PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Test 3 — 15 Questions

Question 1

You are managing an agile project. The product owner frequently changes priorities during the sprint, causing the team to lose focus and miss sprint goals. What should the scrum master do?

Accepted Answer

Coach the product owner on the importance of sprint goal stability and the impact of changes.. The scrum master's primary responsibility is to coach the product owner on their role, emphasizing the importance of sprint goal stability and the impact of frequent changes on the team's focus and ability to meet commitments. Option A is incorrect because the scrum master should not override the product owner's authority or instruct the team to ignore a key stakeholder. Option C is incorrect; while asking the product owner to stop is part of coaching, immediate escalation to management is a last resort and not the scrum master's initial approach. The scrum master's role is to facilitate resolution through coaching first. Option D is incorrect; the scrum master's role is to coach the existing product owner to improve their understanding and application of agile principles, not to request their replacement, which is an extreme and inappropriate measure.

Answer

Tell the team to ignore the product owner's changes and focus on the original sprint goal.

Answer

Ask the product owner to stop changing priorities and escalate to management.

Answer

Request a new product owner who understands agile principles.

Question 2

You are the project manager for a software development project. During a risk review meeting, the team identifies several new risks. Which THREE actions should you take to update the risk register? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Identify root causes of each risk.. The risk register should include identified risks, root causes, potential responses, and risk owners. Probability and impact assessment is part of qualitative analysis. Prioritization occurs after assessment. Options A, B, and C are standard entries. Option D is incorrect as it's part of quantitative analysis, which is performed after qualitative analysis if needed. Option E is incorrect because developing detailed response plans occurs after risk analysis, not during initial identification.

Answer

Perform a quantitative analysis using Monte Carlo simulation.

Answer

Develop detailed response plans for high-priority risks.

Question 3

Your project is running 15% over budget at the midpoint. The cost variance is due to higher-than-expected material costs. What is the BEST action?

Accepted Answer

Analyze the variance and implement corrective actions such as reducing scope or using cheaper materials. When a project is over budget at the midpoint, the PM should first analyze the variance to understand root cause, then implement corrective actions that bring performance back in line with the cost baseline. Reducing scope or sourcing cheaper materials are legitimate corrective actions that address the variance without compromising quality or bypassing governance. This aligns with PMBOK's Control Costs process: measure, analyze, and act.

Answer

Reduce the quality of deliverables to cut costs

Answer

Request additional budget from the sponsor

Answer

Inform the sponsor of the overrun and wait for instructions

Question 4

During a project closure phase, which TWO documents should be updated and archived?

Accepted Answer

Final project report. The Final Project Report is a key output of the Close Project or Phase process, summarizing project performance and outcomes. The Lessons Learned Register is also finalized during closure, capturing all lessons learned throughout the project, and is a critical input to organizational process assets. While other project documents like the Issue Log, Risk Register, and Project Schedule (final baseline) are indeed updated to their final state and archived as part of the project records, the Final Project Report and Lessons Learned Register are considered primary and distinct deliverables/updates specifically associated with the formal closure activities.

Answer

Issue log

Answer

Risk register

Answer

Project schedule (final baseline)

Question 5

You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner requests a new feature that would add significant value but was not in the product backlog. The team estimates it will take two additional sprints. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request through the Integrated Change Control process. The first step is to submit a change request through the Integrated Change Control process (A). In a hybrid project management environment, changes to scope, even in agile contexts, should go through formal change control to assess impact on scope, schedule, cost, and quality. This ensures that the change is evaluated and approved before being added to the backlog or sprint.

Answer

Add the feature to the product backlog and prioritize it for a future sprint

Answer

Ask the team to add the feature to the current sprint backlog to satisfy the product owner

Answer

Tell the product owner that no changes are allowed after the sprint starts

Question 6

Your construction project is 40% complete. The Earned Value Analysis shows CPI = 0.85 and SPI = 0.90. The project budget is $5M. A key vendor just informed you they cannot deliver a critical component on time, causing a 3-week delay. The component is on the critical path. What is the BEST action?

Accepted Answer

Evaluate schedule compression options (crashing or fast-tracking) and submit a change request to the CCB. The vendor delay is a critical-path issue that will push the schedule baseline, and the project is already behind schedule (SPI=0.90) and over budget (CPI=0.85). The PM must follow integrated change control: analyze schedule compression alternatives (crashing/fast-tracking) and route any baseline change through the CCB. Unilaterally updating the baseline or authorizing overtime without change control violates PMBOK processes.

Answer

Meet with the vendor to negotiate a new delivery date and update the schedule baseline accordingly

Answer

Immediately authorize overtime for the team to make up the delay

Answer

Consult the risk register to see if this risk was identified and if a response plan exists

Question 7

During a daily standup, a team member mentions she is blocked because another department has not provided necessary data. As the project manager, what is the FIRST thing you should do?

Accepted Answer

Escalate the issue to the other department's manager immediately. The correct answer is D: escalate the issue to the other department's manager immediately. In this scenario, the blocker is external to the team and outside the team member's authority, so the project manager's first action is to engage the responsible manager to remove the impediment and keep the project on schedule. Option A is wrong because the team member typically lacks the authority to compel another department to deliver data. Option B merely avoids the blocker rather than resolving it, and Option C documents the issue but does not take the necessary action to unblock the team.

Answer

Tell the team member to resolve it herself

Answer

Ask the team member to work on another task while waiting

Answer

Update the issue log and move on

Question 8

You are managing a project that involves a high-risk activity that was identified in the risk register. A risk response plan was created to mitigate the risk. During execution, a risk event occurs that was not fully mitigated. The risk impact is now threatening the project schedule. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Implement the contingency plan if one exists, or document the issue and initiate a change request. When a risk event occurs that was anticipated in the risk register, the project manager should first execute the pre-approved contingency plan if one exists. If no contingency plan is available or it is insufficient, the PM documents the issue in the issue log and initiates a change request to address the schedule impact. This follows PMBOK's 'Implement Risk Responses' and 'Perform Integrated Change Control' processes.

Answer

Immediately update the risk register and move on

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for guidance

Answer

Stop work on the affected activity until the risk is resolved

Question 9

During project closure, the project manager is finalizing the lessons learned document. A key stakeholder requests that some of the lessons learned be omitted because they reflect poorly on their department. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Remove the stakeholder's name from the lessons learned and anonymize the information. Lessons learned should be accurate and transparent to benefit future projects. The PM should explain the importance of honest lessons learned and include the information, while rephrasing it constructively and anonymizing specific individuals or departments to focus on the process rather than blame.

Answer

Agree to omit the lessons learned to maintain a good relationship with the stakeholder

Answer

Ask the sponsor for guidance on whether to omit them

Answer

Include the lessons learned as is, since they are factual

Question 10

You are managing a complex project with multiple stakeholders. During execution, an executive stakeholder bypasses you and directly gives instructions to the development team, causing confusion and rework. Which THREE actions should you take to address this situation?

Accepted Answer

Communicate with the team that all instructions should go through the project manager to avoid confusion. The project manager should first address the situation by speaking privately with the executive stakeholder (B) to explain the impact of their actions. Simultaneously, the PM should communicate with the development team (A) to reinforce the established communication channels and ensure all instructions go through the PM. It is also crucial to document the incident in the issue log (C) immediately to track its resolution and for future lessons learned. Escalating to the project sponsor (D) is typically reserved for situations where direct resolution attempts fail or the issue is severe, and updating the stakeholder engagement plan (E) might be a subsequent action if communication preferences need formal adjustment, but the immediate problem is adherence to protocol, not a lack of documented preference.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor

Answer

Update the stakeholder engagement plan to include this stakeholder's communication preferences

Question 11

You are the project manager for a 9-month product launch. At the midpoint review, the earned value analysis shows: EV = $450,000, PV = $500,000, AC = $550,000. The project is underperforming. The sponsor asks for a recovery plan. Which metric should you use to estimate the new total cost at completion assuming no change in cost performance?

Accepted Answer

EAC = BAC / CPI. The formula EAC = BAC / CPI is used when cost performance is expected to continue at the same rate (no change in cost performance). It assumes that the current cost performance factor (CPI) will remain the same for the remainder of the project. This provides a realistic estimate of total cost at completion based on actual performance to date.

Answer

EAC = AC + (BAC - EV) / (CPI * SPI)

Answer

EAC = AC + (BAC - EV)

Answer

EAC = AC + BAC - EV

Question 12

During project execution, the quality assurance team finds that a deliverable does not meet the specified requirements. What should the project manager do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Document the nonconformance in the issue log and create a corrective action plan.. In PMBOK terms, when a deliverable fails to meet requirements during quality control, the project manager must first document the nonconformance and raise it through the appropriate change/issue process before taking corrective action. Recording it in the issue log and creating a corrective action plan preserves the audit trail, enables root-cause analysis, and ensures the fix is managed rather than ad hoc. This aligns with 'Manage Quality' and 'Control Quality' outputs.

Answer

Proceed with the deliverable as-is and note it in lessons learned.

Answer

Ask the team to rework the deliverable immediately.

Answer

Inform the sponsor that the deliverable is delayed.

Question 13

A team member consistently misses deadlines, causing delays in the sprint. The project manager has had informal conversations, but the issue persists. What is the BEST next step?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a formal meeting to discuss the issue, set clear expectations, and document the conversation.. The PM should follow the performance management process, starting with a documented conversation. Option B is correct. Option A is a workaround that avoids addressing the root cause of the performance issue; Option C is premature escalation, as the PM should first attempt to resolve the issue directly and formally; Option D is too drastic and a last resort.

Answer

Reassign the work to other team members to avoid delays.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the team member's functional manager for disciplinary action.

Answer

Remove the team member from the project and request a replacement.

Question 14

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.. Involves a requirements review session with the team and product owner, promoting shared understanding and early clarification. Option D ensures each user story has predefined acceptance criteria before sprint planning, reducing ambiguity and rework. Both actions address the root cause of unclear requirements proactively.

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 15

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 is correct because submitting a change request to reduce scope is the formal, approved way to lower the work content and therefore the cost baseline, directly addressing the root cause of the overrun (underestimated effort) without unapproved scope creep. Option C is correct because a continuous improvement program (e.g., Lean/Kaizen waste reduction) lowers the cost of remaining work by eliminating non-value-adding activities, improving productivity without adding budget. Option D is correct because re-estimating the remaining work with bottom-up estimating produces a more accurate, granular forecast of the effort still required, enabling realistic cost control and corrective action on the estimate-to-complete. Option B is not appropriate because unpaid overtime is unethical, likely illegal, and demoralizing, and it does not fix the estimation problem. Option E is not appropriate because fast-tracking (running activities in parallel) compresses the schedule, not the cost, and typically increases risk and rework costs rather than bringing the budget under control.

Answer

Ask the team to work overtime without additional pay.

Answer

Fast-track remaining activities to finish earlier.