The correct answer is to coach the product owner on the importance of stable sprint goals and managing changes through the product backlog. This is the right approach because in Scrum, the sprint goal is a commitment that protects the team’s focus and velocity; allowing mid-sprint priority changes undermines the empirical process of inspection and adaptation, which should occur at the sprint boundary. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the product owner’s role within an agile framework and the project manager’s responsibility to educate stakeholders rather than escalate or bypass process. A common trap is to assume the team should simply accept changes, but the exam emphasizes that the product backlog is the proper channel for reprioritization. Remember the memory tip: “Coach, don’t cross the sprint boundary”—the product owner must be guided to hold changes until the next sprint planning.
PMP Practice Question: Business Environment: strategy and project benefits
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of business environment: strategy and project benefits. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A project manager is leading a software development project using Scrum. The product owner frequently changes priorities mid-sprint, causing the team to lose focus. What should the project manager do 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
✓
Coach the product owner on the importance of stable sprint goals and managing changes through the product backlog
Option D is correct because the PM should coach the product owner on their role. Option A escalates without coaching, option B ignores the issue, option C is not appropriate as the team should not accept changes mid-sprint.
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.
✓
Coach the product owner on the importance of stable sprint goals and managing changes through the product backlog
Why this is correct
Coaching helps the product owner understand their role and maintain sprint stability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ask the sponsor to replace the product owner
Why it's wrong here
Replacement is a drastic step; coaching should be attempted first.
✗
Let the product owner continue because they have authority over priorities
Why it's wrong here
Changing priorities mid-sprint disrupts the team's commitment and violates Scrum principles.
✗
Instruct the team to accept all changes as they come
Why it's wrong here
Accepting changes mid-sprint undermines the sprint goal and team velocity.
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.
Business Environment: strategy and project benefits — This question tests Business Environment: strategy and project benefits — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Coach the product owner on the importance of stable sprint goals and managing changes through the product backlog — Option D is correct because the PM should coach the product owner on their role. Option A escalates without coaching, option B ignores the issue, option C is not appropriate as the team should not accept changes mid-sprint.
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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