PMP Practice Questions #14
You are a Project Manager for a large software development project. During one of your team’s daily stand-up meetings, a key team member, Alex, brings up an issue. He mentions that a critical piece of software library, which is essential for the project’s next milestone, is currently held up due to licensing issues. This delay could potentially push the project’s deadline back by at least two weeks. What should be your FIRST course of action?
A) Inform the stakeholders about the potential delay immediately.
B) Work with the procurement and legal teams to understand and resolve the licensing issues.
C) Tell the team member to closely work with procurement and legal teams.
D) Escalate the issue to the project’s sponsor for a resolution.
Analysis
The scenario revolves around a project manager overseeing a large software development project. During a team stand-up meeting, a key team member, Alex, reveals an issue: a crucial software library, vital for the project’s next milestone, is unavailable due to licensing challenges. This problem could result in a potential two-week delay for the project. The question centers on determining the most appropriate initial action for the project manager to take.
Analysis of Options:
Option A: Inform the stakeholders about the potential delay immediately. While stakeholder communication is a cornerstone of project management, immediate communication without thorough validation may not be the optimal course of action. The concern has been raised by only one team member, and there isn’t a definitive sign that this perception is universally shared among the team. Consequently, alerting stakeholders about a potential delay without a proper assessment could lead to premature reactions and decisions based on incomplete data.
Option B: Work with the procurement and legal teams to understand and resolve the licensing issues. This option focuses on a proactive and hands-on approach. It’s prudent to first grasp the root cause and explore viable resolutions before making any major decisions. Engaging with the procurement and legal teams, the project manager can gain insight into the nature of the licensing roadblocks and the possible ways to navigate them. This approach embodies servant leadership, where the project manager actively seeks to resolve hurdles hindering the team. It’s about delving deep into the problem, potentially finding a solution, and then, if required, updating stakeholders based on the findings.
Option C: Tell the team member to closely work with procurement and legal teams. While fostering a sense of self-organization and autonomy within teams is commendable, delegating the resolution of such a critical issue back to a team member might not be the best strategy. Significant impediments, especially those with the potential to impact project timelines significantly, should be actively managed by the project manager, given their broader view of the project and the authority to communicate and negotiate across various teams.
Option D: Escalate the issue to the project’s sponsor for a resolution. Instantly escalating a concern without attempting to comprehend or address it isn’t always the right move. Unless there’s an explicit indication that the issue is beyond the project manager’s remit or has reached a point of urgency, it’s generally advisable to analyze the issue thoroughly first.
In conclusion, based on the analysis, Option B: “Work with the procurement and legal teams to understand and resolve the licensing issues” emerges as the most fitting initial step. It seamlessly merges proactive problem-solving, servant leadership, and the potential for effective communication with stakeholders post a comprehensive assessment. The majority of survey participants from the given context also seemed to lean towards this option, further validating its relevance.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| People | Task 7: Address and remove impediments, obstacles, and blockers for the team |
| People | Task 2: Lead a team |
| Process | Task 15: Manage project issues |
Topics Covered
- Impediments Removal
- Servant Leadership
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