First Step to Resolve a Heated Argument Between Developers in a Sprint Review
You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, two senior developers get into a heated argument about the technical design of a feature. The argument is causing tension and delaying the review. What should you do first?
Quick Answer
The answer is to intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review. This is correct because the immediate priority in a sprint review is to de-escalate the conflict and keep the meeting on track, as the sprint review is a time-boxed event for inspecting the increment and adapting the backlog, not for resolving technical debates. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of conflict resolution within a hybrid framework, where the project manager must balance servant leadership with maintaining team focus; a common trap is choosing to let the argument continue or escalate to a sponsor, which violates the principle of addressing issues privately and respectfully. Remember the memory tip: “Pause, acknowledge, postpone”—intervene to pause the debate, acknowledge both sides to show respect, and postpone the deep discussion to a private offline session.
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the project manager's role with that of a technical mediator, leading them to either escalate prematurely (Option A) or shut down the meeting (Option B), when the correct first step is to acknowledge the conflict and defer it to a more appropriate forum.
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
✓
Intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review
As the project manager, your first responsibility is to restore order and keep the sprint review productive. By calmly acknowledging both viewpoints and suggesting an offline discussion, you de-escalate the conflict without derailing the review or taking sides. This aligns with the PMI People domain principle of addressing interpersonal conflict early and constructively, while preserving the team's focus on the sprint goal.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution
Why it's wrong here
Escalating to the sponsor bypasses the project manager’s responsibility to facilitate conflict resolution among team members, which the hybrid approach expects you to handle first through techniques like coaching or a facilitated discussion. This option is tempting because escalation is correct when the issue exceeds your authority or involves sponsor-level risks, such as a budget overrun requiring a change request.
- ✗
End the meeting early and schedule a separate session to resolve the conflict
Why it's wrong here
Ending the meeting avoids the issue but wastes time and does not immediately address the disruption.
- ✓
Intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review
Why this is correct
De-escalating publicly and moving the conflict to a private discussion maintains team harmony and allows the review to proceed.
- ✗
Ignore the argument and continue the review, hoping it resolves on its own
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring conflict can lead to decreased team morale and productivity.
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
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.
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Same concept, more angles
7 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 leading a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, two senior developers have a heated argument about the technical implementation of a feature. The disagreement is causing tension among the team. What should you do FIRST?
medium- A.Escalate the conflict to the project sponsor
- B.Assign the feature to a different developer
- ✓ C.Meet with both developers separately and then together to find a solution
- D.Ask the team members to resolve it on their own
Why C: As the project manager, your first responsibility is to address the conflict directly using collaborative conflict resolution techniques. Meeting with each developer separately allows you to understand their technical perspectives without group pressure, and then bringing them together facilitates a solution that respects both viewpoints and maintains team cohesion. This approach aligns with the PMI People domain, emphasizing servant leadership and proactive conflict management.
Variation 2. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers, Maria and John, have a disagreement about the technical approach for implementing a critical feature. Their conflict is causing delays and affecting team morale. What should you do first?
medium- A.Escalate the issue to the functional manager to resolve the technical disagreement
- B.Tell the team to vote on the technical approach and proceed with the majority decision
- ✓ C.Meet privately with Maria and John to understand each perspective and facilitate a resolution
- D.Reassign one of the developers to a different task to reduce friction
Why C: As the project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to address the conflict directly by understanding each developer's perspective and facilitating a collaborative resolution. This aligns with the PMP's focus on servant leadership and conflict management, ensuring that technical decisions are made based on merit and team consensus rather than authority or voting, which could undermine team cohesion and the hybrid model's flexibility.
Variation 3. You are a project manager on a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a strong disagreement on the technical implementation of a critical feature. They have been arguing for three days, causing the team to fall behind schedule. What should you do first?
medium- A.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and ask for a decision
- B.Reassign one developer to another task to avoid further conflict
- ✓ C.Meet with both developers separately to understand their perspectives, then facilitate a joint discussion to find a mutually acceptable solution
- D.Make the technical decision yourself based on your own expertise
Why C: As a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to facilitate conflict resolution among team members. Meeting individually to understand each developer's perspective, then guiding a joint discussion, empowers the team to reach a consensus and preserves team cohesion. This aligns with the PMI People domain, which emphasizes servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving before escalating or imposing decisions.
Variation 4. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a heated disagreement about the best technical solution for a critical feature. The disagreement is causing delays and affecting team morale. What should you do first?
easy- A.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a final decision
- B.Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own
- C.Make a decision yourself and tell the developers to implement that solution
- ✓ D.Schedule a meeting with both developers to listen to their perspectives and facilitate a resolution
Why D: As a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to facilitate conflict resolution among team members. By scheduling a meeting to listen to both developers' perspectives, you demonstrate servant leadership, encourage collaborative problem-solving, and leverage their technical expertise to reach a consensus, which aligns with the PMI Talent Triangle's leadership and team management skills.
Variation 5. You are the project manager for a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a disagreement about the technical approach for a critical feature. The conflict is causing delays and affecting team morale. What should you do first?
medium- A.Decide on the technical approach yourself and assign tasks accordingly
- ✓ B.Meet with both developers individually to understand their perspectives, then facilitate a joint discussion
- C.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
- D.Replace both developers with a single developer who agrees with the original plan
Why B: As a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to address the conflict through collaborative conflict resolution. Meeting individually with each developer to understand their perspectives, then facilitating a joint discussion, aligns with the PMI People domain's emphasis on emotional intelligence and servant leadership. This approach preserves team morale, leverages the expertise of both senior developers, and allows the team to reach a consensus on the technical approach, which is critical for a hybrid project where both agile and plan-driven elements require team buy-in.
Variation 6. 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?
medium- A.Assign the story to another developer who can work without conflict
- ✓ B.Facilitate a discussion between the two developers to understand both perspectives and reach a consensus
- C.Make the technical decision yourself based on your experience
- D.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
Why B: 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.
Variation 7. You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. Two senior developers have a technical disagreement that has escalated into a personal conflict, causing delays. What should you do FIRST?
medium- A.Bring the two developers together in a team meeting to resolve the issue openly
- B.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution
- C.Reassign one of the developers to a different project to avoid further conflict
- ✓ D.Meet with each developer separately to understand their perspectives and facilitate a resolution
Why D: As a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to address interpersonal conflicts privately and individually to understand each party's perspective before attempting a facilitated resolution. This aligns with the PMI People domain's emphasis on emotional intelligence and conflict resolution techniques, where direct, private conversations help de-escalate tensions and uncover root causes without public embarrassment or escalation.
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.