Free Practice Questions for PMI PMP Exam

 The stakeholder engagement plan is crucial in managing the expectations and involvement of stakeholders in a project. It outlines strategies and actions to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in decision making and project execution. In the scenario provided, the local community’s protest indicates a potential oversight in stakeholder management, particularly in engaging and consulting with the local community which is a key stakeholder group. The project manager should verify the stakeholder engagement plan to ensure that all necessary consultations and engagements were planned and executed as per the project’s requirements.

= The importance of the stakeholder engagement plan is supported by various sources within the PMP and business analysis reference materials, which emphasize its role in project success and stakeholder satisfaction1234.

 Before the start of an agile project, it is crucial for the project manager to ensure that all team members understand the value and purpose of agile ceremonies. Preparing an inception deck and explaining the benefits of agile ceremonies can help in aligning the team’s expectations and securing their buy-in. This approach is supported by the principles of both Project Management and Business Analysis, which emphasize the importance of stakeholder engagement and clear communication. Agile ceremonies are designed to foster collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement, which are essential for the success of innovation projects.

The approach aligns with the guidance provided in resources like “Master the 4 Agile Ceremonies and Their Purpose in 2024” and “Business Analysis Role in Scrum Events,” which discuss the significance of understanding and adopting agile ceremonies for effective project management and business analysis12.

The project lead must investigate the client's claims to assess the validity of the concerns and the associated penalties. Engaging in fact-finding and documentation review is the first step. If there’s a dispute, negotiation should follow. This approach aligns with the PMBOK® Guide’s guidance on issue management and stakeholder engagement.

Option A is premature and accepts liability without due diligence.

Option C bypasses the client’s concern.

Option D deflects the responsibility and delays resolution.

 In a global project team, communication challenges are common, especially when relying on asynchronous methods like email. The project manager should review and possibly update the communications management plan to ensure it addresses the complexities of a geographically dispersed team. This may include implementing more robust communication channels, regular check-ins, and ensuring that critical information is acknowledged by all team members. Effective communication planning is essential for managing stakeholder expectations and ensuring that everyone receives and understands project information12.

 In an agile approach, it is crucial to consider both the business value and the dependencies between backlog items when prioritizing them for a sprint. The project manager should facilitate a discussion among the team members to reach a consensus on the prioritization of the items. This collaborative decision-making process ensures that the team considers all aspects of the work, including business value, complexity, and dependencies, to make an informed decision that aligns with the team’s capacity and the project’s goals.

The answer is verified using the principles found in the Agile Practice Guide provided by PMI, which emphasizes the importance of collaboration and consensus in agile teams1. Additionally, the PMBOK® Guide - Sixth Edition also supports this approach by highlighting the role of the project manager in facilitating discussions and decision-making within the team2.

In a large matrix organization, effective communication is crucial, especially when it involves coordinating with specialists from various departments and divisions. The project manager should focus on the recipients’ needs to ensure that the communication is relevant and meaningful to them. This approach enhances the effectiveness of communication by ensuring that the information provided is not only understood but also actionable and pertinent to the recipients’ roles and responsibilities within the project1.

= The information is aligned with the best practices for communication in a matrix organization as described in PMBOK and other project management literature, such as the importance of tailoring communication to the specific needs of the recipients and ensuring appropriate distribution of key communications231.

The team norms document (sometimes part of the team charter) outlines behavioral expectations, communication styles, and rules for collaboration. It’s the most appropriate document to provide HR insights into how the team works together.

The PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition emphasizes defining team agreements early and using them to manage team dynamics.

Option B shows transparency but doesn't offer structured insight.

Option C is broader and not focused specifically on team behavior.

Option D covers communication logistics, not interpersonal norms.

To avoid the situation where a legal requirement is overlooked in a global project, the project manager should have identified the regulatory differences among the countries involved. This involves a thorough analysis of the legal and regulatory environment in each country to ensure that all requirements are addressed during the planning phase. By understanding these differences early on, the project manager can incorporate the necessary compliance measures into the project plan, avoiding potential legal issues and delays.

The importance of identifying regulatory differences in global projects is highlighted in the PMBOK® Guide, which recommends a comprehensive approach to managing projects across different jurisdictions1. This is further supported by the PMI’s Global Project Management Framework, which emphasizes the need for understanding the unique requirements on a country-by-country basis to achieve a high level of efficiency on global projects2. Additionally, the Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) materials advocate for the analysis and management of requirements, including legal and regulatory, throughout the project lifecycle34567.

Predictive:

Requirements: are controlled as requirements and constraints emerge.

Changes: are elaborated frequently during delivery.

Risk and Cost: are continuously involved.

Key Stakeholders: are controlled by detailed planning.

Agile:

Requirements: are defined up-front before development team begins.

Changes: are constrained as much as possible.

Risk and Cost: are incorporated in real-time during delivery.

Key Stakeholders: are involved at specific milestones.

The predictive project approach, often referred to as the waterfall model, is characterized by its sequential phase-to-phase development where requirements and planning are done up-front. In contrast, the agile approach is iterative and incremental, with requirements and solutions evolving through collaboration between self-organizing cross-functional teams.

In the predictive approach:

Requirements are detailed early in the project and changes are managed through a formal process.

Changes are not expected to be frequent and are carefully managed.

Risk and Cost are analyzed and assessed as part of the initial planning.

Key Stakeholders are identified and their needs are addressed through detailed planning.

In the agile approach:

Requirements are often co-created with stakeholders and can evolve as the project progresses.

Changes are expected and embraced as part of the methodology to adapt to evolving needs.

Risk and Cost are managed in real-time, allowing for quick responses to change.

Key Stakeholders are engaged continuously, with their feedback incorporated into the project iteratively.

The PMBOK® Guide1 and the Agile Practice Guide provide a framework for understanding these approaches. The PMP Examination Content Outline2 also details the differences between predictive and agile methodologies, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right approach based on the project’s needs and environment.

According to the PMBOK Guide, an issue log is a project document that records problems in a project and how they are resolved. A resource management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how resources will be estimated, acquired, developed, managed, and controlled. When a team member leaves the company, the project manager should update the issue log with the details of the problem and the impact on the project. Then, the project manager should refer to the resource management plan to find out how to deal with the resource gap, such as reassigning tasks, hiring a new team member, or requesting additional resources from the sponsor or other stakeholders.

PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 89-90, 318-319, 374-375

Agile Practice Guide, pages 32-33, 77-78

When trust or satisfaction is an issue with a stakeholder—especially one as critical as the sponsor—the first step is direct communication. A one-on-one meeting to understand expectations, concerns, and establish rapport is essential. This aligns with stakeholder engagement best practices, where early and proactive engagement is prioritized.

The PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition, in the Stakeholder Performance Domain, recommends identifying and analyzing stakeholder needs and initiating communication to build or maintain relationships.

Option A is too process-oriented and premature before establishing rapport.

Option B is informative but lacks interpersonal connection.

Option C provides updates but does not address dissatisfaction or rebuild trust.

The first step in any communication-related issue is to review the Communications Management Plan and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan to ensure expectations are correctly documented and aligned. These documents define who needs what information, when, and how it should be delivered. PMIS may provide access, but stakeholders may still require proactive updates through preferred channels (e.g., emails, reports).

According to the PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition (Communication Performance Domain and Stakeholder Engagement), project managers should tailor communications based on stakeholder needs, which are identified through these plans.

Option A is reactive and not process-driven.

Option C assumes a technical failure without verification.

Option D provides a one-time fix but does not resolve the systemic issue of missed stakeholder expectations.