PMP Practice Exam 53 — 20 Questions

Question 1

During a project retrospective, the team identifies that their velocity has plateaued due to excessive context switching and unclear priorities. Which THREE actions should the project manager take to address these issues?

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

Accepted Answer

Work with the product owner to prioritize the backlog and reduce ambiguity. Option A is correct because working with the product owner to prioritize the backlog directly addresses unclear priorities, ensuring the team pulls the highest-value items first and reducing ambiguity about what to build next. Option D is correct because limiting work in progress (WIP) is the core Kanban/Lean practice that reduces multitasking and context switching, allowing the team to finish work faster and improve flow. Option E is correct because shielding the team from external interruptions and unnecessary meetings removes the sources of context switching, protecting focused work time and stabilizing velocity. Option B is not appropriate because adding more features increases workload and context switching rather than resolving the root causes. Option C is not appropriate because lengthening the sprint does not fix unclear priorities or multitasking and can delay feedback and reduce adaptability.

Answer

Add more features to the sprint backlog to increase challenge

Answer

Increase the sprint length to give the team more time to complete work

Question 2

Your project team is experiencing low morale due to unclear roles and responsibilities. As a project manager using a servant leadership approach, which THREE actions would BEST address this issue?

Accepted Answer

Organize team-building activities to improve trust and communication. Option B is correct because servant leadership prioritizes team well-being and relationships, and team-building activities directly improve trust and communication, which are root causes of low morale from unclear roles. Option D is correct because servant leadership emphasizes empowering team members; letting them define roles based on strengths increases ownership, engagement, and clarity while aligning with servant leadership principles. Option E is correct because facilitating a team charter workshop collaboratively clarifies roles and responsibilities, a core servant leadership practice of enabling the team to establish shared norms and expectations. Option A is not correct because assigning roles unilaterally is directive and contradicts servant leadership's empowerment and collaboration. Option C is not correct because increasing supervision and daily status meetings adds control and micromanagement, which can worsen morale and does not align with servant leadership.

Answer

Assign roles and responsibilities yourself to avoid confusion

Answer

Increase supervision and hold daily status meetings

Question 3

You are leading a virtual team across three continents. Team members have expressed feeling isolated and disconnected from the project. Which TWO actions would best help build team cohesion and trust?

Accepted Answer

Schedule weekly virtual coffee chats or informal video calls for non-work interactions. Option A is correct because scheduling weekly virtual coffee chats or informal video calls creates deliberate social interaction, which humanizes remote colleagues, reduces the isolation reported by the team, and builds interpersonal trust beyond task-focused exchanges. Option D is correct because a team charter that explicitly defines communication norms, response times, and preferred collaboration tools removes ambiguity across three continents, prevents misunderstandings caused by differing expectations, and gives distributed members a shared, predictable framework they can rely on. The remaining options do not fit: B is wrong because forcing identical core hours across three continents is impractical, harms work-life balance, and can increase resentment rather than cohesion; C is wrong because a one-way weekly email newsletter shares information but does not create the two-way interaction or relationship-building needed to counter isolation; and E is wrong because assigning a mentor from a different region may add value for onboarding but does not systematically build trust and cohesion across the whole team.

Answer

Require everyone to work the same core hours regardless of time zone

Answer

Send a weekly email newsletter with project updates and achievements

Answer

Assign a mentor to each new team member from a different region

Question 4

A project manager is leading an agile team that has been self-organizing for several sprints. Recently, the team's performance has declined, and the project manager suspects the team is not fully empowered to make decisions. The project manager wants to empower the team. Which TWO actions should the project manager take?

Accepted Answer

Trust the team to resolve their own conflicts without intervention. Option A is correct because empowering a self-organizing agile team means trusting members to resolve their own conflicts; the project manager should act as a servant-leader and only intervene if the team explicitly requests help, preserving the team's ownership and accountability. Option C is correct because true empowerment requires delegating decision-making authority to the team on technical approaches and task assignments, which are exactly the areas a self-organizing team should control. Option B is incorrect because stepping in to make decisions undermines the team's empowerment and self-organization, reinforcing dependence on the project manager. Option D is incorrect because assigning a senior team lead to oversee decisions centralizes authority and contradicts the principle of a self-organizing team. Option E is incorrect because additional agile training addresses knowledge gaps, not the empowerment issue described, and does not itself transfer decision-making authority to the team.

Answer

Step in to make decisions when the team is struggling with a difficult issue

Answer

Assign a senior team lead to oversee team decisions

Answer

Provide additional training on agile practices

Question 5

Your project is in the execution phase when a key risk event from the risk register occurs: a critical team member resigns unexpectedly. You need to minimize the impact on the project. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Implement the planned risk response from the risk register. Option B is correct because when a risk event that was already identified in the risk register actually occurs, the project manager should execute the pre-planned risk response (e.g., a contingency plan) rather than improvising, which minimizes impact and leverages prior analysis. Option C is correct because capturing the departing member's tacit knowledge through structured knowledge transfer (documentation, shadowing, handover sessions) preserves critical project information and reduces disruption before access is lost. Option D is correct because reassigning the work to available team members and adjusting the schedule is a practical corrective action that keeps the project moving while accounting for reduced capacity. Option A is not appropriate as an immediate action because requesting a project extension from the sponsor is a last resort and does not itself minimize impact; the team should first apply the planned response and re-plan. Option E is not appropriate because immediately hiring a like-for-like replacement is typically slow, costly, and not guaranteed, and it ignores the more immediate need to execute the risk response and transfer knowledge.

Answer

Inform the sponsor and ask for a project extension

Answer

Immediately hire a replacement with the same skills

Question 6

You are the project manager for a global, virtual team. Which TWO actions would be MOST effective in building trust and collaboration among team members?

Accepted Answer

Schedule regular video calls where team members can share personal updates and non-work-related topics. Option A is correct because scheduling regular video calls that include personal updates and non-work topics builds interpersonal relationships and psychological safety in a virtual team, which are foundational to trust and collaboration when members cannot interact face-to-face. Option B is correct because implementing a collaboration platform with shared workspaces and real-time communication channels provides the persistent, transparent, and accessible tools (e.g., document co-editing, chat, presence) that enable ongoing coordination and visibility across time zones and locations. Option C is not as effective because a one-time workshop at project start creates only a temporary bonding experience and does not sustain trust or collaboration throughout the project lifecycle. Option D does not belong because rotating meeting times to equalize inconvenience addresses fairness of scheduling but does not by itself build trust or collaboration. Option E is not appropriate because mandating daily informal chat sessions can feel forced and intrusive, and may create communication overload rather than genuine trust and collaboration.

Answer

Organize a one-time team-building workshop at the start of the project

Answer

Rotate meeting times so each time zone is inconvenienced equally

Answer

Require all team members to participate in daily informal chat sessions

Question 7

During a project, the team identifies a risk that could cause a significant delay. The risk is not in the risk register. Which THREE actions should the project manager take to respond appropriately?

Accepted Answer

Assess the probability and impact of the risk.. Option A is correct because once a new risk is identified, the project manager must perform qualitative risk analysis by assessing its probability of occurrence and potential impact on project objectives such as schedule, cost, and scope. Option B is correct because after assessing the risk, the project manager should develop an appropriate risk response plan (e.g., avoid, transfer, mitigate, or accept) to address the threat of delay. Option D is correct because any newly identified risk must be documented in the risk register, updating it with details such as the risk description, category, probability, impact, and planned response. Option C is incorrect because unidentified risks do not disappear; ignoring a known risk violates proactive risk management and can lead to unmanaged delays. Option E is incorrect because implementing a response without first assessing probability and impact may waste resources on a low-priority risk or apply an inappropriate strategy.

Answer

Ignore the risk because it was not identified during planning.

Answer

Immediately implement a risk response without assessment.

Question 8

In a hybrid project, the team uses Scrum but the organization requires detailed phase-gate reviews. During the gate review, the steering committee asks for a Gantt chart showing all tasks until project completion. The Scrum team only maintains a product backlog and sprint backlogs. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Create a high-level milestone schedule for the remaining phases. Option C is correct because a high-level milestone schedule satisfies the phase-gate governance need without forcing the team to abandon Scrum; it maps the remaining phases and gates to approximate timeframes while preserving iterative delivery. Option D is correct because a release plan with expected feature delivery dates by sprint gives the steering committee a forward-looking view of when features will likely be delivered, using the product backlog and velocity rather than a detailed task-level Gantt chart. Option E is correct because educating the steering committee on agile principles and the value of iterative delivery addresses the root mismatch between traditional governance expectations and Scrum practice, helping stakeholders understand why detailed task-level Gantt charts are not maintained. Option A is not appropriate because converting to pure waterfall would discard Scrum and is not required to satisfy governance. Option B is not appropriate because asking the team to create a detailed Gantt chart for all future sprints undermines agile planning, ignores uncertainty, and duplicates the product and sprint backlogs.

Answer

Convert the project to a pure waterfall approach to meet governance requirements

Answer

Ask the team to create a detailed Gantt chart for all future sprints

Question 9

You are transitioning a traditional project team to an agile framework. Some team members are resistant to the change. Which THREE strategies should you employ to facilitate the transition?

Accepted Answer

Hold one-on-one meetings to understand individual concerns and address them. Option A is correct because holding one-on-one meetings lets you uncover each person's specific fears and motivations, so resistance can be addressed individually rather than with a blanket mandate. Option B is correct because involving the team in designing the new agile processes builds ownership and buy-in, which is a core change-management technique for reducing resistance. Option C is correct because providing training on agile principles and practices closes the knowledge gap that often underlies resistance, giving team members the skills and confidence to work in the new framework. Option D does not belong because mandating immediate adoption without discussion ignores the human side of change and typically increases resistance. Option E does not belong because replacing resistant team members is a punitive, last-resort action that destroys trust and wastes institutional knowledge rather than facilitating the transition.

Answer

Mandate immediate adoption of agile practices without discussion

Answer

Replace resistant team members with agile-experienced staff

Question 10

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 the root cause is a process gap: the change control process must be strengthened so that written approval (e.g., a signed change request or CCB record) is mandatory before any change is implemented, preventing recurrence during the execution phase. Option C is correct because the undocumented verbal approvals must be captured in the change log and formally signed off retroactively to restore the audit trail and configuration management integrity for changes already made. Option B is not appropriate because reverting to the original baseline is not required by the audit finding and could disrupt valid, approved work. Option D is unnecessary since the issue is documentation, not the technical quality of the work. Option E is excessive; halting all project work would be a disproportionate response when the corrective actions are process and documentation updates.

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 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 project manager should first schedule a meeting with the stakeholder to clarify their expectations and document any new requirements for future sprints, because the feature met the agreed acceptance criteria but the stakeholder's expectations were misaligned — this is a requirements/communication gap, not a defect. Understanding the gap before acting prevents wasted rework and captures the new requirement through proper backlog refinement.

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

Your project is a software development project using a hybrid approach. The team has completed the design phase, and you have received a change request from a key stakeholder to add a new feature. The team estimates this will add 3 months to the schedule and $50,000 to the budget. What is the BEST course of action?

Accepted Answer

Evaluate the impact on the project constraints and submit a change request to the CCB. The correct option is B: Evaluate the impact on the project constraints and submit a change request to the CCB. In a hybrid project, any change to scope must go through integrated change control, where the impact on schedule, cost, and other constraints is documented and the Change Control Board (CCB) decides whether to approve, reject, or defer it. Since the change adds 3 months and $50,000, the project manager should not unilaterally approve or reject it but must follow the formal change management process. Option A is wrong because refusing outright ignores the stakeholder's request without proper evaluation, and the project manager typically lacks authority to reject changes unilaterally. Option C is wrong because approving it alone bypasses the CCB and ignores governance, even if the PM has some authority. Option D is wrong because implementing immediately skips impact analysis and approval, which can derail the project baseline.

Answer

Refuse the change because it will impact the schedule and budget

Answer

Approve the change yourself since it is within your authority

Answer

Implement the change immediately to satisfy the stakeholder

Question 13

During a daily standup, a developer mentions a technical issue that will likely delay a user story by three days. What is the BEST action for the Scrum Master to take?

Accepted Answer

Record the impediment and work with the developer after the standup to resolve it. The Scrum Master's primary role is to remove impediments for the team. Recording the impediment and working with the developer after the standup ensures the daily standup remains a time-boxed synchronization event (15 minutes) and does not derail into a problem-solving session, which violates the Scrum Guide. The technical issue causing a three-day delay is an impediment that the Scrum Master must help resolve, not a task to delegate or escalate immediately.

Answer

Tell the developer to escalate to the project manager

Answer

Ask the team to stay after the standup to solve the problem immediately

Answer

Assign the issue to the product owner for prioritization

Question 14

Your agile project has been experiencing declining velocity over the last three sprints. During the retrospective, the team identifies that they are spending too much time on unplanned work and technical debt. The product owner wants to maintain the current scope. Which THREE actions should the project manager take? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Allocate a portion of each sprint to address technical debt. Option B is correct because dedicating a fixed percentage of each sprint's capacity to technical debt remediation directly reduces the accumulated debt that is slowing the team down, allowing velocity to recover over time. Option C is correct because unplanned work often stems from external interruptions; establishing a policy that protects the team's sprint commitment (e.g., routing requests through the product owner or a kanban intake) reduces context switching and preserves velocity. Option E is correct because a weak definition of ready leads to stories entering sprints with unresolved questions or dependencies, which generates unplanned work and rework; strengthening the DoR with clear acceptance criteria and dependencies improves flow and predictability. Option A is not selected because the product owner explicitly wants to maintain the current scope, so reducing scope contradicts the stated constraint. Option D is not selected because adding developers to a late, debt-laden agile team typically increases coordination overhead and onboarding costs (Brooks's Law) rather than restoring velocity in the short term.

Answer

Ask the product owner to reduce the scope of the next sprint

Answer

Add more developers to the team to increase capacity

Question 15

During a daily standup, a team member mentions that a task is taking longer than expected and will likely miss the deadline. The task is on the critical path. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Discuss with the team member to understand the issue and explore options. According to PMBOK and agile best practices, when a team member raises a potential delay on a critical path task, the project manager should first engage with the team member to understand the root cause and collaboratively explore options such as re-estimating, re-sequencing, or adding resources. This aligns with servant leadership and the principle of empowering the team to solve problems. Escalating immediately or adding resources without analysis can be premature and may not address the underlying issue.

Answer

Immediately escalate the issue to the sponsor

Answer

Assign additional team members to the task without further analysis

Answer

Reduce the quality of the task to save time

Question 16

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. Option A is correct because a team charter explicitly defines ground rules for communication and decision-making, which gives a culturally diverse global team shared, agreed-upon norms that reduce ambiguity and prevent misunderstandings, directly building trust and collaboration. Option C is correct because regular virtual social events and informal check-ins create the interpersonal connection and psychological safety that formal work channels cannot, which is especially important when team members from different cultures rarely meet in person. Option B is not correct because strict individual performance targets foster internal competition rather than collaboration and trust. Option D is not correct because rotating roles increases versatility but does not by itself address the cultural and relational barriers to trust in a global team. Option E is not correct because mandating a single communication tool is a logistical constraint, not a trust-building or collaboration-fostering action.

Answer

Implement a strict performance review system with individual targets

Answer

Rotate team members across different roles to increase versatility

Answer

Assign a single communication tool and require its exclusive use

Question 17

Your project team is experiencing low sprint velocity for three consecutive sprints. The team cites unclear requirements and frequent interruptions. Which TWO actions should you take to address this?

Accepted Answer

Implement a policy to minimize interruptions during the sprint. Option C is correct because the team explicitly cites frequent interruptions as a cause of low velocity, so implementing a policy to protect the sprint (e.g., limiting non-sprint work and ad-hoc requests) directly removes that impediment and lets the team focus on committed work. Option E is correct because unclear requirements are the other stated cause, and improving backlog refinement ensures user stories meet a clear Definition of Ready with acceptance criteria before sprint planning, reducing mid-sprint ambiguity and rework. Option A does not belong because adding members mid-project triggers Brooks's Law effects, onboarding overhead, and communication complexity that typically reduce short-term velocity rather than improve it. Option B does not belong because the problem is attributed to process issues (unclear requirements and interruptions), not individual performance, so replacing people is unjustified and destructive to team stability. Option D does not belong because lengthening the sprint merely stretches the same dysfunction over more time and delays feedback; it does not resolve unclear requirements or interruptions.

Answer

Add more team members to the sprint

Answer

Replace underperforming team members

Answer

Increase the sprint length to give the team more time

Question 18

Your project team includes members from different departments, and there is a conflict between two team leaders over resource allocation. One leader insists their tasks are higher priority. Which THREE actions should you take to resolve this conflict?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting with both leaders to discuss priorities and find a compromise. Option C is correct because facilitating a meeting with both leaders to discuss priorities and find a compromise is the standard collaborative/confronting conflict-resolution approach, allowing the parties to surface interests and agree on trade-offs before imposing a solution. Option E is correct because reviewing the project schedule and resource allocation provides objective data (critical path, float, resource histograms, utilization rates) that grounds the priority decision in facts rather than opinion. Option D is correct because escalation to the appropriate management level is the proper next step when the conflict cannot be resolved at the team level, following the project's escalation path rather than letting the dispute persist. Option A is not appropriate as a first action because immediately involving the project sponsor to enforce a decision is an avoiding/forcing shortcut that bypasses the team's ability to resolve the issue and can damage trust. Option B is not the best choice because unilaterally deciding based on your own judgment, without input from the leaders or objective schedule/resource analysis, is a forcing approach that may miss relevant constraints and reduce buy-in.

Answer

Immediately involve the project sponsor to enforce a decision

Answer

Make a decision yourself based on which tasks contribute more to the project objectives

Question 19

Your project is using a hybrid approach. Mid-project, the sponsor asks you to skip the testing phase to save time and meet the deadline. The team is concerned about quality. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Consult with the team to identify the most critical tests that can be performed within the remaining time. Option A is correct because consulting the team to identify the most critical tests allows the project to prioritize high-risk, high-impact areas within the remaining time, preserving essential quality checks despite the schedule pressure. Option D is correct because the project manager must transparently communicate the consequences of skipping testing—such as increased defects, rework, warranty costs, and reputational damage—so the sponsor can make an informed risk-based decision. Option E is correct because proposing alternatives like reducing test scope or applying risk-based testing offers a constructive compromise that balances the sponsor's deadline with the team's quality concerns. Option B is not appropriate because escalating to the PMO or steering committee without first discussing the issue with the sponsor bypasses proper stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution. Option C is incorrect because simply agreeing to skip testing ignores the team's quality concerns and the project manager's responsibility to manage risks and protect deliverable integrity.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the PMO or steering committee without further discussion

Answer

Agree to skip testing to meet the sponsor's request

Question 20

During a project audit, a new regulatory requirement is discovered that affects your project's deliverables. The compliance team says it must be implemented immediately. Your project is already behind schedule. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Communicate the situation to key stakeholders, including the sponsor and compliance officer. Option A is correct because when a new regulatory requirement emerges, the project manager must promptly communicate the situation to key stakeholders such as the sponsor and compliance officer, ensuring transparency and enabling informed decision-making. Option D is correct because any change to project baselines, including regulatory requirements, must go through the formal change control process via a change request to be properly evaluated, approved, and integrated. Option E is correct because before implementing any change, the project manager must analyze its impact on scope, schedule, and cost to understand the consequences and support the change control decision. Option B is incorrect because implementing a requirement without formal approval bypasses the change control process and can lead to unauthorized scope changes. Option C is incorrect because ignoring a regulatory requirement is never acceptable, as it can result in legal and compliance consequences.

Answer

Instruct the team to implement the requirement immediately without formal approval

Answer

Ignore the requirement until the next phase to avoid further delay