The answer is to involve the resistant team member in the agile transition planning to gain buy-in. This is correct because resistance to agile change management typically stems from a lack of ownership and a misunderstanding of how agile methods still incorporate structured analysis, just in a more adaptive, value-driven way. By including the team member in the planning, the project manager transforms a passive resistor into an active contributor, allowing them to see how iterative delivery and adaptive planning leverage their expertise without sacrificing rigor. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your grasp of the "Manage Team" and "Develop Team" processes, specifically the interpersonal and team skill of conflict resolution—a common trap is to default to coaching or training, which addresses symptoms rather than the root cause of resistance. Remember the memory tip: "Involve to solve" — when facing resistance to change, participation in the planning process builds ownership and reduces friction more effectively than top-down directives.
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. 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 transitioning from a predictive to an agile approach. One team member is resistant to change and insists on detailed upfront planning. What is the best way for the project manager to address this resistance?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Involve the team member in the agile transition planning to gain buy-in.
Option B is correct because involving the resistant team member in the agile transition planning directly addresses the root cause of resistance—lack of ownership and understanding. By participating in planning, the team member can see how agile practices (e.g., iterative delivery, adaptive planning) still incorporate upfront analysis but in a more flexible, value-driven way. This collaborative approach leverages the team member's experience while aligning with agile principles, reducing friction without forcing change.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Inform the team member that the change is mandatory and must be followed.
Why it's wrong here
A directive approach can increase resistance and decrease motivation.
✓
Involve the team member in the agile transition planning to gain buy-in.
Why this is correct
Participation in the change process fosters ownership and reduces resistance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Assign a mentor to guide the team member through the new processes.
Why it's wrong here
Mentorship is helpful but does not directly address the underlying resistance to change.
✗
Conduct a training session on agile principles and practices.
Why it's wrong here
Training alone may not be sufficient; the team member needs to be engaged in the change.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose training (Option D) as the default solution for any agile adoption issue, but the PMP exam emphasizes that resistance to change is best addressed through involvement and buy-in, not just education or mandates.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In agile transitions, resistance often stems from a perceived loss of control or fear of uncertainty. Involving the team member in transition planning uses the agile principle of 'individuals and interactions over processes and tools'—it treats the resistance as a signal to collaborate, not a problem to override. Real-world scenarios show that when teams co-create their agile adaptation (e.g., defining their own sprint length or WIP limits), adoption rates increase significantly because the change feels owned rather than imposed.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Involve the team member in the agile transition planning to gain buy-in. — Option B is correct because involving the resistant team member in the agile transition planning directly addresses the root cause of resistance—lack of ownership and understanding. By participating in planning, the team member can see how agile practices (e.g., iterative delivery, adaptive planning) still incorporate upfront analysis but in a more flexible, value-driven way. This collaborative approach leverages the team member's experience while aligning with agile principles, reducing friction without forcing change.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.