- A
Add more team members to the sprint
Why wrong: Adding people can disrupt team dynamics and may not help immediately.
- B
Replace underperforming team members
Why wrong: Replacement is a drastic step and may not be the cause.
- C
Implement a policy to minimize interruptions during the sprint
Reducing interruptions helps the team maintain focus and velocity.
- D
Increase the sprint length to give the team more time
Why wrong: Longer sprints may not address the root causes and could reduce feedback frequency.
- E
Improve backlog refinement to ensure requirements are clear before the sprint
Clear requirements reduce confusion and rework.
Question 301 of 892
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 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
✓
Implement a policy to minimize interruptions during the sprint
Option C is correct because implementing a policy to minimize interruptions directly addresses one of the root causes cited by the team: frequent interruptions. By reducing context switching and protecting the team's focus, you enable them to maintain a sustainable pace and improve velocity. This aligns with the Agile principle of shielding the team from external disruptions to maximize throughput.
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
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'adding more people' (Option A) with a quick fix for low velocity, failing to recognize that the team's cited issues are process-related (unclear requirements and interruptions) rather than capacity-related.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Scrum, sprint velocity is a measure of the amount of work a team can complete in a fixed timebox, typically expressed in story points. Unclear requirements lead to rework and gold-plating, while interruptions cause task-switching penalties that can reduce productivity by up to 40% (as documented in cognitive psychology research). Improving backlog refinement ensures that user stories meet the 'Definition of Ready' before sprint planning, which includes acceptance criteria, dependencies, and estimates—this directly reduces ambiguity and the need for mid-sprint clarifications.
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: Implement a policy to minimize interruptions during the sprint — Option C is correct because implementing a policy to minimize interruptions directly addresses one of the root causes cited by the team: frequent interruptions. By reducing context switching and protecting the team's focus, you enable them to maintain a sustainable pace and improve velocity. This aligns with the Agile principle of shielding the team from external disruptions to maximize throughput.
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: Jul 4, 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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