PMP · Question #1069
For some time now, doubts have been raised about who is responsible for delivering a key benefit of a project. What should the project manager do next?
The correct answer is A. Meet with the stakeholders involved to clearly define their roles and responsibilities with regard to. When there are doubts about responsibility for delivering a key project benefit, the project manager should meet with involved stakeholders to clearly define and assign roles and responsibilities.
Question
For some time now, doubts have been raised about who is responsible for delivering a key benefit of a project. What should the project manager do next?
Options
- AMeet with the stakeholders involved to clearly define their roles and responsibilities with regard to
- BUnderstand the context of the situation and escalate the problem to the steering committee.
- CDocument the risk in the risk register and generate the risk responses and their respective
- DMeet with the customer to obtain consensus with the recipient of the benefit and determine a
How the community answered
(43 responses)- A88% (38)
- B7% (3)
- C2% (1)
- D2% (1)
Why each option
When there are doubts about responsibility for delivering a key project benefit, the project manager should meet with involved stakeholders to clearly define and assign roles and responsibilities.
Ambiguity around responsibility for a key benefit is a stakeholder management issue that requires direct engagement with the involved stakeholders to clarify and define their roles and responsibilities. This ensures accountability and eliminates confusion regarding who owns the delivery of the critical project outcome.
Escalating to the steering committee without first attempting to resolve the ambiguity directly with the involved stakeholders is premature and bypasses a primary responsibility of the project manager.
Documenting this as a risk is reactive; the immediate problem is an unclear assignment of responsibility, which needs to be resolved, not just recorded.
Meeting with the customer is important for understanding the benefit, but the core issue is the internal confusion among project stakeholders regarding who is responsible for its delivery, which needs an internal resolution.
Concept tested: Role and responsibility clarification
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/stakeholder-management
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Wesley A.Apr 4, 2026A is the right call here, and I know because I overthought this exact type of question on my first attempt. When there is confusion about who is responsible for delivering a benefit, the PM's job is to clarify roles and responsibilities directly with the stakeholders involved, not to escalate or document it as a risk before having that conversation. B and C are traps because they jump to escalation and risk documentation without first attempting to resolve the ambiguity at the team level. D is tempting since the customer is involved, but the first step is always to meet with the stakeholders and get those roles clearly defined.
Fatima Z.Apr 27, 2026Picked A on my exam last spring, the doubts clue screams clarify roles first.
Ola B.Apr 17, 2026A is the right call here because the PM's job is to clarify roles directly with the stakeholders before the confusion snowballs into a bigger issue. The stem says "for some time now," which tells you the problem has been simmering and a face-to-face conversation to nail down responsibilities is the most proactive next step. B is a trap because escalating to the steering committee is what you do when you have exhausted your own options, not your opening move. C and D deflect the real issue, which is internal ownership ambiguity, not a risk event or a customer disagreement. Saw this one on my
Fatima Z.Apr 17, 2026Co-sign on A, and here is my sticky hook for the PMP role-confusion questions: remember CARE, Clarify Assignments, Resolve directly, Escalate last, so you never trip the B-trap of running to the steering committee before doing your own job.