A project manager learns that the performance of a high-performing project team member is deteriorating. This team member is a key member of the project.
Which action should the project manager take to motivate and enhance the project team member's performance?
Correct Answer:
A
= The project manager should discuss the issue with the team member and work on an agreed option, because this is the best way to understand the root cause of the performance deterioration and to find a suitable solution that meets the needs and expectations of both parties. The project manager should use active listening, empathy, and feedback skills to communicate with the team member and to show respect and support. The project manager should also involve the team member in the decision-making process and seek their input and agreement on the action plan. This will help to motivate and enhance the team member’s performance by restoring their confidence, trust, and commitment. The other options are not the best choices, because they do not address the issue directly or collaboratively. Assigning the project team member to more challenging tasks (B) may increase their stress and frustration, and worsen their performance. Mentoring the project team member by providing step-by-step guidance © may be helpful in some cases, but it may also undermine their autonomy and creativity, and make them feel micromanaged. Recognizing the project team member in a leadership forum (D) may boost their morale and recognition, but it may not solve the underlying problem or improve their performance. References: = Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Content Outline, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition, How To Motivate Your Team For Better Performance In Your Project, Top 10 Project Team Motivation Techniques For Better Performance
A project manager is asked to negotiate between two team members who frequently have misunderstandings in order to reach an agreement that will advance the project. What should the project manager to?
Correct Answer:
D
The project manager should establish common ground through collaboration and understanding the team members’ needs in order to negotiate between them and reach an agreement that will advance the project. This is a technique of conflict resolution that involves finding a mutually acceptable solution that partially satisfies both parties1. The project manager should facilitate a constructive dialogue between the team members, listen to their perspectives and concerns, and help them identify areas of agreement and compromise2. Encouraging a positive ongoing relationship between the team members (A) may be a good outcome of the negotiation, but it is not a technique to achieve it. Coaching and mentoring the team members to build consensus and resolve the conflict (B) may be a useful approach, but it is not a direct way of negotiating between them. Organizing a team- building event to improve the morale among team members © may be a beneficial activity, but it does not address the specific issue of the misunderstanding between the two team members. References: 1: PMBOK Guide, 6th Edition, p. 5042: Top 60+ PMP Exam Questions and Answers for 2023 - KnowledgeHut
A project for developing software for a retail company's procurement system is in the initiation phase. The project sponsor has expressed concern that the forecasted project implementation date coincides withthe company's financial budget planning period.
Which two actions should the project manager take next to address this concern? (Choose two)
Correct Answer:
AE
The project manager should take proactive actions to address the concern of the project sponsor about the potential conflict between the project implementation date and the company’s financial budget planning period. One action is to facilitate a risk workshop with all stakeholders in attendance to identify and assess all risks to the project, including the one raised by the sponsor. This will help to create a common understanding of the project risks and their potential impact on the project objectives1. Another action is to log the concern as a risk in the project risk register and assess the impact and severity of the risk. This will help to document the risk and its characteristics, such as probability, impact, priority, response strategy, and owner2. These actions will enable the project manager to communicate the risk status and response plan to the sponsor and other stakeholders effectively. Changing the project implementation date (B) may not be feasible or desirable, as it may affect the project scope, schedule, cost, and quality. Communicating to the sponsor that the implementation date is low risk © may not be accurate or convincing, as the project is still in the initiation phase and the risk analysis has not been done. Advising the sponsor that it is not feasible to determine if the end date will be met (D) may not be helpful or reassuring, as it may indicate a lack of planning and control over the project. References: 1: PMBOK Guide, 6th Edition, pp. 397-3982: PMBOK Guide, 6th Edition, p. 436.
A verbal announcement is made that the new team member joining the Scrum team has limited mobility. The scrummaster is aware that some teammembers are unsure how the dynamics of the team will change.
What should the scrum master do?
Correct Answer:
D
= The scrum master should facilitate a meeting with the team and the new team member to discuss how they can work together effectively and inclusively. The scrum master should also ensure that the team respects the diversity and accessibility needs of the new team member, and that the team environment and tools are suitable for the new team member. Creating a stakeholder engagement plan, designing a communications management plan, or updating the team charter are not the best actions in this situation, as they do not address the immediate concerns andexpectations of the team and the new
team member. References: (Project Management Professional (PMP) Reference Materials source and documents)
✑ Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 2: An Agile Mindset, Section 2.2: Empowerment and Collaboration
✑ [PMP Exam Content Outline], Domain III: People, Task 9: Support team diversity and inclusion.
A bank is considering building another branch in one of three neighboring cities. The project manager has been tasked with demonstrating the benefits of building a new branch, renting an existing building, ornot expanding at all.
How should the project manager proceed?
Correct Answer:
B
According to the PMBOK® Guide, net present value (NPV) is a financial analysis technique that calculates the present value of future cash flows, discounted at a specified rate. NPV helps to evaluate the profitability and feasibility of a project or an investment by comparing the present value of the expected benefits with the present value of the required costs. A positive NPV indicates that the project is profitable and worth pursuing, while a negative NPV indicates that the project is not profitable and should be rejected. NPV can also be used to compare different project options and select the one that has the highest NPV, as it represents the most value for the organization.
In this question, the project manager has to demonstrate the benefits of three possible options: building a new branch, renting an existing building, or not expanding at all. To do that, the project manager should use NPV as a decision-making tool. The project manager should calculate the costs for each option in each location, including the initial investment, the operating expenses, and the opportunity costs. The project manager should also estimate the future cash flows for each option, based on the expected revenue, market share, and growth potential. Then, the project manager should apply a discount rate to the future cash flows to obtain their present value. The discount rate reflects the time value of money, the inflation rate, and the risk associated with the project. Finally, the project manager should subtract the present value of the costs from the present value of the benefits to obtain the NPV for each option. The option that has the highest NPV should be recommended as the most beneficial one.
The other options are not correct because they do not provide a valid way to demonstrate the benefits of the three options. Option A is wrong because it only focuses on one option (renting) and does not consider the other two (building or not expanding). Moreover, a gap analysis is a technique to identify the difference between the current state and the desired state of a project or a process, not to evaluate the benefits of different options. Option C is wrong because it uses an inappropriate technique for this situation. A Kano analysis is a tool to classify customer requirements into different categories based on their impact on customer satisfaction. It is not a tool to compare the benefits of different project options.
Option D is wrong because it uses an incomplete technique for this situation. A payback period is a financial analysis technique that calculates the time required to recover the initial investment of a project. It does not consider the cash flows after the payback period, the time value of money, or theprofitability of the project. It is not a sufficient tool to demonstrate the benefits of different options. References:
✑ PMBOK® Guide, 6th edition, pages 333-334, 440-441
✑ Net Present Value Formula PMP®
✑ What Is Net Present Value (NPV) in Project Management?
✑ PMP Exam Prep: Present Value vs Future Value