PMP Practice Exam 56 — 20 Questions

Question 1

You are managing a project using a predictive approach. A team member has been consistently missing deadlines, causing delays for the rest of the team. You have already had an informal conversation about expectations. What should you do next?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a private meeting to discuss the issue and create a performance improvement plan. Option C is correct because after an informal conversation has already taken place, the next step in progressive discipline within a predictive (waterfall) project is to schedule a private meeting to formally address the issue and collaboratively create a performance improvement plan (PIP). This aligns with the PMI People domain's emphasis on conflict resolution and team development, ensuring the team member is given a clear opportunity to improve before any escalation or removal.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the team member's functional manager

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Reassign the team member's tasks to other team members

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Remove the team member from the project

Question 2

A project manager is leading a complex software development project using a hybrid approach. A new regulatory requirement has been discovered that affects the project's scope. The requirement is mandatory and must be implemented before the project can close. Which THREE actions should the project manager take? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Communicate the new requirement to the project team and relevant stakeholders. Option B is correct because in a hybrid project, the project manager must first communicate the new mandatory regulatory requirement to the project team and relevant stakeholders to ensure awareness and alignment before any action is taken. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on stakeholder engagement and transparent communication when scope changes are discovered, especially for compliance-driven mandates.

Answer

Immediately adjust the project budget and schedule to accommodate the requirement

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Assign the new requirement to the development team to start work immediately

Question 3

During a sprint, you observe that a team member is consistently underperforming, missing tasks, and producing low-quality work. They have been a reliable performer in the past. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Have a private, empathetic conversation with the team member to understand any personal or professional challenges. Option A is correct because the first step in addressing a sudden performance decline from a previously reliable team member is to have a private, empathetic conversation to uncover root causes. This aligns with the PMP's servant leadership approach, which prioritizes understanding personal or professional challenges before taking corrective action. Jumping to documentation or reassignment without this dialogue violates the principle of leading with empathy and could damage trust and team morale.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the functional manager for disciplinary action

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Formally document the underperformance and initiate a performance improvement plan

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Reassign their tasks to other team members to maintain sprint velocity

Question 4

A project manager is leading a software development project in an organization that uses a hybrid methodology. The team's sprint velocity has dropped for three consecutive sprints. Which THREE actions should the PM take to address this? (Choose three)

Accepted Answer

Review the team's estimation techniques and ensure they are accurate. Option A is correct because inaccurate estimation techniques can lead to consistently missed velocity targets. By reviewing and recalibrating estimation methods (e.g., story points, planning poker), the PM ensures the team's capacity is realistically measured, which is critical for sprint planning in a hybrid methodology.

Answer

Ask the team to work overtime to catch up

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Increase the sprint length to give the team more time

Question 5

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. Option B is correct because 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

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Establish a rotating meeting facilitator role

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Implement a formal performance review system

Question 6

A new team member joins your agile project. They have no experience with Scrum and seem overwhelmed. What should you do to onboard them effectively?

Accepted Answer

Assign them a mentor and provide training on agile principles. Option B is correct because onboarding a new team member with no Scrum experience requires a structured approach that combines mentorship with formal training on agile principles. This ensures they understand the Scrum framework, roles, events, and artifacts, which is critical for them to contribute effectively and reduce overwhelm. Simply pairing them for coding tasks (A) or leaving them to observe (D) neglects the foundational knowledge needed to participate in Scrum ceremonies and collaborate with the team.

Answer

Pair them with a senior developer only for coding tasks

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Give them the project documentation and ask them to read it

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Let them learn by observing the team for the first few sprints

Question 7

Midway through a construction project, a key vendor notifies you that they cannot deliver critical steel beams on time due to a factory fire. This risk was identified and included in the risk register. What should the PM do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Implement the risk response that was documented in the risk register. Since the risk was already identified and documented in the risk register, the project manager must first follow the pre-planned risk response. This ensures a structured, timely reaction without unnecessary escalation or ad-hoc decisions. Option C is correct because the risk response plan is the authoritative source for the first action when a known risk occurs.

Answer

Contact the vendor and negotiate a new delivery date

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Immediately place an order with a backup vendor

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Inform the sponsor and ask for instructions

Question 8

A project manager notices that one team member has been consistently missing deadlines, and their work quality is declining. The team member is otherwise talented and has been with the company for years. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a private meeting with the team member to discuss the performance and offer support. The correct first step is to have a private, supportive conversation to understand the root cause of the performance decline. This aligns with the PMP's 'People' domain, emphasizing servant leadership and addressing performance issues confidentially before escalating. It respects the team member's history and allows for collaborative problem-solving.

Answer

Reassign the work to another team member immediately

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Ignore the issue, assuming it will resolve itself

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Provide negative feedback during the next team meeting as a warning

Question 9

Your project is running 15% over budget at the midpoint. The sponsor asks you to cut costs by reducing the testing phase. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Analyze the budget variance and propose alternative cost-saving measures that minimize impact on quality. Option A is correct because as a project manager, your primary responsibility is to manage the project constraints while protecting the project's value. Reducing the testing phase without analysis could introduce significant quality risks, leading to rework or failure. Instead, you should analyze the budget variance to identify root causes and propose alternative cost-saving measures that minimize impact on quality, such as optimizing resource allocation or renegotiating vendor contracts.

Answer

Implement a 10% across-the-board cost reduction on all activities

Answer

Submit a change request to increase the budget

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Agree to reduce testing as requested to stay within budget

Question 10

An executive stakeholder bypasses the project manager and directly instructs a team member to work on a new feature not in the project scope. The team member is confused. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Tell the executive stakeholder that they must go through the PM for all requests. Option C is correct because the project manager must first address the governance breach by directly communicating with the executive stakeholder to reinforce the established communication management plan. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's principle that all formal requests should flow through the project manager to maintain scope control and prevent unauthorized work. The immediate action is to clarify the process, not to escalate or submit a change request without understanding the stakeholder's intent.

Answer

Reprimand the team member for following instructions without consulting the PM

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Instruct the team member to ignore the executive's request

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Submit a change request for the new feature

Question 11

You are leading a virtual team across multiple time zones. Team members report feeling disconnected and communication is becoming less effective. Which TWO actions should you take to improve team cohesion and collaboration?

Accepted Answer

Create a team charter that defines communication norms, meeting times, and preferred collaboration tools. Option A is correct because a team charter establishes clear communication norms, meeting times, and collaboration tools, which directly addresses the root cause of disconnection in a virtual team. By defining these expectations upfront, the charter reduces ambiguity and ensures all members are aligned on how and when to communicate, fostering cohesion. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on creating a team charter to set ground rules and improve team performance.

Answer

Encourage team members to use instant messaging for all communication

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Increase the frequency of status reports to ensure everyone is updated

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Require all team members to work the same hours regardless of time zone

Question 12

During a sprint review, a stakeholder expresses dissatisfaction with a deliverable's feature, claiming it does not meet their needs. The product owner disagrees, stating the feature was built exactly as specified. What is the BEST next step?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting between the stakeholder and product owner to clarify the requirements. Option D is correct because the core issue is a misalignment between the stakeholder's needs and the product owner's interpretation of the requirements. The best next step is to facilitate direct communication between the stakeholder and product owner to clarify the requirements, ensuring that the team has a clear, shared understanding before any changes are made. This aligns with the PMP's emphasis on stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution through collaboration.

Answer

Ask the product owner to reprioritize the backlog and add the modification

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Thank the stakeholder for the feedback but proceed with the current deliverable

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Instruct the team to modify the feature to satisfy the stakeholder

Question 13

An executive stakeholder has been giving direct instructions to your team members, bypassing you as the project manager. This has caused confusion and conflicting priorities. What is the BEST action to take?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a private meeting with the executive to discuss the importance of following the project's communication protocols. Option C is correct because it directly addresses the root cause of the conflict—the executive stakeholder's bypassing behavior—through a private, respectful conversation. This aligns with the PMP's focus on stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution, as it seeks to reinforce the project's communication protocols without escalating the issue publicly. By discussing the importance of following the plan, you maintain the authority of the project manager while preserving the stakeholder relationship.

Answer

Ask the team to ignore any instructions not coming from you

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Send a memo to all stakeholders restating the project's communication plan

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Ignore the situation to avoid conflict with the executive

Question 14

A project team is composed of members from diverse cultural backgrounds. The PM notices that some team members are not voicing their opinions in meetings due to cultural norms. What is the BEST approach to foster inclusion?

Accepted Answer

Implement anonymous polling or virtual collaboration tools for input. Option C is correct because it addresses the root cause of the issue—cultural norms that discourage direct verbal participation—by providing an alternative, low-pressure channel for input. Anonymous polling and virtual collaboration tools (e.g., real-time chat, shared documents) allow team members to contribute without violating their cultural norms, thereby fostering inclusion without forcing confrontation. This approach aligns with the PMP's emphasis on adapting communication styles and leveraging technology to create a psychologically safe environment.

Answer

Pair team members from similar cultures to encourage participation

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Document the issue and ignore it if it does not affect project outcomes

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Ask each team member directly for their opinion during meetings

Question 15

A new team member joins a high-performing agile team. The existing team members are concerned that the new member's pace is slower. What should the project manager do to integrate the new member effectively?

Accepted Answer

Pair the new member with a senior team member for mentoring and knowledge sharing. Pairing the new member with a senior team member leverages mentoring and knowledge sharing, which aligns with agile principles of collaboration and continuous learning. This approach helps the new member ramp up efficiently while maintaining team cohesion and velocity, as the senior member can provide real-time guidance on the team's coding standards, architecture, and workflow.

Answer

Assign less complex tasks to the new member until they catch up

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Ask the team to work overtime to compensate

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Extend the sprint duration to give the new member more time

Question 16

A key stakeholder insists on bypassing the change control process and demands that a minor scope change be implemented immediately to meet a regulatory deadline. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Explain the importance of the change control process and initiate a change request. The correct answer is A because the project manager must uphold the change control process to ensure all changes, even minor ones, are properly evaluated for impact on scope, schedule, cost, and quality. Bypassing the process could lead to undocumented changes that violate regulatory compliance or introduce risks. Initiating a change request allows the stakeholder's urgent need to be formally assessed and approved through the proper governance framework.

Answer

Implement the change and document it later

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Refuse the request outright, stating that no changes are allowed

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Comply with the stakeholder's request to maintain a good relationship

Question 17

You are leading a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, two senior developers have a heated argument about the technical implementation of a feature. The disagreement is causing tension among the team. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Meet with both developers separately and then together to find a solution. Option C is correct because, as the project manager, your first responsibility is to address the conflict directly using collaborative conflict resolution techniques. Meeting with each developer separately allows you to understand their technical perspectives without group pressure, and then bringing them together facilitates a solution that respects both viewpoints and maintains team cohesion. This approach aligns with the PMI People domain, emphasizing servant leadership and proactive conflict management.

Answer

Escalate the conflict to the project sponsor

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Assign the feature to a different developer

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Ask the team members to resolve it on their own

Question 18

A key vendor informs you that due to raw material shortages, they cannot deliver a critical component on time. This component is on the critical path. The risk register included this as a high-probability risk with a contingency plan to use an alternative supplier. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Activate the contingency plan and engage the alternative supplier. D is correct because the risk was already identified, assessed as high-probability, and a contingency plan (alternative supplier) was documented in the risk register. When the risk occurs, the first action is to execute the pre-approved contingency plan, not to reanalyze or seek new approvals, as the plan was already vetted during risk planning.

Answer

Ask the project sponsor to approve the alternative supplier

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Replan the project schedule to accommodate the delay

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Perform a new risk analysis to assess the impact

Question 19

During a sprint retrospective, the team identifies that communication breakdowns are causing delays. They propose a new collaboration tool. The project manager supports the idea but it requires additional budget. What should the PM do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Evaluate the tool's cost and benefits, then submit a change request for approval. Option B is correct because the project manager must first evaluate the cost and benefits of the proposed collaboration tool to build a business case, then submit a formal change request to the change control board (CCB) for approval. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's integrated change control process, ensuring that budget adjustments are justified and authorized before any expenditure.

Answer

Purchase the tool using the management reserve without approval

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Ask the team to continue without the tool to save money

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Authorize the purchase using the contingency reserve

Question 20

A project team member from a different cultural background tends to avoid direct confrontation during disagreements, which frustrates other team members who prefer direct communication. As the project manager, which TWO actions should you take to improve team dynamics?

Accepted Answer

Introduce anonymous feedback tools for sensitive issues.. Option A is correct because anonymous feedback tools allow team members to express concerns about cultural or communication differences without the discomfort of direct confrontation, which aligns with the PMI principle of fostering a respectful and inclusive team environment. This approach respects the cultural preference for indirect communication while still surfacing issues that need resolution. Option D is correct because facilitating a team session on cultural diversity and communication preferences directly addresses the root cause of the conflict by educating the team and promoting mutual understanding, which is a proactive leadership action under the 'People' domain.

Answer

Tell the frustrated team members to accept the differences.

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Require all team members to adopt direct communication styles.

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Report the issue to human resources.