The answer is to intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review. This is correct because the immediate priority in a sprint review is to de-escalate the conflict and keep the meeting on track, as the sprint review is a time-boxed event for inspecting the increment and adapting the backlog, not for resolving technical debates. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of conflict resolution within a hybrid framework, where the project manager must balance servant leadership with maintaining team focus; a common trap is choosing to let the argument continue or escalate to a sponsor, which violates the principle of addressing issues privately and respectfully. Remember the memory tip: “Pause, acknowledge, postpone”—intervene to pause the debate, acknowledge both sides to show respect, and postpone the deep discussion to a private offline session.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, two senior developers get into a heated argument about the technical design of a feature. The argument is causing tension and delaying the review. What should you do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review
Option B is correct because the immediate priority is to de-escalate the conflict and allow the review to continue. A PM should address the conflict privately after the meeting to avoid public embarrassment and to facilitate a constructive discussion. Option A is wrong because it delays resolution and may escalate the issue. Option C is wrong because it escalates prematurely without giving the team a chance to resolve. Option D is wrong because it ignores the conflict, which can fester.
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.
✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should be a last resort; the PM should first attempt to resolve the conflict with the team.
✗
End the meeting early and schedule a separate session to resolve the conflict
Why it's wrong here
Ending the meeting avoids the issue but wastes time and does not immediately address the disruption.
✓
Intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review
Why this is correct
De-escalating publicly and moving the conflict to a private discussion maintains team harmony and allows the review to proceed.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ignore the argument and continue the review, hoping it resolves on its own
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring conflict can lead to decreased team morale and productivity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review — Option B is correct because the immediate priority is to de-escalate the conflict and allow the review to continue. A PM should address the conflict privately after the meeting to avoid public embarrassment and to facilitate a constructive discussion. Option A is wrong because it delays resolution and may escalate the issue. Option C is wrong because it escalates prematurely without giving the team a chance to resolve. Option D is wrong because it ignores the conflict, which can fester.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. You are leading a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, two senior developers have a heated argument about the technical implementation of a feature. The disagreement is causing tension among the team. What should you do FIRST?
medium
A.Escalate the conflict to the project sponsor
B.Assign the feature to a different developer
✓ C.Meet with both developers separately and then together to find a solution
D.Ask the team members to resolve it on their own
Why C: Option C is correct because, as the project manager, your first responsibility is to address the conflict directly using collaborative conflict resolution techniques. Meeting with each developer separately allows you to understand their technical perspectives without group pressure, and then bringing them together facilitates a solution that respects both viewpoints and maintains team cohesion. This approach aligns with the PMI People domain, emphasizing servant leadership and proactive conflict management.
Variation 2. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers, Maria and John, have a disagreement about the technical approach for implementing a critical feature. Their conflict is causing delays and affecting team morale. What should you do first?
medium
A.Escalate the issue to the functional manager to resolve the technical disagreement
B.Tell the team to vote on the technical approach and proceed with the majority decision
✓ C.Meet privately with Maria and John to understand each perspective and facilitate a resolution
D.Reassign one of the developers to a different task to reduce friction
Why C: Option C is correct because, as the project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to address the conflict directly by understanding each developer's perspective and facilitating a collaborative resolution. This aligns with the PMP's focus on servant leadership and conflict management, ensuring that technical decisions are made based on merit and team consensus rather than authority or voting, which could undermine team cohesion and the hybrid model's flexibility.
Variation 3. You are a project manager on a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a strong disagreement on the technical implementation of a critical feature. They have been arguing for three days, causing the team to fall behind schedule. What should you do first?
medium
A.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and ask for a decision
B.Reassign one developer to another task to avoid further conflict
✓ C.Meet with both developers separately to understand their perspectives, then facilitate a joint discussion to find a mutually acceptable solution
D.Make the technical decision yourself based on your own expertise
Why C: The first step in conflict resolution is to address the issue directly with the involved parties. Option B encourages open discussion and collaborative problem-solving, which aligns with PMI's emphasis on communication and conflict management.
Variation 4. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a heated disagreement about the best technical solution for a critical feature. The disagreement is causing delays and affecting team morale. What should you do first?
easy
A.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a final decision
B.Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own
C.Make a decision yourself and tell the developers to implement that solution
✓ D.Schedule a meeting with both developers to listen to their perspectives and facilitate a resolution
Why D: Option D is correct because, as a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to facilitate conflict resolution among team members. By scheduling a meeting to listen to both developers' perspectives, you demonstrate servant leadership, encourage collaborative problem-solving, and leverage their technical expertise to reach a consensus, which aligns with the PMI Talent Triangle's leadership and team management skills.
Variation 5. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a disagreement about the technical approach for a critical feature. The conflict is causing delays and affecting team morale. What should you do first?
medium
A.Decide on the technical approach yourself and assign tasks accordingly
✓ B.Meet with both developers individually to understand their perspectives, then facilitate a joint discussion
C.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
D.Replace both developers with a single developer who agrees with the original plan
Why B: Option B is correct because the project manager should first understand the conflict from both perspectives before taking action. This aligns with PMI's emphasis on communication and servant leadership. Option A is too directive and does not foster ownership. Option C escalates prematurely. Option D assigns blame and avoids root cause.
Variation 6. You are managing a hybrid project using Scrum for development and a predictive approach for regulatory deliverables. During the daily standup, two senior developers disagree strongly on the technical approach to implement a user story. The disagreement is causing tension and slowing progress. As the project manager, what should you do FIRST?
medium
A.Assign the story to another developer who can work without conflict
✓ B.Facilitate a discussion between the two developers to understand both perspectives and reach a consensus
C.Make the technical decision yourself based on your experience
D.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
Why B: In a hybrid project, the project manager must first facilitate conflict resolution among team members to maintain team cohesion and ensure progress. Option B aligns with the PMI's emphasis on servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving, as it addresses the root cause of the disagreement without bypassing the team's autonomy or escalating prematurely.
Variation 7. You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a technical disagreement that has escalated into a personal conflict, causing delays. What should you do FIRST?
medium
A.Bring the two developers together in a team meeting to resolve the issue openly
B.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution
C.Reassign one of the developers to a different project to avoid further conflict
✓ D.Meet with each developer separately to understand their perspectives and facilitate a resolution
Why D: Option D is correct because addressing the conflict privately with each individual allows you to understand each perspective without escalating tensions publicly. PMI recommends addressing conflict early and directly.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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