PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
A project manager is leading a virtual team across four time zones. The project has entered the execution phase, and the project manager notices that team members are not collaborating effectively, and communication is becoming fragmented. What should the project manager do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often choose Option B (core hours) because it seems practical, but the PMP exam emphasizes adapting to the team's constraints rather than forcing uniformity, and the first action should always be to review the plan before imposing changes.
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 and update the communication management plan and set up a shared collaboration platform with clear guidelines
The first step in resolving fragmented communication in a virtual team is to review and update the Communication Management Plan, which defines how information is shared, stored, and accessed. Setting up a shared collaboration platform with clear guidelines directly addresses the root cause—lack of structured communication channels and protocols—rather than applying a superficial or disruptive fix. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's principle of tailoring communication to the team's distributed environment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Send a team-wide email reminding everyone to communicate more effectively
Why it's wrong here
This action is insufficient because it addresses a symptom (poor communication) rather than the root cause, which often lies in inadequate communication processes, tools, or planning. Simply reminding team members to communicate better without providing specific mechanisms, updated guidelines, or appropriate platforms fails to resolve underlying systemic issues. Effective communication in virtual teams requires structured approaches, not just exhortations.
- ✗
Require all team members to work during the same core hours
Why it's wrong here
Requiring all team members across four time zones to work during the same core hours is often impractical and can lead to significant operational challenges and employee dissatisfaction. This approach disregards geographical realities, potentially forcing some team members to work inconvenient or non-standard hours, which can decrease morale, productivity, and work-life balance. Project managers should seek solutions that leverage virtual collaboration tools and asynchronous communication rather than imposing rigid, geographically insensitive schedules.
- ✓
Review and update the communication management plan and set up a shared collaboration platform with clear guidelines
Why this is correct
This is the most effective solution because it proactively addresses the core challenges of virtual team communication through structured planning and appropriate technological enablement. Reviewing and updating the communication management plan ensures that communication requirements, methods, and responsibilities are clearly defined for a distributed environment. Simultaneously, establishing a shared collaboration platform with explicit guidelines provides the necessary tools and framework for consistent, accessible, and efficient information exchange, bridging geographical and temporal gaps.
- ✗
Schedule a team-building retreat to improve relationships
Why it's wrong here
While team-building retreats can foster stronger interpersonal relationships and improve team cohesion, they are not the primary or most immediate solution for addressing fundamental communication process deficiencies in a virtual team. Such an event is a significant investment and, without first establishing clear communication protocols and effective collaboration tools, any temporary boost in relationships may not translate into sustained improvements in project communication effectiveness. Process and tool enhancements are foundational for virtual team success.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PMP 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 PMP exam.