PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
You are managing a project to develop a mobile app. The sponsor asks you to skip user acceptance testing (UAT) to meet an aggressive launch date. The team is concerned about quality risks. What should you do?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates choose Option A (refusal) due to a rigid view of quality, failing to recognize that the PMP exam rewards collaborative risk communication and formal change control over unilateral defiance.
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
✓
Explain the risks of skipping UAT and propose a change request to adjust the schedule
It demonstrates the project manager's responsibility to balance stakeholder requests with quality standards. By explaining the risks of skipping UAT—such as undetected defects leading to user dissatisfaction or rework—and proposing a change request to adjust the schedule, you follow the PMI ethical code and the change control process. This approach respects the sponsor's authority while advocating for project quality, aligning with the 'People' domain of leading the team and stakeholders.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Refuse the request without further discussion
Why it's wrong here
Refusing a sponsor's request outright without discussion is an uncollaborative approach that undermines stakeholder relationships and effective project governance. A Project Manager's role involves facilitating informed decision-making by presenting facts, risks, and potential impacts, rather than simply rejecting directives. This action fails to leverage the PM's communication and negotiation skills to find a mutually acceptable solution. It also prevents the sponsor from understanding the full implications of their request.
- ✓
Explain the risks of skipping UAT and propose a change request to adjust the schedule
Why this is correct
This is the most appropriate response as it demonstrates proactive risk management and adherence to project quality standards. The Project Manager must educate the sponsor on the critical role of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) in validating the solution against business requirements and identifying defects before deployment. Proposing a formal change request to adjust the schedule follows the established integrated change control process, ensuring transparency and documented approval for any scope, schedule, or cost modifications. This approach balances stakeholder expectations with project quality and integrity.
- ✗
Comply with the sponsor's request to meet the deadline
Why it's wrong here
Complying immediately with the sponsor's request to skip User Acceptance Testing (UAT) without assessing the impact or discussing alternatives is a significant dereliction of the Project Manager's quality management responsibilities. This action dramatically increases project risk, potentially leading to a flawed product, extensive post-launch defects, user dissatisfaction, and costly rework. Prioritizing schedule over critical quality gates compromises the project's long-term success and value delivery.
- ✗
Proceed with UAT secretly and report the launch date as planned
Why it's wrong here
Proceeding with UAT secretly while reporting the original launch date is unethical and a severe breach of trust with the project sponsor and other stakeholders. This action demonstrates a lack of transparency and integrity, which are fundamental tenets of professional project management. Such deceptive practices can severely damage the Project Manager's credibility and lead to significant project governance issues, potentially resulting in project failure if the unauthorized UAT delays the launch or uncovers critical issues that were not formally addressed.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Project Management Plan
A formal, approved document that defines how a project is executed, monitored, controlled, and closed, serving as the single source of truth for the project team.
Key term
Change Control Process
A formal, structured procedure used to manage any changes to a project's scope, schedule, budget, or requirements, ensuring every modification is reviewed, approved, tested, and documented before implementation.
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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.