- A
Ask the team to redo the story to meet the product owner's expectations without changing the acceptance criteria
Why wrong: Redoing work without addressing the root cause will lead to further frustration.
- B
Escalate to the project sponsor to mediate the disagreement
Why wrong: The PM should first try to facilitate a resolution within the team.
- C
Facilitate a meeting between the team and product owner to clarify expectations and update the acceptance criteria for the next sprint
This addresses the root cause by improving communication and refining the process.
- D
Support the team and insist that the story is complete according to the agreed criteria
Why wrong: This may damage the relationship with the product owner and doesn't resolve the misunderstanding.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to facilitate a meeting between the team and product owner to clarify expectations and update the acceptance criteria for the next sprint. This is correct because when a product owner rejects a user story meeting acceptance criteria, it signals a fundamental misalignment between the written criteria and the actual business value expected. The Scrum Master, acting as a servant leader, must bridge this gap by fostering open communication, ensuring the Definition of Done evolves to reflect true stakeholder needs rather than forcing rework on a technically complete story. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Agile servant-leader mindset and stakeholder engagement, often appearing as a trap where candidates choose to escalate or demand compliance. Remember the memory tip: “Criteria are a contract, but value is the goal—when they conflict, facilitate, don’t force.”
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. 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.
During a sprint review, the product owner rejects a completed user story because it does not meet their expectations, even though it meets the acceptance criteria defined in the sprint planning. The team is frustrated. What should you do?
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
Facilitate a meeting between the team and product owner to clarify expectations and update the acceptance criteria for the next sprint
Option C is correct because the Product Owner's rejection indicates a misalignment between the acceptance criteria and their actual expectations. As a servant leader, the Scrum Master should facilitate a meeting to clarify these expectations and update the acceptance criteria for future sprints, ensuring the Definition of Done reflects true business value. This approach maintains team morale while improving the process, rather than forcing rework or escalating unnecessarily.
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.
- ✗
Ask the team to redo the story to meet the product owner's expectations without changing the acceptance criteria
Why it's wrong here
Redoing work without addressing the root cause will lead to further frustration.
- ✗
Escalate to the project sponsor to mediate the disagreement
Why it's wrong here
The PM should first try to facilitate a resolution within the team.
- ✓
Facilitate a meeting between the team and product owner to clarify expectations and update the acceptance criteria for the next sprint
Why this is correct
This addresses the root cause by improving communication and refining the process.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Support the team and insist that the story is complete according to the agreed criteria
Why it's wrong here
This may damage the relationship with the product owner and doesn't resolve the misunderstanding.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
PMI often tests the misconception that the Product Owner's rejection should be overridden by the team's adherence to the acceptance criteria, but the correct response is to facilitate collaboration to realign expectations and improve future criteria.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Scrum, the Product Owner is the sole authority on value and acceptance, but the acceptance criteria are collaboratively defined during sprint planning to ensure shared understanding. When a mismatch occurs, it often stems from implicit assumptions or evolving stakeholder needs that were not captured in the criteria. Facilitating a meeting to update the criteria for the next sprint aligns with the inspect-and-adapt cycle of the Sprint Retrospective, preventing similar issues while preserving the integrity of the current sprint's Definition of Done.
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 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
People — Leading Projects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
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: Facilitate a meeting between the team and product owner to clarify expectations and update the acceptance criteria for the next sprint — Option C is correct because the Product Owner's rejection indicates a misalignment between the acceptance criteria and their actual expectations. As a servant leader, the Scrum Master should facilitate a meeting to clarify these expectations and update the acceptance criteria for future sprints, ensuring the Definition of Done reflects true business value. This approach maintains team morale while improving the process, rather than forcing rework or escalating unnecessarily.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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