TOPIC: Free PMP® Exam Sample Question

Not all team members are properly checking out resources used in the project.

What is the best course of action for the project manager?

A. Capture the issue and its priority in the issue log
B. Escalate the issue to the functional managers
C. Discuss the checkout rationale with the team
D. Update the plans to reflect the actual situation

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HINT: Do the team members understand why the policy is in place?

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Answer and Explanation:
The correct answer is C.

There is not enough information in the question to determine what resources exactly the scenario is talking about and what this checkout procedure even means. Prospective PMP aspirants have to keep in mind that questions on the actual PMP exam may be short and vague.

This question is a good example of what you may encounter on your exam. Regardless of how ambiguous the scenario is, always try to select the best answer to the question asked, even if none of the choices looks/sounds like a perfect/ideal answer to you or if the answer you would prefer to see among the options given is not presented.

One can reasonably assume that the project is in execution with the project manager carrying out the Direct and Manage Project Work process. Guiding, directing, and facilitating the project plans are among the activities associated with this process.

The scenario implies that checking out resources used on the project is one of the requirements specified in some of those plans or in the policies and procedures that are part of the organizational process assets (OPAs). If the team members do not follow the requirements, the plans or the OPAs need to be better communicated and understood. There are many actions the project manager could take to direct and manage the project team to follow through with the way the organization expects its teams to act.

The answer choice that best aligns with that need is to discuss the purpose and rationale for the resource checkout and explain why following those procedures would benefit the project.

Details for each option:

A. Incorrect. The way the scenario is worded suggests that there is a requirement to check out resources used in the project. Failure to do so is an issue, and issues should be captured in the issue log. However, the question asks for the best course of action, implying how the issue should be resolved. Merely documenting it would not resolve it.

B. Incorrect. There is not enough information in the scenario to determine if the organization operates in a functional structure, allowing the escalation. Regardless, escalating the issue is premature, and the project manager should first try to resolve the issue. Only if this response does not result in the desired outcome, escalation might be warranted.

C. Correct. The project team may not understand the importance or the reasons for the check-out procedure. Explaining the rationale and getting the team's feedback increases team buy-in and gives direction. Besides, keeping project artifacts up-to-date is aligned with the project management best practices, whether the project is predictive, agile, or hybrid.

D. Incorrect. The scenario implies that checking out resources used in the project is a requirement. While the scenario does not specifically indicate where this requirement is documented, it's reasonable to assume that it's captured in the project management plan. Merely updating the plan to reflect the actual situation would do little to resolve the issue.

Reference: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) – Seventh Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2021,
2.5.1 PROJECT PROCESSES
4.6 COMMONLY USED ARTIFACTS

Process Groups: A Practice Guide, Project Management Institute Inc., 2023,
6.1 Direct and Manage Project Work