Practice Free PMP Exam Online Questions
In a frequently changing project, the project manager discovers a customer requirement change during a daily meeting.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Give the change to the scrum master to investigate how much additional effort the change will require.
- B . Tell the customer that the requirement change will be put into the next project phase if management approves.
- C . Validate the requirement change with the product owner and development team before redefining the scope.
- D . Escalate to management for approval since the change was not included in the original requirements.
C
Explanation:
When a customer requirement change is identified, the project manager should first validate the change with the product owner and the development team. This ensures that the change is feasible and assesses its impact on the project. The PMBOK Guide outlines the importance of involving stakeholders in decision-making processes and the need for integrated change control to manage changes effectively.
Reference: The response is based on general project management principles as outlined in the PMBOK Guide and the standard practices of stakeholder engagement and integrated change control that are part of the PMP’s body of knowledge
An agile team has released the second version of its product, but the feedback is that the software has many bugs that compromise the user experience.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Facilitate the next retrospective meeting, focusing the team on analyzing root causes and proposing solutions.
- B . Closely evaluate the skill set of the team, looking for technical gaps that need to be filed in order to improve quality.
- C . Hire an external consultancy firm to focus on testing and quality control to avoid the issue in the future.
- D . Propose an internal program that offers incentives for the team members who find and fix bugs.
A
Explanation:
In agile methodologies, retrospectives are vital for continuous improvement and learning from the experiences of past sprints2. By facilitating a retrospective meeting that focuses on analyzing the root causes of the bugs and proposing solutions, the project manager can help the team to identify and address the underlying issues that led to the compromised user experience1. This approach aligns with agile principles, which emphasize team collaboration, reflection, and adaptation to improve processes and product quality2.
Reference:
How to Manage Bugs in Scrum: 10 Best Practices for Agile Teams1.
Sprint Retrospective:
How to Hold an Effective Meeting2.
An agile team has released the second version of its product, but the feedback is that the software has many bugs that compromise the user experience.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Facilitate the next retrospective meeting, focusing the team on analyzing root causes and proposing solutions.
- B . Closely evaluate the skill set of the team, looking for technical gaps that need to be filed in order to improve quality.
- C . Hire an external consultancy firm to focus on testing and quality control to avoid the issue in the future.
- D . Propose an internal program that offers incentives for the team members who find and fix bugs.
A
Explanation:
In agile methodologies, retrospectives are vital for continuous improvement and learning from the experiences of past sprints2. By facilitating a retrospective meeting that focuses on analyzing the root causes of the bugs and proposing solutions, the project manager can help the team to identify and address the underlying issues that led to the compromised user experience1. This approach aligns with agile principles, which emphasize team collaboration, reflection, and adaptation to improve processes and product quality2.
Reference:
How to Manage Bugs in Scrum: 10 Best Practices for Agile Teams1.
Sprint Retrospective:
How to Hold an Effective Meeting2.
A project manager was recently assigned to a banking IT project. The project team has been developing products using a predictive approach for more than 10 years, but management wants the team to change to an agile approach. The project manager met with the team to introduce the agile approach. Most of the team members complained about changing approaches because the performance of this team has always been above average among the IT teams in the bank.
Which two actions should the project manager take? (Choose two)
- A . Interview the most resistant team members to persuade them to try to accept an agile approach.
- B . Conduct training sessions with the team so that the team can understand what the agile approach and mindset are.
- C . Ask the team to identify the product backlog and create a kanban board for the team to manage and follow the approach.
- D . Meet with management to explain the team’s resistance to the agile approach and request that they formally ask the team to implement agile.
- E . Brainstorm with the team to understand the specifics of the team’s project and to identity possible alternative approaches for the team.
B, E
Explanation:
When introducing an agile approach to a team that has been accustomed to a predictive approach, it is essential to provide proper training and education on the agile mindset and methodologies. This helps in addressing any misconceptions and provides a common understanding of the principles and practices of agile. Additionally, brainstorming with the team allows for collaborative exploration of how agile can be tailored to the specific context of the project, fostering a sense of ownership and easing the transition123.
Reference: PMI’s resources on agile transformation and best practices45678.
A company is interested in reducing production costs in one of its production lines. When the project charter was about to be approved, one of the key stakeholders questioned the project’s value and
caused a delay in the approval.
What should the project manager have done to avoid this setback?
- A . Assessed feasibility and impacts
- B . Developed benchmarking
- C . Analyzed stakeholders
- D . Detailed the project charter
C
Explanation:
To avoid such setbacks, the project manager should have conducted a thorough stakeholder analysis as part of the initial project planning. This involves identifying all stakeholders, understanding their interests and influence, and anticipating their reactions to the project. By doing so, the project manager can engage with key stakeholders early on, address their concerns, and gain their support, which is crucial for the smooth approval of the project charter123.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide4.
Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials5.
Project Stakeholder Management According to the PMBOK2.
Project Charter: Example, Template, Definition, & Purpose6.
A customer interacts directly with a Scrum team and continually requests changes in priorities. This causes confusion among the team members and they complain to the project manager.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Advise the customer to discuss changes with the product owner.
- B . Document this issue in the sprint backlog for discussion at a team meeting.
- C . Ask the customer to submit a change request to the project sponsor.
- D . Encourage the team to clarify the requests with the customer.
A
Explanation:
The project manager should advise the customer to discuss changes with the product owner, who is responsible for managing the product backlog and prioritizing the user stories. The product owner is the key stakeholder who represents the customer’s voice and ensures that the product delivers value to the customer. The product owner also collaborates with the Scrum team and the Scrum master to plan and execute the sprints. By directing the customer to the product owner, the project manager can avoid confusion and conflict among the team members and maintain the integrity of the Scrum process. The other options are not appropriate because they do not follow the Scrum principles and values.
Option B: Document this issue in the sprint backlog for discussion at a team meeting. This option is not correct because the sprint backlog is a list of tasks that the team commits to complete in a sprint, not a place to document issues or changes. The sprint backlog should only be modified by the team members during the sprint, not by the customer or the project manager.
Option C: Ask the customer to submit a change request to the project sponsor. This option is not correct because it goes against the agile mindset of welcoming changes and delivering value to the customer. The project sponsor is not involved in the Scrum process and does not have the authority to approve or reject changes. The product owner is the only person who can accept or reject changes to the product backlog.
Option D: Encourage the team to clarify the requests with the customer. This option is not correct because it may create more confusion and inconsistency among the team members and the customer. The team should not communicate directly with the customer without the involvement of the product owner, who is the single source of truth for the product vision and requirements. The team should focus on delivering the sprint goal and follow the guidance of the product owner and the Scrum master.
Reference: PMBOK Guide 6th Edition, pages 37-38, 170-171, 176-177.
A key stakeholder for a construction project has been spending a lot of time at the site and interrupting the team’s efforts.
What should the project manager do in this situation?
- A . Work to understand the key stakeholder’s concerns and provide feedback in regular project status reports
- B . Arrange an ad hoc meeting to address the key stakeholder’s concerns with team members
- C . Reinforce with the key stakeholder that the project is performing on schedule
- D . Escalate the situation to the project sponsor because the key stakeholder’s behavior is impacting progress
A
Explanation:
According to the PMBOK Guide, the project manager should manage stakeholder expectations by
communicating and working with stakeholders to meet their needs and address issues as they occur. This includes understanding the stakeholder’s concerns, interests, and expectations, and providing timely and accurate information to keep them informed and satisfied. By working to understand the key stakeholder’s concerns and providing feedback in regular project status reports, the project manager can maintain a positive relationship with the stakeholder and avoid unnecessary interruptions and conflicts.
Reference: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 540-541, section 13.3.2.4 Manage Stakeholder Engagement: Data Analysis.
Anew law was published about zoning permits for telecom towers. This may cause cost and schedule overruns for the new network rollout.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Assess and prioritize the impact of the new law on the project plan.
- B . Update the project plan because the law is an obligation for the project.
- C . Minimize the scope to catch the cost and schedule baseline.
- D . Meet the sponsor to ask for additional time and budget increase.
A
Explanation:
When a new law is enacted that affects project parameters, the project manager should first assess and prioritize the impact of the new law on the project plan. This involves analyzing how the changes will affect the project scope, schedule, cost, and quality, and determining the necessary adjustments to the project plan. The assessment should consider the severity of the impact and the urgency of the response required. This approach aligns with the PMBOK® Guide’s principles of conducting a risk analysis to evaluate the potential effects of an uncertain event or condition on the objectives of the project. It also reflects the PMP’s emphasis on adaptive project management, where project managers must be able to respond to changes and dynamic project environments effectively.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide and Standards1.
Due to a statewide emergency, a project team for a global insurance company is being forced to complete a project virtually,. The project manager is tasked with conducting meetings where confidential patient information will be presented.
What tool should the project manager use to conduct meetings with the project team and clients?
- A . Use a third-party instant messaging tool.
- B . Use a password-enabled audio/video product,
- C . Use a popular social media platform.
- D . Use a collaborative electronic whiteboard,
B
Explanation:
In the context of a project team needing to complete a project virtually due to a statewide emergency, and where confidential patient information will be presented, it is crucial to use a secure and reliable tool for conducting meetings. A password-enabled audio/video product would be the most suitable option among the choices provided. This type of tool ensures that only authorized individuals can join the meeting, thereby protecting the confidentiality of the information being presented. It also provides the necessary features for effective communication and collaboration, such as screen sharing, file sharing, and real-time chat. Examples of such tools include Microsoft Teams and Zoom1, which are widely used in project management2.
Reference:
https://www.knowledgehut.com/blog/project-management/pmp-tools
https://www.sessionlab.com/blog/best-meeting-management-software/
A key project stakeholder has started to escalate all issues and main requirements to the project sponsor. The project manager is concemed about the team not receiving direct communications from this stakeholder.
Which two actions should the project manager take to improve the relationship with the stakeholder? (Choose two)
- A . Schedule regular meetings with the key stakeholder to provide updates and receive feedback,
- B . Share weekly status reports with detailed information about the project and team performance.
- C . Submit performance reports and task assignments to keep the stakeholder informed.
- D . Promote an adaptive and transparent environment where the team can easily communicate with the stakeholders.
- E . Provide training to the team on emotional intelligence and status reporting techniques.
A D
Explanation:
According to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) guide, effective stakeholder engagement is crucial for the success of a project. The project manager should schedule regular meetings with the key stakeholder to provide updates and receive feedback. This will ensure that the stakeholder is kept informed about the progress of the project and can provide valuable input. Additionally, promoting an adaptive and transparent environment where the team can easily communicate with the stakeholders will help in building trust and improving the relationship with the stakeholder.
Reference: PMBOK Guide, 6th Edition, Section 13: Stakeholder Management