PMP Exam Questions Tutorials

Skipping project retrospectives can have negative impacts on the project performance, quality, and team morale. Project retrospectives are important for identifying and analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the project, and for implementing corrective and preventive actions to improve the project outcomes and processes. By reducing the time for preparation and discussion, the project manager could cause the following issues:

• A lot of discussions that yield no results or possibly too many results: Without proper preparation, the project manager and the team may not have a clear agenda, objectives, and scope for the retrospective. This could lead to unfocused, irrelevant, or redundant discussions that do not produce any meaningful insights or action items. Alternatively, the project manager and the team may try to cover too many topics or issues in a short time, resulting in superficial, incomplete, or overwhelming analysis and recommendations.
• A focus on the negative and a disinterest in further improvements: Without sufficient time for discussion, the project manager and the team may not be able to explore the root causes, impacts, and solutions of the project problems in depth. This could lead to a negative and blame-oriented attitude, where the team members only focus on the failures and faults of the project, and do not appreciate the successes and achievements. This could also lead to a loss of interest and motivation for further improvements, as the team members may feel that the retrospective is a waste of time, or that the project issues are too complex or difficult to resolve.

The attendance list is important because it is evidence that risk review meetings were held with the appropriate project team members, as this is a requirement of the risk management plan. The risk management plan defines how risk management activities will be performed, recorded, and monitored throughout the project, and it also identifies the roles and responsibilities of the project team members and stakeholders in relation to risk management. The attendance list shows who participated in the risk review meetings, which are periodic meetings to review and update the risk register, the risk response plan, and the risk metrics. The attendance list also helps to ensure that the risk review meetings are effective and efficient, as it allows the project manager to follow up with the attendees on their assigned actions and to communicate the results of the meetings to the relevant stakeholders. References:

• PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 414: “The risk management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how risk management activities will be structured and performed.”
• PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 415: “The risk management plan should document the roles and responsibilities of individuals and groups for each risk management process, as well as their availability, competency, and authority levels.”
• PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 443: “Risk review meetings are held periodically to review and update the risk register, the risk response plan, and the risk metrics. The frequency of these meetings is determined by the project manager and the project team based on the project needs and the level of risk exposure.”
• PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 444: “The project manager should document the results of the risk review meetings and communicate them to the project team and other stakeholders as appropriate.”

The best option for the project manager in this situation is to provide mentoring to the newly appointed team leader. Mentoring is a process of using experienced members of the organization to provide personal support and guidance to less experienced members of the staff. Mentoring can help the team leader to develop the necessary skills and competencies to manage the team effectively, to overcome challenges, and to achieve the project goals. Mentoring can also foster a positive and collaborative work environment, where the team leader and the team members can learn from each other and share feedback. The project manager can use various techniques and tools to mentor the team leader, such as setting clear expectations, providing regular coaching, giving constructive feedback, sharing best practices, facilitating problem solving, and recognizing achievements. The other options are not as effective as option D. Option A is not feasible, as it may not be possible to find a senior team leader who is available and willing to take over the project. Option B is not proactive, as it only reports the problem, but does not offer any solution. Option C is not empowering, as it undermines the team leader’s authority and responsibility, and may create resentment and demotivation among the team members. References: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents)

• PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition, Chapter 9: Project Resource Management, Section 9.4.2.3: Interpersonal and Team Skills1
• Mentoring - Key Competency for Program and Project Professionals2
• How to Improve Your Project Leadership with Coaching and Mentoring3

According to the PMBOK® Guide, the project manager should identify the source of the disagreement among the project stakeholders as the first step to facilitate the approval of project requirements. This is because identifying the source of the disagreement can help the project manager understand the root cause of the conflict, the interests and needs of the stakeholders, and the potential impact of the disagreement on the project objectives and deliverables. By identifying the source of the disagreement, the project manager can then choose an appropriate conflict resolution technique, such as compromising, collaborating, smoothing, forcing, or withdrawing, to resolve the issue and obtain the approval of the project requirements1. The other options are not the first steps to facilitate the approval of project requirements, because:

• Reviewing the project charter may help the project manager clarify the project scope, objectives, and high-level requirements, but it does not address the specific source of the disagreement among the stakeholders2.
• Performing a stakeholder analysis may help the project manager identify the stakeholders, their roles, expectations, influence, and communication needs, but it does not address the specific source of the disagreement among the stakeholders3.
• Holding a team-building event may help the project manager improve the team morale, trust, and collaboration, but it does not address the specific source of the disagreement among the stakeholders4. References: 1: PMBOK® Guide, Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.5.2.1, Conflict Management 2: PMBOK® Guide, Sixth Edition, Chapter 4.1.3.1, Project Charter 3: PMBOK® Guide, Sixth Edition, Chapter 13.1.3.1, Stakeholder Analysis 4: PMBOK® Guide, Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.4.2.4, Team-Building Activities