PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Test 15 — 15 Questions

Question 1

You are the project manager for a software development project that is using a hybrid approach. A key team member informs you that they have identified a new risk that could cause a two-week delay. The risk is not in the risk register. What should you do FIRST?

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

Accepted Answer

Update the risk register with the risk and perform qualitative analysis.. When a new risk is identified that is not in the risk register, the first action is to document it in the risk register and perform qualitative analysis to assess its probability and impact. This aligns with the iterative risk management process in a hybrid approach, where risks are continuously identified and analyzed before deciding on a response. Updating the register ensures the risk is formally tracked and prioritized for further action.

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Immediately implement a contingency plan to mitigate the risk.

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Ignore the risk until it occurs, as it may not materialize.

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Inform the sponsor and ask for additional budget to handle the risk.

Question 2

During a sprint planning meeting, the product owner proposes a user story that the team feels is too large to complete in one sprint. What is the best approach?

Accepted Answer

Break the story down into smaller, more manageable stories that can be completed within the sprint.. In Agile, user stories that are too large for a single sprint are called 'epics' and must be decomposed into smaller, independently valuable stories that fit within the sprint's timebox. Breaking the story down ensures the team can deliver a potentially releasable increment by the end of the sprint, maintaining velocity predictability and adhering to the sprint's fixed duration.

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Ask the product owner to remove the story from the sprint backlog.

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Include the story as is and let the team work on it across multiple sprints.

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Estimate the story with a high point value and accept that it may spill over.

Question 3

A project is using a predictive approach. The project manager discovers that a team member has been gold-plating by adding extra features to a deliverable without authorization. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Meet with the team member to discuss the issue and explain that only approved scope should be worked on.. In a predictive (waterfall) project, scope is strictly controlled through a formal change control process. Gold-plating—adding unauthorized features—violates this control and introduces risks like scope creep, budget overruns, and schedule delays. The project manager's first action must be to address the behavior directly with the team member, reinforcing that only approved scope should be worked on, before any further steps like change requests are considered.

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Praise the team member for going above and beyond to satisfy the customer.

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Submit a change request to formally approve the extra features.

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Ignore it because it might improve customer satisfaction.

Question 4

You are managing a project that is experiencing resource constraints. Two critical tasks are scheduled concurrently but require the same specialized resource. Which TWO actions should the project manager consider to resolve this conflict?

Accepted Answer

Adjust task dependencies to sequence the tasks if possible.. Option D is correct because adjusting task dependencies to sequence the two tasks resolves the conflict by ensuring the shared specialized resource is used on one task at a time, eliminating the concurrent demand without changing the resource pool. Option E is correct because resource leveling is the standard PMBOK technique for resolving resource overallocation or resource conflicts; it delays tasks (potentially extending the schedule) so that demand for the constrained resource never exceeds its availability. Option A is not appropriate because crashing adds resources to compress the schedule, but the constraint is a specialized resource that cannot simply be duplicated, so adding generic resources would not resolve the conflict and could increase cost. Option B is not appropriate because hiring contractors for a specialized resource is often infeasible or impractical, and it does not guarantee the same specialized skill set is available. Option C is not appropriate because removing a task from the schedule is a drastic scope reduction that is not a standard resource-conflict resolution technique and would likely harm project objectives.

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Crash the schedule by adding more resources to both tasks.

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Hire additional contractors to perform one of the tasks.

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Remove one task from the schedule to prioritize the other.

Question 5

During a project, a new regulation is enacted that requires additional compliance testing. The project is in the execution phase. Which THREE actions should the project manager take?

Accepted Answer

Update the risk register with the new regulatory requirement as a threat.. The new regulation is an external event that introduces uncertainty and potential negative impact on the project, so the project manager should record it in the risk register as a threat (B), which is the standard tool for tracking and managing such risks throughout the project. Because the regulation affects scope, schedule, and cost, the project manager must communicate its impact to stakeholders (C) so they can understand the consequences and make informed decisions. Since the compliance testing adds work not in the original scope, the project manager should submit a change request (D) to formally evaluate and approve the scope change through the integrated change control process. Option A is wrong because ignoring a legal requirement is never acceptable and would expose the project to compliance and legal risk. Option E is wrong because starting work without formal approval bypasses the change control process and violates the project manager's responsibility to manage scope changes properly.

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Ignore the regulation because it was not in the original project plan.

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Instruct the team to start compliance testing immediately without formal approval.

Question 6

You are managing a large, complex project with multiple vendors. A critical vendor is consistently late on deliveries, impacting the project's critical path. The vendor contract includes penalties for delays. Which TWO actions should the project manager take FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a meeting with the vendor to discuss the delays and explore corrective actions.. Option A is correct because the project manager's first step in a vendor performance problem is to engage the vendor directly to understand root causes and agree on corrective actions, which is the collaborative, problem-solving approach expected before formal escalation. Option B is correct because the PM must first review the procurement contract to know the exact penalty clauses, notice requirements, and escalation path before taking any contractual action, ensuring decisions are grounded in the agreed terms. Option C is not appropriate as a first action because escalating to the sponsor should come after direct vendor engagement and contract review fail to resolve the issue. Option D is premature because issuing a formal non-compliance notice and invoking penalties requires prior contract review and typically a documented cure period. Option E is far too drastic; termination is a last resort after corrective actions and contractual remedies have been exhausted.

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Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for intervention.

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Issue a formal notice of non-compliance and invoke penalty clauses.

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Immediately terminate the contract and find a new vendor.

Question 7

You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. In the middle of a sprint, you discover that a team member has been working on a feature that was de-scoped in the last sprint review. The team member claims the product owner informally agreed to add it back. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Stop work on the feature and initiate a change request through the change control process. In a hybrid project, scope changes must follow a formal change control process to maintain baseline integrity. The team member's informal agreement with the product owner bypasses this, risking scope creep and unapproved work. Stopping work and initiating a change request ensures proper evaluation of impact on schedule, budget, and sprint goals before proceeding.

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Ask the product owner to formally document the agreement and add it to the backlog

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Allow the team member to continue since the product owner agreed

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Escalate to the project sponsor for a decision

Question 8

Your project is developing a new mobile app using Scrum. The team has consistently delivered 30 story points per sprint for the last three sprints. Suddenly, velocity drops to 20 story points in the current sprint. The team members report that they are spending extra time fixing defects from previous sprints. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a retrospective to identify root causes of defects and implement process improvements. A sudden velocity drop caused by rework from prior-sprint defects is a systemic process problem, and Scrum prescribes the retrospective as the inspect-and-adapt ceremony for exactly this. The Scrum Master/coach should facilitate a retrospective to surface root causes (e.g., insufficient testing, unclear acceptance criteria, technical debt) and drive process improvements. Addressing the cause preserves sustainable pace and quality rather than masking the symptom.

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Reduce the definition of done to lower the quality bar

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Add more developers to the team to increase velocity

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Ask the team to work overtime to catch up

Question 9

You are the project manager for a large infrastructure project. During a routine check, you discover that the project's SPI is 0.85 and the CPI is 0.90. The project sponsor is concerned about the schedule delay and asks you to compress the schedule without increasing costs. Which technique is BEST suited for this situation?

Accepted Answer

Fast-tracking activities on the critical path. Fast-tracking involves performing critical path activities in parallel rather than sequentially, which can compress the schedule without increasing costs. Since the project has a CPI of 0.90 (over budget) and an SPI of 0.85 (behind schedule), crashing would add costs, making fast-tracking the only schedule compression technique that does not increase costs.

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Reduce the scope of the project

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Apply resource leveling to smooth resource usage

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Crashing the critical path by adding more resources

Question 10

During a sprint review, a key stakeholder expresses dissatisfaction with the product increment, stating that it does not meet their expectations. The team followed the acceptance criteria defined in the user stories. What should the project manager do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a meeting with the stakeholder and product owner to clarify expectations and refine the backlog. The project manager must facilitate a meeting between the stakeholder and the product owner to clarify expectations and refine the backlog. This aligns with the agile principle of continuous stakeholder engagement and ensures that acceptance criteria are updated to reflect true needs, preventing future mismatches.

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Explain that the team delivered exactly what was agreed upon and the stakeholder should have raised concerns earlier

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Refer the stakeholder to the product owner to discuss changes for future sprints

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Ask the team to redo the work to meet the stakeholder's unspoken needs

Question 11

Your construction project is ahead of schedule but over budget. The earned value metrics are: EV = $500,000, PV = $450,000, AC = $550,000. What is the cost performance index (CPI) and schedule performance index (SPI)?

Accepted Answer

CPI = 0.91, SPI = 1.11. The Cost Performance Index (CPI) is calculated as EV/AC = $500,000/$550,000 = 0.91, indicating cost overrun. The Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is EV/PV = $500,000/$450,000 = 1.11, indicating ahead of schedule. Option B correctly matches these values.

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CPI = 1.11, SPI = 0.91

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CPI = 1.10, SPI = 0.91

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CPI = 0.91, SPI = 0.91

Question 12

You are managing a pharmaceutical research project that is subject to strict regulatory compliance. Mid-project, a new regulation requires additional testing that will add 4 weeks to the schedule and $50,000 in costs. The sponsor is anxious about the delay. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request with the impact analysis to the change control board for approval. In a regulated pharmaceutical project, a new regulation that adds scope, schedule, and cost is a change that must go through the integrated change control process. The FIRST action is to submit a change request with a documented impact analysis to the change control board (CCB) for approval. This ensures the change is evaluated, approved, and baselined before any work begins, preserving compliance and auditability.

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Instruct the team to begin the additional testing immediately to ensure compliance

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Inform the sponsor that the project will be delayed and request more budget

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Update the risk register and issue log to reflect the new regulation

Question 13

Your agile team has been experiencing conflicts between two senior developers over technical approaches during sprint planning. The conflicts are causing delays and affecting team morale. As the project manager, what is the BEST course of action?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting between the developers to discuss and resolve the technical disagreement. Facilitating a meeting between the developers is the best course of action because it directly addresses the root cause of the conflict—a technical disagreement—while empowering the team to self-organize and resolve the issue collaboratively. As an agile project manager, your role is to remove impediments and foster a safe environment for constructive debate, not to impose technical decisions or escalate unnecessarily. This approach aligns with the agile principle of building projects around motivated individuals and trusting them to solve technical problems, which preserves team morale and avoids delays caused by unresolved conflicts.

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Escalate the issue to the functional managers of the developers

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Make the technical decision yourself to end the debate

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Assign the developers to different teams to avoid future conflicts

Question 14

During a daily standup, a developer mentions that a risk identified in the risk register has occurred and is causing a one-day delay. The risk response plan includes a mitigation strategy that can be implemented immediately. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Implement the planned risk response as documented in the risk register. When a risk occurs and a pre-planned mitigation strategy exists in the risk register, the project manager should implement that strategy immediately to minimize impact. In this scenario, the risk response plan already accounts for the one-day delay, so executing the documented mitigation is the most efficient and proactive action, aligning with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on risk response implementation.

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Update the issue log and inform stakeholders of the delay

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Escalate the issue to the sponsor for guidance

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Conduct a new risk assessment to determine the best response

Question 15

Your project is using a hybrid approach with both predictive and agile elements. The team is working on a critical feature that has a high degree of uncertainty. The product owner wants to use a time-boxed sprint to explore the feature. However, the sponsor insists on a detailed upfront plan. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting between the sponsor and product owner to agree on a hybrid approach that includes both planning and exploration. The project manager must facilitate a collaborative resolution between the sponsor and product owner to define a hybrid approach that balances upfront planning with iterative exploration. This aligns with the PMI's principle of stakeholder engagement and adaptive planning, where the team uses a time-boxed sprint (e.g., a 2-week spike) to reduce technical uncertainty while still producing a lightweight roadmap for the sponsor. The hybrid model allows for a high-level plan (e.g., a release plan with milestones) and a detailed backlog for the exploratory sprint, satisfying both parties without sacrificing agility.

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Escalate the disagreement to senior management

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Follow the sponsor's directive and create a detailed plan

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Use a time-boxed sprint without informing the sponsor