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.
The project sponsor asks you to skip the quality testing phase to meet an aggressive deadline, arguing that the team is experienced and can deliver without it. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Explain the risks of skipping testing and propose alternatives such as reducing scope or extending the schedule
Option C is correct because as a project manager, you must balance the sponsor's request with your ethical duty to deliver a quality product. Skipping quality testing introduces significant risk of defects and rework, which could ultimately delay the project further. By explaining these risks and proposing alternatives like reducing scope or extending the schedule, you demonstrate proactive leadership and adherence to the PMI Code of Ethics, specifically the responsibility to make data-driven decisions.
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.
✗
Comply with the sponsor's request to avoid conflict
Refuse the request and insist on following the original plan
Why it's wrong here
This is too rigid; negotiation is better.
✓
Explain the risks of skipping testing and propose alternatives such as reducing scope or extending the schedule
Why this is correct
This addresses the sponsor's need while maintaining quality.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Agree to skip testing but document the sponsor's request for future reference
Why it's wrong here
Documentation does not mitigate the risk.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option B (refuse outright) because it seems firm and principled, but the PMP exam rewards collaborative problem-solving and stakeholder management over rigid adherence to the plan.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, quality testing is a critical process group that validates deliverables against acceptance criteria and identifies defects early. Skipping testing can lead to cost of quality escalation, where fixing defects after deployment is exponentially more expensive (e.g., the 1:10:100 rule). A real-world scenario is a software project where skipping unit testing caused integration failures that delayed the project by weeks, far exceeding the original deadline. The project manager should use a risk register to quantify the probability and impact of skipping testing, then present a cost-benefit analysis to the sponsor.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
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: Explain the risks of skipping testing and propose alternatives such as reducing scope or extending the schedule — Option C is correct because as a project manager, you must balance the sponsor's request with your ethical duty to deliver a quality product. Skipping quality testing introduces significant risk of defects and rework, which could ultimately delay the project further. By explaining these risks and proposing alternatives like reducing scope or extending the schedule, you demonstrate proactive leadership and adherence to the PMI Code of Ethics, specifically the responsibility to make data-driven decisions.
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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Question Discussion
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