- A
Assign the story to another developer who can work without conflict
Why wrong: Assigning the work elsewhere avoids the conflict temporarily but does not address the underlying disagreement.
- B
Facilitate a discussion between the two developers to understand both perspectives and reach a consensus
Facilitating a discussion promotes collaborative problem-solving and aligns with servant leadership.
- C
Make the technical decision yourself based on your experience
Why wrong: Making a unilateral decision disempowers the team and may lead to resentment; the PM should empower the team to resolve technical issues.
- D
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
Why wrong: Escalation should be a last resort; the PM should first attempt to resolve the conflict within the team.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
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.
You are managing a hybrid project using Scrum for development and a predictive approach for regulatory deliverables. During the daily standup, two senior developers disagree strongly on the technical approach to implement a user story. The disagreement is causing tension and slowing progress. As the project manager, what should you do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
Facilitate a discussion between the two developers to understand both perspectives and reach a consensus
In a hybrid project, the project manager must first facilitate conflict resolution among team members to maintain team cohesion and ensure progress. Option B aligns with the PMI's emphasis on servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving, as it addresses the root cause of the disagreement without bypassing the team's autonomy or escalating prematurely.
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.
- ✗
Assign the story to another developer who can work without conflict
Why it's wrong here
Assigning the work elsewhere avoids the conflict temporarily but does not address the underlying disagreement.
- ✓
Facilitate a discussion between the two developers to understand both perspectives and reach a consensus
Why this is correct
Facilitating a discussion promotes collaborative problem-solving and aligns with servant leadership.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Make the technical decision yourself based on your experience
Why it's wrong here
Making a unilateral decision disempowers the team and may lead to resentment; the PM should empower the team to resolve technical issues.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should be a last resort; the PM should first attempt to resolve the conflict within the team.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option C (making the decision yourself) due to a command-and-control mindset, but the PMP exam emphasizes servant leadership and empowering the team to resolve their own technical disagreements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Scrum, the daily standup is a time for the development team to synchronize and identify impediments, not for the project manager to dictate solutions. Facilitating a discussion leverages the team's collective intelligence and aligns with the principle of self-organization, where the team is best positioned to make technical decisions. In a hybrid project, this approach also respects the predictive side's need for clear requirements while allowing agile flexibility in implementation.
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.
- →
People — Leading Projects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
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: Facilitate a discussion between the two developers to understand both perspectives and reach a consensus — In a hybrid project, the project manager must first facilitate conflict resolution among team members to maintain team cohesion and ensure progress. Option B aligns with the PMI's emphasis on servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving, as it addresses the root cause of the disagreement without bypassing the team's autonomy or escalating prematurely.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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 →
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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.
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