PMI Project Management Professional (2025 Version) PMP Exam Dumps: Updated Questions & Answers (November 2025)

A stakeholder is a person or group that has an interest or influence in the project, such as the sponsor, the customer, the team, the supplier, or the regulator12. A key stakeholder is a stakeholder that has a high level of power and interest in the project, and whose support and involvement are critical for the project’s success34.

A project manager is responsible for managing the expectations and communications of the stakeholders, and ensuring that their needs and requirements are met throughout the project lifecycle5 . A project manager should also involve the stakeholders in the decision-making process, especially when there are changes that affect the project scope, schedule, cost, or quality .

In this scenario, a new regulation affects the project, and a critical status meeting discussing the scope changes is required. The project manager discovers that a key stakeholder cannot attend the scheduled meeting. This means that the key stakeholder’s opinion and feedback will not be heard or considered in the meeting, which may lead to dissatisfaction, conflict, or resistance from the stakeholder later on.

Therefore, the best option for the project manager is to meet with the key stakeholder prior to the meeting to obtain their opinion. By doing so, the project manager can:

Inform the key stakeholder about the new regulation and its impact on the project

Seek the key stakeholder’s input and suggestions on how to deal with the scope changes

Address any concerns or issues that the key stakeholder may have

Gain the key stakeholder’s approval and support for the proposed changes

Represent the key stakeholder’s interests and preferences in the meeting

Communicate the outcome and action plan of the meeting to the key stakeholder after the meeting

Meeting with the key stakeholder prior to the meeting can help the project manager to maintain a positive and collaborative relationship with the stakeholder, and to ensure that the project meets the stakeholder’s expectations and requirements. It can also help to avoid or minimize any potential risks or problems that may arise from the scope changes, such as delays, rework, disputes, or loss of trust.

According to the PMBOK Guide, backlog grooming (also known as backlog refinement) is the process of reviewing, updating, and prioritizing the product backlog items to ensure that the product backlog is ready for the next sprint1. Backlog grooming is an ongoing activity that involves collaboration between the product owner, the development team, and the project manager (or scrum master). Backlog grooming helps to clarify the requirements, remove ambiguity, identify dependencies, estimate effort, and align the product backlog with the product vision and the customer needs2.

In this question, the project manager is faced with a problem that the product owner has uncovered a number of issues that they would like to be addressed before providing approval for the software built to date. These issues may indicate that the product owner is not satisfied with the quality, functionality, or usability of the software, or that the software does not meet the acceptance criteria or the customer expectations. The project manager should approach this problem by planning to address the issues through backlog grooming and incorporating them into the next sprint. This way, the project manager can ensure that the issues are properly documented, analyzed, and prioritized, and that the development team can work on them in the next iteration. This will also help to maintain the agile principles of delivering value, satisfying the customer, and embracing change3.

The other options are not the best ways to approach this problem. Referring the product owner to the change management plan, then escalating to the steering committee is not appropriate for an agile project, as it implies a rigid and formal process that may not be responsive to the customer feedback and the changing requirements. Referring the product owner to the signed business requirement document and explaining that the current plan cannot facilitate these changes is not helpful, as it may create conflict and dissatisfaction with the product owner, and it may also indicate that the project manager is not following the agile value of responding to change over following a plan3. Telling the product owner the issues will be addressed in the second version of the software is not acceptable, as it may delay the delivery of value, compromise the quality of the product, and lose the trust of the product owner.

 1: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, p. 179 2: Backlog Grooming: How to Do It and Why It Matters, ProjectManager.com, July 2020, 1 3: Manifesto for Agile Software Development, Agile Alliance, 2001, 2

 The stakeholder register is a project document that identifies and classifies the project stakeholders, their roles, interests, expectations, and influence levels. It is an output of the Identify Stakeholders process, which is the first process in the Project Stakeholder Management knowledge area. The stakeholder register should be updated whenever there are changes in the project environment or stakeholder information, such as a promotion, a change of role, or a change of contact details. Updating the stakeholder register will help the project manager and the project team to communicate effectively and appropriately with the stakeholders, and to manage their expectations and engagement levels throughout the project life cycle.

The project management plan is a comprehensive document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled. It integrates and consolidates the subsidiary plans and baselines from the different knowledge areas, such as scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, communications, risk, procurement, and stakeholder management. The project management plan is an output of the Develop Project Management Plan process, which is the second process in the Project Integration Management knowledge area. The project management plan should be updated only when there are changes in the project scope, objectives, deliverables, or approach, and when these changes are approved through the Perform Integrated Change Control process. Updating the project management plan for a stakeholder promotion is not necessary, unless it affects the project scope or other aspects of the project.

The stakeholder engagement plan is a subsidiary plan of the project management plan that describes the strategies and actions to increase the support and minimize the resistance of the stakeholders throughout the project. It is an output of the Plan Stakeholder Engagement process, which is the second process in the Project Stakeholder Management knowledge area. The stakeholder engagement plan should be updated when there are changes in the stakeholder engagement levels, needs, or expectations, and when these changes are approved through the Perform Integrated Change Control process. Updating the stakeholder engagement plan for a stakeholder promotion may be required, depending on how it affects the stakeholder’s interest, influence, or power over the project.

The communications management plan is a subsidiary plan of the project management plan that describes the communication methods, formats, frequency, and responsibilities for the project. It is an output of the Plan Communications Management process, which is the first process in the Project Communications Management knowledge area. The communications management plan should be updated when there are changes in the communication requirements, preferences, or channels of the project stakeholders, and when these changes are approved through the Perform Integrated Change Control process. Updating the communications management plan for a stakeholder promotion may be necessary, depending on how it affects the stakeholder’s communication needs or preferences.

Therefore, the correct answer is C. Stakeholder register, as it is the most relevant and appropriate document to update for a stakeholder promotion.

 In situations where a specialist’s on-site presence is impeded by travel restrictions, leveraging virtual technology to facilitate the specialist’s guidance remotely aligns with the PMBOK® Guide’s emphasis on project communications management. The PMBOK® Guide acknowledges the importance of communication methods in project management, which includes interactive, push, pull, and virtual communications. Virtual sessions are a form of interactive communication that allows for two-way exchanges of information, making it an effective alternative when face-to-face interactions are not possible. This approach ensures that the project team can still benefit from the specialist’s expertise without delay, adhering to the project’s time constraints and maintaining progress towards its objectives.

= The PMBOK® Guide and the PMP Examination Content Outline provide guidance on project communication methods and the use of technology to facilitate communication when traditional methods are not feasible12. The Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials also support the use of various communication channels to ensure project continuity3.

The correct answer is D. According to the PMBOK® Guide, the project manager should manage stakeholder expectations and engagement by applying appropriate tools and techniques, such as stakeholder analysis, communication management, conflict resolution, and negotiation1. The project manager should also use the project charter as a reference document to clarify the project objectives, scope, and deliverables2. By breaking down the situation and identifying the root causes for the disagreement, the project manager can address the underlying issues and concerns of each stakeholder and align them with the project vision and goals. The project manager can then work with each stakeholder and participating entity on their exact roles and responsibilities, and ensure that they are committed and supportive of the project. References: 1: PMBOK® Guide, page 513-514; 2: PMBOK® Guide, page 77-78

 According to the PMBOK Guide, one of the agile metrics that measures the quality of the team’s output is the Escaped Defect Rate, which tracks the number of problems found in the product after it has been released to the customer. The lower the defect rate, the higher the quality of the product and the customer satisfaction. Therefore, the team with the least amount of defects in their deliverables is performing better than the other teams, regardless of the number of story points they have calculated or completed. Story points are relative estimates of the size and complexity of the work, and they may vary from team to team depending on their experience, skills, and definition of done. Comparing story points across teams is not a valid way of measuring their performance, as it does not reflect the actual value delivered to the customer or the business. References:

PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, Chapter 6, Section 6.7.2.1

How to Measure Agile Team Performance by Wrike Guide

37 Agile Metrics — The Complete Guide for Agile Teams by Aha!

 Lessons learned are the documented information that reflects both the positive and negative experiences of a project. They help project managers and teams to learn from their successes and failures, and to apply that knowledge to improve current and future projects. Reviewing the lessons learned from the previous project is a good practice for the project manager to do before initiating a new project, especially if the new project is similar or related to the previous one. By reviewing the lessons learned, the project manager can identify what worked well and what did not work well in the previous project, and use that information to plan, execute, monitor, and control the new project more effectively and efficiently. The project manager can also avoid repeating the same mistakes, leverage the best practices, and incorporate the feedback and recommendations from the previous project stakeholders. This is part of the Develop Project Charter process, which aims to define the new project and authorize the project manager. The other options are not the best choices because they are not the first thing that the project manager should do before initiating a new project. Ensuring the stakeholder engagement plan is accurate and properly documented (option A) is an important activity, but it is done later in the planning phase, after the project charter is approved and the key stakeholders are identified. The stakeholder engagement plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how the project will communicate and interact with the stakeholders. Identifying the risk of implementing the new solution and evaluating the impact on the project (option C) is also an important activity, but it is done later in the planning phase, after the project scope, schedule, and cost are defined. The risk management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how the project will identify, analyze, prioritize, respond, and monitor the project risks. Creating a lessons learned document for the initiation phase (option D) is a good practice, but it is done at the end of the initiation phase, not at the beginning. The lessons learned document is a project document that records the knowledge gained from the project activities and processes. It is updated throughout the project and finalized at the end of the project. References:

Project Management Professional (PMP) Reference Materials:

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition, Chapter 4: Project Integration Management, pp. 71-123

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition, Chapter 13: Project Stakeholder Management, pp. 513-558

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition, Chapter 11: Project Risk Management, pp. 395-440

Lessons learned - Project Management Institute

Professional in Business Analysis (PBA) Reference Materials:

Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, Chapter 2: Needs Assessment, pp. 25-40

Lessons learned - Project Management Institute

The project manager should share the updated project management plan with the key resource, as it contains the information about the project purpose and alignment with the organization’s strategy. The project management plan is the primary source of guidance for the project team and stakeholders, and it integrates all the subsidiary plans and baselines, such as the benefits management plan, the scope management plan, and the communications management plan. By sharing the updated project management plan, the project manager can ensure that the key resource understands the project objectives, scope, benefits, risks, assumptions, and constraints, as well as the communication channels and methods for the project. References: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents)

PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 4.2.3.1, page 89

PMP Exam Prep, 10th edition, Rita Mulcahy, page 78

PMP Practice Questions #58 - iZenBridge1

 In an iterative project, when a new compliance requirement is introduced that impacts the project, it is essential to update the project documentation to reflect this change. The product backlog is a living document that captures all the requirements, including new and changed ones, that need to be addressed in the project. By updating the product backlog, the project manager ensures that the team is aware of the new compliance requirement and can plan for its implementation in upcoming iterations. This action aligns with the agile principle of welcoming changing requirements, even late in development, as a means to enhance customer competitive advantage (as per the Agile Manifesto).

= The answer is based on the best practices outlined in the PMBOK® Guide and the Agile Practice Guide, which are part of the PMP certification materials. These guides emphasize the importance of maintaining an up-to-date product backlog and incorporating changes that may arise during the project lifecycle.

According to the PMBOK® Guide, one of the key skills of a project manager is to apply appropriate leadership styles to the needs and demands of various situations1. Leadership styles can range from directive to supportive, depending on the level of authority and involvement of the project manager1. Micromanagement is a type of directive leadership style that involves close supervision and control over the work of the team members2. While micromanagement may be suitable for some situations, such as when the team is new or inexperienced, it can be detrimental for others, such as when the team is senior or skilled2. Micromanagement can cause frustration, demotivation, and resentment among the team members, and hinder their performance and creativity23. Therefore, the project manager should adjust their management style to better fit senior team members, who may prefer more autonomy, trust, and feedback23. The project manager can use various techniques to adapt their management style, such as situational leadership, emotional intelligence, and coaching1 . References:

1: PMBOK® Guide – 4th Edition, Chapter 3: The Role of the Project Manager

2: Micromanager Definition: 25 Signs and How To Deal With One

3: What is micromanaging? 6 warning signs

: 4 Signs You’re a Micromanager in Your Projects

 Feedback is the process of providing constructive and timely information to the project team members about their performance, behaviour, and contribution to the project. Feedback can help the project team to improve their skills, knowledge, and motivation, and to achieve the project goals and deliverables. According to the Project Management Professional (PMP) Reference Materials1, feedback can be given in various ways, such as:

Formal or informal: Formal feedback is planned and structured, and follows a specific format, criteria, and frequency. Informal feedback is spontaneous and flexible, and does not follow a predefined format or schedule.

Positive or negative: Positive feedback is praise or recognition for doing something well, and aims to reinforce and encourage the desired performance or behaviour. Negative feedback is criticism or correction for doing something poorly, and aims to address and improve the undesired performance or behaviour.

Individual or group: Individual feedback is given to one person at a time, and focuses on their specific performance or behaviour. Group feedback is given to a team or a group of people at the same time, and focuses on their collective performance or behaviour.

In this scenario, the team is working on a critical project deliverable and the project manager is concerned about meeting the deadline. There have been complaints from some stakeholders about some of the team members’ performance. The project manager wants to understand the situation and provide feedback to the team as soon as possible. Therefore, the best three actions that the project manager should take to address this situation are:

Define team ground rules: Team ground rules are the agreed-upon norms and expectations that guide the team’s work and interactions. They can help the team to establish a common vision, purpose, and values, and to define their roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities. They can also help the team to communicate effectively, collaborate efficiently, and resolve conflicts constructively. By defining team ground rules, the project manager can ensure that the team members are aware of and aligned with the project goals and deliverables, and that they respect and support each other’s performance and behaviour.

Perform a retrospective session: A retrospective session is a meeting that allows the team to reflect on their past performance and behaviour, and to identify what went well, what went wrong, and what can be improved. It can help the team to learn from their experiences, celebrate their achievements, and address their challenges. It can also help the team to generate ideas and action plans for future improvement and innovation. By performing a retrospective session, the project manager can provide formal and group feedback to the team, and involve them in the feedback process.

Implement daily team meetings: Daily team meetings are short and frequent meetings that allow the team to share their progress, issues, and plans for the day. They can help the team to stay on track, coordinate their tasks, and solve their problems. They can also help the team to communicate regularly, transparently, and collaboratively. By implementing daily team meetings, the project manager can provide informal and individual feedback to the team members, and monitor and support their performance and behaviour.

The other options are not the best choices, because:

Request a manager performance review: A manager performance review is a formal and individual feedback that is given by the team member’s direct manager, and focuses on their overall performance, behaviour, and career development. It is usually done annually or semi-annually, and follows a specific format and criteria. While a manager performance review can be useful and beneficial for the team member, it is not the responsibility of the project manager, unless they are also the team member’s direct manager. Moreover, it is not the most appropriate or timely feedback for the situation, as it does not address the specific project deliverable, deadline, or stakeholder complaints.

Conduct an annual review: An annual review is a formal and group feedback that is given by the project manager, and focuses on the team’s overall performance, behaviour, and achievements for the year. It is usually done at the end of the year or the project, and follows a specific format and criteria. While an annual review can be useful and beneficial for the team, it is not the most appropriate or timely feedback for the situation, as it does not address the specific project deliverable, deadline, or stakeholder complaints.

 The retrospective meeting is a key practice in agile methodology that allows the team to inspect and adapt their processes and performance after each iteration. The retrospective meeting helps the team to identify what went well, what went wrong, and what can be improved in the next iteration. By using the retrospective meeting, the project manager can facilitate a collaborative and constructive discussion with the team to find out the root cause of the quality issues and devise a plan to fix them. The plan may include actions such as implementing better engineering practices, enhancing communication and collaboration, increasing testing coverage, or applying feedback from customers and stakeholders. The retrospective meeting also helps the team to learn from their mistakes, celebrate their successes, and foster a culture of continuous improvement123. References: = PMBOK® Guide, Sixth Edition, pages 28-29, 50-51; Agile Practice Guide, pages 33-34, 62-63; How to Run an Agile Retrospective Meeting with Examples.

According to the PMBOK guide, one of the principles of agile project management is to empower the team to self-organize and make decisions about how to best accomplish their work. Self-organizing teams are more likely to be motivated, creative, and productive, as they have a sense of ownership and autonomy over their work. Self-organizing teams also have the ability to inspect and adapt their processes and practices based on feedback and learning. Therefore, when a team faces recurring issues, the project lead should not intervene or impose solutions, but rather facilitate the team’s reflection and improvement. The project lead can use techniques such as retrospectives, which are meetings where the team reviews their performance and identifies what went well, what did not go well, and what actions they can take to improve. The project lead can also help the team to update their team working agreement, which is a document that defines the team’s norms, values, and expectations. A team working agreement can help the team to align on their goals, roles, responsibilities, and communication methods, as well as to resolve conflicts and issues. The project lead should not notify senior management, challenge the team, or post the agreements, as these actions may undermine the team’s trust, autonomy, and accountability. References:

PMBOK guide, page 18, section 1.2.3, Agile Considerations in Project Management

PMBOK guide, page 437, section 11.2.2.3, Meetings

Creating a Team Working Agreement

According to the Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Guide, a requirements traceability matrix is a table that links requirements to their origin and tracks them throughout the project life cycle. A requirements traceability matrix helps to ensure that all requirements are addressed by the project deliverables, and that any changes to the requirements are reflected in the project scope, schedule, cost, quality, and risk. In this scenario, the project manager should review the requirements traceability matrix with the concerned stakeholder to verify if the requirement in question is indeed missing or not. This would help to clarify the source, scope, and status of the requirement, and to identify any gaps, inconsistencies, or conflicts between the requirements and the deliverables. This would also help to avoid any misunderstandings, miscommunications, or assumptions that could lead to stakeholder dissatisfaction or project failure. Checking the approved list of requirements, working with the stakeholder to improve the acceptance criteria, or discussing additional requirements are actions that should be taken after the review of the requirements traceability matrix, not before. These actions do not address the root cause of the situation, which is the possible discrepancy between the requirements and the deliverables. References: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents)

Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Guide, Chapter 4, Section 4.3.1.3

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition, Chapter 5, Section 5.2.2.3

The Standard for Project Management – Seventh Edition, Chapter 3, Section 3.2.2.3

According to the PMBOK® Guide, one of the key skills of a project manager is to manage stakeholder engagement, which includes facilitating collaboration among stakeholders1. Collaboration is essential for global projects, as it enables effective communication, efficiency, decision-making, and creativity among team members from different regions, cultures, and backgrounds2. However, collaboration can also be challenging due to factors such as time zones, language barriers, and cultural differences3. Therefore, the project manager should coordinate a meeting to understand the situation and resolve any conflicts that may arise among the team members. By doing so, the project manager can foster trust, respect, and mutual understanding among the team, and ensure that they are aligned with the project objectives and expectations2. The project manager can use various techniques to facilitate the meeting, such as active listening, brainstorming, negotiation, and problem-solving1. References:

1: PMBOK® Guide – 4th Edition, Chapter 13: Stakeholder Management

2: The Global Project Management Framework

3: Advantages and Challenges of Global Team Collaboration

The risk register is an artifact that records the identified risks, their probability and impact, their status, and their response plans. It also tracks the risk triggers, which are the indicators or warning signs that a risk is about to occur. By sharing the risk register with the stakeholder, the project manager can show when a risk may potentially become an issue, based on the risk triggers and the risk status. The risk register also helps the project manager and the stakeholder to monitor and control the risks and their impacts throughout the project life cycle. References:

The PMI Guide to Business Analysis Includes The Standard for Business Analysis, Chapter 4: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Section 4.3.4: Plan Risk Management

Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, Chapter 4: Planning the Business Analysis Approach, Section 4.6: Risk Management Plan

Business Analysis Techniques: 72 Essential Tools For Success, Chapter 6: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Section 6.6: Risk Analysis and Management

Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis, Chapter 7: Requirements Analysis, Section 7.4: Risk Analysis

According to the Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Guide, a change request is a formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline. A change request should include a clear description of the change, the rationale for the change, the impact of the change on the project, and the alternatives considered. A change request should also be evaluated for its feasibility, benefits, risks, and alignment with the project objectives and scope. In this scenario, the project manager should have assessed the change’s overall impact to the project before submitting it to the CCB. This would have helped the project manager to determine if the change was necessary, beneficial, and feasible, and to communicate the pros and cons of the change to the SME and the CCB. This would have also helped the project manager to avoid or mitigate any potential conflicts or resistance from the SME or the CCB. Requesting that the sponsor approved the change request first, ensuring that the change request was aligned with the project scope, or submitting the change request directly to the CCB are actions that should be taken after the change’s impact assessment, not before. These actions do not address the root cause of the situation, which is the lack of a proper impact analysis of the change request. References: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents)

Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Guide, Chapter 6, Section 6.4.1.1

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition, Chapter 8, Section 8.2.2.1

This is because reviewing the set of responsibilities with the team member can help clarify the expectations, roles, and accountabilities of both parties and reduce the potential for conflict1. Reviewing the set of responsibilities can also help identify any gaps, overlaps, or misunderstandings that may cause friction or confusion in the project team2. Reviewing the set of responsibilities can also provide an opportunity for constructive feedback, mutual respect, and problem-solving3.

Some of the other options are not appropriate because:

B. Avoid the team member to prevent further conflicts. This option is not a good conflict resolution technique, as it may worsen the situation by creating resentment, distrust, or isolation4. Avoiding the team member may also hinder the communication, collaboration, and performance of the project team5. The project manager should not avoid the team member, but rather engage them in a respectful and professional manner to resolve the conflict.

C. Escalate the situation to the project sponsor. This option may be too drastic and premature, as the conflict may not be a serious or irreconcilable issue that requires escalation. Escalation should be used as a last resort, when the project manager cannot resolve the conflict by themselves or with the team member. Escalation may also damage the relationship and trust between the project manager and the team member, as it may imply that the project manager is unable to handle the situation or respect the team member’s perspective.

D. Review the personnel skill documents. This option may not be relevant or helpful, as the conflict may not be related to the skills or competencies of the team member. Reviewing the personnel skill documents may not address the root cause or the nature of the conflict, which may be due to personality, communication, or expectation differences. Reviewing the personnel skill documents may also be perceived as a threat or a criticism by the team member, which may escalate the conflict or lower their morale.

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The resource management plan is a subplan of the project management plan that describes how the project resources will be acquired, allocated, managed, and controlled. It also defines the roles and responsibilities of the project team members and the skills required for the project activities. The project manager should review the resource management plan with the new team member to clarify their expectations and provide guidance on how to perform their assigned tasks. Additionally, the project manager should provide mentoring to the new team member if necessary, to help them develop their skills and competencies, and to integrate them into the project team. This is part of the Develop Team process, which aims to improve the team members’ performance and interaction. The other options are not the best choices because they do not address the root cause of the new team member’s confusion, which is the lack of familiarity with the project and their role. Advising the new team member to enroll in project management training (option A) may be helpful, but it is not specific to the project and may not cover the skills and knowledge needed for the project activities. Instructing the new team member to review the RACI matrix before asking for help (option B) may be seen as dismissive and unhelpful, and it does not provide enough information about the project scope, objectives, deliverables, and stakeholders. Advising the new team member to review the project charter and stakeholder engagement plan (option C) may be useful, but it is not sufficient to explain the resource management plan and the expectations for the new team member’s role and performance. References:

Project Management Professional (PMP) Reference Materials:

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition, Chapter 9: Project Resource Management, pp. 313-372

Project Resource Management According to the PMBOK

Professional in Business Analysis (PBA) Reference Materials:

Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, Chapter 3: Needs Assessment, pp. 41-42

Resource Management Plan - PMP TIPS

According to the Agile Practice Guide, one of the principles of agile project management is to “respond to change over following a plan” 1. This means that agile teams should be able to adapt to changing requirements and market conditions, and deliver value to the customer as quickly as possible. Adding the competitor’s functionalities to the product backlog (option A) may not be the best way to respond to change, as it may increase the scope and complexity of the project, and delay the delivery of the product. Asking the sponsor to add more people to the team (option B) may also not be effective, as it may disrupt the team dynamics and communication, and cause the Brooks’ law effect, which states that “adding manpower to a late software project makes it later”. Asking the team to increase the velocity to launch the product as soon as possible (option D) may compromise the quality and sustainability of the product, and put undue pressure on the team. Therefore, the best option is to help the team to find a new approach to launch the product as soon as possible (option C), which may involve prioritizing the most valuable features, reducing the technical debt, applying lean principles, and collaborating with the customer and other stakeholders. References: 1: Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 2: An Introduction to Agile, page 13 2: The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, by Frederick P. Brooks Jr., page 25

According to the PMI-PBA guide, quality standards are the criteria that the project team uses to measure the quality of the product or service. Quality standards should be aligned with the customer’s needs and expectations, and should be defined and agreed upon by the project team and the stakeholders. Quality standards should also be adaptable to the changing requirements and feedback in an agile environment. One of the agile principles is to deliver working software frequently, which implies that testing should be done early and continuously throughout the project lifecycle. Testing is not only a way to verify the quality of the product, but also a way to validate the value of the solution and elicit feedback from the customer. Therefore, the project manager should coach the team to determine the tools and techniques suitable for the project and ensure that testing is done early and continuously, as this will help the team deliver a high-quality product that meets the customer’s needs and expectations. References:

PMI-PBA guide, Chapter 5: Planning the Business Analysis Approach, Section 5.2.3: Quality Standards, p. 115-116

PMI-PBA guide, Chapter 6: Traceability and Monitoring, Section 6.2.1: Testing, p. 141-142

PMI-PBA guide, Appendix A: Agile Principles and Practices, Section A.1: Agile Principles, p. 263

PMP Exam Study Guide, Chapter 8: Quality Management, Section 8.1: Plan Quality Management, p. 395-396

PMP Exam Study Guide, Chapter 8: Quality Management, Section 8.4: Control Quality, p. 413-414

 An agile project manager would like to convert the requirements document into epics, capabilities, features and stories in order to create a product backlog that can be prioritized and refined by the agile team and the product owner. The product backlog is a dynamic and evolving artifact that represents the customer’s needs and expectations for the product. To estimate the story duration, the agile project manager should use the team’s historical data and empirical evidence from previous iterations. The agile project manager should also involve the team members who will perform the work in the estimation process, as they have the best knowledge and expertise about the tasks and the complexity involved. The agile project manager should estimate the story duration in one iteration, as this is the timebox for delivering a potentially releasable product increment. Estimating the story duration in one iteration allows the agile project manager to plan and monitor the iteration progress, adjust the scope and priorities based on feedback and changes, and ensure that the team delivers value to the customer in a timely manner. Estimating the story duration in more than one iteration would introduce uncertainty and risk, as the team’s velocity, the customer’s requirements, and the product’s quality might change over time. Estimating the story duration in less than one iteration would not be feasible, as the team would not have enough time to complete the work and validate the results. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, Section 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, Agile Practice Guide, Section 3.2, 3.3, 4.2, 4.3

 The project manager is responsible for ensuring that the project’s lessons learned are captured, documented, and stored in the lessons learned register. The lessons learned register is a project document that records the knowledge gained from the project activities and processes, and that can be used in the current project and entered into the lessons learned repository for future projects12. The project manager should take ownership of documenting the occurrence that the SME identified, as it is part of the project manager’s role to facilitate the lessons learned process and to encourage the project team and other stakeholders to share their experiences and feedback. The project manager should also verify the accuracy and completeness of the information, and ensure that it is relevant and useful for the project and the organization. The project manager should update the lessons learned register throughout the project, not only at the end, as this allows the project team to learn and improve continuously. This is part of the Manage Project Knowledge process, which aims to use existing knowledge and create new knowledge to achieve the project objectives and contribute to organizational learning13. The other options are not the best choices because they do not reflect the project manager’s accountability and leadership for the lessons learned process. Assigning the documenting task to a project team member (option A) may delegate the project manager’s responsibility and reduce the project manager’s involvement and oversight of the lessons learned process. Asking the SME to document and capture the occurrence (option B) may shift the burden to the SME and discourage the SME from sharing more information and insights. Requesting the SME to wait until the project closure phase (option C) may delay the documentation and dissemination of the valuable knowledge and prevent the project team from applying it in the current project. References:

Project Management Professional (PMP) Reference Materials:

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition, Chapter 4: Project Integration Management, pp. 71-123

Lessons learned - Project Management Institute

Project Knowledge Management According to the PMBOK

Professional in Business Analysis (PBA) Reference Materials:

Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, Chapter 6: Traceability and Monitoring, pp. 97-98

Lessons learned - Project Management Institute

According to the PMBOK Guide, a Scrum project is an example of an adaptive or agile approach that is suitable for projects with high uncertainty, changing requirements, and fast delivery. A Scrum project delivers value incrementally through short iterations called sprints, where the team collaborates with the customer and other stakeholders to define and prioritize the product backlog, which contains the features and functionalities of the product. The team then selects a subset of the product backlog items to work on during each sprint, and delivers a potentially shippable product increment at the end of each sprint. The team also inspects and adapts the product and the process through frequent feedback loops and retrospectives. Therefore, a Scrum project suits the scenario of a new product launch with evolving requirements and flexible scope, as it allows the team to start the work based on the forecast of a similar project, but also to respond to changes and customer needs as they emerge. References:

PMBOK Guide, Chapter 2, Section 2.4.2, Adaptive Life Cycle

PMBOK Guide, Chapter 13, Section 13.2.2.1, Agile/Adaptive Environments

PMBOK Guide, Appendix X3, Section X3.2, Agile Principles

Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 2, Section 2.2.1, Scrum

Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 3, Section 3.2, Delivering in an Agile Environment

According to the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, one of the key activities of the project manager is to tailor the project delivery approach based on the project characteristics, context, and environment. This means that the project manager should select the appropriate tools, techniques, methods, and artifacts that best suit the project needs and objectives. If the project manager realizes that the project will benefit from using adaptive tools, such as agile or hybrid methods, then the project manager should update the project documents accordingly and plan the first iterative session. This will enable the project team to deliver value incrementally and iteratively, and to respond to changes and feedback more effectively. Option A is the best answer for this question.

Option B is not the best answer because contacting the project sponsor and requesting new team members who are familiar with adaptive projects is not the first thing that the project manager should do. It is a possible action that the project manager may take if the current team lacks the skills or experience to work with adaptive tools, but it is not a necessary or immediate action. Moreover, requesting new team members may not always be feasible or desirable, as it may increase the project costs and risks, and may disrupt the team dynamics and performance.

Option C is not the best answer because confirming team capabilities before introducing adaptive tools and artifacts to the project is not the first thing that the project manager should do. It is a good practice to assess the team’s readiness and ability to work with adaptive tools, but it is not a prerequisite or a determinant for tailoring the project delivery approach. The project manager should base the decision on the project characteristics, context, and environment, not on the team capabilities. Moreover, confirming team capabilities may not always be accurate or reliable, as the team may have different levels of familiarity and confidence with adaptive tools.

Option D is not the best answer because freezing the design stage and looking for an external resource to run iterative design at extra cost is not the first thing that the project manager should do. It is a possible action that the project manager may take if the project is too complex or uncertain to be handled by the internal team, but it is not a recommended or proactive action. Freezing the design stage may delay the project delivery and may not reflect the current or future state of the project requirements or stakeholder needs. Looking for an external resource may increase the project costs and risks, and may reduce the project control and quality. References: PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, pages 9-10, 15-16, 25-26, 35-36, 49-50.

According to the Project Management Professional (PMP) Reference Materials, two actions that a project manager should consider while launching a new virtual team are:

Evaluate the project manager’s own strengths and weaknesses as a virtual team leader to identify avoidable pitfalls. This can help the project manager to develop the necessary skills and competencies to effectively lead, guide, and nurture a virtual team, such as communication, collaboration, motivation, trust, and cultural awareness12. The project manager can also seek feedback, coaching, or mentoring from other experienced virtual team leaders to improve their performance and avoid common mistakes3.

Establish in the beginning, how progress will be monitored and the best means for communicating progress. This can help the project manager to set clear expectations, goals, and standards for the virtual team, and to ensure that the team members are aligned, accountable, and informed throughout the project4 . The project manager can also use various communication and collaboration tools, such as video conferencing, chat, email, project management software, and online dashboards, to facilitate regular and effective communication and reporting among the virtual team members and stakeholders .

The other options, A, C, and E, are not actions that a project manager should consider while launching a new virtual team, but rather actions that a project manager should consider while planning or executing a project with a virtual team. Recruiting the best resources within the organization to be part of the virtual team is a human resource planning activity that involves identifying and acquiring the project team members. Identifying the types and quantities of resources required for each work package or activity is a resource management activity that involves estimating and allocating the resources needed to complete the project work. Verifying if team members are on more than one team and cannot devote enough time to this team is a performance management activity that involves monitoring and controlling the team members’ availability, workload, and productivity. References: 1: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.4.2.2, "Team Development Stages". 2: Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 2.2, "Agile Principles". 3: Best practices for managing and developing virtual project teams, Section "Preparing for success — the project manager’s role". 4: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.4.3.1, "Team Performance Assessment". : A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 10.2.2.1, "Communication Requirements Analysis". : 10 Tips to Manage Virtual Project Teams - Ganttic, Section "Communication tools". : Project and resource planning tools - Ganttic, Section "Project and resource planning tools". : A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.1.3.1, "Project Team". : A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.2.3.1, "Resource Requirements". : A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.6.3.1, "Work Performance Data".

The project manager should collaborate with the compliance team member to review and prioritize the requirement’s delivery, as this is a way to manage the change request and ensure that the project meets the compliance standards and expectations. The project manager should also communicate the impact of the change on the project scope, schedule, cost, and quality to the project sponsor and other stakeholders, and obtain their approval and support. The project manager should not ask the team to include the compliance requirement in the current sprint and deliver it (choice A), as this would disrupt the sprint planning and execution, and create scope creep and quality issues. The project manager should not add the new compliance requirement to the backlog as the technical team does not have any capacity (choice B), as this would delay the delivery of the compliance requirement and expose the project to legal and regulatory risks. The project manager should not include the compliance lead in the stakeholders list and wait for the next status meeting (choice C), as this would not address the urgency and importance of the compliance requirement, and it would not involve the compliance lead in the decision-making and problem-solving process. References:

PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 115: “A change request is a formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline.”

PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 119: “The project manager should review all change requests, assess their impact on the project, and either approve them or submit them to the change control board (CCB) or other decision-making authority for approval or rejection.”

PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 120: “The project manager should communicate the approved change requests to the project team and other stakeholders, and update the project management plan and other project documents accordingly.”

PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 39: “Compliance requirements are the set of standards or regulations that the project must adhere to, such as health, safety, security, performance, environmental, or quality standards.”

The stakeholder engagement plan is a component of the project management plan that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in project decisions and activities1. The project manager should review and update the stakeholder engagement plan to address the needs and expectations of the newly appointed technical manager, who is a key stakeholder for the project. The project manager should also communicate with the technical manager to understand the information gaps and provide the necessary updates on the project deliverables. Updating the issue log and escalating to the project sponsor (option A) may not be the best first action, as it could create unnecessary conflict and damage the relationship with the client. Identifying the lack of information as a risk and updating the risk register (option B) is not appropriate, as the situation is not a potential uncertain event that could affect the project objectives, but rather a current issue that needs to be resolved. Scheduling more frequent meetings with the technical manager (option C) may help to improve the communication, but it does not address the root cause of the problem, which is the inadequate stakeholder engagement plan. References:

1: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2017, p. 518.

 According to the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, section 12.2.3, “The issue log is a project document used to capture and track issues until they are resolved. It typically contains a description of the issue, the owner, the priority, the status, the resolution, and any other relevant information.” Therefore, the project manager should schedule a meeting with the concerned team member to review and update the issue log together, as this will help to document the issue, assign responsibility, monitor progress, and implement resolution. Asking the team member to follow the approved communications management plan to communicate their issue (option A) may not be sufficient or timely, as the issue may require immediate attention and action. Reviewing the risk register with the team member to find the proper response action for this issue (option C) may not be applicable or effective, as the issue may not be a risk that was identified and planned for in advance. Asking the team member to raise a change request to assess the issue in detail (option D) may not be necessary or appropriate, as the issue may not affect the project scope, schedule, cost, or quality, and may be resolved within the project team. References:

PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, section 12.2.3

PMI-PBA Exam Practice Test and Study Guide, 2nd edition, page 184, question 22

The project manager should initiate the change request to modify the scope and adjust the timelines. This is because the project manager is responsible for managing the project scope and ensuring that the project delivers the agreed outcomes within the approved budget and schedule. When the project manager encounters scope changes and a delay in the delivery of critical tasks, they should follow the change management process as defined in the project management plan. This process involves initiating a change request that describes the proposed changes, their impact, and their justification. The change request should then be submitted to the appropriate authority, such as the change control board or the steering committee, for review and approval. The project manager should also update the project documents, such as the scope baseline, the schedule baseline, and the cost baseline, to reflect the approved changes. The project manager should communicate the changes and their implications to the relevant stakeholders, such as the project team, the PMO, the sponsor, and the customer. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 4.6, page 115, PMP Exam Prep, 10th edition, page 180

According to the PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 4.7, one of the main outputs of the close project or phase process is the final product, service, or result transition. This involves transferring the ownership and responsibility of the project deliverables to the customer or sponsor, and obtaining their formal acceptance and sign-off. The project manager should ensure that the project scope and quality criteria are met, and that the deliverables are aligned with the project objectives and stakeholder expectations. The other options are not appropriate for the end of the project, as they are either part of the planning or monitoring and controlling processes, and do not involve the client’s verification and acceptance. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 4.7; PMP Practice Exam, question 86.

 According to the PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 11.4, one of the tools and techniques for performing qualitative risk analysis is risk categorization. This involves grouping potential risks by common root causes or other criteria, such as project phases, sources, or effects. The project manager should use this technique to identify the most significant risks that are affecting the project performance, and prioritize them for further analysis or action. The project manager should then develop appropriate risk responses to mitigate or avoid the negative impacts of the risks, or exploit or enhance the positive impacts of the opportunities. The project manager should also update the risk register and other project documents accordingly. The other options are not the first steps to take, as they do not address the root causes of the risks, and may not be feasible or effective in the given situation. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 11.4; PMP Practice Exam, question 94.

The finance team is a key stakeholder in the project, as they are responsible for approving the project budget and ROI. If they are not involved in building the business case for the project, they may not understand or agree with the project objectives, benefits, and assumptions. This can lead to conflicts, delays, and rework in the project execution. Therefore, the project manager should schedule a meeting with the product owner and the finance team to discuss the business case, clarify the requirements, expectations, and constraints, and agree on the course corrections needed to align the project with the organizational strategy and goals. This way, the project manager can ensure that the project delivers value to the organization and satisfies the stakeholder needs. References:

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Seventh Edition, Chapter 2: Value Delivery System, Section 2.1: Business Case, pp. 25-26

Project Management Professional (PMP) Handbook, Section 2.2: PMP Exam Content Outline, Domain III: Business Environment, Task 1: Plan and manage project compliance, pp. 16-17

How to Write a Business Case: 4 Steps to a Perfect Business Case Template, by ProjectManager.com, published on January 25, 2019

According to the PMBOK Guide, the project closing process group consists of two processes: close project or phase and close procurements. The close project or phase process involves confirming that the project or phase scope and requirements have been met, obtaining formal acceptance of the final product, service, or result from the customer, and transferring the ownership and responsibility of the deliverables to the assigned stakeholders. The close procurements process involves completing and settling each contract, including resolving any open items, and closing each contract applicable to the project or phase. Therefore, the project manager should review the deliverable requirements, check the customer approval criteria, and proceed accordingly to close the project or phase. Asking the customer to issue a change request, meeting with the customer to reach agreement on the scope, or contacting the project sponsor for help are not appropriate actions during the closing process, as they imply that the project scope is not finalized or agreed upon, which should have been done during the planning and executing processes. References: PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, pages 123-124, 377-378; PMI-PBA Guide, First Edition, pages 209-210.

 In Agile project management, collaboration is key to resolving issues such as disagreements on feature scope. The project manager should facilitate a collaborative environment where all team members can contribute to the discussion. This approach aligns with Agile principles, which emphasize teamwork, customer collaboration, and the ability to respond to change12. It’s important for the project manager to encourage open communication and ensure that all voices are heard, which can lead to a shared understanding and agreement on the feature’s scope34. This not only helps in resolving the current issue but also strengthens the team’s ability to work together effectively in future sprints56.

= Agile methodologies advocate for close collaboration among team members to effectively define and deliver features that meet business needs7. The Project Management Institute (PMI) also highlights the importance of negotiation and conflict resolution skills in Agile environments to address scope disagreements and ensure project success1. Additionally, the role of the Business Analyst in Agile projects involves facilitating collaboration between the Product Owner, Development Team, and Stakeholders to ensure alignment with business objectives7.

According to the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, section 2.3.2, “The project management plan is the primary source of information for how the project will be planned, executed, monitored, controlled, and closed. It integrates and consolidates all subsidiary plans and baselines, and other information necessary to manage the project.” Therefore, the project manager should identify the goal of each work product, as this will help align the project activities with the project objectives and benefits. Clarifying project benefits with the sponsor (option A) is important, but not sufficient to ensure that the project management plan reflects those benefits. Performing integration testing of each release (option C) and including the entire project team in testing (option D) are good practices for quality management, but not directly related to developing the project management plan. References:

PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, section 2.3.2

PMI-PBA Exam Practice Test and Study Guide, 2nd edition, page 179, question 12

The communications management plan is a subsidiary plan of the project management plan that describes how project communications will be planned, executed, and monitored. It should include the stakeholder communication requirements, the information to be communicated, the communication methods and technologies, the frequency and timing of communication, the roles and responsibilities of communicators, and the escalation process for resolving communication issues. If a stakeholder is not receiving the project status report, it means that the communications management plan is not aligned with the stakeholder communication requirements, and it needs to be updated. The project manager should also send the current project status documentation to the missed stakeholder to ensure that they are informed and engaged in the project. This is the best option among the four choices, as it follows the best practices of project communication management and stakeholder management. References: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents)

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition, Chapter 8: Project Communications Management, Section 8.1.3.1: Communications Management Plan

Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, Chapter 4: Planning Business Analysis Work, Section 4.3.2: Communication Plan

Practice Standard for Project Stakeholder Management, Chapter 3: Plan Stakeholder Engagement, Section 3.3.2: Communication Requirements Analysis

According to the Agile Practice Guide, the product backlog prioritization is a continuous process that involves evaluating the relative value and urgency of the features or user stories that are planned for the next iteration or release. The product backlog prioritization should consider various factors, such as the customer needs, the stakeholder expectations, the market conditions, the technical dependencies, the risk exposure, and the feedback from previous iterations. Two of the most important factors that should be taken into account first are the cost of delaying some features against the business value they deliver, and the length of time each feature has been on the backlog. The cost of delay is a measure of how much value is lost or foregone by postponing the delivery of a feature. The longer a feature stays on the backlog, the more likely it is to lose its relevance, quality, or competitiveness. Therefore, the product backlog prioritization should aim to deliver the most valuable and urgent features as soon as possible, and avoid accumulating technical debt or waste. The complexity and the cost of development, the industry trends and the technical approach, and the reusing of components from another product are also relevant factors, but they are not the first ones to consider when reviewing and updating the product backlog priorities. References: Agile Practice Guide, pages 49-50, 54-55.

This option reflects the agile mindset of inspecting and adapting to the current situation, and finding the best way to deliver value to the customer. The other options are either too rigid (B and C) or too risky (D) for an agile project.

However, this is only a suggestion based on one source of reference. You may find other sources that support a different answer, or have a different interpretation of the question. Therefore, you should always check the validity and reliability of the information you find online, and compare it with your own knowledge and experience.

I hope this helps you with your question. If you need more information, you can use the links below to access the web search results. Thank you for using Bing.

 1: Oliver Lehmann 175 questions - PM PrepCast Forum 2: (PDF) 175 PMP Sample Questions | khurram shahzad - Academia.edu 3: PMBOK Guide 5th Edition : Agile Practice Guide

According to the PMBOK Guide, the schedule performance index (SPI) and the cost performance index (CPI) are two key indicators of the project performance measurement1. The SPI measures how efficiently the project team is using the time allocated for the project, while the CPI measures how efficiently the project team is using the resources allocated for the project1. An SPI or CPI value greater than 1 indicates that the project is ahead of schedule or under budget, respectively. An SPI or CPI value less than 1 indicates that the project is behind schedule or over budget, respectively1. In this question, the project manager notices that the SPI is 1.8 and the CPI is 0.1, which means that the project is ahead of schedule but over budget. This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible, as it may jeopardize the project viability and stakeholder satisfaction. The project manager should not ignore the project sponsor’s concern, as the project sponsor is the person who provides the financial resources and support for the project2. The project manager should also not assume that it is normal to spend more money in the design phase of a project, as this may indicate poor planning, estimation, or control of the project costs3. The project manager should not stop crashing the schedule, as this may affect the project scope, quality, or risk. The project manager should not use a resource-levelling technique, as this may delay the project completion and increase the project costs. The best option for the project manager is to manage the project sponsor closely and revise the project’s resource management plan to improve indicators. This means that the project manager should communicate frequently and transparently with the project sponsor, explain the reasons for the cost overrun, and seek their input and approval for any corrective actions. The project manager should also review and update the project’s resource management plan, which is the document that describes how the project resources will be estimated, acquired, managed, and controlled. The project manager should identify and implement strategies to reduce the project costs, such as optimizing the resource allocation, negotiating better rates, or eliminating unnecessary activities or resources. By managing the project sponsor closely and revising the project’s resource management plan, the project manager can improve the project performance indicators and increase the chances of delivering the project within the approved budget. References:

1: PMBOK Guide, Chapter 7, Section 7.4.2.1, Page 267

2: PMBOK Guide, Chapter 13, Section 13.1.2.1, Page 518

3: 5 Essential Tips for Schedule Control in Project Management

: PMBOK Guide, Chapter 6, Section 6.6.2.5, Page 215

: PMBOK Guide, Chapter 6, Section 6.4.2.5, Page 201

: Guide to Project Budgeting & Scheduling

: PMBOK Guide, Chapter 9, Section 9.1.3.1, Page 313

: How to Make a Project Budget: Project Budgeting Basics

 A hybrid approach is a combination of two or more project management methodologies, such as Waterfall and Agile, that aims to create a better fit for the project and the organization123. A hybrid approach allows for flexibility and adaptability, but also requires alignment and communication among the project stakeholders. One of the key aspects of a hybrid approach is benefits management, which is the identification, definition, planning, tracking and realization of benefits4. Benefits are the positive outcomes and value that the project delivers to the organization and the customers5. A benefits management plan is a document that outlines how the benefits will be identified, measured, tracked and realized throughout the project lifecycle46.

In this scenario, the product owner, who is the person responsible for defining and prioritizing the product requirements and ensuring the delivery of value, stated that the product does not deliver any value, despite meeting the specifications. This indicates a misalignment between the product owner’s expectations and the project’s benefits. The project manager, who is the person responsible for leading and managing the project team and delivering the project objectives, believes that the product meets the specifications and is confused by the product owner’s statement. The development team, who is the group of people responsible for designing, building and testing the product, is also confused by the product owner’s statement.

The best course of action for the project manager in this situation is to review the project’s benefits management plan with the product owner. This will help to clarify the benefits that the project aims to achieve, how they align with the product owner’s expectations and the organization’s strategic objectives, how they will be measured and tracked, and how they will be realized. By reviewing the benefits management plan, the project manager and the product owner can identify any gaps, issues or changes that need to be addressed, and agree on the next steps to ensure the delivery of value. This will also help to improve the communication and collaboration among the project stakeholders, and increase the chances of project success.

The other options are not the best choices for the project manager in this situation. Escalating the matter to the executive board (option A) may be premature and unnecessary, as it may create more confusion and conflict, and undermine the trust and authority of the project manager and the product owner. Prioritizing the project backlog and asking the development team to fix the issues (option B) may be ineffective and inefficient, as it may not address the root cause of the problem, and may waste time and resources on unnecessary or irrelevant changes. Asking the product owner to terminate the project (option D) may be drastic and detrimental, as it may result in the loss of value, investment and reputation, and damage the relationship between the project manager and the product owner.

 1: What is the Hybrid Approach in Project Management? | Hygger.io 2: What Is Hybrid Project Management? | TeamGantt 3: Ultimate Guide To Hybrid Project Methodologies & How To Make Them 4: Benefits Management for Projects: Making a Benefits Management Plan 5: What is benefits management and project success? | APM 6: Benefits Management Plan: What it Is and How to Make it

 Checking the risk register for a prepared response to a resource being suddenly unavailable is a proactive action that the project manager should take to deal with the situation. The risk register is a document that records the identified risks, their causes, impacts, probabilities, and responses. By consulting the risk register, the project manager can see if there is a contingency plan or a fallback plan for the loss of a key resource, and implement it accordingly. Checking if the team member’s activities are sufficiently documented to facilitate handover is another important action that the project manager should take to ensure the continuity and quality of the project work. The team member’s activities may include tasks, deliverables, dependencies, assumptions, constraints, and other information that are relevant to the project scope, schedule, and cost. By reviewing the documentation, the project manager can identify the gaps, risks, and issues that may arise from the absence of the team member, and take appropriate measures to address them. References: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents)

PMBOK Guide, Seventh Edition, Section 11.4.3, “Risk Register”

PMBOK Guide, Seventh Edition, Section 4.3.3, “Project Management Plan”

Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) Guide, Section 4.2.2, “Documentation”

Project documentation is the process of creating, organizing, and maintaining the written information that describes the processes, plans, and activities involved in a project. Project documentation includes documents such as the project charter, the project management plan, the work breakdown structure, the risk register, the issue log, and the status reports. Project documentation serves several purposes, such as project planning, communication, monitoring, control, and evaluation. According to the Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials1, project documentation should be:

Accurate: The project documents should reflect the true and current state of the project, and avoid any errors, inconsistencies, or ambiguities.

Complete: The project documents should cover all the relevant and necessary aspects of the project, and avoid any gaps, omissions, or redundancies.

Consistent: The project documents should follow the same format, style, terminology, and standards, and avoid any conflicts, contradictions, or variations.

Up to date: The project documents should be updated regularly and timely, and avoid any outdated, obsolete, or irrelevant information.

In this scenario, the project schedule is falling behind and the project manager observes that the project team seems to be spending the majority of their time writing documentation instead of performing project tasks. This indicates that the project documentation process is not efficient, effective, or aligned with the project goals and priorities. The project team may be creating unnecessary, excessive, or irrelevant documents, or may be struggling to keep up with the changes and updates in the project. This could affect the project performance, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Therefore, the best option for the project manager is to review and adapt the appropriate project artifacts. This means that the project manager should:

Review the existing project documents and assess their accuracy, completeness, consistency, and currency.

Identify and eliminate any project documents that are not required, useful, or valuable for the project.

Simplify and streamline the project documentation process and reduce the complexity and volume of the project documents.

Adapt the project documentation process and the project documents to the changing needs and expectations of the project and the stakeholders.

Communicate and collaborate with the project team and the stakeholders on the project documentation process and the project documents.

By reviewing and adapting the appropriate project artifacts, the project manager can ensure that the project documentation process and the project documents are fit for purpose, and that they support and facilitate the project tasks, rather than hinder or distract them.

The other options are not the best choices, because:

Assign a team member to handle the documentation activities: This option implies that the project manager is delegating the responsibility and accountability of the project documentation process and the project documents to a single team member, rather than involving and engaging the whole project team and the stakeholders. This could create a bottleneck, a dependency, or a risk in the project documentation process, and reduce the quality and reliability of the project documents.

Coach the project team to complete the project documentation activities: This option implies that the project manager is providing guidance and support to the project team on how to perform the project documentation activities, rather than addressing the root cause of the problem, which is the inefficiency, ineffectiveness, or misalignment of the project documentation process and the project documents. This could create a false sense of security, a complacency, or a resistance in the project team, and prevent them from improving and adapting the project documentation process and the project documents.

Save all documentation activities until the end of the project: This option implies that the project manager is postponing or ignoring the project documentation activities, rather than recognizing and fulfilling their importance and value for the project. This could create a backlog, a chaos, or a disaster in the project documentation process, and compromise the project performance, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction.

The project manager should first check if the sprint size is appropriate for the iteration duration, meaning that the team can realistically complete the user stories within the timebox. This is a way of applying the agile principle of delivering working software frequently and satisfying the customer. If the sprint size is too large or too small, the project manager should work with the team and the product owner to adjust it accordingly, based on the team’s velocity and capacity. This is also a part of the agile practice of adaptive planning and continuous improvement. The other options are not the best choices, as they do not address the root cause of the issue and may introduce more problems. Changing the iteration duration may disrupt the team’s rhythm and alignment with other teams or stakeholders. Recruiting a highly skilled resource may increase the cost and complexity of the project, and may not guarantee the improvement of the team’s performance. Using a reward system may create a competitive or extrinsic motivation that may undermine the team’s collaboration and intrinsic motivation. References: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents)

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition, Chapter 2: Value Delivery System, Section 2.3.2: Iterative and Incremental Development

Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, Chapter 6: Requirements Life Cycle Management, Section 6.3.1: Prioritization

Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 3: Implementing Agile: Creating an Agile Environment, Section 3.3: Team Composition, Roles, and Responsibilities

Expert judgment is a technique that uses the knowledge and experience of experts to identify risks in a project. Experts can be internal or external to the project team, and they can provide insights on the sources, causes, and effects of potential risks. Expert judgment can also help to assess the probability and impact of risks, as well as the appropriate responses to them. According to the PMBOK Guide, expert judgment is one of the tools and techniques for the Identify Risks process, which is part of the Project Risk Management knowledge area. The other tools and techniques are data gathering, data analysis, interpersonal and team skills, and prompt lists. The other options are not tools and techniques for the Identify Risks process, although they may be used in other risk management processes or activities. An analysis of shared risks between parties is a way of identifying common risks that affect multiple stakeholders or projects. A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a project or organization. A risk value assessment is a method of prioritizing risks based on their expected value, which is the product of their probability and impact. References:

PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 397-398, 419-420

Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification Handbook, page 9

Risk Identification in Project Management, section “PMP® Risk Identification Lifecycle”

The project manager should promote collaboration to help remove the obstacles for the team. This is because collaboration is one of the core values of agile, and it involves working together with the team, the agile coach, the stakeholders, and the organization to find solutions to the problems that hinder the project progress and quality. By promoting collaboration, the project manager can foster a culture of trust, openness, feedback, and learning, which can help the team overcome the obstacles and improve their performance. The project manager can also use various agile techniques, such as retrospectives, backlog refinement, and sprint planning, to facilitate collaboration and identify, prioritize, and resolve the impediments. The project manager can also escalate the issues that are beyond the team’s control to the appropriate authority, such as the sponsor or the senior management, and seek their support and guidance.

The other options are not correct because they do not address the issue of collaboration, which is essential for agile projects. Including impediment resolutions during daily standup meetings might be helpful, but it is not enough to solve the obstacles that require more discussion and analysis. Performing a root cause analysis during the standup meetings is not appropriate, as the standup meetings are meant to be brief and focused on the current work and the next steps. Creating a dedicated sprint to solve the obstacles with the team might be a possible option, but it is not the best one, as it might delay the delivery of the project value and increase the project cost and risk. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 4.1.2.2, page 77, Agile Practice Guide, section 3.2.2, page 28, PMP Exam Prep, 10th edition, page 100

A project manager who has team members around the world in different time zones should plan and schedule the tasks and work packages in a way that minimizes the dependency and communication gaps between the offices. This can be done by using techniques such as rolling wave planning, agile methods, or critical chain method, which allow for more flexibility and adaptability in the project schedule. The project manager should also consider the cultural differences, working hours, holidays, and availability of the team members when planning and scheduling the project work. This way, the project manager can avoid delays, conflicts, and misunderstandings caused by the geographical and time zone challenges. References:

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Seventh Edition, Chapter 3: Project Performance Domain, Section 3.2: Schedule Performance, pp. 55-56

Project Management Professional (PMP) Handbook, Section 2.2: PMP Exam Content Outline, Domain II: Process, Task 2: Plan and manage project schedule, pp. 15-16

Managing Projects Across Time Zones, by ProjectManager.com, published on July 9, 2019