PMP Practice Questions #131
Your project is currently behind schedule, causing significant concern for the client who is eager to see some results. As a project manager, which of the following approaches is the best one to address the situation effectively?
A) Prepare a detailed project status report, highlighting what has been completed, what is in progress, and what is pending, and then share this report with the client.
B) Identify and prioritize project components that can be quickly completed to show early results to the client and replan the rest of the project.
C) Replan the rest of the project, providing clarity about the revised timelines and expected deliverables, and communicate this new plan with the client.
D) Revisit the project’s risk management strategies to ensure that all potential risks are being managed proactively to prevent further delays.
Analysis
In addressing a project that is currently behind schedule and has raised significant concerns from the client, it’s crucial to find a strategy that not only addresses the delay but also manages the client’s expectations effectively. The project manager must choose an approach that balances transparency, urgency, and strategic replanning to navigate the project back on track while maintaining stakeholder confidence.
Analysis of Options:
Option A: Prepare a detailed project status report, highlighting what has been completed, what is in progress, and what is pending, and then share this report with the client. While ensuring transparency through a detailed status report is essential, this approach primarily focuses on communication without offering a proactive solution to address the delay or the client’s eagerness to see progress. It’s a necessary step but not sufficiently comprehensive as a standalone action.
Option B: Identify and prioritize project components that can be quickly completed to show early results to the client and replan the rest of the project. This approach directly addresses the client’s eagerness to see results by identifying components of the project that can be quickly completed. It also suggests a replanning of the project, which tackles the issue of being behind schedule. This option offers a balanced response by showing immediate progress and adjusting the project plan for long-term success.
Option C: Replan the rest of the project, providing clarity about the revised timelines and expected deliverables, and communicate this new plan with the client. Replanning the project to adjust timelines and deliverables is a critical step in responding to project delays. However, this option doesn’t address the immediate concern of demonstrating progress to the client, which is a key aspect of the situation described.
Option D: Revisit the project’s risk management strategies to ensure that all potential risks are being managed proactively to prevent further delays. While proactively managing risks is crucial to prevent further delays, this option, similar to Option A, focuses on internal project management processes without directly addressing the need for visible, immediate progress in the eyes of the client.
Conclusion: Option B stands out as the most effective approach for the project manager to assist the client in this scenario. It directly responds to the client’s need to see some results promptly and addresses the broader challenge of the project being behind schedule through replanning. This option demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of agile project management principles, focusing on delivering value incrementally and engaging stakeholders effectively. It aligns with the task of executing projects with the urgency required to deliver business value, emphasizing incremental delivery, stakeholder engagement, and the necessity of adaptability in project planning and execution.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
Topics Covered
- Incremental Delivery
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Project Replanning
- Information Sharing
