Practice Free PMP Exam Online Questions
A multinational company is rolling out a new software platform within its subsidiaries. However, the distributed project team struggles to meet regularly. As a result, the project milestones are not being achieved.
What should the project manager do first?
- A . Inform the project sponsor and request additional team members to crash the project schedule to meet the target
- B . Introduce an award system to promote member participation and establish some competition between the subteams
- C . Evaluate the effectiveness of the virtual teams and support them with the necessary technology and equipment
- D . Propose to roll out the new software in one subsidiary and then use the lessons learned to improve the project
C
Explanation:
In distributed or virtual teams, poor communication and lack of effective collaboration tools can severely hinder progress. Before escalating to the sponsor or modifying the rollout strategy, the project manager should first assess the team’s ability to collaborate and identify if technical or communication barriers are the root cause.
The PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition (Chapter on Team Performance Domain) emphasizes the need to support remote and distributed teams with adequate tools and processes. The Agile Practice Guide also recommends leveraging technology to bridge gaps in distributed agile teams.
Option A is premature without addressing the root cause.
Option B can backfire and does not solve collaboration issues.
Option D might be a long-term strategy but is not the first corrective step.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Team Performance Domain
Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 4 C Working with Distributed Teams
During a project’s execution phase, two team members are having conflicts with other team members within the team on technical and interpersonal levels.
Which two actions should the project manager take first to address this conflict? (Choose two)
- A . Ask human resources (HR) to intervene before it escalates and affects the team’s performance.
- B . Arrange individual meetings with the team members who cannot work together effectively.
- C . Address the conflict during team meetings for the entire team to participate and find solutions.
- D . Discuss the conflict early among the affected team members using a direct, collaborative approach.
- E . Plan to resolve the team members’ conflicts after the sprint and focus on achieving the goal.
D
Explanation:
The PMBOK Guide suggests that conflicts should be addressed early and directly among the affected parties using a collaborative approach. This involves open communication and problem-solving techniques to find a mutually acceptable solution. It is recommended to resolve disputes privately and collaboratively, ensuring that the project manager and team members work together to reach a satisfactory resolution1.
Reference: = PMBOK Guide 7th edition; Conflict Resolution Strategies In Project Management (PMP)1.
A product owner is complaining about the team’s performance. The developers are highly skilled, and most of the issues were caused by dependencies. The developers provide a formal status report every day, but it is clear that the other team members are not satisfied with this.
What should the project lead do?
- A . Ask the developers to use peer programming.
- B . Build a task board on a large wall using sticky notes.
- C . Build a detailed schedule and describe each task in detail.
- D . Ask the product owner to reprioritize the backlog.
A project manager is preparing a budget estimation for an international construction project. They decide to consult the project team members who are experienced in this type of project and are familiar with the local laws of the country.
Which budgeting approach would be the least risky for the project team to apply?
- A . Review historical data and provide parametric estimations for the activities, including local law restrictions.
- B . Use a top-down estimation and add contingencies to cover any future impacts regarding the legal context.
- C . Make a general estimation using a standard legal approach and then look to include early definitions.
- D . Discuss and compile the local information about laws to develop bottom-up estimations.
D
Explanation:
Bottom-up estimation is the most detailed and least risky method, especially in complex projects like international construction with localized legal constraints. It allows for the incorporation of precise data, including legal compliance costs, permitting, and regulatory timelines.
The PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition identifies bottom-up estimating as highly accurate because it breaks down the work into smaller packages and estimates each individually. This method is especially useful when local context is critical and legal factors may impact cost.
Option A (parametric estimation) assumes standard historical metrics, which may not be valid across jurisdictions.
Option B (top-down with contingencies) is higher risk and less precise.
Option C is vague and may miss crucial localized compliance costs.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Cost Performance Domain
PMI Practice Standard for Project Estimating
A project manager has taken over a project and realizes a number of the suppliers responsible for the delivery have not done an implementation as complex and large as this project. The project manager reviews the risk log and logs this as a risk. Three months later, two suppliers have missed key milestone dates and delivered substandard work.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Support the suppliers by providing them with additional resources.
- B . Execute the risk response plan and update the issue log.
- C . Ask suppliers to submit a revised plan and schedule.
- D . Execute the risk response plan and update the action register.
A credit collection company is implementing new software to assist customer service agents when calling clients for payments. The software will benefit the company by freeing up staff to work on other projects. Several business areas want to take advantage of this benefit.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Request all of the business areas to plan for a portion of the benefit equally and include it in their staffing plans.
- B . Set up a stakeholder session with all teams to agree and document the benefits and establish ownership.
- C . Ask the project sponsor for approval to distribute the project benefits equally to the business areas.
- D . Ask the project sponsor to make a decision on who will own the benefit and document the decision.
B
Explanation:
The best course of action is for the project manager to facilitate a session with all stakeholders to discuss, agree upon, and document the benefits and their ownership. This aligns with the PMP objectives of engaging stakeholders in the project decision-making process, including benefit analysis and distribution. It ensures that all parties have a clear understanding and agreement on how the benefits will be shared and utilized, which is crucial for project success and stakeholder satisfaction.
: = This approach is supported by the PMI’s guidance on conducting benefit analysis with stakeholders to validate project alignment with organizational strategy and expected business value1. Additionally, the PMI’s standards on project benefit management emphasize the importance of defining and appraising target benefits during project initiation, which includes stakeholder involvement2.
A work package to configure new computer hardware is received, and a list of related project activities have also been identified.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Define the project management plan.
- B . Estimate the resources needed for the activities.
- C . Consult subject matter experts (SMEs) to review the schedule.
- D . Estimate the cost of each activity.
A project manager is reviewing a draft of the project charter with key stakeholders. During the meeting, a conflict occurs between the sponsor and the product owner.
How should the project manager deal with the situation?
- A . Postpone the meeting and invite a subject matter expert (SME) to join the next meeting.
- B . Continue the meeting and ask the project sponsor and product owner to take their discussion offline.
- C . Postpone the meeting and ask the project sponsor and product owner to take their discussion offline.
- D . Continue the meeting and use facilitation techniques to improve communication within the team.
D
Explanation:
When a conflict arises during a project charter review, it’s important for the project manager to address the situation promptly to prevent escalation and maintain focus on the project objectives. Facilitation techniques are a key tool for improving communication and resolving conflicts within a team. These techniques can include active listening, ensuring that each party is heard, and guiding the discussion towards a mutual understanding or agreement. By continuing the meeting and employing these techniques, the project manager can help the stakeholders focus on the common goal of the project’s success, rather than getting sidetracked by the conflict12.
Reference: PM Study Circle: “5 Conflict Resolution Techniques in Project Management” 1
LovePMP: “PMP Questions conflict” 2
A stakeholder informs the project manager about a few compliance-related gaps and issues. The stakeholder then presents several suggestions to the project manager to address the issues.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Use the compliance issues to identify coaching and mentoring opportunities.
- B . Log the feedback from the compliance gaps in the lessons learned register.
- C . Review this with the project sponsor to avoid compliance gaps and issues.
- D . Discuss the suggestions with the staff responsible for the compliance issues.
D
Explanation:
When a stakeholder identifies compliance-related gaps and issues and provides suggestions, it is crucial for the project manager to engage directly with the staff responsible for compliance. This allows for a detailed understanding of the issues, evaluation of the suggestions’ feasibility, and collaborative development of solutions to address the compliance gaps. It is a proactive approach that prioritizes resolving the issues promptly, which is essential given the legal and regulatory implications of compliance matters.
: (Based on the PMBOK® Guide and standards from the Project Management Institute1, and the principles of addressing compliance issues as outlined in the Professional in Business Analysis materials2.)
A stakeholder informs the project manager about a few compliance-related gaps and issues. The stakeholder then presents several suggestions to the project manager to address the issues.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Use the compliance issues to identify coaching and mentoring opportunities.
- B . Log the feedback from the compliance gaps in the lessons learned register.
- C . Review this with the project sponsor to avoid compliance gaps and issues.
- D . Discuss the suggestions with the staff responsible for the compliance issues.
D
Explanation:
When a stakeholder identifies compliance-related gaps and issues and provides suggestions, it is crucial for the project manager to engage directly with the staff responsible for compliance. This allows for a detailed understanding of the issues, evaluation of the suggestions’ feasibility, and collaborative development of solutions to address the compliance gaps. It is a proactive approach that prioritizes resolving the issues promptly, which is essential given the legal and regulatory implications of compliance matters.
: (Based on the PMBOK® Guide and standards from the Project Management Institute1, and the principles of addressing compliance issues as outlined in the Professional in Business Analysis materials2.)