PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. 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.
During a project, two senior developers have a conflict regarding the technical approach. As project manager, which TWO actions should you take?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Encourage both developers to collaborate and find a mutually acceptable solution
Option A (encourage collaboration) and Option C (update issue log) are appropriate PM actions. Option B (escalation) is premature. Option D (choose an approach) imposes on the team. Option E (change assignments) avoids resolving the root cause.
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.
✗
Decide on the technical approach yourself
Why it's wrong here
The PM should not impose technical decisions; let the team resolve.
✓
Encourage both developers to collaborate and find a mutually acceptable solution
Why this is correct
Facilitating collaboration respects team members and can lead to a better solution.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Escalate to the project sponsor for a decision
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should be a last resort after attempts to resolve at the team level.
✗
Reassign one developer to another project to avoid further conflict
Why it's wrong here
Avoids the issue without resolution; not constructive.
✓
Document the conflict and resolution in the issue log
Why this is correct
Issues should be tracked for visibility and lessons learned.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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.
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: Encourage both developers to collaborate and find a mutually acceptable solution — Option A (encourage collaboration) and Option C (update issue log) are appropriate PM actions. Option B (escalation) is premature. Option D (choose an approach) imposes on the team. Option E (change assignments) avoids resolving the root cause.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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