Quick Answer
The best action is to ask the team about blockers and help resolve them, because a work item stagnating in the 'In Progress' column for two weeks signals an impediment that violates the Kanban principle of limiting work in progress (WIP) and ensuring continuous flow. The project manager’s role is to facilitate removing blockers, not to ignore the item, overload the team, or delete the card, as those actions would undermine the board’s transparency and the team’s ability to deliver value. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Kanban board blocking item action—specifically, that a stalled item is a red flag for a blocker requiring collaborative resolution, not a signal to bypass the workflow. A common trap is choosing to simply move the item back or forward without addressing the root cause, which violates the Kanban focus on flow efficiency. Memory tip: “Blocked means talk, not walk”—when you see a stuck card, always investigate before taking any other action.
This PK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of project management concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A project team is using a Kanban board. A work item has been in the 'In Progress' column for two weeks with no updates. What is the best action for the project manager?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Ask the team about blockers and help resolve them.
Unblocking is key to flow.
Ignore it; the team will eventually address it.
Why wrong: Leaves issue unresolved.
Add more items to the board to increase throughput.
Why wrong: Increases WIP, exacerbates blockage.
Remove the item from the board to keep it clean.
Why wrong: Work may still need to be done.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Ask the team about blockers and help resolve them.
The correct action is to ask the team about blockers and help resolve them because a work item stagnating in 'In Progress' for two weeks indicates an impediment that violates the Kanban principle of limiting work in progress (WIP) and ensuring flow. The project manager should facilitate removing blockers to restore workflow, not ignore, overload, or delete the item.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Ask the team about blockers and help resolve them.
Why this is correct
Unblocking is key to flow.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Ignore it; the team will eventually address it.
Why it's wrong here
Leaves issue unresolved.
Add more items to the board to increase throughput.
Why it's wrong here
Increases WIP, exacerbates blockage.
Remove the item from the board to keep it clean.
Why it's wrong here
Work may still need to be done.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may think ignoring the item (Option B) is acceptable in a self-managing team, but the PM must actively address visible blockers to maintain flow and WIP limits.
Detailed technical explanation
Kanban boards rely on WIP limits to expose bottlenecks; a two-week-old 'In Progress' item with no updates signals a blocked task that should trigger a 'swarm' or escalation. The project manager's role is to act as a servant leader, using techniques like daily stand-ups or root cause analysis to identify whether the blocker is technical (e.g., dependency on an external API) or process-related (e.g., unclear requirements), then remove it to restore pull-based flow.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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What to study next
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FAQ
Project Management Concepts — This question tests Project Management Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Ask the team about blockers and help resolve them. — The correct action is to ask the team about blockers and help resolve them because a work item stagnating in 'In Progress' for two weeks indicates an impediment that violates the Kanban principle of limiting work in progress (WIP) and ensuring flow. The project manager should facilitate removing blockers to restore workflow, not ignore, overload, or delete the item.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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