PMP Practice Test 5 — 25 Questions

Question 1

A project manager is defining the benefits management plan for a new product launch. The company's strategy includes expanding into emerging markets. Which TWO elements must be included in the benefits management plan to align with the company's strategy?

Accepted Answer

Timeline for realizing benefits. The benefits management plan must include a timeline for realizing benefits (Option B) to ensure that the expected value from the product launch in emerging markets is achieved within a defined period, aligning with the company's strategic expansion. Target benefits such as market share increase (Option C) are also required to quantify the specific outcomes that support the strategy, providing measurable criteria for success.

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The business case justifying the project

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The project's strategic objectives

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The project scope statement

Question 2

Which THREE of the following are key inputs to the Develop Schedule process?

Accepted Answer

Resource requirements. Option A is correct because resource requirements (e.g., people, equipment, materials) are key inputs to the Develop Schedule process. They define the availability and capacity constraints that directly affect activity durations and the sequencing of work, enabling the creation of a realistic project schedule.

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Risk register

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Cost baseline

Question 3

You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a technical disagreement that has escalated into a personal conflict, causing delays. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Meet with each developer separately to understand their perspectives and facilitate a resolution. Option D is correct because, as a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to address interpersonal conflicts privately and individually to understand each party's perspective before attempting a facilitated resolution. This aligns with the PMI People domain's emphasis on emotional intelligence and conflict resolution techniques, where direct, private conversations help de-escalate tensions and uncover root causes without public embarrassment or escalation.

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Bring the two developers together in a team meeting to resolve the issue openly

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution

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Reassign one of the developers to a different project to avoid further conflict

Question 4

A company is implementing a new customer relationship management (CRM) system. The project manager wants to ensure that the project delivers value aligned with the organization's strategic goals. Which document should the project manager reference to confirm the alignment?

Accepted Answer

Business case. The business case documents the justification for the project, including alignment with organizational strategy, expected benefits, and ROI. For a CRM implementation, the business case would confirm that the system supports strategic goals like improving customer retention or sales efficiency, making it the correct reference for value alignment.

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Project management plan

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Scope statement

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Project charter

Question 5

A team member reports that a task is 50% complete but has consumed 70% of the budget. Which metric indicates that the project is over budget?

Accepted Answer

Cost Performance Index (CPI). The Cost Performance Index (CPI) is the metric that directly compares the value of work performed (Earned Value) to the actual cost incurred. A CPI less than 1.0 indicates that the project is over budget, as it costs more than planned to achieve the work completed. In this scenario, with 50% of the work done but 70% of the budget spent, the CPI would be 0.5/0.7 ≈ 0.71, confirming a cost overrun.

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Budget at Completion (BAC)

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Estimate at Completion (EAC)

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Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

Question 6

You are the project manager for a global team with members from different cultures. You want to build a high-performing team. Which TWO actions are MOST effective for fostering collaboration and trust?

Accepted Answer

Develop a team charter that defines ground rules for communication and decision-making. A team charter establishes shared norms for communication and decision-making, which is foundational for cross-cultural collaboration. It proactively addresses potential misunderstandings by defining how the team interacts, making it a core tool for building trust and cohesion in a global team.

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Implement a strict performance review system with individual targets

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Rotate team members across different roles to increase versatility

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Assign a single communication tool and require its exclusive use

Question 7

Match each tool or technique to its application in project management.

Accepted Answer

Work Breakdown Structure: Decomposes project scope into manageable components. The correct matches are A, C, and E. Common confusions include mixing up WBS with EVM or CPM definitions.

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Work Breakdown Structure: Measures project performance against baseline

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Critical Path Method: Decomposes project scope into manageable components

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Earned Value Management: Identifies the longest sequence of dependent activities

Question 8

Match each project management process group to its primary purpose.

Accepted Answer

Initiating: Defines and authorizes the project or phase.. The five process groups are Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Their correct purposes are as described in the correct options. Common confusions include swapping the definitions of Monitoring and Controlling and Closing.

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Monitoring and Controlling: Finalizes all activities to formally close the project or phase.

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Closing: Tracks, reviews, and regulates progress and performance.

Question 9

A project manager is leading a software development project. The sponsor insists on using a waterfall approach, but the team has experience with agile and believes it would be more effective. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting with the sponsor and team to discuss trade-offs.. Option A is correct because the project manager's first responsibility is to facilitate a data-driven discussion between the sponsor and the team. By presenting trade-offs—such as the waterfall's rigid phase-gate structure versus agile's iterative feedback loops—the PM can align the project's delivery approach with its business environment and benefit realization strategy, without prematurely escalating or bypassing authority.

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Adopt agile without informing the sponsor.

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Follow the sponsor's directive and use waterfall.

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Escalate to the PMO to resolve the conflict.

Question 10

During a team meeting, a junior developer hesitates to share an innovative idea due to fear of criticism. The project manager notices this and wants to foster a culture of psychological safety. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Explicitly invite the developer to share and reassure that all ideas are valued.. Option B is correct because the project manager's first action should be to directly invite the hesitant developer to share their idea in the moment, explicitly stating that all ideas are valued. This immediate, public invitation and reassurance directly addresses the fear of criticism and models psychological safety, which is a foundational behavior for fostering an innovative team culture. In the PMP context, this aligns with the 'Servant Leadership' principle and the 'Team Performance Domain,' where the PM actively creates an environment of trust and safety.

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Move on to the next agenda item to avoid discomfort.

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Assign the developer a task to present the idea next week.

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Privately praise the developer for past contributions.

Question 11

During a project's execution phase, a key stakeholder requests a change that would add a new feature. The project manager estimates the impact: 2 additional weeks to schedule and $15,000 to budget. The project currently has 0 schedule reserve and $5,000 contingency reserve. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Document the change request and conduct a formal impact analysis. Option D is correct because the PMBOK Guide mandates that all change requests must be formally documented and analyzed for impact before any approval or rejection. Even though the project has a contingency reserve, the change introduces a new feature, which is a scope change requiring a formal change control process. The project manager must first document the request and conduct a thorough impact analysis to assess alternatives, risks, and stakeholder implications before deciding on the change.

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Approve the change using contingency reserve and inform the stakeholder

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Implement the change immediately since the stakeholder is key

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Reject the change because there is insufficient reserve

Question 12

Which TWO of the following are components of the project management plan?

Accepted Answer

Risk management plan. The risk management plan is a subsidiary component of the project management plan that defines how risk management activities will be structured and performed. It is formally part of the project management plan, as outlined in the PMBOK Guide, and is created during the planning process group.

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Stakeholder register

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Issue log

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Project charter

Question 13

A key vendor notifies you that they cannot deliver a critical component for another three weeks. This component is on the critical path. You have identified this risk in the risk register with a contingency plan to use a backup supplier. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Execute the contingency plan by contacting the backup supplier and updating the project schedule and budget accordingly. Option D is correct because the risk has occurred (an issue), so the PM should implement the contingency plan as per the risk register. Option A is wrong because escalation is not needed if a plan exists; the PM should follow the plan first. Option B is wrong because starting a new risk assessment delays action when a plan is already in place. Option C is wrong because adding a buffer is not following the existing contingency plan and may not be necessary if the backup supplier can meet the need.

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor immediately

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Conduct a new risk assessment for the vendor delay

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Add a 3-week buffer to the project schedule to absorb the delay

Question 14

In a Scrum project, the team's velocity has been dropping over the last three sprints. The team members seem demotivated and are complaining about too many meetings and unclear priorities. As the agile project manager, what should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a retrospective to identify root causes and collaboratively implement improvements. Option D is correct because the first step in addressing a drop in velocity and team demotivation is to facilitate a retrospective, which is a core Scrum ceremony designed to inspect and adapt the team's process. This allows the team to collaboratively identify root causes—such as excessive meetings or unclear priorities—and implement improvements, aligning with the agile principle of continuous improvement and the PMP's focus on leading the team through servant leadership.

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Set a higher sprint goal to challenge the team to improve

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Add more developers to the team to increase capacity

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Reduce the number of meetings by canceling the daily standup

Question 15

During a sprint review, the product owner expresses dissatisfaction with the feature delivered, stating it does not meet the acceptance criteria. The team disagrees, claiming it meets the definition of done. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a meeting with the product owner and the team to review the acceptance criteria and define done. Clarifying expectations by reviewing the acceptance criteria together resolves the misunderstanding and aligns both parties.

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision

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Support the team's position and ask the product owner to accept the deliverable

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Ask the team to redo the work to meet the product owner's expectations

Question 16

You are managing a hybrid project with a co-located core team and remote subject matter experts. Two senior developers argue daily about the technical approach for a critical module. The conflict is delaying sprint planning and affecting team morale. Which TWO actions should you take first?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a private meeting between the two developers to understand their perspectives and guide them toward a resolution. Option B is correct because facilitating a private meeting between the two developers allows you to understand the root cause of the technical disagreement (e.g., architectural trade-offs between microservices vs. monolith for the module) and guide them toward a collaborative resolution. As a hybrid project manager, you must address conflict directly and early to prevent further delays in sprint planning and restore team morale, aligning with the PMI People domain's emphasis on conflict resolution as a key leadership skill.

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Reassign one developer to a different module to reduce interaction

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Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision

Question 17

Sequence the steps for performing a qualitative risk analysis.

Accepted Answer

Identify risks, then assess probability and impact, then prioritize risks, then categorize risks, then update the risk register.. Qualitative analysis involves identifying risks, assessing probability and impact, prioritizing, categorizing, and updating the register.

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Assess probability and impact, then identify risks, then prioritize risks, then categorize risks, then update the risk register.

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Identify risks, then prioritize risks, then assess probability and impact, then categorize risks, then update the risk register.

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Identify risks, then assess probability and impact, then categorize risks, then prioritize risks, then update the risk register.

Question 18

During a project transition, a key team member resigns unexpectedly. The project manager needs to ensure knowledge transfer and minimize impact. Which THREE actions should the project manager take? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Redistribute the departing member's tasks among the team based on capacity and skills, and update the work breakdown structure. Option A is correct because redistributing the departing member's tasks based on team capacity and skills is a proactive resource management action that maintains project continuity. Updating the work breakdown structure (WBS) ensures the project scope and task assignments are accurately reflected, preventing scope creep and confusion. This approach leverages existing team knowledge and avoids the delays associated with external hiring.

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Ask the remaining team members to absorb the departing member's tasks

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Immediately hire a replacement with similar skills

Question 19

A project manager is leading a team in a country with a high power distance culture. The team members are reluctant to speak up in meetings or challenge the project manager's ideas. How should the project manager foster an inclusive environment?

Accepted Answer

Use anonymous surveys and one-on-one meetings to gather input and encourage participation. In high power distance cultures, direct confrontation or open disagreement with authority figures is often seen as disrespectful. Using anonymous surveys and one-on-one meetings allows the project manager to gather honest input without putting team members in a culturally uncomfortable position, thereby fostering an inclusive environment while respecting cultural norms.

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Tell the team that they must speak up and share their opinions openly

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Appoint a team representative who will speak on behalf of the group

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Ignore the behavior because it is culturally appropriate

Question 20

A project manager is building a new project team. Several team members have never worked together before. The project manager wants to accelerate team development and improve collaboration. Which approach is most effective?

Accepted Answer

Organize a team kickoff workshop with icebreakers and create a team charter together. Initiating team-building activities and setting clear expectations early helps form a cohesive team quickly. This aligns with the Forming stage of Tuckman's model and PMI's emphasis on team charter.

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Assign tasks individually and monitor progress closely

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Send the team to a formal training on teamwork

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Let the team naturally develop norms over time without intervention