructing the team to follow the prioritization as provided.
C
Explanation:
The project manager should recommend the product owner prioritize the missing work higher because it is needed for the initial launch of the new product. The product owner is responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog, which is a list of features and requirements that the customer wants to have in the product. The product owner should ensure that the product backlog reflects the customer’s needs and pReference, as well as the project’s scope and objectives. The project manager should collaborate with the product owner and provide guidance and support on the product backlog management. The project manager should also communicate with the agile team and facilitate their involvement and feedback on the product backlog. The project manager should advise the product owner to prioritize the missing work higher because it is essential for the minimum viable product (MVP), which is a version of the product that has enough features and functionality to satisfy the customer’s needs and expectations. The MVP is the main goal of the initial launch of the new product, as it allows the project team to deliver value to the customer early and often, and to obtain feedback and validation for the product. The project manager should explain to the product owner the importance and benefits of delivering the MVP, and the risks and consequences of delaying or omitting the missing work. The project manager should also help the product owner to balance the competing demands and trade-offs of the product backlog, and to align the product backlog with the project’s vision, goals, and strategy.
The other options are not the best actions for the project manager to take in this situation. Letting the project team pull the recommended work from the bottom of the backlog to maximize value creation may cause confusion and inconsistency in the product backlog, as well as conflict and distrust between the product owner and the agile team. The product owner is the sole authority for defining and prioritizing the product backlog, and the agile team should respect and follow the product owner’s decisions. The project manager should not undermine the product owner’s role or authority, but rather support and facilitate the collaboration and communication between the product owner and the agile team. Analyzing and reprioritizing the backlog and providing the decision to the product owner and team may also undermine the product owner’s role and authority, as well as violate the agile principles and values. The project manager should not impose their own decisions or opinions on the product backlog, but rather advise and assist the product owner in making informed and effective decisions. The project manager should also not act as a intermediary or a gatekeeper between the product owner and the agile team, but rather enable and encourage direct and frequent interaction and feedback among them. Empowering the product owner by supporting the decision and instructing the team to follow the prioritization as provided may ignore the agile team’s input and feedback, as well as jeopardize the project’s success and quality. The project manager should not blindly support the product owner’s decision or instruct the agile team to follow the prioritization as provided, especially if the decision or the prioritization is not aligned with the project’s scope and objectives, or the customer’s needs and expectations. The project manager should challenge and question the product owner’s decision or prioritization if it is not based on valid and relevant criteria or data, or if it does not deliver the maximum value to the customer and the project. The project manager should also listen and consider the agile team’s input and feedback, as they have the technical expertise and experience to perform the work and to deliver the product.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition, Appendix X3, Section X3.2.2.4, “Prioritized Product Backlog” PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition, Appendix X3, Section X3.2.2.6, “Minimum Viable Product” PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 13, Section 13.2.2.1, “Stakeholder Engagement Plan”
PMP Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide: 2021 Exam Update, 10th Edition, Chapter 12, Section 12.2, “Agile Project Management” 1
A learn member has a sudden emergency that may last for several days. There are no other team members who can cover their tasks and job duties.
What should the project manager do to address this concern?
- A . Hold an emergency project team meeting to discuss the situation.
- B . Ask the human resources (HR) manager for an external replacement.
- C . Log the situation in the issue log.
- D . Update the key stakeholders on the issue.
C
Explanation:
In the event of a team member’s sudden unavailability, the project manager should first log the situation in the issue log. This is a document where all the issues are recorded and tracked. It’s used to document and monitor the status of all identified issues that can impact the project’s schedule, cost, or scope. The issue log helps the project manager to analyze the issue, assess its impact, and plan the necessary actions to manage it.
While options A, B, and D might be part of the subsequent actions, the first step should be to log the issue. Holding an emergency meeting (option A) might be necessary, but it should be done after recognizing and logging the issue. Asking the HR manager for an external replacement (option B) might be a potential solution, but it’s not the immediate action. Updating the stakeholders (option D) is also important, but it should be done after the issue has been logged and a plan of action has been determined.
Reference: Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide, 6th Edition, Section 11.2: Identify Risks.