PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the customer expresses satisfaction but requests a small additional feature that was not in the original backlog. The team believes it can be completed in two days without affecting the critical path. 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
✓
Submit a change request to the change control board for evaluation and approval.
According to PMI, any change to scope must go through the change control process. Even if the change seems small, it requires formal evaluation and approval to prevent scope creep and ensure all impacts are considered.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Submit a change request to the change control board for evaluation and approval.
Why this is correct
This is the correct action as it adheres to the Integrated Change Control process, a fundamental principle in project management. All proposed changes, regardless of their perceived size or origin, must be formally documented as a change request and submitted to the Change Control Board (CCB). The CCB is responsible for evaluating the potential impact on project baselines (scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, risks) and making an informed decision for approval or rejection, ensuring proper governance and preventing uncontrolled scope creep.
- ✗
Ask the team to implement the feature and document it as a scope change later.
Why it's wrong here
Asking the team to implement a feature and document it later is a critical violation of project governance and the Integrated Change Control process. This approach bypasses the necessary formal impact analysis and approval, leading to unauthorized work and a high risk of uncontrolled scope creep. Proceeding without formal approval undermines the project management plan and can result in unbudgeted costs, schedule delays, and a lack of stakeholder alignment.
- ✗
Inform the customer that no changes are allowed after the sprint review.
Why it's wrong here
Informing the customer that no changes are allowed after a sprint review is an inappropriate response and demonstrates poor stakeholder management. While changes must be managed, outright refusal without evaluation contradicts the principle of customer collaboration and flexibility, even in a hybrid environment. The project manager's role is to facilitate the formal change process, not to unilaterally deny requests without proper assessment through the established change control mechanism.
- ✗
Approve the request since it is small and won't affect the schedule.
Why it's wrong here
Approving a change request unilaterally, even if it appears small, is a direct violation of the project management plan and the Integrated Change Control process. Such an action bypasses the necessary formal impact analysis by the Change Control Board, which is crucial for assessing the cumulative effect of 'small' changes on project baselines. This practice inevitably leads to scope creep, potential budget overruns, and schedule delays, as the true impact is not formally evaluated or documented.
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
Scrum Methodology
Scrum is a lightweight process framework that helps teams deliver complex projects in small, iterative chunks called sprints.
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Same concept, more angles
8 more ways 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. You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner requests a new feature that was not in the backlog. The team estimates it will require 5 additional days. The project is currently on schedule and within budget. Which TWO actions should you take NEXT?
medium- A.Add the feature to the current sprint backlog immediately to not delay the release
- ✓ B.Submit a change request and evaluate the impact on the project constraints
- C.Tell the team to implement the feature during any free time
- ✓ D.Ask the product owner to prioritize the feature against existing backlog items for the next sprint
- E.Reject the request because it is outside the original scope
Why B: Options B and D are the correct next steps. Option B is correct because any change to scope outside the current iteration must go through a formal change control process to assess impact on constraints such as time, cost, and quality. Option D is correct because the product owner is responsible for prioritizing the backlog; the new feature should be evaluated against existing items for the next sprint to ensure value delivery. Option A is wrong because adding work to the current sprint without approval violates the change control process and disrupts the sprint commitment. Option C is wrong because using free time for unplanned work undermines transparency and may lead to scope creep without proper assessment. Option E is wrong because completely rejecting a potentially valuable feature without analysis is not agile; the product owner should decide based on priority and value.
Variation 2. You are managing a project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint, the development team discovers a critical security vulnerability that was not identified during risk planning. The fix will require significant rework and will cause the sprint goal to be missed. What should the project manager do FIRST?
hard- ✓ A.Perform an impact analysis and submit a change request to address the vulnerability
- B.Instruct the team to fix the vulnerability immediately without formal change control
- C.Ask the team to work overtime to fix the vulnerability while still achieving the sprint goal
- D.Allow the team to continue with the sprint and address the vulnerability in a future sprint
Why A: The project manager should first assess the impact of the security vulnerability on scope, schedule, and cost, then submit a change request to formally address the issue. Option B is incorrect because bypassing change control violates project governance, especially in a hybrid approach where change management processes are defined. Option C is incorrect because requiring overtime to achieve the sprint goal ignores the rework impact and could lead to burnout and quality issues. Option D is incorrect because delaying the fix leaves the vulnerability unaddressed, which is unacceptable for a critical security issue.
Variation 3. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner requests a significant change to a feature that has already been accepted in a previous sprint. The change would require rework and impact the critical path. What should you do FIRST?
medium- A.Add the change to the product backlog for a future sprint without formal approval
- ✓ B.Submit a change request and evaluate the impact on the project constraints
- C.Instruct the team to implement the change immediately to maintain stakeholder satisfaction
- D.Reject the change because the feature was already accepted
Why B: In a hybrid project, changes to accepted deliverables must follow a formal change control process. Submitting a change request (Option B) ensures the impact on the critical path, schedule, and budget is evaluated before any rework begins, aligning with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on integrated change control.
Variation 4. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. During the sprint review, the product owner is satisfied with the deliverables, but one key stakeholder requests a significant change that would add a new feature. The team has already started planning the next sprint. What should you do FIRST?
medium- A.Refuse the change because the scope was already agreed upon during sprint planning.
- B.Ask the team to include the new feature in the next sprint since it's a high priority for the stakeholder.
- C.Advise the stakeholder to wait until the project is complete and then submit an enhancement request.
- ✓ D.Submit a change request to the change control board for evaluation and approval.
Why D: In a hybrid project, changes are managed through a formal change control process. The stakeholder's request for a new feature is a significant change that must be evaluated for impact on scope, schedule, and budget before any action is taken. Submitting a change request to the change control board (CCB) ensures proper governance and prevents unauthorized scope creep, which is critical when the team has already begun planning the next sprint.
Variation 5. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner requests a new feature that was not in the backlog. The team believes it can be completed within the current sprint without impacting the sprint goal. What should you do FIRST?
medium- ✓ A.Submit a change request to the change control board to evaluate the impact on the project.
- B.Add the feature to the product backlog for prioritization in a future sprint.
- C.Ask the team to implement the feature immediately since it won't affect the sprint goal.
- D.Allow the product owner to approve the change since it is within the sprint.
Why A: In a hybrid project, scope changes, even if seemingly minor and within the current sprint, must be formally evaluated to understand their full impact on project objectives, timeline, and budget. The first action should be to submit a change request to the change control board (CCB) so that the potential change is analyzed properly. Option B is not the best first step because adding to the backlog without assessing impact could lead to scope creep or unintended consequences. Option C bypasses the formal process entirely, risking project misalignment. Option D is incorrect because the product owner cannot unilaterally approve scope changes without CCB oversight, especially in a hybrid framework where change control is still required.
Variation 6. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner requests a change that would add a new feature to the current release. The team estimates it will take two additional sprints. What should you do first?
medium- A.Ask the team to start working on the new feature immediately to meet the stakeholder's needs
- ✓ B.Submit a change request through the Integrated Change Control process to assess the impact on scope, schedule, cost, and quality
- C.Explain that no changes can be made after the sprint review to maintain the schedule
- D.Add the feature to the backlog and prioritize it for the next release without further analysis
Why B: Any change that impacts scope, schedule, or cost must first go through Integrated Change Control (ICC) to assess its impact before approval. This aligns with PMI's change management best practices. Option A bypasses formal control, Option C is too rigid for a hybrid approach, and Option D delays analysis but does not initiate proper governance.
Variation 7. You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. In the middle of a sprint, you discover that a team member has been working on a feature that was de-scoped in the last sprint review. The team member claims the product owner informally agreed to add it back. What should you do FIRST?
medium- A.Ask the product owner to formally document the agreement and add it to the backlog
- ✓ B.Stop work on the feature and initiate a change request through the change control process
- C.Allow the team member to continue since the product owner agreed
- D.Escalate to the project sponsor for a decision
Why B: In a hybrid project, scope changes must follow a formal change control process to maintain baseline integrity. The team member's informal agreement with the product owner bypasses this, risking scope creep and unapproved work. Stopping work and initiating a change request ensures proper evaluation of impact on schedule, budget, and sprint goals before proceeding.
Variation 8. You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. Midway through the project, the product owner requests a new feature that requires changing the scope and schedule. The team is currently working on a critical path activity. What should you do first?
medium- A.Tell the product owner the request cannot be considered because the project is already underway
- B.Add the new feature to the sprint backlog without formal approval
- ✓ C.Submit a change request and evaluate the impact on scope, schedule, cost, and quality
- D.Ask the team to start working on the feature immediately to save time
Why C: In a hybrid project, any change that impacts scope, schedule, cost, or quality must follow the formal change control process. Submitting a change request allows the project manager to evaluate the impact on the critical path, resource allocation, and overall project constraints before any work begins. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on integrated change control, ensuring that the change is assessed against the project management plan and baselines.
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.