PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question

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 a decision

  Why it's wrong here

  Escalating to the project sponsor at this stage is premature and bypasses the Scrum Master's (or PM's in a hybrid context) primary responsibility to facilitate conflict resolution within the team and with stakeholders. The PMP framework emphasizes resolving issues at the lowest possible level first, utilizing collaborative problem-solving techniques. Involving higher management without attempting internal resolution can undermine team autonomy and stakeholder relationships, creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

• ✓

  Schedule a meeting with the product owner and the team to review the acceptance criteria and define done

  Why this is correct

  This is the most appropriate action as it directly addresses the root cause of dissatisfaction: a potential misalignment in understanding the acceptance criteria or the "Definition of Done." By facilitating a collaborative meeting, the Scrum Master (or PM) ensures all parties—the Product Owner and the development team—can openly discuss, clarify, and re-establish a shared understanding of what constitutes a complete and acceptable deliverable. This proactive approach fosters transparency, builds consensus, and prevents future misunderstandings, aligning with Agile principles.

• ✗

  Support the team's position and ask the product owner to accept the deliverable

  Why it's wrong here

  Supporting only the team's position and pressuring the Product Owner to accept the deliverable is counterproductive and violates the project manager's role as a neutral facilitator. This action would likely escalate the conflict, erode trust between the Product Owner and the development team, and undermine the collaborative spirit essential for successful agile delivery. The PMP emphasizes balancing stakeholder needs and facilitating consensus rather than dictating terms or taking sides.

• ✗

  Ask the team to redo the work to meet the product owner's expectations

  Why it's wrong here

  Instructing the team to simply redo the work without first clarifying the Product Owner's expectations and the acceptance criteria is inefficient and risks further misaligned effort. This approach fails to address the underlying communication breakdown or differing interpretations of "done," potentially leading to repeated rework and frustration for both the team and the Product Owner. A PMP-certified professional prioritizes understanding the root cause before prescribing solutions to ensure effective problem-solving and minimize waste.

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