10 Common Types of Hard PMP Questions with Examples

Question 1:
You are managing a large-scale project to implement an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for a client. The client has a complex organizational structure with many stakeholders. During a steering committee meeting, two key stakeholders, the CFO and the IT Director, get into a heated argument about the system’s priorities. The CFO wants to focus on financial reporting features, while the IT Director insists that the infrastructure and security aspects must be prioritized first. Both stakeholders are highly influential, and the argument is causing delays in decision-making and progress. What should you do first to manage this conflict?

A) Schedule a separate meeting with the CFO and IT Director to discuss their concerns in detail
B) Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and request their involvement in resolving the conflict
C) Remind both stakeholders about the project’s objectives and ask them to find a compromise
D) Use your authority as the project manager to make the final decision and move forward with the project plan

Question 2:
You are managing a software development project, and during testing, a critical bug is found that delays the release of a key feature. The team is working overtime to resolve the issue, but the project sponsor insists on launching the product according to the original schedule to meet a marketing campaign deadline. What should you do first?

A) Inform the sponsor that the project will be delayed due to the bug and propose a new timeline
B) Work with the team to determine the impact of the bug and develop a workaround or contingency plan
C) Proceed with the launch despite the bug and fix it in a future update
D) Escalate the issue to senior management for their decision on whether to proceed with the release

Question 1:
You are managing a project that is behind schedule due to unforeseen technical issues. Your team has identified a solution, but implementing it will require additional time and resources. Meanwhile, the project sponsor is becoming increasingly anxious about the delays and has asked for a progress report. What should you do next?

A) Update the project sponsor on the new technical solution and the expected impact on the schedule and budget
B) Implement the solution immediately to catch up on the schedule before informing the sponsor
C) Review the project management plan to identify potential areas where time and costs can be saved
D) Schedule a meeting with the project sponsor to discuss potential changes to the project scope and schedule

Question 2:
You are managing a construction project, and the team has just completed a critical milestone. However, during a routine inspection, several defects in the foundation were identified. These defects could potentially delay the next phase of the project. What should you do next?

A) Stop work immediately until the defects are fully repaired
B) Assess the severity of the defects and evaluate their impact on the next phase of the project
C) Inform the client about the defects and negotiate an extension of the project deadline
D) Request additional resources to speed up the repair process and prevent further delays

Question 1:
You are managing a software development project, and one of your key stakeholders, a department head, has been consistently unresponsive during meetings. Despite sending several emails and updates, they have failed to provide the necessary feedback on key deliverables. This is causing delays in development and putting the project timeline at risk. Without their input, the team cannot proceed with the next phase. What is the best course of action?

A) Escalate the issue to the project sponsor to ensure the stakeholder’s involvement
B) Continue the project without the stakeholder’s feedback, relying on your best judgment
C) Reach out to the stakeholder through multiple channels, such as phone calls or a face-to-face meeting, to understand their concerns
D) Reassign the responsibility of providing feedback to another team member who is more responsive

Question 2:
You are managing a project that has multiple stakeholders with competing interests. During a stakeholder meeting, the marketing manager raises concerns that the project’s current scope does not fully address their department’s needs. However, expanding the scope would increase costs and delay the timeline, which other stakeholders oppose. What is the best way to handle this situation?

A) Hold a follow-up meeting with the marketing manager to discuss their concerns privately
B) Ask the stakeholders to vote on whether to expand the scope and accept the consequences
C) Facilitate a discussion during the meeting to explore possible compromises that address the marketing manager’s needs without significantly affecting the timeline or costs
D) Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and ask them to make the final decision

Question 1:
Your project involves launching a new product, and during a risk review meeting, your team identifies a previously overlooked risk: a potential regulatory change that could impact product compliance. If the new regulation is enacted, the product will require substantial modifications, which could delay the launch by several months. What should you do first to manage this risk?

A) Immediately escalate the risk to the project sponsor and request additional resources to mitigate it
B) Document the risk in the risk register and develop a contingency plan for modifying the product if the regulation is enacted
C) Instruct the team to stop work on the current product design until the regulatory decision is finalized
D) Ignore the risk for now, as the regulation has not been officially enacted

Question 2:
While managing an IT infrastructure project, your team identifies a potential risk: a new regulation that could require significant changes to the system’s security protocols. The regulation has not yet been enacted, but if it is, your project would need major revisions to comply. What should you do first?

A) Immediately adjust the project scope to account for the potential regulation
B) Document the risk in the risk register and create a risk response plan
C) Continue with the project as planned and wait until the regulation is officially enacted
D) Escalate the risk to the project sponsor and request additional budget to prepare for the changes

Question 1:
You are managing a project to upgrade an internal HR system. Halfway through the project, the HR Director submits a change request to add a new module for employee self-service. The team has already completed 70% of the system design, and incorporating this new module would require significant rework. However, the HR Director insists that this feature is essential for user adoption. What should you do first?

A) Approve the change request immediately, as the HR Director is a key stakeholder
B) Deny the change request, as it would cause significant rework and delay the project
C) Assess the impact of the change on the project’s scope, timeline, and budget before making a decision
D) Present the change request to the team and ask for their input on how to implement it without affecting the timeline

Question 2:
Your project is in the execution phase, and a key stakeholder has submitted a change request to add a new feature. The change would require additional time and resources, but it would significantly enhance the product’s value to the customer. Your team is currently working at full capacity and already behind schedule. What should you do first?

A) Reject the change request due to the project’s current delays
B) Approve the change request since it adds value to the final product
C) Assess the impact of the change on the project’s schedule, cost, and resources before making a decision
D) Present the change request to the project sponsor and ask them to make the decision

Question 1:
You are managing a cross-functional team that is working on a high-profile project. Two team members from different departments are struggling to collaborate due to differences in work styles. One prefers a structured, step-by-step approach, while the other prefers a more flexible, creative process. This conflict is affecting their ability to meet deadlines. What leadership approach should you take to resolve this issue and get the project back on track?

A) Assign a mediator to work with both team members and help them align their work styles
B) Schedule a team meeting to discuss the importance of collaboration and encourage the team to resolve the issue internally
C) Meet with both team members individually to understand their perspectives and provide tailored guidance on how to work together
D) Allow each team member to work independently, and review their progress separately to avoid further conflict

Question 2:
You are managing a project team that has been struggling to meet deadlines due to a lack of coordination. Two senior team members have differing approaches to problem-solving, which has caused friction within the team. One prefers a collaborative approach, while the other prefers to work independently. What leadership approach should you take to resolve this conflict and improve team performance?

A) Assign each team member tasks that align with their preferred working style
B) Hold a team meeting to discuss the importance of collaboration and establish clear expectations for teamwork
C) Meet with both senior team members individually to understand their concerns and find a way for them to work together
D) Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and request their guidance on how to resolve the conflict

Question 1:
You are managing a hybrid project that involves both Agile and Waterfall teams. The Agile team is responsible for developing features iteratively, while the Waterfall team handles documentation, regulatory approvals, and final system integration. The Agile team has completed several iterations, but the Waterfall team is struggling to keep up with the pace of documentation and approvals. This discrepancy is causing delays in integration. What should you do to resolve this issue?

A) Slow down the Agile team’s development to allow the Waterfall team to catch up
B) Implement a sprint buffer in the Agile team’s iterations to give the Waterfall team time to complete their tasks
C) Schedule regular synchronization meetings between both teams to align their schedules and adjust priorities
D) Transition the Waterfall team to Agile so they can match the pace of the development team

Question 2:
You are managing a large-scale hybrid project that integrates both Agile and Waterfall approaches. The Agile development team has been completing sprints on schedule, but the Waterfall-based testing team has fallen behind due to unanticipated complexities in the system architecture. Additionally, the Waterfall team needs critical input from the Agile team to proceed with integration testing, but the Agile team has moved on to the next phase of development. What is the best approach to resolve this issue while maintaining both teams’ productivity?

A) Slow down the Agile team’s development until the Waterfall team catches up with their testing
B) Prioritize the Agile team’s next sprint to focus on providing documentation and support to the Waterfall team for integration testing
C) Schedule regular sprint retrospectives that include the Waterfall team to ensure their feedback is incorporated and testing keeps pace with development
D) Implement an interim cross-functional task force composed of both Agile and Waterfall team members to identify integration gaps and improve collaboration

Question 1:
Your project is halfway through its planned timeline, with a total budget of $200,000. The project’s Earned Value (EV) is $90,000, the Actual Cost (AC) is $110,000, and the Planned Value (PV) is $100,000. Based on these values, what is your project’s Cost Performance Index (CPI) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI), and what do these values indicate about the project’s current status?

A) CPI = 0.82, SPI = 0.90; the project is over budget and behind schedule
B) CPI = 1.22, SPI = 1.10; the project is under budget and ahead of schedule
C) CPI = 0.90, SPI = 0.82; the project is behind schedule and slightly over budget
D) CPI = 1.10, SPI = 0.90; the project is under budget but behind schedule

Question 2:
Your project has a total budget of $1,000,000 and is expected to be completed in 12 months. After six months, the following data has been collected:
Planned Value (PV): $600,000
Earned Value (EV): $500,000
Actual Cost (AC): $550,000
Additionally, a new critical risk has materialized that will require an additional $100,000 to mitigate. The project sponsor is concerned about whether the project can still be completed within the budget and on schedule. What is the project’s current Cost Performance Index (CPI) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI), and how should you adjust your forecasted cost and schedule to account for the risk?

A) CPI = 0.91, SPI = 0.83; the project is over budget and behind schedule. You should revise the Estimate at Completion (EAC) by adding the $100,000 risk mitigation cost and extending the timeline by two months
B) CPI = 0.91, SPI = 0.83; the project is over budget and behind schedule. You should recalculate EAC as (BAC/CPI) and rebaseline the schedule to account for risk
C) CPI = 0.83, SPI = 0.91; the project is under budget but ahead of schedule. You should reallocate the contingency reserve to address the risk and maintain the current timeline
D) CPI = 0.91, SPI = 0.83; the project is over budget and behind schedule. You should immediately escalate the issue to the project sponsor and request additional resources to stay on schedule

Question 1:
You are managing a project, and a contractor working on your project informs you that they have discovered significant discrepancies in the materials they’ve received from a supplier. They suspect the supplier has been cutting corners, which could compromise the quality of the deliverables. What should you do first to address this issue, in alignment with PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct?

A) Investigate the contractor’s claim independently before taking any action to avoid unnecessary escalation
B) Immediately report the supplier’s potential wrongdoing to senior management and initiate a formal investigation
C) Speak with the supplier to give them a chance to explain and rectify the situation before involving senior management
D) Continue with the project while monitoring the supplier’s future deliveries closely, as the discrepancies might not impact the final outcome

Question 2:
You are managing a project, and one of your key suppliers consistently fails to meet the agreed-upon delivery dates for critical components. This has caused delays in your project, and you are under pressure to meet the deadline. A team member suggests working with an alternative supplier that can provide the components more quickly, but this new supplier has not been vetted according to the organization’s procurement policies. What should you do first, in alignment with PMI’s Code of Ethics?

A) Approve the use of the alternative supplier to keep the project on track
B) Report the current supplier’s issues to senior management and request their guidance on next steps
C) Continue working with the current supplier, despite the delays, to avoid violating procurement policies
D) Conduct a risk assessment of switching to the new supplier and present it to the procurement department for approval

Question 1:
Your project is nearing completion, but a critical stakeholder has raised concerns about one of the deliverables, claiming it does not meet the original business requirements. They are now requesting additional features that were not included in the initial scope. The project is already over budget, and adding these features would extend the timeline by several weeks. What should you do next?

A) Review the original business requirements and confirm whether the deliverable meets the agreed-upon scope
B) Approve the stakeholder’s request and extend the project timeline to ensure their satisfaction
C) Deny the request immediately, as the project is already over budget and the additional features were not part of the initial scope
D) Present the stakeholder’s request to the change control board for review and approval

Question 2:
Your project is 80% complete, but a major regulatory change has been announced that directly impacts the deliverables. The project is already over budget, and the sponsor is concerned about additional delays. The team estimates that the regulatory changes will require significant rework, but the sponsor insists that the project must be completed on time. What should you do next?

A) Implement the regulatory changes immediately and inform the sponsor of the new timeline
B) Conduct an impact analysis to assess how the regulatory changes will affect the project’s scope, cost, and schedule
C) Request additional resources from the sponsor to ensure that the regulatory changes are implemented without further delays
D) Escalate the issue to senior management for their decision on whether to prioritize compliance or on-time delivery