PMI PMI-RMP Practice Exams
Last updated on Oct 22,2026- Exam Code: PMI-RMP
- Exam Name: PMI Risk Management Professional
- Certification Provider: PMI
- Latest update: Oct 22,2026
A company in the mining industry accommodates a lot of innovation and changing work conditions.
Because of this, the company experiences difficulty in predicting long term business plans.
How should a professional risk manager manage the risks in such situations?
- A . Adopt a predictive approach to manage the risks.
- B . Adopt agile approaches to manage the risks.
- C . Utilize proper documentation to help manage the risks.
- D . Conduct weekly risk management meetings with all stakeholders.
B
Explanation:
In a company with rapidly changing work conditions and difficulty in predicting long-term business plans, a professional risk manager should adopt agile approaches to manage the risks (B). Agile approaches allow for flexibility, adaptability, and quick response to changes, making them suitable for managing risks in such situations. This is supported by the PMI’s PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, and the Agile Practice Guide.
A professional risk manager should adopt agile approaches to manage the risks in situations where the company accommodates a lot of innovation and changing work conditions, and experiences difficulty in predicting long term business plans. Agile approaches are adaptive, iterative, and collaborative methods that focus on delivering value and reducing uncertainty in a dynamic and complex environment. Agile approaches can help the risk manager to identify, analyze, respond, and monitor risks in a flexible and timely manner, by using tools and techniques such as risk-adjusted backlog, risk burndown charts, risk-based spike, and risk-based testing. Agile approaches can also help the risk manager to engage the stakeholders and the project team in risk management activities, by using practices such as daily stand-up meetings, sprint planning, sprint review, and sprint retrospective. Agile approaches can enable the risk manager to manage the risks effectively and efficiently, by aligning the risk management strategy with the project goals and the customer needs. Adopting a predictive approach to manage the risks is not the best option, as it may not be suitable or feasible for situations where the project scope, schedule, and budget are uncertain or variable. A predictive approach is a plan-driven and sequential method that relies on upfront planning and detailed documentation to manage the risks. A predictive approach may not be able to cope with the frequent changes and emerging risks that may occur in an innovative and dynamic environment. Utilizing proper documentation to help manage the risks is not the best option, as it may not be sufficient or effective for situations where the project requirements and deliverables are evolving or changing. Proper documentation is a useful and necessary component of risk management, but it is not a substitute for agile risk management practices. Proper documentation may not be able to capture and communicate the current and relevant information about the risks and their impacts in a timely and accurate manner. Conducting weekly risk management meetings with all stakeholders is not the best option, as it may not be optimal or efficient for situations where the project risks and opportunities are changing rapidly or frequently. Weekly risk management meetings are a common and beneficial practice for risk management, but they may not be enough or appropriate for agile risk management. Weekly risk management meetings may not be able to address the risks and their responses as soon as they arise or occur, and they may not be able to involve all the relevant and available stakeholders and project team members.
Reference: 3, 4, 5
A new risk manager is assigned to an ongoing project, what should the new risk manager do first to assess the project environment?
- A . Review potential next steps with the project team.
- B . Review the scope of work to determine the prescribed project methodology.
- C . Review the policies and practices that are outlined in the risk management plan.
- D . Review the contract and determine the resources and project funding.
C
Explanation:
When a new risk manager is assigned to an ongoing project, their first step should be to review the existing risk management plan to understand the current policies, practices, and strategies in place.
The new risk manager should first review the policies and practices that are outlined in the risk management plan, as this is the document that describes how risk management will be performed on the project. The risk management plan defines the roles and responsibilities, risk categories, risk appetite and thresholds, risk identification and analysis methods, risk response strategies, risk monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and risk governance structure for the project. The new risk manager should familiarize themselves with the risk management plan to understand the project environment and the expectations and requirements for risk management. The other options are not the first actions that the new risk manager should take. Reviewing potential next steps with the project team is a good practice, but it should be done after reviewing the risk management plan to ensure alignment and consistency. Reviewing the scope of work to determine the prescribed project methodology is not directly related to risk management, and it may not provide sufficient information about the project environment and the risk management approach. Reviewing the contract and determining the resources and project funding is part of the project initiation process, and it may not reflect the current status and issues of the project.
Reference: 2, 3, 4
A mega facility development project is evaluating some options to achieve the project schedule and budget. Each option’s success is driven by multiple quantifiable factors.
What should the project manager do to evaluate and select the best option based on costs and probabilities?
- A . Perform a FMECA fault tree analysis
- B . Conduct a sensitivity analysis
- C . Perform a decision tree analysis
- D . Conduct an analytic hierarchy process
C
Explanation:
A decision tree analysis is a tool that helps to evaluate and select the best option among different alternatives based on costs and probabilities. A decision tree analysis uses a graphical representation of a decision problem, where each node represents a decision point, a chance event, or an outcome. The branches of the tree show the possible choices, events, or consequences that can occur at each node. The end nodes of the tree show the expected value or payoff of each option, which is calculated by multiplying the probability and the cost or benefit of each outcome. A decision tree analysis can help to compare the expected values of different options and choose the one that maximizes the benefit or minimizes the cost 1. A decision tree analysis can also help to incorporate uncertainty and risk into the decision making process, as it shows the range of possible outcomes and their likelihoods2. Therefore, the project manager should perform a decision tree analysis to evaluate and select the best option based on costs and probabilities for a mega facility development project. Performing a FMECA fault tree analysis, conducting a sensitivity analysis, or conducting an analytic hierarchy process are not the best options to evaluate and select the best option based on costs and probabilities. A FMECA fault tree analysis is a tool that helps to identify and analyze the potential causes and effects of failures in a system or process. It uses a graphical representation of a failure event, where each node represents a basic or intermediate event that contributes to the failure. The branches of the tree show the logical relationships between the events, using AND or OR gates. A FMECA fault tree analysis can help to calculate the probability and severity of failures, as well as to prioritize and mitigate the risks3. However, a FMECA fault tree analysis does not help to compare different options or alternatives, as it focuses on a single failure scenario. Conducting a sensitivity analysis is a tool that helps to measure how the uncertainty in the input variables of a model affects the output or outcome of the model. It uses a graphical or numerical representation of the relationship between the input and output variables, showing how the output changes when the input changes. A sensitivity analysis can help to identify the most critical or influential variables, as well as to test the robustness or reliability of the model4. However, a sensitivity analysis does not help to compare different options or alternatives, as it focuses on a single model or option. Conducting an analytic hierarchy process is a tool that helps to evaluate and select the best option among different alternatives based on multiple criteria. It uses a mathematical method of pairwise comparison, where each alternative is compared to each other in terms of each criterion. The results of the comparisons are then aggregated into a matrix, which shows the relative importance or preference of each alternative. An analytic hierarchy process can help to rank the alternatives and choose the one that best satisfies the criteria5. However, an analytic hierarchy process does not help to incorporate costs and probabilities into the decision making process, as it relies on subjective judgments and preferences.
Reference: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
A decision tree analysis is a quantitative risk analysis technique that helps evaluate and select the best option based on costs and probabilities. It visually represents different decision paths and their associated probabilities, allowing the project manager to compare and select the most appropriate option for the project.
A project manager has determined that an activity is too complex to complete internally so they hire a licensed contractor to complete the work .
What is the project manager performing in this situation?
- A . Risk mitigation
- B . Risk transfer
- C . Risk acceptance
- D . Risk avoidance
B
Explanation:
By hiring a licensed contractor to complete the complex activity, the project manager is transferring the risk associated with that activity to the contractor. This is an example of risk transfer, as the responsibility for managing the risk is shifted from the project manager to the contractor.
According to the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) ® Handbook1, one of the domains of the PMI-RMP exam is Risk Response Planning, which involves developing options and actions to enhance opportunities and reduce threats to project objectives 1. One of the strategies for negative risks or threats is risk transfer, which involves shifting the impact of a threat to a third party, such as a contractor, a vendor, or an insurer2. In this situation, the project manager is performing risk transfer by hiring a licensed contractor to complete the work that is too complex to complete internally. By doing so, the project manager is transferring the responsibility and liability of the activity to the contractor, who is expected to have the expertise and resources to handle the complexity. The project manager is not performing risk mitigation, which involves reducing the probability and/or impact of a threat2. The project manager is not performing risk acceptance, which involves acknowledging the existence of a threat and making a conscious decision to accept it without taking any action2. The project manager is not performing risk avoidance, which involves changing the project plan to eliminate the threat or protect the project objectives from its impact2.
Reference: 1: PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) ® Handbook, page 62: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) C Sixth Edition, page 436.
A two-year project with a budget of US$2 million has completed about 60% of the work at the end of the first year. The actual cost incurred to complete the remaining 40% of work is about USS 1. 5 million. As a part of performing a specialized risk analysis, the calculated schedule performance index (SPI) is 1. 2 and cost performance index (CPI) is 0.53 .
How should the risk manager interpret such a low CPI value?
- A . The cost control processes is ineffective.
- B . The cost baseline is inaccurate.
- C . The actual reported costs are inaccurate.
- D . The cost related risks are effectively managed.
B
Explanation:
A low CPI value (0.53) indicates that the project is over budget. This may be due to an inaccurate cost baseline, which means the initial budget estimation was not correct. This would not necessarily mean that cost control processes are ineffective, actual reported costs are inaccurate, or cost-related risks are effectively managed.
The CPI value is calculated by dividing the earned value (EV) by the actual cost (AC). A CPI value of less than 1 indicates that the project is over budget, meaning that the actual cost is higher than the planned cost. A low CPI value can have several possible causes, such as poor estimation, scope creep, change requests, or inaccurate reporting. However, in this case, the SPI value is greater than 1, which indicates that the project is ahead of schedule, meaning that the earned value is higher than the planned value. This suggests that the cost baseline, which is derived from the planned value, is inaccurate and does not reflect the true cost of the work. Therefore, the risk manager should interpret such a low CPI value as a sign of an inaccurate cost baseline, and not as a result of ineffective cost control processes, inaccurate actual costs, or effective cost related risk management.
Reference: PMI-RMP® Certification Handbook1, page 9; PMBOK® Guide, page 267.
A core project team is working on unrelated tasks in advance to reduce the risk of delay due to an external team not completing its tasks on time. The core project team has completed all possible unrelated tasks but cannot move forward, because the external team’s tasks have yet to be completed.
What should the risk manager do next?
- A . Start a quantitative analysis to understand the impact.
- B . Crash the schedule to mitigate the risk consequences.
- C . Transfer the risk to the external team.
- D . Ask the risk owners to review the risk response plan.
D
Explanation:
According to the PMBOK Guide, the risk response plan is the set of actions that the project team will take to address the identified risks. The risk response plan should be reviewed and updated periodically throughout the project lifecycle, as new risks may emerge or existing risks may change. The risk owners are the persons assigned the responsibility of monitoring the risks and implementing the risk response actions. The risk owners should work with the risk manager and other stakeholders to evaluate the effectiveness of the risk response plan and make any necessary adjustments. In this case, the risk manager should ask the risk owners to review the risk response plan and see if there are any alternative or additional actions that can be taken to deal with the delay caused by the external team. Starting a quantitative analysis, crashing the schedule, or transferring the risk are not appropriate actions for this situation, as they are either too late, too costly, or too risky.
Reference: = PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 452-453; The Standard for Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and Projects, page 79.
14 1. A company manages confidential customer information, and a data breach exposing sensitive information was discovered .
What should the risk manager do?
A project manager identified a risk of communication issues with the client which may impact the project schedule. A member of (he sales team advises that this client prefers face-to- face conversations.
What should the project manager do to avoid this risk?
- A . Record this risk and the clients preference in the risk register.
- B . Ask the sales person to lead the communication with the client
- C . Call the client and advise that online communication is easier and faster.
- D . Meet the client and plan tor critical milestone meetings.
D
Explanation:
The project manager should address the communication risk by meeting the client’s preference for face-to-face conversations. This can be achieved by planning face-to-face meetings for critical milestones.
Communication issues with the client are a potential risk that can affect the project scope, schedule, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction. To avoid this risk, the project manager should align the communication methods and preferences with the client’s expectations and needs. If the client prefers face-to-face conversations, the project manager should respect that and meet the client in person whenever possible. This can help build trust, rapport, and clarity between the project manager and the client. The project manager should also plan for critical milestone meetings with the client to review the project progress, deliverables, and feedback. This can help ensure that the project is on track and meets the client’s requirements and satisfaction.
Reference: PMI, 2017. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) C Sixth Edition. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc., pp. 376-3771
A home solar panel project has many internal and external stakeholders including households, businesses, community groups, electric utility companies, local government officials, landlords, and investors .
What should the project manager do when engaging stakeholders?
- A . Include all stakeholders in the project’s governance.
- B . Communicate response strategies to all stakeholders.
- C . Ignore any risks beyond stakeholders’ tolerance.
- D . Consider stakeholders’ positions and opinions regarding the project’s output.
D
Explanation:
The project manager should consider stakeholders’ positions and opinions regarding the project’s output when engaging stakeholders. This approach helps to address stakeholders’ concerns, expectations, and potential objections, and it can lead to better decision-making and more successful project outcomes. It is important for the project manager to maintain open communication with stakeholders and to be responsive to their needs and perspectives.
According to the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) ® Examination Content Outline, one of the tasks under the domain of stakeholder engagement is to “engage stakeholders by communicating with them to understand their positions and opinions regarding the project’s output, and to ensure that their interests are considered in the risk management process” (Task 1. 3). This implies that the project manager should consider stakeholders’ perspectives and expectations when engaging them, and not ignore, exclude, or impose on them. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.
Option A is incorrect because not all stakeholders need to be involved in the project’s governance, which is the set of policies, processes, and procedures that define how the project is managed and controlled. The project’s governance should be determined by the project sponsor and the project management office (PMO), and only include those stakeholders who have authority and responsibility for the project’s success.
Option B is incorrect because communicating response strategies to all stakeholders is not a stakeholder engagement activity, but a risk communication activity. The project manager should communicate response strategies to the relevant stakeholders who are assigned to implement or monitor them, and not to all stakeholders indiscriminately.
Option C is incorrect because ignoring any risks beyond stakeholders’ tolerance is not a stakeholder engagement activity, but a risk attitude activity. The project manager should identify and assess all risks that may affect the project’s objectives, regardless of stakeholders’ tolerance levels. The project manager should also consult with stakeholders to determine their risk appetite, threshold, and attitude, and use this information to prioritize and respond to risks accordingly.
Reference: PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) ® Examination Content Outline, pages 5-61
After presenting a list of risks to the major project stakeholders and project sponsor, the board requested the risks be sorted differently from the results presented by the project team. This is a major issue and will cause a 2-week delay in the project.
How could the risk manager have avoided the board’s response?
- A . Engaging the key stakeholders during the prioritization process
- B . Prioritizing the risks based on the project sponsor’s risk appetite
- C . Engaging with the project sponsor before presenting to the board
- D . Working with an established industry standard prioritization method
A
Explanation:
According to the PMBOK Guide, risk prioritization is the process of assigning a level of importance to each identified risk based on its probability and impact, as well as other factors such as urgency, stakeholder tolerance, and project objectives. Risk prioritization helps the project team to focus on the most significant risks and allocate resources accordingly. One of the tools and techniques for risk prioritization is stakeholder engagement, which involves involving the key stakeholders in the risk analysis and decision making process. Stakeholder engagement helps to ensure that the risk prioritization reflects the expectations and preferences of the stakeholders, and that they are aware of and agree with the results. By engaging the key stakeholders during the prioritization process, the risk manager could have avoided the board’s request to sort the risks differently, as the board would have been part of the process and would have accepted the outcome.
Reference: = PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 406-407; The Standard for Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and Projects, page 67.
A project team identifies that there is a probability of missing a key milestone in a project. The team wants to move forward with the risk response planning .
What should the risk manager complete first?
- A . The risk categorization
- B . The risk simulation
- C . The full risk description
- D . The risk response plan
C
Explanation:
The full risk description is the first thing that the risk manager should complete before moving forward with the risk response planning. The full risk description is a detailed statement that describes the risk, its causes, its effects, and its context. It provides the basis for the risk analysis and the risk response planning. The risk categorization, the risk simulation, and the risk response plan are possible steps that the risk manager may take after completing the full risk description, but they are not the first thing to do.
Reference: PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) ® Exam Content Outline1, PMI Practice Standard for Project Risk Management2, Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) ® Cert Guide3