PMP · Question #1002
Before a daily standup, a team member informed the project manager that they have accepted a job offer at another company. The team member explains that they plan to present their resignation to the…
The correct answer is D. Contact the functional manager and develop a mitigation strategy. Upon learning of a team member's impending resignation, the project manager should immediately collaborate with the functional manager to develop a strategy that mitigates the risk to project delivery.
Question
Before a daily standup, a team member informed the project manager that they have accepted a job offer at another company. The team member explains that they plan to present their resignation to the functional manager. What should the project manager do next?
Options
- AContact the product owner and review the current sprint backlog.
- BCommunicate to the team members at the daily standup.
- CAlert the functional manager about possible delivery delays.
- DContact the functional manager and develop a mitigation strategy.
How the community answered
(26 responses)- A4% (1)
- B12% (3)
- C4% (1)
- D81% (21)
Why each option
Upon learning of a team member's impending resignation, the project manager should immediately collaborate with the functional manager to develop a strategy that mitigates the risk to project delivery.
Reviewing the sprint backlog with the product owner is a subsequent step after addressing the immediate resource change with the functional manager.
Communicating a team member's resignation to the entire team at the daily standup without a clear plan or understanding of the situation from the functional manager could create unnecessary anxiety or uncertainty.
Alerting the functional manager about possible delays without simultaneously working on a mitigation strategy is incomplete and less proactive than developing a strategy together.
A team member's resignation poses a significant risk to project timelines and deliverables, especially for work in the current sprint. The project manager must proactively engage with the functional manager, who manages resources, to understand the implications and develop a mitigation strategy, such as knowledge transfer or task reassignment, before the situation impacts the project.
Concept tested: Resource management, risk mitigation, stakeholder communication
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok
Topics
Community Discussion
9
Samuel O.Apr 10, 2026D is the right call here. In matrix organizations the functional manager owns the resource, so you loop them in immediately and work together on a mitigation plan rather than waiting for the resignation to land on their desk.
Olusegun A.Apr 12, 2026Agreed on D, but the real exam trap here is candidates picking A and going straight to HR, when the PMBOK expects you to engage the functional manager first since they own the resource allocation and replacement authority.
Ingrid P.Mar 29, 2026Confirmed D on exam last week. The PM is not the team member's boss, so the resignation goes to the functional manager, but the PM still owns project delivery risk and needs to get ahead of the resource gap. Reaching out jointly to develop a mitigation strategy, whether that means backfilling, reassigning sprint tasks, or adjusting scope, is the proactive move the question is testing for. C is the trap because alerting about delays without a plan is passive, and the PM should bring a solution, not just a warning.
Lena V.Apr 2, 2026D is correct. Why does PMI want you coordinating with the functional manager here, not the team directly?
Ingrid P.Apr 5, 2026Confirmed D on exam last week. PMI wants you going through the functional manager because in a matrix structure they own the resource assignments and performance reviews, so the functional manager is your leverage point for availability and prioritization, not the team members who do not control their own allocations.
Olusegun A.Apr 27, 2026I first leaned toward C since delivery delays seemed like the immediate concern, but the PMBOK wants you to be proactive, not just raise a flag. D is correct because you partner with the functional manager to build a mitigation plan before the risk materializes, which is what a predictive resource management response looks like.
Lena V.Apr 28, 2026D is right but watch the wording on exam: if the stem says the delay has already happened, the answer shifts to C because youre in issue territory, not risk territory.
Luis F.Apr 18, 2026C for sure, delivery risk is the real issue here so flag it early.
Ingrid P.Apr 19, 2026D is correct here because the scenario is asking about data that is not frequently accessed, which points to Data Lake storage rather than flagging delivery risk. C is a tempting distractor but the stem is testing your knowledge of storage tiers, not project management concerns. Worth a flashcard on the not frequently used equals Data Lake pattern since it comes up in multiple questions.