PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Test 24 — 15 Questions

Question 1

In a Scrum project, the team's velocity has been dropping over the last three sprints. The team members seem demotivated and are complaining about too many meetings and unclear priorities. As the agile project manager, what should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a retrospective to identify root causes and collaboratively implement improvements. Option B is correct because a retrospective allows the team to identify root causes of low velocity and demotivation, and to propose improvements. The PM should facilitate this. Option A is incorrect because adding resources does not address the underlying issues and may increase overhead. Option C is incorrect because reducing meetings without team input may not solve the problem. Option D is incorrect because increasing pressure may worsen morale.

Answer

Set a higher sprint goal to challenge the team to improve

Answer

Add more developers to the team to increase capacity

Answer

Reduce the number of meetings by canceling the daily standup

Question 2

You are managing a project where an executive stakeholder has been bypassing you and directly giving instructions to the team members. This has caused confusion and rework. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Have a private meeting with the executive stakeholder to discuss the importance of following the communication plan. Option A is correct because the PM should address the issue directly with the stakeholder, clarify roles, and reinforce the communication management plan. Option B is incorrect because instructing the team to ignore the stakeholder without addressing the stakeholder may cause conflict. Option C is incorrect because escalating to the sponsor prematurely without first discussing with the stakeholder is not the first step. Option D is incorrect because revising the plan without stakeholder buy-in will not solve the issue.

Answer

Instruct the team to ignore any instructions that do not come through you

Answer

Update the communication management plan to require all communications to go through you

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and ask them to intervene

Question 3

A new team member joins your project and is struggling to understand the technical domain and the team's culture. Their productivity is low, and they seem hesitant to ask questions. As project manager, what is the BEST way to support this team member?

Accepted Answer

Assign a senior team member to mentor and pair with them on tasks. Option D is correct because pairing with an experienced mentor provides on-the-job learning and social integration, which is effective for onboarding. Option A is incorrect because simply providing documents may not address the hesitancy to ask questions. Option B is incorrect because extending deadlines does not address the learning gap. Option C is incorrect because online courses may help but lack the personalized support and cultural integration.

Answer

Provide them with detailed documentation and ask them to read it on their own time

Answer

Extend their deadlines to reduce pressure

Answer

Enroll them in an online training course for the technical domain

Question 4

Your predictive project is halfway through execution. A team member has been consistently missing deadlines, and their work quality is declining. You suspect personal issues but are unsure. The project is at risk of schedule delays. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a private meeting to discuss their performance concerns and offer support. Option B is correct because a private, empathetic conversation helps understand the root cause and shows concern for the individual, aligning with servant leadership. Option A is incorrect because immediate reassignment may demoralize the team member and does not address the issue. Option C is incorrect because escalating to HR without first understanding the situation is premature. Option D is incorrect because a performance improvement plan should come after understanding the cause and attempting to address it.

Answer

Escalate the issue to human resources for disciplinary action

Answer

Formally document the underperformance and issue a performance improvement plan

Answer

Reassign their tasks to other team members to protect the schedule

Question 5

You are the project manager for a global, virtual team. Which TWO actions would be MOST effective in building trust and collaboration among team members?

Accepted Answer

Schedule regular video calls where team members can share personal updates and non-work-related topics. Option A is correct because regular video calls with personal updates foster psychological safety and interpersonal bonds, which are critical for trust in virtual teams. This aligns with the PMI Talent Triangle's emphasis on emotional intelligence and team building, as video calls provide richer non-verbal cues than audio-only communication, reducing the sense of isolation in distributed teams.

Answer

Organize a one-time team-building workshop at the start of the project

Answer

Rotate meeting times so each time zone is inconvenienced equally

Answer

Require all team members to participate in daily informal chat sessions

Question 6

During a project review, you discover that the project is 15% over budget at the midpoint. After analysis, you find that the cost overrun is due to underestimation of testing effort and one team member's inefficiency. Which TWO actions should you take to address the situation?

Accepted Answer

Have a private conversation with the underperforming team member to understand challenges and provide support. Options B and C are correct because reviewing the estimate and using EVM provides data-driven insight, and having a performance conversation with the team member addresses the human factor. Option A is incorrect because reducing scope without change control bypasses governance. Option D is incorrect because training may help but is not the immediate action; understanding causes first is key. Option E is incorrect because applying contingency without understanding root cause risks using reserves incorrectly.

Answer

Apply contingency reserves to cover the cost overrun

Answer

Reduce the project scope to bring costs back in line

Answer

Immediately enroll the team member in an advanced testing training course

Question 7

As an agile project manager, you want to empower the development team to self-organize. Which TWO practices would BEST support self-organization?

Accepted Answer

Protect the team from external interruptions and scope changes during the sprint. Option B is correct because protecting the team from external interruptions and scope changes during the sprint is a core agile practice that enables self-organization. Without this protection, the team cannot maintain focus on their committed work, and external pressures undermine their autonomy to manage their own process. This aligns with the Scrum principle of a stable sprint backlog and the product owner's role in shielding the team.

Answer

Assign specific tasks to team members based on their expertise

Answer

Monitor each team member's hours to ensure productivity

Answer

Define the technical solution in detail for the team to implement

Question 8

You are leading a project with a diverse team including members from different cultures and backgrounds. Which THREE actions should you take to promote an inclusive team environment?

Accepted Answer

Establish a team charter that includes norms for respectful communication and conflict resolution. Options A, C, and E are correct because establishing a team charter with norms for respect, using inclusive language, and celebrating differences all foster inclusion. Option B is incorrect because ignoring cultural differences reduces collaboration. Option D is incorrect because focusing communication in one language may exclude non-native speakers.

Answer

Conduct all meetings in English only to avoid misunderstandings

Answer

Encourage team members to adopt the dominant culture's practices to ensure consistency

Question 9

Your project is in the planning phase, and you are developing the team charter. Which THREE elements should be included in the team charter to promote high performance?

Accepted Answer

Decision-making process and conflict resolution approach. Option B is correct because the team charter is a foundational document that establishes how the team will operate, not what they will deliver. Including the decision-making process and conflict resolution approach ensures the team has clear protocols for collaboration and dispute resolution, which directly supports high performance by reducing ambiguity and fostering trust.

Answer

The project schedule and key milestones

Answer

Individual performance metrics and goals

Question 10

During a sprint retrospective, the team identifies that unclear requirements from the product owner are causing rework. The team suggests improvements. Which THREE actions should the project manager (Scrum Master) take?

Accepted Answer

Introduce a requirements clarification step before each sprint planning. Options A, C, and D are correct because implementing one improvement per sprint, ensuring the product owner participates, and adding a requirements clarification step address the root cause. Option B is incorrect because adding buffer time does not solve the root cause. Option E is incorrect because bypassing the product owner violates the Scrum framework.

Answer

Add buffer time to the sprint plan to accommodate potential rework

Answer

Instruct the team to proceed with their best interpretation of requirements

Question 11

You are managing a project where a key stakeholder requests a scope change that would add significant value but also increase risk and cost. Which TWO actions should you take FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Document the change request and submit it through the change control process. Options B and C are correct because assessing the impact on the project and documenting a change request are the first steps in the change control process. Option A is incorrect because accepting without analysis bypasses due diligence. Option D is incorrect because rejecting without assessment is premature. Option E is incorrect because re-baselining without approval is not appropriate.

Answer

Reject the change because it introduces additional risk

Answer

Accept the change because it adds value to the project

Answer

Update the project baseline to include the new scope

Question 12

Your project team includes members from different departments, and there is a conflict between two team leaders over resource allocation. One leader insists their tasks are higher priority. Which THREE actions should you take to resolve this conflict?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting with both leaders to discuss priorities and find a compromise. Options A, C, and D are correct because facilitating a negotiation, reviewing the project priorities, and escalating if needed are appropriate steps. Option B is incorrect because making a unilateral decision disempowers the leaders and may cause resentment. Option E is incorrect because involving the sponsor should be a last resort after attempting resolution.

Answer

Immediately involve the project sponsor to enforce a decision

Answer

Make a decision yourself based on which tasks contribute more to the project objectives

Question 13

You are managing a hybrid project with a co-located core team and remote subject matter experts. Two senior developers argue daily about the technical approach for a critical module. The conflict is delaying sprint planning and affecting team morale. Which TWO actions should you take first?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a private meeting between the two developers to understand their perspectives and guide them toward a resolution. Option A is correct because addressing the conflict directly is essential. Option D is correct because a team charter establishes ground rules for behavior. Option B is wrong because reassigning the senior developers may not address root cause. Option C is wrong as it avoids the issue. Option E is wrong because escalating without resolution attempts is premature. (Note: correct answers are A and D)

Answer

Reassign one developer to a different module to reduce interaction

Answer

Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision

Question 14

During a sprint review, the product owner requests a significant scope change that would add two new features. The team estimates this would extend the sprint by one week. You are the Scrum Master. Which THREE actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Ask the product owner to prioritize the new features against existing backlog items. Option A is correct: the PO should prioritize. Option C is correct: the change should be added to the backlog and addressed in future sprints. Option E is correct: the impact should be communicated transparently. Option B is wrong because it violates the sprint commitment. Option D is wrong because the team should not work unapproved changes.

Answer

Instruct the team to start working on the new features immediately

Answer

Agree to extend the sprint by one week to accommodate the changes

Question 15

You are leading a global virtual team across four time zones. Recently, team members have complained about unclear task assignments and lack of collaboration tools. Which THREE actions would best improve team performance?

Accepted Answer

Implement a centralized project management tool with task tracking and communication features. Option A helps clarify responsibilities. Option B provides a single source of truth for collaboration. Option E fosters team cohesion. Option C is wrong because video calls may not be feasible across time zones. Option D is wrong because daily standups may be impractical and can cause fatigue.

Answer

Require all team members to work during the same four-hour overlap window

Answer

Schedule daily stand-up meetings at a fixed time convenient for the project manager