Project Management Professional (PMP)® Examination Content OutlineProcessMedium
A project manager is leading a software development project using an agile approach. During a Sprint Review, stakeholders express concern that a critical security feature, while functional, does not meet the necessary compliance standards. The team believed they were meeting the requirements as specified in the user stories. What should the project manager prioritize to address this issue?
- AEscalate the issue to senior management to determine if the compliance standard can be relaxed for this release.
- BFacilitate a discussion with stakeholders and the team to clarify compliance requirements and update the product backlog.
- CIncrease the team's velocity by assigning more developers to rework the feature immediately.
- DDocument the deviation as a risk and decide to address it in a future release to avoid delaying the current sprint.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Facilitate a discussion with stakeholders and the team to clarify compliance requirements and update the product backlog.
In an agile environment, addressing stakeholder concerns and ensuring compliance is critical. Clarifying requirements and updating the backlog allows the team to incorporate the necessary changes effectively and prevents similar issues in the future.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Attempting to relax compliance standards is generally not feasible or ethical and bypasses the process of properly addressing the requirement.
- C. Increasing velocity by adding more people often decreases productivity (Brooks' Law) and doesn't solve the underlying misunderstanding of requirements.
- D. Delaying a critical compliance issue is risky and irresponsible, potentially leading to significant problems later.
Product Backlog Refinement
The ongoing process of adding detail, estimates, and order to items in the Product Backlog, often involving collaboration between the Product Owner and the Development Team.
- Ensures the Product Backlog remains clear, understood, and relevant.
- Helps to break down large items into smaller, manageable pieces.
- Involves estimating effort and prioritizing items based on value and dependencies.
Memory trick: Agile aims for continuous adaptation, focusing on collaboration and value delivery.