PMP Practice Exam 58 — 20 Questions

Question 1

You are managing a project where a key executive stakeholder bypasses you and gives direct orders to the development team. The team is confused about priorities. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a meeting with the executive to discuss the impact of bypassing the PM and reinforce the communication plan. Option C is correct because the first action should be to address the root cause of the confusion—the executive's bypassing behavior—by scheduling a private meeting to discuss its impact on project priorities and team morale, and to reinforce the established communication plan. This aligns with the PMP's focus on proactive stakeholder management and conflict resolution, ensuring the project manager maintains authority and clarity without escalating prematurely.

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Tell the team to follow the executive's orders to avoid conflict

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Report the executive's behavior to the project sponsor

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Update the communication plan to include the executive's approach

Question 2

You are leading a virtual team that includes members from different cultural backgrounds. Several team members have expressed that they feel left out of decision-making because most discussions happen in the project manager's time zone. What is the BEST action to foster inclusion?

Accepted Answer

Implement an asynchronous collaboration tool for decision-making and rotate meeting times.. Option A is correct because it directly addresses the core issue of time zone exclusion by using asynchronous collaboration tools (e.g., shared documents, discussion boards) to allow all members to contribute to decisions at their convenience, and rotating meeting times ensures no single time zone is consistently disadvantaged. This approach aligns with the PMP's emphasis on inclusive leadership and adapting communication methods to foster team cohesion in a virtual, multicultural environment.

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Tell the team that decisions will be made by you and communicated via email.

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Schedule all meetings during your own working hours to maximize your availability.

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Hold separate meetings for each time zone and compile the results.

Question 3

Your agile team's velocity has been declining for the past three sprints. The team cites increasing technical debt and unclear requirements. As the project manager, which THREE actions should you take to address this?

Accepted Answer

Allocate time for the team to refactor code and reduce technical debt.. Option A is correct because allocating time for refactoring directly addresses the technical debt that is slowing the team down. By dedicating sprint capacity to code cleanup and improvement, the team can improve code maintainability, reduce future defects, and restore velocity. This is a standard agile practice to manage technical debt and sustain delivery pace.

Answer

Replace underperforming team members.

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Switch to a different agile framework, such as Kanban.

Question 4

You are leading a virtual team across multiple time zones. During daily stand-ups, you notice that team members from one region are consistently quiet and not contributing. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a one-on-one meeting with a few members of that region to ask about their experience and any barriers. Option B is correct because the first step in addressing a participation issue in a virtual team is to understand the root cause through direct, private conversations. This aligns with the PMP principle of 'servant leadership' and the 'People' domain, where you must first investigate barriers (e.g., time zone fatigue, cultural norms, or tool discomfort) before implementing solutions. A one-on-one meeting builds psychological safety and gathers specific feedback, which is essential for an effective corrective action.

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Implement a new communication tool to encourage engagement

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Send a team-wide email reminding everyone of the importance of participation

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Assign speaking turns to ensure everyone participates

Question 5

You manage a global project team with members in three different time zones. Several team members have expressed feeling isolated and disconnected from the project. Communication has become sporadic. What is the BEST way to address this?

Accepted Answer

Schedule regular video conferences and virtual team-building activities. Option D is correct because it directly addresses the root cause of isolation and sporadic communication by fostering synchronous interaction and team cohesion. Regular video conferences enable real-time collaboration and non-verbal cues, while virtual team-building activities strengthen interpersonal relationships, which are critical for distributed teams. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on using communication methods that promote engagement and trust in virtual environments.

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Send a weekly email newsletter with project updates

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Assign a local team lead in each time zone

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Require all team members to work the same hours

Question 6

You are managing a project where the team has been working overtime for several weeks to meet a milestone. The milestone is achieved, but the team is exhausted. What should you do to sustain the team's performance?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a retrospective to identify causes of overtime and implement improvements. Option A is correct because a retrospective directly addresses the root cause of unsustainable overtime, enabling the project manager to implement process improvements that prevent recurrence. Sustaining team performance requires addressing systemic issues, not just short-term relief. This aligns with the PMI talent triangle's emphasis on leadership and team motivation through continuous improvement.

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Reward the team with a bonus and move on to the next phase

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Encourage the team to take a few days off to recover

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Increase the team's resources for the next milestone

Question 7

A team member has informed you that they are feeling burnt out due to the high pace of the project. The project is on schedule and within budget. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Discuss workload distribution with the team and consider adjusting assignments.. Option C is correct because the project manager should first assess and address the workload imbalance that is causing burnout, which is a key responsibility under the 'Manage Team' process. By discussing workload distribution with the team and considering adjustments, the PM uses a collaborative approach to optimize resource utilization without compromising the project's schedule or budget. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on servant leadership and proactive team management.

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Tell the team member to take a short vacation and return refreshed.

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Remove the team member from the project to protect their health.

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Reduce the project scope to lower the pace.

Question 8

A project team member has been underperforming for several weeks. You have had informal conversations with them, but performance has not improved. What should you do next?

Accepted Answer

Initiate a formal performance improvement plan with clear expectations and milestones. Option B is correct because after informal coaching has failed, the project manager must follow a structured performance management process. Initiating a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with clear expectations, measurable milestones, and a defined timeline aligns with the PMBOK Guide's principles for leading the team and managing performance issues. This approach provides the underperforming team member with a documented opportunity to improve while protecting the project's objectives.

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Ignore the underperformance and hope it resolves on its own

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Immediately replace the team member with a new resource

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Escalate the issue to human resources for termination

Question 9

A new regulatory requirement has been discovered mid-project. This requirement will affect the project scope and schedule. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Assess the impact of the new requirement on scope, schedule, and cost. Option B is correct because a new regulatory requirement discovered mid-project must be assessed for its impact on the triple constraint (scope, schedule, cost) before any action is taken. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's Perform Integrated Change Control process, where the project manager evaluates the effect of a change on all project baselines. Without this assessment, you cannot determine the feasibility or the necessary adjustments to the project plan.

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Ignore the requirement until the next project phase

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Implement the requirement immediately to ensure compliance

Question 10

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 the risk register contains a pre-planned risk response for this identified risk event. Implementing that response is the most efficient and effective way to minimize impact, as it was designed and approved during risk planning. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on executing risk responses during the execution phase.

Answer

Inform the sponsor and ask for a project extension

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Immediately hire a replacement with the same skills

Question 11

Your agile team's velocity has dropped for the past three sprints. During the retrospective, team members mention they are overburdened with work from other departments. The project manager is not the team's direct manager. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Work with the functional managers to reduce the team's external workload. The correct first step is to address the root cause of the velocity drop—the team's overburden from external work. As the project manager lacks direct authority, you must collaborate with the functional managers who control the team members' assignments to negotiate a reduction in external workload. This aligns with the PMI principle of servant leadership and removing impediments, which is the immediate priority before adjusting plans or escalating.

Answer

Re-estimate the backlog to reflect the lower velocity

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Ask the team to work faster and increase their hours

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Report the velocity drop to the project sponsor

Question 12

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 team-building activities directly address low morale by improving trust and communication among team members, which aligns with the servant leadership principle of fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. Unclear roles and responsibilities often stem from poor interpersonal dynamics, and team-building helps rebuild the foundation for clearer collaboration.

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Assign roles and responsibilities yourself to avoid confusion

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Increase supervision and hold daily status meetings

Question 13

Your agile project team is experiencing conflicts between two developers regarding coding standards. The conflict is affecting team morale and productivity. As the project manager, which TWO actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Encourage the team to collaboratively define a coding standard that everyone agrees on. Option A is correct because it aligns with the agile principle of self-organizing teams and collective ownership. By encouraging the team to collaboratively define a coding standard, you empower them to reach a consensus that everyone can commit to, which directly addresses the root cause of the conflict and improves morale and productivity. This approach fosters team cohesion and ensures the standard is practical and accepted by all, rather than being imposed externally.

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Remove the developers from the project to avoid further conflict

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Decide on a coding standard yourself and enforce it

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Escalate the conflict to the functional managers of the developers

Question 14

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 informal virtual coffee chats help build social bonds and reduce feelings of isolation in a distributed team. These non-work interactions foster trust and psychological safety, which are essential for team cohesion across different time zones and cultures.

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

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Send a weekly email newsletter with project updates and achievements

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

Question 15

You are managing a hybrid project with a critical deliverable due in two weeks. Two senior developers on your team have a strong disagreement over the technical approach. They have stopped speaking to each other, and the team's progress has stalled. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Meet with each developer separately to understand their perspectives and facilitate a joint discussion. Option D is correct because, as a project manager, your first responsibility in a conflict is to understand each party's perspective individually and then facilitate a collaborative resolution. This approach aligns with the PMP's 'Manage Conflict' process, which emphasizes direct, respectful communication before escalating or imposing solutions. By meeting separately and then jointly, you address the root cause—the technical disagreement—while preserving team cohesion and ownership of the solution.

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Enforce a team policy that all technical decisions must be approved by you

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution

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Reassign the work to other team members to avoid further conflict

Question 16

Your agile project team has been consistently delivering high-quality work, but sprint velocity has dropped over the last three sprints. The team reports feeling overworked and demotivated. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a retrospective to identify root causes and collaboratively develop improvements. Facilitating a retrospective is the correct first step because it empowers the team to collaboratively identify the root causes of the decreased velocity and demotivation, such as technical debt, unclear requirements, or process inefficiencies. This aligns with the agile principle of continuous improvement and servant leadership, where the project manager acts as a facilitator rather than imposing solutions. Addressing the underlying issues through team-driven improvements is more sustainable than forcing scope or personnel changes.

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Reduce the sprint scope to increase velocity

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Replace the scrum master with a more experienced one

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Ask the team to work overtime to regain velocity

Question 17

You are managing a large project with multiple stakeholders. One executive stakeholder has been bypassing you and giving direct instructions to the team, causing confusion. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Meet with the stakeholder privately to clarify the communication plan and request they go through you. Option C is correct because the PM must first address the stakeholder directly to reinforce the established communication plan and authority structure. Bypassing the PM violates the project's governance and can lead to scope creep, conflicting priorities, and team confusion. A private meeting allows the PM to professionally assert their role as the single point of contact for the team, as defined in the communications management plan.

Answer

Tell the team to follow the stakeholder's instructions

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Update the communication plan to include the stakeholder's direct involvement

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Report the stakeholder to the project sponsor

Question 18

Your project is in the execution phase when a new regulatory requirement is discovered that impacts the project scope. The change is mandatory and must be implemented immediately. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Update the project management plan and other relevant documents after approval. Option A is correct because once a change request is approved by the CCB, the project management plan and other relevant documents must be updated to reflect the new regulatory requirement. This ensures that the project baseline (scope, schedule, cost) is formally revised and that all stakeholders are working from the same approved version, maintaining control over the project's execution.

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Instruct the team to start implementing the change immediately

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Ignore the regulation because the project is already underway

Question 19

A project team has low trust and poor collaboration. The project manager wants to build a high-performing team. Which of the following is the MOST effective first step?

Accepted Answer

Develop a team charter that defines values, communication norms, and conflict resolution processes.. Developing a team charter is the most effective first step because it establishes a shared foundation of values, communication norms, and conflict resolution processes, which directly addresses low trust and poor collaboration by creating psychological safety and clear expectations. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on team charter as a key tool for forming a high-performing team, as it proactively prevents conflicts rather than reactively resolving them.

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Conduct a team-building event, such as a social gathering.

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Identify and resolve the biggest conflict in the team.

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Introduce daily stand-up meetings.

Question 20

You are managing a large-scale project with multiple vendors. One vendor is consistently late in delivering critical components, jeopardizing the project schedule. The vendor blames the delays on your team's incomplete specifications. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a root cause analysis with the vendor and your team to identify underlying issues and develop a corrective action plan. Option A is correct because, as a project manager, your first step should be to investigate the root cause of the conflict before taking corrective action. Conducting a root cause analysis with both the vendor and your team aligns with the PMI's 'Manage Stakeholder Engagement' and 'Manage Team' processes, ensuring you address the underlying issue (incomplete specifications vs. vendor performance) rather than symptoms. This collaborative approach preserves the relationship and prevents recurrence, which is critical for a large-scale project with multiple vendors.

Answer

Request that your team rework the specifications to be more detailed and clear

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Replace the vendor with a new one that can meet the deadlines

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Formally notify the vendor of the delays and threaten legal action if performance does not improve