PMP · Question #1147
A project is starting its third iteration out of six. During planning, the team realized that all of the requirements were not defined clearly enough to start working. What should the project manager
The correct answer is C. Meet with the product owner to review the project backlog.. During the planning of an agile project's third iteration, the team discovers that requirements are not clearly defined enough to begin work. This issue impedes progress and needs immediate attention.
Question
Options
- AReview and replace the unclear requirements with ones that are clear.
- BUpdate the issue log and escalate it to the project sponsor.
- CMeet with the product owner to review the project backlog.
- DInvite key users to the next daily meeting to get requirement clarification.
How the community answered
(38 responses)- A11% (4)
- B3% (1)
- C84% (32)
- D3% (1)
Why each option
During the planning of an agile project's third iteration, the team discovers that requirements are not clearly defined enough to begin work. This issue impedes progress and needs immediate attention.
The project manager does not typically 'review and replace' requirements unilaterally; this is the Product Owner's responsibility, often in collaboration with the team, after clarification.
While escalating might be necessary if the issue persists, the first step for unclear requirements in an agile setting is direct collaboration with the Product Owner, not immediate escalation.
The Product Owner is the primary authority for the Product Backlog and ensuring that requirements are clear, concise, and understood by the development team. If requirements are unclear, the project manager's most effective action is to meet with the Product Owner to facilitate the refinement and clarification of these backlog items so the team can proceed with development.
Inviting key users to a daily scrum is inappropriate for detailed requirement clarification; daily scrums are for team synchronization, and detailed discussions should occur during backlog refinement or dedicated meetings.
Concept tested: Agile backlog clarification and Product Owner role
Topics
Community Discussion
8
Ola B.Feb 27, 2026C is the right call here. In an agile project the product owner owns the backlog and is responsible for making sure requirements are refined and ready before the team pulls them into an iteration. When the team discovers the stories are not clear enough to work, the PM should meet with the PO to review and groom the backlog so the upcoming work gets the clarity it needs. A and D sound helpful but bypass the PO's role, and B is premature escalation for something that is a normal backlog refinement activity.
Nina C.Mar 1, 2026Agreed on C, but worth adding that the PO should ideally catch this during backlog refinement before the iteration starts, not after the team has already pulled the work in.
Mei-Ling H.Mar 20, 2026Agree with C. In agile the product owner owns the backlog, so when requirements are unclear at iteration planning the PM goes to the PO to refine and prioritize them, not the sponsor or the users.
Imani T.Mar 30, 2026C. Backlog refinement with the PO is the agile answer, not sponsor escalation.
Nina C.Mar 13, 2026Going with C since the product owner owns the backlog. Does the PO refine requirements before or during iteration planning?
Imani T.Mar 15, 2026C is right but to nitpick, refinement is an ongoing activity that happens between iterations, not during planning itself - planning is when the team commits to already-refined items.
Wei W.Mar 11, 2026I first leaned toward A because swapping in clear requirements sounds pragmatic, but that is the PM making a decision the product owner owns. The exam wants the PO accountable for backlog clarity, so C is the move.
Ola B.Mar 13, 2026C is right and I would add that if you spin up a quick Azure DevOps board and play with moving a vaguely written PBI around, you immediately see why the PO has to own that clarity before anyone touches the backlog.