PMP · Question #1136
A project has been running successfully for 2 months. At a regular project meeting, the team raises several potential obstacles to future progress. The obstacles include vendor delivery performance…
The correct answer is C. Work with the team and others in the network to assess and prioritize the obstacles.. When potential obstacles are identified, the project manager's next step is to collaborate with the team and network to properly assess and prioritize these issues before deciding on a course of action.
Question
A project has been running successfully for 2 months. At a regular project meeting, the team raises several potential obstacles to future progress. The obstacles include vendor delivery performance, technical performance of a subsystem, and conflict with another division of the organization. What should the project manager do next?
Options
- AEscalate the obstacles to the project sponsor for assistance with resolution.
- BEngage with the external stakeholders and the other division of the organization to resolve the
- CWork with the team and others in the network to assess and prioritize the obstacles.
- DDetermine a change response to identify and resolve the obstacles to move the project forward.
How the community answered
(56 responses)- A14% (8)
- B5% (3)
- C55% (31)
- D25% (14)
Why each option
When potential obstacles are identified, the project manager's next step is to collaborate with the team and network to properly assess and prioritize these issues before deciding on a course of action.
Escalating to the project sponsor without first assessing and prioritizing the obstacles might be premature, as the team might be able to resolve some issues themselves or need more specific guidance.
Engaging external stakeholders directly to resolve without prior assessment and prioritization could lead to uncoordinated efforts or addressing issues out of sequence of importance.
Working with the team and other network members to assess and prioritize obstacles is crucial because it allows for a comprehensive understanding of each issue's potential impact, likelihood, and urgency. This collaborative assessment helps in developing effective strategies and ensures that resources are allocated to the most critical problems first.
Determining a change response is a later step in the risk management or issue resolution process; first, the obstacles need to be properly understood and prioritized to inform the correct response.
Concept tested: Issue and risk assessment and prioritization
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/perform-qualitative-risk-analysis
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Brenda K.Jun 21, 2026C is your quick win here. Before you escalate or jump into fix mode, the PM has to assess and prioritize what the team just raised, so work with the team and the network to figure out what actually matters first.
Bao N.Jun 30, 2026C is correct. The key word in the stem is potential, which means the PM needs to assess and prioritize before taking action on anything.
Viktor S.Jun 15, 2026D. You have to figure out the change response before you can resolve anything.
Bao N.Jun 18, 2026C is correct here, not D. The stem is asking about identifying and logging the change in the CMS first, which has to happen before you even get to the change response phase.