PMI-ACP practice question 1 of 35

A healthcare agency has contracted a vendor to provide a financial accountability solution. During a daily coordination meeting, the lead developer…

A healthcare agency has contracted a vendor to provide a financial accountability solution. During a daily coordination meeting, the lead developer reports they cannot complete the stories for this iteration because the project director requested a document detailing all testing planned for the solution. The team lead met with the project director to discuss alternatives but insists they need the detailed plan by the end of that week. The team lead advises the lead developer to continue coding. What should the team lead do next?

Answer options

A: Negotiate with the project director to reduce the types of tests for which they need details to reduce the impact of this request. Correct answer

B: Escalate this as an issue to the executive project sponsor for a decision because it will impact the ability of the team to deliver the product on time.

C: Ask the test manager to provide a detailed estimate of the time required to write the plan for the solution and their capacity for the remainder of the week.

D: Ask the team to put their work on hold and collaborate on the documentation because it can be completed quicker if everyone shares the work.

Correct Answer:

A. Negotiate with the project director to reduce the types of tests for which they need details to reduce the impact of this request.

Explanation

The project director's request is an impediment to the iteration goal. The team lead has already attempted to discuss alternatives without success. The next logical step is negotiation, not escalation or capitulation. By negotiating to reduce the scope of the request (e.g., detailing only the most critical tests), the team lead attempts to find a compromise. This approach respects the stakeholder's need while minimizing the negative impact on the team's committed work. It is a constructive, collaborative problem-solving technique that seeks to balance competing demands, which is a key skill for an agile leader.

Why Incorrect

B. Escalation should be a last resort after other resolution attempts, like negotiation, have failed. It can damage working relationships.
C. Gathering a detailed estimate only confirms the size of the problem; it does not actively work toward a solution or resolve the conflict.
D. Putting all work on hold sacrifices the iteration goal for an unplanned request, which is a significant agile anti-pattern.

References

1. Project Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide. Section 5.3, Engaging Stakeholders, p. 50. (This section highlights the importance of managing stakeholder expectations and actively collaborating to resolve issues and misunderstandings).

2. Project Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide. Section 4.2.2, Servant Leadership, p. 34. (Describes the servant leader's role in removing impediments, which includes negotiating solutions with stakeholders who may be disrupting the team's flow).

3. Cohn, M. (2009). Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum. Addison-Wesley Professional. Chapter 16, The Product Owner. (While focused on the Product Owner, this chapter discusses the need to negotiate with stakeholders to protect the team and the sprint goals).

Keep practicing

Take the free PMI-ACP practice test

Ten exam-style questions with answers and explanations, plus the exam facts and study guides.

Start the free practice test