PMP · Question #1137
A project team was asked to resume development activities on a project that was suspended for a few months due to the fast-changing environment and conditions. What should the project lead do?
The correct answer is A. Review the items remaining in the backlog with the project team. Upon resuming a suspended project, the project lead should immediately review the remaining backlog items with the project team to re-evaluate their relevance and priority given the changed environment.
Question
Options
- AReview the items remaining in the backlog with the project team
- BAsk the project team to approve all of the remaining backlog items
- CAsk the program manager to approve the backlog with the client
- DReview the items remaining in the backlog with the project sponsor
How the community answered
(41 responses)- A78% (32)
- B15% (6)
- C2% (1)
- D5% (2)
Why each option
Upon resuming a suspended project, the project lead should immediately review the remaining backlog items with the project team to re-evaluate their relevance and priority given the changed environment.
Reviewing the remaining backlog items with the project team is essential because, after a suspension, the fast-changing environment and conditions likely render some previous priorities or requirements obsolete or less relevant. This collaborative review ensures the team understands the current state, identifies necessary adjustments, and re-establishes a shared understanding of what needs to be delivered next.
Asking the project team to approve all remaining backlog items without prior review is inappropriate, as the items may no longer be valid or prioritized correctly.
Asking the program manager to approve the backlog with the client might be a later step, but the project team needs to be involved first in understanding and refining the backlog for their execution.
While the project sponsor's input is valuable, the primary working knowledge and direct responsibility for execution lie with the project team, making their involvement in the initial review more critical.
Concept tested: Agile backlog refinement and re-prioritization
Source: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-scrum/product-backlog-refinement
Topics
Community Discussion
8
Bao N.Apr 27, 2026A is the right call here. The project was suspended because the environment was changing fast, so the backlog needs to be validated against current reality before anyone touches any code. You do that review with the team, since they are the ones who will be doing the work and they know what is still relevant. B and C are wrong because the team does not approve the backlog and pushing it to the program manager skips a step, while D is wrong because the sponsor cares about business value and funding, not the granular backlog items.
Imani T.Apr 27, 2026Agreed on A, but worth noting the team reviews and updates the backlog, they do not unilaterally approve it, the PM still owns final say on what stays versus gets cut.
Imani T.Apr 14, 2026A is the right call here. When a project comes back from being suspended, the environment has likely shifted, so the project lead needs to sit down with the team and review what is still relevant in the backlog before doing anything else. B makes no sense because the team does not approve backlog items, and D is wrong because the sponsor is too far removed for that level of detail. I had almost this exact scenario on my PMP exam last year and picked A because it is the only option that involves the people actually doing the work.
Fatima Z.Apr 15, 2026Co-sign A, and here is my sticky hook for suspended-project questions: S.U.S.P.E.N.D. means Start by Updating Scope with the People who do the Every-day work, Not the Distant sponsor, so whenever you see that combo on the exam, A jumps right out.
Orla P.May 7, 2026I first leaned toward D figuring the sponsor needed to sign off after such a long suspension, but the key word is resume, not restart. The project lead needs to review the remaining backlog items with the team first since they are the ones doing the work and the environment changed so priorities likely shifted.
Fatima Z.Mar 31, 2026I first leaned toward D because the sponsor felt like the safe call after a long suspension, but then the backlog review acronym saved me: Team First, Sponsor Last. The PM is resuming development activities, and the people doing that work need to re-validate the remaining items first, so A is the move.
Wesley A.May 4, 2026Failed my first attempt partly because I rushed through a similar question and picked A. After a suspension that long, the backlog is almost certainly stale and the business environment has shifted, so the sponsor needs to be in the room when you review what is still worth doing before anything goes to the team.
Orla P.May 4, 2026Wesley, A is actually the correct answer here, so your gut instinct was right even though you second-guessed yourself into changing it. After a long suspension the backlog items are likely outdated and no longer aligned with current business needs, which is exactly why the sponsor should be involved in reviewing what is still worth doing before anything goes back to the team.