PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Test 26 — 15 Questions

Question 1

You are the project manager for a software upgrade project. The team is using a hybrid approach with two-week sprints. During sprint planning, the product owner wants to include a user story that the team believes is too large to complete in one sprint. Which TWO actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate breaking the story down into smaller, manageable stories for the sprint. Option B and D are correct. B: Breaking down the story into smaller pieces is a standard agile technique. D: Documenting and managing the expectation through the change control process ensures alignment. A is wrong because not all stories can be completed in one sprint; C is wrong because the team should estimate; E is wrong because the story should be refined, not rejected outright.

Answer

Remove the story from the backlog since it cannot be completed in one sprint

Answer

Accept the story without changes and adjust the sprint duration

Answer

Insist that the team commit to the story to satisfy the product owner

Question 2

Your project is in execution phase. The earned value metrics show: EV = $400,000, PV = $500,000, AC = $450,000, BAC = $1,000,000. Which THREE actions should you take to address the project's performance?

Accepted Answer

Re-estimate the estimate at completion (EAC) based on current performance. Options A, D, and E are correct. A: Analyzing root causes is essential before corrective action. D: Re-estimating the EAC provides a more accurate forecast. E: Identifying corrective actions to improve performance is necessary. B is wrong because crashing may not address underlying issues. C is wrong because direct escalation without analysis is premature.

Answer

Immediately crash the critical path to recover schedule

Answer

Escalate the performance issues to the sponsor with a request for additional budget

Question 3

You are managing a project that is using a hybrid approach. An executive stakeholder has requested a significant change to the project scope. The change has been approved by the change control board (CCB). Which THREE actions should you take next?

Accepted Answer

Communicate the approved change and its impact to all relevant stakeholders. Options B, C, and D are correct. B: Updating the project management plan reflects the approved change. C: Updating the baseline ensures future tracking against the new scope. D: Communicating to stakeholders keeps everyone informed. A is wrong because you should not implement until the plan is updated. E is wrong because the change has been approved, no need to reject.

Answer

Instruct the team to begin working on the change immediately to avoid delays

Answer

Reject the change if it will delay the project beyond the original deadline

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

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

Answer

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

Question 5

During a construction project, you discover that a critical supplier will not be able to deliver steel beams on time due to a labor strike. This risk was identified and listed in the risk register with a planned response of 'accept.' However, the delay will cause a 2-week slip in the critical path. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Inform stakeholders of the delay and implement the risk response plan of acceptance while monitoring for secondary risks. Option B is correct because the risk has occurred, and the PM must implement the planned response (accept), but also communicate the impact to stakeholders. Option A is wrong because accepting does not mean doing nothing; you still need to communicate. Option C is wrong because the risk was accepted, so escalating is not appropriate. Option D is wrong because the risk was accepted, so activating a fallback plan is not necessary unless the response plan included one.

Answer

Activate the fallback plan to mitigate the delay by fast-tracking subsequent activities

Answer

Do nothing since the risk was accepted, and proceed with the current plan

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor immediately to request additional resources

Question 6

Your agile team is experiencing a drop in velocity over the last three sprints. During the retrospective, team members mention that they are spending too much time on unplanned work and context switching. As the project manager, what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Work with the product owner to reduce the amount of unplanned work and protect the team from external interruptions. Option A is correct because the root cause is unplanned work, so the PM should help the team limit work in progress and protect them from interruptions. Option B is wrong because adding more people to a late project often slows it down further (Brooks' Law). Option C is wrong because more frequent meetings would reduce productive time. Option D is wrong because forcing overtime can lead to burnout and reduced quality.

Answer

Ask the team to work overtime for the next sprint to catch up

Answer

Add more developers to the team to increase capacity

Answer

Increase the frequency of daily stand-ups to twice a day to improve coordination

Question 7

You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. The project has a fixed price contract with a strict deadline. Midway through, the customer requests a significant change that would increase the scope by 20%. You have already used all management reserve. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request to the change control board to assess the impact on cost, schedule, and contract terms. Option D is correct because any scope change must go through the formal change control process to evaluate impacts on cost, schedule, and contract. Option A is wrong because implementing without approval violates the contract and project plan. Option B is wrong because the PM should not unilaterally refuse without assessment. Option C is wrong because the PM should not go directly to the sponsor before following the change control process.

Answer

Refuse the change because the project is already over budget and behind schedule

Answer

Ask the project sponsor for additional funding to cover the cost of the change

Answer

Implement the change since the customer is requesting it and the project has a fixed deadline

Question 8

You are the project manager for a large infrastructure project. The project's CPI is 0.85 and SPI is 0.9. The team is working hard, but the project manager suspects that the cost performance is due to inaccurate estimates rather than inefficiency. The project sponsor is concerned about the budget overrun and asks you to cut costs by reducing quality inspections. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Explain to the sponsor that reducing inspections could lead to higher rework costs and request a meeting to review the estimate accuracy instead. Option C is correct because the sponsor's request compromises quality, which could lead to rework and increased costs later. The PM must communicate the risks and explain why reducing inspections is not advisable. Option A is wrong because complying without discussion violates the PM's responsibility to manage quality. Option B is wrong because proceeding without analysis ignores the need for evidence-based decision making. Option D is wrong because escalating to the PMO is not the first step; the PM should discuss directly with the sponsor.

Answer

Agree to reduce inspections to satisfy the sponsor's request for cost savings

Answer

Escalate the sponsor's request to the PMO for a decision

Answer

Reduce inspections as requested, but increase them later if quality issues arise

Question 9

A team member consistently misses deadlines, causing delays in dependent tasks. During a one-on-one meeting, the team member admits to feeling overwhelmed and unsure how to prioritize work. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Provide coaching and training on time management and prioritization techniques. Option C is correct because the root cause is a skill gap in prioritization, so the PM should provide support through training or coaching. Option A is wrong because reassigning tasks without addressing the root cause may not solve the problem. Option B is wrong because formal escalation should be a last resort. Option D is wrong because notifying the sponsor prematurely bypasses the PM's responsibility to manage the team.

Answer

Reassign the team member's tasks to other team members to avoid further delays

Answer

Inform the project sponsor that a team member is underperforming and may need to be replaced

Answer

Formally document the issue in the team member's performance record

Question 10

During an agile project, the product owner frequently changes priorities during the sprint, causing the team to lose focus and miss sprint goals. The team expresses frustration in the retrospective. As the project manager, what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Coach the product owner on the importance of not changing priorities during a sprint to protect the team's focus. Option A is correct because the product owner should respect the sprint backlog and not change priorities once the sprint starts. The PM should coach the product owner on agile principles. Option B is wrong because the team should not ignore the product owner; collaboration is key. Option C is wrong because adding buffer time does not address the root cause. Option D is wrong because extending the sprint without addressing the issue may lead to further disruptions.

Answer

Instruct the team to ignore the product owner's changes until the next sprint planning

Answer

Add a buffer to the sprint backlog to accommodate potential changes

Answer

Extend the sprint duration to allow the team to accommodate changes

Question 11

You are managing a project to upgrade a company's network infrastructure. The project is on schedule, but you discover that the network cables purchased do not meet the required specifications. The procurement team bought a cheaper alternative without your knowledge. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Document the non-conformance and assess the impact on quality and project objectives. Option B is correct because non-conforming materials must be documented and the impact assessed. The PM should then determine if the cables can be used or if they need to be replaced. Option A is wrong because using non-conforming material may compromise quality. Option C is wrong because the PM should first assess the situation before involving the legal department. Option D is wrong because ignoring the issue is not a valid option.

Answer

Report the procurement team to the legal department for breach of contract

Answer

Continue using the cables if they are cheaper and seem to work in tests

Answer

Ignore the issue since the project is on schedule and the cables are already purchased

Question 12

You are the project manager for a marketing campaign launch. The project has a tight deadline. During a status meeting, a team member announces that they have completed a task two days early. However, you notice that the quality of the deliverable is below the acceptance criteria. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Reject the deliverable and ask the team member to rework it to meet the acceptance criteria. Option D is correct because the deliverable does not meet quality standards, and the PM should reject it and request rework. Option A is wrong because accepting substandard work sets a bad precedent. Option B is wrong because the PM should not accept defects. Option C is wrong because reducing quality standards without stakeholder approval violates the project scope.

Answer

Thank the team member for the early completion and move on to the next task

Answer

Lower the acceptance criteria to match the deliverable's quality to save time

Answer

Accept the deliverable since it was completed early and the team can improve it later

Question 13

You are managing a hybrid project where the team uses Scrum for development but follows a traditional approach for reporting. The project is behind schedule because the development team is spending too much time on documentation for status reports. The product owner is concerned about the lack of progress. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Work with the stakeholders to simplify the reporting requirements and reduce the documentation burden on the development team. Option A is correct because simplifying reporting reduces administrative burden and allows the team to focus on development. Option B is wrong because more reporting would further distract the team. Option C is wrong because the issue is not about the team's efficiency but about process overhead. Option D is wrong because adding developers may not solve the problem of excessive documentation.

Answer

Require the team to attend additional status meetings to improve communication

Answer

Hold a team-building session to improve the team's efficiency

Answer

Add more developers to the team to share the workload

Question 14

A key stakeholder on your project has been sending emails directly to team members, bypassing you as the project manager. This has caused confusion, as team members are receiving conflicting instructions. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Meet with the stakeholder to discuss the communication channels and reinforce the project's governance structure. Option B is correct because the PM should address the issue directly with the stakeholder to clarify communication channels. Option A is wrong because instructing the team to ignore the stakeholder may damage the relationship. Option C is wrong because escalating to the sponsor should be a last resort. Option D is wrong because this is a communication issue, not a change control issue.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and request that the stakeholder be removed from the project

Answer

Instruct the team to ignore any requests from the stakeholder that have not been approved by you

Answer

Submit a change request to update the communications management plan

Question 15

You are managing a project to develop a new mobile app. During the testing phase, the quality assurance team discovers a critical bug that could delay the release by two weeks. The product owner insists on releasing on the original date to meet a market opportunity. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Present the impact of the bug to the product owner and recommend either fixing it or accepting the risk of releasing with the bug. Option D is correct because the PM must communicate the risks of releasing with a critical bug and let the stakeholders make an informed decision. Option A is wrong because hiding the bug is unethical and could damage the company's reputation. Option B is wrong because the PM should first discuss the risks with the product owner. Option C is wrong because releasing without quality assurance bypasses the process.

Answer

Agree to release on time and fix the bug in the next update

Answer

Release as planned but skip the regression testing to save time

Answer

Delay the release without consulting the product owner to fix the bug