PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During sprint planning, the product owner requests adding a new feature that was not in the project scope. The team estimates it will take two additional sprints. What should you do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume a hybrid approach allows immediate backlog additions without formal change control, confusing it with pure agile, or they may incorrectly think the product owner can unilaterally add scope without assessing impacts.
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
✓
Initiate a change request and assess the impact on schedule, cost, and scope before seeking approval
In a hybrid project, changes to scope must follow a formal change control process. Option D is correct because initiating a change request allows you to assess the impact on schedule, cost, and scope before seeking approval, ensuring that the new feature is evaluated against the project's constraints and priorities. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on managing change requests in adaptive and hybrid environments.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Tell the product owner that no new features can be added mid-project
Why it's wrong here
Outright refusal to consider new features mid-project contradicts the adaptive nature of modern project management, particularly in hybrid or agile contexts where delivering business value and responding to change are paramount. A project manager's role is to manage change through established processes, not to unilaterally block all potential enhancements. Such a stance can lead to stakeholder dissatisfaction and missed opportunities for project improvement.
- ✗
Ask the team to include the feature in the current sprint if possible
Why it's wrong here
Directly asking the team to incorporate a new feature into the current sprint without formal change control bypasses established governance and can severely disrupt the sprint's planned commitments. This action risks scope creep, overburdens the team, and introduces unmanaged risks, potentially compromising the project's schedule, budget, and quality objectives. Proper impact assessment and approval are essential before committing to new work.
- ✗
Add the feature to the backlog and inform the product owner it will be addressed in a later phase
Why it's wrong here
Unilaterally adding a new feature request to the backlog without first initiating a formal change request circumvents the necessary governance process for evaluating its strategic fit and impact. While the backlog is a repository for future work, the *decision* to include a significant new feature must undergo proper assessment and approval by relevant stakeholders or a change control board. This ensures that all proposed changes are thoroughly vetted before being accepted into the project's scope, even if deferred.
- ✓
Initiate a change request and assess the impact on schedule, cost, and scope before seeking approval
Why this is correct
Initiating a formal change request is the correct PMP approach, as it adheres to the Integrated Change Control process, a cornerstone of effective project governance. The project manager's responsibility is to thoroughly assess the potential impacts of the proposed feature on all project baselines—scope, schedule, and cost—before presenting a comprehensive analysis to the change control board or relevant stakeholders for an informed decision and formal approval. This systematic evaluation ensures that changes are managed proactively and their consequences understood.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Sprint Planning
Sprint Planning is a time-boxed meeting at the start of a Scrum sprint where the team decides what work they can deliver and how they will do it.
Key term
Scrum Methodology
Scrum is a lightweight process framework that helps teams deliver complex projects in small, iterative chunks called sprints.
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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.