Determine cross-dependencies and plan a spike in the next spont

A prototyping approach is a way of developing a product incrementally by creating and testing different versions of the product until it meets the customer’s needs and expectations. Prototyping is often used in agile project management, where user stories are the smallest unit of work that deliver value to the end user.

However, sometimes user stories may be too complex or uncertain to be estimated or completed within a sprint. In such cases, the project manager may use a spike to gain more knowledge or clarity about the user story. A spike is a time-boxed investigation or experiment that helps the team reduce the risk or increase the reliability of a user story. A spike may also help the team identify and resolve any cross-dependencies or technical challenges that may affect the user story. Therefore, the best option for the project manager in this scenario is to determine cross-dependencies and plan a spike in the next sprint. This will allow the team to learn more about the user stories that are taking longer to be delivered and find a feasible solution. The other options are not as effective as option C. Option A is not proactive, as it waits until the retrospective meeting to address the risks and issues. Option B is not sufficient, as it only informs the stakeholders about the delay, but does not offer any action plan to overcome it. Option D is not relevant, as the problem is not related to the communications management plan, but to the user stories themselves.

References: (Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials source and documents)

PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition, Chapter 5: Project Scope Management, Section 5.4.2.2: Product Analysis1
PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition, Chapter 6: Project Schedule Management, Section 6.5.2.1: Agile Release Planning2
What is Spike in Scrum? - Visual Paradigm3
User Stories | Examples and Template | Atlassian4

Encourage working in pairs and knowledge sharing

Facilitate a training event with an external trainer

These two actions can help prevent the team from being unqualified, because they can enhance the skills and competencies of the team members who lack the technical skill needed to build the product. Encouraging working in pairs and knowledge sharing can foster collaboration and learning among the team members, and allow the team member who has the technical skill to transfer it to others through coaching, mentoring, or feedback. Facilitating a training event with an external trainer can provide a formal and structured way of teaching the team members the technical skill, and ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and practice to apply it to the project. These actions can also improve the team performance, morale, and confidence, and reduce the dependency on one team member. The other options are not effective actions to prevent the team from being unqualified, because they may not address the skill gap or the project requirements, or they may create more problems or risks. Excluding the activities from the roadmap may not be possible or desirable, and it may affect the scope, quality, or benefits of the project. Teaching the entire team the new skill may not be feasible or efficient, and it may overload the project manager or the team member who has the skill. Increasing the time estimates on the activities that require such abilities may not be realistic or accurate, and it may delay the project schedule or increase the project cost.

References:

Project Resource Management - PMBOK Guide, What Actions Can the Project Manager Take to Ensure Effective Teamwork?

Contact department managers who are identified as stakeholders, solicit concern, and provide updates to the situation

The project manager should do to communicate this message is to contact department managers who are identified as stakeholders, solicit concern, and provide updates to the situation. This is an example of the manage communications process, which involves ensuring timely and appropriate collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval, management, monitoring, and control of project information2. By contacting the department managers, the project manager can inform them of the issue and its impact on the project, and seek their feedback and support. The project manager can also provide updates on the status and progress of the corrective measures, and ensure that the expectations and needs of the stakeholders are met. The project manager should use effective communication skills and techniques, such as active listening, empathy, clarity, and transparency, to build trust and rapport with the stakeholders, and to manage any conflicts or issues that may arise.

Option A is not a good choice, because it is not the project manager’s responsibility to ask the vendor to identify the stakeholders affected, create an action plan and determine an implementation date. The project manager should have already identified and engaged the stakeholders in the planning phase, and established clear and agreed-upon roles and responsibilities for the vendor in the procurement documents. The project manager should also monitor and control the vendor’s performance and deliverables, and ensure that they comply with the contract terms and conditions. The project manager should not delegate or outsource their communication duties to the vendor, as this may create confusion, misunderstanding, or mistrust among the stakeholders.

Option B is not a good choice, because it is not a constructive or collaborative way to communicate this message. The project manager should not draft a warning letter to the vendor, ask internal stakeholders to comment, and solicit stakeholder support to hold the vendor accountable, as this may escalate the conflict and damage the relationship with the vendor. The project manager should instead use a more positive and respectful tone, and focus on the facts and solutions, rather than the blame and threats. The project manager should also follow the dispute resolution and escalation procedures specified in the contract, and involve the appropriate parties and authorities, such as the legal department or the sponsor, if necessary.

Option C is not a good choice, because it is not a proactive or realistic way to communicate this message. The project manager should not identify the worst-case scenario, put it into the project risk register, share the register with all project stakeholders, and raise an alert, as this may create panic, anxiety, or demotivation among the stakeholders. The project manager should instead identify and analyze the potential risks and opportunities associated with the issue, and update the risk register accordingly. The project manager should also communicate the relevant and accurate information to the stakeholders, and implement the appropriate risk responses, such as avoiding, mitigating, transferring, or accepting the risk.

References:
1: Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification
2: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition

Create a change request with the scope of the new internal projects.

Create a work breakdown structure (WBS) of the new scope with the internal projects.

Manage the quality of the delivery.

Creating internal projects to provide internships for the students is a change in the project scope that requires approval from the customer and other stakeholders. Therefore, the project manager should create a change request with the scope of the new internal projects and submit it to the Perform Integrated Change Control process1. The change request should include the rationale, benefits, risks, and impacts of the proposed change on the project objectives, deliverables, schedule, cost, quality, and resources. The project manager should also update the project management plan and other relevant documents to reflect the change in scope.

To plan and execute the new internal projects, the project manager should create a work breakdown structure (WBS) of the new scope with the internal projects2. A WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the project scope into manageable deliverables and work packages. A WBS helps the project manager to define, organize, and monitor the project work, as well as to allocate resources, assign responsibilities, and estimate costs and durations. The project manager should involve the project team and the interns in creating the WBS to ensure their buy-in and commitment.

To ensure that the internal projects meet the customer’s expectations and the project’s quality standards, the project manager should manage the quality of the delivery3. Quality management involves planning, implementing, and controlling quality activities to ensure that the project deliverables conform to the requirements and specifications. The project manager should use quality tools and techniques, such as quality checklists, audits, inspections, testing, and reviews, to measure and improve the quality of the internal projects. The project manager should also document and communicate the quality results and feedback to the project team, the interns, the customer, and other stakeholders.

References:

How To Successfully Perform Integrated Change Control?
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in Project Management
Quality Management - Project Management Institute

Ensured that all the required approvals were received per the organizational procedures

According to the PMBOK Guide, the project manager should ensure that all the required approvals are received per the organizational procedures before implementing any project deliverables. This is part of the control quality process, which involves validating and verifying that the project deliverables meet the quality standards and requirements. By obtaining the necessary approvals, the project manager can avoid any liabilities, penalties, or disputes that may arise from the implementation of the project deliverables. The project manager should not rely on resolving defects, completing tasks, or documenting results alone, as these may not be sufficient to ensure that the project deliverables are acceptable and compliant with the organizational policies and regulations.

References: PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, pages 237-238, 241-242.

Conduct a stakeholder analysis.

Adopt an incremental approach

Obstacles are any factors that hinder the progress or success of a project. They can be internal or external, technical or human, predictable or unforeseen1. Obstacles can cause delays, cost overruns, quality issues, scope changes, stakeholder dissatisfaction, and even project failure2. Therefore, it is essential for project managers to identify, analyze, and resolve obstacles as soon as possible.

One of the best practices for managing obstacles is to prioritize them for resolution. This means that the project manager should evaluate the impact and urgency of each obstacle, and rank them according to their importance and severity3. Prioritizing obstacles helps the project manager to focus on the most critical ones first, and allocate the appropriate resources and actions to address them. Prioritizing obstacles also helps the project manager to communicate the status and progress of obstacle resolution to the project team and stakeholders, and to manage their expectations and feedback4.

The other options are not the best choices for the project manager in this situation. Having the project team work on other activities (option A) may be a temporary workaround, but it does not solve the underlying problem. It may also create more confusion, waste, and rework, and reduce the team’s motivation and productivity5. Implementing plans to remove the obstacles (option B) may be a necessary step, but it should be done after prioritizing the obstacles. Otherwise, the project manager may spend too much time and effort on less important obstacles, and neglect the more critical ones6. Escalating to the project steering committee (option C) may be appropriate in some cases, especially when the obstacles are beyond the project manager’s authority or influence. However, it should not be the first or only option, as it may indicate a lack of initiative, responsibility, or problem-solving skills from the project manager. The project manager should try to resolve the obstacles at their level first, and only escalate when necessary7.

References: 1: What are the Top 3 Obstacles in Projects? - Project Management Articles … 2: 6 Common Project Management Challenges and How to Overcome Them 3: [How to Prioritize Project Tasks and Risks | Smartsheet] 4: [Project Management: How to Prioritize Issues and Risks | Project …] 5: [How to Overcome Project Management Obstacles | ProjectManager] 6: [How to Prioritize Project Problems and Risks | TeamGantt] 7: Steering Committee: Definition, Roles & Meeting Tips - ProjectManager

Update the stakeholder engagement plan

According to the PMBOK Guide, the stakeholder engagement plan is a component of the project management plan that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in project decisions and execution. It also includes the stakeholder register, which is a project document that identifies the stakeholders and their relevant information, such as their interest, influence, expectations, and engagement level. When a new stakeholder is identified, the project manager should update the stakeholder engagement plan and the stakeholder register to reflect the new stakeholder’s information and engagement needs. This will help the project manager to communicate effectively with the new stakeholder and ensure their alignment and support for the project.

References: PMBOK Guide, Seventh Edition, Section 13.2.3.1; PMP Sample Test Questions, Question 17

Deliver business value as soon as possible

The project manager should take the action of delivering business value as soon as possible as a priority. This is because the project is aimed at increasing the commercial value of the product in a highly competitive market, which means that the project needs to deliver a viable solution that meets the customer needs and expectations quickly and effectively. By delivering business value as soon as possible, the project manager can also obtain early feedback, validate the assumptions and requirements, and make adjustments as needed. This will help to improve the quality, performance, and satisfaction of the product, and to reduce the risk of waste, rework, and delays. The other options are not as important or relevant as delivering business value as soon as possible. Emphasizing the use of Kanban methodology may be helpful, but it is not a priority action, as it is a tool or technique, not a goal or outcome. Kanban is a visual system that helps to manage the flow of work and limit the work in progress, but it does not guarantee the delivery of business value. Ensuring the project sponsor is aware of the go-to market date is a good practice, but it is not a priority action, as it is a communication or reporting activity, not a delivery or execution activity. The go-to market date may also change depending on the feedback and changes in the market. Implementing a plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle is a useful approach, but it is not a priority action, as it is a process or framework, not a result or benefit. The PDCA cycle is a method for continuous improvement that involves planning, doing, checking, and acting on the results, but it does not specify what business value to deliver or how to deliver it. References: PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, Chapter 1.2.6, 4.1.3, 5.1.3, Agile Practice Guide, 1st edition, Chapter 2.2.1, 2.3.1

Coach the team both as a whole and individually

As a project manager of an agile team, one of your responsibilities is to facilitate team development and collaboration. Coaching is a technique that can help you achieve this goal. Coaching involves providing guidance, feedback, and support to the team members, both individually and collectively, to help them improve their performance, resolve conflicts, and learn from their experiences. Coaching can also help the team members develop their skills, self-confidence, and trust in each other. Coaching is not the same as directing, instructing, or micromanaging the team. Coaching is more about empowering the team to find their own solutions and take ownership of their work. Coaching is an ongoing process that should be done throughout the project, not just at the end of an iteration. Therefore, the best answer is D.

References:

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Seventh Edition, Chapter 3: Project Performance Domain, Section 3.4: Team Performance, pp. 67-69
Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 2: Life Cycle Selection, Section 2.2.2: Agile Team Roles, pp. 23-24
Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for ScrumMasters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition, by Lyssa Adkins, published on May 28, 2010

Provide performance feedback as part of the retrospective ceremony.

According to the PMI Guide to Business Analysis, a change request is a formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline. It is used to request changes to the project scope, schedule, cost, quality, or any other aspect of the project. A change request should include the following information: the reason for the change, the impact of the change, the alternatives considered, the recommendation, and the approval status. A change request should be initiated whenever there is a deviation from the agreed-upon project scope or plan, or when there is a need to accommodate new or modified requirements. A change request should be submitted to the appropriate authority for review and approval, such as the project sponsor, the change control board, or the steering committee. A change request should also be communicated to the relevant stakeholders, such as the project team, the customer, the PMO, or the operations function. A change request should be aligned with the project objectives, the business needs, and the stakeholder expectations. A change request should be evaluated based on the criteria established by the project governance, such as the business value, the feasibility, the risk, the urgency, and the alignment with the project charter. A change request should be implemented only after it has been approved and authorized by the appropriate authority. A change request should be monitored and controlled throughout the project life cycle to ensure that the expected benefits and outcomes are achieved.

In this situation, the project manager should initiate a change request to modify the scope and adjust the timelines, because there are scope changes and a delay in the delivery of critical tasks that affect the project performance and the stakeholder satisfaction. The project manager should document the rationale and the impact of the change request, and submit it to the appropriate authority for approval. The project manager should also communicate the change request to the relevant stakeholders, and update the project plan and the project baselines accordingly. This way, the project manager can ensure that the project is aligned with the business needs and the stakeholder expectations, and that the project delivers the expected value and benefits. 

References:
The PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Chapter 6: Traceability and Monitoring, Section 6.4: Manage Changes to Requirements
Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, Chapter 7: Traceability and Monitoring, Section 7.4: Manage Changes to Requirements

Review the velocity of the team over the last several sprnts and adjust the plan accordingly

Team velocity is a measure of a team’s effective productivity and capacity in agile development. It indicates the amount of work a team can accomplish in a given sprint, usually expressed in story points1. Team velocity can vary from sprint to sprint due to various factors, such as team size, complexity, dependencies, quality, and external interruptions2. Therefore, it is important for the project manager to monitor and review the team velocity over the last several sprints and use the average or trend as a basis for planning and forecasting future sprints3. By adjusting the plan according to the team velocity, the project manager can help the team avoid overcommitting or underdelivering, and set realistic and achievable sprint goals4.

The other options are not the best choices for the project manager in this situation. Switching to a Kanban approach (option A) may not solve the problem of sprint failures, as Kanban is a different agile framework that does not use fixed-length iterations or predefined roles. Kanban focuses on visualizing the workflow, limiting the work in progress, and optimizing the flow of value5. While Kanban can help the team improve efficiency and flexibility, it may not be suitable for every project or organization, and it may require a significant change in the team’s culture and processes. Asking the project sponsor to approve overtime (option C) may not be a sustainable or effective solution, as it may lead to burnout, lower quality, higher costs, and reduced motivation among the team members6. Replacing junior team members with more experienced ones (option D) may not be feasible or desirable, as it may disrupt the team’s dynamics, trust, and collaboration. It may also create resentment, conflict, and turnover among the team members. Negotiating the project scope to compensate for the budget gap may not be aligned with the project’s objectives, stakeholders’ expectations, or agile principles7.

References: 1: What is team velocity and how to calculate it - LogRocket Blog 2: Home - Team Velocity - Fueled by Apollo 3: How to Calculate Team Velocity in Agile Project Management 4: [How to Use Team Velocity to Plan Sprints | monday.com Blog] 5: Kanban - A brief introduction | Atlassian 6: [The Impact of Overtime on Productivity and Quality in Agile Teams] 7: [Agile Manifesto Principles | Agile Alliance]

Give the team autonomy to make their own decisions on how to perform the tasks.

This answer is based on the PMI Guide to Business Analysis, which is one of the reference materials for the PMI-PBA exam1, and the PMP Examination Content Outline, which is based on the Project Management Professional (PMP) objectives and content2. According to these sources, one of the key principles of agile project management is to empower the team to self-organize and self-manage their work, rather than assigning tasks or dictating solutions34. Empowering the team means giving them the authority, responsibility, and accountability to make their own decisions on how to perform the tasks, within the agreed-upon scope, quality, and schedule criteria34. Empowering the team also means providing them with the necessary resources, tools, information, and support to enable them to deliver value to the customer34. Empowering the team can promote collaboration, innovation, ownership, motivation, and satisfaction among the team members, as well as improve the quality and speed of the project outcomes34. The other options are not correct because they do not foster empowerment and accountability among the team. Assigning the tasks individually based on the role of the team member may ensure expertise on the subject, but it may also create silos, dependencies, and bottlenecks in the team, and reduce the flexibility and adaptability of the team to changing customer needs34. Encouraging and assigning the team to perform demos of their products or software with the customers may increase the feedback and validation of the project deliverables, but it may not necessarily empower the team to make their own decisions on how to perform the tasks, especially if the functional manager or the project manager still controls the scope, quality, and schedule of the project34. Encouraging the team to keep the product owner involved when choosing ways to resolve the given task may enhance the alignment and communication between the team and the product owner, but it may also undermine the autonomy and creativity of the team, and create a dependency on the product owner for every decision34.

References:

PMP Examination Content Outline - January 2021
The PMI Guide to Business Analysis
Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide
Professional in Business Analysis Reference Materials