PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
You are managing a hybrid project. During a sprint, a team member reports that a key deliverable will be delayed because a stakeholder is not providing necessary input. The stakeholder is also the project sponsor. What should you do FIRST?
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
✓
Schedule a one-on-one meeting with the stakeholder to understand the delay and find a solution.
The correct option is A: schedule a one-on-one meeting with the stakeholder to understand the delay and find a solution. Since the stakeholder is also the project sponsor, direct communication is the most appropriate first step to uncover the root cause, clarify expectations, and collaboratively resolve the blocker before escalating or taking drastic action. Escalating to the PMO or higher management (C) is premature because the sponsor is the top authority and should be engaged directly first. Removing the stakeholder (B) is unrealistic given their sponsor role, and proceeding with assumptions (D) risks delivering work that does not meet requirements.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Schedule a one-on-one meeting with the stakeholder to understand the delay and find a solution.
Why this is correct
Addressing the sponsor directly first uncovers the input delay and preserves the relationship, since escalation is inappropriate when the blocker is the sponsor. A one-on-one meeting satisfies the immediate need to understand the cause before choosing corrective action.
- ✗
Remove the stakeholder from the project and reassign their responsibilities.
Why it's wrong here
Removing the sponsor is impossible; the sponsor authorises the project and controls funding, so their responsibilities cannot be reassigned. It is tempting because reallocating stakeholder duties resolves resourcing conflicts in ordinary team settings, but a sponsor's authority sits outside the project manager's remit.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the PMO or higher management.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating to the PMO or higher management skips direct engagement with the sponsor, who is the actual decision-maker and escalation endpoint. It is tempting because escalation resolves stalled dependencies with non-responsive stakeholders, and would be correct if the blocker were outside the sponsor's control.
- ✗
Proceed without the input and make assumptions.
Why it's wrong here
Assuming input bypasses the sponsor's approval, producing deliverables that may not meet requirements and later require rework. It is tempting when schedule pressure demands progress, and would suit low-risk, reversible tasks where assumptions can be validated cheaply, but not a sponsor-owned dependency.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every PMP question from scratch — 820 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.