PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Test 23 — 15 Questions

Question 1

You are managing a project to develop a mobile app. The sponsor asks you to skip user acceptance testing (UAT) to meet an aggressive launch date. The team is concerned about quality risks. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Explain the risks of skipping UAT and propose a change request to adjust the schedule. Option B is correct because the PM must communicate the risks of skipping UAT and follow proper change control. Option A is wrong because proceeding without sponsor awareness is unethical and risky. Option C is wrong because skipping UAT could lead to major defects post-launch. Option D is wrong because ignoring the sponsor's request without explanation may damage the relationship.

Answer

Refuse the request without further discussion

Answer

Comply with the sponsor's request to meet the deadline

Answer

Proceed with UAT secretly and report the launch date as planned

Question 2

A risk event that was identified and included in the risk register has occurred. The impact on the project schedule is moderate. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Implement the agreed-upon risk response from the risk register. When a risk event that was identified and included in the risk register occurs, the project manager should first implement the agreed-upon risk response that was already planned and documented. This is because the risk response plan was developed during risk planning and approved by stakeholders, making it the immediate and correct action to take. Implementing the pre-agreed response ensures a timely, consistent, and controlled reaction to the risk, minimizing disruption to the project schedule.

Answer

Ignore the event since the impact is only moderate

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for guidance

Answer

Develop a new risk response immediately

Question 3

Your project team includes members from diverse cultural backgrounds. During a meeting, you notice that some team members are not contributing ideas, while others dominate the discussion. What should you do to foster inclusive participation?

Accepted Answer

Establish a team charter with ground rules that encourage equal participation. Option D is correct because establishing team norms for meetings promotes respect and inclusion. Option A is wrong because mandating contributions may intimidate quiet members. Option B is wrong because addressing individuals publicly can cause discomfort. Option C is wrong because allowing domination undermines team dynamics.

Answer

Allow the meeting to proceed naturally as it is a cultural difference

Answer

Require each team member to speak at least once per meeting

Answer

Privately ask the dominant members to speak less

Question 4

During a hybrid project, an executive stakeholder bypasses you and directly instructs a team member to add a new feature. The team member is now confused about priorities. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Meet with the executive stakeholder to explain the project's change control process and the importance of proper communication channels. Option A is correct because, as the project manager, you must first address the root cause of the confusion—the executive stakeholder's bypass of the formal change control process. By meeting with the executive, you reinforce the importance of proper communication channels and the change control board (CCB) process, which protects the project from scope creep and ensures all changes are evaluated for impact on cost, schedule, and quality. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's principle of managing stakeholder engagement and maintaining a single point of accountability for project decisions.

Answer

Ignore the issue and allow the feature to be added to maintain stakeholder satisfaction

Answer

Reprimand the team member for accepting instructions without your approval

Answer

Add the feature to the backlog and treat it as a priority

Question 5

You are leading a Scrum team. For the past three sprints, the team has consistently completed all committed user stories. The product owner wants to increase the team's velocity by 20%. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a retrospective to identify process improvements that could sustainably increase velocity. Option C is correct because velocity is a measure of past performance, not a target. The team should self-organize to improve. Option A is wrong because forcing a higher velocity can lead to burnout. Option B is wrong because adjusting story points artificially inflates velocity. Option D is wrong because removing testing increases technical debt.

Answer

Reduce the definition of done to skip testing activities

Answer

Instruct the team to commit to more stories each sprint

Answer

Ask the team to estimate stories with lower story points to increase velocity

Question 6

A key vendor has notified you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time due to a raw material shortage. This component is on the project's critical path. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Evaluate the impact on the project schedule and identify possible alternatives, such as sourcing from another vendor. Option D is correct because the first step in any project management issue is to analyze the impact and explore alternatives before taking action. Since the component is on the critical path, any delay directly affects the project finish date, so you must evaluate schedule impact and identify options like sourcing from another vendor to mitigate the risk.

Answer

Initiate legal proceedings against the vendor for breach of contract

Answer

Crash the schedule by adding resources to other tasks to compensate for the delay

Answer

Immediately escalate the issue to the project sponsor

Question 7

Your project is running 15% over budget at the midpoint. The cost variance is due to higher-than-expected material costs. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Perform a variance analysis, update the cost forecast, and consider corrective actions such as finding cost savings. Option D is correct because the PM must analyze the variance and forecast the impact before taking action. Option A is wrong because reducing scope without proper analysis may impact project objectives. Option B is wrong because asking for more budget without understanding the root cause is not justified. Option C is wrong because ignoring the variance could lead to further overruns.

Answer

Reduce the project scope to bring costs back in line

Answer

Continue as planned since the project is only 15% over budget

Answer

Request additional funding from the sponsor immediately

Question 8

A new government regulation has been enacted that affects your project's deliverables. The regulation requires additional compliance checks that were not in the original scope. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request to incorporate the compliance checks and assess the impact on scope, schedule, and cost. Option B is correct because new regulations often require a change request through integrated change control. Option A is wrong because ignoring the regulation could lead to non-compliance. Option C is wrong because rejecting the regulation outright is not feasible. Option D is wrong because the PM should assess impact before discussing with stakeholders.

Answer

Refuse to comply with the regulation because it increases project costs

Answer

Discuss with stakeholders before taking any action

Answer

Inform the team to ignore the regulation as it was not part of the original plan

Question 9

On a large-scale project, you have a team member who is technically skilled but consistently fails to complete tasks on time, affecting the team's morale. You have had informal conversations about this, but there has been no improvement. What should you do next?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a formal performance review, document the issues, and create a performance improvement plan with clear expectations and timelines. Option D is correct because the PM should use a progressive approach: after informal feedback, engage in a formal performance discussion with a plan. Option A is wrong because immediately replacing the member may be too harsh and could lose valuable skills. Option B is wrong because removing all critical tasks may not help the member improve. Option C is wrong because ignoring the issue could further damage team morale.

Answer

Replace the team member with a more reliable resource

Answer

Ignore the issue as the team member is technically strong

Answer

Reassign all critical tasks to other team members

Question 10

You are managing a global virtual team. Team members have reported feeling isolated and disconnected from the project's goals. Which TWO actions would best help improve team cohesion and engagement?

Accepted Answer

Establish a team charter that includes communication norms and collaboration expectations. Options A and C are correct: scheduling virtual team-building activities and establishing clear communication norms foster cohesion. Option B is wrong: increasing reporting frequency may cause micromanagement. Option D is wrong: rotating work hours may not be feasible for all. Option E is wrong: introducing collaboration tools without training may not be effective.

Answer

Ask team members to rotate their working hours to overlap with all time zones

Answer

Require daily status reports from each team member

Answer

Implement a new collaboration tool without providing training

Question 11

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?

Accepted Answer

Work with the product owner to prioritize the backlog and reduce ambiguity. Option A is correct because the product owner is responsible for backlog prioritization, and reducing ambiguity in user stories directly addresses unclear priorities. By clarifying requirements, the team can focus on high-value work without wasting time interpreting vague tasks, which helps restore velocity.

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 12

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. Options A, B, and D are correct: providing training, involving the team in process design, and addressing concerns foster buy-in. Option C is wrong: imposing the change without consultation breeds resentment. Option E is wrong: removing resistant members without support is not servant leadership.

Answer

Mandate immediate adoption of agile practices without discussion

Answer

Replace resistant team members with agile-experienced staff

Question 13

You are managing a hybrid project using Scrum for development and a predictive approach for regulatory deliverables. During the daily standup, two senior developers disagree strongly on the technical approach to implement a user story. The disagreement is causing tension and slowing progress. As the project manager, what should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a discussion between the two developers to understand both perspectives and reach a consensus. In a hybrid project, the project manager must first facilitate conflict resolution among team members to maintain team cohesion and ensure progress. Option B aligns with the PMI's emphasis on servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving, as it addresses the root cause of the disagreement without bypassing the team's autonomy or escalating prematurely.

Answer

Assign the story to another developer who can work without conflict

Answer

Make the technical decision yourself based on your experience

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision

Question 14

Your project is in execution phase, and a key vendor informs you that they will be unable to deliver a critical component on time due to a supply chain disruption. This risk was identified in the risk register and a contingency plan was developed. The project timeline is tight, and any delay will impact the critical path. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Implement the contingency plan as documented in the risk register and communicate with stakeholders. Option B is correct because the contingency plan already exists for this identified risk. The PM should implement it and communicate the situation to stakeholders. Option A is incorrect because simply alerting without taking action is insufficient. Option C is incorrect because switching vendors without following the contingency plan may introduce new risks and costs. Option D is incorrect because re-baselining the schedule without approval is not appropriate; contingency plans are meant to be used.

Answer

Immediately find an alternative vendor who can deliver on time

Answer

Re-baseline the project schedule to accommodate the delay

Answer

Alert the project sponsor about the delay and ask for additional time

Question 15

You are leading a virtual team across three time zones. During a video conference, you notice that one team member from a remote location has not spoken for the entire meeting. In previous meetings, this team member has also been quiet. What should you do to ensure effective collaboration?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a one-on-one conversation to understand any barriers and encourage participation. Option D is correct because it aligns with the PMP principle of servant leadership and proactive stakeholder engagement. By scheduling a one-on-one conversation, you create a safe environment to identify potential barriers (e.g., time zone fatigue, cultural differences, or technical issues with the virtual platform) that may be inhibiting participation. This approach fosters trust and encourages collaboration without putting the team member on the spot in a group setting.

Answer

Ask the team member directly during the meeting why they are not contributing

Answer

Assign the team member as the note-taker to ensure they are engaged

Answer

Assume the team member has nothing to contribute and focus on others