PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming the product owner's informal agreement is sufficient authority to change scope, when in fact any scope change must go through the formal change control process to protect the project baseline.
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
✓
Stop work on the feature and initiate a change request through the change control process
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ask the product owner to formally document the agreement and add it to the backlog
Why it's wrong here
This action is insufficient because merely documenting the change and adding it to the backlog, even formally by the Product Owner, does not constitute a valid change control process. A scope change requires a formal change request, thorough impact analysis on schedule, cost, resources, and risks, and subsequent approval by the Change Control Board (CCB) or designated authority. Bypassing these steps risks uncontrolled scope creep and project deviation.
- ✓
Stop work on the feature and initiate a change request through the change control process
Why this is correct
This is the correct action as any proposed change to the project scope, even if agreed upon informally by a stakeholder like the Product Owner, must be formally managed. Stopping work prevents unauthorized effort, while initiating a change request ensures the proposed modification undergoes proper impact analysis, stakeholder review, and formal approval by the Change Control Board (CCB) before implementation. This adheres strictly to the project's change management plan and maintains scope control.
- ✗
Allow the team member to continue since the product owner agreed
Why it's wrong here
Allowing the team member to proceed based solely on an informal agreement with the Product Owner is a critical deviation from proper project management practices. This action bypasses the established change control process, which is designed to assess the full impact of changes on the project's baselines, budget, schedule, and risks. Such informal approvals inevitably lead to uncontrolled scope creep, potential rework, and project failure.
- ✗
Escalate to the project sponsor for a decision
Why it's wrong here
Escalating this issue directly to the project sponsor is an inappropriate step for a routine scope change. The project sponsor's role typically involves high-level strategic guidance, funding approval, and resolving major impediments, not day-to-day operational decisions or approving individual scope modifications. The established Change Control Board (CCB) or a designated authority, as defined in the change management plan, is responsible for reviewing and approving such change requests.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Scrum Methodology
Scrum is a lightweight process framework that helps teams deliver complex projects in small, iterative chunks called sprints.
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.