PMP Practice Question: Business Environment: strategy and project benefits
Your project is using Scrum. During the daily standup, a team member mentions that a key vendor will be unable to deliver a critical component on time, which will delay the next sprint. What is the best action to take?
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
✓
Assess the impact on the sprint goal and inform the product owner and stakeholders
The project manager should first assess the impact on the sprint and project, then communicate the issue to relevant stakeholders and update the risk register.
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 the delay
Why it's wrong here
Requesting the team to work overtime is a reactive, unsustainable measure that fails to address the root cause of the vendor delay. While it might offer a temporary fix, it often leads to burnout, reduced quality, and does not align with Agile principles of maintaining a sustainable pace. This approach shifts the burden onto the team without resolving the external impediment, potentially creating future delays and undermining team morale.
- ✓
Assess the impact on the sprint goal and inform the product owner and stakeholders
Why this is correct
The most appropriate first step is to assess the specific impact of the vendor delay on the current sprint goal and any dependent backlog items. This enables the Scrum Team to understand the severity and potential implications for the sprint's commitment. Subsequently, informing the Product Owner and relevant stakeholders ensures transparency, allows for collaborative decision-making, and facilitates potential re-prioritization or adjustment of expectations, aligning with Scrum's emphasis on adaptability and communication.
- ✗
Escalate to the vendor's management immediately
Why it's wrong here
Immediately escalating to the vendor's management without first understanding the internal impact or attempting to resolve it at a lower level is premature. Such an action can strain vendor relationships and may not be the most effective initial response, potentially bypassing established communication channels. The Scrum Team should first evaluate the situation's severity and implications for the sprint goal before determining if external escalation is warranted, ensuring a measured and informed approach.
- ✗
Immediately remove the component from the sprint backlog and continue with other work
Why it's wrong here
Unilaterally removing a component from the sprint backlog without assessing its impact on the sprint goal or consulting the Product Owner is an inappropriate and reactive decision. This action bypasses crucial communication and collaboration, potentially sacrificing valuable work or jeopardizing the sprint's objective without a holistic understanding. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing value and managing the Product Backlog, making their involvement essential for such significant changes.
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
Daily Standup
A short, time-boxed daily meeting where team members share progress, plans, and blockers to stay aligned.
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Same concept, more angles
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Variation 1. A project manager discovers that a key vendor will be unable to deliver a critical component on time, which will delay the project. The contract includes penalties for late delivery. What should the project manager do first?
easy- ✓ A.Assess the impact on the project schedule and explore alternative solutions.
- B.Inform the sponsor and wait for instructions.
- C.Immediately invoke the penalty clause to incentivize the vendor.
- D.Terminate the contract and find a new vendor.
Why A: The first step in this situation is to assess the impact of the late delivery on the project schedule and explore alternative solutions. This aligns with the risk management process and procurement best practices. By understanding the impact and identifying possible mitigation options, the project manager can make informed decisions and communicate effectively with stakeholders. Taking immediate punitive actions (C) or terminating the contract (D) without analysis could damage the vendor relationship and escalate the problem unnecessarily. Informing the sponsor (B) is important, but the project manager should first complete the impact analysis to provide a comprehensive update.
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.