PMI PMP Practice Exams
Last updated on Oct 22,2026- Exam Code: PMP
- Exam Name: Project Management Professional
- Certification Provider: PMI
- Latest update: Oct 22,2026
A project team is transitioning from a predictive to an agile approach. The project manager is trying to minimize the support issues that the product has had in production.
One particular pain point is the transition to operations, where the issues usually arise.
What should the project manager do to improve this scenario?
- A . Increase the focus on backlog items that cover support requirements, as well as product manuals and operation guides.
- B . Ask the support/operation team to participate in the daily standup meetings to contribute to the project’s progress.
- C . Engage the operation teams in the retrospectives and demo sessions and incorporate their feedback on project activities.
- D . Foster stakeholder participation by engaging them early on the backlog discussions.
C
Explanation:
Transitioning from a predictive to an agile approach requires a cultural shift and an organizational commitment1. Engaging operation teams in retrospectives and demo sessions allows for direct feedback on the product, which can lead to improvements in the transition to operations and minimize support issues2. This engagement is crucial as it fosters a collaborative environment where operational insights can directly influence the development process, ensuring that the product is aligned with operational needs and reducing the likelihood of issues post-deployment3.
Reference: Transitioning to agile – Project Management Institute1.
How to Handle Production Support When Using Scrum2.
Engaging Your Team to Greater Project Performance3.
A project had scheduling delays, which necessitated the team to work overtime to meet critical milestones. This led to some misunderstandings among team members. The project sponsor has allocated a monetary award.
How should the project manager utilize the award?
- A . Meet with the team members and ask them how to spend the reward.
- B . Arrange a luncheon for all team members and include team-building sessions.
- C . Draft a points system to allocate a portion of the money for each resource.
- D . Allocate the reward to the team leaders to spend on the team as they see fit.
B
Explanation:
In the context of project management, especially after a period of intense work and overtime, it is important to not only reward the team but also to invest in team cohesion and address any misunderstandings that may have arisen. Arranging a luncheon for all team members, coupled with team-building sessions, can serve as both a reward and a means to improve team dynamics. This approach aligns with best practices in project management which emphasize the importance of team development and positive reinforcement12.
Reference: Project Management Institute, PMI Professional in Business Analysis.
A project manager is leading a project with several stakeholders in other functional areas of the company One of these stakeholders has just been promoted to lead another functional area, and remains a stakeholder for this project
What should the project manager have the project team update to ensure proper communications to stakeholders?
- A . Project management plan
- B . Stakeholder engagement plan
- C . Stakeholder register
- D . Communications management plan
C
Explanation:
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, pReference, 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 pReference.
Therefore, the correct answer is C. Stakeholder register, as it is the most relevant and appropriate document to update for a stakeholder promotion.
Reference: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 513-515, 520-521, 538-539, 563-564, 717-718.
PMP Exam Content Outline, June 2019, pages 6-7, 10-11, 14-15, 18-19.
During the daily meetings with the team the project manager notices that a new team member is not making the expected progress on an assigned task.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Ask the new team member to follow the team ground rules.
- B . Ask an experienced team member to identify a replacement
- C . Ask the new team member to reassess their own capabilities
- D . Ask an experienced team member to coach the new team member
D
Explanation:
The project manager should ask an experienced team member to coach the new team member, as this is a strategy for developing the skills and performance of the new team member. According to the PMI website, coaching is one of the interpersonal and team skills that a project manager should have. Coaching is a process of providing guidance, feedback, and support to help someone improve their abilities and achieve their goals. By asking an experienced team member to coach the new team member, the project manager can leverage the knowledge and expertise of the existing team, and foster a culture of learning and collaboration. The project manager can also monitor the progress and results of the coaching, and provide recognition and rewards to both the coach and the coachee. The other options, asking the new team member to follow the team ground rules, asking an experienced team member to identify a replacement, or asking the new team member to reassess their own capabilities, are not the best ways to deal with a new team member who is not making the expected progress on an assigned task. Asking the new team member to follow the team ground rules may help the new team member to understand the expectations and norms of the team, but it does not address the specific issues or challenges that the new team member is facing. Asking an experienced team member to identify a replacement may be a drastic and demotivating measure, that may not be feasible or fair to the new team member. Asking the new team member to reassess their own capabilities may be a constructive feedback, but it does not provide any support or assistance to the new team member.
Reference: 1 Interpersonal and Team Skills – Project Management Institute 2 A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) C Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.4.2.4 3 Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, Chapter 5.3.3
During a retrospective review, many project team members say they are not completing tasks during the iterations because of interruptions and requests for help from other teams.
As a team facilitator, what should the project manager do to avoid this?
- A . Identify the problem’s root causes and define the ground rules with all project team members to minimize interferences.
- B . Recommend to the project team members that they should improve their planning and make their stories smaller.
- C . Reunite with the project team members affected and tell them not to reduce the team’s capacity.
- D . Hire a coach to help all project teams to improve their abilities to solve problems on their own.
A
Explanation:
A retrospective review is a meeting held at the end of an iteration in Agile project management, where the team can assess past work and plan future project goals1. One of the benefits of retrospective reviews is that they foster continuous improvement by identifying what went well and what can be improved2.
If the project team members are not completing tasks during the iterations because of interruptions and requests for help from other teams, it indicates that there is a problem with the team’s collaboration and communication. The project manager, as a team facilitator, should address this problem by identifying its root causes and defining the ground rules with all project team members to minimize interferences. This way, the project manager can help the team to focus on their tasks, avoid distractions, and respect each other’s time and boundaries3.
The other options are not correct for the following reasons:
B. Recommend to the project team members that they should improve their planning and make their stories smaller. This option does not address the problem of interruptions and requests for help from other teams, which are external factors that affect the team’s performance. Making the stories smaller may help the team to deliver faster and more frequently, but it does not solve the underlying issue of poor collaboration and communication.
C. Reunite with the project team members affected and tell them not to reduce the team’s capacity. This option is not effective because it does not address the problem’s root causes, nor does it involve the whole team in finding a solution. Telling the team members not to reduce their capacity may also be perceived as blaming or pressuring them, which can lower their morale and motivation.
D. Hire a coach to help all project teams to improve their abilities to solve problems on their own. This option is not feasible because it involves hiring an external resource, which may not be available or affordable. Moreover, hiring a coach does not guarantee that the problem will be solved, as the coach may not have the same context or understanding of the project as the team members.
1: Agile Retrospective Guide:
What Is It &.
How To Run It 2: Sprint Retrospective:
How to Hold an
Effective Meeting – Atlassian 3: End of the project: how to run your final retrospective
A project manager is working with the same project team as in the last two construction projects. The project manager managed this team on a micro level for the last two projects. However, now the project manager would like to use a different leadership style to allow the team to make their own decisions.
What kind of leadership style should the project manager utilize for the current project?
- A . Transformational
- B . Interactional
- C . Laissez-faire
- D . Charismatic
C
Explanation:
The laissez-faire leadership style is characterized by allowing the team to make their own decisions and work independently. This style is suitable for teams that are mature, competent, and motivated, which seems to be the case with the project manager’s team, as they have previously worked together on construction projects. The laissez-faire approach trusts the team’s abilities and encourages autonomy and self-organization, which can lead to increased innovation and creativity.
Reference: The information is based on the leadership styles described in the Project Management Professional (PMP) and Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) reference materials, which outline various leadership styles and their applications in project management contexts1234.
A project manager is in the middle of an agile project comprised of 100 user stories broken down into five iterations Each user story is worth USS50. The actual expenditure is US$2,000 and 50 user stories have been delivered.
Which statement is true”
- A . The project is on budget and on schedule.
- B . The project is over budget and behind schedule
- C . The project is under budget and behind schedule.
- D . The project is under budget and on schedule.
D
Explanation:
we need to calculate the planned value (PV), earned value (EV), and actual cost (AC) of the project at the end of the second iteration. PV is the budgeted amount of work that should have been completed by a certain point in time. EV is the value of the work that has been actually completed by a certain point in time. AC is the amount of money that has been actually spent by a certain point in time. The formulas are:
PV (Budget at Completion / Total number of user stories) × Planned number of user stories EV (Budget at Completion / Total number of user stories) × Actual number of user stories AC Actual expenditure
The budget at completion (BAC) is the total value of all the user stories, which is 100 × $50 $5,000. The planned number of user stories at the end of the second iteration is 40 (20 per iteration). The actual number of user stories delivered is 50. The actual expenditure is $2,000. Therefore: PV ($5,000 / 100) × 40 $2,000 EV ($5,000 / 100) × 50 $2,500 AC $2,000
To determine whether the project is on budget or not, we can compare the EV and the AC using the cost variance (CV) and the cost performance index (CPI). The formulas are: CV EV-ACCPI EV/AC
If CV is positive or zero, the project is on budget or under budget. If CV is negative, the project is over budget. If CPI is greater than or equal to one, the project is on budget or under budget.
If CPI is less than one, the project is over budget. In this case:
CV $2,500 – $2,000 $500 CPI $2,500 / $2,000 1.25
Both CV and CPI indicate that the project is under budget.
To determine whether the project is on schedule or not, we can compare the EV and the PV using the schedule variance (SV) and the schedule performance index (SPI). The formulas are: SV EV-PVSPI EV/PV
If SV is positive or zero, the project is on schedule or ahead of schedule. If SV is negative, the project is behind schedule. If SPI is greater than or equal to one, the project is on schedule or ahead of schedule. If SPI is less than one, the project is behind schedule. In this case: SV $2,500 – $2,000 $500 SPI $2,500 / $2,000 1.25
Both SV and SPI indicate that the project is ahead of schedule.
Therefore, the correct statement is that the project is under budget and on schedule.
Reference: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 267-269, 292-293
PMP Exam Questions – Part 16 (Q 151-160), YouTube video by Certify Me Now Top 50+ PMP Exam Questions and Answers for 2024, Simplilearn article
For an agile pilot project, the sponsor arranged an early product demonstration for the customer.
During the meeting, the customer realizes that a new feature will significantly improve the product
After collecting the new requirements, what should the project manager do?
- A . Assess the impact of the new requirements and initiate the change request process.
- B . Work with the product manager and the rest of the team to update the project backlog.
- C . Assess the impact and communicate the updated product roadmap to the stakeholders.
- D . Follow the change management plan to update the risk register so It accounts for the added scope.
B
Explanation:
According to the PMBOK Guide, when using an agile approach, the project manager needs to embrace change and respond to customer feedback by continuously refining and reprioritizing the product backlog1. The product backlog is a dynamic list of the product requirements, user stories, and other work items that need to be completed by the project team. By working with the product manager and the rest of the team to update the project backlog, the project manager can incorporate the new feature requested by the customer, and deliver value early and often1. The other options are not appropriate, as they do not reflect the agile mindset and principles. Assessing the impact of the new requirements and initiating the change request process, assessing the impact and communicating the updated product roadmap, and following the change management plan to update the risk register are all possible actions that could be taken in a predictive or waterfall approach, where changes are more controlled and formalized. However, in an agile approach, changes are expected and welcomed, and the project manager should collaborate with the customer and the team to deliver the best possible product2.
Reference: 1: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 18
2: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 156
A project manager has just completed a fixed-price project and the stakeholder is unhappy with the result.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Explain to the stakeholder that any modifications require additional budget
- B . Review the missed program deliverables with the project team
- C . Review the project charter for the project approval criteria
- D . Speak with the team’s manager to get extra hours from the team
B
Explanation:
When a stakeholder is unhappy with the result of a fixed-price project, the project manager should review the missed program deliverables with the project team1. This allows the team to understand what went wrong and how they can improve in future projects. It’s important to note that in a fixed-price project, the risk of incurring additional costs to complete performance of the project falls entirely on the supplier1. Therefore, performing any out of scope work that has not been agreed to, such as through a change order process, adds costs to the project1.
Reference: The special challenges of project management under fixed-price contracts
In the middle of a software development project, the lead design programmer accepted an offer from a competitor. The project manager needs to find a replacement to meet an upcoming milestone.
What should the project manager do?
- A . Consult the risk response plan.
- B . Assign the tasks to another team member.
- C . Update the resource calendar.
- D . Issue a request to the change control board (CCB).
A
Explanation:
When a key team member, such as the lead design programmer, leaves in the middle of a project, it’s a risk that could have been foreseen and for which a contingency plan might have been created. The project manager should consult the risk response plan, which will have strategies or actions outlined for such eventualities. This is a proactive approach to manage the situation without disrupting the project’s progress and ensures that the project manager is prepared to handle the loss of critical personnel effectively1.
Reference: The importance of having a risk response plan that includes strategies for potential personnel changes is emphasized in PMI’s guidelines for risk management. This approach is supported by resources that describe risk response strategies for mitigation, avoidance, transfer, exploitation, enhancement, sharing, and acceptance, which are essential for ensuring positive project outcomes2. Additionally, the role of the change control board is typically to oversee proposed changes to the project plan, not to manage resource allocation or personnel changes3.