PMP Practice Test 30 — 15 Questions

Question 1

Your construction project is halfway through the schedule. The earned value analysis shows: EV = $500,000, PV = $600,000, AC = $550,000. The sponsor is concerned about the schedule delay. You need to present recovery options. Which THREE actions should you recommend?

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

Accepted Answer

Fast-track remaining tasks by performing some activities in parallel. Options B, C, and E are correct. Fast-tracking (B) involves performing activities in parallel to shorten the schedule. Evaluating cost impact (C) is essential before applying schedule compression techniques like crashing or fast-tracking, as they often increase costs. Crashing (E) adds resources to critical path tasks to compress the schedule. Option A is incorrect because reducing scope requires formal change control and stakeholder approval, not a direct recovery action. Option D is incorrect because revising the cost performance baseline does not address schedule delay; it only updates budget expectations.

Answer

Reduce the project scope to meet the original schedule

Answer

Revise the cost performance baseline to reflect current efficiency

Question 2

During a project audit, it is discovered that the quality management plan has not been followed, leading to defects. The project manager needs to address this issue. Which THREE actions should the project manager take?

Accepted Answer

Review and update the quality management plan as necessary. The correct actions are B, C, and D. The project manager should first review and update the quality management plan to ensure it addresses current issues (B). Then, implement corrective actions to fix identified defects (C). Finally, conduct quality audits to verify compliance and prevent recurrence (D). Option A (retrain entire team) may be necessary after the plan update but is not one of the three best immediate actions. Option E (blame team) is unprofessional and ineffective.

Answer

Retrain the entire team on quality processes

Answer

Blame the team for not following the plan

Question 3

During project execution, you receive a change request from a key stakeholder to add a new deliverable. The change would require additional resources and extend the schedule by two months. The project is currently on track. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Document the change request and its disposition in the change log.. Proper change control requires evaluating the impact on the project management plan, updating the plan if approved, and ensuring all changes are documented. Communicating to stakeholders is also part of the process.

Answer

Ask the team to start working on the new deliverable while the change request is being reviewed.

Answer

Add the deliverable to the project scope without formal approval to satisfy the stakeholder.

Question 4

Your project's business case is being reviewed by the portfolio review board. Which THREE components must be included in a well-developed business case?

Accepted Answer

Alignment with organizational strategy. Options A, C, and E are correct. A: Strategic alignment justifies the project. C: Cost-benefit analysis shows financial viability. E: Risk assessment is required. Option B is wrong because detailed schedule belongs to the project management plan. Option D is wrong because resource assignments are part of project planning.

Answer

Detailed project schedule with milestones

Answer

Resource assignment matrix

Question 5

You are closing a project phase. Which THREE activities should be performed during the project closure process?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a lessons learned session with the team.. Project closure includes obtaining formal acceptance, archiving documents, and conducting lessons learned. Updating the risk register is done throughout the project, and team performance appraisals may be done separately.

Answer

Evaluate team member performance and provide feedback.

Answer

Update the risk register with residual risks.

Question 6

You are managing a project to develop a new mobile app. During a sprint, the team encounters a technical challenge that will delay the delivery of a key feature. The product owner is concerned about the impact on the release date. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Communicate the delay and its impact to stakeholders transparently. Options B, C, and D are correct. B: Transparent communication of the delay and its impact to stakeholders is essential to manage expectations and maintain trust. C: Encouraging the team to collaborate on a workaround or alternative solution can help overcome the technical challenge without compromising quality. D: Working with the product owner to reprioritize the remaining backlog ensures that the most valuable features are delivered first, minimizing the impact on the release date. Option A is incorrect because adding more developers may not resolve the challenge faster and can introduce communication overhead and coordination issues (Brooks' Law). Option E is incorrect because reducing testing criteria increases the risk of defects and compromises product quality, which is not acceptable in project management.

Answer

Add more developers to the team to resolve the challenge faster

Answer

Reduce the testing criteria to save time

Question 7

Your project is using a hybrid approach. A new regulatory requirement has been discovered that will affect the project scope. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request to the change control board. The PM must assess impact, submit a change request, and communicate with stakeholders. Ignoring or bypassing change control is incorrect.

Answer

Update the team's backlog immediately to include the requirement

Answer

Inform the team and continue with the current plan

Question 8

A project manager is planning a hybrid project. The team is new to agile and there is resistance to adopting agile ceremonies. Which TWO actions should the PM take to address this?

Accepted Answer

Start with a subset of ceremonies and introduce others gradually. Training helps the team understand the value of agile ceremonies. Starting with a few ceremonies and gradually introducing others eases the transition.

Answer

Mandate participation in all ceremonies without exception

Answer

Replace ceremonies with written status reports

Answer

Eliminate ceremonies that the team dislikes

Question 9

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.

Answer

Work Breakdown Structure: Measures project performance against baseline

Answer

Critical Path Method: Decomposes project scope into manageable components

Answer

Earned Value Management: Identifies the longest sequence of dependent activities

Question 10

Match each knowledge area to its primary focus.

Accepted Answer

Scope: The processes required to ensure the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully.. The correct matches are: Scope focuses on work inclusion, Time on schedule, and Cost on budget. Common confusions arise from overlapping language.

Answer

Scope: The processes concerning the timely completion of the project.

Answer

Time: The processes involved in estimating, budgeting, and controlling costs so that the project can be completed within the approved budget.

Answer

Cost: The processes required to ensure that the project satisfies the needs for which it was undertaken.

Question 11

You are managing a virtual team where several members have expressed feeling isolated and disconnected from the project goals. Which TWO actions would BEST improve team cohesion and alignment?

Accepted Answer

Schedule regular virtual team-building activities. Regular virtual team-building activities directly address feelings of isolation by fostering interpersonal connections and trust among remote team members. Option D is correct because creating a shared project vision and team charter aligns the team around common goals, expectations, and values, which counteracts disconnection from project objectives. Together, these actions improve both social cohesion and goal alignment, which are critical for virtual team success.

Answer

Increase the frequency of status meetings

Answer

Establish a rotating meeting facilitator role

Answer

Implement a formal performance review system

Question 12

A project manager is forming a new project team. To build a high-performing team, the project manager wants to establish clear expectations for behavior and communication. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a team charter workshop to collaboratively define ground rules, values, and communication protocols. A team charter workshop is a collaborative, facilitated process where the team collectively defines ground rules, values, and communication protocols. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on building a high-performing team through mutual agreement and shared ownership, which fosters trust and reduces ambiguity in behavior and communication from the start.

Answer

Create a detailed project schedule and assign tasks immediately

Answer

Ask each team member to submit a list of their personal expectations

Answer

Send an email listing team rules and ask for acknowledgment

Question 13

Your agile team's velocity has dropped for three consecutive sprints. The team says they are overwhelmed by the number of user stories and that the definition of 'done' keeps changing. As the Scrum Master (project manager), what should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a sprint retrospective to identify the causes of the velocity drop and collaboratively develop an improvement plan. The Scrum Master's first responsibility is to facilitate a retrospective to uncover the root causes of the velocity drop and the changing definition of 'done.' This aligns with the PMP's emphasis on leading the team through collaborative problem-solving rather than imposing top-down solutions. The team's feedback about being overwhelmed and the shifting 'done' criteria indicates a process breakdown that requires team-driven improvement.

Answer

Reduce the sprint backlog to lower the team's workload

Answer

Ask the functional manager to add more developers to the team

Answer

Ask the product owner to prioritize fewer stories in the next sprint

Question 14

You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner requests a significant change to a feature that has already been accepted in a previous sprint. The change would require rework and impact the critical path. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request and evaluate the impact on the project constraints. In a hybrid project, changes to accepted deliverables must follow a formal change control process. Submitting a change request (Option B) ensures the impact on the critical path, schedule, and budget is evaluated before any rework begins, aligning with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on integrated change control.

Answer

Add the change to the product backlog for a future sprint without formal approval

Answer

Instruct the team to implement the change immediately to maintain stakeholder satisfaction

Answer

Reject the change because the feature was already accepted

Question 15

Your project is in the execution phase, and a new regulatory requirement has been discovered that will affect the project scope. The change is mandatory and must be implemented within two weeks. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request for the new requirement and assess its impact. When a mandatory regulatory requirement is discovered during execution, the first step is to submit a change request and assess its impact. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's integrated change control process, which requires that all changes—even mandatory ones—be formally documented and evaluated for their effect on scope, schedule, cost, and quality before any action is taken. Directly updating the plan or stopping work bypasses this critical governance step.

Answer

Directly update the project management plan to reflect the new requirement

Answer

Stop all project work until the change is resolved

Answer

Inform the sponsor and ask for immediate approval