Project Management Questions: Practice and Revision

A high-profile stakeholder has disengaged from the project, no longer attending key meetings or responding to status updates. Other stakeholders still recognize their influence, and there is concern their lack of participation may delay approvals. What should the project manager do? a\. Engage the...

A high-profile stakeholder has disengaged from the project, no longer attending key meetings or responding to status updates. Other stakeholders still recognize their influence, and there is concern their lack of participation may delay approvals. What should the project manager do? a\. Engage the stakeholder directly to understand their concerns and reinforce their role.\ b. Continue project work as planned, assuming their absence is a sign of trust.\ c. Escalate the issue to leadership and request formal re-engagement.\ d. Assign another stakeholder to represent their interests without further discussion. Correct Answer: A A local government agency unexpectedly introduces new compliance requirements that significantly impact the project scope. Some stakeholders believe these regulations should be challenged, while others insist on immediate adaptation. What should the project manager do? a\. Assess the impact of compliance changes while negotiating feasible implementation strategies.\ b. Proceed with existing plans and adjust later if enforcement becomes strict.\ c. Challenge the regulations formally before making any project adjustments.\ d. Assign legal counsel to manage compliance while the team focuses on execution. Correct Answer: A A key investor is becoming impatient with the project timeline, demanding faster progress despite known constraints. The investor has no direct authority over project execution but holds significant financial influence. What should the project manager do? a\. Manage expectations through transparent reporting and phased progress updates.\ b. Prioritize speed over other constraints to maintain investor confidence.\ c. Escalate the issue to leadership and request a strategic decision.\ d. Ignore the investor's concerns since they lack direct authority. Correct Answer: A A senior executive is actively bypassing formal stakeholder communication channels, giving direct instructions to team members. This is causing confusion and misalignment with project priorities. What should the project manager do? a\. Clarify governance processes while engaging the executive to reinforce structured communication.\ b. Allow the team to follow executive directives to avoid conflict.\ c. Escalate the issue immediately and request intervention from leadership.\ d. Require team members to disregard unauthorized instructions and focus on planned tasks. Correct Answer: A A community advocacy group has begun publicly opposing a project initiative, claiming it will negatively impact local stakeholders. The organization was not initially identified as a key stakeholder, but their influence is now growing. What should the project manager do? a\. Engage the advocacy group to understand their concerns and identify mitigation options.\ b. Ignore external opposition since the project plan has already been approved.\ c. Adjust the project scope immediately to align with advocacy concerns.\ d. Issue a formal response countering the advocacy group's claims. Correct Answer: A A regulatory body has flagged a potential compliance risk in the project but has not provided clear directives on how to proceed. Some stakeholders suggest waiting for formal guidelines, while others believe the team should proactively implement solutions. What should the project manager do? a\. Evaluate potential compliance risks and implement precautionary measures.\ b. Wait for further regulatory updates before making any project adjustments.\ c. Assume compliance requirements will remain unchanged and proceed as planned.\ d. Escalate the issue to legal counsel and await their recommendations. Correct Answer: A A customer stakeholder group has started demanding weekly reporting updates that were not part of the original communication plan. The team is concerned about the additional workload, while stakeholders insist on greater transparency. What should the project manager do? a\. Negotiate a reporting format that balances transparency and efficiency.\ b. Implement weekly reporting to maintain stakeholder satisfaction.\ c. Reduce other reporting obligations to accommodate new stakeholder demands.\ d. Escalate the issue to leadership and request a formal policy decision. Correct Answer: A A project sponsor has started micromanaging execution, directly instructing team members on technical details. Some stakeholders believe this undermines the project manager's authority, while the sponsor insists their involvement ensures success. What should the project manager do? a\. Reinforce governance roles while ensuring the sponsor feels involved in key decisions.\ b. Accept the sponsor's involvement to avoid conflict.\ c. Request that leadership formally restrict sponsor interactions with the team.\ d. Allow the team to work independently without engaging the sponsor. Correct Answer: A A vendor stakeholder is proposing scope changes that would increase their contract value but are not aligned with project priorities. Some stakeholders see potential benefits, while others believe the changes are unnecessary and costly. What should the project manager do? a\. Assess the proposal's impact while ensuring alignment with project objectives.\ b. Accept the vendor's recommendations and adjust the contract accordingly.\ c. Reject the changes outright and reinforce original scope commitments.\ d. Allow leadership to determine whether the changes should be approved. Correct Answer: A A diverse stakeholder group has conflicting expectations about how project benefits should be measured. Some prioritize financial impact, while others emphasize social and environmental outcomes. What should the project manager do? a\. Facilitate alignment by defining multi-criteria success metrics that address different priorities.\ b. Default to financial success metrics as the primary measurement.\ c. Focus on delivering the original scope without adjusting evaluation methods.\ d. Allow each stakeholder group to determine their own measurement criteria. Correct Answer: A A government agency unexpectedly updates its permitting requirements, requiring additional documentation. The agency has not provided a clear deadline for compliance, but some stakeholders want to proceed without delay, while others prefer to pause until requirements are confirmed. What should the project manager do? a\. Engage the agency to clarify expectations while ensuring project risks are mitigated.\ b. Proceed as planned and wait for formal enforcement of the new requirements.\ c. Pause the project until a final regulatory decision is announced.\ d. Shift responsibility to legal counsel and allow them to handle compliance issues. Correct Answer: A A project team is receiving conflicting input from multiple executive stakeholders, each with competing priorities. Some executives want the project to focus on speed, while others emphasize cost control. The misalignment is delaying execution. What should the project manager do? a\. Facilitate stakeholder alignment by defining shared priorities and trade-offs.\ b. Default to the highest-ranking executive's preference to prevent further delays.\ c. Allow each executive stakeholder to influence their respective areas independently.\ d. Proceed with execution and adjust priorities later based on stakeholder feedback. Correct Answer: A A customer advisory board is lobbying for a feature enhancement, arguing it would increase long-term product value. However, the enhancement conflicts with the project\'s existing timeline and budget constraints. What should the project manager do? a\. Assess feasibility and negotiate trade-offs while keeping stakeholders engaged.\ b. Accept the enhancement request and adjust scope accordingly.\ c. Reject the request to maintain project constraints.\ d. Allow leadership to determine whether the enhancement should be included. Correct Answer: A A project sponsor is pushing for increased stakeholder visibility, requiring all project updates to be shared publicly. Some team members are concerned that sensitive information may be misinterpreted, while others welcome the transparency. What should the project manager do? a\. Define a communication strategy that balances transparency with risk management.\ b. Fully comply with the sponsor's request and share all project data publicly.\ c. Limit stakeholder updates to only essential information.\ d. Allow individual teams to determine their own level of transparency. Correct Answer: A A regulatory body has imposed an unexpected audit on the project, requiring substantial documentation that was not initially planned. Some stakeholders are concerned about compliance risks, while others see this as an unnecessary distraction. What should the project manager do? a\. Coordinate a response that ensures compliance while minimizing project disruption.\ b. Assign the compliance team to manage the audit separately.\ c. Pause project work until the audit is completed.\ d. Proceed as planned and respond to audit requests if they escalate. Correct Answer: A A regional project partner is negotiating for more influence over decisions, arguing that their local expertise is being undervalued. Other stakeholders fear that shifting control could impact the project's global consistency. What should the project manager do? a\. Facilitate discussions that balance regional expertise with global project alignment.\ b. Grant the regional partner more decision-making power to strengthen collaboration.\ c. Maintain centralized control to ensure consistency.\ d. Allow leadership to determine the level of regional influence. Correct Answer: A A supplier has requested an extension on their contract obligations, citing unforeseen disruptions. Some stakeholders are willing to adjust, while others insist the supplier must meet the original terms. What should the project manager do? a\. Negotiate a revised agreement that considers feasibility while managing risk.\ b. Enforce the contract terms without flexibility.\ c. Terminate the supplier agreement and find an alternative provider.\ d. Allow procurement to handle the issue without project team involvement. Correct Answer: A An internal stakeholder is opposing the project due to misalignment with their department's strategic goals. Despite multiple discussions, they remain resistant and are influencing others to share their concerns. What should the project manager do? a\. Engage the stakeholder to explore shared benefits while addressing their concerns.\ b. Proceed with execution without further stakeholder engagement.\ c. Escalate the issue and request leadership intervention.\ d. Allow the stakeholder to opt out of project involvement. Correct Answer: A A customer advocacy group has raised concerns about the ethical implications of a project, requesting a third-party review. Some stakeholders believe the request will cause delays, while others argue that it builds credibility. What should the project manager do? a\. Evaluate the impact of the request while maintaining project progress.\ b. Accept the request and implement a formal third-party review.\ c. Reject the request to avoid potential project delays.\ d. Allow stakeholders to decide collectively on next steps. Correct Answer: A A highly engaged stakeholder is dominating meetings, making it difficult for other perspectives to be heard. While their input is valuable, other team members feel excluded from discussions. What should the project manager do? a\. Implement structured facilitation techniques to ensure all voices are heard.\ b. Allow the stakeholder to lead discussions due to their expertise.\ c. Limit stakeholder participation to balance discussions.\ d. Request the stakeholder contribute feedback separately from meetings. Correct Answer: A A project has shifted its strategic focus, and some stakeholders who were previously supportive are now questioning its long-term viability. Leadership is expecting full alignment, but resistance is growing among key decision-makers. What should the project manager do? a\. Engage stakeholders to address concerns while reinforcing the strategic benefits.\ b. Proceed with the revised strategy and assume alignment will develop over time.\ c. Escalate the issue to leadership and request intervention.\ d. Allow stakeholders to opt out of engagement if they are resistant to change. Correct Answer: A A key supplier is struggling to meet their commitments, and some stakeholders are pushing for contract termination to mitigate risks. Others believe that continued engagement is necessary to avoid further disruptions. What should the project manager do? a\. Negotiate a recovery plan while assessing long-term supplier reliability.\ b. Terminate the supplier agreement and transition to an alternative provider.\ c. Accept the delays and adjust project schedules accordingly.\ d. Allow procurement to determine whether termination is necessary. Correct Answer: A A senior executive has announced a major organizational restructuring, which may impact project funding. Some stakeholders are worried about resource availability, while others are uncertain about long-term priorities. What should the project manager do? a\. Clarify project alignment with organizational goals while addressing stakeholder concerns.\ b. Proceed with execution and wait for leadership to finalize restructuring plans.\ c. Escalate the issue and request confirmation of continued project funding.\ d. Delay non-critical project activities until the restructuring is completed. Correct Answer: A A community group has filed a formal complaint about the project, arguing that it disregards local interests. Leadership wants to avoid delays, but some stakeholders believe public engagement is necessary. What should the project manager do? a\. Engage the community to explore concerns while maintaining project commitments.\ b. Ignore the complaint and continue execution as planned.\ c. Adjust the project scope immediately to accommodate community demands.\ d. Allow legal counsel to handle all public relations matters. Correct Answer: A A newly appointed project sponsor has a different leadership style than their predecessor and is requesting more direct involvement in decision-making. Some stakeholders welcome the change, while others are concerned about micromanagement. What should the project manager do? a\. Clarify the sponsor's role while ensuring stakeholder alignment on governance.\ b. Accept the sponsor's leadership approach and adjust project workflows accordingly.\ c. Push back against the changes to maintain existing decision-making structures.\ d. Allow stakeholders to individually determine how they engage with the sponsor. Correct Answer: A A highly influential external stakeholder has requested an exclusive briefing on project progress, separate from the standard reporting process. Some team members view this as favoritism, while others see it as a necessary political move. What should the project manager do? a\. Ensure stakeholder engagement is equitable while addressing unique concerns.\ b. Grant the exclusive briefing to maintain strong external relationships.\ c. Decline the request to ensure fairness across all stakeholders.\ d. Allow leadership to determine whether an exception should be made. Correct Answer: A A project milestone has been missed, and some stakeholders are blaming insufficient risk management, while others cite external market factors. Leadership wants a clear explanation before determining next steps. What should the project manager do? a\. Conduct a root cause analysis while ensuring stakeholders remain aligned on risk strategy.\ b. Assign blame to external factors and adjust the project plan accordingly.\ c. Accept full responsibility and push for more aggressive risk management.\ d. Proceed with execution and allow leadership to determine next actions. Correct Answer: A A diverse stakeholder group is struggling to reach consensus on a key project decision. Some favor an aggressive expansion strategy, while others prefer a more conservative approach. Deadlocks are delaying execution. What should the project manager do? a\. Facilitate a structured decision-making process that ensures balanced stakeholder input.\ b. Allow the majority to determine the final course of action.\ c. Defer the decision to leadership and await further direction.\ d. Proceed with the expansion strategy as it aligns with the initial project plan. Correct Answer: A A regulatory agency is conducting an unexpected audit, raising concerns about compliance gaps. Some stakeholders want to pause project work, while others believe continued execution is necessary to meet commitments. What should the project manager do? a\. Ensure audit readiness while minimizing project disruption.\ b. Pause all activities until the audit is completed.\ c. Continue execution and address compliance issues if they arise.\ d. Assign a separate compliance team to handle the audit independently. Correct Answer: A A project team member has privately expressed concerns about unethical behavior by a senior stakeholder. The accusation lacks concrete evidence, but the issue is potentially serious. What should the project manager do? a\. Follow organizational ethics procedures while protecting confidentiality.\ b. Escalate the concern immediately and request an official investigation.\ c. Ignore the concern unless more evidence is presented.\ d. Advise the team member to address the issue directly with the stakeholder. Correct Answer: A