- A
Update the quality management plan to reflect a higher acceptable defect density.
Why wrong: Changing the plan to match poor performance is not appropriate; the PM should improve quality.
- B
Report the metric to the sponsor and ask for more time to fix defects.
Why wrong: While reporting is important, the PM should first take immediate corrective action within the team.
- C
Initiate corrective action by increasing quality control activities like additional testing and code reviews.
The PM should take corrective action to bring quality back within acceptable limits.
- D
Accept the current defect density as it is still within the acceptable range.
Why wrong: The defect density is above the threshold, indicating a problem.
Question 471 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.
A project manager is reviewing the quality metrics of a software project. The defect density is 0.5 defects per function point, which is below the acceptable threshold of 0.2. What should the project manager 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
✓
Initiate corrective action by increasing quality control activities like additional testing and code reviews.
The defect density of 0.5 defects per function point exceeds the acceptable threshold of 0.2, indicating a quality problem. The project manager must initiate corrective action by increasing quality control activities, such as additional testing and code reviews, to reduce defects to an acceptable level. This aligns with the 'Manage Quality' process, which focuses on auditing quality requirements and results from control measurements to ensure appropriate quality standards are used.
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.
- ✗
Update the quality management plan to reflect a higher acceptable defect density.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the plan to match poor performance is not appropriate; the PM should improve quality.
- ✗
Report the metric to the sponsor and ask for more time to fix defects.
Why it's wrong here
While reporting is important, the PM should first take immediate corrective action within the team.
- ✓
Initiate corrective action by increasing quality control activities like additional testing and code reviews.
Why this is correct
The PM should take corrective action to bring quality back within acceptable limits.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Accept the current defect density as it is still within the acceptable range.
Why it's wrong here
The defect density is above the threshold, indicating a problem.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may misread the metric and think 0.5 is below 0.2, leading them to choose Option D, but the question states 'below the acceptable threshold' meaning the threshold is 0.2 and the actual value is 0.5, which is above it.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Defect density is a key quality metric calculated as the number of defects divided by the size of the software (e.g., function points). A threshold of 0.2 defects per function point is a common benchmark for high-quality software; exceeding it indicates that the development or testing process needs improvement. In practice, corrective actions like additional testing (e.g., regression tests, boundary value analysis) and code reviews (e.g., peer reviews, static analysis) help identify and fix defects early, reducing rework costs and improving overall product quality.
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.
- →
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Process — Managing Technical Aspects practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PMP questions
892 questions across all exam domains
- →
Project Management Professional PMP study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PMP practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PMP practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
People — Leading Projects practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to People — Leading Projects.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Process — Managing Technical Aspects.
Business Environment — Strategy and Value practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Business Environment — Strategy and Value.
Business Environment: strategy and project benefits practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Business Environment: strategy and project benefits.
PMP fundamentals practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP fundamentals.
PMP scenario practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP scenario.
PMP troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PMP practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Initiate corrective action by increasing quality control activities like additional testing and code reviews. — The defect density of 0.5 defects per function point exceeds the acceptable threshold of 0.2, indicating a quality problem. The project manager must initiate corrective action by increasing quality control activities, such as additional testing and code reviews, to reduce defects to an acceptable level. This aligns with the 'Manage Quality' process, which focuses on auditing quality requirements and results from control measurements to ensure appropriate quality standards are used.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More PMP practice questions
- During a sprint review, the product owner rejects a completed user story because it does not meet the acceptance criteri…
- During a daily standup, a developer mentions she is blocked by a dependency from another team. The issue was not previou…
- A project manager is leading a digital transformation initiative. Midway through the project, a new regulation is introd…
- Your project is a large infrastructure build. You have completed the planning phase, but the sponsor has put pressure on…
- You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner reque…
- Your agile project has been experiencing declining velocity over the last three sprints. During the retrospective, the t…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.