PMP Practice Questions #20
You are the Project Manager for a project that involves the introduction of a new software tool for the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. You’ve identified that stakeholders are unfamiliar with this tool. Ensuring proper training is essential for the project’s success. Which of the following steps should you take FIRST to ensure this?
A) Allocate the budget for a comprehensive training program for the entire project team and stakeholders.
B) Conduct a survey among team members and stakeholders to assess their familiarity and comfort level with the new software tool.
C) Identify Training as the first milestone in your Project.
D) Plan training for key stakeholders so they can train others and save costs.
Analysis
The question targets a Project Manager’s approach to introducing a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool that stakeholders are not acquainted with. Proper training is essential for successful implementation. The focus is on selecting the FIRST step in ensuring effective training. The objective is to prepare stakeholders to efficiently use the new system, aligning with the need to facilitate change and enhance skills within the organization.
Analysis of Options:
Option A: Allocate the budget for a comprehensive training program for the entire project team and stakeholders. Allocating a budget for training is necessary, but the term “comprehensive” suggests a one-size-fits-all approach, which may not be suitable given the varied roles and engagement levels of different stakeholders. Moreover, this action seems premature without first assessing the specific training needs and existing knowledge levels of the stakeholders.
Option B: Conduct a survey among team members and stakeholders to assess their familiarity and comfort level with the new software tool. This option is ideal as it prioritizes understanding the current skill levels and training needs before any budget allocation or detailed planning. It supports the creation of a tailored training program that can address the specific requirements and preferences of different stakeholder groups, promoting efficient and effective skill enhancement.
Option C: Identify Training as the first milestone in your Project. While acknowledging training as a milestone is important, setting it as the first milestone might not be necessary. There could be other preliminary milestones like pilot demonstrations or training gap analyses. This option lacks the foundational step of assessing training needs.
Option D: Plan training for key stakeholders so they can train others and save costs. While cost-saving and efficient, and this “train-the-trainer” method can save time and money. However, it assumes that a single training approach suits everyone. This method overlooks the crucial step of determining the unique training needs of each stakeholder.
Conclusion: After reviewing all the options, Option B appears to be the best initial step. It recommends conducting a survey to assess the familiarity of team members and stakeholders with the new software tool. This approach enables the Project Manager to gain a clear understanding of everyone’s current knowledge levels, aiding in the decision-making process for subsequent steps. This strategy aligns with the principle of ensuring training needs and facilitates organizational change. Therefore, Option B is the most prudent beginning, as it assists in strategizing the ensuing actions.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| Business | Task 4: Support organizational change |
| People | Task 5: Ensure team members/stakeholders are adequately trained |
Topics Covered
- Training , Mentoring and Coaching
- Organizational Change Management
- Stakeholder Engagement
