PMP Practice Test 32 — 15 Questions

Question 1

During a project kickoff, the project manager discovers that the project's business case has not been updated to reflect a recent change in organizational strategy. What should the PM do?

Accepted Answer

Request a meeting with the sponsor to review and update the business case. The business case must align with organizational strategy; the PM should collaborate with the sponsor to review and update the business case to reflect the strategy change. Option A is incorrect because the PM should not unilaterally direct the team without sponsor approval. Option B is incorrect because proceeding with an outdated business case risks misalignment. Option D is premature without first discussing with the sponsor.

Answer

Inform the team of the strategy change and ask them to adjust the project scope

Answer

Proceed with the existing business case since the project was already approved

Answer

Halt the project until the business case is approved again

Question 2

You are the project manager for a hybrid software development project. During a sprint review, a key stakeholder requests a new feature that was not in the original scope. The product owner believes it adds significant value. The team estimates it will take two additional sprints. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request through the Integrated Change Control process. According to PMI, any change to scope must go through the formal change control process. The project manager should first submit a change request to assess impact on schedule, cost, and resources before any decision is made.

Answer

Add the feature to the product backlog and let the team work on it in a future sprint without formal approval

Answer

Ask the team to start working on the feature immediately to satisfy the stakeholder

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Inform the stakeholder that no changes are allowed after the project has started

Question 3

During project execution, a key stakeholder requests that the project manager bypass the formal change control process to expedite a change. The stakeholder argues that the change is minor and will not affect the budget or schedule. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Explain that all changes must follow the change control process and proceed accordingly. Per PMI standards, all changes, regardless of perceived impact, must go through the formal change control process to ensure proper evaluation, approval, and documentation. Bypassing the process, even for minor changes, undermines project governance and can lead to scope creep, undocumented changes, and stakeholder misalignment. Option A is incorrect because agreeing to bypass the process violates change control procedures. Option B is incorrect because escalation to the sponsor is not an appropriate alternative; the issue is about following the process, not about authority. Option C is incorrect because implementing first and documenting later still bypasses the process and may cause undocumented changes.

Answer

Agree to bypass the process since the change is minor

Answer

Escalate the request to the project sponsor for approval

Answer

Implement the change and document it later

Question 4

Which THREE of the following are key considerations when evaluating the strategic value of a proposed project during portfolio selection? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Strategic alignment. Strategic alignment (A) is a key consideration because it ensures the proposed project directly supports the organization's overarching goals and competitive strategy, which is the primary filter in portfolio selection. Without alignment, even a profitable project can divert resources from more critical strategic initiatives, leading to suboptimal portfolio value.

Answer

Organizational culture

Answer

Resource availability

Question 5

Your project team consists of members from different cultural backgrounds, and you notice that some team members are not voicing their opinions during meetings, while others dominate discussions. What is the BEST way to foster an inclusive environment?

Accepted Answer

Create a team charter that includes meeting norms encouraging respectful and balanced participation. Creating a team charter with agreed-upon meeting norms proactively establishes a framework for respectful and balanced participation, addressing cultural differences without singling out individuals. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on team charter development as a tool to define ground rules and foster a collaborative, inclusive environment from the start.

Answer

Send meeting agendas in advance and collect written feedback

Answer

Assign speaking turns to ensure everyone participates equally

Answer

Ask dominant members to speak less during meetings

Question 6

You are managing a hybrid project that uses both predictive and agile approaches. The team has been delivering consistently, but recently the customer requested a critical feature that was not in the original scope. The feature is high value but will require rework of a completed component. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request to the change control board (CCB) to evaluate the impact on scope, schedule, and cost.. In a hybrid project with a formal change control process, any change to scope — especially one requiring rework of a completed component — must go through the CCB to assess impact on scope, schedule, cost, and risk. Submitting a change request first ensures the change is evaluated and approved before any work begins, preserving governance and baseline integrity.

Answer

Add the feature to the product backlog and prioritize it for the next sprint without formal approval.

Answer

Ask the team to implement the feature immediately to maintain customer satisfaction, and document it later.

Answer

Update the project management plan to include the new feature and communicate the change to the team.

Question 7

Your agile team has a low-performing member who is struggling with the technology stack. The rest of the team is becoming frustrated because they have to cover for them. What is the BEST approach to handle this situation?

Accepted Answer

Provide additional training and pair the member with a senior developer for knowledge transfer. It addresses the root cause of the low performance—lack of proficiency with the technology stack—through targeted training and pairing with a senior developer. This approach aligns with the PMI Agile principles of servant leadership, team development, and collective ownership, as it invests in the team member's growth while maintaining team cohesion and productivity.

Answer

Remove the low-performing member from the team to avoid further disruption

Answer

Ask the team to continue covering for the member until they improve

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Reduce the member's workload to only simple tasks

Question 8

Your project team is using a hybrid approach. During a sprint, an executive stakeholder contacts a developer directly and asks them to add a new feature without going through the product owner. The developer is confused about what to do. What should you, as the project manager, do to address this?

Accepted Answer

Speak with the executive stakeholder privately and remind them that all scope changes must go through the product owner and change control process. As the project manager, you should address the executive privately and reinforce that all scope changes must go through the product owner and the change control process. This respects the executive's position while protecting the team from scope creep and maintaining the integrity of the hybrid approach. It also empowers the developer with clear guidance on how to handle such situations in the future.

Answer

Submit a change request on behalf of the executive stakeholder to formalize the request

Answer

Allow the developer to add the feature since it comes from an executive

Answer

Tell the developer to ignore the executive's request and continue with the sprint backlog

Question 9

You are managing a portfolio of three projects. Project A is on track and aligned with strategic goals. Project B is behind schedule but has high strategic value. Project C is on time but its strategic value has diminished due to market changes. The steering committee asks you to recommend which project to prioritize. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Present the status and strategic alignment of each project to the committee and facilitate a decision. As the portfolio manager, the correct action is to present the objective status and strategic alignment data for all three projects and facilitate the steering committee's decision. Portfolio prioritization is a governance decision that belongs to the steering committee, not the project manager, and the PM's role is to supply accurate information and enable that decision. This preserves the PM's advisory role while respecting the committee's authority over strategic resource allocation.

Answer

Recommend increasing resources for Project B to get it back on track

Answer

Recommend stopping Project C and reallocating resources to Project B

Answer

Ask each project manager to submit a recovery plan and then decide

Question 10

A team member consistently misses deadlines, causing delays in the project. The project manager has had informal conversations with the team member, but the issue persists. What is the BEST next step?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a private meeting with the team member to discuss the issue, identify root causes, and create a performance improvement plan with clear expectations. The PMP prefers direct, constructive intervention before escalation or removal. Since informal conversations have failed, the next step is a formal private meeting to identify root causes and establish a documented performance improvement plan with clear expectations and consequences — this aligns with the Manage Team process and progressive discipline.

Answer

Reassign the team member to a less critical task to minimize impact

Answer

Escalate the issue to the team member's functional manager immediately

Answer

Remove the team member from the project and replace them with a more reliable resource

Question 11

Two senior developers on your Scrum team have a disagreement about the technical approach for a user story. The disagreement is causing delays in sprint execution. As the Scrum Master, what should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting between the developers to discuss and resolve the issue. The Scrum Master should facilitate a discussion to help the developers resolve the conflict constructively and reach a consensus.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the product owner

Answer

Remove both developers from the story and assign it to someone else

Answer

Decide on the approach yourself to end the conflict quickly

Question 12

Your project is running 15% over budget at the midpoint. Earned value analysis shows CPI = 0.87 and SPI = 1.02. The project is ahead of schedule but over budget. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Inform the sponsor and stakeholders about the cost performance and planned actions.. Option E is correct because with CPI = 0.87 the project is spending more than planned, and a variance analysis (comparing actual costs against earned value, e.g., CV = EV − AC) is the standard first step to identify the root cause of the overrun before choosing corrective actions. Option D is correct because cost control measures such as reducing scope, negotiating cheaper resources, or improving efficiency directly address the negative cost variance and aim to bring CPI back toward 1.0. Option A is correct because transparency with the sponsor and stakeholders about the cost performance and the planned corrective actions is a required communication and stakeholder-engagement activity when a project is 15% over budget at midpoint. Option B is not appropriate because cutting quality testing risks quality defects and rework, which typically increases total cost rather than reducing it. Option C is not appropriate as an immediate action because requesting additional budget should follow analysis and corrective measures, and SPI = 1.02 shows the schedule is not the problem driving the overrun.

Answer

Reduce quality testing to cut costs.

Answer

Request additional budget immediately to cover the overrun.

Question 13

A project manager is managing a construction project that is currently 15% over budget at the midpoint. The sponsor asks the PM to reduce quality testing to save costs. What should the PM do first?

Accepted Answer

Explain the risks of reducing quality and recommend submitting a change request if cost reduction is necessary. The PM must first explain the risks of reducing quality testing to the sponsor, as quality is a key constraint and cutting it can lead to rework, safety issues, and higher costs. If the sponsor still insists, the PM should recommend submitting a formal change request to document the impact on scope, schedule, and cost. This aligns with PMP principles of stakeholder engagement and integrated change control.

Answer

Ignore the sponsor's request and continue with the current plan

Answer

Agree with the sponsor and reduce testing immediately

Answer

Review the budget and identify other areas to cut costs without affecting quality

Question 14

You are managing a project to implement a new customer relationship management (CRM) system. During a status meeting, the IT director (a key stakeholder) announces that the team must use a different database platform than planned, citing corporate policy. This change will require significant rework. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Perform an impact analysis on scope, schedule, and cost, and then submit a change request.. When a stakeholder requests a change that will cause significant rework, the project manager must first evaluate the impact on the triple constraint (scope, schedule, cost) and quality before any decision is made. This analysis feeds the formal change request, which then goes through Integrated Change Control for approval. Doing the impact analysis first ensures the sponsor and CCB have accurate information to decide.

Answer

Update the project management plan to reflect the new platform.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision.

Answer

Agree to the change because it's a corporate policy.

Question 15

During the execution phase of a construction project, you discover that a key vendor will not deliver steel beams on time, threatening the critical path. The risk was identified and the response plan was to use an approved backup supplier. What should you do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Contact the backup supplier immediately to activate the contract. Because the risk was already identified and a response plan (use the approved backup supplier) was documented during risk planning, the correct next step is to execute that planned response. Contacting the backup supplier immediately activates the contingency and protects the critical path. Escalating or searching for unapproved vendors bypasses the risk management process that was already completed.

Answer

Ask the team to find a new vendor not on the approved list

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision

Answer

Update the risk register and wait for the vendor to confirm the delay