PMP Practice Question: Business Environment: strategy and project benefits
During a project's execution phase, the sponsor asks the project manager to skip the user acceptance testing (UAT) phase to save time and meet a tight deadline. What should the project manager do?
⚠ Common exam trap
PMP often tests the instinct to either 'just comply with the sponsor' or 'escalate immediately,' when the correct first move is always to discuss, analyze impact, and recommend per the plan.
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
✓
Explain the risks of skipping UAT and recommend following the project management plan.
The project manager should explain the risks of skipping UAT and recommend following the project management plan, because UAT is a quality control gate that validates deliverables against requirements and stakeholder expectations. Skipping it introduces unmitigated risk of defects reaching production and violates the approved plan and quality management approach. The PM's role is to advise and influence, not to silently comply or unilaterally ignore the sponsor.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ignore the request and proceed with UAT as planned.
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring a project sponsor's direct request is a fundamental failure in stakeholder communication and management. This approach demonstrates a lack of respect for a key decision-maker and can severely damage the project manager's credibility and the overall project relationship. Such an action can lead to a loss of sponsor support, increased conflict, and ultimately jeopardize project success by alienating a critical resource.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the PMO without discussing with the sponsor.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating an issue to the Project Management Office (PMO) without first attempting to resolve it directly with the involved stakeholder, in this case, the sponsor, is premature and counterproductive. This action bypasses direct communication channels, can be perceived as undermining the sponsor's authority, and may unnecessarily strain relationships. Effective issue resolution prioritizes direct engagement and collaborative problem-solving before resorting to higher-level intervention.
- ✗
Comply with the sponsor's request to maintain a good relationship.
Why it's wrong here
Blindly complying with a sponsor's request to skip User Acceptance Testing (UAT) solely to maintain a good relationship is a dereliction of the project manager's duty to protect project quality and manage risks. Such compliance would introduce significant, unmitigated risks of delivering a product that does not meet user needs or contains critical defects. A project manager must prioritize project objectives and integrity over short-term stakeholder appeasement, especially when core quality gates are at stake.
- ✓
Explain the risks of skipping UAT and recommend following the project management plan.
Why this is correct
The project manager's responsibility includes educating stakeholders on the implications of their requests and advocating for the project's best interests. By explaining the inherent risks of skipping User Acceptance Testing (UAT), such as undetected defects, unmet user requirements, and potential rework, the project manager provides crucial context. Recommending adherence to the established project management plan ensures quality assurance, mitigates risks, and promotes informed decision-making by the sponsor, aligning with project objectives.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Planning Project Scope and Requirements
Key term
Team Building
Team building is the process of creating a cohesive group of people who work together effectively toward a shared goal.
Key term
Quality Management
Quality Management is the practice of defining, monitoring, and controlling the processes and deliverables of a project to ensure they meet the required standards and stakeholder expectations.
About these practice questions
One of 820 original PMP practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on PMP
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. In a hybrid project, the project sponsor asks you to skip the testing phase to meet the deadline. The product is critical for an upcoming trade show. What should you do?
easy- A.Tell the sponsor that testing is mandatory and cannot be skipped
- ✓ B.Explain the risks of skipping testing and propose reducing the scope of testing to high-risk areas only
- C.Skip testing as requested to meet the deadline
- D.Ask the quality assurance manager to decide
Why B: The project manager should explain the risks of skipping testing and propose a risk-based compromise, such as reducing testing scope to high-risk areas only. This addresses the sponsor's deadline concern while preserving quality for the most critical functionality. It demonstrates professional responsibility and stakeholder engagement rather than outright refusal or blind compliance.
JA
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 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.