PMP Practice Exam Question

You are managing a project to develop a new software application. The project is in the execution phase, and you have just completed the second iteration of the product. During a review meeting, a key stakeholder expresses concern that the current features do not meet their expectations, which could impact the project's delivery timeline and budget. What should you do next?

A) Continue with the planned iterations, assuming that the stakeholder's concerns will be addressed in the upcoming iterations.

B) Request additional budget and time from the sponsor to incorporate the stakeholder's feedback immediately.

C) Organize a meeting with the stakeholder to understand their concerns and prioritize their feedback in the next iteration.

D) Escalate the issue to senior management to seek guidance on how to proceed.

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Best Answer: C) Organize a meeting with the stakeholder to understand their concerns and prioritize their feedback in the next iteration.

Explanation:

Option C demonstrates proactive stakeholder engagement, which is a critical aspect of project management. By organizing a meeting to understand the stakeholder's concerns, you are acknowledging their importance and ensuring their needs are considered. This approach aligns with the PMBOK? Guide's emphasis on effective communication and stakeholder management.

Given that the project is being developed in iterations (suggesting an agile or iterative approach), it is essential to incorporate feedback regularly to ensure the product meets stakeholder expectations. This choice allows for the adaptive and flexible nature of project management, where changes and enhancements are integrated based on stakeholder feedback and project realities.

By prioritizing the feedback in the next iteration, you avoid unnecessary delays and additional costs that might arise from immediate and unplanned changes. This approach ensures that the project remains agile and responsive without compromising the established timeline and budget constraints.

Why Other Options Are Not the Best:

• Option A (Continue with planned iterations): This choice ignores the stakeholder's concerns, risking project outcomes that do not meet stakeholder expectations. Ignoring feedback can lead to project deliverables that are not aligned with user needs, potentially requiring significant rework later, which is contrary to the principles of stakeholder satisfaction and engagement.
• Option B (Request additional budget and time): While this option considers the stakeholder's feedback, it does so in a manner that could unnecessarily increase the project's cost and extend its timeline without first understanding the depth and impact of the concerns. It's premature to seek additional resources without analyzing the feedback and exploring all options to integrate it within the current project constraints.
• Option D (Escalate the issue to senior management): Escalation should be a last resort and not a first step upon receiving feedback. This option bypasses the opportunity to address the concerns directly with the stakeholder and can undermine the project manager's authority and ability to manage stakeholder expectations. Effective project managers should attempt to resolve issues through direct communication and negotiation before escalating.

In summary, Option C is the best choice because it directly addresses the stakeholder's concerns in a manner that is consistent with good project management practices, such as effective stakeholder engagement, adaptive planning, and efficient use of project resources. It ensures that the project remains aligned with stakeholder expectations while maintaining the flexibility and responsiveness characteristic of iterative project methodologies.