PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
You are managing a hybrid project. The team is reporting that sprint velocity has been decreasing for the last three sprints. During the retrospective, the team attributes this to technical debt and unclear requirements. 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
✓
Collaborate with the team to identify root causes and create an action plan to improve velocity
The best first step is to work with the team to identify root causes and implement improvements, such as clearer requirements and addressing technical debt. This aligns with agile principles of continuous improvement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Collaborate with the team to identify root causes and create an action plan to improve velocity
Why this is correct
In a hybrid project, a project manager's primary responsibility when facing performance issues like low velocity is to act as a servant leader and facilitator. Collaborating with the team to conduct a root cause analysis (e.g., using techniques like the 5 Whys or Fishbone diagrams) empowers them to identify underlying systemic problems, not just symptoms. This approach fosters continuous improvement, allowing the team to collectively devise and commit to an action plan, thereby enhancing future predictability and productivity.
- ✗
Add more team members to increase capacity
Why it's wrong here
Adding more team members to a project that is already behind schedule is often counterproductive, a phenomenon known as Brooks' Law. New members require significant onboarding and training, diverting existing team members' time and increasing communication overhead, which can further decrease overall team productivity in the short term. This action fails to address the fundamental reasons for the low velocity, such as process inefficiencies, technical debt, or skill gaps, merely masking the symptoms.
- ✗
Increase the sprint duration to give the team more time
Why it's wrong here
Increasing the sprint duration is a reactive measure that disrupts the established rhythm and predictability of agile iterations. Fixed-length sprints are crucial for consistent velocity measurement, regular feedback loops, and managing work in small, digestible increments. Extending the sprint duration without addressing the underlying causes of low velocity only delays the identification and resolution of problems, potentially leading to larger, more complex work packages and masking systemic inefficiencies rather than solving them.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the sponsor
Why it's wrong here
Escalating the issue directly to the sponsor prematurely undermines the project manager's role in problem-solving and the team's autonomy. A PMP's responsibility is to first attempt to resolve issues at the lowest possible level, leveraging the team's expertise and internal processes. Escalation should be reserved for significant risks or impediments that are beyond the team's or project manager's authority or capability to resolve, ensuring that sponsors are engaged strategically rather than for every operational challenge.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on PMP
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. In a hybrid project, the team is struggling with unclear requirements. The project manager wants to improve the situation. Which THREE actions should the project manager take?
hard- A.Request the project sponsor to assign a business analyst to the project
- B.Create a detailed requirements document and require sign-off before any work begins
- ✓ C.Conduct a requirements workshop with key stakeholders to clarify and prioritize
- ✓ D.Implement regular backlog refinement sessions to break down and clarify user stories
- ✓ E.Increase communication with the product owner to ensure requirements are well-defined before sprints
Why C: In a hybrid project with unclear requirements, the project manager should take actions that promote collaboration and iterative clarification. Option C (conducting a requirements workshop with key stakeholders) helps clarify and prioritize requirements through direct interaction. Option D (regular backlog refinement sessions) is an agile practice that allows the team to break down and clarify user stories consistently. Option E (increasing communication with the product owner) ensures the product owner provides well-defined requirements before each sprint. Option A is incorrect because assigning a business analyst does not directly address the team's struggle with unclear requirements and may bypass collaborative clarification. Option B is incorrect because creating a detailed requirements document and requiring sign-off adds process overhead and contradicts the hybrid approach which values iterative refinement over upfront detail.
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.