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Master the 5-Step PMP Test Strategy to Ace Your Exam
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Feb 7, 2025
Struggling to tackle challenging PMP exam questions? In this video, we unveil a practical 5-step strategy to help you answer questions with confidence and precision. Learn how to stay focused, manage your time effectively, and avoid common pitfalls—all while adopting the right PMP mindset. Plus, watch as we apply these strategies to two tough practice questions, showing you exactly how they work in real scenarios. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:24 Step 1 1:13 Step 2 2:00 Step 3 3:15 Step 4 4:00 Step 5 5:02 Question 1 7:45 Question 2 9:50 Recap Resource: 9 Essential PMP Exam Mindset Video: https://youtu.be/EHnKAgDyz1o Webpage: https://pmaspirant.com/pmp-mindsets Tackle 10 types of hard PMP Exam Questions with Confidence Video: https://youtu.be/cdvU9tw0WhE
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0:00
do you struggle with answering questions
0:01
on the PMP exam even though you have
0:03
studied hard to prepare for the test if
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so this video is for you in today's
0:08
video we'll share a practical five-step
0:10
PMP test strategy to help you navigate
0:13
the PMP exam questions with confidence
0:16
stick around to the end where we'll
0:17
apply these strategies to two
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challenging practice questions so you
0:21
can see how they work in real
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scenarios step one read the last
0:26
sentence in the question first have you
0:29
ever read through a wordy question and
0:30
wondered what you just read if so you
0:32
are surely not alone long wordy
0:34
questions can be confusing one strategy
0:37
that may help is to read the last
0:38
sentence in the question first why
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because the last sentence contains the
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core of what the question is asking by
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understanding this upfront you can
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approach the question with purpose
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instead of wondering where this question
0:52
is going for example if the last
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sentence says what should the project
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manager do next you know the focus is on
0:58
the immediate next step in the scenario
1:00
this Clarity allows you to read the rest
1:02
of the question with the right context
1:04
in mind helping you staying focused and
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pick up on the relevant details faster
1:09
it's a simple strategy that can save you
1:11
precious time and reduce confusion step
1:14
two highlight the keywords the PMP exam
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is full of questions that include subtle
1:19
but critical Clues using the Highlight
1:22
tool to pinpoint keywords can help you
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visualize and focus on the most
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important aspects of the question here's
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what to look for
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words that identify the methodology like
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Sprint or iteration for agile or
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critical path and change control for
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predictive key Focus areas such as risk
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stakeholder budget or deadline which
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indicate the topic being tested phrases
1:47
like urgent next step or best action
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which clarify the type of response
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required highlighting these words helps
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you focus on what's important and
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reduces the chances of overlooking
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crucial
2:00
details step three strike out wrong
2:03
answers when tackling multiple choice
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questions there's typically one best
2:07
answer and several good sounding but
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incorrect ones striking out wrong
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answers Narrows your options and boosts
2:13
your chances of picking the right choice
2:16
this is where having a strong grasp of
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the PMP mindset and best practices
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really comes into play for example PMP
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principles emphasize collaboration and
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proactive problem solving if an answer
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suggests ignoring a Stak holder concern
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you know it's inconsistent with these
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values similarly if an option involves
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skipping a process or acting impulsively
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without assessment it's unlikely to be
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the correct Choice the mindset helps you
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recognize and eliminate answers that go
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against the core principles of project
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management such as servant leadership
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assessing before acting and focusing on
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delivering value if you have a strong
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grasp of the PMP mindset usually you can
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eliminate one or two and sometimes three
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wrong answers even without reading the
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scenario question first give it a try if
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this approach helps you stay focused and
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works better for you it can be a huge
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Time Saver if you want to learn more
3:09
about the essential PMP mindsets be sure
3:12
to check out our video Linked In the
3:13
description below okay let's move on
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step four Target 1 minute per question
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managing your time effectively during
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the PMP exam is crucial and setting a
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goal of answering 1 minute per question
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can help while the exam gives you
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slightly more time per question aiming
3:30
for this pace creates a buffer for
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revisiting tougher questions later the
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benefits are twofold first it ensures
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you maintain steady progress reducing
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the risk of falling behind and running
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out of time second it gives you peace of
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mind when you know you're ahead you're
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less likely to feel overwhelmed or
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stressed staying calm and confident
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allows you to focus fully on each
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question by targeting 1 minute per
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question you set yourself up for a more
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controlled and less stressful exam exper
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experience step five answer the question
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and Mark for review leaving a question
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unanswered guarantees a wrong answer so
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always pick an option even if you're
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unsure if you're stuck between two good
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sounding choices select the one that
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seems most aligned with PMP principles
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mark it for review and move on this
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strategy is effective for several
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reasons first marking questions for
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review is a great way to maintain
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momentum second completing the rest of
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the exam might reveal additional
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information or context that may help you
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decide finally revisiting marked
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questions without the time pressure may
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offer a fresh perspective and clear mind
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in answering the question it's also
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important to avoid overthinking spending
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too much time on a single question can
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derail your overall timing instead trust
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your preparation pick the best option
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based on the information available and
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revisit if
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needed now that we have covered the five
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steps let's take a look at our first PMP
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practice this question together and
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apply these
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strategies first let's start by looking
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at the last sentence what should you do
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first this tells us the question is
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asking about the initial action you
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should take not the overall solution we
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need to focus on the first step given
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the scenario let's go back and read the
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question from the beginning and
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highlight key words as you read a
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project you're managing is in the
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execution phase here I would highlight
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the execution phase to remind myself
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that this is a predictive project let's
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continue reading during a stakeholder
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meeting a senior stakeholder expresses
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concerns that the project deliverables
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are not aligning with their business
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unit strategic objectives they propose a
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change that would require additional
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budget and resources and extend the
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timeline by 3 weeks other stakeholders
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seem divided on the urgency of the
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request based on what we highlighted we
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can summarize that we are in the project
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execution phase have a change proposal
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from a senior stakeholder that impacts
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budget resource and timeline and the
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stakeholders are divided we need to
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figure out what to do first by
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highlighting the key words it simplifies
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the wordy questions and helps us stay
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focused on the problem next let's review
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the answer choices and eliminate the
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wrong options together a escalate the
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stakeholders concerns to the sponsor for
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guidance we only escalate as the last
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resort and never the first step so we
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can strike it out easily let's look at B
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proceed with implementing the change to
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avoid further dissatisfaction among
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stakeholders this would be a reactive
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decision without analysis and not
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involve all stakeholders this is going
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against the PMP mindset of assessing
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before acting so we can strike out this
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one too let's take a look at C organize
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a meeting with all stakeholders to
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discuss the change and reach a consensus
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this is a good sounding Choice as this
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option shows collaboration with all the
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stakeholders let's keep it for now and
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look at the Last Choice d initi iate the
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change request process to evaluate the
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feasibility of the proposed change this
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is another good sounding Choice the
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change request process ensures that all
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aspects of the proposed change its
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impact on scope budget and timeline are
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thoroughly analyzed so that we have all
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the facts to make an informed decision
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so we are left with choosing between C
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and D remember that the question asks us
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what to do first the best practice is to
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perform analysis and gather information
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before making a decision therefore the
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best option is D initiate the change
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request process to evaluate the
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feasibility of the proposed change
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before organizing a meeting with all
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stakeholders if you are ready let's try
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to take another practice question and
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apply the same strategy here is the
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question again let's read the last
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sentence first what should you do this
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indicates that we need to focus on
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identifying the best action for this
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given scenario next let's go back and
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read the question your project team has
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identified a potential risk that could
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impact the Project's critical path here
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the keywords indicate that we are
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dealing with a potential risk that can
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impact the project timeline and critical
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path hinted this is a predictive project
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okay let's continue reading the risk
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involves a delay in the delivery of key
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equipment from a vendor which would push
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back subsequent
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activities the team suggests ordering
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the equipment from an alternative vendor
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at a higher cost to mitigate the risk
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however
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the sponsor is concerned about exceeding
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the project budget based on the
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highlighted key words we can summarize
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this problem as a potential risk that
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may impact the project timeline because
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of the vendor's delay in delivery the
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alternative vendor has a higher cost and
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the sponsor is concerned about the
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budget next let's review and strike out
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the wrong answers a escalate the issue
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to the project steering committee to
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obtain approval for the additional cost
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again escalation is always the last
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resort so we can strike this one out B
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proceed with the alternative vendor to
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ensure the project timeline is
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maintained this action skips analysis
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and stakeholder engagement going against
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the PMP mindset so we can strike it out
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easily too C update the risk register
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and monitor the vendor's delivery
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timeline for any changes monitoring
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alone does not address the risk
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proactively so this is not an ideal
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answer let's take a look at the Last
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Choice D present a risk response plan to
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the sponsor that includes the cost of
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using the alternative vendor and its
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impact on the budget and timeline this
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approach ensures transparency and aligns
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with proactive risk management by
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involving the sponsor in the
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decision-making process after providing
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a clear assessment of trade-offs so
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answer D is the best choice there you go
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we completed two questions using the
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five-step strategy to wrap up the video
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let's do a quick recap of the five-step
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strategies to Ace the PMP exam one read
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the last sentence first to focus on your
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approach two highlight keywords to
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pinpoint what the question is asking
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three strike out wrong answers to narrow
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your choices four Target one question
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per minute to stay on track five answer
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every question and Mark for review to
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maintain momentum these strategies can
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help you feel more confident and in
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control during the PMP exam if you find
10:26
this video helpful please give it a
10:28
thumbs up your support helps us create
10:30
more content like this don't forget to
10:33
subscribe for more PMP exam tips and
10:36
strategies so what do you think about
10:38
this five-step PMP test strategy let us
10:41
know in the comments below also check
10:44
out our PMP exam mindset video next
10:47
thank you for watching and good luck on
10:49
your PMP Journey
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