Your agile team is working on a mobile app. The product owner wants to add a new feature that was not in the original backlog. Which TWO actions should you take?

Tell the team to work overtime to include the feature

Add the feature to the current sprint backlog because the product owner requested it

Ignore the request because it was not in the original scope

Process — Managing Technical Aspects — PMP Practice Question Answer Explained

Correct answer & explanation

✓

Ask the product owner to submit a change request for formal evaluation

Following change control and prioritizing the new feature against existing work are appropriate. Directly adding or ignoring are not.

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 team to work overtime to include the feature
Why it's wrong here
Forcing the team to work overtime to accommodate an unplanned feature is an unsustainable practice that directly contradicts the agile principle of maintaining a sustainable pace. This approach can quickly lead to team burnout, decreased morale, and a significant drop in product quality due to rushed work and increased errors. Instead of addressing the root cause of the change, it merely shifts the burden onto the development team, jeopardizing long-term productivity and team health.
✓
Ask the product owner to submit a change request for formal evaluation
Why this is correct
Requesting the product owner to submit a formal change request ensures that the new feature undergoes a structured evaluation process, even within an agile framework. This formal step allows for a comprehensive assessment of the potential impact on the project's scope, schedule, cost, and quality, enabling informed decision-making. It promotes transparency and ensures that all relevant stakeholders are aware of and agree upon the implications before committing resources to the new requirement.
✗
Add the feature to the current sprint backlog because the product owner requested it
Why it's wrong here
Arbitrarily adding a new feature to the current sprint backlog solely because the product owner requested it directly violates the sprint commitment and undermines the stability of the sprint goal. The sprint backlog is a forecast of work the team commits to complete within a specific timebox, and introducing unplanned items without proper evaluation disrupts the team's focus and ability to deliver on their existing commitments. This practice can lead to incomplete work, missed deadlines, and a loss of predictability.
✓
Discuss with the product owner and team to prioritize the new feature against existing backlog items
Why this is correct
Engaging in a collaborative discussion with the product owner and the development team to prioritize the new feature against existing backlog items is a fundamental agile practice. This process, often part of backlog refinement, allows for a shared understanding of the new feature's value, effort, and dependencies, ensuring it aligns with the product vision. The team provides input on feasibility and effort, while the product owner makes the final prioritization decision, determining if it should be incorporated into a future sprint based on overall product value.
✗
Ignore the request because it was not in the original scope
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring a new feature request simply because it was not part of the original scope is a rigid and non-agile approach that risks stakeholder dissatisfaction and missed opportunities for value delivery. Agile methodologies embrace change and prioritize delivering the highest business value, acknowledging that requirements can evolve. A proactive project manager facilitates a process to evaluate and potentially integrate such changes, rather than dismissing them outright, to maintain stakeholder engagement and project adaptability.

PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

Related to this question