CAPM Practice Question: Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts
A project manager is leading a project to implement a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. During the execution phase, the project manager notices that team members are spending a significant amount of time resolving conflicts and clarifying roles. To improve team performance, the project manager decides to focus on team development. Which action should the project manager take first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is jumping to team-building or conflict resolution training without first addressing the foundational issue of unclear roles and responsibilities.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Review the resource management plan to ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.
When team members are unclear about roles and responsibilities, leading to conflicts, the project manager should first ensure that roles are clearly defined. The resource management plan documents roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Reviewing and clarifying this plan addresses the root cause. Team-building, escalation, or training may be useful later, but they are not the first action.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Conduct a team-building activity to improve interpersonal relationships.
Why it's wrong here
Team-building activities can improve relationships, but they are not the first action when roles and responsibilities are unclear. The immediate issue is conflict and role ambiguity, which should be addressed by clarifying roles and responsibilities first. Team building may be part of the solution, but it is not the initial step. The project manager should first ensure that team members understand their roles.
- ✗
Arrange for individual training sessions on conflict resolution.
Why it's wrong here
Training on conflict resolution can be helpful, but it does not address the underlying issue of unclear roles and responsibilities. The scenario indicates that conflicts arise from role ambiguity. Therefore, clarifying roles through the resource management plan is more direct and effective. Training may be a follow-up action, but not the first.
- ✗
Escalate the conflicts to the project sponsor for resolution.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating conflicts to the sponsor is not the first action; the project manager should attempt to resolve team issues directly. Escalation may be necessary if conflicts persist, but it is not the initial step. The project manager has the authority and responsibility to manage team performance. Escalating prematurely can undermine the project manager's credibility and team morale.
- ✓
Review the resource management plan to ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.
Why this is correct
The resource management plan includes roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. When team members are unclear about roles, the project manager should first review and clarify this plan. This addresses the root cause of the conflict. Once roles are clear, other team development activities can be more effective. This is the foundational step in team development.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PMI exam blueprint
This CAPM practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CAPM exam.