Practice Free PMP Exam Online Questions
During the testing phase of a project, the project manager is made aware that components delivered from a specific vendor have defects. However, the vendor refuses to fix the defects because it will incur additional costs for them.
What should the project manager do next?
- A . Ask the vendor for revised timelines and cost needs.
- B . Review the acceptance criteria defined with the vendor.
- C . Communicate with the vendor for contract changes.
- D . Request cancellation of the contract with the vendor.
B
Explanation:
When a dispute arises about deliverable quality, the project manager should first review the contract and the defined acceptance criteria. Acceptance criteria are agreed-upon standards or requirements a deliverable must meet before it is accepted. If the vendor’s components fail to meet those criteria, the vendor may be in breach of contract.
Per the PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Control Procurements involves verifying if deliverables meet contract requirements, including acceptance criteria.
Option A is premature and assumes new terms are needed before confirming the breach.
Option C implies negotiation without verifying the original agreement.
Option D is an extreme measure and only valid after confirmation and escalation.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Procurement Performance Domain
PMI Practice Standard for Project Procurement Management
A company is experiencing a high rate of rejected project deliverables. The project manager is requested to suggest a solution to improve quality.
What should the project manager suggest?
- A . Request that all team members receive the newest quality standards training and review one another’s work.
- B . Request that a quality specialist be assigned to the project to check the final product at the end of the project.
- C . Break down the project into several iterations and incorporate a quality check by a quality auditor in each iteration.
- D . Break down the project into several iterations and incorporate automatic testing and quality improvement sessions.
D
Explanation:
The best way to improve deliverable quality is to embed continuous feedback and inspection throughout the process, rather than relying solely on late-phase inspections. By breaking the project into iterations (an Agile principle), the team can apply automated testing early and often, while also using retrospectives (quality improvement sessions) to continuously improve.
According to the Agile Practice Guide (Chapters 3 and 5), Agile frameworks encourage frequent quality checks, test automation, and continuous integration to reduce defect rates. This approach aligns with “Build Quality In,” a principle emphasized in both the PMBOK® Guide (Seventh Edition) and lean/agile practices.
Option A addresses training but lacks ongoing quality integration.
Option B is reactive and too late in the process.
Option C is better than B, but quality auditing alone is not sufficient.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Quality Performance Domain
Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 5: "Agile Product Quality Management"
A company was acquired, and the new company management asked the project manager to begin using a specific set of metrics immediately to measure team performance. The project manager is working on a predictive project and thinks this request will distract the team and delay the project.
What should the project manager do first?
- A . Assess and analyze the impact of using these metrics.
- B . Involve the team in reviewing the proposed metrics.
- C . Request an extension to implement the new metrics.
- D . Support the required metrics during the next project phase.
A
Explanation:
Before implementing any new directive, especially during an ongoing project, the project manager must first assess its potential impact on project performance, delivery timeline, and team morale. PMI promotes the use of decision-making based on impact analysis and objective evaluation.
According to the PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition (Measurement and Planning Performance Domains), project managers must ensure that metrics align with performance goals and do not create disruptions.
Option B is helpful but premature before understanding the implications.
Option C assumes disruption without validating it.
Option D postpones compliance and could violate governance expectations.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Measurement Performance Domain
PMI Governance of Portfolios, Programs, and Projects Framework
A department lead requested additional items be included in the project during the execution phase.
Their acceptance is mandatory before the project can be closed.
- A . Find a way to accommodate the requested additions.
- B . Schedule a meeting to gain better understanding.
- C . Politely refuse the request stating the project baselines.
- D . Initiate a change request for the additional scope.
D
Explanation:
During execution, any addition to scope must go through the formal change control process. The project manager should initiate a change request for proper evaluation and approval. This ensures that scope, budget, and schedule impacts are assessed before proceeding.
According to the PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, any changes to the baseline during execution must follow the change control procedures defined in the governance structure.
Option A risks scope creep.
Option B is helpful but not sufficient as a next step.
Option C closes the door without considering the critical nature of the request.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Delivery and Planning Performance Domains
PMI Change Control and Governance Guidelines
A multicultural team is working on a project. After a few months of observation, the project manager realizes that two team members are not responding to the construction manager properly. The project manager spoke to the team members individually and found that both had cultural differences with the construction manager.
What should the project manager do to improve the situation?
- A . Ask the team members to tolerate the cultural differences as they have a different cultural background.
- B . Ask the construction manager to meet with the two team members to resolve the situation.
- C . Provide the construction manager with instructions on how to resolve the situation.
- D . Discuss the team members’ concern with the construction manager and seek solutions.
D
Explanation:
The best approach in this situation is for the project manager to facilitate a discussion between the team members and the construction manager to address the cultural differences and seek solutions. This aligns with conflict resolution strategies that emphasize communication, understanding, and collaboration to resolve conflicts in a multicultural team setting12. By discussing the concerns openly, the project manager can help foster mutual understanding and respect among team members, which is crucial for team coordination and performance1.
Reference: Conflict Management, Team Coordination, and Performance within Multicultural Temporary Projects1.
5 Conflict Resolution Techniques in Project Management – PM Study Circle2.
Project team member A has a conflict with project team member B. The project manager believes project team member A’s behavior is unacceptable. However, project team member A believes their behavior is appropriate.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Review the resource requirements to determine if the project team member is a good fit.
- B . Add an agenda item to the next team meeting to manage the conflict.
- C . Ask the project team member to review the team charter and follow up with a one-on-one meeting.
- D . Review the roles and responsibilities of each team member with the team.
C
Explanation:
The team charter defines behavioral norms, team values, and conflict resolution procedures. In conflict situations, the project manager should first refer the individuals to the team charter and address the behavior through a private one-on-one discussion to resolve misunderstanding or misalignment.
The PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition emphasizes use of the team charter as a reference to manage team expectations, promote respectful behavior, and resolve interpersonal issues.
Option A is premature and avoids resolution.
Option B could publicly escalate the issue and create tension.
Option D is generic and doesn’t address the behavioral concern directly.
Reference: PMBOK® Guide C Seventh Edition, Team Performance Domain
PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
A project manager is trying to define a project time line despite having incomplete and ambiguous information on requirements and regulations.
What should the project manager do to finish planning?
- A . Review project documents to identify and eliminate uncertainties and inconsistencies.
- B . Execute a root cause analysis to discover the underlying factors that might lead to risks and issues.
- C . Perform an assumption and constraint analysis to provide more opportunities and remove limiting factors.
- D . Conduct a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis.
After the first iteration, a scrum master notices that some of the team members are struggling with testing their developed product.
What should the scrum master do next?
- A . Log the issue and see if improvements show in the second iteration.
- B . Log the issue and ask a senior member to coach these team members.
- C . Hire new team members to implement the correct way of testing.
- D . Check lessons learned and use the testing process from previous projects.
A team has been working for some time on a project with incremental deliveries. The project manager noticed that one of the team members is less engaged in team meetings, yet delivers promptly. While discussing the source of demotivation, the team member informed the project manager that this is due to a feeling of lack of skills in dealing with new tasks.
How should the project manager address the issue?
- A . Create a self-paced learning plan with the team member during working hours, with checkpoints on learning progress.
- B . Review which tasks the team member would feel more motivated to work on, then assign those tasks to the team member.
- C . Replace the team member with a resource from another team who already has the requisite training and skills needed.
- D . Discuss growth and development needs with the team member and provide learning opportunities accordingly.
D
Explanation:
Addressing a team member’s feeling of lack of skills is best approached by discussing their growth and development needs and providing appropriate learning opportunities. This aligns with the principles of supporting continuous professional development and building competencies within the team. By engaging in a dialogue about the team member’s aspirations and challenges, the project manager can tailor a development plan that includes training, mentorship, or stretch assignments to help the team member acquire the necessary skills and confidence to handle new tasks. This approach not only addresses the immediate issue of demotivation but also contributes to the team member’s long-term growth and the overall capability of the team.
: Based on the best practices for team development and motivation as outlined in PMI’s resources1234, and the principles of professional development for business analysts567.
A customer is concerned with the quality of the product delivery, as the production deployment is approaching.
What should the project manager do next to ensure acceptance of the deliverables?
- A . Test product integration in accordance with the requirements.
- B . Evaluate the quality checklist for product compliance.
- C . Review the approved exit criteria for the product.
- D . Verify the production budget before advancing the product.
C
Explanation:
To ensure the acceptance of deliverables, it is crucial for the project manager to review the approved exit criteria for the product. This involves confirming that the product meets the agreed-upon requirements and quality standards, which are essential for customer satisfaction and formal acceptance. The exit criteria provide a clear and objective way to measure the deliverable’s readiness for deployment and acceptance by the customer. By reviewing these criteria, the project manager can address any concerns the customer may have regarding the quality of the product delivery, thus facilitating a smooth transition to production deployment1.
: = The PMBOK® Guide outlines the importance of verifying that project deliverables meet the requirements and acceptance criteria before they are considered complete2. The PMP Examination Content Outline also emphasizes the need for project managers to ensure that deliverables are ready for acceptance3. The Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials support this approach by highlighting the role of exit criteria in validating the quality and readiness of deliverables4.
