PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Test 14 — 15 Questions

Question 1

Your project is running 15% over budget at the midpoint. The team is motivated, but the sponsor is concerned. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a variance analysis to identify the reasons for the overspend. Conducting a variance analysis is the first step because it identifies the root causes of the budget overrun — whether it's scope creep, inaccurate estimates, or unexpected costs. PMBOK and PMP best practices dictate that you analyze before acting; jumping to solutions without understanding the cause can worsen the situation. This aligns with the 'analyze first' mindset tested throughout the PMP exam.

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Immediately reduce team resources to cut costs

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Request the team to work overtime without additional pay

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Ask the sponsor for additional funding

Question 2

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.

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Add more team members to the sprint

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Replace underperforming team members

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Increase the sprint length to give the team more time

Question 3

A key vendor informs you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time, which will delay the project. You need to decide on next steps. Which THREE actions are most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Update the project management plan with the new delivery date. Updating the project management plan with the new delivery date is correct because it formally documents the revised schedule baseline, which is a key output of the integrated change control process. This ensures all project artifacts reflect the current reality, enabling accurate tracking and communication. Without this update, the plan becomes obsolete and misaligns with actual project execution.

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Ask the team to work overtime to compensate for the delay

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Immediately terminate the vendor contract

Question 4

You are leading a distributed agile team. Team members have expressed that they feel disconnected and unclear about project goals. Which THREE actions should you take to improve team cohesion and alignment?

Accepted Answer

Use video conferencing for all team meetings to enhance personal connection. Video conferencing adds a visual and non-verbal communication layer that significantly improves personal connection in distributed teams. This aligns with agile principles of face-to-face communication and helps reduce the sense of isolation, directly addressing the team's feeling of disconnection.

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Reduce the frequency of team meetings to give more time for work

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Implement a daily status email from each team member

Question 5

You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, two senior developers get into a heated argument about the technical design of a feature. The argument is causing tension and delaying the review. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review. As the project manager, your first responsibility is to restore order and keep the sprint review productive. By calmly acknowledging both viewpoints and suggesting an offline discussion, you de-escalate the conflict without derailing the review or taking sides. This aligns with the PMI People domain principle of addressing interpersonal conflict early and constructively, while preserving the team's focus on the sprint goal.

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution

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End the meeting early and schedule a separate session to resolve the conflict

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Ignore the argument and continue the review, hoping it resolves on its own

Question 6

You are leading a globally distributed agile team. During the daily stand-up, you notice that the team member in India consistently speaks little compared to others, while the US-based members dominate the conversation. What should you do to foster inclusion?

Accepted Answer

Implement a round-robin format where each team member shares updates in turn. Implementing a round-robin format ensures equitable participation by structurally requiring each team member to speak in turn, directly addressing the imbalance caused by time zone and cultural differences. This technique fosters inclusion by removing the dominance of louder voices and giving the quieter team member a dedicated, safe opportunity to contribute, which aligns with the agile principle of self-organizing teams and the PMI Talent Triangle's emphasis on leadership and team management.

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Let the team continue as is, as it is a natural dynamic

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Ask the quiet team member directly why they are not speaking

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Reduce the frequency of the daily stand-up to once a week

Question 7

Your project is running 15% over budget at the midpoint. The team is motivated, but the sponsor is concerned. What should you do first?

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

Accepted Answer

Perform a cost-benefit analysis and present alternative cost-saving measures to the sponsor. As a project manager, you must balance cost constraints with quality and risk. Skipping testing entirely introduces unacceptable technical debt and quality risks, especially in a hybrid project where testing is a critical control point. Performing a cost-benefit analysis allows you to objectively evaluate the impact of skipping testing and present data-driven alternatives, such as reducing test coverage in low-risk areas or deferring non-critical tests, while maintaining the integrity of the deliverable.

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Reduce the scope of testing but not eliminate it entirely

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Inform the sponsor that testing cannot be skipped under any circumstances

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Agree to skip testing to meet the sponsor's request

Question 8

You are the project manager for a construction project. A key vendor notifies you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time, which will delay the project by at least two weeks. The vendor was already on the risk register with a contingency plan. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Activate the contingency plan outlined in the risk register. D is correct because the risk was already identified and documented in the risk register with a pre-defined contingency plan. According to the PMBOK Guide, when a risk occurs, the first action is to implement the contingency plan if one exists, as it is the planned response to the specific risk event. This ensures a structured, pre-approved approach without unnecessary delays or escalation.

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Immediately contact alternative vendors to find a replacement

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Update the project schedule to reflect the delay and notify stakeholders

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Inform the project sponsor of the delay and ask for guidance

Question 9

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. 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.

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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 10

You are leading a distributed Scrum team. The product owner consistently interrupts the development team during sprints with new requirements, causing scope creep and reduced velocity. The team is frustrated. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Coach the product owner on the importance of maintaining a stable sprint backlog and using the product backlog for new ideas. The Scrum framework explicitly requires the product owner to maintain a stable sprint backlog once the sprint has started. Introducing new requirements mid-sprint violates the sprint goal and causes scope creep, which undermines team velocity and morale. As the Scrum Master or project leader, your role is to coach the product owner to defer new ideas to the product backlog for future sprint planning, preserving the integrity of the current sprint.

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor

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Ask the development team to work extra hours to accommodate the changes

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Add the new requirements to the sprint backlog and adjust the sprint goal

Question 11

Your project team is co-located, but you notice that collaboration has decreased recently. Team members are working in silos, and communication is minimal. You suspect the team is not functioning as a high-performing team. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting to create or revise the team charter with collaboration norms. The team charter establishes shared expectations for collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution. Since the team is co-located but working in silos, the first step is to revisit or create the team charter to realign norms and rebuild a collaborative culture, which directly addresses the root cause of decreased collaboration.

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Organize a team-building event to improve relationships

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Assign specific roles and responsibilities to each team member

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor

Question 12

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. 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 13

In an agile project, the sprint velocity has been dropping for three consecutive sprints. The team is demotivated and blaming each other during retrospectives. What should you do as the project manager?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a root cause analysis session to identify impediments and collaboratively find solutions. The root cause analysis session directly addresses the team's demotivation and blame culture by shifting focus to systemic impediments rather than individual performance. In agile, velocity drops often stem from process issues, technical debt, or external blockers—not lack of effort. Facilitating a collaborative session aligns with the PMI's emphasis on servant leadership and removing impediments to restore team morale and productivity.

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Set higher performance targets to push the team to improve

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Reduce the sprint workload to boost velocity

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Replace underperforming team members

Question 14

Your project team includes members from different cultural backgrounds. You notice that some team members are uncomfortable challenging ideas during meetings, which you attribute to cultural norms. How can you best promote a culture of open communication?

Accepted Answer

Create a safe environment by explicitly encouraging diverse perspectives and using anonymous feedback tools. It directly addresses the root cause—cultural norms that discourage open challenge—by creating psychological safety through explicit encouragement and anonymous feedback tools. This approach aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and fostering a collaborative team environment without forcing individuals to act against their cultural conditioning.

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Provide diversity training to the team

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Hold meetings only with individual team members to gather their input

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Assign a mentor to each team member to help them speak up

Question 15

You are managing a project that is on schedule and under budget. A key stakeholder requests a significant scope change that would improve the product's value but also extend the schedule by 20%. The change has not been through change control. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Ask the stakeholder to submit a formal change request for evaluation. When a scope change is requested outside the change control process, the project manager's responsibility is to ensure it is formally documented and evaluated through the integrated change control process. Asking the stakeholder to submit a formal change request allows the change to be assessed for impact on scope, schedule, cost, and risk before any decision is made.

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Refuse the change to protect the original schedule and budget

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Suggest the stakeholder request the change in a follow-up project

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Implement the change since it adds value and the project has contingency