PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
Your project sponsor asks you to skip the testing phase to save time and meet the deadline, arguing that the team is experienced and the product is simple. What should you do?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates choose Option D (escalation) thinking it is the safest 'escalate to authority' response, but the PMP exam expects the project manager to first attempt to resolve the issue directly with the sponsor through negotiation and risk communication before escalating.
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
✓
Explain the risks of skipping testing and suggest alternatives such as reducing test scope or increasing resources
Skipping testing violates quality management principles and introduces significant risk of defects reaching production, which can cause rework, cost overruns, and reputational damage. As a project manager, you must protect the project's quality baseline and stakeholder confidence. Option A correctly addresses this by explaining the risks and proposing viable alternatives like reducing test scope or adding resources, which aligns with the PMI's focus on proactive risk management and stakeholder negotiation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Explain the risks of skipping testing and suggest alternatives such as reducing test scope or increasing resources
Why this is correct
A project manager's primary responsibility includes advocating for project quality and managing risks. By explaining the potential negative impacts of skipping testing, such as increased defects, rework, and user dissatisfaction, the PM educates the sponsor on the critical importance of this phase. Proposing alternatives like phased testing, reduced scope, or additional resources demonstrates a commitment to finding solutions that balance quality, schedule, and cost constraints, rather than simply refusing the request. This approach fosters collaborative problem-solving and protects project integrity.
- ✗
Skip testing but document the decision in the lessons learned
Why it's wrong here
Simply skipping a critical phase like testing and documenting it in lessons learned is insufficient and irresponsible. This action bypasses formal change control processes, which are essential for evaluating the impact of significant scope changes, obtaining formal approval, and updating the project management plan. Such a unilateral decision without proper risk assessment and stakeholder agreement exposes the project to unacceptable quality risks and potential failure, making the PM directly accountable for the adverse outcomes. Lessons learned are for post-mortem analysis, not for justifying a current, unapproved deviation from the plan.
- ✗
Agree to skip testing to maintain a good relationship with the sponsor
Why it's wrong here
While maintaining a positive relationship with the sponsor is important, a project manager must prioritize the project's success and adhere to professional ethics. Agreeing to skip a vital quality assurance step like testing, solely to please a stakeholder, compromises the project's integrity and increases the likelihood of delivering a flawed product. This decision demonstrates a lack of professional accountability and can lead to significant downstream costs, reputational damage, and ultimately, project failure, which would severely harm the sponsor relationship in the long run.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the PMO or steering committee
Why it's wrong here
Escalating an issue to the PMO or steering committee should be a last resort, not an initial response to a sponsor's request. A project manager's role involves direct communication and problem-solving with key stakeholders first. Immediately escalating bypasses the opportunity for the PM to demonstrate leadership, negotiate, and find mutually agreeable solutions directly with the sponsor, potentially damaging the working relationship and indicating an inability to manage stakeholder expectations effectively. Only after exhausting direct communication and alternative proposals should formal escalation be considered if the sponsor remains unyielding.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Quality Management
Quality Management is the practice of defining, monitoring, and controlling the processes and deliverables of a project to ensure they meet the required standards and stakeholder expectations.
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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