The answer is to improve backlog refinement and limit work-in-progress. These two actions directly target the root causes of low sprint velocity: unclear requirements cause rework and delays, while frequent interruptions fragment focus and reduce throughput. In agile project management, backlog refinement ensures user stories are well-defined, estimated, and prioritized before the sprint begins, preventing ambiguity from derailing the team. Limiting work-in-progress (WIP) creates a pull-based system that shields the team from external interruptions and reduces context switching, allowing them to complete tasks faster. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of agile practices within the hybrid framework, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose to extend the sprint or add more team members. Remember the mnemonic “Clear Backlog, Cap WIP” to recall that clarity and flow, not speed, drive sustainable velocity.
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.
Your project team is experiencing low sprint velocity for three consecutive sprints. The team cites unclear requirements and frequent interruptions. Which TWO actions should you take to address this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement a policy to minimize interruptions during the sprint
Improving backlog refinement and limiting work-in-progress are effective agile practices to increase velocity and reduce interruptions.
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.
✗
Add more team members to the sprint
Why it's wrong here
Adding people can disrupt team dynamics and may not help immediately.
✗
Replace underperforming team members
Why it's wrong here
Replacement is a drastic step and may not be the cause.
✓
Implement a policy to minimize interruptions during the sprint
Why this is correct
Reducing interruptions helps the team maintain focus and velocity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the sprint length to give the team more time
Why it's wrong here
Longer sprints may not address the root causes and could reduce feedback frequency.
✓
Improve backlog refinement to ensure requirements are clear before the sprint
Why this is correct
Clear requirements reduce confusion and rework.
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.
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: Implement a policy to minimize interruptions during the sprint — Improving backlog refinement and limiting work-in-progress are effective agile practices to increase velocity and reduce interruptions.
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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