PgMP Practice Test 13 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A program manager is leading a program that is in the benefits delivery phase. A component project has encountered a significant delay that will impact the program's ability to realize a key benefit on time. The program manager must decide how to address this issue. Which of the following actions is most appropriate to ensure the program remains aligned with its strategic objectives?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Re-evaluate the program's benefits realization plan and assess the impact of the delay on the overall program.. The most appropriate action is to re-evaluate the program's benefits realization plan and assess the impact of the delay. This enables the program manager to understand how the delay affects the overall program and to make informed decisions that keep the program aligned with strategic objectives. It also facilitates the identification of alternative approaches to realize the benefit, possibly through resequencing or other adjustments, while considering the broader program context.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the program sponsor and request a decision on whether to cancel the component project.

Answer

Instruct the component project manager to expedite the project by adding resources, regardless of cost.

Answer

Ignore the delay and continue with the program plan as originally defined, since the component project is only one part of the program.

Question 2

What is the main purpose of the 'Program Roadmap'?

Accepted Answer

To map the delivery of benefits to the strategic goals over time.. The Program Roadmap is a high-level visual representation that maps the delivery of benefits to strategic goals over time, showing how programs will achieve intended outcomes. It aligns projects and program components with the organization's strategy, providing a timeline for benefit realization. This is its main purpose in program management.

Answer

To provide a detailed task list for projects.

Answer

To list all stakeholders in the program.

Answer

To track the daily budget expenditures.

Question 3

A program manager for a global logistics company is assessing whether to continue a program that automates warehouse operations. The organization's new strategic plan emphasizes sustainability and carbon footprint reduction. The program's benefits are primarily cost savings and speed, with no environmental benefits. The program is halfway through and has already delivered several automated warehouses. What is the most appropriate action for the program manager to take first?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a strategic alignment review with key stakeholders to evaluate whether the program can be adjusted to support the new sustainability strategy.. The program manager must first evaluate whether the program can be realigned to the new sustainability strategy. A strategic alignment review engages stakeholders and examines the program's objectives and components against the updated strategy, potentially identifying modifications to support sustainability. This proactive approach balances the organization's new direction with the program's existing investments and delivered benefits, enabling informed decisions about continuation, modification, or termination.

Answer

Continue the program as planned because the original business case was approved and remains valid.

Answer

Immediately terminate the program to avoid further investment in non-strategic initiatives.

Answer

Escalate the decision to the PMO and wait for their directive before taking any action.

Question 4

A program is halfway through its lifecycle when the organization undergoes a major restructuring. The new executive leadership wants to shift the program's focus from cost reduction to revenue growth. The program governance board has not yet met to discuss this change. As the program manager, what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Request an emergency governance board meeting to discuss the strategic shift and its implications for the program's scope, benefits, and resources.. When a significant strategic change occurs, the program manager must engage the governance board promptly. The board is responsible for approving changes to the program's direction, scope, and benefits. Requesting an emergency meeting allows for a structured review and decision, ensuring the program remains aligned with organizational strategy. Unilateral action or delay can lead to misalignment, wasted resources, and governance failures.

Answer

Continue executing the current program plan until the next scheduled governance board meeting, then propose the shift as an agenda item.

Answer

Instruct the project managers to begin incorporating revenue growth initiatives into their project plans while you informally discuss the change with board members.

Answer

Realign the program's objectives and benefits to support revenue growth, then present the revised program charter to the governance board for approval.

Question 5

During a program's execution phase, a program manager learns that a functional manager who is a key stakeholder has been bypassing the program's change control process and directly requesting changes from team members. This has caused confusion and rework. The program manager has already reminded the functional manager of the agreed-upon process, but the behavior continues. What should the program manager do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Meet with the functional manager to understand why they are bypassing the process and jointly agree on a path forward.. The program manager should meet with the functional manager to understand the reasons behind the bypassing and jointly agree on a path forward. This addresses the root cause and reinforces the change control process collaboratively. Escalation, instructing team members to refuse, or passive documentation do not resolve the issue and may worsen relationships. Direct engagement is key.

Answer

Escalate the functional manager's non-compliance to the program sponsor and request disciplinary action.

Answer

Instruct team members to refuse all direct requests from the functional manager and report any future occurrences.

Answer

Update the stakeholder engagement plan to document the functional manager's resistance and increase monitoring.

Question 6

A program manager is leading a complex program with stakeholders across five countries. The program's success depends on maintaining consistent engagement from a remote stakeholder group that has recently shown signs of disengagement. Which action should the program manager take to re-engage this group most effectively?

Accepted Answer

Schedule regular interactive virtual meetings with the group's representatives to discuss concerns and gather input.. Interactive virtual meetings are the most effective way to re-engage a remote stakeholder group. They enable two-way communication, allowing the program manager to address concerns directly and involve the group in decision-making. This approach builds relationships and demonstrates value, which is essential for overcoming disengagement.

Answer

Conduct an online survey to ask the group why they are disengaged.

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Increase the frequency of email status updates to the group.

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Assign a liaison from the program team to send monthly reports to the group.

Question 7

During an audit, it is found that the program's benefits are being tracked in a spreadsheet that is not accessible to the governance board. Why is this a governance concern?

Accepted Answer

It lacks transparency and impedes oversight. Tracking benefits in a spreadsheet that is not accessible to the governance board is a governance concern because it lacks transparency and impedes oversight — the board cannot verify benefit realization, make informed decisions, or fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities. Governance requires visibility into performance data.

Answer

The PMO prefers a specific software tool

Answer

It takes too much time to update

Answer

The spreadsheet might contain errors

Question 8

During a program's execution, a key supplier consistently misses delivery milestones, jeopardizing the program schedule. The supplier's account manager is responsive but claims that internal constraints prevent improvement. What is the most appropriate stakeholder engagement action for the program manager to take?

Accepted Answer

Meet with the supplier's account manager to jointly analyze the internal constraints and identify solutions.. Collaborative problem-solving with the supplier's account manager is the most effective engagement action. It addresses the root cause of the delays and leverages the responsive contact to find mutually acceptable solutions. Escalation or replacement should be considered only if collaboration fails to produce results.

Answer

Escalate the supplier's performance issues to the program sponsor and request a contract penalty.

Answer

Begin identifying alternative suppliers to replace the current one.

Answer

Send a formal letter to the supplier's executive team demanding immediate corrective action.

Question 9

During the benefits delivery phase, an organization goes through a restructuring. The original benefits owners are no longer in their roles. What is the most effective way to maintain benefits momentum?

Accepted Answer

Formalize the transfer of benefits to the new operational leadership.. When benefits owners leave due to restructuring, the most effective way to maintain momentum is to formally transfer benefits ownership to the new operational leadership. This ensures continuity of accountability and keeps benefits realization on track by embedding ownership in the current organizational structure. Formalizing the transfer also documents the change and prevents benefits from becoming orphaned.

Answer

Cancel the program until new owners are identified.

Answer

Re-assign benefits to the Program Manager.

Answer

Wait for the new organizational structure to stabilize before acting.

Question 10

A program manager learns that a vendor partner has been providing informal progress updates directly to a program steering committee member, bypassing the program's agreed communication protocol. The updates have caused confusion about scope changes. What should the program manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Meet with the vendor and the steering committee member to reinforce the agreed communication protocol and agree on how scope changes will be reported.. The first step is to realign the parties on the agreed communication protocol through a joint discussion. This addresses the root cause of the scope confusion, reinforces expectations without punitive action, and restores the program manager's control over information flow while preserving the vendor and governance relationships.

Answer

Issue a formal contract amendment requiring all vendor communications to go through the program management office.

Answer

Ask the steering committee member to stop communicating with the vendor entirely.

Answer

Document the incident in the program risk register and wait for the next steering committee meeting to raise it.

Question 11

A program manager discovers that the program governance board has been making decisions without considering the impact on the portfolio. What is the best way to correct this?

Accepted Answer

Align the program governance board with the portfolio management office. Programs must align with the portfolio, and governance should reflect this hierarchy.

Answer

Change the program scope

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Ask the board to ignore the portfolio

Answer

Stop the program immediately

Question 12

A program board is comprised of stakeholders with conflicting priorities. How should the Program Manager address this?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a consensus-building session based on program objectives. When a program board has conflicting priorities, the program manager's role is to facilitate alignment around the program's strategic objectives rather than to arbitrate by authority or escalate prematurely. A structured consensus-building session reframes the debate from individual stakeholder preferences to shared program outcomes, enabling the board to make decisions that serve the program's business case. This preserves governance integrity and stakeholder commitment.

Answer

Choose the side of the most senior stakeholder

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Report the board members to the CEO

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Allow the project managers to resolve it

Question 13

Which TWO of the following are key inputs for program planning?

Accepted Answer

The organizational strategic plan.. Option C, the organizational strategic plan, is a key input because programs exist to deliver benefits that align with and advance the organization's long-term goals, so the strategic plan defines the direction, priorities, and expected outcomes that shape program planning. Option E, the approved Program Charter, is a key input because it formally authorizes the program, identifies the program manager, and documents the high-level scope, objectives, stakeholders, and expected benefits that program planning must elaborate. The other options are not standard planning inputs: the finalized project code (A) is a project-level deliverable, the last team meeting minutes (B) are informal working records, and the project manager's personal notes (D) are neither authoritative nor part of the recognized program management inputs.

Answer

The finalized project code.

Answer

The last team meeting minutes.

Answer

The personal notes of the project manager.

Question 14

Which THREE entities are typically involved in the initial development of a program business case?

Accepted Answer

Program Manager. The Program Manager (A) is correct because this role is responsible for translating strategic objectives into a structured business case, defining benefits, costs, risks, and the program's overall justification. Key Business Stakeholders (B) are correct because they provide the business requirements, expected value, and operational context that make the case realistic and aligned with organizational needs. The Program Sponsor (C) is correct because this executive champion authorizes and owns the business case, securing funding and strategic alignment at the initial development stage. Junior administrative staff (D) and an External PR Agency (E) are not typically involved in authoring or approving the initial business case, since they lack the strategic ownership, decision authority, and business accountability required at this early stage.

Answer

Junior administrative staff

Answer

External PR Agency

Question 15

Which THREE entities are typically involved in the program governance process?

Accepted Answer

Program Manager. The Program Manager (A) is correct because this role is directly accountable for the day-to-day management, coordination, and delivery of the program's constituent projects and reports progress to governance bodies. The Program Sponsor (B) is correct because this executive owns the business case, provides funding and strategic direction, and chairs or sits on the governance board to authorize decisions. The Program Governance Board (E) is correct because it is the formal oversight body that approves program strategy, resolves escalated issues, and ensures alignment with organizational objectives. External competitors (C) are outside the organization and have no governance role, and office cleaning staff (D) are facilities personnel with no program decision-making authority.

Answer

External competitors

Answer

Office cleaning staff