PMP · Question #1048
An experienced project manager is working on a complex hybrid project that has several dependencies with other projects. How should the project manager reduce the risk related to those external…
The correct answer is A. Assess consolidated project plans for dependencies, gaps, and continued business value. To reduce risk from external dependencies in a complex hybrid project, the project manager should assess consolidated project plans for dependencies, gaps, and continued business value.
Question
Options
- AAssess consolidated project plans for dependencies, gaps, and continued business value
- BDelegate the review of dependencies to the project sponsor and resource manager
- CSchedule a daily interproject review to track the progress of each project plan and their
- DAsk the project management office (PMO) to review the project plan dependencies
How the community answered
(27 responses)- A81% (22)
- B11% (3)
- C4% (1)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
To reduce risk from external dependencies in a complex hybrid project, the project manager should assess consolidated project plans for dependencies, gaps, and continued business value.
Proactively assessing consolidated project plans provides a holistic view of all interdependent projects, allowing the project manager to identify where dependencies exist, detect potential gaps, and ensure alignment with overall business value. This comprehensive review enables early risk identification and the development of effective mitigation strategies across projects.
Delegating the review of dependencies entirely to the project sponsor and resource manager shifts a core risk management responsibility from the project manager, potentially leading to less direct oversight.
Scheduling daily interproject reviews focuses heavily on tracking progress rather than a strategic assessment of the plans themselves for inherent dependencies and risks, and could be overly burdensome.
While the PMO can offer guidance, asking them to *review* dependencies isn't as proactive a risk reduction strategy as the project manager actively engaging in the comprehensive assessment of consolidated plans.
Concept tested: Dependency management; risk management; portfolio/program view
Topics
Community Discussion
5
Ola B.Dec 15, 2025A is the right call here. You own the dependency analysis yourself, you do not hand it off to the sponsor or the PMO, and reviewing the consolidated plans is exactly how you catch gaps before they become fires.
Lena V.Dec 23, 2025A is the right call here. Consolidated plans give you the visibility to spot dependency conflicts and gaps early, which is exactly what the exam expects for managing cross-project risk in a hybrid environment.
Viktor S.Dec 27, 2025A is correct. You're the project manager, so own the dependency analysis instead of punting it to the sponsor or the PMO like B and D want you to do. C is overkill and will burn everyone out with daily meetings that add no real value. Assessing consolidated plans lets you spot gaps and confirm the work still delivers business value, which is exactly what you need when external dependencies threaten to derail a complex hybrid project.
Hiroshi T.Dec 11, 2025Confirmed A on exam last week. A is the only option where the PM owns the dependency analysis instead of pushing it to the sponsor or PMO, and the PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition section on integrated project management supports reviewing consolidated plans for exactly this purpose. One thing I am still unclear on, in a hybrid environment where some teams are using iterative approaches, how do you consolidate plans across projects when the cadence of sprint-based deliverables does not align with the Gantt-style schedule of the predictive teams?
Lena V.Dec 14, 2025Good catch on A, and for your hybrid question the answer the exam is looking for is rolling wave planning plus integration points at sprint boundaries, where the PM maps iterative deliverables into the predictive schedule at each iteration review rather than trying to force a one-to-one cadence match.