PMP · Question #1028
A project sponsor is promoting the use of a new technology that has not yet been approved. The technology guarantees cost savings and a delivery ahead of schedule. However, the operational support at
The correct answer is D. Acknowledge the lack of approval and focus on a resolution that will benefit the customer.. To resolve the conflict regarding an unapproved technology, the project manager must acknowledge the lack of approval and prioritize a resolution that ensures operational support and benefits the customer.
Question
Options
- ASeek to understand the project stakeholders' needs in an effort to support the new technology.
- BCommunicate the project's progress to the stakeholders and promote the new technology.
- CMaintain and adhere to project plans to ensure the project delivers successful outcomes.
- DAcknowledge the lack of approval and focus on a resolution that will benefit the customer.
How the community answered
(37 responses)- A16% (6)
- B5% (2)
- C11% (4)
- D68% (25)
Why each option
To resolve the conflict regarding an unapproved technology, the project manager must acknowledge the lack of approval and prioritize a resolution that ensures operational support and benefits the customer.
While understanding stakeholder needs is important, 'seeking to understand... in an effort to support the new technology' implies favoring the new technology even without addressing the critical approval and support concerns.
Promoting an unapproved technology further without resolving the underlying support issue would be irresponsible and exacerbate the problem for long-term operational viability.
Adhering strictly to *existing* project plans might mean ignoring the critical issue of future operational support, which is a major conflict introduced by the new, unapproved technology.
The core conflict is the lack of approval for the new technology, leading to uncertain operational support, which impacts the customer's long-term benefit. Acknowledging this approval gap and focusing on a resolution, such as obtaining approval or finding an alternative, ensures the final product will be supportable and truly beneficial.
Concept tested: Conflict resolution and project viability
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Olusegun A.May 2, 2026D is the answer. You have a hard dependency here, the operational support team cannot back the tech without approval, so you confront that reality and work a resolution that protects stakeholder value instead of pretending the risk does not exist.
Dervla O.May 2, 2026Agreed on D, and the key word in the stem is hard dependency, which tells you mitigation is off the table so you escalate for resolution rather than just document and hope.
Viktor S.May 6, 2026Got D on my exam last week, the support gap made B and C obvious traps.
Olusegun A.May 7, 2026Good catch on the support gap, but the real tell is that D is the only option that maps to an actual RACI handoff, whereas B and C describe generic noise that PMBOK would never accept as a defined responsibility.
Dervla O.Apr 26, 2026A is the play here. The core conflict is that the sponsor wants the new tech but the service org cannot support it without approval, so the PM has to dig into the stakeholders' actual needs and constraints first before any path forward makes sense.
Olusegun A.Apr 27, 2026D is the correct answer, Dervla. Once the sponsor and the service org have a conflict over support requirements, the PM needs to facilitate a resolution between those two parties rather than just investigating needs in isolation, because the sponsor owns the budget and the final call on scope.