- A
Ask the team to work overtime to compensate for lost velocity
Why wrong: Overtime is not sustainable and can lead to burnout, further reducing velocity.
- B
Add more team members to the next sprint to increase capacity
Why wrong: Adding people does not address the root causes and may introduce overhead.
- C
Work with the product owner to improve user story refinement and ensure acceptance criteria are clear
Clear requirements are essential for consistent velocity; refinement sessions help achieve that.
- D
Establish a policy to shield the team from interruptions during the sprint
Protecting the team from interruptions allows them to focus on sprint goals.
- E
Reduce the sprint length to increase accountability
Why wrong: Changing sprint length may not address the root causes and could introduce new challenges.
Quick Answer
The answer is to implement user story refinement and establish a policy to shield the team from interruptions. These two actions directly counter the root causes of velocity decline: unclear requirements are resolved by ensuring stories are well-defined and estimated before the sprint begins, while a protection policy prevents the frequent interruptions that erode focus and throughput. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your grasp of Agile principles under the “Team Performance” domain, specifically how to maintain velocity by managing scope clarity and workflow stability. A common trap is choosing to add more team members or extend the sprint, which ignores the systemic causes. Instead, remember the mnemonic “Refine and Shield”—refine the backlog to eliminate ambiguity, then shield the team to preserve momentum.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Your agile team has been experiencing a decline in sprint velocity over the past three sprints. During the retrospective, the team identifies unclear requirements and frequent interruptions as root causes. Which TWO actions should you take to address these issues?
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
Work with the product owner to improve user story refinement and ensure acceptance criteria are clear
Option A (user story refinement) addresses unclear requirements by ensuring stories are well-defined before sprints. Option D (protect from interruptions) helps the team maintain focus and velocity.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 team to work overtime to compensate for lost velocity
Why it's wrong here
Overtime is not sustainable and can lead to burnout, further reducing velocity.
- ✗
Add more team members to the next sprint to increase capacity
Why it's wrong here
Adding people does not address the root causes and may introduce overhead.
- ✓
Work with the product owner to improve user story refinement and ensure acceptance criteria are clear
Why this is correct
Clear requirements are essential for consistent velocity; refinement sessions help achieve that.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Establish a policy to shield the team from interruptions during the sprint
Why this is correct
Protecting the team from interruptions allows them to focus on sprint goals.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reduce the sprint length to increase accountability
Why it's wrong here
Changing sprint length may not address the root causes and could introduce new challenges.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
People — Leading Projects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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People — Leading Projects practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Work with the product owner to improve user story refinement and ensure acceptance criteria are clear — Option A (user story refinement) addresses unclear requirements by ensuring stories are well-defined before sprints. Option D (protect from interruptions) helps the team maintain focus and velocity.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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.
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