PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Test 21 — 15 Questions

Question 1

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?

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

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request through the Integrated Change Control process and assess the impact on scope, schedule, and cost. Any change to scope must follow the formal Integrated Change Control process. Before submitting a change request, the project manager should first assess the impact on scope, schedule, cost, and other constraints. Option B is wrong because adding to the backlog without formal approval circumvents change control and can lead to scope creep. Option C is wrong because changes can be made if properly evaluated and approved; not considering changes is inflexible and may harm stakeholder relationships. Option D is wrong because beginning work without authorization violates the change control process and could result in unauthorized work.

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 2

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. The risk (vendor delay) was previously identified and documented in the risk register, along with a planned response. The project manager should first implement that planned response rather than taking other actions. Option B is incorrect because accepting the delay without trying the planned response is premature and may not be the best course of action. Option C is incorrect because escalation is not necessary if a pre-planned risk response exists. Option D is incorrect because immediately terminating the contract is an extreme reaction that ignores the agreed-upon risk response.

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 3

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. The best action because the root cause is unclear requirements and frequent interruptions. The project manager should work with the product owner to refine user stories and ensure they are clear, and also shield the team from stakeholder interruptions. Option A (reducing story points) does not address the root cause; the team would still face unclear requirements and interruptions. Option C (adding developers) does not solve the clarity or interruption issues and may disrupt the team. Option D (increasing sprint duration) is not appropriate as it does not address the root cause and violates timeboxing principles.

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 4

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. CPI = 0.8, which is less than 1, indicates that the project is over budget (cost performance is unfavorable). SPI = 1.1, which is greater than 1, indicates that the project is ahead of schedule (schedule performance is favorable). Therefore, the project is over budget and ahead of schedule, which corresponds to option C. Option A is incorrect because being under budget would require CPI > 1, and behind schedule would require SPI < 1. Option B is incorrect because it claims behind schedule but SPI > 1. Option D is incorrect because it claims under budget but 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 5

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. The project manager should document the change and submit a retroactive change request to the change control board to formally assess the impact and validate the work. This ensures proper governance while acknowledging the completed work. Option A is wrong because ignoring the change without documentation sets a bad precedent and bypasses change control. Option B is wrong because removing the new feature without assessment may cause rework and stakeholder dissatisfaction. Option C is wrong because asking the executive to reverse immediately may damage the relationship and does not address the need for formal 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 6

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. The project manager must adhere to the quality plan and ensure that materials meet specified requirements. Accepting non-conforming materials, even with a discount, risks rework, customer dissatisfaction, and project failure. The sponsor's cost concern does not override quality standards. Option A is wrong because reducing testing does not mitigate the risk of using substandard materials. Option B is wrong because the decision should be based on the quality plan, not left to the team. Option D is wrong because cost savings do not justify compromising 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 7

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. Subject matter experts can provide the necessary expertise to decompose complex deliverables through expert judgment and iterative decomposition, ensuring a complete and accurate WBS. Option B is incorrect because freezing scope at the current level risks an incomplete WBS, leading to potential scope gaps later. Option C is incorrect because skipping decomposition undermines the WBS's purpose of breaking work into manageable components. Option D is incorrect because directly using work packages from a similar project may not address the unique aspects of the current deliverable.

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 8

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. In Scrum, the product owner is responsible for defining and validating acceptance criteria. When a disagreement arises, the scrum master should facilitate a discussion to ensure clarity and alignment, not impose a decision or take sides. Option A is incorrect because simply accepting the product owner's decision without discussion may miss opportunities to resolve misunderstandings and improve collaboration. Option B is incorrect because removing the story from the sprint backlog avoids accountability and undermines the sprint review's purpose. Option D is incorrect because supporting the developer against the product owner would escalate conflict and ignore the product owner's authority over scope and quality.

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 9

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. The project manager must adhere to regulatory and compliance requirements. Starting construction without necessary approvals exposes the project to legal, safety, and schedule risks. The PM should explain these risks to the sponsor and refuse to proceed until approvals are obtained. Option A is wrong because even non-critical activities may require approvals or set a dangerous precedent. Option C is wrong because documentation alone does not mitigate the risk of non-compliance. Option D is wrong because the PM must not blindly follow the sponsor's request when it violates governance policies.

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 10

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. 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 11

Your agile project has been experiencing declining velocity over the last three sprints. During the retrospective, the team identifies that they are spending too much time on unplanned work and technical debt. The product owner wants to maintain the current scope. Which THREE actions should the project manager take? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Allocate a portion of each sprint to address technical debt. Options B, C, and E are correct. B: Allocating a portion of each sprint to address technical debt directly reduces the accumulation of unplanned work and improves velocity. C: Shielding the team from external interruptions minimizes distractions, allowing more focus on planned work. E: Improving the 'definition of ready' ensures that user stories are sufficiently refined before a sprint begins, reducing ambiguity and rework. Option A is incorrect because reducing scope does not address the root cause of declining velocity (technical debt and unplanned work). Option D is incorrect because adding more developers can increase coordination overhead and may not solve the underlying issues.

Answer

Ask the product owner to reduce the scope of the next sprint

Answer

Add more developers to the team to increase capacity

Question 12

You are managing a project that is currently in the execution phase. A risk event that was identified and included in the risk register has occurred. The planned response is to mitigate the risk. Which TWO documents should you update to reflect the occurrence and response? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Risk register. The risk register is updated to document the occurrence of the risk and the response taken. The lessons learned register is updated to capture knowledge about the risk response for future projects. The stakeholder engagement plan is not updated for risk occurrences; the project schedule is only updated if the risk response impacts schedule activities; the cost baseline is only updated if the response impacts the budget. Therefore, options B and C are correct.

Answer

Stakeholder engagement plan

Answer

Project schedule

Answer

Cost baseline

Question 13

You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the customer requests a major feature addition that would extend the timeline by two weeks. The team is already working at capacity. 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. The correct action is to submit a change request through the Integrated Change Control process. PMI requires formal assessment and approval before implementing any change that impacts scope, schedule, or cost. Proceeding without change control violates the project management plan.

Answer

Ask the team to start working on the feature immediately to satisfy the customer

Answer

Inform the customer that the feature is out of scope and cannot be added

Answer

Add the feature to the product backlog and schedule it for a future sprint without further analysis

Question 14

During the execution phase of a construction project, you discover that a key vendor will not deliver steel beams on time, threatening the critical path. The risk was identified and the response plan was to use an approved backup supplier. What should you do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Contact the backup supplier immediately to activate the contract. Since the risk response plan already identified the backup supplier, the PM should implement the planned response. Activating the contingency plan is the correct proactive step. Communicating with stakeholders is important but secondary to executing the response.

Answer

Ask the team to find a new vendor not on the approved list

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision

Answer

Update the risk register and wait for the vendor to confirm the delay

Question 15

You are the project manager for a large infrastructure project. Midway through, a new regulatory requirement is introduced that mandates additional environmental testing, which could delay the project by one month and increase costs by 5%. The change control board (CCB) is scheduled to meet in two weeks. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Analyze the impact of the regulatory requirement and prepare a change request for the CCB meeting. The PM must first assess the impact of the new regulation on the project's scope, schedule, cost, and quality before presenting it to the CCB. This analysis informs the change request. Simply waiting or proceeding without analysis is not appropriate.

Answer

Instruct the team to start the additional testing immediately to avoid further delay

Answer

Ignore the requirement until the CCB meets, then decide

Answer

Submit a change request immediately to the CCB without detailed analysis