PMP · Question #1107
A bank has initiated a project to replace an existing core system with a new one. The system will be launched in several stages after the completion of each project deliverable that must be approved b
The correct answer is C. Agree on quality standards with the key stakeholders.. For a project with staged launches requiring stakeholder approval for each deliverable, the project manager must first agree on quality standards with key stakeholders.
Question
Options
- AEngage experienced key stakeholders in the implementation of the project.
- BReview the test and inspection plan with the key stakeholders.
- CAgree on quality standards with the key stakeholders.
- DDevelop a requirements traceability matrix.
How the community answered
(39 responses)- A13% (5)
- B5% (2)
- C74% (29)
- D8% (3)
Why each option
For a project with staged launches requiring stakeholder approval for each deliverable, the project manager must first agree on quality standards with key stakeholders.
Engaging experienced key stakeholders is important, but defining what constitutes acceptable quality (standards) must precede involving them in how to implement.
Reviewing test and inspection plans is a later step in quality management; the standards themselves must be established before planning how to test against them.
Before proceeding with any major project, especially one with staged launches and stakeholder approvals, it is paramount to establish and agree upon the quality standards that deliverables must meet. Defining these standards upfront with key stakeholders ensures a common understanding of what constitutes an acceptable deliverable, guides subsequent planning, execution, and validation, and prevents disputes during the approval process.
Developing a requirements traceability matrix is crucial for managing requirements, but quality standards define the level of acceptability for those requirements, making it a more fundamental first step for stakeholder approval.
Concept tested: Defining and agreeing on quality standards
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/project-quality-management
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Brenda K.Jul 3, 2026C is correct. Staged rollouts with approvals at each gate mean you need agreed quality standards upfront, otherwise those approval checkpoints become a time sink and a scope-creep nightmare.
Anjali D.Jul 5, 2026Going with C, and our group was pretty unified on this one. Since each deliverable needs stakeholder approval before launch, agreeing on quality standards up front gives everyone a clear benchmark for what "done" looks like at each stage.
Wei W.Jul 5, 2026A is the right first move here. You are launching in stages with stakeholder approval at each gate, so getting those key stakeholders actively engaged up front is what makes the whole staged rollout actually work empirically rather than just on paper.
Brenda K.Jul 5, 2026C is correct here because the question is asking about what comes first in a phased approach, and that is defining the success criteria and metrics for each phase before you do anything else, so you have something objective to measure against at every gate. Stakeholder engagement matters, but without agreed-upon criteria up front those approval gates turn into opinion debates and you burn time.