Project Management Professional (PMP)® Examination Content OutlineProcessEasy
A project manager is overseeing a product development project utilizing a hybrid methodology. The team has identified a potential new feature that could significantly enhance the product's marketability but was not included in the initial scope. The product owner is enthusiastic about the idea and wants to add it to the current sprint. What should the project manager do FIRST?
- AInform the product owner that the feature cannot be added as it's outside the original scope.
- BDiscuss with the development team to estimate the effort required for the new feature.
- CImmediately integrate the new feature into the current sprint backlog to capitalize on enthusiasm.
- DAdd the new feature to the product backlog for prioritization and refinement.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Add the new feature to the product backlog for prioritization and refinement.
New features, even highly desirable ones, should first be added to the product backlog. This allows for proper prioritization against existing items, refinement, and ensures that changes to the current sprint are managed through established processes, typically without adding new items mid-sprint.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Dismissing the idea outright ignores potential value; the correct approach is to manage it through the backlog.
- B. While estimating is necessary, it comes after the feature is acknowledged and placed in the backlog for consideration, not as the first step for immediate inclusion.
- C. Adding a new feature directly to a current sprint disrupts the sprint goal and planned work, which is generally discouraged in agile.
Product Backlog Addition
The process of incorporating newly identified features, requirements, or ideas into the product backlog, where they can be prioritized, estimated, and refined for potential future development.
- Ensures new ideas are captured and evaluated.
- Maintains the integrity of current sprint commitments.
- Allows for strategic prioritization based on value and effort.
Memory trick: New idea? Put it on the 'to-do' list first, then decide when to do it.