Practice Free PMP Exam Online Questions
A project manager is looking for ways to keep the budget on track throughout the project life cycle.
What should the project manager do to ensure that happens?
- A . Evaluate and test all budget variances.
- B . Baseline the project budget and schedule.
- C . Prioritize high-cost tasks and monitor them.
- D . Use metrics to track the cost performance.
D
Explanation:
To keep the budget on track throughout the project, the project manager should use metrics like Cost Performance Index (CPI), Earned Value Management (EVM), and variance analysis. These tools provide early indicators of cost deviation and allow timely corrective actions.
According to the PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, measuring performance using reliable cost metrics is essential in the Monitoring and Controlling phase of Cost Management.
Option A is reactive and does not prevent overruns.
Option B (baselining) is necessary but not sufficient for tracking throughout the project.
Option C is selective and does not address holistic cost control.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Cost Performance Domain
PMI Practice Standard for Earned Value Management
In an agile project, the team is disagreeing about which user story to complete first. One is technically complex and long to complete. The second is a lower priority but easy to complete.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Have the team complete the technically complex story first.
- B . Work with the product owner to clarify and prioritize the backlog stories.
- C . Have the team complete the less complex story first.
- D . Work with the agile coach on the user stories to avoid conflict.
B
Explanation:
In Agile frameworks such as Scrum, the Product Owner is responsible for maintaining and prioritizing the product backlog. If the team is unclear or in disagreement, the Project Manager (or Scrum Master) should facilitate a conversation between the team and the Product Owner to clarify the order based on business value and dependencies.
Per the Agile Practice Guide, backlog prioritization is a key responsibility of the Product Owner. This ensures the team is always working on the most valuable stories aligned with the project’s strategic goals.
Option A forces a choice without validating the business priority.
Option C risks prioritizing ease over value.
Option D may help with team conflict but does not address prioritization directly.
Reference: Agile Practice Guide, Section 3.1 C Product Owner Role
PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Value Delivery System ―
Presented with flowcharts of the organization’s operations, stakeholders are unfamiliar with several recorded processes, and others note that some recorded processes were discontinued. The project sponsor notices that the chart is several years old and wants an updated version immediately.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Assemble the entire project team to produce new flowcharts from current versions.
- B . Assemble and create teams of experts and stakeholders to update flowcharts to reflect current conditions.
- C . Raise a change request and ask the project sponsor to approve it so the flowcharts can be updated.
- D . Work with a consultant and the project sponsor to produce new flowcharts.
Presented with flowcharts of the organization’s operations, stakeholders are unfamiliar with several recorded processes, and others note that some recorded processes were discontinued. The project sponsor notices that the chart is several years old and wants an updated version immediately.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Assemble the entire project team to produce new flowcharts from current versions.
- B . Assemble and create teams of experts and stakeholders to update flowcharts to reflect current conditions.
- C . Raise a change request and ask the project sponsor to approve it so the flowcharts can be updated.
- D . Work with a consultant and the project sponsor to produce new flowcharts.
A project manager works for an organization that intends to begin using agile delivery, but there is a lack of support from some business units. The project manager needs to address the lack of trust in agile.
What should the project manager recommend?
- A . Implement and establish an agile framework for the project.
- B . Hire a team of contractors for agile project delivery.
- C . Define detailed work instructions for agile project delivery.
- D . Negotiate special arrangements for an agile pilot project.
D
Explanation:
To address the lack of trust in agile within an organization, it is often effective to start with a pilot project. This allows the organization to see the benefits of agile in action without fully committing to a large-scale transformation. A pilot project can serve as a proof of concept, demonstrating the value of agile delivery and helping to build trust among skeptical business units. It provides an opportunity for the organization to learn and adapt the agile framework in a controlled environment, which can then be scaled up based on the success of the pilot12.
Reference: TrustCthe key for successful delivery using agile methods1.
How to Build Trust to Enable Agility | Scrum.org2.
Exam PMP topic 1 question 911 discussion3.
How to Choose a Pilot Project for Agile Transformation4.
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.
: 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 team is preparing the closing phase and building a plan for the next phase. One of the project sponsors is complaining that the last phase had some quality deliverable issues. However, the quality acceptance document was signed.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Reopen the quality acceptance documentation to add the sponsor’s complaints.
- B . Schedule a quality review meeting and include the sponsor’s complaints.
- C . Review best practices and lessons learned and apply them to the project plan.
- D . Postpone the next project phase until the impact of the quality issues is assessed.
B
Explanation:
In this scenario, the project manager should schedule a quality review meeting to address the sponsor’s concerns. Even though the quality acceptance document was signed, which typically indicates formal acceptance of project deliverables, it is important to address any complaints regarding the quality of deliverables to maintain stakeholder satisfaction and to ensure continuous improvement. The meeting would provide an opportunity to discuss the issues raised by the sponsor, review the quality acceptance documentation, and determine if there are any corrective actions or process improvements that can be applied to future phases of the project. This approach aligns with the PMI’s emphasis on stakeholder engagement and continuous improvement within project management processes123.
: The answer is supported by the principles found in the PMI’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and the Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials provided by PMI45.
A human resource (HR) acquisition process for a large project has recently changed. One major process change includes the approval of the financial manager and the recruitment manager. This change to the process implies longer processing. The project urgently needs new resources.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Adapt the resource management plan and ask for financial approval before sending it to the customer.
- B . Assess the impact of the change and review the project management plan for next steps.
- C . Ask the financial manager to delay implementation due to potential project delays and penalties.
- D . Review the project schedule to determine which technique will reduce impact on project duration.
B
Explanation:
When faced with a major process change in HR acquisition, especially one that implies longer processing times, it is essential for the project manager to first assess the impact of this change on the project’s objectives and deliverables. By reviewing the project management plan, the project manager can determine the appropriate adjustments to the project schedule, resources, and strategies to mitigate any negative effects on the project’s timeline and costs. This proactive approach aligns with the principles of effective project management, which include flexibility and responsiveness to changes within the project environment.
: = The PMBOK guide emphasizes the importance of continuously monitoring and controlling project work to address changes and implement necessary adjustments1. Additionally, the role of HR in managing changes during mergers and acquisitions, as outlined in professional business analysis resources, supports the approach of assessing impacts and planning accordingly234.
A key project team member is out on sick leave in the middle of a critical project iteration. The project sponsor learns that any delay with the end-of-iteration release will displease the business stakeholders. Although all team members are cross-functional, they are also working close to full capacity.
What should the project manager do to address this situation?
- A . Discuss the issues with the sponsor to fully convey the problem of the unavailable resource and the amount of work being done. shared.
- B . Discuss this with the sponsor and hold a meeting with the stakeholders so all of the team challenges can be shared.
- C . Discuss this with the team so they can complete the work of the unavailable team member and aim for the release deadline.
- D . Discuss this with the team so they are able to reprioritize critical tasks and aim for the release deadline.
D
Explanation:
The best course of action in this scenario is for the project manager to engage with the team to reprioritize tasks. This aligns with the PMP’s emphasis on the project manager’s role in leading and managing the project team. According to the PMBOK guide, the project manager should work with the team to assess the situation, reprioritize work, and apply resource optimization techniques to ensure that critical project milestones are met. This approach is proactive and focuses on problem-solving within the team’s capacity, rather than escalating the issue or sharing the challenges with stakeholders, which may not lead to a constructive solution.
: The PMBOK® Guide and the PMP Examination Content Outline provide guidance on the project manager’s role in leading the team and managing project work, which includes resource optimization and prioritization of tasks12. The Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials also support the approach of internal team collaboration and problem-solving to address project challenges3.
The team lead on a project has left the organization and management wants to promote engineer A to this position. The project manager is confident that selecting engineer A will add problems to the project and believes that engineer B would better fit this role. The project manager discussed all of the arguments with management but their decision remains unchanged.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Help engineer A to become familiar with this new role and ensure engineer B stays motivated.
- B . Promote engineer B instead since the project manager has the authority to make this decision.
- C . Request management approval that engineer B will be promoted if engineer A fails in this role.
- D . Coach engineer B to be prepared to perform this role if and when engineer A fails.
A
Explanation:
The project manager should support the decision made by the management and assist engineer A in transitioning into the new role. This includes providing the necessary training and resources to ensure engineer A is successful. Additionally, it’s important to keep engineer B motivated and engaged, as their contributions are still valuable to the project. This approach aligns with the PMP objectives of promoting collaboration, supporting team development, and maintaining a productive team environment.
: = This answer is verified by the principles outlined in the PMBOK® Guide, which emphasizes the importance of team development and management’s role in project success1. Furthermore, the Professional in Business Analysis materials support the idea of fostering team skills and maintaining team morale2.