- A
Facilitate a team discussion to analyze the bottlenecks and adjust WIP limits accordingly
The team should collaboratively improve their process.
- B
Increase the WIP limits to reduce bottlenecks
Why wrong: Simply increasing limits without analysis may worsen flow.
- C
Enforce the existing WIP limits strictly
Why wrong: If limits are consistently exceeded, they may need adjustment rather than enforcement.
- D
Remove WIP limits to allow more flexibility
Why wrong: WIP limits are essential for Kanban; removing them defeats the purpose.
Question 337 of 892
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. 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.
In a Kanban project, the team notices that the work-in-progress (WIP) limit is frequently exceeded, causing bottlenecks. What is the BEST action for the project manager to take?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 team discussion to analyze the bottlenecks and adjust WIP limits accordingly
Option A is correct because in a Kanban system, WIP limits are not static; they should be adjusted based on empirical data and team feedback. By facilitating a team discussion, the project manager enables root cause analysis of the bottlenecks, allowing the team to collaboratively recalibrate WIP limits to match actual throughput and flow efficiency. This aligns with the Kanban principle of 'start with what you do now' and 'agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change.'
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.
- ✓
Facilitate a team discussion to analyze the bottlenecks and adjust WIP limits accordingly
Why this is correct
The team should collaboratively improve their process.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the WIP limits to reduce bottlenecks
Why it's wrong here
Simply increasing limits without analysis may worsen flow.
- ✗
Enforce the existing WIP limits strictly
Why it's wrong here
If limits are consistently exceeded, they may need adjustment rather than enforcement.
- ✗
Remove WIP limits to allow more flexibility
Why it's wrong here
WIP limits are essential for Kanban; removing them defeats the purpose.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common misconception is to increase WIP limits or remove them to alleviate bottlenecks. However, in Kanban, the correct approach is to analyze the constraint and adjust limits collaboratively as part of continuous improvement, not to arbitrarily raise limits.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Kanban's WIP limits are a pull-based mechanism that directly control the number of work items in each stage of the value stream, as defined by Little's Law (Cycle Time = WIP / Throughput). When WIP limits are exceeded, it indicates that the system is overloaded, and the bottleneck is often at the next downstream step; the team should use cumulative flow diagrams (CFDs) to visualize queue buildup and identify the constraint. In practice, a team might use a 'swimlane' or 'expedite class' to handle urgent items without breaking limits, but the core action is always to inspect and adapt the limits based on observed flow metrics.
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.
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Process — Managing Technical Aspects — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
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: Facilitate a team discussion to analyze the bottlenecks and adjust WIP limits accordingly — Option A is correct because in a Kanban system, WIP limits are not static; they should be adjusted based on empirical data and team feedback. By facilitating a team discussion, the project manager enables root cause analysis of the bottlenecks, allowing the team to collaboratively recalibrate WIP limits to match actual throughput and flow efficiency. This aligns with the Kanban principle of 'start with what you do now' and 'agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change.'
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
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