PMP Practice Question: Business Environment: strategy and project benefits
A project manager is leading a software development project using Scrum. The product owner frequently changes priorities mid-sprint, causing the team to lose focus. What should the project manager do to address this?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is the false dichotomy between 'the product owner has authority' and 'the team needs stability' — candidates who over-index on PO authority pick option C, while those who over-index on control pick B or D, missing the agile-correct middle path of coaching.
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
✓
Coach the product owner on the importance of stable sprint goals and managing changes through the product backlog
In Scrum, the product owner owns the backlog and its ordering, but sprint scope should remain stable once the sprint begins so the team can meet its sprint goal. The project manager (or Scrum Master) should coach the product owner on this principle and on managing new priorities through backlog refinement rather than mid-sprint disruption. This preserves the empirical process and protects the team's focus.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Coach the product owner on the importance of stable sprint goals and managing changes through the product backlog
Why this is correct
Coaching the Product Owner is the most appropriate initial action, as it addresses the root cause through education and collaboration rather than immediate escalation. This reinforces their accountability for maintaining a stable sprint goal, which is crucial for the Development Team's focus and predictability. Guiding them to manage changes exclusively through the product backlog upholds Scrum principles, ensuring transparency and proper prioritization for future sprints.
- ✗
Ask the sponsor to replace the product owner
Why it's wrong here
Asking the sponsor to replace the Product Owner is an extreme and premature measure that bypasses fundamental project management principles of conflict resolution and proactive stakeholder engagement. Such a drastic step should only be considered after all attempts at coaching, communication, and process correction have demonstrably failed. Immediately seeking replacement undermines team morale and reflects a failure to manage interpersonal dynamics effectively.
- ✗
Let the product owner continue because they have authority over priorities
Why it's wrong here
While the Product Owner indeed possesses ultimate authority over product priorities, this authority must be exercised within the boundaries of the Scrum framework, particularly respecting the sprint commitment. Allowing continuous mid-sprint priority shifts directly undermines the Development Team's ability to achieve the agreed-upon sprint goal and significantly impairs their predictability and velocity. This approach violates the core Scrum principle of sprint integrity, which protects the team's focus.
- ✗
Instruct the team to accept all changes as they come
Why it's wrong here
Instructing the team to accept all changes mid-sprint is highly detrimental, as it completely disregards the sprint goal and the team's capacity planning. This approach leads to constant context switching, reduced productivity, and a high likelihood of failing to deliver any committed increment by the sprint's end. It erodes team morale and predictability, transforming the sprint into an unpredictable work queue rather than a focused period of value delivery.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Managing Conflicts and Communication
Key term
Sprint Planning
Sprint Planning is a time-boxed meeting at the start of a Scrum sprint where the team decides what work they can deliver and how they will do it.
Key term
Scrum Methodology
Scrum is a lightweight process framework that helps teams deliver complex projects in small, iterative chunks called sprints.
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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
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