PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Test 20 — 15 Questions

Question 1

During a project retrospective, the team identifies that unclear requirements led to rework. The project manager wants to prevent this in future sprints. Which TWO actions are MOST appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a requirements review session with the team and product owner.. Option A improves requirements clarity with acceptance criteria. Option D ensures shared understanding through reviews. Option B may help but is not a direct requirement practice; Option C avoids the issue; Option E is reactive.

Answer

Ask the product owner to write detailed requirements documents.

Answer

Increase the sprint duration to allow more time for clarification.

Answer

Add a buffer to each sprint for rework.

Question 2

A project is running over budget due to underestimation of effort. The project manager wants to bring costs under control. Which THREE actions are MOST appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request to reduce scope.. Option A involves process improvement (reducing waste). Option B reduces scope through change control. Option D re-estimates remaining work for accuracy. Option C is a potential reaction but not a control action; Option E is not recommended.

Answer

Ask the team to work overtime without additional pay.

Answer

Fast-track remaining activities to finish earlier.

Question 3

A project manager is planning stakeholder engagement for a complex project with many interested parties. Which THREE techniques are MOST effective for analyzing stakeholders?

Accepted Answer

Stakeholder engagement assessment matrix. Option A helps categorize based on power and interest. Option B visualizes relationships. Option D assesses current vs desired engagement. Option C is a communication tool, not analysis; Option E is a quality tool.

Answer

Communication requirements analysis

Answer

Affinity diagram

Question 4

You are a project manager overseeing a 12-month ERP implementation. During sprint 6 of 20, the product owner informs you that a key stakeholder wants to add a new reporting module that was not in the original scope. The team estimates this would add 3 weeks to the schedule. 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. Option C is correct because PMI requires all scope changes to go through the Integrated Change Control process. The PM must evaluate the impact and obtain approval before any work begins. Option A is wrong because implementing the change without approval bypasses change control. Option B is wrong because refusing outright without assessing impact is not the correct approach. Option D is wrong because telling the team to start work immediately violates the change control process.

Answer

Add the requirement to the product backlog and let the team address it in a future sprint without formal approval

Answer

Inform the stakeholder that no changes can be made once the project has started

Answer

Ask the team to begin work on the module immediately to accommodate the stakeholder

Question 5

During project execution, a key vendor notifies 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 suggests using a substitute material that is not yet approved by your quality team. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Implement the risk response defined in the risk register. Option B is correct because the risk is already on the risk register with a planned response. The PM should implement the agreed response. Option A is wrong because escalation is not necessary if a response exists. Option C is wrong because accepting without trying the planned response is premature. Option D is wrong because changing vendors without following the risk response is reactive.

Answer

Accept the delay and update the project schedule

Answer

Escalate to the project sponsor and request additional time

Answer

Immediately terminate the vendor contract and find a new supplier

Question 6

In an agile project, the team has missed their sprint commitment for the third consecutive sprint. During the retrospective, team members cite unclear requirements and frequent interruptions from stakeholders. As the project manager, what is the BEST action to take?

Accepted Answer

Work with the product owner to refine user stories and shield the team from external interruptions. Option C is correct because the root cause is unclear requirements and interruptions. The PM should help the product owner refine the backlog and manage stakeholder expectations. Option A is wrong because extending sprints doesn't address the root cause. Option B is wrong because it's a team decision, not a PM directive. Option D is wrong because this is a people/process issue, not a technical one.

Answer

Require the team to commit to fewer story points next sprint

Answer

Add more developers to the team to increase velocity

Answer

Increase the sprint duration to give the team more time

Question 7

Your project is using a hybrid approach. During the execution phase, you notice that the cost performance index (CPI) is 0.8 and the schedule performance index (SPI) is 1.1. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

The project is over budget and ahead of schedule. Option D is correct. CPI < 1 means the project is over budget; SPI > 1 means it is ahead of schedule. Option A is wrong because both are not favorable. Option B is wrong because SPI > 1. Option C is wrong because CPI < 1.

Answer

The project is under budget and behind schedule

Answer

The project is over budget and behind schedule

Answer

The project is under budget and ahead of schedule

Question 8

During a project status meeting, an executive stakeholder informs the team that they have instructed a developer to add a new feature to the product without going through the change control process. The developer has already completed the work. What should the project manager do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Document the change and submit a retroactive change request to the change control board. Option A is correct. The PM must document the change and formally assess its impact, then submit a change request retroactively to validate the work. Option B is wrong because ignoring it sets a bad precedent. Option C is wrong because confronting the executive directly may damage relationships. Option D is wrong because the PM should not reverse work without assessment.

Answer

Inform the executive that this violates the change control process and ignore the change

Answer

Remove the new feature from the product

Answer

Ask the executive to reverse the change immediately

Question 9

Your project is in the execution phase. A team member reports that a supplier delivered a batch of raw materials that do not meet the quality specifications. The supplier insists the materials are acceptable and offers a discount. The project sponsor wants to accept the discount to save costs. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Reject the materials and require the supplier to provide conforming materials. Option B is correct. The PM should follow the quality plan and reject non-conforming materials. Accepting them could impact quality and lead to rework. Option A is wrong because it bypasses quality. Option C is wrong because the PM should not leave it to the team. Option D is wrong because the sponsor's cost concern doesn't override quality.

Answer

Accept the materials and reduce testing to offset the cost risk

Answer

Let the team decide whether to use the materials

Answer

Accept the discount and use the materials to save project costs

Question 10

Your project is a traditional waterfall project. You are creating the work breakdown structure (WBS) for a new software development project. The team is having difficulty decomposing a complex deliverable. What is the BEST action to take?

Accepted Answer

Engage subject matter experts to help decompose the deliverable further. Option C is correct. The PM should use expert judgment and iterative decomposition to refine the WBS. Option A is wrong because scope is not fixed yet. Option B is wrong because the WBS is a decomposition tool, not a schedule. Option D is wrong because the PM should not leave it unresolved.

Answer

Freeze the scope at this level and move on to scheduling

Answer

Skip decomposition and proceed with the project

Answer

Use the work packages from a similar project directly

Question 11

During a sprint review, the product owner rejects a completed user story because it does not meet the acceptance criteria. The developer argues that the story is functionally complete and the product owner is being too strict. What should the scrum master do?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a discussion between the product owner and developer to clarify the acceptance criteria. Option B is correct. The product owner is the authority on acceptance criteria. The scrum master should facilitate an objective discussion. Option A is wrong because the product owner's decision is final. Option C is wrong because the scrum master should not take sides. Option D is wrong because skipping the review undermines the process.

Answer

Ask the team to accept the product owner's decision and move on

Answer

Remove the story from the sprint backlog and skip it in the review

Answer

Support the developer by telling the product owner the story is complete

Question 12

Your project is a large infrastructure build. You have completed the planning phase, but the sponsor has put pressure on you to start construction before all approvals are obtained. The schedule is tight, and any delay could result in penalties. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Explain the risks to the sponsor and refuse to start until approvals are obtained. Option D is correct. The PM must not proceed without proper approvals due to compliance and risk. Proceeding could lead to legal issues. Option A is wrong because it bypasses approvals. Option B is wrong because the PM should not ignore the sponsor. Option C is wrong because documentation alone does not mitigate the risk.

Answer

Begin construction on non-critical activities while waiting for approvals

Answer

Document the sponsor's request and begin work

Answer

Proceed as requested by the sponsor

Question 13

You are managing a project using a hybrid approach. During the execution phase, one of your key team members, a senior engineer, resigns unexpectedly. This engineer was responsible for critical path tasks. What is the FIRST thing you should do?

Accepted Answer

Assess the impact on the critical path and overall schedule. Option D is correct. The PM should first evaluate the impact on the schedule and critical path before taking further action. Options A, B, and C are premature without understanding the impact.

Answer

Immediately request a replacement from HR

Answer

Update the risk register and plan for a schedule delay

Answer

Reassign the engineer's tasks to other team members

Question 14

During a daily standup, a developer mentions that he is working on a task that was not discussed during sprint planning. When asked, he says he thought it was important and started working on it. As the scrum master, what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Remind the developer that work should be agreed upon by the team and focused on the sprint goal. Option C is correct. The scrum master should remind the developer about the sprint goal and the importance of not adding work without discussion. Option A is wrong because the sprint backlog should not be changed without team agreement. Option B is wrong because ignoring it sets a bad precedent. Option D is wrong because the PO is not needed for this team process.

Answer

Ask the product owner to decide whether the task is valuable

Answer

Let the developer continue since he believes it is important

Answer

Add the task to the sprint backlog and adjust the sprint goal

Question 15

Your project is a software development project using a hybrid approach. The team has completed the design phase, and you have received a change request from a key stakeholder to add a new feature. The team estimates this will add 3 months to the schedule and $50,000 to the budget. What is the BEST course of action?

Accepted Answer

Evaluate the impact on the project constraints and submit a change request to the CCB. Option B is correct. The PM should evaluate the impact on the project constraints and submit a change request to the CCB for approval. Option A is wrong because it bypasses change control. Option C is wrong because it's not the PM's decision alone. Option D is wrong because refusing without analysis is not proactive.

Answer

Refuse the change because it will impact the schedule and budget

Answer

Approve the change yourself since it is within your authority

Answer

Implement the change immediately to satisfy the stakeholder