PMP Practice Test 9 — 10 Questions

Question 1

During the execution phase of a road construction project, the team discovers an unmarked underground utility line that was not shown on any plans. Working near it poses a safety risk, and the project must halt until the utility is identified and mapped. The risk register did not include this specific risk. What should the project manager do FIRST?

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

Accepted Answer

Stop work in the area and engage a utility locating service to identify the line. The immediate priority is to ensure safety by stopping work in the affected area and engaging a utility locating service to identify the unmarked underground utility line. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on managing unforeseen risks that pose safety hazards, even if they are not in the risk register. The project manager must first assess and mitigate the risk before proceeding with any other actions.

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Instruct the team to work carefully around the utility to avoid delays

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Update the risk register with this new risk and continue work

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Submit a change request to adjust the project schedule

Question 2

A key vendor informs you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time due to a raw material shortage. This component is on the critical path. The vendor has a history of poor performance. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Implement the risk response plan that was developed for this vendor risk. The project manager should first implement the risk response plan that was developed for this vendor risk. Since the vendor has a history of poor performance, this risk should have been identified during planning, and a response plan (e.g., using an alternative supplier or buffer stock) should already exist. Acting on the pre-approved plan ensures a structured, timely response without unnecessary delays or escalation.

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Immediately contact alternative vendors to find a replacement

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Perform schedule compression techniques to recover the delay

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Escalate to senior management for a decision

Question 3

During a project retrospective, the team identifies that many tasks were delayed because team members were unsure of their responsibilities. What is the most effective way for the project manager to prevent this in future projects?

Accepted Answer

Develop a responsibility assignment matrix (RACI) at the start of the project.. A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI) formally defines roles and responsibilities for each task or deliverable at the start of the project, eliminating ambiguity. This proactive approach ensures every team member knows who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed, directly preventing the confusion that caused delays in the retrospective.

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Conduct daily stand-up meetings to clarify tasks.

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Require team members to create their own task lists and share them.

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Assign tasks based on seniority and expertise.

Question 4

A resource on a project has been consistently logging 12-14 hours of overtime per day for several weeks. Recently, the resource's productivity has declined and errors have increased. What is the MOST likely cause of the resource issue?

Accepted Answer

The resource is overworked due to excessive overtime.. The scenario describes a consistent pattern of the resource working excessive overtime hours over an extended period, leading to diminishing productivity and increased errors. This is a classic sign of overwork and burnout, not a one-time estimation inaccuracy (A) or unplanned scope changes (B). While being behind schedule (C) might cause overtime, the persistent overtime with declining quality indicates overwork as the primary cause rather than a reactive response to schedule pressure. Therefore, D is correct.

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The resource estimation was inaccurate for the tasks.

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Scope creep is causing additional unplanned work.

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The project is behind schedule, forcing overtime.

Question 5

A project manager notices that a team member consistently submits deliverables late. The project manager suspects the team member is overburdened. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a one-on-one meeting to discuss workload and any challenges.. The first step in addressing a potential performance issue is to gather information through a private, respectful conversation. The project manager should schedule a one-on-one meeting to understand the team member's workload and challenges before taking any corrective action, aligning with the PMI's emphasis on servant leadership and emotional intelligence.

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Reassign the tasks to another team member immediately.

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Reprimand the team member in the next team meeting as a warning.

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Issue a formal written warning about performance.

Question 6

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. 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.

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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 7

You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the customer requests a major feature addition that would extend the timeline by two weeks. The team is already working at capacity. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request through the Integrated Change Control process and assess the impact on scope, schedule, and cost. In a hybrid project environment, any change to scope, schedule, or cost must go through the Integrated Change Control process. The first step is to submit a formal change request and assess its impact on all constraints. This ensures the change is evaluated, approved or rejected by the change control board, and properly integrated into the project plans. Acting without this process risks scope creep and unmanaged impacts.

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

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Inform the customer that the feature is out of scope and cannot be added

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Add the feature to the product backlog and schedule it for a future sprint without further analysis

Question 8

A project team is in the storming stage of development. The project manager wants to help the team move to the norming stage. Which action would BEST support this transition?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a team session to establish ground rules and clarify roles.. The storming stage is characterized by conflict and uncertainty about roles. Facilitating a session to establish ground rules and clarify roles directly addresses the root cause of storming by creating structure and mutual understanding, which is the key to moving into norming where collaboration begins. This action aligns with Tuckman's model and the PM's role as a servant leader.

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Enforce strict adherence to the project schedule to keep the team focused.

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Reassign team members who are causing conflict to different teams.

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Encourage team members to avoid discussing disagreements to maintain harmony.

Question 9

In a hybrid project, the development team is using Scrum, and the project manager is responsible for overall coordination. During a sprint, the product owner asks the team to add a high-priority user story that was not included in the sprint planning. The team is concerned about overcommitment. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Ask the product owner to add the story to the product backlog and prioritize it for the next sprint.. In a hybrid project using Scrum, the product owner should manage the product backlog and prioritize work for future sprints. Adding a new story mid-sprint violates the sprint commitment and can destabilize the team's velocity and sprint goal. The project manager should facilitate the product owner's decision to defer the story to the next sprint, preserving the integrity of the current sprint.

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Remove a lower-priority story from the sprint to make room for the new one.

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Allow the team to add the story if they can accommodate it without affecting the sprint goal.

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Escalate to the project sponsor to resolve the conflict.

Question 10

You are the project manager for a large construction project. Midway through, a key supplier informs you that a critical component will be delayed by 6 weeks due to raw material shortages. The component is on the critical path and has zero float. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a schedule impact analysis and evaluate options such as fast-tracking or crashing. The project manager must first understand the actual impact of the supplier delay before taking any corrective action. Conducting a schedule impact analysis and evaluating options like fast-tracking or crashing is the standard 'assess before act' step in PMP's Integration and Schedule Management processes. Since the component is on the critical path with zero float, the delay directly threatens the project end date, so a data-driven analysis is required to determine viable recovery options.

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Terminate the contract with the supplier and find a new one

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Ask the team to work overtime to compress the schedule

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Notify the sponsor and stakeholders that the project will be delayed by 6 weeks