PMP Practice Test 46 — 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?

Accepted Answer

Fast-track remaining tasks by performing some activities in parallel. Option A is correct because crashing involves adding resources to critical path tasks to compress schedule. Option B is correct because fast-tracking can reduce schedule duration. Option D is correct because schedule compression techniques affect both schedule and cost. Option C is wrong because reducing scope requires change control. Option E is wrong because risk-adjusted estimates are established during planning.

Answer

Reduce the project scope to meet the original schedule

Answer

Revise the cost performance baseline to reflect current efficiency

Question 2

Your agile team is consistently completing 30 story points per sprint. In the next sprint planning, the product owner wants to commit to 40 points. The team feels this is too ambitious. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Suggest decomposing larger stories into smaller ones to improve estimation accuracy. Option A is correct because data-driven discussions help set realistic goals. Option B is correct because the team knows their capacity best. Option C is correct because splitting stories into smaller pieces can improve estimation. Option D is wrong because forcing the team undermines self-organization. Option E is wrong because increasing sprint length is a process change that requires team agreement and may not solve the issue.

Answer

Instruct the team to accept the 40-point goal to satisfy the product owner

Answer

Increase the sprint length to 3 weeks to allow more time

Question 3

You are managing a project to develop a new mobile application using an agile approach. During the third sprint, two senior developers have a disagreement about the technical architecture to use for a feature. The disagreement is slowing down progress. Which TWO actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Organize a meeting with the developers to discuss pros and cons of each architecture.. The best approach is to facilitate a discussion to resolve the technical disagreement and, if needed, escalate to the architecture board. Avoiding the issue or forcing a decision without consensus is not recommended.

Answer

Let the developers resolve the issue on their own without intervention.

Answer

Make the decision yourself to save time and move forward.

Answer

Remove one developer from the team to eliminate the conflict.

Question 4

Your project has multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests. The project sponsor wants to prioritize speed, while the quality assurance manager insists on thorough testing. The product owner wants to add more features. Which THREE techniques can help manage these conflicting stakeholder expectations?

Accepted Answer

Develop a communications management plan to ensure consistent messaging.. Effective stakeholder management includes communication planning, negotiation, and using a stakeholder engagement assessment matrix to understand and address expectations. The issue log documents conflicts but doesn't resolve them directly.

Answer

Create an issue log to document all stakeholder concerns.

Answer

Escalate all conflicts to the project sponsor for decision.

Question 5

Your IT infrastructure project is being audited for compliance. The auditor finds that several change requests were approved verbally but not documented. The project is in the execution phase. Which TWO actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Update the change control process to require written approval before implementation. Option A is correct because documented change requests are required for compliance. Option B is correct because process improvement prevents recurrence. Option C is wrong because the changes were already approved. Option D is wrong because stopping the project is too drastic. Option E is wrong because the issue is documentation, not rework.

Answer

Reverse the undocumented changes and revert to the original baseline

Answer

Request the team to redo the work to ensure it meets requirements

Answer

Stop all project work until the audit is resolved

Question 6

You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner requests a new feature that was not in the backlog. The team estimates it will require 5 additional days. The project is currently on schedule and within budget. Which TWO actions should you take NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request and evaluate the impact on the project constraints. Option B is correct because the change must be formally assessed and approved. Option C is correct because the product owner should prioritize the change against other backlog items. Option A is wrong because adding work without approval violates change control. Option D is wrong because capacity may be available. Option E is wrong because the change may still be valuable.

Answer

Add the feature to the current sprint backlog immediately to not delay the release

Answer

Tell the team to implement the feature during any free time

Answer

Reject the request because it is outside the original scope

Question 7

You are managing a pharmaceutical research project using a predictive approach. A new regulation requires additional clinical trials that will extend the project by 6 months. The sponsor wants to know how this affects the business case. Which THREE documents should you review to provide an informed response?

Accepted Answer

Risk register. Option A is correct because the business case justifies the project and includes financial analysis. Option B is correct because the project management plan contains the schedule and cost baseline. Option D is correct because the risk register contains assumptions and constraints that may be affected. Option C is wrong because the WBS is a deliverable breakdown, not for impact analysis. Option E is wrong because the stakeholder register does not contain financial information.

Answer

Stakeholder register

Answer

Work breakdown structure dictionary

Question 8

You are the PM for a highway construction project. A key vendor informs you that they cannot deliver the steel beams on time due to a factory fire. This risk was identified in the risk register with a mitigation plan to have a backup supplier. However, the backup supplier's price is 20% higher. Which TWO actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Inform the sponsor about the cost increase and request a budget adjustment. Option A is correct because the contingency plan (backup supplier) should be executed. Option B is correct because the cost variance needs to be communicated and addressed. Option C is wrong because changing the plan without review is not appropriate. Option D is wrong because switching to a different material requires change control. Option E is wrong because the risk occurred; it is not a new risk.

Answer

Add the vendor's failure to the risk register as a new risk

Answer

Authorize the team to source alternative materials locally

Answer

Update the project management plan to use a different construction method

Question 9

You are managing a software upgrade project. The team has identified a critical defect that requires immediate fixing, but the fix will delay the next release by one week. The product owner wants to release on time with the defect. Which THREE factors should you consider when advising the product owner?

Accepted Answer

Whether the defect violates the agreed definition of done. Option A is correct because the impact on users is critical. Option B is correct because the risk of not fixing should be documented. Option C is correct because the definition of done should be upheld for quality. Option D is wrong because cost of delay is not about immediate cost. Option E is wrong because team morale is important but not the primary factor for this decision.

Answer

The cost of delaying the release versus the cost of fixing later

Answer

The team's ability to fix the defect without affecting other features

Question 10

Your multinational project has team members in three time zones. The daily standup is held at 9 AM EST, but the Asia team complains it is 9 PM for them. The standup is becoming ineffective. Which TWO actions should you take to improve the situation?

Accepted Answer

Rotate the standup time to different time zones each sprint. Option A is correct because rotating times shares the inconvenience. Option B is correct because asynchronous updates can reduce the need for real-time attendance. Option C is wrong because having two standups reduces information sharing. Option D is wrong because the standup is a team event, not just a status update. Option E is wrong because the standup is important for coordination.

Answer

Cancel the standup and rely on email updates

Answer

Hold two separate standups: one for Americas and one for Asia

Answer

Require the Asia team to attend at 9 PM despite the inconvenience

Question 11

You are the project manager for a hybrid software development project. During sprint review, the product owner demonstrates a feature that meets the acceptance criteria but the key stakeholder expresses disappointment, saying it does not meet their expectations. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a meeting with the stakeholder to clarify their expectations and document any new requirements for future sprints.. The correct answer is to first understand the stakeholder's expectations and document them. This aligns with stakeholder engagement and scope management. Option A is incorrect because implementing changes without change control is gold-plating. Option B is reactive and may not address the root cause. Option D bypasses the product owner's role and the change process.

Answer

Approve the change yourself and add it to the current sprint backlog.

Answer

Explain that the feature meets the agreed acceptance criteria and close the discussion.

Answer

Ask the development team to modify the feature immediately to satisfy the stakeholder.

Question 12

A project manager is leading a construction project. During execution, a new environmental regulation is enacted that directly affects the project's waste disposal process. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Analyze the impact of the regulation on the project's scope, schedule, and budget.. The correct first step is to analyze the impact of the new regulation on the project. This aligns with monitoring and controlling and regulatory compliance. Option A is premature without analysis. Option B ignores the regulation. Option D bypasses the change control process.

Answer

Instruct the team to implement a new disposal method without formal approval.

Answer

Immediately stop all waste disposal activities to ensure compliance.

Answer

Continue as planned since the regulation is new and not yet enforced.

Question 13

In an agile transformation initiative, the project manager notices that the team's velocity has dropped significantly over the last three sprints. The team cites unclear requirements and frequent interruptions from stakeholders. The project manager also notes that the product owner has been absent from sprint planning and review meetings. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a meeting with the product owner and the project sponsor to discuss the importance of the product owner's role and its impact on velocity.. The root cause appears to be the product owner's absence, which leads to unclear requirements and stakeholder interference. Addressing this with the product owner and sponsor directly tackles the issue. Option A is a general fix that doesn't address the specific cause. Option C is reactive and may not improve future sprints. Option D escalates prematurely.

Answer

Implement a stricter definition of 'done' and enforce it during sprint reviews.

Answer

Add more buffer time to future sprint backlogs to compensate for the low velocity.

Answer

Escalate to the PMO to replace the product owner.

Question 14

A project manager is working on a portfolio of projects. One project has a business case that is no longer aligned with the organization's strategic goals due to a shift in market conditions. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Recommend to the portfolio governance board that the project should be terminated.. The correct action is to recommend termination of the project to the portfolio governance board, as it no longer provides strategic value. This aligns with portfolio management and business case evaluation. Option A is reactive. Option B bypasses governance. Option D violates the principle of project selection based on strategic alignment.

Answer

Continue the project as planned but monitor for further strategic changes.

Answer

Update the business case to align with the new strategy without formal approval.

Answer

Seek additional funding to make the project more profitable.

Question 15

During a project's execution phase, the sponsor asks the project manager to skip the user acceptance testing (UAT) phase to save time and meet a tight deadline. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Explain the risks of skipping UAT and recommend following the project management plan.. Skipping UAT could lead to quality issues and unmet expectations. The project manager should explain the risks and recommend following the plan. Option A is incorrect because the sponsor's request should be handled through change control. Option B is reactive and may not prevent the issue. Option D bypasses the sponsor and may damage the relationship.

Answer

Ignore the request and proceed with UAT as planned.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the PMO without discussing with the sponsor.

Answer

Comply with the sponsor's request to maintain a good relationship.