PMP Premium Exam Questions

According to the PMBOK Guide, when using an agile approach, the project manager needs to have a clear understanding of the product vision, the product roadmap, and the product backlog1. The product vision is a brief statement that describes the desired outcome of the project and the value it will deliver to the customers and stakeholders2. The product roadmap is a high-level overview of the product features and deliverables, along with the planned timeline and milestones3. The product backlog is a prioritized list of the product requirements, user stories, and other work items that need to be completed by the project team. These three factors help the project manager to align the project objectives with the customer needs, plan and execute the project iteratively and incrementally, and deliver value early and often1. The other options are not relevant for an agile approach, as they are more suitable for a predictive or waterfall approach. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are metrics that measure the performance of the project against the project objectives. Schedule performance index (SPI) is a ratio of the earned value to the planned value, indicating how well the project is progressing according to the schedule. These factors are not essential for delivering a product using an agile approach, as they focus more on the adherence to the plan rather than the delivery of value. References:

1: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 18

2: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 156

3: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 157

: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 158

: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 33

: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 267

 According to the PMBOK Guide, the product owner is the person responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog, and ensuring that the product delivers value to the customer and stakeholders1. The product owner also collaborates with the project team and the project manager to review the work in progress and provide feedback2. Therefore, if a key agile project team member takes a leave of absence in the middle of an iteration and will not return to work for a while, the project manager should review the work in progress with the product owner to determine the next step regarding the feature on which the team member was working. The product owner may decide to defer, modify, or cancel the feature depending on the value and urgency of the feature. The other options are not the best actions for the project manager to do next. Assigning the feature to another team member may not be feasible or desirable, as it may disrupt the team’s self-organization and velocity3. Reviewing team capacity and reassigning the functionality to additional iterations may not be aligned with the product owner’s vision and expectations4. Determining if the team member can work from home may not be possible or appropriate, as it may depend on the team member’s personal situation and the nature of the work. References:

1: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 49

2: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 50

3: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 52

4: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 53

: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 54

: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 57

According to the PMBOK Guide, the stakeholder engagement plan and the communications management plan are two key project documents that guide the project manager on how to manage stakeholder expectations and communicate project information. The stakeholder engagement plan identifies the stakeholder needs, interests, and level of engagement, and defines the strategies and actions to increase their support and minimize their resistance. The communications management plan specifies the communication requirements, methods, frequency, and formats for each stakeholder or stakeholder group. The project manager should review these plans to determine if the stakeholder requesting the status updates is appropriately engaged and informed, and if any changes are needed to accommodate the request. Reviewing the stakeholder engagement and communications management plans is the best action that the project manager should take in this situation. Starting to send status updates to this stakeholder based on the request (A) may not be appropriate or feasible, as it may violate the communication protocols, overload the stakeholder with unnecessary information, or create inconsistencies with other stakeholders. Asking the stakeholder’s manager if the stakeholder can be added to the list (B) may not be necessary or effective, as it may bypass the stakeholder’s own preference, authority, or influence, or create conflict with the stakeholder’s manager. Escalating the stakeholder’s request to the project sponsor (D) may not be warranted or advisable, as it may indicate a lack of project management skills, create unnecessary involvement of the project sponsor, or damage the relationship with the stakeholder. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, pages 513-514, 537-538.

According to the PMBOK Guide, the project manager is responsible for ensuring that the project deliverables meet the acceptance criteria and obtaining formal acceptance of the deliverables from the customer or sponsor1. The project manager should also involve the relevant stakeholders in the validation and acceptance process to ensure their satisfaction and buy-in2. Therefore, the best option is to set up a meeting with stakeholders to validate and confirm acceptance of the deliverables. Option A is incorrect because the project sponsor is not the only stakeholder who needs to approve the deliverables. Option B is incorrect because updating the project management plan and marking the milestone as completed are actions that should be done after obtaining formal acceptance, not before. Option C is incorrect because asking the vendor to validate the agreement for any deviations is not a sufficient way to ensure the quality and compliance of the deliverables. References: 1: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 4.6.3.2, p. 123 2: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, section 13.4.2.2, p. 529